Back in Black // Sirius Black

Chapter 4

<<<Alexandra Black>>>

My sleep schedule became terrible. I couldn't close my eyes for more than two seconds without thinking Sirius Black was going to walk through my bedroom door. I could tell Cassie and Regulus were on edge as well. All night long, Cassie spent hours painting. Regulus could be found in the study surrounded by old newspapers, reading and learning everything he could about Sirius Black. Luckily, I enchanted all mentions of my name in the articles to keep the secret of their paternity safe. With the help of a wakefulness potion, I was able to go to work.

"There is an interesting case I left on your desk," Mafalda Hopkirk greeted me rather quietly. 

Her hazel eyes glanced over her shoulder before shutting my office door. Stifling a yawn, I searched through the papers on my desk. I found a new underage magic report. My eyebrows listed as the name on the report was not Cassiopeia Black.

"Harry Potter? An Inflating Charm on his aunt?" I read the paper out loud.

"It is his second offense. This may be grounds for expulsion! You know how Dolores would feel if she found out about this..."

Although I hadn't spoken to Harry in years, I still felt protective of the boy. 

"Are you saying we expel him?" I asked. Mafalda looked alarmed.

"No, Alexandra! I'm saying... Given his situation and the talk around the Ministry, we should let it slide."

"The talk around the Ministry?"

Mafalda slid slowly into a chair in front of my desk. I hadn't noticed it, but her hands were trembling as she pressed her palms against her skirt. She too looked like she was losing sleep.

"When Sirius Black was in his last days at Azkaban," Mafalda said in a quavering voice. "He kept saying 'He's at Hogwarts.' We fear he might have been referring to his godson, Harry Potter."

Ice felt like it was being poured down my spine. Sirius wasn't after me or my family? With a vicious thought, I wondered if Sirius was planning on finishing off the job of murdering the Potter family. 

"Then it is done," I decided. With a swish and flick of my wand, the report levitated over the trash bin and ripped itself to shreds. It was simple enough. I always tore up my own kids' reports and Umbridge would never find out.

"Thank you, Alexandra, I knew you would see it the same way," Mafalda concluded. "And if there is anything I could do for you around the Ministry to make your situation better... Just let me know."

Mafalda seemed to be the only one who didn't avoid me at work. Once again, I was known as the wife of the murderer and now the wife of the escaped convict. Many people talked in whispers behind my back and I noticed workers from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement kept watching me.

"Just make sure they don't force Veritaserum down my throat again," I asked of Mafalda. I rubbed my temples, feeling another stress induced headache coming on. Right on the dark corner of my desk covered in a thin layer of dust was a photograph. Sirius and baby Cassie smiled and waved at me within the frame.

With a weak smile, Mafalda stood and summoned a large cup of coffee. She placed it on my desk and lightly took my hand.

"Dear, can you blame them? What would be your response if they asked you if you still loved Sirius Black?"

I knew the answer, and Mafalda did too. She left my office without another word, leaving me to continue reading the stack of misuse of magic reports.

<<>><<>><<>>

For Cassie's first two years at Hogwarts, Remus made the trip to King's Cross station to see her off. This year was no different, except he would be joining her on the train, as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Regulus was bursting with excitement too, finally old enough to join his sister at Hogwarts.