Back to Black | Golden Trio Era

II

TWO

"And you promise to be good for Molly?"

"Yes, Mummy."

"And you double promise that you won't tell a gnome to chase your baby sister again?"

"Yes, Mummy."

"Okay, Alfie...I love you."

"I love you, Mummy. Have fun!"

Eloise smiled to herself as her six year old son put his hand on her cheeks and beamed at her, not noticing the blue ringlet that had fallen over his forehead, "I'll save you a frog." he whispered and nodded to the bowl of Peppermint Toads that Molly Weasley had put out. Eloise giggled and ran a hand over Alfie's hair,

"Thank you, sweetness." she pecked his nose and Alfie kissed hers in return before turning and skipping off towards Fred and George who were chasing the young Ronald with a daddy long legs. Eloise heard pattering footsteps and turned to see Mia waddling towards her with a wide grin gracing her pink lips. Eloise stood up properly and scooped her daughter into her arms, brushing some brown curls away from her icy blue eyes. "I know you'll be good, won't you, Mimi?"

"Es." Mia nodded at her mother as she reassured her using the utmost confidence boosting toddler language.

"Good. At least I have you to keep an eye on the boys."

"Naughty boys!" Mia turned and pointed to Alfie who had turned his hair orange to match the Weasleys and Harry who was giggling as Ron hid behind his mother.

"I know it'll be hard but as long as no one leaves missing a nose this time, it's a success." she pressed a kiss to Mia's forehead and set her down, smiling to herself as she made her way, albeit at a very slow pace, towards Ginny Weasley who was sat cross-legged on the carpet, watching her brothers and Alfie and Harry somewhat distastefully. Percy sat on a chair next to his little sister with a frown as his scruffy rat was squirming frantically in his hands, seeming to want to run far away from Eloise. The woman peered at the rodent quizzically for a moment before shaking her head and smiling at Percy who sent back a quick upturn of the lips before walking off to chastise his pet.

Eloise sighed and walked to hug Molly who had just finished telling Fred and George off for tormenting Ron, "Thanks for looking after them, Mol. I don't know when Dumbledore will be free again."

"Oh it's nothing, dear." Molly smiled warmly and patted Eloise on the arm, "Say hello to the boys if you see him. Bill will be happy to see you but I think Charlie's still a bit scared having only been there a few months."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to embarrass him with an over the top greeting." with that Eloise winked and kissed Harry on top of his head as she passed and walked into the fireplace, "Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts." she shouted as the jade green flames engulfed her, giving her one last view of her children and nephew playing happily before she prepared herself to be planted into an inevitable shouting match...however one sided it may be. She had barely spoken to her ex-headmaster since that night but his name had constantly been in her mouth whenever she and James would have their bitching sessions about him. She was infuriated that he did nothing to try and get Sirius out of prison when there were two eye witnesses that could testify against his sentence. Eloise had always held great respect for Albus Dumbledore but after he had deliberately left her to grieve the loss of her sister-in-law whilst her husband was locked away in a cell in Azkaban, it was safe to say that her high regard for him had significantly diminished.

~~~

"Ahh, Miss Potter, I'm glad you could make it."

"As am I, Sir." Eloise smiled briefly and ignored the fact that Dumbledore had addressed her by her maiden name as she sat herself on the chair opposite the Headmaster, experiencing the familiar feeling of being x-rayed as his electric blue eyes bored into hers. "I gather you know why I requested this meeting."

"I have my suspicions." Dumbledore replied with a slight incline to his head but nothing more was said and Eloise raised an eyebrow,

"And?"

"There is nothing I can do."

"Typical." Eloise turned her head so her stony gaze was focused on the window and crossed her arms,

"Miss Potter, I apologise deeply but I hold no authority-"

"Well, that's just bullshit isn't it." Eloise turned back to face Dumbledore, "You are on the Wizengamot."

"That is true, however Barty Crouch made the decision of not holding a trial-"

"So request one!" Eloise began to flail her arms around as she got even more angry, her hair flashing a warmer brown as it neared that dangerous crimson colour, "My husband is rotting away in Azkaban for a crime you know he didn't and would never commit."

"The evidence suggests-"

"Fuck the evidence!" Eloise slammed her hand on the desk but Dumbledore didn't flinch, "I was there! And if you think that Sirius Black, the first Black to not be a Slytherin ever, would betray his best friends and godson then you mustn't have been present for our years at Hogwarts."

"I am aware that Mr Black showed great loyalty towards his friends, Miss Potter."

"Yes. He did." Eloise narrowed her eyes at the great wizard sat opposite her so he wouldn't see them welling up with tears, "He loved Lily." she choked out, "They had a rocky start but by sixth year, they were as close as any of us. Lily would be the one that Sirius would approach when he wanted to do something for me. Lily gave him the idea for his proposal to me. Whenever Lily was upset Sirius would be there to hug her and make her a cup of tea. Lily was the one who helped Sirius revise for all of his exams and Sirius wouldn't hesitate to protect her if anyone said anything about her bloodstatus. James may have been his best friend and I may have been his wife but she was his sister...he. Loved. Lily."

"I don't dispute that, Miss Potter."

"Then do something! The real traitor is out there without having to face any consequences for what he did all while Sirius is having all of the happiness sucked out of him by dementors in fucking Azkaban!" Eloise let a tear escape her eye and sunk low in her chair, resting her head in her hands and not caring that her shoulders shook in front of Dumbledore as she sobbed.

"Miss Potter-"

"It's Black now." she lifted her head and looked into his wrinkled face. Her red-rimmed eyes narrowed even though they still drowned in sorrow,

"I apologise. Mrs Black, what is it you want me to do?" Dumbledore clasped his hands together on the desk in front of him and looked at Eloise sympathetically, obviously feeling guilty for doing nothing to help her husband.

"I want you to work your arse off to get Sirius Black out of that hell hole."

"And if I can't manage that?"

"I was told since I was a young girl that you were the greatest wizard of our time and there wasn't anything that you couldn't do." she stood from her chair and wiped her eyes, straightening her jacket and looking Dumbledore in the eye, "I'd like to think my children could grow up thinking the same."