Daughter of Black

Chapter 59- Caged Bird

V had stayed overnight at St Mungo's, getting her wounds tended to by none other than Barnabas. He quickly realised that she was in no state to work and gave her the next couple of weeks off.

Returning to Grimmauld Place was a strange experience. She couldn't bring herself to go anywhere but the drawing room and the kitchen. George, Remus and Tonks all stayed with her, with at least one of them being by her side at all times. George slept with her every night on the drawing room couch, but they both knew she wasn't sleeping much at all. Many times he would look over to her in the night and see that she was lying awake, staring at the ceiling with her longing eyes.

V hardly thought about the things that happened in the ministry, with most of the trauma being too much for even her to handle. No one dared to talk about it with her either, with Sirius' name being treated like some sort of forbidden spell. She looked over at the Black family portrait, in particular looking at the faces who had been blasted off. V didn't like how Sirius had been blasted off, she didn't like how their family had try to erase all memory of him as if he were irrelevant.

She had spent five days sitting in the drawing room, looking at the tapestry wishing the Black family wasn't as prejudice and close minded as it was. But then she had the epiphany that she was indeed the Black family, and indeed the last Black family member left. She realised the truth and morality of the Black family was dependent on her and that she could change whatever she liked.

As soon as she realised this, she began to magically mend all the faces on the family tree, restoring the burnt out marks of faces with stories and names. She finished with Sirius' spot, with his young mischievous smile beaming out at her as she did. In that moment George entered the room in a brightly coloured suit and holding a plate of pancakes.

"Remus made them, they're very good." He said handing her the plate.

"I know." V replied placing the plate down on a table.

George then noticed the change V had made to the Black family tree and nodded in approval. "It looks much better." George commented. But his demeanour soon changed, he looked a bit worried and V didn't need him to say anything for her to realise this.

"So, Fred's struggling to run the shop right now, and I think he really needs my help." He began, but V wasn't too sure what the worry was all about.

"Go help him then." V said simply.

"Really? Are you sure?" He then persisted.

"I'll be fine." She replied and he gave her a kiss on the forehead along with a long tight hug.

"I'll get going then, but I'll be back tonight." He said reassuringly, and just like that he apparated away.

V felt oddly grown up watching him go away for work. It was almost a reminder that they weren't kids anymore, hiding behind the walls of Hogwarts. They had responsibilities and jobs and a place to play in the magical society. The truth was, as she stood alone in the dark dingey room of the Black family house, she wanted him to stay, and waste away another day with her. But she didn't want to be selfish, and she wanted both Fred and George's business to be as successful as possible.

She didn't touch the pancake, even though she knew Remus made the most fluffy, delicious pancakes. Instead she did something she had a sudden urge to do and that was go upstairs. She went up the stairs onto the next floor where Regulus' and Sirius' rooms were. She brushed her hand along the door to Regulus' room but didn't go inside it. Instead she heard a strange sound coming from Sirius' room and averted her attention to the room. She made her way over wondering if Kreacher had gotten himself into some sort of trouble again, but when she entered she found a sight she hadn't expected.