Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Azalea jolted as a warm furry body jumped on top of the bed with a loud bark and flopped over on top of her.
“Five more minutes dad.” She groaned out as she turned over still asleep causing the massive black dog to freeze in shock. Not even a second later her own words registered through her mind causing a faint blush to drift across her cheeks. She didn’t bother to correct herself though because to her he was the only father she knew. She did take advantage of his shock though. In true marauder fashion she seized him around his furry neck and rolled over, taking him with her until she was cuddling him like a teddy bear. “Good doggy.” She mumbled condescendingly as she reached with one hand to pat his head.
She had such a tight hold on him that he couldn't wiggle out. Not that he put any sort of effort into it anyway. He would freely admit to being touch starved. After all, he had spent twelve years in Azkaban and even now the other members of the Order avoided him like he was an unstable criminal that needed to be caged and monitored. Azalea was the only one who didn’t treat him like broken glass. After so long in solitude, she was like a breath of fresh air.
Eventually Azalea let out a sigh. “I have to get ready don’t I?” She grumbled out into his scruff resulting in a huff of amusement coming from the animagus who was contently laying down next to her. “I don’t regret calling you dad, you know. I don't think my father or mother would mind. In fact, I bet they're content in the knowledge that someone is caring for me.” She said so softly that he almost didn’t hear her.
Still the words brought tears to his eyes. The honesty in her voice soothed a jagged piece in his soul. The piece that blamed himself for living while James and Lily died and for leaving Azalea with Hagrid to go after Pettegrew instead of taking her home to raise her. Instead his pup was raised by a bunch of no good muggle thugs without him. She hadn’t even known she had godparents before he had broken out, it had been him who informed her on who her godmother was and how Nelda was her godsister. If he was being brutally honest though, he would say that Remus had failed her worse than he did. He wasn’t in her life because he was locked up; Remus chose not to be in her life and Sirius didn’t know if he could forgive that. To make matters even worse, when he had begged Dumbledore to let Azalea live at Grimmauld place instead of going home for the summer he was denied and Remus backed Dumbledore up every time, saying some shit like ‘Sirius is too unstable to watch after her’ or ‘why should we take her from a loving home’. He knew damn well that the Dursley’s weren’t loving but Remus had never been able to admit that Dumbledore could be wrong. It was for this reason that Sirius was the godfather and not Remus, who was more mature.
“Come on kid, we have to get going soon if we want to hit Rosier manor today.” He said after he let his magic change him back. He untangled from her vice grip and sat up to look at her.
Azalea opened her eyes and took in the changes that the potions he had taken last night had given him. It was as if they turned back time. His skin looked about ten years younger and was clear without any scars. His hair had a healthy shine to it and no longer looked like straw and for once his eyes seemed alive. This must have been what he had looked like before Azkaban had brought him to ruin.
“Wow Siri! Have you looked in the mirror yet today? You look great Siri. So much healthier than you did yesterday; I’m so happy for you!” She squealed out in delight as she flung her arms around him again to pull him into a tight hug. The happiness in her voice brought out a small smile that showed that his dental health was getting better but might need some additional doses.
“Thanks pup. Now come on! I can’t wait to get a new wand!” He said excitedly while running his fingers through her hair affectionately.
“Yes, yes, I know. Now get out so I can get ready. I’ll be done in thirty minutes.” She told her dogfather as she unwound her arms and got out of bed. She pulled him off the bed and pushed him towards the door then closing it behind him and walking towards her trunk that Kreacher must have brought in while she slept.
She pulled out a deep burgundy red tunic that split at the hips on both sides and reached mid thigh. It was bordered in black Celtic knot embroidery that she paired with a black leather belt. She also pulled out a pair of black dragonhide leggings and headed towards the bathroom to take a quick shower. Getting out she dried her hair and applied make up with a smokey eyeliner effect. She pulled her hair back into a faux hawk braid with two small braids on each side then walked back into the bedroom to attach her dagger and put on her black knee length dragonhide boots and walked out of the door to see Sirius dressed in a black tunic with a dragonhide leather jacket and black leather pants and shin length dragon leather boots. Though she didn’t see any visible weapons on him she knew he had at least four throwing knives on him hidden within his clothes after all he was the one who taught her how to conceal her own.
“Do you want to eat before we go or after we get the wand?” She asked as she looked up into his eyes.
“Let’s grab a quick bite first. I want to go to the Rosier manor right after we get my wand to get it out of the way. Besides, I can’t eat out without someone recognizing me and calling the authorities. I can just see the headlines now ‘Girl-Who-Lived out having a lovely brunch with Convicted murderer who helped kill her parents’ or ‘Girl-who-Lived in Cohoots with the Dark Side!’” Sirius said with a smile, voice laden with sarcasm.
Azalea smirked back at him and hooked their arms together and pulled him down to the dining room that they had been in the night before. Two plates of a full English breakfast appeared as they sat down along with tea. Not even three minutes into eating the sound of heels clacking on marble was heard as Cassiopeia made her way into the room.
“Good morning my darling niece and nephew. Have you both slept well?” Her cultured voice spoke up from behind them.
“Yup, Auntie Cia. Thanks for hosting us.” Sirius said with a grin.
“Yea Auntie, thank you.” Azalea said with a cheeky smile.
“Will you be gone long today dear?” Cassiopeia asked while sitting down across from the girl.
“I don’t know. Hopefully everything goes well and we will be home for supper. If we are in a manor I will send a patronus to let you know.” Azalea said after taking a sip out of her tea cup.
Not long after that her and Sirius finished up and stood to leave. The exited the manor and Sirius grabbed onto her shoulder before apparating them to an alleyway In Knockturn Alley. Once they stopped spinning he cast a notice-me-
not onto himself and let Azalea drag him down to the wand shop. As soon as he entered Ängar Konst he lowered his notice me not spell and stood behind Azalea to block the sight of her from the Alley. Already he could tell that the woman who owned it took care of her space. Unlike Ollivander’s there was not a speck of dust in sight. The floors looked to have been recently cleaned making the mahogany wood gleam lightly in the soft light let in from the windows in the front of the shop.
“Welcome, welcome, how can I help you today?” A light blonde haired woman asked from behind the mahogany counter. Her slate grey eyes were sharp as she looked between Sirius and Azalea.
“Hi Viveka. I brought my godfather today. I hope you don’t mind.” Azalea said with a small smile.
“Aah Azalea. You sure know interesting people, yes? How can I help you and Mr. Black?” Her lilting voice asked in a soothing cadence that came from the Swedish accent.
“Ah yes. I find myself in need of a wand. I heard that your the best wand crafter around and seem to be in a convenient location for one with a reputation like I have. Not many people would take notice of an escaped convict in Knockturn.” Sirius rumbled out in a deep timber.
“Then you heard right. I don’t sell premade wands here but if you want one made for you then it would be my pleasure. No come with me, the materials are in the back.” She said as she waved them to follow her back.
Sirius slung an arm around Azalea’s shoulders as they walked behind Viveka to where there were tables of organized raw wand making items.
“Now pick the items that your magic feels most attuned to.” Viveka said as she set up her crafting area.
Sirius walked along the tables that held wood blocks until he stopped in front of a block of wood that held different shades of brown and red and picked it up to bring to Viveka.
“Ah Canary wood. This is a wonderful wood for anyone in need of healing. It will help center both you spiritual and physical being. Now I just need the cores.”she said distractedly as she set the wood onto her work space.
Sirius went back to the tables to search for his core. Surprisingly enough he picked out two cores. One being Demiguise hair and the second being Graphorn skin.
“Alright. Your wand will be a powerful dueling wand and also will be powerful in transfiguration. It will be done in an hour. You can stay back here until I’m done. That way no one will see you.” She stole the two of them without looking up as she got to work on crafting the wand.
Neither Sirius or Azalea spoke, too transfixed on watching the magic of a master wand crafter. It was something rarely seen due to the process being jealously guarded by the practitioners. It felt like only five minutes passed when the wand was finished and Viveka made her way over to the two who were starting to stand.
“It’ll be be a total of twenty galleons for everything. Do you need a wand holster Mr. Black?” Viveka asked the stunned wizard.
“Yes actually. Do you have a dragonhide holster in stock?” He asked the blonde.
“Yes actually I just made an opaleye holster yesterday. It’ll cost you six galleons.” She answered back evenly.
“Thanks for allowing us to watch. It was truly magical.” Sirius said as he handed over thirty galleons. “Keep the change for all of your hard work.” He told her as he fastened his new wand.
“Thank you for your patronage. Come back again if you need any weaponry. Don’t forget I make weapons of all kinds and leatherwork as well.” She said as she waved them out of the store.
As soon as he left the store Sirius cast a notice me not spell with his new wand. The difference having a wand of his own was astounding. He hadn’t realized how much magic he had to use to force his fathers wand to work.
Using the fact that no one was paying him any attention, he shifted. He trotted alongside Azalea in his dog form to the entrance of the magical alley and waited while Azalea called the knight bus which appeared in a loud boom.
“Come on Padfoot.” Azalea called to the dog as she got on and paid the fare, not noticing a pair of longing liquid silver eyes watching her.
“Where to?"43 Shunpike asked as he leered at the girl, making her feel uncomfortable. Having him look at her that way was making her feel dirty and smelly in a way that she didn’t like at all.
“Rosier manor.” Azalea said icely while dropping a hand onto Sirius’ scruff to keep him calm and make her feel more secure. She knew that Sirius would protect her but she still wasn’t used to creeps that stare at her. She walked past Stan to a bed in the back and patted the spot next to her. Sirius jumped up onto the bed then the bus took off jerking the two of them around. “Hopefully Rosier won’t be violent. I’m hoping that we won’t have to fight but I will protect myself if I have to. It’s just, I would really like to have at least one uncle who likes me. I know I have you dad but is it so wrong to want a family that loves me?” She asked as she ran her fingers through his fur, drawing out a whine at the sound of her desperation. He could only lay his chin in her lap and look up into her emerald eyes to try and convey comfort to his pup. “I can only hope it goes well but at least I have you and aunt Cia.” She whispered as she continued to pet Sirius’ fur. Soon the jerking stopped as they came upon their stop.
“Rosier manor.” Was called as she stood to walk towards the exit of the bus. “Come back anytime, sweets.” Stan called after her causing a shiver to run down her spine.
“Eew.” Azalea muttered under her breath, grimacing as she walked towards a huge cast iron gate. As soon as the bus left Sirius transformed back and wrapped his arm around her shoulder protectively.
“What a creep. Want me to kill him pup?” He asked the only child he would ever have.
“No thanks dad he isn’t worth the effort. Are you ready for us to go in?” Azalea asked as she came to a stop only a foot stay from the metal work of the gate that depicted roses.
“Yea. No matter what though remember I’ll protect you. I think I should stay human when we enter. I’ll have a better response time that way. I’ll let you take front and I’ll watch our backs. You wanted to talk to him right?” He said as he squeezed her shoulders lightly.
“Yea. Let’s do this.” She responded back as she sliced her palm with a spell and touched the gate. With a groan the gate swung inwards as a shimmery wall lifted up. As soon as they entered though, the gates slammed shut. “Well that isn’t eerie at all.” She mumbled out sarcastically causing Sirius to huff out a chuckle.
They made their way through a courtyard boarded by red rose bushes and up to the massive oak doors of a French style chateau. She laid her left hand on the door to trace the roses carved on it only for the door to swing open. She entered into a grand hall only to stop dead. There sitting in an ornate wingback chair was a man with vibrant green eyes that held a fiery spark. He also had vivid red hair that fell to his shoulders in waves with the top half pulled back. His pale face was blank as he took her in while crossing one leg over the other. He had a slim but fit build in spite of him having been in Azkaban not even six months ago.
“Well, lovely meeting you uncle but I seem to be hearing Merlin calling my name. Have a nice day.” She said hurriedly as she started to turn to leave.
“Hold it.” His voice was deep and raspy due to lack of use. “Come in and sit down, girl, we have things to discuss.” His voice revealed nothing as he gestured to the two seats across from him.
“Aah, okay.” She said as she inched her way to the seat with Sirius following behind her, amused at her antics but still alert.
“Now, care to tell me how you’ve become my heiress as I don’t remember fathering a child and I’m the last of my line as far as I know.” He demanded with trace amounts of curiosity.
“Well I hate being the bearer of news but my mother was one Lilian Rhona Rosier.” She stated blandly.
“That’s impossible. She had died as a child. There was no trace left of her.” He stated coldly.
“Yea, no trace. Yet she still ended up being raised in a muggle household believing she was a muggleborn. I believed I was a halfblood until I took an inheritance test at Gringotts.” She informed him while clenching her hands closed to keep from reaching out to Sirius who must have noticed as he rested his hand on her knee in silent support.
“How do I know that you are speaking the truth? I don’t remember anyone who would have fit the description of a Rosier from the war.” His frigid tone sent a chill down her neck. Still nothing showed on his face as cold emerald eyes stared into her own identical eyes.
She took a deep calming breath while she Mantainted eye contact then continued on. “Believe me, I thought I would just be Lady Potter and Heiress Black. Now I have another uncle who most likely wants me dead. I honestly didn’t know what I would be walking into when I came here but I can already see that it was a mistake. And to answer your unasked question her name became Lily Evans, you know, the muggleborn with hair as red as blood and eyes as green as emeralds. The one who married James Potter.” Her own voice sounded like grinding ice sheets. She should have known that this wasn’t going to be a good meeting. Her mothers family only ever brought heartache it seemed. “Come on Sirius, let’s go home. We can call this a wasted effort.” She said flatly as she stood to leave, missing the alarmed look that flashed through Evan’s eyes.
“You really fucked up Evan. Way to drive away your only family left that cares.” Sirius growled out as he stood to follow his daughter.
“Wait a minute girl. We aren’t done yet and you haven’t even introduced yourself properly.” He said in a bid to stop her from leaving yet.
“I believe we are done, Lord Rosier. But if it appeases your sensibilities I will introduce myself and my companion. I am Azalea Potter, the daughter of Lily and James Potter and the current Lady of house Potter and Heiress to house Black. My companion is Sirius Black, Lord of house Black. I am your Lord’s most hated enemy besides Dumbledore.” She responded with her voice void of emotion.
Evan sighed out at the sight of his new found niece slamming down her defenses. He knew he fucked up. Maybe if he had gone about this differently he wouldn’t have caused her to deem meeting with him a wasted effort. He never really had people skills to start with but this seemed to be a new low for him.
“You mean the firecracker who kneed me in the groin was my little sister?” He asked as his face came alive with amusement.
“Yea. I seemed to have gotten her personality even though I look like a carbon copy of my father with my mother’s eyes.” She said relaxing a little at the lack of hostility now. She could feel a shift in the air and released a sigh. Sirius could see the change in her body posture causing him to shift closer to her and rest his hand on her shoulder. The weight of it gave her the comfort and confidence to drift a little closer to her mother’s brother.
Evan seemed to brighten up a little as his niece came closer. She was so much more delicate looking than he originally thought. So small that she barely made it past his shoulders. Her hair as dark as a raven's wing is a sharp contrast with her porcelain skin. She looked like a fae. Ethereal yet seemed to radiate with power that showed in the way she stood, the proud tilt of her head to her straight spine with her shoulders thrown back. She was Scáthach come again.
“Well niece, would you care to stay for tea? I would love to hear about your life so far.” Evan asked as he looked between his two guests. At Azalea’s accepting nod he broke out in a gentle smile that softened his features. “Come on then. Let’s go to the family room. Rosey please bring afternoon tea to the sitting room.” He called out as he lead them into a warm looking room with two soft brown leather couches in the middle of the room with an oak coffee table in between. There was a throw rug under the table made of an off white almost beige fur. On the far right of the room sat a massive stone fireplace that made the beige coloured walls glow with a soft light.
Soon all three were sitting with the tea and scones popping up in between them. Azalea picked up a cranberry scone and started to nibble on it while trying to figure out what she could tell her newly met uncle. She obviously couldn’t say anything about the Acolytes or about where she was staying.
“I can’t say much with you being on the opposite side of the war. You’ll just have to settle with vague details until my side either wins or are dead. Maybe as time goes on I’ll trust you enough to tell you everything but it is not this day.” Azalea spoke softly as she looked into her uncle's eyes. She could see a flash of either disappointment or sadness before he nodded for her to continue. “First of all, as I told you earlier, my birth parents are James and Lily. I was born July 31, 1980. After your Dark Lord slaughtered my parents he tried to off me in the crib. Mom had somehow outsmarted him though, she was offered three times to move out of the way and she refused each time. She must have used her sacrifice to fuel some kind of protection because his Avada bounced off of me and hit him instead. After that I was sent to live with my mother's adoptive sister where I wasn’t treated the best. They hate magic you see, tried to beat it out of me. Didn’t work as you can see. I was sorted into Griffyndor and made good friends throughout my years at Hogwarts while I was dodging people's plans to kill me every year.” She told him while waving her hand nonchalantly at the end as if near death scenarios happened every Tuesday.
“Why were you living with magic hating muggles when you have family in the magical community? Any one of the light aligned families would have taken you in if your family couldn’t!” Evan exclaimed incredulously.
“Dumbledore decided that it was best if I didn’t live in the magical community. He couldn’t have his little weapon having a will of it's on now could he?” Azalea said sardonically as she shifted back further into the couch.
Before anyone could respond a honey badger patronus streaked into the room. “Sirius, get your ass back to base. Azalea is still missing. We need to find her before the Death Eaters do. CONSTANT VIGILANCE.” Mad eye’s gruff voice spoke out of the patronus causing both Azalea and Sirius to stiffen out of surprise.
Azalea turned to Sirius, reaching out to grasp onto his arm. “Lets go before my luck runs out and either Lucius or the Lestrange brothers find me again. Or worse yet Snape, I really don’t want to be verbally abused today.” She said apprehensively while her eyes scanned the area reflexively searching for danger. Then as if remembering where they were and who they were with she turned to her uncle. “I’m sorry uncle, it looks like I’m going to have to cut this visit short. Places to be and all that.” She spoke as she stood up. She then turned to Sirius who was still sitting on the couch. “C’mon Siri. You need to get back to the others. I'm sure they’re all worried about what kind of situation you may have gotten yourself into.” She said while tugging on his sleeve. When he didn’t get up right away she whined out softly. “Dad we gotta go!” She pouted softly at him while the two ignored Evans soft intrigued mutter of ‘dad?’
Sirius complied with an amused huff. He really didn’t want to leave Azalea to go back to the Order but he knew that he must if he wanted to protect her from Dumbledore.
“Let’s go pup.” Sirius huffed out as he stood to his full height. “Good to see you Rosier but little Aza and I need to go.” He said to the other man who hefted himself up to walk them to the door.
Just before Azalea pulled open the door he stopped her. “Before you leave my niece I believe this belongs to you now.” Evan said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ornate box made of fir wood. She opened it carefully and glanced inside only to snap her eyes back to Evan in shock. Sitting on a bed of red velvet was the Rosier heiress ring. It had a Mithril band that was lined with emeralds shaped as leaves that lead up to a rose made up of rubies. On the inside of the band were the House words of the Rosier family, ‘Nos Épines Sont Acérées’ or ‘Our Thorns Are Sharp’. “Uncle?” Azalea's voice came out shaky as she looked up at him with a lost look on her face.
“You are my heiress, my niece, and the only thing I have left of my baby sister that I never knew yet longed for. I may not be the nicest man around but I know the importance of family and there aren’t many things I wouldn’t do to protect you. Now the enchantments on that ring protect the wearer from weaker hexes, jinxes and curses.” He told her gently as he stepped closer, cupped her cheek and tilted her face up to press a soft kiss to her forehead.
Azalea flung her arms around him in a tight hug causing him to drop his hand from her face to wrap around her shoulders as she buried her face into his chest. He squeezed her gently and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head before he released his hold and stepped back out of her hug. Azalea looked back down to the box in her hand and slipped the ring onto her left middle finger and watched as a soft glow shone off the ring as it accepted her.
“If you ever need anything let me know. I expect letters and would love for you to visit me if you're not comfortable with me going to you.” Evan spoke while looking into Azalea’s eyes.
“I’ll send letters and visit when I can. It may not be often though since I have people out to kill me right now.” Azalea responded. She looked at him for a moment before turning to Sirius. “Can you apparate us back home please Siri?” She asked.
“Yea c’mon pup.” Sirius responded before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and turned on his heel to disappear taking Evan’s niece with him.