The Search Begins
September 3rd, 2015.
Privet Drive.
Surrey.
It seemed an eternity for Lily to gain sense of reality again as she sat in the living room of the now named Margaret Browning.
James sat next to her, hands in hers and a concerned look behind his circular glasses.
“Lily… are you okay?”
He spoke softly and Lily nodded, mostly to herself and before she could open her mouth, Margaret walked in from the kitchen, a tall glass of water in her hand which she passed to James.
“Here.”
She said softly, a worried look on her face as James thanked her and brought it to Lily’s lips.
She took a couple of sips before shaking her head and James placed it on the side stool as Margaret sat down.
“Thank you Mrs. Browning.”
James spoke up and the woman shook her head.
“It was no issue. Please call me Margaret.”
James nods gratefully.
“Then I’m James. This is my wife, Lily. Sorry for the scare earlier, it’s just… we didn’t expect to hear what you’d said.”
Margaret nods understandingly.
“It’s okay.”
Lily suddenly sat straight, earnest eyes at the brown eyed woman.
“Please, Margaret… how did you buy this house?... The people who used to live here, did you… did they sell it to you?”
Margaret shook her head.
“No. This house was placed on the market and it was through an agent we got this house. It was a bit vague. The owners didn’t live here anymore and so we found no issue with buying it. It was perfectly taken care of, my thanks to the previous owners I have to say.”
Lily’s eyes glistened and her hands shook, making James tighten his hold on her as he took over the conversation.
“So there’s nothing you know about them? Nothing at all?”
Margaret was quiet for a moment, deep in thought before sighing a bit.
“My husband was the one who dealt with the agent if I’m being honest. All I can remember is a Grunnings Company and something about moving to America. I am so sorry… it’s little information but really… that’s all I have.”
Lily’s head immediately snapped up.
“America? Are you sure?”
She pleaded and the woman hesitated.
“I-I’m really sorry… I’m not too sure but… that’s all I remember.”
“And this… agent… do you know how we can get in touch?”
James asked and Margaret shook her head.
“Sadly no. It’s been years.”
James nodded.
“Thank you Margaret.”
“Oh it’s no problem.”
A few minutes after, Lily and James walked out the house and into the street, Lily’s hands moving as if wanting to hold something and James wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“Hey, it’ll be okay.”
Lily shook her head.
“Okay?... James, they haven’t lived there for a long time and I had no idea! What kind of a mother am I!”
“A mother who tried to protect her daughter. Who tried to give her daughter a better life.”
“Jam—”
“No. Listen to me Lily… I’m sure everything’s fine. Didn’t you hear? They moved to America… Leilani is safe. She’s practically across the pond and far away from Voldemort and his Death Eaters! Our baby girl is safe, Lils…”
He tried to convince her but Lily still wasn’t feeling good about the whole situation.
Call it a mother’s intuition, but she had to be sure her daughter was okay… that Petunia was fine!
She couldn’t rest until she knew! She’d rested unawares for years, not knowing this information. Now she had to know!
Lily turned to her husband.
“James… help me find her.”
“Lily?”
“I need to know everything’s fine, James. I can’t… I feel cold in my heart. Something is… I don’t feel right. Help me James. Help me to be sure our daughter’s fine, and I’ll leave her be in America. Please…”
She asked him beseechingly and James needed no telling twice.
Of course he wanted to know more about his daughter too… but it’ll be a complicated search.
And so, he nodded.
“Of course. Lily.”
She sighed in relief.
“But… things will have to be done. With this whole Voldemort thing and the ministry not believing Chase… my work… Fudge has been looking for ways to kick me off my team. I’m sure it’s that asshole Malfoy controlling him but even if I needed to search Leilani out, I won’t be able to do it freely. I’d need to ask for a work leave and that just gives Fudge an opportunity to call me lazy or something.”
“Then ask Sirius. He’ll help you. And Fudge wouldn’t dare go after Sirius’ job. He’s practically Mad-eye’s favorite and Head of the Black family which Narcissca comes from. I don’t think Lucius would publicly go after him. And Remus doesn’t work in the ministry either. He also knows a lot about the muggle world. He’d be able to search out this… Grunnings Company and Sirius could shine his ‘Special Services' muggle modified badge and they would be allowed practically anywhere!”
James nodded the more Lily spoke, her ideas sound.
“Yes. You’re right. I’ll invite them both over tonight for dinner. Tell them what’s going on and I know before the week runs out, Sirius will have written for a leave. Come on Lils, let’s head home. I promise you, we’ll find Leilani and your sister. I know they’re okay In America. No need to be worried, okay?”
Lily nodded halfheartedly.
Even though her heart was a bit at ease that she would soon find out where her daughter was… she couldn’t stop the feeling in her heart that told her she just might not like what she finds.
And so, with an uneasy heart, she walked further from Privet Drive, finding a safe place and apparating home with her husband.
September 8th, 2015.
When James had told him to find Leilani, a number of emotions had gone through Sirius Black that night.
Fear, apprehension and excitement being the main ones.
Was something wrong with his other godchild?
Had something happened??
But then James had explained better and he sighed a bit relieved yet not.
And so, without wasting time, he’d applied for a fast enough leave from his boss, which was then given to him just the day before.
Even though he had a lot to cover on, not only from his auror duty, but also with Order business, this was still his goddaughter.
And so, here he was, with Remus next to him, standing in front of a secretary in a company called ‘Grunnings Drill Manufacturing Company.’
Who in their right minds name their company such a useless fucking name??
Then again, muggles were really strange so he wasn’t too surprised by it.
They had flying men and actual demigods running amongst them, why should their names be normal?
“I’m sorry, there’s no Vernon Dursley working in this company.”
The beautiful blonde lady said with a smile she mostly focused on him.
Not that he was complaining anyways. If he hadn’t been on a fact gathering mission, he might have invited her for a little… get together.
But today wasn’t the day… sadly.
“Are you sure, doll? I know he moved to America a couple of years back… maybe check again?”
He turned up his charm and her cheeks got red, Remus sighing next to him but he ignored his friend.
“O-of course I’ll check again… hold on a minute.”
She giggled a bit, typing away in the monstrosity that was called a ‘computer’.
He’d love to have one.
He exchanged a look with his friend who shrugged.
Remus had recently quit his job in the muggle world when news of Voldemort’s return reached them all.
It was a difficult life for one of his oldest friends, being a werewolf and all and Sirius had tried to get his friend to accept money from him but the noble asshole that Remus was, he’d never accept.
The Order of The Phoenix had been reestablished once more and Sirius had volunteered his childhood home as a base of operations.
Mainly because he’d had no idea what to do with the home for years after his mother died and it had been passed to him.
He couldn’t sell it because the Black family magics was practically soaked into its very foundations and would quite possibly never let go because of how dark and dastardly they were. Even Gringotts curse breakers would have a lot of problems with it… so he was stuck with it. But it was so much that he just couldn’t stay there without running mad, and so he’d bought a nicely furnished and slightly over expensive 2 bedroom flat in Horizont Alley.
Family money really could get you what you want.
And then he’d forced Remus into living with him, only accepting the most minimal amount of rent from his frustrated friend.
As for his childhood home, he’d talked Albus into helping him breakdown some dark spells and protections around the house while Molly Weasley helped with artifacts and rearrangement.
Nice woman she was.
Of course the artifacts were kept in a room which was warded by those with no Black blood but story for another time.
“Sorry… like I said, no Vernon Dursley working here…”
She gave him a sorry look and Sirius sighed, turning to Remus.
“Seems like we have a long way to go… where the heck are we going to find a Vernon Dursley??”
Remus sighed as they both turned to walk away.
“Perhaps we should search for Dursleys around? Maybe we could end up finding a family member?”
He suggested but the blonde secretary called them again.
“Wait!... Perhaps… maybe I could try once again?”
Sirius raised an eyebrow as she bit her lip unsure.
“There’s this… there’s one more place I didn’t check…”
Hope built up in Sirius once more as he and Remus walked over to her desk again, a big grin on his face.
“Well why didn’t you just do that earlier doll?”
She hesitated.
“Well it’s just… it’s… hold on…”
She typed away for a moment before her eyes widened.
“Vernon Dursley. Former Drills Salesman, Grunnings Drill Manufacturing Company.”
“Yes! That’s him alright! You are an angel!”
Sirius flirted, ignoring Remus’ playful hit of his arm even though he too had a look of relief on his face, something that didn’t reflect on the blonde secretary’s face and Remus’ smile turned into a frown.
“Miss, is there something wrong?”
She looked at him for a second and back to her computer screen, a sad look on her face.
“I uh… I don’t know how to tell you this but… yes, I did find him… but I found him in our Grunnings Obituary List…”
Sirius’ insides seemed to melt as soon as he heard those words.
“I am so sorry sirs…”
But Sirius heard no more as his mouth seemingly dropped open and his throat dry.
Dead?
Lily’s sister’s husband was… dead?
A feeling of concern began to build up in Sirius as he looked at the woman again.
“When? What year and month?”
She looked at her screen again.
“His death was reported on April 29th, 2006 in America.”
“2006?!”
Remus wheezed out next to him in shock.
“That long ago??”
Sirius closed his eyes, trying to gather his thoughts.
2006. That’s like… 9 years ago!
“And his wife??”
He heard Remus question, making him look up again, an urgent look in his eyes.
“She died too. The whole family died.”
“Wh—”
Sirius forced out in shock as his fists tightened up and he felt his body shake.
“Yes… there was some shooting from what I can see. The whole family died.”
Sirius felt his eyes sting as tears tried to force their way out.
Dead!
Dead!
Dead!
They’re dead!
Leilani was dead!
A soft moan of sorrow escaped his mouth as he rested on the table, head in his hands as his long hair pooled around him even as he shook his head.
Leilani was dead!
That little girl!
That vibrant girl that used to love it when he changed into padfoot!
That tried to bark along with him whenever he did in his animagus form!
She couldn’t be dead!
He felt Remus place a hand on his back but he couldn’t look up.
His goddaughter was dead!
His whole body shook.
How was he to tell James and Lily?!
Oh Chase!
He’d never be able to meet his twin, ever again!
“Were they family?”
He heard the secretary softly ask Remus.
“No. We were… we’re investigating something for their family. We’re friends of sorts…”
“Oh… my condolences… especially the poor boy. He hadn’t even turned 6 yet.”
Yes!
Sirius thought bitterly.
She hadn’t even turned—
Wait… he?
He??
He immediately raised his head, looking at the secretary with a slightly crazed look which startled her.
“He?? Not a she??”
“I… I uh—”
“Not a she??”
He questioned, ignoring Remus’ telling him to calm down.
He had always been the bad auror whenever there was a good auror bad auror situation anyways… Remus would just have to step in for James.
The secretary looked down at her screen and nodded shakily.
“Um, yes. Vernon and his wife died, along with their 5 year old son. Dudley Dursley.”
Sirius should feel bad, disgusted with himself.
A child had still died also.
But… he could only feel relief.
Leilani might still be alive… no, she was still alive! He wouldn’t believe otherwise.
“Are you sure? No other casualties?”
Remus questioned.
“No other casualties sir. Just the three.”
Sirius turned to her.
“Where did they go? Who got the case?”
“There isn’t much here. Just that Gotham police got there a little bit late.”
“Gotham?”
Sirius asked, confused.
“Yes. Gotham City in America. It doesn’t really surprise me too. That City is one of the worst in America and the crime rate has recently been dropping only because of the Batman everyone hears on the news. The one in Justice League.”
But Sirius wasn’t listening anymore.
He didn’t care about any man-bat creature or the freaking Justice League.
Leilani could be alive!
He felt hope once more.
A thankful smile appeared on his face as he nodded at the woman.
“Thank you so much for your time Lisa. I truly appreciate it.”
And with that, he turned to walk away, Remus beside him as they walked out of the building and Sirius let out a loud sigh of relief.
“She’s still alive Remus! She’s alive!”
“Sir—”
“No Remus! I refuse to believe otherwise! She’s alive! There’s no other way!”
He glared at his friend as if daring him to believe otherwise but Remus sighs, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“I know, Padfoot. I’m not saying I don’t have hope, far from it… but, Petunia is dead, Sirius. Lily’s sister is dead.”
…
Oh…
He had…
Thoughts of Leilani had clouded his mind and he had forgotten Lily’s sister was dead.
Had been dead for close to a decade now.
He looked back up at Remus.
“How do we…”
Remus sighed, dropping his hand and shaking his head.
“I don’t know Sirius… I don’t know… and let’s not forget Leilani is out there, alone or something. It’s been years… how do we find someone who has been practically missing since a random shoot in 2006?... How are we going to find her??”
They’d found few answers, and now they had larger questions.
Ministry of Magic.
London.
Wizarding World.
James Potter ignored the occasional looks thrown his way as he held some documents he’d gotten and walked towards the Auror office where he at least felt safer at.
The Auror office had sort of become his safe haven while at work because even if majority of them didn’t believe his son’s tales of Voldemort’s existence, everyone was too busy to gossip for too long or stare at someone without risking an hex being thrown your way.
Constant Vigilance and all that. Now that Moody had come out of retirement again, he didn’t like seeing Aurors too comfortable.
Seeing it as them loosing their minds and becoming easy pickings for dark wizards or something like that.
James winced slightly as he rubbed his shoulder, remembering when he had practically become lost in his mind a day after returning from Privet Drive and finding out he had no way to reach his daughter.
He truly hoped Sirius was doing better. He was always the better tracker anyways.
As he walked into the lift, his eyes sharpened as right there next to some other fellow ministry officials, was Lucius Malfoy, a smug smile on his face and his cane in hand.
Oh how James wanted to cut that hair and leave the blonde git bald.
“Ah… Potter. It’s been a while.”
Lucius drawled out as James entered the lift, making sure other officials were in between them and his wand poised and in his hand in case of anything.
“Malfoy.”
“I heard you’ve been having… trouble, with our esteemed minister.”
James gritted his teeth, rolling his eyes.
“And I wonder just how you know that.”
Lucius chuckled.
“Why, have you forgotten just how famous you are? The boy who lived’s beloved father… tales of the things your son has been spouting have made you even more famous.”
James heard a small snicker and some titters in the lift from the other 5 officials and his grip on his wand tightened.
“They’re not tales, Malfoy. You yourself should know that.”
“Oh?”
“After all, that mark on your hand should say the truth, should it now?”
It was quiet for a moment and the air in the lift seemingly turning to ice even as a male official looked at Lucius warily, his eyes dipping to his long sleeves and Lucius let out a quiet snarl at the official and then turning to James who had a smug look on his face.
“Better keep quiet Potter, there are things you don’t know of. And everyone knows I was under the—”
“Imperius curse yes. We all know the story of how weak you are Lucy, no need to tell the ‘tales’ to us again.”
Lucius' eyes narrowed and he seemed to breath in and out through his nose before a smile grew across his face.
“You should really tell your son to keep his head down. It’s his 5th year, OWLs year. I already have a letter from Draco talking about your son already getting a detention from the new DADA professor. It could get worse, you know…”
A glint in his eyes made James wary immediately, but before he could say anything, the lift stopped at the Auror department and opened and Lucius smirked.
“Ah, it seems this is your drop. Why don’t you run along Potter, I don’t want to miss my meeting with the Minister now…”
He mocked and James sneered, silently firing an hair changing hex at Lucius whose hair and eyebrows immediately turned a deep blue.
James let out an amused snort as he stepped out, turning to Lucius.
“I didn’t know you loved to experiment, Lucy… looks good on you.”
Lucius frowned in confusion but the officials turned to the man and some gasped or snickered and the man looked around himself as the lift began to close, eyes narrowing in on his hair and as he grabbed in in horrified surprise, his eyes turned to James who waved as the life zoomed backward.
He could hear the loud ‘POTTER!’ that would come from the Ponce and so, with a smile, began to walk to his office.
His mind though moved to his son.
He already had a detention with that awful frog spawn already??
Even after he’d told him to be wary of her.
A sigh escaped his lips even as he waved to Alice Longbottom who looked deep in files.
Poor lady.
Strong though… after loosing her husband to the Cruciatus curse and having him in the permanent Janus Thickey ward, it couldn’t be easy with a son, being an auror and having an overbearing mother in law around. Though Alice was just as overbearing and strong willed too.
He idly wondered how Sirius and Remus were doing and hoped they’d find some information before night came.
Sirius felt like his boots were dragging him down, making him slow enough that it felt an eternity before he got to Godric’s Hollow.
Or maybe he was just wary about the reaction of his Best friend and Lily.
Next to him, Remus kept silent, a grim look on his face.
Number 12 was surrounded by other houses that late evening.
James would be home already and Lily as well.
Also… Sirius had been looking for a way to avoid this conversation all day, even going so much as to force Remus into a muggle bar with him for a drink or 5.
His mind was still reeling from what he’d found out.
Lily’s sister dead along with her husband and Son, and Leilani somewhere out there in America… hopefully still alive.
As much as she was his goddaughter and he wanted to believe her still alive, he was an auror and had seen a lot of things in his life.
And that scared him.
“We’re here, Sirius.”
Remus spoke up quietly, knocking on the front door and waiting patiently for it to be opened, knowing Lily’s ward would have clued her in on who it was.
The door was yanked open in no time, an hopeful look in her eyes.
“Sirius! Remus! You’re here!”
She said slightly surprised. Probably not hoping for information so soon.
“Hey Lily flower! Care to let us in?”
Sirius playfully winked and Lily rolled her eyes, her impatience showing as she widened the door and eagerly dragged the two men in.
“JAMES! Sirius and Remus are here!”
Lily screamed out towards the direction of the stairs as they sat down in the living room, Lily wringing her hands anxiously as James ran down the stairs in a hurry, his glasses askew on his head and Sirius snickered quietly.
“What… but… how?”
Sirius rolled his eyes.
“What, you doubt my prowess in tracking?”
James huffed though he joined them sitting next to Lily who quickly made a grab for his hand.
“Well, what did you find?”
She asked and Sirius sighed, turning to Remus to speak up.
“We found his work place. Easy enough as there aren’t that many Vernon Dursleys out there married to a Petunia Dursley also. And um…”
Remus hesitated here, not sure how to put it, making the hairs on James’ neck to rise.
“We uh… we did find him… or find out about him. He indeed went to America about a decade or so ago.”
Lily’s eyes brightened.
“Did they move there? Was it a promotion or something?”
This time, it was Sirius who picked up the conversation.
“They didn’t move, Lily. It was a trip. But… something happened.”
His face grew grim and Lily’s hands shook in James’, even as James felt his whole body become hot.
“What happened Sirius?”
Lily demanded.
“Where’s my daughter?... Sirius…”
“There was an accident.”
James felt like he was being doused in cold water while Lily looked confused like she wasn’t comprehending what Sirius was saying.
“Accident?”
“There was a shooting in Gotham City while they were out and about. I’m sorry, Lily… Petunia, her husband and her kid got killed. They’re dead.”
Lily faltered in that moment even as James let out a choked gasp.
Her hand fell from his and her body shook even as it felt like a hundred screaming voices were having a match in her head.
Her shoulders hunched in on themselves and she felt herself shake.
Petunia was dead…
Tuney was dead.
Her sister was dead!
“Gotham City?”
She heard James whisper out even as tears fell from her eyes and barely concealed sobs escaped her.
She had lost another family. Again.
The last like to her childhood was gone.
The last link to her parents.
She felt James wrap his hands around her as her sobs increased and became slightly hysterical.
Why her??
Why! Just why!
“And Leilani?...”
James’ hesitant voice cut through and her mind suddenly blanked as she remembered her daughter.
Her head snapped up.
“My baby, Sirius. What happened to my baby??”
Sirius shrugged sadly.
“We don’t know. She wasn’t among the casualties from what we found, but still it’s been years since the shooting and we have no idea where she is… she might be lost in America or…”
Sirius swallowed, not knowing how to react and Lily hunched in on herself.
Oh…
Oh how she’d failed in life!
She was a disgrace!
To family! To motherhood!
She sobbed out again even as James hugged her and whispered sweet nothings into her ears, promising they’d find her.
Hogwarts.
Scotland.
September 21st.
Chase woke up with a startled gasp, even as his mind brought up the red light of the torture curse again.
Another nightmare… he thought bitterly, even as he angrily shoved off his blankets from his body and got up from his bed shakily, ignoring the nightly chill of his dorm room.
The rest of his mates were asleep, and he could hear the slight snore of Seamus and Ron in harmonized nonsense.
Ever since that night… that night of the 3rd task… he hadn’t felt the same.
His skin felt itchy to him, his mind not his own… he always felt Ill to his stomach remembering how Cedric had died and the monstrosity that had come out of that pot in the graveyard.
He still shivered whenever he thought about it.
As he stared out the window in his room, he wondered about his dream.
That was definitely the Cruciatus curse and he had been using it on a death eater…
Him!
What kind of a messed up dream was that!
His stomach churned at the glee and vindictiveness he had felt in his dream.
How he had… enjoyed it!
He forced down bile…
This was about the 8th death eater nightmare he’d had since he got back to Hogwarts, and they were becoming even more frequent now more than ever.
He wanted to tell his parents, really he did… but what was the use?
Rather than leaving them more worried as it was, that is…
Perhaps… Dumbledore would be the better option?
He might have an idea of what was going on… but the problem was how to get to the man.
He seemed even more busy this term but understandable since he was one of the few who believed his threat of Voldemort resurfacing one more.
He looked down at his right hand, tracing the slightly long knife wound scar on it.
Courtesy of Peter Pettigrew giving him such with a cursed blade.
It was rough and slightly unappealing to the eyes, but it was a reminder for him… a reminder that the peace that the Wizarding World had enjoyed for over a decade was coming to an end… and when the time came, he as the boy who lived would probably have a huge part to play, no matter how much he wasn’t looking forward to that.
With a small sigh, he walked back to his desk, ignoring his sleeping mates… he couldn’t sleep anymore anyways.
A tempus charm showed it was just past 3am.
Grabbing an Auror spellbook he’d nicked from his father a while back, he left the dormitory and trudged down the stairs into the common room, sitting in a comfy chair by the fireplace and opening to where he had last stopped.
“Confringo-:The blasting curse.”
He began, clearing his throat.
No time to learn like the present.