08. ONLY ONE WILL DIE TONIGHT

(so sorry for all the time skips, but I gotta do what I gotta do)

It was towards the end of the year, and Elara had been constantly blamed for the Dementors around the school, the attack on the Fat Lady. Blamed because people thought she let her father in to do it. But her housemates didn't hesitate to fight back and defend one of their own. Elara had never been prouder to be a Slytherin. To bear the colours of emerald and silver.

Elara was walking around the grounds, near to the Whomping Willow, when she saw Ron be dragged into it by a huge black dog, and Harry and Hermione shortly follow after struggling with the tree for a bit. And of course, she was curious and decided to follow.

Elara walked into the room in the shrieking shack where she saw Ron be dragged into a while ago. She was occupied trying to get into the tunnel, what with the Whomping Willow in the way.

"Ron? Harry? Hermione?" She called, walking through another door in that same room.

She saw Ron lying on the bed, a hand on his leg and his eyes screwed shut in pain. Hermione stood in the corner and Harry stood in front of her. "What the bloody hell are you doing in here?!"

"El, look behind you." Harry whispered. Elara turned around and took a step back at the sight that she saw. It was a man, with long black hair that was messy and dirty. His body and face thin, and tattoos peeking out from under the ripped shirt he wore.

"Elara?" His voice was hoarse.

He looked at his daughter and scanned her. His eyes taking in everything. She looked so much like he did when he was younger. Dressed in a black band tee, ripped jeans and a worn leather jacket. She had it paired with her combat boots and her hair messy.

Her grey eyes looked into those that were identical to hers. Only filled with pain, suffering, haunting thoughts of that horrible place that he was imprisoned in for 12 long years.

"Dad?" Her voice broke, thoughts running through her mind. Her father was here. Her wrongly accused father. He was here. Stood in front of her. A sob escaped her and she ran forward, hugging him.

Sirius stumbled back, shocked slightly, before he wrapped his arms around her and let some tears escape his eyes. "Oh, my little moon. I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Dad." She cried, before pulling away and looking at his face. "You look terrible." She laughed.

"HOW COULD YOU?" She heard Harry scream.

Elara turned around and stared at her god brother. "Oh for fucks sake, Harry, stop being so dramatic. Sit down."

"NO!" Harry paced around. "You're with him! The murdered who killed my parents! I trusted you El! I trusted you! And this is what you do!"

Elara waved her wand impatiently and he shot back and was stuck to the bed. "I fucking said sit Harry. Before you go around throwing words like those around, I suggest you fucking listen to what my father has to say." She turned back to Sirius, and gestured with her hand. "Go on."

He grinned at his daughters antics, and cleared his throat. "Well, Harry, I would like to first say that you take after your father in most things from your messy hair to your theatrical-ness." Harry rolled his eyes. "But, now, the story you've been waiting for your entire life."

"Oh my god Dad, just get on with the fucking thing."

"El, now we know where you get it from." Ron grinned.

"Shut it Ronald, or I'll make that pain in your leg a hundred times worse." She threatened. He gulped and looked back down, and Elara turned back to her father. "You were saying?"

"Yes, Harry, your father decided to make me the Secret-Keeper, yes that was how it was in the beginning. And I agreed, but then I thought, it was too obvious of a choice, everyone knew that James was going to pick me, and there a multiple ways to get information from someone's head without them even uttering a word. I told James; it was too risky. And he decided to make Peter the Secret-Keeper."

"Pettigrew?"

"Yes, the rat." Sirius spat the word out as if it were poison. "He was the one in league with Voldemort, and he was the one who sold your parents out. I found out and I went after him, leaving El with Remus. And I confronted him in a street of Muggles, where he accused me of betraying my brother, and getting him and Lily killed. Then chopped his finger off and killed the whole street, he turned into a rat and escaped to the sewers, and I assume your brother came across him sometime around then."

"That's disgusting Ron, you've been living and sleeping in the same room as a mass murderer." Elara commented.

"Stop it El. You're not making it any better."

"I know." Then she turned to Harry, who's furious look had faded, but he still looked uncertain. "Harry, I would never lie to you, ever. You know that, right? You know how much I love Uncle James and Aunt Lily. And you saw Peter on the map, I know you did. And the map never lies. Please Harry, please, you have to believe him, please. If you believe him, we can talk to Dumbledore, and-and he-and he can give Dad a trial, with Veritaserum. He would be free, please Harry!" Elara had tears rolling down her cheeks, and she rambled to her god brother.

"I believe him, El."

"Thank you Harry, thank you so much." Elara cried, running to hug the emerald eyed boy. He hugged her back tightly.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you earlier."

"Don't be Harry, you had every right to." Then she turned to Ron and Hermione. "How's the leg ginger?"

"It's still there." Ron grimaced. Elara whipped her wand out and summoned some cloths from one of the other rooms. Then stuck her wand back in her boot, took the cloths and wrapped them around Ron's leg, tying a knot that caused him to wince.

"Oh stop it, Ronald." She rolled her eyes. "Hermione, you alright?"

"A little frazzled, but I'll be alright." She smiled. "How are you going to bring Sirius to the minister?"

"Well, I do believe that they're already visiting for some reason, so I'll just barge into Dumbledore's office and let things work themselves out." She shrugged.

"That's it?" Harry asked, shocked at the plan and how much it wasn't a plan, and more just winging it.

"It's brilliant, darling, just how I used to do it." Sirius smiled.

"Oh don't lie Dad, I know you used to plan everything down to the littlest detail. I take after Uncle James in this aspect, and so does Harry." Harry gave her a look. "Oh don't give me that look Harry, you're a shit planner, don't deny it."

"Alright, maybe I did." Sirius grinned.

Elara moved to the entrance and gestured for everyone to follow. She lead them out and just before they could walk onto the grounds, she cast a charm on her father, making him invisible. "Can't have the dementors kissing you."

Then, they walked down the corridors until they were outside Dumbledore's office, "You lot stay here."

"But Elara!" Harry whined.

"But Harry!" She mocked him. "No. Stay. Or I'll make you regret it, and we all know what happened to Bletchley when he didn't listen." She pointed her wand at them threateningly, thinking back to when she messed with the 6th year boy a few weeks ago. He didn't listen to her when she told him to stop messing around in Quidditch, so she knocked a bludger straight into him, sending him to the Hospital Wing with a cracked skull.

The three third years cringed. And Elara said the password to the office before walking up, making sure her father was still behind her. She knocked on the door, and waited. "Come in."

Elara walked in and left the door open behind her. She looked around and saw the room was full of people. Dumbledore sat at his desk, and Professor McGonagall stood near the door. Then there was the Minister, Lucius Malfoy and a few other people.

"Miss. Black. How may I help you?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling. She ignored him and turned to the Minster.

"Minister. If I had evidence that my father was innocent, would you promise to hear it?"

"Evidence?"

"I would submit someone to Veritaserum, with your permission. And you could test the Veritaserum on someone else, if you wish, to be sure of its effectiveness."

"Very well. Who is you would like to question?"

"My father." She grinned, and that caused an uproar in the room. People stood up, yelling their protests, and McGonagall looked shocked before she straightened herself.

"QUIET!" They all shut up and she looked around. "You are all acting like a bunch of imbeciles. Speak to her."

"Miss. Black, are you suggesting you have been in contact with your father this whole time?" Fudge asked.

"No. Of course not."

"Then how do you expect to be able to question him?"

"Why, he's here."

"WHERE?" Fudge stood, shocked. "And how?!"

"I found him wandering the grounds, so I put an invisibility charm on him and brought him. He's right there." She waved her wand and he appeared, stood behind his daughter. She grinned. "Can we start?"

One of the men pulled out a bottle of Veritaserum and handed it to Fudge, who gestured for Sirius to sit, and then approached him, shaking slightly. "Alright Minister? I don't bite."

Fudge opened the bottle and filled the dropper with the potion, then squeezed three drops onto Sirius' tongue. His eyes changed and looked lifeless.

"What's your name?"

"Sirius Orion Black the Third." Elara cringed for her father, that sounded terrible, the Third. Almost like he was royalty or something, but the Blacks were quite close to that.

"Were you the Potter's Secret-Keeper."

"Yes and no."

"Elaborate please."

"I was their Secret-Keeper, but not when they died."

"Did you betray them?"

"No." Gasps.

"Who betrayed the Potters?"

"Peter Pettigrew. He's a rat Animagus, and he's on the run." Fudge looked shocked. The same man who gave Fudge the Veritaserum now stepped forward and dropped another potion into Sirius' mouth, flushing out the effects of the truth serum.

"So, we sent an innocent man to jail?" Fudge looked at the people around him, in shock.

"Yes, Minister." One of them said, pushing the golden rimmed glasses on her face up.

"And why did we do this?"

"Because Dumbledore said to have no trial, Sir."

"Excuse me." McGonagall walked towards Dumbledore, a furious look on her face. Elara backed away, and stood beside her father.

She leaned down and whispered. "No one knew that you were sent to Azkaban without a trial. And I imagine this will be brutal, she was fond of you."

"I knew it." Sirius grinned.

"Is this true, Albus?"

"Yes, Minerva."

"How dare you." She hissed. "You told me he was guilty. You told me that my old student was a mass murderer. And you told me he got a trial, and they proved it. And today, not only do I find out that he was innocent, but that he didn't in fact get a trial. This is disgusting. I have no words for your actions." McGonagall walked out.

The headmaster turned to Elara and smiled at her. "You must be happy now that your father is free."

"I am indeed. And 12 years late no less, all thanks to you. People always say how you give people second chances and always want to see the good in them. But you left my father. You left him Dumbledore. You abandoned him like he wasn't good enough for you. And I won't ever forget it. Fuck you. I hope you rot in hell." She snarled.

Sirius stood, and wrapped his arms around her. "Darling, calm down. Go downstairs and wait with Harry. I'll be right down."

She scowled and left, but not before giving Dumbledore the finger and sending the room into peals of laughter and looks of shock. Sirius turned to all the Ministry officials. "So?"

"Ah yes. Mr. Black. You're a free man. We'll have this article up in the Prophet tomorrow, and people will know the truth. We would like to grant you anything you want." Fudge said, sounding very eager. Which he no doubt was, the Blacks were a very influential family, with lots of money.

"Well I have three requests. One, money to refurbish the Black family home. Two, Harry Potter to live with me, his godfather, and my wand please."

"Money will be no problem, but Harry living with you will take some time, and I do believe that someone took your wand from the Black family vault. And the only other living Black would be your daughter. So asking her would be better than asking her." A young fellow grinned.

"Of course Elara would have it." Sirius shook his head, muttering under his breath. He saluted the people in the room, shot a nasty glare at Dumbledore and then proceeded to leave. He walked down the staircase and was stood in the corridor now.

He looked to his right to see Elara and Harry. "Where did the rest go?"

"Hermione took Ron to the Hospital Wing. He didn't look too good." Harry explained.

Elara looked at her father, with a bright and hopeful look in her eyes. "What did they say?"

"First off, El, love, I believe you have something of mine?" He raised his eyebrows and held out his hand. Elara grinned sheepishly and pulled his wand from where she had it stored in a wand holster around her arm. She placed it in his hand.

"Now tell us!" She jumped up and down.

"I'm free, and El you get to live with me. Harry too, but that one might take a while longer, because the Minister needs to sort some stuff out." Sirius said casually. Elara squealed and jumped up and down before attacking her father with a hug. He could feel her shaking in his arms, and he could feel the little tear drops falling on his dirty shirt.

"Lara? You alright?" A voice came. Elara let go of her father and turned to face the speaker. And of course, it was the one and only Theodore Nott. He stood at the end of the corridor, dressed in his Slytherin robes, and his dark hair messy slightly.

"THEO!" She called out, a huge smile on her face. "Come here, I've got some news for you."

Sirius watched as the boy approached his daughter with a confused look on his face. "What's up?"

"Do you know who this is?" She pointed at her father, who waved.

"Is that- no way!" Theodore looked at Sirius and then back at Elara who was smiling as if she had been given the world. Then, Theodore hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy for you Lara!"

"Thanks Theo." She pulled away from the hug, but linked her arm through his.

"And who is this little moon?" Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"Little moon?" Theodore turned to look at his best friend.

"Yes Theodore. I told you what my name meant, didn't I?" Elara rolled her eyes. "Dad, this is my best friend, Theodore Nott. Theo, this is my dad, Sirius Black."

"Oh I know. It's great to meet you Mr. Black. Your escape from Azkaban was very interesting to me."

"Interesting is an understatement Theo. You were so excited about it. You were basically fangirling. I think you have a crush on my father. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you, but I think he's a bit older for you, no offense Dad." Elara snorted, and Theodore pushed her. She gasped and pushed him back, knocking him to the ground.

"Ow." He complained.

"Oh shush you big baby. You've been hit by bludgers, and this is what you complain about?" She held out a hand for him to grab, and then pulled him up.

"Yeah, a bludger you shot towards me."

"One time Theodore. One fucking time."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Theodore. You can call me Sirius. And El, you play Quidditch?"

"Yep, I'm the beater, and so is Theo." She said proudly, secretly hinting at what she house she was in, but her father was as oblivious as McGonagall had said he was and he didn't get it.

"A beater? Oh you've no idea how proud I am. I was a beater for a while." Sirius grinned, then it faded slightly as he remembered that he couldn't play alongside James anymore, and almost as though Elara knew what he was thinking, she grabbed his hand.

"Dad, I want you to meet someone." She dragged him down the corridors, until they stood outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Harry's eyes widened, and he knew what she was doing. Theodore looked a little confused and so did Sirius.

Elara knocked on the door and someone's voice came from inside. "Who is it?" The voice sounded familiar to Sirius.

"It's Elara, Uncle Moony." And then it clicked. Moony. Remus. His only friend left. His partner in crime. His fellow Marauder. Elara pushed the door open and gestured for Sirius to stay there. And he did, but he listened to his daughter laugh as she hugged Remus.

"Uncle Moony. I want you to meet someone." Sirius guessed that was his que, and so he walked into the room and stood there. His eyes scanned over his dear friend and he was almost reduced to tears. Remus' brown hair was streaked with grey; many more scars littered his face and he looked so tired, and weary. He looked worse than Sirius, and it was probably the result of having to transform alone for 12 years.

"Moony." His voice came out hoarse, and broken. Sirius cleared his throat and stepped closer. Elara backed away slightly, and stood at the door, in between Theodore and Harry.

"Padfoot." Remus' eyes widened. "How are you here?"

"El got them to give me Veritaserum. It was Peter all along. Dumbledore never gave me a trial. I was sent straight to Azkaban." Sirius continued ranting, and trying his best to explain all the stuff he had been through, when Remus wrapped his arms around his best friend and hugged him, silencing him.

"Shut up Paddy."

"We're just gonna go. See you at the station in a few days Dad." Elara said quickly, before linking her arms with both Theodore and Harry and dragging them out of the room. Harry waved goodbye and headed to the Gryffindor common room, whilst Elara and Theodore headed to the Astronomy tower.

They were stood at their normal spot, when Elara had an idea, she walked to the edge of the window doorway, and then turned to face Theodore, she lifted her arms up and grabbed onto the ledge, and pulled herself up. Theodore heard a thump.

"ELARA?"

"I'M OKAY!" She called back. "You should come up here. It's beautiful." And so Theodore pulled himself up and sat beside her, at the top of the tower, and they both looked towards the setting sun and stayed there until the moon shone brightly and the stars did too.