09. NUMBER 12 GRIMMAULD PLACE

They were on the train back to Hogwarts when Theodore turned to Elara. "Does your father know that you're a Slytherin?"

Elara smirked. "He does not actually. I think I'll surprise him with it at the station."

"I like the way your mind thinks, but how?" Theodore asked. "Are you just not going to change out of your robes?"

"Yeah probably. Might make him do a double take seeing the snake on my robes."

And so later, when the train stopped at Kings Cross station, Elara got off the train, trunk in hand and proudly bearing her Slytherin robes. She made her way to where her father stood with Cedrella.

"El! I don't know if you've met her, this is-"

He was cut off by Elara grinning. "Drella!" Cedrella smiled and wrapped her in a hug.

"Hi darling."

"Wait, you know her?" Sirius was so confused and Theodore stood nearby, snickering.

"Yeah, I live with her." Elara shrugged. Sirius nodded before looking at Elara and then down to what she wore. His eyes widened.

"Is that a green tie?"

Elara looked down at her robes. "Yes?"

"Does that mean you're not in Gryffindor?"

"Yes?"

"OH THANK THE LORD!"

"You're not upset?"

"No of course not! You were too much like me anyways, besides, I did see you as more of a Slytherin than anything else." Sirius shrugged, remembering all the times she manipulated him and the other Marauders, how determined and ambitious she was when she wanted something and how sly she was getting it. "My mum will be well chuffed to see another Black in Slytherin, and my daughter nonetheless."

"Brilliant. See, what did I tell you Theo?"

Theodore's mouth dropped open. "Me?" Elara giggled. Theodore shook his head, poking her side and causing her to frown.

"Stop it Theodore Nott or you won't have a bloody hand." He immediately pulled his hand away and tucked it into his pocket. "Thank you." She nodded, and turned back to her dad. "Right, where are we going?"

"Well, since you're staying with Cedrella, I think we get your things first?" Sirius suggested, looking at the Zabini woman, who nodded her head, with a sad smile on her face.

"Come on darlings." She said to her children. "I'll take these two back and then come and get you." Cedrella grabbed her children and Disapparated then came back, grabbed Elara and Sirius and Disapparated them back to the Zabini Manor.

"Elara, sweetheart, get your things, I'll wait here with your father. We can catch up a little bit." Elara nodded and ran to her room. She grabbed her other trunk and filled it with the remaining clothes and old books, pictures and some of her things that she had left behind. Then, she shrunk it and put it in her backpack with the other trunk, and walked back downstairs, to see that her father and Cedrella were joined by Blaise and Bianca.

"Dad. I've got my things."

Blaise approached her with an incomprehensible look on his face, but Elara knew what he meant. She opened her arms and hugged him tightly. He had become kind of like an annoying little brother to her. Then, she let go of him and he headed up with grand staircase to his room.

Bianca came closer, tears already running down her cheeks. "Bianca, I swear to god, you are going to make me cry. I hate crying." And as she said that, she had tears dripping from her eyes. "I'm gonna miss you, my sister."

"I'll miss you too, El." Bianca replied tearfully, before wrapping her best friend in a tight hug, and then running to her room, and slamming the door behind her. Elara wiped her eyes, and sniffed.

She faced Cedrella. "Thank you so much for taking me in after what happened at the orphanage. I can never thank you enough or repay you. And I will be forever grateful to you and your family."

"Oh darling." Cedrella hugged the little Black to her chest and stroked her silky hair. "It was no trouble sweetheart. I loved having you here, and you might not know it, but you helped our family too." Then she pulled away and waved goodbye to the two stood at her front door, before they disappeared.

Sirius appeared outside a row of houses in what looked like London. "Where are we?"

"Home." Sirius said sadly. He handed her a piece of paper. "Here, memorise this." As soon as she did, the houses started moving and another one popped out in the middle. It looked the same as all the others, a beautiful looking house. But this one had a certain feel to it, the magic infused in it.

Elara noted the look on her father's face and she stood in front of him. "This is the house you lived in with your bitch of a mother, isn't it?" He nodded. "We're going to make happy memories in this house Dad, I promise you."

"I know love." Sirius wrapped her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Come on. I've done some redecorating." He took her hand and pulled her towards the house. Sirius pushed the door open and they walked inside. The hallway was dimly lit, as some of the bulbs shorted out. The floor was polished, and walls clean and free of any portraits.

"Dad, how did you get it so clean?" Elara looked around in awe. Sirius sighed.

"Kreacher. I told him you were coming, he wasn't so willing, but when he found out you were a Slytherin, he was more than happy to fix up everything. The house got some of its life back. At least now that my mother is gone, the house just seems lighter. I pulled down the horrifying elf heads that were mounted up here. I think Kreacher appreciated that. But, the only thing is, I haven't managed to get my mother's portrait down. She's used a Permanent Sticking charm."

"Well that fucking sucks."

"Language El."

Elara grinned sheepishly. "Sorry Dad. But, you're going to have to get used to it."

"I know." He groaned. Then he started leading her to her room, and on the way, they stopped in front of a portrait that started screaming.

"BLOOD TRAITOR! SHAME TO THE FAMILY! SHAME! FILTH!"

"Oh bloody hell." Sirius buried his head in his hands.

"Let me handle this." Elara patted her father's shoulder, before walking closer to the portrait. She approached and saw it was the one of her grandmother. She was dressed in a black dress with her hair in a firm bun, and dripping in jewelry.

"Hi Grandma." She spoke, brushing her hair away from her robes, trying to subtly point at her Slytherin robes. Walburga's eyes widened at the green and silver on her robes, and she squealed happily.

"DEAR CHILD! YOU HAVE BROUGHT PRIDE TO OUR HOUSE! ANOTHER SLYTHERIN! OH THE JOY!" She laughed happily. "You're Sirius' daughter, aren't you?" When Elara nodded, she smiled. "At least one good thing came that good for nothing bas-" She paused and coughed, before continuing. "My dear, welcome back home!"

"Thank you Grandma." She nodded her head, a small, subtle smile on her face. Then she walked back to her father who made a face at her, but continued to lead her to her room with a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

They got to the highest floor, and Sirius gestured to one of the doors. "That's my room. And that's Reg's. You can look through his stuff, and take some decorations if you want. You can look through mine too. The last room at the end of the hall is yours. I'll be downstairs in the kitchen love."

Then he started heading down the stairs. "Hey, Dad." She called, causing him to look up. "Thank you." She knew how he really felt about Regulus' death, and she was honoured he was letting her look through.

"Anything for you, little moon." He smiled, before continuing on his way.

Elara shook her head, smiling before she walked into her uncle's room. She pushed the door open and was greeted by a plethora of green and silver banners and posters. She grabbed the one hung on an empty wall and placed it in a box near the door. Then walked to the bed and looked at the silver snake banner behind it, and grabbed that one too, throwing it onto the bed.

She sat down and looked at the bedside table. There was a photograph there of what looked to be her father, and her uncle. She took it in her hands and brushed the dust away best she could, before walking to the box and placing it in it gently. Then, as she was about to leave, she saw a Quidditch team picture on the wall. It was the Slytherin team, and her uncle was sat right in the middle, the position of the seeker. So, she took that with her.

Walking out, she headed for her father's room, but before she entered, she braced herself, knowing there were going to be pictures that brought back memories of her godparents. She pushed the door open and it creaked slightly. Then she headed for the wall of pictures and portraits, her eyes landing on one of interest.

It was the same one she had in her book about her powers. Powers that she hadn't really been practicing, but more neglecting. She occasionally used them, but it reminded her of her father every time she looked at the book, so she tried to push it away. The picture was the one of her father, Uncle James, Uncle Moony and the rat. She had ripped Peter out from the picture she had, but thought to leave this one alone, in case her father wanted it as a memory of what was before what happened.

She ignored that picture and moved to the next one and immediately teared up. it was one of her father and her, but with James and Lily. Her godparents. Her eyes scanned over the picture, trying to take in every detail. James' messy black hair, that baby her was gripping with her little fists as she sat atop her father's shoulders. His hazel eyes that were filled with kindness. Then she turned to Lily, and more tears spilt out.

She looked at the woman's fiery locks that fell down her shoulders and remembered trying to braid it and play with it as a kid. She remembered Lily's presence in her life. She was almost like a mother to her. Her eyes trailed to the bright emerald eyes that stared right into her own stormy grey ones, piercing right through the paper. This one was a normal photograph that didn't move.

Beside it was one of her and her father, and beside that separate ones of her and James, and then her and Lily. She dropped to her knees with the pictures gripped in her hands. Tears dripped down her cheeks and she inhaled deeply, trying to catch her breath but failing.

Last year, Theodore had told her that he suspected she had panic attacks like this as a result of all the trauma she endured, and all the losses in her life. And right now, Elara could feel a panic attack coming up, she fumbled with the pictures, placing them down on the ground before gripping her necklace and closing her eyes. Her breaths came out sharp and shallow.

"Th-Theo. Theo." She whispered. They both had this necklace that would tell the other person when they needed them. And right now, she needed Theodore. When she got no response, she dropped it and clenched her fists rightly, digging her nails into her palm and closing her eyes, placing her forehead on the floor.

She could feel her magic leaking out but she couldn't help it. Her emotions were strong right now and her mind wasn't straight. She struggled to breathe and tried to imagine Theodore helping her but it didn't work because she needed someone there to help her.

The door slammed open and Sirius rushed in, having felt the weird magic in the house coming from this room. He rushed over to her and lifted her off the ground, placing his hands on the sides of her face. "El, hey love, breathe with me. Come on sweetheart."

He himself took some deep breaths and showed her, and she did her best to follow. Soon enough, she calmed down and her breaths were shaky but still strong. "Thanks, dad."

"Of course, love. What was that?"

"Sometimes- sometimes, when I see some- some things that remind me of how things were before, this happens. Theodore says these are panic attacks, I get panicked and I can't breathe and I can barely see and there's tears. Usually he's there to help, but he isn't today." She held up her necklace. "I call him through this. He comes when I need him, and I do the same for him. But, something's wrong."

She called his name once more, and when she got no response, she had her question answered. She stood and summoned her leather jacket and slipped it on. "Dad, do you have any Floo Powder?"

"Yes?" He summoned it from downstairs and handed it to her. "Why?"

"I'm going to get my best friend from an abusive environment and he's going to live with us. Bye, see you later. By the way, his father is an ex-Death Eater. Don't follow me." She said before throwing the powder into the fireplace in her father's room and yelling "Nott Manor!"

MEANWHILE

Theodore's bracelet had just lit up, signaling that Elara needed him. But his father saw it. And he grabbed it and threw it against the wall, where it shattered into two dozen little pieces. Theodore stood up, a furious look on his face. How was he supposed to know if the one person he truly cared about was in trouble now?

He whipped out his wand, and so did his father, both of them stood opposite each other in the room. The fire blaring in the side, embers spitting sparks at the increased magic levels. "Watch it, boy." Nott Sr. snarled at his son, who narrowed his eyes.

"You watch it, Father." He wasn't watching his words, and it just slipped out, but at that point, he didn't even care anymore. Theodore wasn't allowed to use magic outside of school, but in this case, he didn't care if he got expelled.

"Got a mouth on you, have ya?" Nott Sr. flicked his wand sharply in his sons direction, and it let out a red light that hit Theodore, causing him to collapse in pain as the power of the Cruciatus Curse was unleashed on the boy, who was merely 15.

Summer had only just started, and this was how it had begun. Theodore tried to hold back his scream of pain, but he couldn't. He let out a blood-curdling scream. His father changed to a Cutting Curse and small cuts appeared on his face, arms, legs and chest.

Suddenly the fireplace flared with a bright green flame and both Nott's looked over at it. They were not expecting visitors. And Theodore hoped with all his heart that it wasn't one of his father's friends, because all they would do was inflict more pain on him.

Someone stepped out of the fireplace, dressed in dark colours and as soon as Theodore caught glimpse of the dark hair and the leather jacket, he let his head drop onto the floor in relief. It was Elara. She had a furious look on her face and was armed with her wand, which she had held out, and pointing at his father, who should have been able to attack her had he not been in shock.

Elara walked forward, a snarl on her lips. "How dare you? You are one sick bastard; you know that right? You would inflict this much pain on your son, and for what reason? Someone ought to teach you a lesson." She waved her wand, "Silencio." That shut his mouth and he glared at the young Black.

Then she thrust her wand out aggressively and yelled out "STUPEFY!" Causing him to be thrown back and he hit the wall and slumped down with a thump, and a satisfied look appeared on Elara's face. She approached Theodore and stuck her wand in her pocket, before lifting him onto his feet and wrapping him in a hug.

"Theo. I was so worried." She pulled back and he saw her eyes were red and puffy.

"Are you alright?"

"Me? You idiot! Look at you!" She touched his cheek and he winced. "I'm sorry!"

"It's alright. But what do I do now? I can't stay here. I have nowhere to go!"

"Nowhere to go my arse you bloody maniac. You'll come live with Dad and me. We can talk about all the technicalities later. Do you need anything?"

"Nothing. This place had nothing that I need." He had a grim look on his face and Elara frowned. She placed his arm around her neck and dragged him to the fireplace, grabbing some Floo powder and threw it in, before yelling "12 Grimmauld Place!"

And they were off

BACK TO NORMAL NOW

Sirius jumped as his daughter stumbled out of the fireplace, with a boy. It was Theodore and he was battered and bloody. He stood and hurried towards them, and lifted Theodore off her before bringing him to the couch.

They let Theodore stay there for a while, and Sirius grabbed Elara and pulled her towards the kitchen.

"El. What happened?"

"When he didn't respond to my message twice." She gestured to her necklace. "I knew something was wrong. I mean, I've always suspected something was happening at home. But I never expected the Cruciatus Curse. So, me being the brilliant person that I am, I went to save him. Dad, you should have seen him, he thought he had nowhere to go."

"Well, he can definitely stay with us. And if we can get Harry here later in the summer, it would be so much better. Those Dursleys are terrible people."

"Oh can I please go and get him, and scare the shit out of them? Oh please!" Elara jumped up and down, hands clasped together.

"Fine."

"YAY!" She yelled. Suddenly a groan came from the other room and Theodore sat up.

"What the bloody hell was that?" He looked over at the two Black's.

"I get to go threaten people!" Elara walked towards him with a huge grin on his face.

"Great. Can I come?"

"Sure. But, it's not any time soon. You need to get better." She poked his uninjured cheek and he scowled, pushing her hand away before turning to Sirius, who stood at the doorway, a fond smile on his face.

"Thank you so much for letting me into your house Mr. Black." Theodore swung his legs over and tried to stand, Elara helping him.

"Call me Sirius. And it's as much your house now as it is mine." Sirius smiled, holding his hand out for the younger boy to shake. Theodore shook it and Elara smiled.

"Ok now that's over. Let's go to your room."

"How, Lara?"

"Good point. Dad?" She turned to Sirius with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Oh fuck. You got Lily's puppy dog look down pat." He groaned.

"Dad. You are literally a dog." She deadpanned. "But really, could you Apparate him to a room?"

"Of course, darling. He grabbed Elara's hand and placed his other hand on Theodore's shoulder before closing his eyes and imagining where he wanted to go. A second later, they appeared in another room and Elara gasped.

"But Dad-"

"It's alright sweetheart. I think he'd be happy knowing it went to someone decent." Sirius kissed her forehead before leaving to the room on the other side, his room.

"I'm confused." Theodore groaned from where he was laying on the bed.

"It's my Uncle Regulus' room." Was the simple reply.