Chapter Twelve: Sirius Returns and Checkups, Richard, A wonderful party, A cure, The Longbottoms, A hidden threat

Emerald Blade Book One: The New Trainees

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and co. don't belong to me. Assassin's Creed and co. don't belong to me. I'm just taking some credit for the plot and original characters. Fire Lizards belong to the talented Anne McCaffrey. In no way, shape or form am I making money from this.

Main Story Warnings: A.U.-severe-, characters are OOC, canon is only a minor guideline, crossover, swearing, violence, gore, character death, Light Grey!Harry, Assassin!Harry, modern technology, OC's abound, Ron!Molly!Ginny!Bashing, Dumbledore!Bashing

Pairings: James/Lily, Sirius/OFC, Remus/Surprise, Harry/Luna, Neville/Hermione, Dean/Millicent, others to be decided

Author's Note: Wow. We're almost to the end of this journey everyone! Now, I know things may seem a little rushed with on how quickly time has passed, but the actual book did have months skipped at a time. Anyway, for those of you who are wondering when the next chapter in the Extras will be added: don't worry! The next chapter is coming up soon! Those who haven't yet read it, I highly recommend you do since that mini-series will have a lot of different things that may only get mentioned in the actual series. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think!

Shout Out: I'd like to give a shout out to DragonTamer01 for giving me the idea of how to mention Altair and Ezio in this story. I had honestly been drawing a blank as to how to mention them without needing Desmond to be brought in. DragonTamer01 presented a simple yet effective way to mention them that made me want to smack myself for not having thought of it before! Thank you my friend! This chapter is for you!

Challenge: DZ2's Way of the Warrior challenge. For more information look to the first chapter or DZ2's forums.

[Parseltongue]

[Telepathic Speech]

Emphasis on words/Spells

Text

Chapter Twelve: Sirius Returns and Checkups, Richard, A wonderful party, A cure, The Longbottoms, A hidden threat

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December 28th

Sirius smiled as he led Kano up to the estate. He couldn't believe that he had gotten permission from Kano's father to marry her and that the beautiful woman beside him had said yes when he had asked her. A gentle laugh made him look beside him, a grin on his face as Kano laughed softly at him. Both of them hurried up the steps to the manor and opened the door, their eyes alight with happiness. A House Elf popped in and asked if he could take Kano's bags, to which she pulled out a shrunken trunk and handed it over. The House Elf popped away, allowing the newly engaged couple to seek out the other residents of the manor. Heading to the living room, Sirius grinned when he saw Harry, Dean, Hermione, Fred, George, Neville and Eliza sitting around the television watching a movie. They shared a few bowls of popcorn between them and they were relaxing on overly large pillows as the movie played. Eliza reached behind her to grab a bottle of water and her eyes wandered away from the movie. Her squeal alerted the others that something had happened. Turning, their eyes widened when they saw Sirius and Kano standing in the archway to the room. Eliza and Harry shot towards the pair and slammed into them, making Sirius and Kano laugh as they embraced the siblings. Hermione paused the movie before hurrying over as the others got up and crowded around the couple.

"Did you just get back?" Harry asked, looking up at his godfather with a smile.

"Of course. How are you all?" Sirius asked, smiling at the group.

"Good!" The group chorused, which made the couple laugh.

"So you really accepted this old dog's proposal?"

Sirius and Kano turned and grinned when they saw Remus walking towards them.

"He was hard to resist." Kano said, smiling lovingly up at Sirius.

"I always told you I was the better looking, Moony." Sirius said, yelping when Kano reached up and smacked him upside the head.

Sirius and Kano talked about their time in Japan; though when the pair started being cautious about what they were saying Harry and Dean were quick to explain that both Neville and Hermione are Assassin trainees. Needless to say the two adults were shocked that Harry, Dean and Tonks have found so many trainees so far. Of course Kano explained that it's highly unlikely that they'll find any more since the twins were a rare case in not having been discovered earlier. The children were enthralled in learning more about Japan's Magical Assassin Brotherhood. Over there things were seeped in ancient traditions and, while women certainly are considered very useful and are trained in a similar manner to the men, the head of the Brotherhood could only be a man.

All of them were more than happy that Kano's father had given them his blessings, in which Sirius flushed and muttered how stressful it had been for him. Kano simply smiled and giggled at her future husband; knowing firsthand on how protective her father and three older brothers are. Of course it wasn't long before Hermione told Sirius and Kano about her parents and what's going on there. Kano and Sirius were shocked and horrified; in which Kano instantly hugged Hermione tightly while Sirius muttered darkly about all he'd like to do to Richard for striking Emma and suppressing both Emma and Hermione. Hermione was, once more, touched by the support she's been given. It's driven both her and her mum to tears with how many people are willing to help them; especially since they hardly know these people at all. Of course her mum has been helping out around the estate since they've arrived. She often watches the young children at the playground and Hermione has even taken to babysitting as a way of helping out and so she has some spending money.

Sirius, Kano and Remus headed out after talking for a little longer; allowing the group to get back to their movie. Kano and Sirius were in deep discussion about what they wanted to do now that they're engaged. Kano had been staying over at Grimmauld Place at least three times a week but now that they're engaged, they didn't want to be separated for so long.

"You could move in to Grimmauld. It's rare when the Assassin's come in so we'll have our privacy." Sirius said, Kano nodding her head lightly.

"What other properties do you have?" She asked, making her fiancé blink and hum thoughtfully.

"Well, there's Grimmauld Place, Black Manor in North Yorkshire, Black Estate in France, the Winter House in Russia, Black Ranch in the United States of America and finally Black Island in the Maldives'." Sirius answered, Kano looking at him in surprise while Remus shook his head.

"I know how you feel, Kano. Sometimes it's surprising on how wealthy Sirius actually is. I know the Potters have two more properties and I'm not sure how many the Othello's have." Remus said, Kano shaking her head lightly in an attempt to get out of her shock.

"We have five properties, though we don't have an island. Many of our properties have been lost in the wars and in our battles against the Templars."

The trio turned and smiled when they saw Lucas, Delilah and Emma walking towards them. Delilah happily hugged Kano while Sirius was congratulated by Lucas and Emma. Sirius hugged Emma warmly and thanked her for being so accepting of everything that's been going on. Emma was touched by the easy acceptance and welcomes coming from Sirius and Kano, especially when the Japanese Assassin hugged her and told her that she'll be taking over Hermione's stealth training now that she's back.

"I hope my cousin has been able to help." Sirius said, Emma smiling gently as she nodded.

"Andie has been so helpful, both with the divorce process and with helping me understand more about my daughter's new…station? in life." Emma answered, Sirius nodding happily.

"Hermione will always have the option of ending her training should she wish to. I won't sugar coat things, Emma, there will be times when all Hermione will want to do is stop. We need to push her past her limits in order for her to gain the experience she needs. Harry and Dean helping her and Neville to workout has certainly made our job easier but we'll still be pushing them. Training will be grueling and at times they will be in the infirmary due to exhaustion or injuries gained during training." Kano explained, Emma frowning lightly as the others nodded.

"Harry and Dean have been in the infirmary because of their training. Sprained ankles, bruises, splinters, a few broken bones or just exhaustion have been the causes. However, they've become stronger because of it." Lucas explained, watching as Emma worried her bottom lip.

"Fred and George have already experienced some of this. The training they receive at Hogwarts is certainly grueling, but it's not nearly as…extensive as the training they'll receive here. Yes, they've been learning stealth, tracking and hand-to-hand combat but Minerva and Severus have also been focusing on history, language and Occlumency. Hermione is already learning Occlumency and has chosen what language she wants to learn first." Delilah said, her voice gentle as Emma nodded.

Hermione had come to her last night gushing about the fact that she'll be learning another language. Her daughter has such a love for learning that it had been hard for Emma to say no to the idea of new lessons. The fact that Occlumency will be teaching her daughter how to protect her mind from being read was always going to get an agreement from Emma, especially since she knows the risks involved in her daughter having an unprotected mind. Lucas and Delilah had told her that there are children of Templars at school; some of which are in higher years and may know the art of Legilimency which will allow them to read her daughter's mind. She was glad that Hermione will be protected and has also taken to wearing a charmed bracelet which protects her own mind now that she's living here on the estate.

She and Hermione have also already made headway in the Othello library. While there are books which have protections on them to keep them from being read, there are plenty of other books which are free to read. Hermione had been overjoyed when she found a book titled 'Famous Assassins Throughout History' and has taken great joy in learning about Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze. It was rather fascinating if she was to be honest. She's taken to reading some of the chapters from the book whenever Hermione is training and the rich history of the Assassins always had her on the edge of her seat marveling at how many historical figures had been influenced by either Assassins or Templars. She and Hermione had been very glad that Leonardo da Vinci had altered the hidden blade so Assassin's no longer had to lose a finger in order to use it.

"Emma, have you been to see Healer June?"

Emma blinked as Delilah's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she looked at the other woman with a questioning glance.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's actually pretty common for Muggleborn Witches and Wizards to actually have a Squib parents. If you're actually a Squib instead of a normal Muggle then you'll be able to have a vault in Gringotts without needing Hermione to be the owner of the vault and you'll be able to see Magical establishments without the aid of a charmed bracelet." Delilah explained, smiling as Emma's eyes widened in surprise.

"Not only that but you'll be able to work in a Magical shop or open your own business in Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade or one of the other magical towns or villages. Life for Squibs has greatly improved over the years." Remus added, the others nodding as they looked at Emma with expectancy.

"She might also be able to see about reversing the damage that had been done to your body all those years ago. No promises, but it won't hurt to get a checkup." Delilah said, her voice soft as Emma sighed and nodded.

"Alright, I'll get a checkup." She said, the others smiling at her.

While Sirius and Kano headed to Kano's small house in the back of the property, Richard and Delilah collected Hermione from the living room so she could see the results of her mum's checkup. Hermione was worried at first before they explained what might happen as a result from said checkup. She was happy and relieved that there was nothing seriously wrong which warranted the checkup in the first place and, admittedly, wanted to know the results herself. Heading to the infirmary, Healer June soon had Emma sitting on one of the beds and was performing various spells on the other woman and was asking plenty of questions. Healer June also went over Emma's medical files which the woman had gotten the day before Christmas Eve incase she had to switch doctors.

"Well, your vitals are good. From what your files say there's been no sign of any diseases which run in your family. I will tell you this: you may need glasses in your senior years. I'm guessing that your parents are nearsighted?" June asked, looking at Emma who looked at her in surprise.

"Uh…yeah. Yes, my mother is nearsighted and so is my oldest brother." She answered, June nodding her head.

"Now, as for your previous surgeries. With some scar vanishing balm the scar from your emergency caesarian section can be removed along with the faint scars on your back and legs from your surgery as a teen. I'll need to do a more thorough examination to see if there is anything that can be done about removing the damages from the accident you had when you were young." June explained, Emma's eyes widening in shock.

"D-Do you mean…I-I might be able to have children again?" Emma whispered, awe and hope in her voice as June set down her clipboard.

"Emma, I'm not going to beat around the bush with you. There is a lot magic can do. We have developed potions which will help cure cancer, can bring people back from the brink of death or put them into a medical coma. However, there is also a lot that magic can't do. For me, it depends on what was damaged during your accident and what the doctors had done for their repairs. I may be able to fully heal you or partially heal you. You may have to be on a potions regimen for a while in order to reverse the damage done or you may need to take fertility potions should you remarry and wish to have more children. Right now, it's a big unknown." June explained, watching as mother and daughter listened to her every word.

"I don't mind. I just…I just always wanted to have a good sized family. I love Hermione dearly, she's my little miracle. But this has been such a huge weight on my shoulders since I was young." Emma explained, smiling as Hermione hurried over and hugged her tightly.

"I'll do my best, Emma. After Hermione and the kids are back at school I can do a deep examination and find out what had been healed and how it was healed. Now, I believe you wanted to know about your magical core results?" June asked, smiling as the others looked at her with wide eyes.

"Magical core results?! Then that means-"

"Yes, Miss Granger, your mother does have a magical core. You, Emma Granger, are a Squib and a rather powerful one at that. If your core had developed a little further then I dare say you would've been a Witch." June said, chuckling at the looks of surprise on the group's faces.

"So Emma will have no problem getting a vault in Gringotts or finding a job in the Magical world?" Lucas asked, grinning as June nodded.

"I'll write down my findings. On the Merlin Scale of Power you are around a seventeen. Twenty is the weakest Witch or Wizard power level." June explained, making Hermione and Emma tilt their heads thoughtfully.

"How powerful are you, Mister Othello?" Hermione asked, making Lucas chuckle softly.

"Honestly I never bothered to have my core tested. I've never been interested in knowing, really." Lucas said, the others nodding.

"Same here. Though the last time Harry was measured he was already rather powerful. He was…seven at the time." June said, her voice thoughtful as the others listened intently.

"That's not very surprising. Harry has an amazing grasp on the practical aspect in our classes." Hermione said, smiling as she thought of Harry's talents.

"Alright, Miss Granger, up on the bed. Time for your checkup." June said, smirking when Hermione looked at her with wide eyes.

"W-What?! But I had a checkup with Madame Pomfrey not long before break began." Hermione said, shifting lightly as her mum got off the bed and nudged her towards it.

"That may be true but Madame Pomfrey only looks for certain things. Have you gotten your inoculations for Dragon Pox and Vanishing Sickness?" June asked, watching as Hermione and Emma nodded.

"Professor McGonagall suggested that Richard and I take her to St. Mungo's after we learned she was a Witch. I took her two days after." Emma explained, June nodding her head as Hermione hopped up onto the bed.

Hermione held still while June cast a few spells. She also had Delilah, Lucas and Remus get out of the room while she performed a minor physical after Hermione and Emma gave her permission. Afterwards, June called in Neville and Augusta remained in the room while her grandson was given his own physical and exam. She also consented to allow June to look her over to ensure she was healthy. Fred and George also went through their own physicals, as did Dean since all the others were getting theirs done. Everyone was happy for Emma and Lucas took her to his office to talk about how she can set up an account with Gringotts and get her money transferred there.

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December 31st

Richard vaguely listened to his younger, twin sister prattle on about something. Ever since Emma left he's found himself in quiet thought quite frequently. Yes, he had been angry; beyond angry at that. Emma dared to accuse him of pushing their daughter away and making her uncomfortable with herself. Okay, yes, he has always wanted Hermione to be more outgoing and social, especially with her peers. However, Hermione had always refused to go out of her comfort zone whenever it came to others. Then there had been the fact that his daughter has an eidetic memory. She had always excelled at her studies which often made other children jealous of her because she learned at a much faster rate than they did. Her teachers had even accused them of encouraging her to study ahead which made the other children feel stupid according to her teachers. Emma had been beyond angry when the teachers blamed them and they had pulled Hermione out of that school as soon as the school year was over.

When Hermione had shown an interest in football, he had been ecstatic. Finally his daughter would have more of an opportunity to make friends and would finally put down her books and get outside. Hermione had played on a youth league for a few years until she left the team and focused more on her studies. Okay…yes he could've handled that news better but he had been so disappointed in Hermione at the time that he had just…snapped. She was throwing away a good opportunity to continue making friends and get out of the house. Yes, she did go on frequent walks and bike rides with Emma, but that wasn't letting her be around children her own age.

"Richie!"

"Huh?!" Richard asked, looking up and wincing when he saw the exasperated look on Lucille's face.

"Richie, pay attention. I know you're going through a rough time but our parents will be here soon." Lucille said, turning around and heading back to the stove to stir something.

Lucille Granger-Hill is a rather beautiful woman. Like her brother, she has the same dark brown hair though had gotten golden highlights added to her hair. Her hazel eyes are bright and often sparkled with laughter and life. She had done well for herself and had gotten a modeling contract when she was sixteen. Her modeling career lasted until she was twenty two when she met her husband Derek. Instead of modeling, she became a fashion designer and created her own line of clothing which has been worn by celebrities around the world. She, Derek and their daughter Sarah live a rather wealthy life and Richard felt slightly out of place in their large house which was more like a small manor than anything. It reminded him of his own life choices and the fact that he and Emma had lived a modest, upper middle-class life style.

"Sorry, Luc. I've just been…distracted." He said, sighing as his sister walked over and placed a bottle of beer in front of him.

"I still can't believe she actually filed for divorce." Lucille scoffed, scowling when she thought of her brother's soon-to-be ex-wife.

"I mean, you just want the best for Hermione and she should've heard you out instead of blocking all your attempts to have some kind of say for Hermione's education. I mean, you put money away for her schooling as well!"

"Luc, just…just drop it. Hermione's happy in her new boarding school and is apparently the top student of her entire year. It doesn't matter that I don't like the fact that it's so…exclusive." Richard sighed, watching as his sister shook her head.

Lucille opened her mouth to say something when the sound of the front door opening reached them. Richard turned in his seat and watched as a rather pretty fourteen year-old girl with light mocha colored skin and black hair hurried into the room. Her bright hazel eyes matched Lucille's and she eagerly hugged her mother before letting out a little squeal when she saw Richard.

"Uncle Richard!" Sarah cried, rushing over and hugging the man.

"Hey, Sarah. How was ballet?" He asked, smiling softly as he hugged his niece before releasing her.

"Oh it was wonderful! We're having auditions for Sleeping Beauty and I've been going over the pieces for Aurora. Mary Perkins is my only real competition. The other two girls are barely able to move gracefully." Sarah said, picking up her duffle bag from where she had put it and walking out of the kitchen.

"Shower and change quickly, Sarah. Grandma and Papa will be here soon." Lucille called, turning her attention back to dinner when her daughter shouted that she would hurry.

"Hey, Richard."

Derek Hill is a rather handsome man with dark chocolate colored skin, a shaved head and dark brown eyes. He's strongly built from his days playing rugby in high school and university and Richard knows that his brother-in-law keeps in shape by going to the gym every few days. Derek is the C.E.O. of a rather prestigious global company which is why he tried to get out to the gym so often. It helped him burn off stress from his job and kept him fit and healthy even though he works a desk job. Richard shook hands with Derek before the man moved over to Lucille and hugged her from behind, kissing her cheek and asking her what she's cooking. Richard looked away from the domestic scene, his mind painfully reminding him that it wasn't too long ago when he and Emma would do the same thing. It is a hard blow to his pride to accept that his marriage to his wife had failed so spectacularly but it was something he has to accept.

He and Emma just…aren't combatable anymore. He had been attracted to her in college due to her beauty and quiet nature. He had thought that he would be able to pull her out of her shell and reveal the true woman she was underneath. Things had been great and they had fallen in love quickly. Sure, their parents had been surprised and slightly hesitant because of their quick relationship but he had agreed to wait in setting the day for their wedding. After their marriage things had slowed down a little and Richard began to realize that his wife is naturally shy and withdrawn from others. She has a select group of friends that she's had since high school and has never been one to reach out and make any more friends despite all the parties he took her to. She wasn't one for the glamourous lifestyle and was content living in a decently sized house and working for a living.

When she had gone through her pregnancy, he had tried doing all he could to help her. However, he just didn't know how to reach his wife as she suffered from depression and so much pain. It pained him seeing her in agony and there were many nights where he would stay up all night rubbing her back and feet in an attempt to sooth her. Eventually, it just got to be too much for both of them and they drifted apart. When Emma was in labor, he had been terrified about losing both his wife and child. The idea of raising a child on his own terrified him and the newly discovered knowledge that Emma can't have any more children was a hard pill to swallow. He had always dreamed of having at least three children. Yes, there was adoption but he honestly didn't want to raise someone else's children.

Richard was brought out of his thoughts when Lucille asked him to help her set the table. Finishing off the last of his beer, he tossed the bottle away and helped Lucille and Derek set the dining table in the formal dining room. Sarah hurried down and helped her mum finish off the last touches on dessert before putting the pies into the fridge to cool and set. The sound of the doorbell going off announced the arrival of Jacob and Cassandra Granger. Hello's were exchanged and Richard found himself being fussed over by his mother.

"Mum, I'm fine, really." He said, sighing as Cassandra's piercing green eyes narrowed at him.

"I'll believe that when I see it. How is work going?" She asked, taking her son's arm and walking towards the dining room.

"It's alright. Our employee's aren't too happy with Emma leaving but they also understand. Miranda is handling all of Emma's clients." Richard explained, the others listening intently as they sat down.

"She's really selling off her half of the business?" Jacob asked, frowning lightly as Richard nodded.

"She is. Her grandparents were very wealthy and left her and her brothers equal shares of their fortune. Our lawyers are going over everything and Emma will be getting all the money she's made from work over the years. We have a finical advisor going over everything with a fine tooth comb to make sure neither of us are scammed." Richard explained, his parents and Derek nodding.

"Good." Cassandra said, patting her son's hand before they all helped themselves to the food Lucille had made.

Conversation was kept light and free flowing. Cassandra and Jacob talked about their retirement and what they were planning on doing with some of their own fortune. Cassandra does a lot of charity work now and her husband still keeps an eye on the golf courses he owns to ensure that his successor is taking care of everything properly. Derek complained about some of his employees and managers, to which his wife and father-in-law provided him plenty of advice about what to do with the troublesome employees. Sarah talked about her latest boyfriend, to which her grandmother cautioned her to be careful and to take things slow, which made the teen roll her eyes. Lucille gushed about the new line of clothes she's designed, to which her daughter and mother took great interest in while the men shook their heads fondly and shared a faint smile between themselves.

After dinner, Sarah and Derek cleared the table and rinsed off the dishes before putting them into the dishwasher. Afterwards, Sarah retreated upstairs to her room to finish a project for school while the adults headed to the parlor with a drink in hand. Sitting down, they got comfortable and continued to talk about their business and social lives though questions about the divorce started to come as well now that Sarah's not in the room.

"So, what's going to happen with Hermione?" Cassandra asked, watching as Richard sighed.

"Emma's pushing for getting sole custody of her." He said, watching as the others looked at him in surprise.

"What?!" Cassandra gasped, pressing a hand to her mouth in shock.

"What about you?! You should be allowed to see your own damn daughter!" Lucille raged, ignoring her mother's scolding for her language.

"Hermione and I…never had the best relationship. Our lawyers spoke with Hermione privately about what she wanted and she wants to live with Emma. She's old enough to make that choice for herself and the lawyers will abide by it. We're settling on child support payments and I've already agreed to allow Emma to have the money we've both put away for when Hermione goes to college." Richard explained, mentally sighing as Lucille frowned at him.

"Richard you should know better! Emma's likely to spend it all on herself or…on something like books and clothes!" She snapped, though she was shocked when Richard frowned at her and even her parents looked at her with disappointment.

"Now I may not understand why Richard and Emma are getting a divorce but I know Emma is much better than that. She is a highly responsible woman who wants the best for her daughter." Jacob said, his daughter huffing.

"Emma wants Hermione to have the best possible future. That's why she was so adamant that Hermione attend the school she's in now. I know Emma would never use Hermione's college fund. We've both put a lot into it to ensure Hermione gets the best possible education she can." Richard said, his voice firm as Lucille, for once, kept her mouth shut.

"Do you know what Emma plans on doing for work?" Derek asked, looking to his brother-in-law.

"No. Though I wouldn't be all that surprised if she were to open her own business. She has a double major, one being business management. She also minored in accounting." Richard answered, the others nodding in understanding.

"Will you be allowed to visit Hermione at least?" Cassandra asked, knowing that it'd hurt her son if he wasn't able to at least see or speak to his only child.

"I think supervised visits will be allowed. Hermione's sent me a few letters already. She and Emma are staying with a friend of Hermione's from school." Richard explained, shifting slightly as the others nodded.

Thankfully the conversation drifted away from him and his failed marriage. Thinking about his failed marriage also made him think about the contract he had signed with his lawyer. Emma had been right in that their divorce is very different from a normal divorce simply because their daughter is a Witch and both of them know about the existence of magic. Because he is a Muggle and won't be the primary caregiver of Hermione, he'll have his memory altered once the divorce is finalized. All his memories of magic will be erased and altered. Yes, he'll know that Hermione is going to a private boarding school but instead of it being a school for magic it will become a school for the gifted. Yes, he'll remember his…anger towards Hermione attending her school but he won't remember that it was due to magic. Admittedly it was rather…daunting. He didn't like the idea of his memory being tampered but he knew that it's for the safety of the Magical world and their need for secrecy. If his sister were to learn about the truth behind Hermione and her schooling then it'd be all over the news and there was no telling what would happen.

Richard was pulled out of his thoughts by his sister announcing it time for dessert. Sarah reappeared from upstairs and they made their way back to the dining room where Lucille presented them with pie. Derek and Lucille talked about their plans for their summer vacation, to which Sarah was over the moon about the idea of going on a cruise with her parents. Richard admitted that he was thinking about selling the house after the divorce is finalized, in which his parents and sister all suggested various other places he could move into that are closer to them. He reminded them that he has every intention of keeping the business so he'll be looking for a place in-between them and his business. After dessert was finished, Richard said his goodbyes and hugged his mother, sister and niece. He quickly made plans for them to visit him the day before Sarah has to return to school and wished his niece luck on her project.

"I really hope he knows what he's doing." Lucille said, frowning as she heard her brother pull out of the driveway.

"It sounds like he does, dear. He has a finical advisor and it sounds like it's a mutual parting." Derek said, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.

"Aunt Emma was never good enough for Uncle Richard anyway. He'll move on and find someone else." Sarah said, not noticing the frowns from her grandparents.

-I really hope she loses that attitude. If not then it'll cause her trouble in the future.- Cassandra thought, watching as Sarah flounced back up to her room once more.

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Same day

Amelia smiled as she watched Susan tell the House Elves what she wanted for supper that evening. She was honestly surprised at the changes in her niece. Susan had always been such a shy, withdrawn young girl and Amelia had been worried about her niece's ability to make friends. Hogwarts is such an important time in a child's life because they can make friendships that'll last them their entire lives and those friendships can bring connections that her niece might not be able to get on her own. When Susan had written home asking if she could have a New Years party with all her friends, Amelia had been shocked. Her shock only increased when she saw the names of the friends that Susan wanted to invite. Yes, she had been slightly worried when she saw Millicent Bulstrode, Daphne Greengrass, Tracy Davis and Blaise Zabini on that list, but she also knew that her niece is a good judge of character. So, she figured that if her niece trusts these children then she'll give them the benefit of the doubt and monitor how her niece interacts with the group.

"I'm here!"

Susan and Amelia turned and Susan squealed in happiness when Hannah hurried into the room with a bag on her arm. Amelia smiled and watched as the two girls hugged and bounced up and down in excitement. Seeing her niece so happy and excited to see all her friends was a heartwarming sight for Amelia. Her niece is doing great in school; one of the top students in her House, and has made some great friends by the sound of things.

"Auntie is letting us use the ballroom for the party." Susan said, Hannah's eyes widening before she beamed and looked at Amelia.

"Thank you for letting us have this party ma'am." She said, making Amelia smile gently at the girl.

"It's no problem, Hannah. It's nice knowing that you two have so many friends now." She said, the girls nodding happily.

"Daphne, Tracy and Blaise aren't part of our main group of close friends but we've gotten close to them thanks to Millie. It's nice that Millie's bringing her little brother William with her. We didn't want to exclude him from any parties that his sister is invited to." Susan explained, Amelia nodding in understanding.

"I think it's a really nice thing you're doing for Millicent. Now, I'll let you continue getting ready for the party. Remember that everyone is going to be arriving around five tonight." She said, heading towards the door.

"We know, Auntie." Susan called, making her aunt chuckle softly.

Amelia headed up to her private office to get some paperwork done. So far things have been going well this year. Yes, she had worked on Christmas Eve, but she had gotten to spend the actual holiday with her niece which didn't happen all that often. She'll always be grateful to the Abbotts for being so willing to look after Susan whenever she has to go into work. Edmund and Marcie have been her friends since her own time in Hogwarts and they adored having Susan around since it meant that Hannah was happy. They also understood how taxing her job is so they never complained about the sudden calls at random times during the day asking if Susan could come over and spend some time there. Marcie has also been helping her with getting the Bones finance's back in order. Her brother had made some…less than wise decisions when investing in various businesses before his death. After the war had ended much of the family fortune was gone and nearly all of the businesses he had invested in had been destroyed during the war or were doing poorly. Now, however, she's building things back up so when Susan comes of age she'll have a good amount of money behind her.

Downstairs, Susan and Hannah hurried to the ballroom and soon had two House Elves decorating the large room to their liking. Susan mentally thanked her aunt for having the manor modernized since it allowed them to listen to music on the stereo system without needing to hire a band to play. Once the ballroom was being decorated, Susan and Hannah hurried up to Susan's bedroom to get ready. Hannah pulled out shrunken, wrapped presents from her bag which would be put in the ballroom. All of them had agreed that they'll exchange Christmas presents tonight since they'll all be together instead of sending them through the mail. Susan pulled out her own pile of gifts to her friends before she took a quick shower and began going through her closet to find the perfect outfit for the evening. Of course like all girls Susan tried on three different outfit combinations before settling on the first one she had tried on. After dressing, they did each other's hair and makeup before hurrying downstairs just as Amelia was about to call for them.

It wasn't long after that when their guests began arriving. Harry, Dean, Fred, George and Hermione arrived first with a younger girl with medium blonde colored hair and golden eyes. She was quickly introduced as Harry's younger sister Eliza and she was more than happy to eagerly hug Susan and Hannah before thanking them profusely for allowing her to come. Instead of heading to the ballroom, they stayed in the entrance hall to see their other friends. Millicent arrived next with a boy with the same black hair as her though he has deep green eyes instead of blue. Eliza was glad that she has someone closer to her age, as William is only a year younger than her. Millicent and William was more than thankful that they were both allowed to come and William was soon chatting away with Eliza happily. Fred and George were resisting all their urges to prank the others, especially with Amelia there. The last thing they wanted was to piss of the head of the D.M.L.E.

Next to arrive was Daphne and Tracy, who were much like Susan and Hannah in their friendship and the fact that they do just about everything together. Next came Neville, in which he apologized for being a bit late but Shade hadn't wanted to be without him and he had to wait until the pup went to sleep before he could leave. The last to arrive was Blaise, in which he apologized as well though his excuse was that his mother had been fussing over him until the last minute. Susan and Hannah took the group of friends around the first floor showing them the living room, den, sun room, kitchen, formal dining room and the first floor of the library. Thankfully, Hermione curbed her eagerness to explore the library and stuck with her friends when they finally went into the ballroom. All of them were impressed by the festive banners and the bright colors that adorned the walls and tables. They loved the buffet style and the large round table which will sit all of them.

"Auntie will you be going to the Ministry New Years party?" Susan asked, looking at her aunt as her friends wandered around the ballroom and got refreshments.

"I don't know, Susan…"

"We'll be okay on our own! Fred and George can watch over us and the House Elves are here too." Susan said, watching as her aunt shifted and sighed.

Amelia could see how excited her niece is for the chance to have her friends over and to actually begin branching out on her own. In a way, it would be nice to get to spend the evening at the Ministry party, which is likely were all of the parents of the children are. However, a part of her still wants to stay and watch over her niece and the other children that are now in her care. Yes, the twins can be responsible according to Susan but they're still only thirteen and will be in charge of a good sized group of preteens and two young children. Looking at her niece, Amelia sighed and nodded, making Susan squeal happily before she ran over to the twins and dragged them over to her aunt. Fred and George were shocked when Amelia explained things to them and they promised to watch over the group and keep everyone safe. Amelia promised to be back a little after midnight before saying goodbye to her niece. She relayed orders to the House Elves to ensure that everyone was safe and they were to get to the safe room if anything happened.

The twins relayed the information to the others, in which the younger teens promised to be good and listen to the twins and Susan. After the moment of seriousness, the party fully got underway. There was plenty of socializing, in which Harry and his main group of friends learned more about Daphne, Tracy and Blaise. They learned that the Italian Wizard lives with his mother after his father had died when he was a few months old. His mother has remarried a few times, but none of the other men in her life stuck around very long. Blaise told them about a family curse which has been in the family for many generations. The women were destined to find their true love early in life but after they gave birth to their first child it wasn't long before their partner died to an unknown illness. The curse thankfully doesn't seem to effect any males in the family but it made his aunts reluctant to have children of their own and his mother had been heartbroken after the death of his father. A side effect of the curse was that any other suitors never stuck around long and feelings of unease or dread would begin to fill them the longer they stayed with the woman.

"Has your family tried to break the curse?" Hermione asked, horror and worry in her voice as Blaise sighed.

"They've tried many times but it's impossible to find out who had even cast the curse. My great-great-grandmother had been the last one who knew anything about the curse and she died before telling anyone else. My relatives are still attempting to find something in the family vaults and the old files and journals." He explained, the others listening with sadness and sympathy.

"If there's anything we can do just ask." Harry said, Blaise smiling lightly in acceptance.

The party continued and the group of friends had a lot of fun dancing and goofing off. Eliza and William stuck together for most of the party and eventually managed to convince their siblings to go outside with them where they all had a great snowball war. All of them had a great time just goofing off and being kids; especially since they didn't have to worry about school or the stress of classes. After spending an hour and a half outside, they finally trooped back inside where the Elves dried them off and provided hot chocolate to help warm them up. It was during this time when Susan announced it was time to exchange gifts. Heading over to the table, the House Elves brought over the large pile of presents and divided them up between each person. Susan was elected to open her gifts first because she's the hostess of the party, which made the shy Hufflepuff blush but she smiled none-the-less.

Susan loved all of her gifts, and she was especially touched by the handmade card from William since the young boy hadn't been able to buy her anything. Harry and Dean had gotten her charms for her bracelet and had even gotten her some new toys for her pet rabbit. Hannah and Millicent also got their own charm bracelets, while Fred and George were given simple necklaces with a single golden disc with their birthstone on it. The twins were shocked and nearly began crying when Harry, Dean, Neville and Hermione presented them with new, state-of-the-art Beaters armor. The current armor that they've been using had been purchased in a second-hand shop and it does little in way of protecting them during the games. They also explained to the others that their parents, Bill and Charlie had gotten them decent brooms for playing Quidditch. They had formally played using Cleansweep five's that had belonged to Charlie and Bill but the brooms are so worn down that their parents knew that they needed new ones in order to keep playing less the brooms fail on them during a game. They're now proud owners of the new Cleansweep sevens.

Eliana, Millicent and Jillian were now proud owners of their own new charm bracelets, as was Hannah. Daphne and Tracy weren't as close to the group as Millicent has become, so they weren't offended in the slightest by not getting a charm bracelet. Rather, they were very pleased with the necklace and earring set that the boys had gotten them. Blaise was rather pleased with a set of formal dueling robes as the dark skinned boy was a prodigy in Defense like Harry. He had told them before that his mum had him taught by special tutors and they had told her about his skills in the field and had even suggested that he begin to learn dueling over the summer. After the gifts were all opened and stored away in their rooms for the evening, the group spent the rest of the evening laughing, dancing and chatting away the hours. Millicent and Harry kept a careful watch over their younger siblings and they were pleased that Eliza and William were having so much fun even though they're hanging out with older teens. The twins kept true to their promise to Amelia and kept a close eye on their friends. Thankfully the group was rather responsible and knew what they could and couldn't do.

Time seemed to fly by for the group and it wasn't long before Susan had them bundled up in their winter cloaks and ushered them outside. Outside, the House Elves had cleared a patch of snow and had lined up fireworks from P&M along with some normal Muggle fireworks. They were given magical sparklers, which were far safer and much more fun than normal Muggle sparklers. The group laughed and ran around with the sparklers in hand, drawing patterns and writing in the air. As it neared midnight, they extinguished the sparklers and gathered near the fireworks. It wasn't long before they were counting down and Eliza and William were bouncing in excitement as they looked at the clear night sky.

"Five…four…three…two…one…Happy New Year!" All of them cried, cheering as the fireworks were lit and shot into the sky.

They all marveled over the colors and patterns that filled the night sky; their eyes reflecting the bright colors gleaming in the darkness. The display lasted a good ten minutes before they were ushered inside by the House Elves. With cups of hot chocolate, they sleepily headed up to their rooms and, after changing, headed to sleep. Susan attempted to stay up to see her aunt arrive home, but Nippy, one of the elves, finally convinced her to head up to her room and fall asleep. The House Elves moved silently throughout the manor; cleaning and straightening everything and getting rid of the decorations and getting rid of the trash. A House Elf stood near the door when they felt someone enter the wards. He happily greeted Amelia as she walked through the front door and began removing her cloak and shoes.

"How was the evening, Miles?" Amelia asked, handing the House Elf her cloak.

"It went smoothly, Madame. Masters Weasley kept a careful watch over everyone as you asked them to." Miles responded, Amelia nodding her head in agreement and happiness.

"Is Susan awake?" She asked, looking down at her head House Elf.

"No, Madame. She wanted to stay awake but after the excitement of the evening she was very tired and we sent her to bed." He said, folding her cloak and watching as she headed to the stairs.

"Thank you, Miles. I will be heading to bed soon myself." She said, the House Elf nodding.

"Very well, Madame. I will turn down your bed." He said, popping away.

Amelia headed up to the third floor where the family members slept. She first stopped at Hannah's room, in which the young girl had been given her own room years ago due to her close friendship with Susan. Opening the door silently, she smiled at the sight of the brunette sleeping soundly in bed. Amelia backed out of the room and headed further down the hallway to her niece's room. Opening the door, she slipped into the room and smiled when she saw Susan sleeping in her bed. Smiling gently, Amelia caught sight of Susan's charm bracelet and instantly saw that it now has a few more charms on it. When Harry and Dean had approached her for her niece's birthday about the enchanted bracelet, she had wanted to refuse such an expensive gift. However, the boys simply explained that they wanted to keep their friends protected and would be doing the same thing for all of their female friends. She had finally relented; especially since she hasn't had the time to get Susan's heiress ring enchanted.

"Goodnight, Susan." Amelia whispered, bending down and pressing a kiss to her niece's forehead.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

January 3rd

Sirius sighed as he went over the files on his desk. For years now he's been investigating what had happened to Frank and Alice Longbottom. He had worked closely with the couple during his time in the Auror department and they had been highly respected Aurors during their service. Since their admittance into St. Mungo's, he's been attempting to learn what had fully happened on the night of the attack on Longbottom Manor. Master Auror Alastar Moody had been a good source of information since the man had been the leader of the snap response team that had gone to Longbottom Manor after Frank had sent out the distress signal. Alastar had explained that Bellatrix and her husband had already had Frank down by the time they arrived and had Alice under what they presumed to be the Cruciatus curse. However, Alastar had explained that, now that he's thought about it, there was a strange, sickly purple glow surrounding Alice as she was being tortured.

Now, as a part of Auror training, all cadets were placed under the Cruciatus curse for a few seconds so they understood what kind of pain their enemies could and likely would inflect upon them. Many thought of their training as hardcore and sometimes inhumane but it was needed. He knows that the Cruciatus curse is a deep red colored curse and left no spell light upon the person being held under said curse. He then approached Augusta with the idea of becoming allied Houses and, after she had accepted, asked if he could see the medical records of her son and daughter-in-law. She had been understandably suspicious and had been hesitant to allow him to see the records but he explained that he had his suspicions that it wasn't the Cruciatus curse which drove Frank and Alice into their catatonic state. She was shocked at hearing that, but she had relented and had given him their medical records after he swore an oath to never reveal what was in those records without her permission to do so first.

Now, after a year of studying and searching, he believes he has finally reached a breakthrough in the case. It took some digging through the vast Black library, which has increased since the death of his cousins, aunts and uncles, but he had found an ancient book on Dark Magic. Reading the book had made him feel sick to his stomach, but he had read through it so he could understand what some of the spells the Death Eaters might use. Reading it also helped him understand how Bellatrix had become such a powerful and deadly Death Eater. There was no doubt that she had read the book since it had belonged to her, Narcissa and Andromeda's parents when they had been alive. After a short conversation with Andromeda, where she confirmed that she had caught her sister reading the book a few times, and Sirius had been able to narrow the spell down to two possibilities as to what the curse could be. He had also asked Amelia if he could speak with his deranged cousin. Amelia had been surprised at his request, but when he explained that he was doing something to possibly help Frank and Alice, she relented and granted him permission to speak with the woman.

Going to Azkaban was an experience in itself. He had surrendered his wand to one of the guards in the main entrance room of the prison before they gave him an armband which showed that he's a visitor. The guards had been curious as to why he wanted to speak with his bloodthirsty cousin, but had simply led him to a visitation room. It had taken a few minutes for the door on the other side of the room opened and two heavily armed guards, who were armed with pistols, walked in with Bellatrix shuffling along between them. Her arms were chained to her waist which had a chain around it while a chain tether allowed her feet to move only a few inches apart. She looked healthier and a little less insane since he had last seen her at her second trial. She was dressed in the deep grey and silver prisoner uniform that all prisoners are made to wear. As soon as she had seen him, she had sneered mightily at him and had looked like all she wanted to do was leap across the table and strangle him.

Bellatrix had been very reluctant to talk about the night she had been brought down. She had been shocked when Sirius listed the two spells that she could've possibly used against the Longbottoms. However, after Sirius goaded and taunted his cousin she finally snapped and spat out which curse she had used against the former Aurors. Before he stood to leave, he kindly informed her that he had disowned her from the Black family and recalled her dowry and all debts that the Lestrange family owed to the Black family. It resulted in the closure of the Lestrange vaults and Sirius had claimed all treasure inside the vault as well; including her Master's precious cup that he had entrusted to Bellatrix. Needless to say the guards had to restrain and drag Bellatrix from the room as she ranted and raved at her 'former' cousin. Her screams of deranged curses and threats could be heard throughout the entire prison until they were silenced by the guards tossing her back into her cell and activated the silencing ward around the cell.

Since then, he's been studying the curse Bellatrix and her husband had used and the counter to the curse. The curse itself caused an immense amount of pain to continuously assault a person's entire body and all of their senses. It forced the victim to withdraw into their minds in order to escape insanity or death by the amount of pain they were going through and, once they had retreated inside their minds, locked them there. The curse also drained their magical cores and caused their body to rapidly age over time. Those who used the curse normally performed its counter only when the victim's family paid whatever debt was owed or agreed to whatever terms they had imposed on the family. The recovery for the victims of the curse depended on how long the victim had been held under the curse. Their magic would slowly gain strength and their bodies will slowly 'de-age' so to speak. Inside the book he also found a number of potions which would help to heal the victim from the effects of the curse.

"Now I need to get Augusta to agree to transfer Frank and Alice to the estate." Sirius said, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair.

He wanted Frank and Alice to be examined by June since she has the training to identify more curses than the Healers at St. Mungo's. She also might know different potions which might further help the Longbottom's recover from their ordeal. Nodding to himself, Sirius gathered the files he compiled and sealed them along with grabbing the book which has the curse and its counter inside. Kano is already at the estate training the kids which is why he was taking the time to work on this project. However, now that he has everything in order, he plans on speaking with June before talking with Augusta and offering her the potential cure to her son's and daughter-in-law's plight. Heading out of his office, Sirius told his head House Elf where he'll be for the next few hours before heading down to the parlor where he flooed over to the estate. He was greeted by Jarvis, the head House Elf for the family.

"How can I help you Lord Black?" Jarvis asked, accepting Sirius' robe.

"Is Healer June in the infirmary? I wish to speak with her about an important matter." Sirius said, watching as Jarvis appeared to think for a minute.

"She is in the potions room attached to the infirmary. Fluffy is telling her you wish to speak with her. Just head to the infirmary and she will greet you there." He said, Sirius smiling as he bowed his head to the House Elf.

"Thank you, Jarvis. If Lord and/or Lady Othello is available can you inform them that what I will be telling Healer June is something I wish for them to know?" He asked, Jarvis nodding.

"I will tell my Mistress. Master is currently away on business."

"Thank you."

Sirius headed in the direction of the infirmary and was soon stepping into the large wing. Like Jarvis had said, June was standing nearby waiting for him. She looked at him quizzically, especially when he asked her to wait for Delilah to arrive and saw the files and book in his arms. They were quickly joined by Delilah who looked just as intrigued as June does. June led them to her office, which is a decently sized room with her desk, a few comfortable chairs in front of that, and four filing cabinets where she kept patient records. There was also a floor to ceiling bookcase which is fairly groaning underneath the weight of all of the books and scrolls on its shelves. Once they were all settled in the chairs and a House Elf served them some tea, the two women looked at Sirius.

"What is it, Sirius?" Delilah asked, her voice soft as Sirius set down the folder and opened it.

"Ever since Frank and Alice were injured and hospitalized, I've been curious about what happened to them. I refuse to believe that absolutely nothing can be done for them, even by Muggle means. I've become even more serious about this since Harry and Neville have become close friends and Augusta has signed an alliance with the House of Black. I've spoken with Alastor Moody, a Master and Senior Auror, who was there in response to Frank and Alice's distress call that fateful night. Through him and I discovered that Frank and Alice were surrounded by a deep, sickly purple glow. Now the Cruciatus curse doesn't surround the victim with any kind of glow. I then began investigating the old books and tomes in the Black library…especially the ones filled with Dark Magic. I narrowed my search down to two possible curses.

"I went to Azkaban to speak with Bellatrix about that night. She was highly reluctant to talk about it but she finally did. She told me what curse she and her husband had used on the Longbottoms before they were captured and arrested. She also told me what the curse did to the victim and that it is reversible. With that information, I found it in a book and wrote down everything about it and its counter. I want your advice, June. You know more about injuries both to the body and mind than any Healer I know. As Neville is an Assassin, I want you to be involved in this as well, Delilah. I would like to have Frank and Alice brought here for their treatment as St. Mungo's would likely frown upon the cure having been found in such a book and would ask too many questions." He explained, sliding the book and files over to June.

June eagerly poured through Sirius' notes and flipped open the book to the correct page. She was surprised to see Frank and Alice's medical records, though she compared their records and 'symptoms' to what the curse caused. Pulling over a piece of paper and a pencil, she began writing her own notes, often pausing to check over the various files and papers Sirius had written. Sirius could see what she was writing down questions, though those questions were being crossed off the further she read. Delilah moved over to stand behind June and the two women whispered softly to each other and June pointed out certain things to the other woman; making Delilah nod or frown lightly. Sirius admitted to himself that it's kind of unnerving having the two formidable women go over his research, but it was needed. He wasn't about to present Augusta with a half-hearted plan that might work. The woman and Neville deserve the best and that's what he hoped he would be able to present to them.

It was nearly ten minutes later when June and Delilah finished looking over everything and looked at Sirius. The nervous lord swallowed thickly at the unreadable expressions on their faces. However, he nearly sagged in relief when June grinned at him while Delilah smiled.

"This is very impressive, Sirius. You have certainly gone above and beyond what we would've thought of." Delilah said, June nodding in agreement.

"You've studied this curse extensively and its counter. While the book has listed potions and other natural remedies to help the victim recover, you've researched other potions and remedies that should work in case the originals don't. I think this will work and will work splendidly." June added, making Sirius grin.