Chapter 20

Seamus exchanged a confused glance with Dean, watching Skuld as she sat on the grass, absentmindedly toying with a small white flower. She reached for the stem as if to pluck it but hesitated, leaving it intact for a moment longer.

"Do you like the flower, Skuld?" Dean asked, trying to sound casual. 

"No," she replied simply. 

Her abrupt answer startled the two boys. They watched as she flicked her fingers, severing the flower's stem effortlessly. 

"And how about the exams?" Dean ventured, shifting the subject. 

Dean and Seamus launched into a discussion about Professor Snape and his ruthless grading, their voices filling the otherwise quiet space. Meanwhile, Skuld studied the flower now resting in her palm. She brushed her fingers over the delicate petals as they began to wilt, their vitality slipping away. She couldn't stop it. 

'She could cut the thread, but she didn't know how to sew the pieces back together.'

---

A squirrel darted along the path, weaving between Harry and Hermione as they hurried toward the Whomping Willow. It had been following them since Ron had discovered Scabbers. The little creature had even bitten Ron during the chaos when the rat wriggled free of his grasp. 

Now, as if they didn't already have enough to contend with, a black dog dragging their best friend into the roots of the tree, they had a squirrel tagging along. 

"Maybe the squirrel will surprise us and turn out to be Voldemort," Hermione muttered darkly, her wand raised and ready. 

Harry glanced at the creature. Its orange fur glinted in the dim light, and its bright green eyes met his gaze for a fleeting moment. He almost smiled at the comparison, the disowned Weasley sibling and the small, nimble animal trailing behind them. 

But when they reached the Shrieking Shack, Harry's thoughts shifted. For a terrifying moment, Ron wished the squirrel 'was' Voldemort, because the reality was far more unsettling.

Inside, the sight of Sirius Black transforming from a massive black dog into his gaunt human form was shocking enough. But when the squirrel morphed into Skuld Weasley, everyone froze. 

Skuld didn't seem fazed by their reaction. She strode toward Sirius and embraced him warmly, a small smile playing on her lips. She still didn't look directly at the others. 

Harry's stomach sank. He thought back to the Chamber of Secrets, how Skuld had looked at Ginny, not with concern but with something akin to disdain. He remembered the way she had spoken to the memory of Voldemort, her voice cold and confident. 

"You're bad!" Ron suddenly shouted, pointing a trembling finger at his sister. "You're a traitor! A murderer, just like him!" 

Skuld turned to him, her expression calm. "I haven't killed anyone yet," she replied coolly, perching on the edge of the rickety bed. The frame groaned under her weight, sending up a puff of dust that made her wrinkle her nose. She stifled a sneeze, still completely composed. 

"You almost killed Ginny, and now this!" Ron continued, his voice breaking with anger. 

"Skuld," Sirius interjected firmly, his eyes flicking to Ron before resting on her. "Don't listen to him. Let's focus. This ends tonight." 

"One will die tonight," he added darkly, his voice low and resolute. 

The others raised their wands at Sirius, prepared to act, but the most unnerving thing in the room was the faint, almost imperceptible smile on Skuld's lips. 

Harry desperately wanted to believe that Skuld Weasley wasn't evil. She wasn't a monster. But she made it so difficult. 

---

"I told you your sister wasn't bad," Hermione chided, her gaze fixed on Skuld's unconscious form in the hospital wing. The girl lay pale and motionless on one of the gurneys, bandaged but out of danger. 

The night had been a whirlwind. Sirius Black's innocence had been proven to Harry, Hermione, and Ron, though Peter Pettigrew had escaped, taking the truth with him. Professor Lupin had transformed into his werewolf form, and in the chaos, Skuld had been injured while fleeing through the forest. 

Madam Pomfrey had been horrified by the state of her injuries but reassured them that she wasn't in danger of contracting lycanthropy. The wounds, deep scratches, and bruises, had been caused by her fall down a rocky hill during her escape, not by the werewolf. 

Harry noticed the flicker of concern in Ron's expression despite his earlier anger. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but he was clearly worried about his sister's condition. 

When Sirius and Remus had explained everything, Harry saw regret in Ron's eyes. Regret for calling Skuld a traitor, regret for doubting her. Skuld had risked her safety to help Sirius escape and prove his innocence. 

Harry glanced at her again, lying still and quiet. He didn't understand the complicated, tense relationship between Skuld and her family, and he doubted he ever would. 

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