Chapter 2
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HIS FATHER WAS NOT HAPPY, DRACO NOTED. And when his father wasn't in a good mood, he couldn't be in a good mood. The fragile peace of his home was held up by strings that resided in Lucius Malfoy's grasp. And if he decided to release them, then the peace fell.

After losing his title as Head Governor, and after failing his task with the diary, wherever his father went, a dark cloud followed. He swung his cane at the elves more often, and Draco stayed inside his bedroom as much as he could, only leaving when he was called for.

Like right now.

Draco held his hands clasped together in front of him, wondering what his father wanted from him as the man paced back and forth in his study. His hand was clutched around the silver snake's head on his cane.

Draco sneaked a peek at the desk. A newspaper, a copy of The Prophet he assumed, was laid open on the table. The thirteen-year-old noticed a leather-bound diary right on top of it.

He flinched when he heard a loud smack. Draco looked up to see his father's cane lying useless under one of the many windows.

He didn't dare to ask what was wrong.

Lucius walked to his desk with furious steps and grabbed the newspaper with his fist. He accidentally knocked the diary, which fell to the ground.

"Do you see this, Draco? Do you see this man?" He shoved the picture of a psychotic-looking man in Draco's sight. The man was screaming and then laughing inside the picture.

"This is Sirius Black. Your mother's idiotic cousin, Draco. You are related to this lunatic."

Draco didn't bother to point out that, given the circumstances in which purebloods married, he was almost certainly related to this man as well.

"Years ago, he was involved in an incident. One that ended in a way that would've made our Dark Lord very happy."

He had to suppress himself at the mention of You-Know-Who.

"And now," Lucius laughed. He stared at his son with wide eyes, looking almost as crazy as the man in the picture, "now he's escaped Azkaban! Azkaban of all places!"

Lucius spotted the diary on the floor and sunk down next to it, which shocked Draco. He has seen his father in various states in his life. Every time, even when he was angry or annoyed, or simply on the losing end of an argument, each and every time his father still managed to keep his head high and stay dignified.

He has never seen his father on his knees, or even, and he hoped this wasn't the case, scared.

"And I failed him," he said softly. Lucius held on to the diary.

Draco had to take a few steps back. His father. The man he looked up to. The man who seemed to face everything that stood in his way without even blinking was on his knees, scared.

"Oh! Let the Dark Lord be merciful when he comes back."

"Fa-father-"

"Never fail the Dark Lord, Draco. Because if you do..."

That night, Draco understood that the strings weren't in his father's grasp but tied around his wrists.

━━━━

Harry and Adhara ate their breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron every morning. Keeping his promise to Fudge, they didn't wander back to the muggle streets. And in exchange, Fudge dealt with Aleyne so that Adhara wouldn't get in trouble.

It didn't take much effort to convince the Minister to let her stay. A quick mention about how much less trouble he would get in if there was a more responsible student around, and the man was more than willing to comply. The only hesitation came from his godsister's last name and whatever relationship she had with the escaped convict. To say Fudge was surprised when Harry uttered her name and then proceeded to call her his friend was an understatement.

"Are you sure she's the type of company you want to keep around?"

"What do you mean, Minister?"

"I'm merely suggesting that she might not be the best of friends you might have. After all, with her uncle being on the loose and-"

"Whatever her uncle did has nothing to do with her."

"Yes but-"

"But?"

"Err- nothing I suppose. Please be careful, Mr. Potter."

"Oh, I'll be careful, alright."

And that was that for that conversation. Harry knew people found it odd that he was friends with the niece of Sirius Black. Especially those of whom who knew about Black's betrayal to his father. They seemed to think he was making the same mistake as his parents.

He didn't realize just how much his association with a member of the Black Family bothered people until one day when they both wondered inside a Quidditch shop.

The Firebolt was the current talk in the pitch. Every person who owned a broom wanted to get their hands on it. Unfortunately, the amount of gold required to buy such a thing would probably empty out his vault. And Harry didn't know exactly how much more money he'll need to continue on with Hogwarts.

And Adhara couldn't afford it either, since she didn't have access to the entirety of the Black Family's wealth. Something about her being illegitimate and not the Heir. Harry thought it was utter rubbish.

All in all, both godsiblings had to settle for new gears instead. Adhara wanted her own set, even though she wasn't on the house team officially yet. She didn't want to sneak into the equipment tent to steal the school's anymore.

Adhara kept herself busy, looking at several pairs of chaser gloves when Harry approached the counter to pay for his stuff. The store owner, who recognized him by the glance he threw at Harry's forehead, gave him a rather blinding grin.

"Will that be all, sir?"

"Oh," Harry said, "you don't need to call me that."

"Nonsense! The 'Harry Potter' in my shop! My! I'm so honoured!"

Harry shifted in his feet, feeling uncomfortable. He's been getting a lot of attention ever since he's arrived at Diagon Alley.

"Why! In fact, I should be giving you a discount! You can pay half the price instead of the usual 7 galleons!"

That, too, made Harry uncomfortable. People have been offering him discounts and free stuff left and right. He accepted some of the offers (most notably ice cream and any food, really). But things like this were very unnecessary.

"There's no need for that really-"

"In fact, you can add on your friend's things too in here!" The shopkeeper peered around the corner to get a better look at Adhara. "Say, the others and I were wondering. She's with you a lot, eh your friend?"

"Umm, yeah. She's very nice."

"You're both on your house team?" he asked, indicating all the quidditch gear.

"No, not Adhara. She just enjoys it."

The man continued to smile. "Adhara, eh?"

"Yeah. Adhara Black," he said, glancing at the girl. "I think she'll get in, though, this year." He looked at the shop owner to see that the man's grin was gone.

"Did you say 'Black'?"

Harry blinked. "Yes. I did."

The man stammered. He quickly bagged Harry's belongings and shoved them in his hands. "It'll be 7 galleons."

"I thought I was getting it at half price," he questioned, his eyes narrowing in the process.

"Yes, we-well. I think you two better leave."

Harry didn't bother buying anything at all. He didn't need new gear anyway.

━━━━

Word got around Diagon Alley about her identity. People didn't appreciate having the niece of an escaped murderer living in their neighbourhood, and whispers and glares now followed Adhara whenever she left the inn.

And a few days later, Aurors showed up at her room door at the Leaky Cauldron to question her about Sirius Black's whereabouts.

Adhara wasn't looking at them, stubbornly keeping her eyes on the floor between both officers, one of which introduced herself as a trainee.

"No, I have no idea where he might be."

Truth to be told, Adhara tried her best not to think about the man. When Matron threw the article informing his escape at her, Adhara looked at the psychotic face of her uncle for a good minute and a half before discarding the entire thing in the bin.

She didn't want to think about him. She spent most of her life avoiding the subject, ignoring how her only living relative was in prison, and how he didn't want anything to do with her anyway.

The fact that he was meant to be her godfather only made matters worst.

Her tendency to avoid any related topic with Sirius Black made her feel completely detached from the news of his impromptu release. The only thing bothering her was the fact that the man might be after Harry. And she also didn't appreciate people suspecting her of aiding him.

Why? Because I'm his niece?

"We thought maybe he'd contact family first."

"In that case, he's got cousins, doesn't he? Did you interrogate Narcissa Malfoy as well? Or perhaps even Andromeda Tonks?".

"Andromeda Tonks doesn't know anything," added the trainee quickly.

Adhara glared at her. "But you thought I might?"

"You are his niece, after all."

Adhara really didn't like her.

The man doesn't want anything to do with me, left unsaid. Adhara clenched her fists. She had nothing to do with Sirius Black. Their relationship was only one on paper, him being her father's brother meant nothing. She's almost sure he didn't remember her.

The trainee took out a notepad and a pen instead of parchment and quill, she noticed.

"We got some complaints from the residents. Something about you threatening the Boy-Who-Lived?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not threatening Harry."

"Harry? You two sound close."

"We are. In fact, he's in the room right next to this one. You can ask him yourself if I'm threatening him or not."

The trainee didn't seem to like her either.

━━━━

Adhara and Harry walked passed the entrance to Knockturn Alley almost every day. Sometimes with ice cream in hand, sometimes with shopping bags full of books for school, and other times simply just empty handed.

Adhara remembered Millie's warning from last year. How her father had told her not to venture in. But the lane was basically drawing her in, a whisper in her ear convincing her to take a look.

She tugged at Harry's sleeve and nudged her chin towards the dark alley.

The boy shook her head.

"What are you? Scared?"

"I landed there by accident last year. S'not a fun place."

"Can't be worst than Anne-De-Liss Alley."

"I don't know, Adhara."

Adhara took one last glance at the alley. The lack of light and the eerie atmosphere did in fact remind her of Anne-De-Liss. Only, she was sure there wasn't a building full of sad children at the end of it. She wondered what they had instead.

"I'm going in. Who knows, maybe they'll have more tolerant shop keepers here," she announced whilst already advancing towards the street.

Harry ran behind her, groaning. "I thought I was supposed to be the 'brash and reckless Gryffindor'."

"Shut up."

It turned out it was just as dodgy as she expected it to be, but that didn't really bother Adhara. At least she was able to get an old pair of chaser gloves.

━━━━

Harry knew he was being followed. He could sense it. It was odd how often he spotted a black dog. The same big yet thin dog that stayed within only a few streets away. Adhara hadn't seemed to notice it.

He saw it lurking in dark corners around the Leaky Cauldron or even close to the stores he visited. It disappeared wherever Harry met its eyes. And it certainly never approached him. So it shouldn't be anything he should worry about, right?

It was only a dog, after all.

━━━━

The chandelier in this room could rival the one at her school's entrance hall, assumed Millicent. The number of lights was doing nothing to soothe her pounding headache, the chattering around her only worsening it. It felt like a hand reached inside her skull and started squeezing her brain at a very unpredictable rhythm. But there was nothing she could do to relieve it. She was stuck at a dinner party with her father, with no idea whatsoever at who's manor she was standing in at the moment.

She couldn't even tell which room she was in.  The dining room? The drawing-room? Or was this meant to be a ballroom? The only conspicuous feature was the size. The green and white colour pattern, along with all the candles floating along the walls weren't a new sight. Millicent has been welcomed into a similar room multiple times before, each time making her wonder why Purebloods were so obsessed with the colour green.

However enormous it was, though, it certainly did not rival the Great Hall back at Hogwarts. But it did remind her just how different her standing was, compared to the other guests at the party.

The manor — whoever it belonged to, Millicent really didn't care at this point — was definitely way, way bigger than the Bulstrode Mansion. And although their residence had belonged to her family for ages now, unlike the owner of this manor, the Bulstrode's weren't a Noble and Ancient House. Her family didn't rely on noble money, her father worked at the ministry, and they didn't own such regal-looking manor.

She closed her eyes against the light, hoping that it helped, a groan escaping her against her will. Millicent didn't even know what they were celebrating. It was mid-August, a very random time of the year with no important date whatsoever.

So why the fuck was she here?

She leaned close to her father, talking in a hushed voice, "What's this for again?"

Her father turned around, whispering just as low, "The Rosier's Heir showed his first sign of magic. It's an occasion to celebrate."

Millicent didn't miss the sarcasm in his tone, making her scoff. Her father never tried to appreciate the high society's ways. He put on a mask, pulled on his mouth, and pretended like he did in order to keep a link between him and the other purebloods.

Snakes do not live in packs, but they do haunt together. It increased the rate of success. Millicent assumed that was why Purebloods told their kids to stick with their kind. To ensure solid relations in case they ever needed to pull some strings.

They weren't social creatures. They only got together for haunting, only when they needed something from the other. And that was exactly how her father lived.

He nudged her with the hand holding a wine glass.

"You should go talk to them."

Millicent risked opening a single eye to see what he was talking about, noticing right away the group of teenagers she recognized as her housemates. Except for maybe one or two who she thought may have been Ravenclaw.

It wasn't an unusual sight. Creating solid relations didn't only apply to snakes.

"Why would I do that?"

"To keep on friendly terms. You never know when that'll come in handy."

She rolled her eyes—regretting it instantly when it sent another wave of pain to her head. Her father really was a snake. There was nothing to deny there.

"Friendly terms?" she scoffed. "They'll just comment about my weight, again. Or maybe this time, they'll sneer at me for finding girls pretty."

She heard her father shuffle uncomfortably beside her.

"Then you suck it in and bear with it. It'll be worth it in the long run."

Her jaw clenched. Bear with it. It might as well be her family motto at this point. Her father didn't have any problem with the way she looked. Or even, who she liked. But he wanted a higher place in this world, and that meant biting his tongue.

Bear with it. Climb the social ladder and bear with it.

It wasn't just her dad. Millicent knew that. Most of the people in this room who were half-blood, who were only second place had no choice but to kiss up to those higher than them to earn a place in this society. She couldn't even blame her father for doing the same.

In fact, Millicent found it very difficult to dislike her father.

She felt something cold rest against her forehead, forcing her to open her eyes again—she didn't even remember shutting them again—and a glass of wine came into view. The cold glass helped to soothe a bit of the pain.

"Are you not feeling well, darling?"

"Hmm. Headache."

The wine glass left, replaced by a hand in its place. "You're slightly warm to the touch." The hand left her forehead, and fingers started carding through her hair instead.

Millicent leaned into the touch, humming gratefully.

"We should go home."

She felt her lips twitch. "What? Don't want me keeping a friendly term with the rest?"

She looked up at her father, who apparently was not standing in front of her, and saw the worry in his eyes. Worry that was there because of her.

"Not at the expense of my daughter's health. Let's get you home, hmm?"

The hand retreated, her father's sleeve rode up with the movement, allowing Millicent to catch a glimpse of black ink on his forearm. Her smile fell. She pretended not to see it.

Millicent clenched her jaw again, lowering her head so that her father couldn't see her expression.

Bear with it. It truly was her family motto.

━━━━

Adhara tumbled down the stairs of the Leaky Caldron as fast as she could, trying to keep up pace with Harry. She received an answer from Hermione and Millie earlier the previous day, informing her of their arrival. What she didn't know was that the Weasley's were going to be there also.

Harry dashed the minute he heard familiar voices from downstairs.

The family of redheads arrived first. Sightly tanned, but mostly just a bit red from their trip to Egypt, Adhara could still see the spot of sunburn on Ron's nose. He greeted Harry as soon as he saw him, his mother following right behind.

"Oh, Harry dear!" She engulfed him into a hug, making Adhara cringe.

Adhara definitely didn't expect, nor did she hope, to get the same warm welcome as Harry. In fact, she expected them to stay away from her, if not completely ignore her. But the man who stood behind Ginny, who she assumed was their father, gave her a polite smile and extended his hand.

"You must be Adhara. Ginny told me a lot about you."

From beside them, the said girl went red in the face, quickly denying everything and walking away. Adhara briefly noticed how short her hair was now, barely touching her shoulders. She focused more, however, on the hand stretched out in front of her. And whether she should take it or not.

She hesitantly met the man's hand, who in return smiled more widely at her and firmly shook her hand. He didn't even react to her mittens. Or, at least, he was pretending to not care.

"We didn't get to thank you for what you did for Ginny."

"It was mostly Harry. I only fainted."

Adhara watched his eyes shift to the right side of her face, where he could see a scar running through from her ear, to her chin and down to the collar of her hoodie. His smile dropped.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall informed us of your injuries. If there's anything-"

"It's fine," she cut him off, "I'm fine, now."

Mr. Weasley didn't look too sure.

━━━━

Adhara separated from the Weasleys right after, leaving Harry with them. (Hermione was staying at the inn anyway, so he could meet her later.) Running past the judgmental eyes of the shopkeepers, she reached her destination: Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions.

Millie and Mione were waiting for her right in front of the display window.

"Adhi!"

"You have a cat," was the first thing she said to her.

Hermione lifted her pet towards her, "His name is Crookshanks, and he's half Kneazle!"

Adhara only nodded, bringing her hand close the animal's mane to pet it, who nuzzled closer under her touch. Hermione beamed.

Millicent joined the conversation. "You know, kneazles can detect people who seem a bit dodgy. You should let him loose so that he could sniff out the rats in our school."

"The entire school?"

"Well, maybe just your dorm room."

Adhara looked inside the store, taking in all the different sorts of beauty potions.

"Why are we at a beauty store?"

"Oh!" exclaimed Millie, "I need nail polish. And eyeliner. And uh..." she glanced nervously and both her friends. "I want to dye my hair."

Hermione and Adhara both looked surprised.

"Are you sure?"

"What colour?"

"Adhara!"

"She's going to do it no matter what we say. Might as well make sure she doesn't mess it up."

"I'm not going to mess up!"

"You might. Potions dye is a lot more tricky than muggle box dye."

"How do you even know that?" asked Hermione.

Adhara shrugged. "Kids dye their hair all the time at my orphanage. Although, we tend to stick to muggle products. I can help you if you want."

"Why muggle products? Isn't a wizarding orphanage?"

"Bunch of muggleborns."

Millie found that suspicious. "You're in an orphanage full of muggleborns?"

"A lot. Not full. There are others."

"Like?"

"Like me. Bastards."

"Adhi! Stop calling yourself that!"

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes at Mione. "So, what colour?"

"Oh-uhm. I was thinking black. Think it'll suit me?"

Adhara tilted her head to the side, trying to imagine her friend without her blonde hair.

Hermione sighed, deciding to take Adhi's advice. "Yes, it will. You'll look really nice with black hair, Millie. Now, let's hurry! My mum and dad will meet us at the ice cream shop!"

"We're meeting your parents?"

"Yup! They've never met any of my friends before, so I'm kinda excited!"

The statement turned Millie's ears red, so she shoved her inside the shop. "Ok, that's enough sentimental shit, go inside!"

━━━━

The Hogwarts Express bellowed loudly as Harry entered through the wall, calling students on board one last time before it departed. The front of the train shone a bright metallic red, the stream of the engine leaving behind clouds of smoke. The sight of the train always brought a smile to Harry's face, no matter how late he was.

He went to follow Ron and the others on board, but then Mr. Weasley called him aside. He gave him a warning about a man Harry knew about already. Told him things that Adhara speculated already. And reminded him to stay safe, to stay hidden and to be careful.

"I already know, Mister Weasley. Adhara told me."

"She did?"

"Yes. And I- I overheard you talking to Mrs. Weasley about it..." he said, feeling sheepish. "I swear I didn't mean to, though! It just happened."

"I didn't mean for you to find out that way..."

"I didn't! As I said, Adhara already warned me about his escape. We weren't sure whether he'd be after me or not, just a guess. Well. I can see now that we guessed right."

"Arthur!"

The man signalled his wife to continue on, and then faced Harry again, in more hurry. "I need you to promise me, something."

"Yes?"

"I need you to promise me that you won't be looking for trouble this year. Ronald told me about your other misadventures, and with what happened with Ginny in June and now with Sirius Black on the loose-"

Harry shook his head furiously, taking in what the red-headed man just said. "Why would I go looking for someone who I know wants to kill me?"

Mr. Weasley gave him a look. "Ron also informed me that he was your godfather. And about what he's done to your parents."

Harry felt his jaw click shut.

"Promise me, Harry-"

"Arthur! The train is about to leave!"

"Yes, yes Molly! He's on his wa-Harry!" He didn't have time to finish as the boy ran past him. But Arthur chased after him with his hands, holding onto his elbow. "Harry Potter, swear to me you'll be careful and won't go running into trouble head first!"

"Yes, yes, I will be care-" The next thing Harry knew, someone else came to his aid and held onto his other arm.

"Don't worry Mr. Weasley. I'll make sure that he doesn't."

Arthur took one look at the determined look Adhara gave him and released his hold on the boy. He exhaled a long breath, before giving her an equally stern look like the one he gave Harry.

"You too, Adhara. You never know if he decides to come after you, too. Stay safe, the both of you."

Harry watched Adhara nod before she pulled him towards the train.

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