The Madness Within

George cursed under his breath as he looked up; his mother was standing at the back door, hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently, her frilly cooking apron flowing gently in the breeze. Mrs Weasley did not look happy, she was quite the opposite. She was scowling at her son who was propping himself up on his elbows staring at her, smirking.

“I was so worried! I went upstairs to get everyone for breakfast and you two weren’t there! Fred had no idea where you two had got to either. Merlin’s beard George, don’t do that again.” Mrs Weasley cried hysterically. “Now, inside quickly, breakfast is ready!”

“Bloody hell Mum, seriously we were just out here!” George said rolling his eyes as he got to his feet.

“It was my fault re-” Arabella began but was cut off by Mrs Weasley.

“It doesn’t matter; inside the both of you breakfast is ready!”

George helped Arabella to her feet and began to make their way to the back door, by the time they got inside the kitchen everyone was sitting at the table talking animatedly about their trip to Diagon Alley the next day. George sat next to Fred who was on the left of Ron and Arabella sat on George’s right, across from Hermione.

Arabella felt very anxious to be going back to Diagon Alley, she kept very quiet about the subject. Her mind was niggling at her that it would bring back horrible memories, tensing up as she thought about it. She felt George grab her hand under the table lovingly; she smiled at him and laid her head on his shoulder.

Hermione – who she had also grown quite close too – giggled and winked as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice. Arabella rolled her eyes and chuckled at her being so silly, she and George were just friends. He seemed to understand what she was going through without saying a word, it was like he could tell what she was thinking, she didn’t need to explain to him, he just knew.

He began rubbing circles on the back of her hand softly with his thumb, she sighed content with everything around her for once, although there was only one thing missing, Draco Malfoy.

Sighing, Arabella lifted her head off George’s shoulder and removed her hand from his before quietly excusing herself from the table; she made her way up to her bedroom. Tears collecting behind her eyes, she tried to blink them away as she ascended the stairs.

There were heavy footsteps behind Arabella as she reached the top of the third floor; she felt a strong hand pull her around. Sirius was standing with a sad expression on his face; she fell into his arms as he hugged her tight to his chest.

“I miss them, daddy.” Arabella choked.

“I know sweetie, I know. It’s going to get easier, I promise you.” Sirius said quietly. “Come sit and I’ll tell you a story.”

Sirius lead Arabella to the top step, they sat down and Sirius took her hand in his. He looked at her seeing so much of Elisa when she was Arabella's age, his eyes brimmed with tears as Arabella shifted and lay her head on his chest.

“I lost my wife, my daughter, my best friends and my godson. Three of which I wont ever see again, I still remember it. Halloween night nineteen eighty one, it was my fault they died, I basically killed them. I told them to make Wormtail the secret keeper.” Sirius began, tears dripping from his eyes. “I’ll never forget what it was like to see their house destroyed, them laying lifeless and pale, cast away like rubbish. I have to live with this pent up regret for the rest of my natural life, until I’m reunited with them.”

“I’m so sorry daddy; I can’t imagine what that must feel like.” Arabella whispered, wiping her eyes.

“And I waited; I waited thirteen years in that hell hole called Azkaban with no friends or family. I always thought of you and your mother, it’s actually how I stayed sane.” Sirius continued, smiling through his tears. “When I escaped I tried to find you but it was impossible because your mother was undercover with a different name. I asked Dumbledore to find you but he said it was too dangerous to risk your safety.”

“My mother spoke of you often; she told me stories of your adventures of when you were at school. She always told me how you were innocent, how you were a brave, courageous, and reckless and beyond anyone she had ever met, how you always put your friends and family first before yourself.” Arabella chuckled sadly. “She loved you until her dying day; she thought the world of you. She would tell me about your flying motorcycle, how you would fly it so recklessly she thought you’d kill yourself.”

“Oh your mother hated that silly old thing, she refused to ride it. Althought you loved it when you were a baby, I’d take you flying in it at night and your mother would sit out on the front porch waiting anxiously for us to return.” Sirius sighed, stroking his daughter’s hair softly.

“I'm going to miss you when I go to Hogwarts, I don’t want to leave you.” Arabella said, exasperated.

“I know baby girl but you’ll be okay. You can write, Harry writes to me every week. Attach your letters to Hedwig and she’ll find me.” Sirius smiled. “I love you, remember that.”