To Live Again by dragonwings
Sirius crouched down low behind a stack of books in the dark and musty library. He had climbed through the window to get into the house, and he had been on his way to the room where he had seen Molly, but there was another person in the library. He crept slowly forward towards the person. A quick Confunding Charm and he could be on his way. He could see the back of their head… Whoever it was, they were very short.
He moved his knee forward.
Creak!
Sirius moved back hastily, but it was too late. The person whipped around with a wand in one hand. It was still too dark to see their face. Then…
“Ah, there you are, you little minx.”
The voice made Sirius blood run cold. A heavy man’s footsteps crossed the room towards the person nervously clutching was wand. He walked right in front of Sirius’ hiding place and he glimpsed a golden hourglass. The man had a Time Turner! Sirius pressed himself closer to the bookshelf and held his breath as the man passed.
“What do you want?” It was Molly! Sirius had to contain his joy and kept silent. He listened closely to the man’s soft, low voice.
“Have you found it yet?”
“Found what?” Molly asked in a whisper.
“You know what,” the man growled.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Mr. Malfoy,” Molly insisted.
Mr. Malfoy? The git was here? Sirius barely refrained from jumping out behind the bookcase and strangling the man. He was supposed to be looking for his daughter! But it seemed the man had known where she was all along… Why else would he seem so surprised to see her?
“Here, silly girl.”
There was a sound of crumpling parchment as Lucius thrust a piece of parchment at the girl. Silence, then a sharp inhalation before the girl demanded, “Who gave you this?”
“I think my questions are far more pressing. Who kidnapped you? And why did they trust you to such an important mission? Are they here?” Lucius demanded.
“I don’t have a clue,” Molly said grudgingly. “While your wife was paying such close attention to me in Switzerland, some men broke into the house and next thing I know, I’m here with instructions to find this book and to not come back until I do.”
“These men,” Lucius interrupted her story. “What were they wearing? Did you see them at all?”
“Pointed hoods and scary masks. Kind of like something you’d see on Halloween.”
‘Death Eaters,’ Sirius thought.
“Ah, yes, I thought so. Those were some rogue acquaintances of mine. I apologize. So… have you found Para vivir otra vez yet?”
Sirius had to stifle a gasp. That was the book he was looking for! Written by a Spanish wizard, it had vital information on different resurrection spells and the Dark Arts. Which meant, that the lady downstairs must be a witch… There was no way that she would have a book like that and not know.
“No, I just got here two days ago. The maid let me in and she’s been keeping me locked up.”
“I’ll make you a bargain. Find the book and give it to me, and I’ll take you home to see your father. You won’t have to go back to those, let’s say, rather unsavoury people.”
“Depends,” Molly said rather roughly. “Why do you all want it so much?”
“There are some spells in that book that may prove, ah, beneficial to those with the power to utilize them.”
“I hate it when people use big words,” Molly grumbled. “’There are some neat spells in there’ would’ve been fine for me. You promise that you’ll take me back home?”
“Yes, yes,” Lucius said impatiently.
“Okay. This should only take a minute, actually. Do that light spell thing with your wand,” Molly told him. Sirius tried to shrink into the shadows as the light illuminated the library. He didn’t want to reveal himself until Molly got the book. If he did, they might lose the book to Lucius and that book was not something he wanted in possession of Death Eaters.
After fifteen minutes of frantic searching, he heard Molly say, “Here it is!”
“Give it to me,” Lucius snapped imperiously.
“Take me home first,” Molly countered.
“No, I don’t think so. First, give me the book!”
“No way”I don’t trust you for a minute!” Molly said. “What if you decide to leave without me? If I don’t have the book with me, I can’t find out where the Time Turner is because of the stupid spell they put on the parchment! So either I keep the book and give it to your buddies, or you take me home now.”
“Just give me the book, silly girl!” Lucius snarled. Sirius heard a bang and yelp as several books fell to floor, hitting Molly as they fell.
This had gone on long enough. Sirius leapt out from behind the bookcase. “Leave her alone, Malfoy,” he growled.
“Black,” Lucius spat. “I thought I had seen the last of you. This does not concern you, stay out of this.”
“That’s my daughter. If it concerns her, it concerns me,” Sirius said sternly. “You can’t hurt her.”
“The Unbreakable Vow doesn’t hold when you’re in a time before it was made, Black.” Lucius smiled maliciously. “I can do whatever I want to your daughter.”
“Don’t you dare hurt her!” Sirius snapped.
“And who’s going to stop me?” Lucius taunted. He shot a spell at Molly and Sirius moved quickly in front of her to block the spell.
Lucius just grinned and waved his wand once. Three hooded and masked men Apparated into the room and began to advance on Sirius and Molly.
“Molly, run! Try to go back!” Sirius ordered her and shoved her behind him. Molly sprinted out of the room with the book in arms.
“Four on one? How brave of you!” Sirius mocked as he moved to protect the door. “I know that you were trying to show some backbone, but if you want to win next time, I would suggest bringing ten more people with you!” He deftly Stunned the Death Eater on the right of Lucius and then began to parry spells with the rest of them.
It was a hard-fought fight, but Sirius eventually managed to bring down the other Death Eater leaving only himself, Lucius, and the third Death Eater to battle it out.
“Confringo!” Lucius shouted as Sirius yelled, “Protego!” The spell reflected off Sirius’ shield and hit the last Death Eater in the chest. He fell back as the Time Turner on a chain around his neck exploded into a cloud of gold, sand and glass. The Death Eater fell to the floor unconscious.
Sirius grinned. “Just you and me now, Malfoy...”
“Unfortunately for you,” Lucius snarled and began to attack.
“Impedimenta! Revulso! Sectumsempra!”
Sirius blocked the spells easily and laughed. “Getting a little soft, aren’t you, Malfoy? Hasn’t anyone taught you that you can throw all the fancy stuff you want”it’s the power that counts in a duel? Stupefy!” Sirius shouted.
Lucius threw up a shield that rebounded a fraction of the spell, but the force of the spell hit him in the chest regardless and his Time Turner broke in two.
“Expelliarmus!” Sirius yelled triumphantly and caught Lucius’ wand as Lucius himself was thrown against the library wall. He strode quickly over to the unconscious Malfoy and pressed his wand into his neck.
“Don’t you ever threaten my daughter again, Malfoy,” Sirius said in a low, dangerous tone.
“Confringo!” A voice shrieked and Sirius was thrown against the wall and into Malfoy. He groaned and picked himself off the floor. The spell should have broken a bone or two if well executed but he felt fine. He turned and trailed his wand on the caster.
“You’re a witch?” Lucius exclaimed.
A tall woman with blue eyes and red hair that reminded him of Lily’s held a wand shakily in her hand.
“Where did you come from?” she demanded weakly. Sirius guessed that she wasn’t accustomed to using magic very often.
“I’m truly sorry, madam. I was only helping you with your rat problem,” Sirius said and bowed low.
“Lucius is not a rat!” she yelled shrilly. “How dare you beat on a man who had just lost his daughter!”
“What daughter?” Sirius asked curiously. “Wait, you mean my daughter? Don’t tell me that this bastard has been passing my daughter off as his own?” Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. “That is too rich!” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out two photographs.
“Here,” he said and walked towards her and offered her the photographs. “This is my wife, my daughter and I at a picnic. The other one is of my daughter, Molly.”
“She looks like you,” the woman said softly.
“You’re going to believe him, Jane?” Lucius said incredulously. “He shows you a photograph and all the sudden he’s the hero and I’m the villain?”
“Shouldn’t be too out of character for you,” Sirius told him.
“Do you believe me now, madam? My name is Sirius Black and that is my daughter. She was here a moment ago”she’s been hiding in your house this whole time.”
“I’m Jane Persons,” she said and shook his hand.
“That’s a lie!” Lucius protested. “Molly wasn’t here! He just attacked me for no good reason!”
“I can prove it!” said Sirius. “You have a maid, right?”
“Yes. Her name is Alice,” Jane told him.
“Could you please call her in here?” Sirius requested. “I’m sure that she can clear some things up for us.”
“Well, alright. I don’t see why not. Alice!” she yelled. “Wands away, boys,” she told them. “I don’t want to see anyone Confunded or Obliviated.”
Sirius tucked his and Lucius’ wands into his pocket.
Alice appeared a second later and gasped at the scene. “Mrs. Persons! What happened?”
“Never mind, Alice,” Jane said. “It’s not important. This gentleman here has a question to ask you.”
“Alice, did you let a little girl into this house two days ago and let her stay here?” Sirius inquired.
Alice went pale and stayed very silent.
“Curly black hair, green eyes, pale skin with freckles?” Sirius continued.
Alice still remained silent.
“Well, Alice?” Mrs. Persons asked sharply.
“It was raining!” Alice wailed. “And she was so wet and pitiful looking! I just couldn’t leave her out in the rain!” She buried her face in her hands and started to cry.
“There, there, Alice. You’re not in trouble,” Jane told her and patted her on her shoulder. “I would’ve done the same thing. Next time, just tell me however. It would clear up a lot of confusion.”
Alice nodded and wiped her eyes on her apron. “May I please be excused?” she asked humbly.
“Yes,” Jane said. “Thank you, Alice.” She turned to Lucius once Alice had left the room. “You lied to me, Lucius.”
”What… what do you mean? I haven’t falsified a word! You have no firm reason to believe anything he says!” Lucius cried, sweat breaking out on his brow.
“I trust him,” Jane said firmly. “I don’t know what it is about you, Lucius, that makes me feel uneasy, but I know that Sirius is telling the truth. Incarcerous!”
Ropes shot out of her wand and wound around Lucius, who paled once more and ceased his argument.
“Where is your daughter, Sirius?” she asked him.
Sirius hung his head. “I don’t know,” he confessed. “Once the fight broke out, I told her to run. She had an enchanted piece of parchment I think that had instructions on it on how to get to the Time Turner that would take her back. And she has the book.”
“Which book?” Jane asked curiously. “My husband kept a vast collection of literature, I’m sure that I won’t miss one; she can keep it.”
“You might miss this one,” Sirius told her. “It’s rather valuable. Para vivir otra vez .”
Jane almost winced. “Oh. That one. Well, I have no choice but to let you keep it. She’s probably back to your time by now. It’s a rather nasty book though… Why did she pick that one?”
“The bad guys want it, so we want to keep it safe,” Sirius told her. “Some of his friends kidnapped her a while ago and were keeping her in this time until she found the book and brought it back to them. Since they’re unconscious there on the floor, she should be safe from them, but I need to get to the book as soon as possible to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.”
“Very well,” Jane said. “Just tell me what I can do to help.”
Sirius was in a fantastic mood when he left the house. Jane had given him the most delicious scones he had ever eaten in his entire life. The sky looked like it was clearing up too, although it still remained a rather depressing grey. Lucius was still at the Persons manor cleaning up the rather horrendous mess in the library along with the other three Death Eaters. Sirius was rather happy with their punishment”as soon as they were through with cleaning the library, they were going to spend some time in Muggle prison under false names for the next fifteen years until Jane sent them back to the future.
But the real reason why Sirius was happy?
He knew where Molly was. He started jogging down the road, passing farmers and women out for a walk as he made his way to the local pub.
When he caught sight of the pub, he sprinted inside and looked wildly around in the doorway for his little girl.
“Daddy!” Molly shrieked and clamoured down from the barstool. Sirius ran over to her and engulfed her in a hug.
“Oh, my Molly,” he said happily and kissed her hair and forehead before hugging her tightly again.
“You’re not going back to Switzerland, sweetheart,” Sirius told her.
“Good. But, Daddy”I have the book!” She lifted the book up from the counter and gave it to him.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” he said. “You did great.”
“I love you, Daddy,” she mumbled into his shirt as she hugged him tighter.
“I love you too,” he said back. He untangled himself from her and held her at arm’s length. “And I bet Mum misses us, too. What do you think?”
“Can we go home now?” she asked hopefully.
“Yeah, we can go home. But my Time”car”” he said hurriedly to cover his slip. “”is broken, so we’ll have to borrow the one your erm, friends lent you.”
“Alright,” Molly said and took off her shoe.
“Molly?” Sirius asked, confused.
“I keep things in here,” she said and blushed. She pulled out a piece of rather sweaty and dirty parchment and read it before handing it to the bartender.
The bartender leered at them after reading the note and finally shoved a battered wooden box at them.
“Two turns should do it,” he whispered gruffly.
“Thanks,” Molly said and took the box. She and Sirius walked down the street to the alley where Sirius had threatened Lucius and after checking that there were not Muggles around, pulled the chain of the Time Turner. Two turns and a tornado of light and sound, and they were home.