Mara's Magic

iii - im in howling pain

Harry and Sirius helped Ron out of the Shrieking Shack, me and Lupin having our wands on Pettigrew as we walked him out. Hermione hung back behind us in silence. 

Sirius apologized to Ron and Ron just grumbled, his leg far too torn up for forgiveness to be an option at the moment for him. 

We got out to the stilled Womping Willow, setting Ron down next to a rock. Hermione sat next to him, analyzing the wound and whispering the few healing charms she knew. Most healing happened with potions as opposed to spells, so there wasn't much we could do for him without him being in the Hospital Wing. 

Sirius stared out at the castle in wonder, Harry walking up to him slowly. They began talking comfortably and I smiled. Lupin gestured for me to follow after him, and so I did. 

I walked up awkwardly, my hands shoved in the pockets of my jeans. Harry turned and smiled lightly at me and I returned it. 

"Hey," I said. Sirius turned quickly, his eyes completely focused on me. 

"I'll let you two talk now," Harry said, walking off to Lupin. I nodded and stood next to Sirius, looking up at the castle under the beautiful starry sky. 

"So, that was some magic you performed there," he commented offhandedly, glancing down at me. 

"What?" I asked with furrowed brows, not recalling practically any magic that I did in the shack. 

"Taking your wand back. That's advanced stuff," he replied. I nodded with a sigh. 

"Oh, right. That," I said. I cleared my throat. "I actually only know it because, um, well, I have an Obscurus. It's hard to do wand magic without blowing things up. So sure, it's cool, but I kind of have to do it."

His face fell. "You have an Obscurus?"

"Yeah. It's because of my mum's side of the family," I answered, looking back at the castle. "You know, the Dumbledores."

"So, you know?"

"Yeah."

He paused. "Do you know that... that I'm your uncle?"

"Yeah."

We stood in silence for several moments. 

"Did you like your Christmas present?" He asked. I grinned, turning to him.

"So, it was you," I said. "Minnie was right."

"Minnie?" He asked amusedly.

"McGonagall," I explained with a shrug. "She's my godmother, so I get special privileges."

"I know," he replied, smiling. "She was ecstatic when she learned she had a goddaughter. Nearly as excited as I was to learn I had a niece."

"So, I can accurately assume that you didn't curse the brooms?" I said.

"Definitely not. So, you enjoy it?" He answered.

"Absolutely," I said with a grin. "Seriously the second best present I got this year."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Second best?"

"Yep. My boyfriend got me Middle Box tickets to the Quidditch World Cup after being recruited by Puddlemere United," I explained with a proud smile.

"Wow, and I really thought I had that one in the bag. Oliver Wood, right? The Keeper? I saw him play this year - he's impressive," he replied.

"Yeah. How'd you know?" I asked, my brows furrowed in slight confusion.

"You two have a habit of running into each other's arms after your matches," he answered with a shrug and a teasing smile. I laughed lightly.

"Right."