"𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐓 𝐔𝐏!" Raya cried out. "Just stop talking! He's not gone. He's coming — he's coming back. He's just— he's stuck... he's coming out the other side."

Remus held her close, swaying her softly as he did his best to calm her down. He had stopped trying to explain to her that her dad was gone, instead he did his best to give her some comfort, to show her that even if Alphanso was gone, she wasn't alone. It was what she needed right now.

Around them the battles continued, but Raya and Remus weren't paying attention to all of that.

Raya kept her eyes on the arch, waiting for her dad to come out, groaning about how he's 'gotten old', before jumping right back into the fighting. 

But he didn't come back.

Raya thought she was good at handling death — it was pretty much a given being a demigod. She'd been prepared to die in battle ever since she first went to Camp Half-Blood... but she'd never been prepared to see her dad die like that.

He was just a Quidditch player. The most magic she'd ever seen him use was today. He was supposed to live a long and happy life, passing peacefully in his sleep. He wasn't supposed to die like that.

Raya's knees buckled and she fell to the floor, her loud sobs barely being heard to anyone besides Remus.

"I've got you," Remus repeated. "I'm right here."

Raya could hear yelling and fighting and spells being flung all around the room. But she didn't care for any of it.

Not when her dad was dead.

Raya's mind was numb as she entered Dumbledore's office.

Remus had carried her out of the room once the Death Eaters left — after You-Know-Who had been discovered. She didn't remember the journey back to Hogwarts, but she was pretty sure they used a Portkey and he deposited her in the Hospital Wing. He'd told her he would take her back home, but he wasn't sure what injuries she was dealing with, and wanted to get her checked out. He gave her some chocolate and went to leave.

Raya asked him to stay for a bit longer.

So he put aside his duties with the Order, and stayed with the girl who just lost her father. The girl who perhaps saw Remus as something similar.

She heard voices one night, Dumbledore telling Remus he's needed at headquarters. Remus didn't argue with him, but he did apologize to Raya before leaving. She didn't think there was anything to forgive.

She'd spent the last week in the Hospital Wing, secluded from the others who'd gone with her to the Department of Magical Mysteries. Pomfrey was certain she was in shock, so she'd kept her away from the others and under constant watch in case she did something to herself. 

Once she was certain Raya wasn't a danger to herself, she allowed Raya's friends to visit.

Cierra, Cho, Elias, Nathaniel, Thomas, and Kayse had nearly broke down the door when they were allowed in. Raya noted Meredith's absence.

Her friends gave her chocolate and candy and Loki, filling her in on anything that what happening around the school. Besides the students finally believing Harry, the Wizarding World clearing Sirius of all charges, and Flitwick getting rid of the swamp, not much else had gone down.

The night of the Feast, her friends had tried to stay with her, but Raya convinced them to go. Remus had sent her some more chocolate and a book, to keep her occupied while he was gone. She, herself, wasn't feeling well enough to be surrounded by the entire school giving her pity looks and whispering about her. 

All the world knew is that Alphanso Newbrooke died fighting You-Know-Who's Death Eaters. That he fought bravely, but was in the end defeated. They didn't know that there wasn't even a body to bury. They didn't know that Raya's mom, Marybeth, fell sick at the news. They didn't know anything.

Her friends left after much persuasion, finally allowing Raya to wallow in her grief.

At least until Dumbledore called her down.

She knocked on the door as she entered, announcing her arrival.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, and waved her over. She took a seat on the opposite side of him.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked, her voice sounding hollow even to herself. 

"Yes, Miss Black. I wanted—"

"Newbrooke," Raya corrected automatically. "It's Raya Newbrooke."

She had a flashback to a day that happened nearly a year ago, when Dumbledore asked what he should call her. She'd told him whatever he wants, but the second he called her 'Black' it felt weird. Like she was betraying her — her dad.

"Apologies, Miss Newbrooke," Dumbledore corrected. "I just needed to sort out a few end of the term and summer technicalities with you. All students are returning tomorrow on the Hogwarts Express, but if you'd prefer, you may return with a Portkey to Grimmauld Place or Newbrooke Manor — whichever of your houses you prefer."

Raya blinked, only now realizing that her dad's assets and money all belonged to her now. Which meant Newbrooke Manor now belonged to her.

"I'll take the Hogwarts Express," she said. "My friends will get worried otherwise."

"Of course, of course," Dumbledore made a little note. "I assume the Order still has permission to operate out of Grimmauld Place, even if you're spending summer at your Camp."

"Yeah, they can operate from there," Raya nodded.

"And... have you spoken to Harry recently?" he asked. "Either about your prophecy or his?"

Raya raised a brow, for the first time feeling something in her chest.

"He has a prophecy about him?" she asked. "He hasn't told me anything. Poppy thinks it's not good for me to talk to anyone who was a part of that night yet. Besides Kayse, I suppose. She thinks I haven't grieved properly, or I'm still in shock, and I'll just lash out."

"Yes, he does have a prophecy about him. It's different than yours, but still important," Dumbledore said. "No matter, I believe it's best you do not bring up the prophecy with him unless he brings it up with you beforehand."

"Cool with me."

"And the last order of business," Dumbledore got serious. "While you are staying here in England, you need a guardian. It was your mother back in Canada during the summer, your Camp advisors while you are there, and your father while you were here. Now that you're father is dead, your legal guardianship has been passed on to your uncle."

Raya tilted her head. "My dad doesn't have any siblings. His sister died years ago, during the first Wizarding War."

"Your biological uncle," Dumbledore clarified. "Your legal guardianship in this country has been transferred to Sirius Black for the time you remain in Hogwarts."

Raya's mind went blank.

And then she started to laugh humorlessly. 

"You're fucking hilarious," she said to him. "There's no damn way I'm letting that man be my guardian. Not a fucking chance."

"I told you," another voice said, stepping out from behind Raya.

She turned, not realizing he'd been there the whole time.

"I told you it was pointless," Sirius said, shrugging. "She doesn't want to be a Black. I'm not gonna force this on her."

"Sirius is your last living blood relative," Dumbledore tried. "If he is not your guardian here, you will — by Wizarding law — be required to transfer out of Hogwarts and to Ilvermorny."

"Make it someone else," Raya said. "Anyone else. I'll take Remus, he'll do it."

"Alas, the Wizarding Council will not recognize a werewolf as your legal guardian if you are not blood-related to it," Dumbledore explained. "It is only a piece of paper, nothing else. You don't even have to see each other while you're here."

Raya bit the inside of her cheek, but she knew it was the only option.

There were other members of the Order who could 'take her in', but the Wizarding Council wouldn't recognize them as her guardians as long as Sirius — her closest blood relative — was alive.

"Fine," she muttered. "But it's only on the paper. It doesn't mean shit. The second I'm out of Hogwarts, I'm getting emancipated from him."

Dumbledore nodded, "The second you are out of Hogwarts, you may do as you will. Sirius, sign here."

Sirius hesitated, but stepped forward to sign the paper Dumbledore gave him. He handed it back to the Headmaster, who nodded with approval and snapped his fingers as he sent it on to get checked by the Wizarding Council.

"That's all for now," Dumbledore said. "You're dismissed."

Raya stalked out of his office, angry at everything around her. She didn't want to be shackled to Sirius Black — the man who had basically ignored her for a year, and she still went after to try and save. 

She just wanted her dad back.

"Raya, wait," Sirius placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Raya whirled around, smacking his hand away. "Don't — just don't touch me."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Sorry's not going to bring my dad back, is it?" she asked him, her anger increasing. "Don't act like you fucking care—"

"—Of course I care—"

"—STOP LYING!" she shouted. "Stop lying to me. Ever since you found out I was your brother's kid, you haven't looked me in the damn eye. I thought, it's okay, he's just adjusting. But no, you went ahead and continued to treat everyone the same, while you shut me, your own blood, out. But guess what? I was adjusting too! I dropped everything to go and save you when Harry thought you were in trouble. I — I was the one who told my dad," her voice broke. "If only you were paying attention to Bellatrix instead of taunting her, you'd have noticed her spell. My dad wouldn't have had to save your ass — he wouldn't have to die. It's your fault. It's because of you."

Her voice began to lose its volume as she spoke, ending in a mere whisper.

"I—"

"I wish it was you," Raya shook her head to herself. "That way, I'd still have my dad, someone who actually cared for me, still around."

Sirius stared at her, dumbfounded for once. He'd been so caught up in his own self-pity, he hadn't realized he was destroying their relationship until right now. Until it was too late.

"The guardianship is just a formality," Raya reminded him. "If I could have anyone else do it, I would. You don't have to worry about where I am, or if I ate, or what I'm doing. If you really care for me, then just leave me the fuck alone."

She turned on her heel, marching back up to the hospital wing and locking herself in. She slid down the door, ready for the fountain of tears that she was holding in.

Only two drops rolled down her cheeks.

REY WRITES!

thanks for reading!!

short chapter, sorry babes <3 but
the last few have been rlly long and i didn't
know what else to put in here tbh

eid mubarak to anyone celebrating <33

thoughts?

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