The Escape and the Return

Ambrose P.O.V.

'Twas ominous indeed, the way the sky blackened as I carried my precious burden. I ran towards Bartleby the Grandfather tree faster than I thought my old bones could take, with my owl companion close behind. The little one in my arms was quite intelligent for a girl of three; throughout the attack and being separated from her parents she cried not once, only stared at me with sad, unnaturally blue eyes that seemed to say "I understand". I was starting to tire when the sight of my destination propelled me faster still. As I reached the Great Tree a small child with a shock of sandy hair peered through the doorway.

"This way sir." I noticed the child's unusual level of speech clarity considering they were only four years of age and I followed them to where their mother waited inside the tree.

"Flordelliza, thank you, for agreeing, to protect, this little one." I puffed out.

"Nonsense Merle, her mother is my little sister after all, and I would do anything to protect little Alexis." Flordelliza admonished.

"Ambrose, before we take her back to England with us, the matter of her name arises. If she were to keep her father's family name, then the Queen will surely find her." Flordelliza pointed out.

"Then she shall use your mother's –her grandmother's- maiden name," I stated, "Yes, Alexis Griffinhunter has a certain ring to it."

"We need to go, the bad lady is coming" this came from the older child, Taylor their name was. Their mother seemed convinced what they said was true, though I could sense nothing. As the little family which now included Alexis vanished through the portal, a woman appeared before me.

"Where is the girl?!" she shrieked and I smirked as I replied.

"Well out of your reach, Umbra Queen!"

+++ 13 Years Later; Alexis P.O.V. +++

I grimaced as his spell hit my arm, crushing it, and cursed under my breath. I attempted –and failed- a simple numbing spell which resulted in my arm being frozen solid. "At least it doesn't hurt anymore." I mumbled to myself, for it didn't hurt at all, on the contrary I couldn't feel my right arm in the slightest. A quick glance at the others confirmed that they saw my spell failure. "If I survive this, they'll kill me." I lamented while dodging vampire bats. I whipped around and shot an ice nova at Malistaire, watching him fall with a smile on his face. I started to make my way to Taylor and Nate but stopped dead in my tracks. "Wait, was he smiling? When I k-killed him? Why?" My head started spinning and I felt sick as my arm began to unfreeze. My vision blurred and I knew no more.

I opened my eyes and looked around, I was shocked to find myself back at my Aunt Flora's house in London, the one my cousin Taylor and I grew up in. I noticed that the colors around me seemed washed out and faded like a dream…

"Or a memory!" I finished my thought out loud. I could hear voices drifting from the open kitchen window so I moved closer and was immediately transported inside the house, seated across from my five year old self.

"Mum?!" I recognized this voice as Taylor's when he was little.

"Yes honey?!" Aunt Flora called back.

"Can you send Lexi up here please?! I can't find my trainers!" Then I knew what day this was, my first day of kindergarten. Aunt Flora looked at little me and she (I?) hopped off her chair.

"I'm coming" she shouted as she flounced out of the room; cobalt blue braid trailing behind her. I followed little me up the winding staircase and into Taylor's room. "They are under the bed" she stated matter-of-factly without even looking. She crawled under the bed and remerged moments later with black and green trainers. "Here you go, and you should fix your hair, one side looks all sticky-uppy.

"Thanks Lexi" Taylor half grumbled, "I'm always losing stuff"

An argument broke out over breakfast because little me didn't want to go to school and Taylor was complaining about school being held 'ridicurously' (ridiculously sweetie) early, he never has been a morning person, and neither have I for that matter. Half an hour later the little car (since replaced by a newer model) pulled up to the muggle primary school I used to attend.

"Now Alexis, please don't use any magic in school, muggles don't know it exists."

"What about attiden-accidenc-accidental magic?"

"Accidental magic is fine, just no actual spells, ok?"

"Okie Dokie"

"Have fun, Taylor will take you to your class, I have some things to do. Love you!"

"Love you too!" Taylor and little me chorused. Taylor walked little me to her classroom, meeting up with his best friend Nathaniel on the way. They both said goodbye to her with promises to check on how she as doing at recess. She took a deep breath and marched into her classroom where she was approached by a girl with bushy brown hair who stuck out her hand.

"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger." The two little girls shook hands and I giggled at how silly we looked back then.

"I'm Alexis Griffinhunter." Little me replied.

"Excellent!" Hermione clapped her hands together "I just know we will be the best of friends."

Images started to fade and my vision went black for a second time.

000

This time when I opened my eyes I was in the library looking at eleven year old versions of me and my best friend Hermione.

"Lexi?" Hermione looked dead serious and then I realised what day this was.

"What's up Hermi?" younger me asked, oblivious to what I knew was coming next.

"Mum and Dad are sending me to a private boarding school this September." Hermione looked both sad and happy at the same time, but younger me looked devastated.

"Why?" was all younger me could manage.

"My grades are higher than average and the new school will challenge me to try harder," this sounded rehearsed even to my eleven year old self but she held her tongue, "Don't worry though, I will write all the time and you can write back but you will have to give the letters to my parents because the school isn't in the post system and I will come home for Christmas and the summer and…and..." Hermione was babbling so younger me hugged her and the two friends cried. Before Hermi left, we were inseparable and we remained like that whenever she returned.

"It's okay Hermi, you're always bored at school anyway so this new school should be fun." Younger me said and little Hermi smiled. "We still have a month so let's not waste it, ice cream! My treat!" Hermi giggled at the 'heroic' pose that younger me was attempting.

"Lexi, do you believe in magic?" Hermi asked as she and younger me were leaving the library.

"You have no idea." I said in time with my younger self and I blacked out again as the eleven year olds' laughter faded into the distance.

000

Again I awoke to a memory. "You have got to be bloody kidding me! Why can't I just wake up?!" I sighed, "Now I am screaming at my memories, great" I said the last word with sarcasm dripping from my voice "Okay, what memory will resurface this time?" My question was soon answered as I appeared in my Uncle's study.

"Headmaster, what brings you to muggle London?" Aunt Flora asked.

"Flordelliza, I have good news." Ambrose was smiling and Aunt Flora looked to Taylor and my memory self in the corner of the room. "Your husband Sirius Black appeared in the Spiral Chamber in Ravenwood just last night. It was as though the spiral door had spit him out." Tears of joy started to leek from Aunt Flora's eyes. A letter had arrived a week before from Harry Potter, explaining that Uncle Sirius had died and that Harry had just learned that Sirius had a Wife and child though he didn't know their names, it was addressed to Mrs. Black and daughter, he didn't know. Apparently Harry was my age and had some part in why Uncle Sirius went to Azkaban, though weirdly enough, the ministry let Sirius write to Aunt Flora and Taylor.

"Wait, my father is alive?" Taylor asked. The day the letter arrived was also Taylor's seventeenth birthday and by his standards, the worst birthday ever. "Where is he and why did he reappear a week after disappearing?"

"Your Father is right outside, as to what happened during his missing week, neither Sirius nor I know." As the headmaster finished speaking, Uncle Sirius walked through the door and Aunt Flora threw herself at him, crying.

"Flordelliza, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you I was alive." Aunt Flora and Uncle Sirius kissed with tears in their eyes while both versions of myself awed simultaneously. Uncle Sirius broke away from his wife and walked over to Taylor. "Taylor I am so sorry. I've missed so much of your life." As uncle Sirius made a move to hug him, Taylor pulled back.

"I'm not going to say it's okay because it's not. Because of you going after Pettigrew without a thought for mum and I, I had to grow up without a father! I don't even go by my real name! Everyone knows me as 'Taylor Liferunner, the kid without a dad' instead of 'Taylor Black, son of Sirius Black' and you know what?! I didn't use to care that you were supposedly a mass murderer because I knew you were innocent!" Taylor got progressively louder and angrier as he went on, "I was admittedly proud when you broke out of Azkaban because my father was a great wizard powerful enough to break out of the highest security prison the wizarding world has ever known and he wasn't even in league with Voldemort! And then, on my seventeenth birthday I get a letter from Harry Potter explaining that you died saving him! He isn't even your son!" by now uncle Sirius was looking shocked and tried to speak several times before anything coherent would come out.

"I-I had no idea that's how you felt. I never looked at it from your point of view. This time when he moved forward, Taylor let his father hug them and I could just make out what Uncle Sirius said next, in both memory and present. "I'm sorry, I thought I was protecting you and your mother, will you ever forgive me?" Taylor nodded and the two very stubborn men hugged it out.

Instead of blacking out again, there was a bit of a time skip to later that day, this time I was looking at myself during my arrival to the Spiral. Headmaster Ambrose, memory me and the headmaster's owl were gathered in front of the tower in Golem Court.

"Hello, my name is Gamma de owl." A little white owl in a purple grad cap hooted.

"D-did that owl just t-talk?" memory me stammered.

"Yes he did," the headmaster chuckled at memory me's shocked expression. "We are at a magic school after all."

"I suppose you're right." She laughed. Suddenly the ground started to shake and thunder boomed. As lightning shot across the sky, a silhouette appeared in the window of Golem tower.

"Quickly, to the tower!" Gamma trilled, "You'll be safe with the Headmaster!" Both versions of me followed the headmaster up to the top floor of the tower where a pale man clad in black with raven colored hair and eyes as unnaturally blue as my own awaited us. The man's face went a shade paler as my memory self stepped into the light.

"Ambrose! You dare use her against me?!" Malistaire (as that's who the man was) looked distraught for a moment but composed himself. Even now, months later I don't know what he meant that day, but the headmaster had a sad expression on his face when he replied.

"Twas not my intention Malistaire, I assure you. You chose to appear during this time, which happened to be her orientation." Malistaire scoffed.

"I do not believe it was unintentional, but that is not why I returned to this retched place" Now seeing my memory from a third person point of view, I heard Malistaire say something that was inaudible during the actual event. He said "I'm sorry, Alexis". My shock distracted me from most of the battle but I managed to catch expressions like pride and worry cross his face while his 'pets' and memory me fought. I kept noticing things that seemed to point that I was somehow important to Malistaire but I didn't know how. Malistaire disappeared after the defeat of his Draconian minions saying he had what he came for. Ambrose then waved his wand and healed all memory me's minor cuts and bruises she obtained during the fight.

"Sir?" he inclined for her to continue, "what did he mean about how you dared to use me against him?" He sighed

"Perhaps I will tell you at a later date but for now, I think your family should hear of this encounter."

He never did answer my question.

+++ Meanwhile; third person P.O.V. +++

As Alexis collapsed, Nate caught her and passed her unconscious form to Taylor. He then proceeded to loot Malistaire's body.

"What are you doing, you idiot?!" Taylor called after his friend.

"Firstly, I am not an idiot and second, I found three envelopes, two addressed to the headmaster and one for professor stick-in-the-mud!" he called back.

"Mr. Duskbreeze, you wouldn't happen to be referring to me, would you?" Nate paled, Cyrus Drake was exactly who he was referring to. "Here sir, for you" he handed over one scarlet envelope and kept the remaining two in his hands. He walked back to Taylor, "Ok, maybe I am an idiot"

"Come along children, grab your –and Miss Griffinhunter's- weapons and then we shall return to Ravenwood." The professor's voice trembled after having witnessed his brother's death. The two seventeen year olds noticed but chose to stay silent in respect. The three conscious –and one unconscious- people stepped through the spiral door and into the spiral chamber within Bartleby the Grandfather Tree. Moolinda Wu, the life professor clucked her tongue and directed Taylor to put Alexis down on a cot that she summoned.

"Don't leave the room boys," Moolinda warned, "you two look beat up as well so I will send for two of my top students to treat your injuries and no Mr. Black, you can't heal yourself." Taylor took a few moments to realise she was talking to him and blushed from embarrassment of not being used to his new –real- last name, or pronouns. Suddenly a blur of blood red crashed into Nate and he grimaced.

"Shit! That hurt!" he cursed under his breath.

"Oh, Nate I am so sorry!" his (very loud) American boyfriend Jasper Jones cried. He sighed and proceeded to calm him down.

"Shhh Jas, I'm okay, just a little bruised is all." He gave him a lopsided grin and he immediately brightened up.

"No public displays of affection you two," the headmaster scolded and Jasper became sad again, "but since he is hurt, I suppose I can let it slide just this once" and the two returned to hugging and talking.

Taylor had been assuring his parents that he was mostly unharmed during the Jasper ordeal. Afterwards the boys went to the headmaster and gave him the remaining two letters.

"Sir, should we tell her the truth when she wakes up?" Taylor asked.

"Not yet, I have an assignment for you and I want her to have a bit of stability built up before her world is put into turmoil again."

"As you wish headmaster" the teens simultaneously agreed. A half hour passed, they were healed, and Alexis began to stir.

+++ P.O.V. change; Alexis +++

When I woke to the real world, my head felt as though someone had thrown a ton of bricks at it. "Ow, my head" I moaned and Aunt Flora started hovering around me.

"Well, Miss Griffinhunter, you were unconscious for quite some time, so it's to be expected that you have a headache." Professor Wu stated.

"Thank you professor, I appreciate the healing" she smiled at me and left the chamber. Then as if out of nowhere, a tall old man with a silver beard, half-moon spectacles and wizard's robes appeared.

"Albus, right on time, as usual I see" Ambrose smiled.

"Nice to see you again, Merlin" my jaw dropped, the forgetful Headmaster Merle Ambrose was actually the great wizard Merlin?!

"I prefer to go by Merle now Albus, much less fuss over whom I used to be"

"Ah, sorry Merle." He then turned towards Taylor, Nate and I. "Where are my manners? Let me introduce myself, Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." At this he bowed. I stood and returned his bow.

"A pleasure to meet you sir, I am Alexis Griffinhunter" I was wary of this man, but I trusted Ambrose so I decided this man deserved respect for his friendship with my Headmaster.

"Taylor, Nathaniel, Jasper and Alexis, I have a very important assignment for you." Headmaster Ambrose began; "I believe you have heard of Harry Potter, and the current situation on earth?" we nodded. "He is in grave danger and requires protection and aid in his quest to defeat Voldemort, and we suspect the Umbra queen of being involved." I gasped, the Umbra queen was the reason I didn't grow up with my unknown parents. "So your assignment is to stay as protectors for Mr. Potter until Voldemort meets his end. To do this you four will be enrolled as exchange students in Hogwarts, Alexis as you are his age and will be taking all the same classes as him, you will serve as his main protector, but he mustn't know you are his guardian. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir." Taylor confirmed

"Perfectly" Nate saluted and Jasper nodded.

"I understand and will do my best sir" I bowed.

"Now, tomorrow you will go shopping for your needed supplies and then by the end of the week you three shall be on the Hogwarts Express" Dumbledore, sorry, Headmaster Dumbledore spoke this time, "good luck" As we left, I heard Dumbledore say something to Uncle Sirius but I couldn't quite make it out.

+++ P.O.V. change; third person +++

"Sirius, do not reveal yourself to Harry until this is all finished, he needs to concentrate on the task at hand and your sudden reappearance will disturb that."

"As you wish, Dumbledore"