It's Never Two-Sided

AN: Yay, next chapter! On time, no less! Huzzah! Keep guessing at the Black Heir!

Chapter Seven: Seven Reasons to Read BEFORE You Use

Sure, having nearly everyone together—that is, the younger Weasleys and their parents, Hermione, Remus, Tonks, and Headmaster Dumbledore—was nice, but after nearly half an hour of nothing more than tea, scones, and small talk, Halle was quite tired of it.

“What did you want to talk to us about, Headmaster?” she asked shortly.

“Ah, well, it concerns you, my dear.”

Halle waited for him to continue. When he just reached for another lump of sugar, she sighed.

“Headmaster, please. Trying to make whatever it is less painful or whatever is only drawing it out.”

“Alright, Halle, if you insist. You remember how we took you away from your aunt's home so abruptly?”
Halle nodded.

“Well, that was actually a bit of an emergency, as it were. When your blood relatives leave you for more than a day, the wards Wobble.”

“Wobble?” asked Hermione.

“Yes. They start looking around the area for a blood relative to anchor themselves to, and start trying out people at random. If used properly, this effect could have let a Death Eater walk right up to your door.”

“They've left me alone before—”

“It has gotten worse over time, as you grew and held the house less dear,” Dumbledore interrupted. “We only just realized the severity of the effect. And so has Voldemort,” he continued, looking straight into Halle's eyes. “We barely got the information in time to get you out.”

“The Dursleys hadn't been gone twenty-four hours, though,” Halle said, confused.

“This was a full-scale, organized attack, Halle. There were Death Eaters all on the perimeter, and if we had been any later, the Knight Bus would not have been able to get through.”

“Oh.”

“Halle, I'm sorry, but they did get through. The house is gone.”

Halle shrugged; she had had no real attachment to the place.

“But of more immediate concern is where you will be staying,” Dumbledore continued.

“Halle is more than welcome to stay here, Albus,” Molly said, pouring him some more tea. “While I was surprised at her arrival, she is practically part of the family, and we always have room for family.”
The Headmaster nodded. “Thank you, Molly. But what I was referring to was the fact that the Dursleys seem to blame Halle for the destruction of their home.”

Halle wasn't surprised.

“They also are outrightly refusing to take her back.”

That surprised her. Halle knew that as soon as she turned seventeen she was out, but she'd thought the Headmaster had bullied them into promising to keep her until then.

“This brings the question of whether you, Halle, wish to stay with them.”

“What are my other options?” she asked, still a little dazed.

“Well, since you are an orphan and the only remaining non-Muggle in your family, you can petition for Early Emancipation at the age of sixteen.”

“Oh. I think I like that one better.”

“You are sure you no longer wish for the protection of your aunt?”

“Absolutely,” Halle said vehemently.

“Very well, then. I will submit your petition, and let you know when it gets through.” Dumbledore stood, thanked Molly for the tea, and left.

“Are you sure about this, Halle?” Remus asked, leaning into Tonks who shared the loveseat with him.

“Yeah.”

“You'll have to take control of your finances, and you'll be held accountable as an adult.”

“You won't get free use of magic or you Apparation License, though,” the pink-haired woman continued for him. “That still has to wait until you're seventeen.”

Halle shook her head. “That makes no sense.”

“It's the way of things.”

“At least you won't need your uncle's permission to go to Hogsmead!” Hermione joked, effectively breaking the ice. She then continued with a question on the powers of Metamorphmagi and the conversation led off into other topics, this time without the air of anticipation clouding everyone's thoughts, and Remus and Tonks ended up staying for dinner.

~*~

Halle yawned as she slipped on her pajamas, and was putting her glasses away on the bedside table when her hand hit a small box, which was odd because there hadn't been anything on it the last time she checked. Turning the light back on and pushing her glasses over her nose, she found it to be the mysterious box from Charlie's birthday present. There was a new note on it, which Halle opened.

Dear Halle,

I hope this finds you well. I know I am not, as otherwise I would have given this to you in person, and burned the note. I sent this to Charlie Weasley for safekeeping until your sixteenth birthday, when he was to either return it to me or give it to you. The box has been charmed so that it will disappear from the moment you receive it until after you have heard my will read (by me! I rather thought that a good laugh.) In it is the only thing I have managed to leave to you; a family heirloom that was recorded lost several decades ago. Go on, open it! I'll explain it afterwards.


Halle smiled as she took the box, then Ginny walked in.

“No knock?” the dark-haired girl asked, somewhat startled.

“Oh, come on, I sneak in every night! You should be expecting me by now!”

“I'll have to figure out a way to ward that door,” Halle replied.

“I'll just take it down. What's that you've got?”

“Sirius' birthday present. It came with Charlie's, and disappeared until we heard the will.”

“Ooh! Open it!” Ginny was bouncing with excitement.

“Alright, alright!” Halle laughed. She pulled the string off the small, plain box, and pulled the lid off.

“Merlin's. Fuzzy. Earlobes.”

“What?” Halle asked, slightly worried at her friend's astonishment. “It's an earring. Like Charlie's.”

“That's not like Charlie's. Charlie sent you a Fwooper-feather earring. That's a snidget-feather earring. Look! It's even got an eye-ruby!”

Sure enough, on the golden cuff that secured the bunch of feathers together, was a small, round ruby, looking not unlike a bird's eye.

“That's... is it real?” Halle asked, examining the fine gold-work and jewel.

“You never know, with things this old. It could just be a ruby.”

Halle looked at Ginny as if the girl had gone crazy. “Just a ruby?”

“Well, it could be an actual eye.”

“Wouldn't that rot?”

“Not if preserved correctly. I saw a necklace with two in the pendant, once. It was at a museum in Manchester. Said it was made in the 1000s, and was priceless. It didn't have any feathers, though. What does it do?”

“What do you mean, what does it do? It's an earring! It hangs, it looks pretty!”

“Not one this old; and Sirius wouldn't give you something just because it's pretty.”

“Well, I don't know.”

“The letter didn't say?”

“It just said to open the box!”

“Well, did you read it after?”

“No! You're here, and asking me questions! And besides, it already ended!”

“Argh! why are you being so dense?” Ginny asked, pulling her hair.

“Why are you coming into my room and asking me questions? You didn't even knock!” Halle hissed back, not wanting to wake the rest of the house.

Ginny sighed dramatically as she reached over and grabbed the parchment from the side table.

“'Dear Halle... not well... Charlie!'” she read, skimming the note. “'Family heirloom...' ah-ha! He say's he'll explain afterwards, and he does!” she exclaimed, waving the letter in front of Halle.

“Alright, alright! I get it, Ginny!” Halle huffed, grabbing the paper.

...decades ago. Go on! Open it! I'll explain afterwards.

So, do you like it? I know, you're probably thinking 'It's a pretty thing! Euck!' but it's got a lot more worth than just being pretty and priceless. It's got it's fair share of charms on it, all of which I think you'll like. It's main function is as a Flitter—if you wear it, you can run with the speed of a Snidget, and stop and turn with the same amount of accuracy. Be careful, it can be dizzying if you're not used to it. This one also has a Snidget-Variant Vicinity Alarm. It will tell you when people are approaching, and if they are looking for you. It's also got a permanent Notice-Me-Not charm overlying everything, which you can apply to yourself, or use to anchor a Disillusionment spell, so neither will be affected by Finite Incantatem or unaffiliated wards. Just rub the eye (yes, it's real!) downwards to activate the earring. From then on, whenever you rub it upwards, it will expand the spell to conceal you, and when you rub it down, it will pull the spell back to encompass only itself. A word of warning, it tends to get a little attached to it's owner.


All my best wishes,


Sirius “Snuffles” Black.


“Merlin,” Ginny whispered, reading over Halle's shoulder.

“No kidding,” Halle agreed, then had an idea. “Ginny, you were the one that learned that painless ear-piercing charm and was putting holes in everyone last year, weren't you?”

“Yeah. You want a special hole?”

“I think so.”

“Well, then come on!” Ginny pulled her into the, for once, quiet and unoccupied bathroom. “Where do you want it? On the bottom lobe? Up on top?” she asked, moving the earring around to show how it would look.

“Oh, I don't know,” Halle said, taking her gift back. “Maybe in the middle?” she joked, placing it against her ear, accidentally rubbing the eye downward.

The earring bit her.

Halle screamed.

“Oh, it's one of those self-piercing ones,” Ginny commented, while Halle led off a string of curses to rival Ron's, her hand still on her ear.

“What is going on in here?” Molly Weasley's imperious voice came from the open door. Halle stopped cursing abruptly.

“We-well, that is, we were trying to pierce Halle's ears...” Ginny half-lied.

“And you couldn't do a proper piercing charm to save your life,” Molly nodded. “Halle, if you really want them, I can't stop you, but I insist you go to a proper parlour, and not attempt to do it yourself in my home!”

“Yes ma'am, sorry,” Halle apologized, still doubled over and leaning on the counter from shock. “I don't think I want any more after this, though,” she said truthfully.

“Good. I'll see you both back to bed,” the woman's voice brooked no argument, and neither girl gave any.