《Thorn | Neville Longbottom》Chapter 36: Euthalia

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Briar was approved to stay with Sirius for her summer break after McGonagall and Dumbledore investigated the situation.

She and Neville didn't really have a chance to discuss what their kiss meant before everyone was sent home for the summer. Briar didn't even have the chance to tell her roommates what had happened between them, but part of her thought that she might keep this latest development to herself. At least until she knew what this meant for their relationship. They certainly weren't just friends anymore, right?

She felt clueless on all of this stuff, and she so desperately wished she had a chance to talk to Neville about all of it, but she didn't. He was off at his gran's for the summer, and Briar had no idea where that was, and besides, she had a lot to work through after everything that happened with her father.

Sirius had just prepared a pot of tea, and the two of them were sitting at the table at 12 Grimmauld Place, unsure how they should start their conversation about everything that happened. Neither of them felt really confident in their abilities to talk about their feelings, and their shared stance on this skill made their present conversation feel painful.

He scratched the back of his neck as he stared at Briar across the table. He murmured, "I guess we should discuss what you called me at the department of mysteries."

"Okay," Briar murmured as she absentmindedly stirred her spoon around in her tea.

Sirius tapped his fingers on the sturdy wood of the table for a moment before he coughed and questioned, "So, did you call me dad?"

"Yes."

He blinked at her bluntness, but he figured that he would have done the same. No need to beat around the bush on that one. He trailed, "McGonagall started to mention it, but I was a little lost. What journal was she referring to?"

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Briar bit her cheek and slid the journal across the table to him. She kept all of her mum's journals with her now. It was the most special gift she had ever received, and she was so pleased that Folsy had been the one to give it to her.

As if she could sense the thoughts about her, she scurried into the room and murmured, "Would Miss Briar like any more sugar for her tea?"

She shook her head and murmured, "No, no, I'm alright. Please rest, Folsy. You've had a long week, and it would make me so delighted to see that you're able to rest."

Folsy slightly frowned at Briar before she murmured, "Okay, Miss Briar. Folsy will be resting, but Folsy will help as soon as Briar is ready."

Briar gave her a small smile and watched Folsy skitter from the room. After Gideon was taken to Azkaban, Folsy was legally placed under Briar's command.

God, Briar hated how that sounded.

She immediately tried to offer clothes to Folsy to give her freedom, but this made Folsy immeasurably sad since she assumed that Briar was mad at her and wanted a better house elf. She calmed down after Briar explained what she was trying to do. Folsy still wouldn't take the clothes though; she said she wanted to stay at Briar's side to protect and help her for the rest of her life.

Briar reluctantly agreed since it seemed to make Folsy happy, but she was doing everything in her power to make Folsy more comfortable and happy here. Folsy and Kreacher had already had a little skirmish in the hallway, and Kreacher was not in a pleasant mood after it. Folsy was here to stay, and that much was clear after their argument.

Folsy was staying in Briar's bedroom with her after Briar constructed a makeshift bed for Folsy there. It took a lot of convincing to get Folsy to agree, but when Briar heard Folsy's soft snores at night, it helped her to feel safer after everything that happened that year.

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After Folsy's soft footsteps disappeared from Briar's awareness, she looked back at Sirius with the reminder of why they had sat down to have this conversation. She silently turned the journal to the aforementioned journal entry and watched his eyes scan the page.

Briar knew it by heart at this point.

2 January 1980

I'm afraid and can't keep this secret to myself any longer. I'm terrified of what will happen to me if someone finds out, but I'm just petrified in general at this point. How can I explain this to him? How can I explain this disaster to him? There's nothing we can do, and god, I feel so helpless.

I lied to Gideon. I missed my period in November, the week of our wedding. I knew what it meant.

It wasn't his.

I've probably said too much.

Sirius, darling, if you ever find this, know that I love you and our child. Forever and always.

Euthalia

Sirius pressed his hand to his mouth as little puffs of air pushed their way out of his chest. When he looked up at Briar and scanned her face, she saw the recognition flitter in his eyes. They looked more alike than either of them had noticed at first glance, and Sirius had the sudden realization that Briar's righteous rage had been so fascinating to him since it was his.

They looked at one another underneath hooded eyes and felt matching grief over Euthalia's words. The strongest woman either of them had ever known had felt so unbearably alone and scared, and neither of them could do a thing to fix it now.

Briar and Sirius both felt a rage alight in their entire beings at the thought of the person they loved most experiencing so much suffering. They both hoped that Gideon Davies was rotting miserably in Azkaban for everything he did to destroy this family that should have been. Merlin knew he deserved it.

———

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