Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Measures

Remus could see the green Dark Mark reflected twice in Zenobia Mills´ eyes. There was no fear there, just sheer determination.

"Zen..." Sirius pushed his way over from where he had been dancing.

She tore her eyes away from the window where the Mark was shining clearly through. Remus was mildly aware that her hand was resting gently on his forearm.

"Stay here," she said, there was a tone of command in her voice that Remus didn´t dare challenge. "Whatever happens: don´t leave this building. They can´t get in here. Sirius, let´s go."

Before Remus could say another word they were gone. The other Aurors were leaving as well.

James and Lily were beside him in a flash.

"Maybe we should leave," Lily said, looking nervous. She clung helplessly to James´ arm.

"Zenobia said not to leave," Remus answered.

"They´ve got all sorts of wards up all over the building, Lil," James added. "We´re much safer here than anywhere else."

~ * * * ~

The darkness on the streets of Diagon Alley was nearly impenetrable. Alastor Moody led the party of Aurors through it unflinchingly.

Sirius walked close to Zenobia, his mentor and the only one there who truly believed in him. He often acted as if he didn´t know what they thought. He´d pretend not to realize that everyone from the Minister of Magic down didn´t see him fit to be an Auror, but it was always there, in the back of his mind, taunting him. It kept him in line.

They rounded a corner to see a smoldering building. Flames were licking up the sides out of the front display window. There were a couple groups of bystanders, all whimpering and watching helplessly. Cinders clung to their hair, and the flames reflected clearly in their glassy eyes.

It was Flourish and Blotts.

Sirius made a startled gasp and took a step forward.

Zenobia caught him by the arm. "No one is in there."

"How do you know?" He looked exasperated.

"What did I tell you about observation?" she whispered. "No on lives in or above Flourish and Blotts. And the only ones who could have possibly been in there at this time of night are the owners." She pointed to one of the groups of wizards and witches. Standing among them was a short chubby man with curly blond hair. "Mr. Flourish." She shifted, pointing to another man, this one tall, and lanky. He clutched a night robe around him, looking stern. "Monsieur Blotts."

"She´s right kid," Frank Longbottom said, turning to them. "If you ran in there now, all you would get is burned."

"This was just to scare us," Zenobia said.

"Well if they just wanted to scare us they did a damn good job," Sirius growled.

"I don´t suppose you ever learned anything about the Muggles´ World Wars did you?" Zenobia asked. Sirius shook his head. "In World War II, Hitler and his Nazi military would have book burnings. It served more of a blow than to just kill some Jewish people. Because burning their books did what taking lives couldn´t, it destroyed their heritage. He was sending us a message. `Get out of the way, or get burned.´"

"Comparing Death Eaters to Nazis now, Zenobia?" Frank asked, looking amused. Behind him a team of Junior Aurors had extinguished the fire.

"It´s a valid comparison," she answered. "With two minor exceptions: it´s Muggles and Muggle-borns instead of the Jews. And Voldemort isn´t a vegetarian painter."

"Hitler was a vegetarian painter?" Sirius asked.

"And a mass-murdering fuckhead, as many important historians have said."

"Is that the professional term?"

"Can you think of a better way of stating it?" she asked. "Find anything Alastor?"

Moody was storming out of the wreckage, looked annoyed.

"Nothing of any use to us," he growled. He tossed a singed and battered gas can on the ground before them. "Looks like they started this one the good old fashioned Muggle way. How ironic."

"So we can´t trace it," Frank said. "Damn smart of them."

"We could bring in Muggle arson specialists," a junior Auror whose name Zenobia didn´t know offered.

"Too messy," Moody answered, shaking his grizzled hair. "Looks like another one for the unsolved files."

"A list that is growing unsettlingly long these days," Zenobia said. She patted Sirius on the shoulder. "Nothing more to be done here, Slick. Let´s head back, your friends are probably waiting for you."

"Zen, I´m starting to wonder if I´ll ever see a Death Eater on this job," Sirius complained, as they meandered back through the crooked turns of Diagon Alley.

"Oh you will," Zenobia said, sounding a bit grim. "But you won´t be too happy when you do. They aren´t like us Sirius. They don´t listen to reason, they just live to serve him. The lives of others mean nothing to them."

Sirius shivered slightly, partly because he was out in the middle of winter with no cloak, and partly because of the darkness he heard in Zenobia´s voice. He heard it there whenever she talked about the Death Eaters´ penchant for murder.

Sirius struggled to find a thread to restart the conversation. Deciding it was pointless, They ventured back to the Office of Magical Law Enforcement in silence.

~ * * * ~

Zenobia hated talking to the press. She never knew what was safe to reveal and what was better to keep quiet. Reporters had a way of twisting things out of context, no matter how careful you were.

"I assure you that no one was hurt," she said calmly. "The building in question was empty at the time of the fire."

"Were He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers involved?"

"We are currently investigating who is responsible. As of yet, it has not been determined."

One of the reporters rolled their eyes. "That sounds familiar."

Zenobia flashed her winning smile. "I don´t write this stuff, I just relay it."

"Come on, Agent Mills, did you nab any Death Eaters tonight?"

"I´m truly not at liberty to say."

Zenobia gave a short nod to Remus, Sirius, James and Lily as they passed by the crowd of reporters.

"She looks tired," commented Lily.

"Stressed," Sirius replied. "She needs more sleep and rest in my opinion, but it´s all work with her."

"Doesn´t she have any family?" Remus asked. "Or friends?" Or a boyfriend?

Sirius shook his head. "Not that I know of. She´s not really forthcoming about her family." He shoved his hands in his pockets to shield them from the bitter January cold. "I intend to get her to lighten up."

"I hope not," James said, smiling. "Someone needs to keep your feet on the ground."

~ * * * ~

"That´s all you have to say about it? You `had a nice conversation´?" The girl on the other side of the counter was glaring at him incredulously.

Magical Memories was a chintzy souvenir shop down one of the side streets in Diagon Alley. They sold just about everything imaginable with the words "Diagon Alley, London" printed, stamped, engraved, or enchanted onto it.

"Yes, it was a wonderful conversation," he repeated, picking up a box of magical key rings that would display the name of whoever was carrying them.

"Oh come on, you can´t just tell me that without giving me details. Did you kiss her at midnight?"

"Myra, I told you," Remus said. "There wasn´t time to do anything at midnight."

"But you were going to," she pushed.

"The thought had crossed my mind, yes."

"I knew it!" Myra squealed. "Remus are you finally going to get a social life?"

Remus merely glared at her as he started hanging the self-monogramming key chains on a rack. They each flashed "REMUS" as he picked them up but reverted simply to "NAME" once placed on the rack.

"So..." she began, "when are you going to owl her and ask her out for coffee or something?"

Remus stopped stocking the rack and looked up at his co-worker and only friend outside of the Marauders.

"I´m not." He was trying with all his might to make his face unreadable and hoped to God he was succeeding.

Myra looked startled. "Why the Hell not?"

Remus laughed. "Come on. She´s a famous Ministry Auror, she lives a life of danger and excitement. And I´m... a souvenir store clerk." He smirked. "Not exactly a match made in heaven."

"Why do you work here Remus?" she asked. "I mean, me, well, I can´t do any better. But you graduated from Hogwarts with honors not too long ago."

"You see, when I was a wee lad the career advisor at my primary school came to me and said `I advise you to get a career.´" Remus began dramatically. "Then he asked me what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and do you know what I said?"

Myra shook her head.

"I said: `I want to work in a souvenir shop, and discover souvenirs that have never been discovered before... in the back of the shop, on the left.´"

"Ha. Ha." She threw a snow globe at him, missing quite intentionally. The mermaid in it shouted indignantly as it rolled away under one of the rickety shelves.

In truth the souvenir shop was merely he day job, as more often than not he also had some sort of task to do for Albus Dumbledore. But that was not widely known.

Myra slapped a piece of parchment and a quill onto the counter.

"Remus, owl the woman or you´ll be sorry."

~ * * * ~

"I´m busy," Zenobia snapped to whoever had knocked on her door.

"Sorry, Miss Mills," it was the mail clerk. "You´ve gotten an owl."

He held forth an envelope for her. She took it. "Thank you, Weatherby," she said. "I heard you may be getting a promotion soon."

The young man seemed startled that she knew his name. "Y-yes ma´am," he answered. "Mr. Crouch may be making me his assistant."

"Good luck with that then."

"Thank you Miss," he bowed slightly before exiting.

Zenobia frowned at the now-closed door. Bartemius Crouch had become the active Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement that morning, despite the misgivings of some of the underlings.

They just didn´t think he was strong enough, strict enough.

She looked down at the envelope as she ripped it open.

"Dear Sir or Madam, we´d like to inform you of our great deals on magical pest management..." Sirius read over her shoulder. "Got a pest problem Zen?"

She tapped the parchment with her wand. "Peppermint Humbug."

The dull type on the page morphed into Albus Dumbledore´s loopy script.

"Dear Zenobia,

Having read of the attack on Flourish and Blotts, I feel we should move up our meeting. There are many things we need to discuss.

Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore"

Zenobia said nothing, Sirius noted that the page reverted to its original state when she dropped it on the desk.

"He sounds worried," Sirius said.

"He is, though no more than I," Zenobia answered. "The attacks had been slowing down, you know that as well as I. Some people, like Barty Crouch, wanted to celebrate. But Albus and I suspect that now they are revving themselves up for something big."

"Flourish and Blotts was supposed to be big?" he asked. "All they did was burn a load of books."

"No, Flourish and Blotts was just one Death Eater," she said. "One person, a gas can and some matches. It was just his way of reminding us that he wasn´t gone."

"The question is: what do we do about it?"

Zenobia sighed. "We keep our eyes open."

There was a knock on the door and the mail clerk, Weatherby, stuck his head in again.

"You´ve had another owl ma´am." He handed her a rolled-up piece of parchment.

She unrolled it and smiled.

"What is it?"

She rolled it back up quickly.

"Nothing of any concern to you," she said. "Now off with you, I need those reports before you leave tonight."

"Yes boss."

~ * * * ~

Remus couldn´t suppress the sudden burst of anxiety he experienced when his owl returned.

Clamped in its beak was a parchment envelope, sealed with a blob of green wax, the letter Z imprinted in it.

He almost hated to break that beautiful seal, but his need for an answer overpowered him.

Ripping it open, he pulled out Zenobia´s response.

"I thought you´d never ask. Tomorrow at the Leaky Cauldron would be perfect."

àHere is where chapter 2 WOULD have ended and chapter 3 WOULD have beganß

* * *

"You look nice today," Myra said, slipping her cloak off and hanging it up in the Employee Closet of Magical Memories.

"Oh, um, thanks," Remus murmured.

"What´s the occasion?" she asked, smirking.

He mumbled something incoherent.

"What was that Remus?"

"I have a date, Myra," he admitted.

"About damn time!" She said. "With the Auror? The one from the party?"

He nodded, grinning slightly. He ran his fingers nervously through his hair. "I mean, it is just lunch at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Still! You asked her and she said yes," Myra said, breaking open a box full of new `Diagon Alley, London´ wristbands.

"Maybe she was just being polite."

Myra laughed. "From the way you and Sirius described her, she didn´t strike me as the type of person who would date someone just to spare their feelings."

"Maybe."

She started racking the tacky colored wristbands. "She´s really gotten you worked up hasn´t she?"

"Yes, well, that and..." he answered. "I haven´t had a female show any interest in me since school."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well its true."

Myra opened her mouth to protest, but couldn´t think of anything to say. She turned back to stocking the rack and they worked for a while in silence.

* * *

Sirius popped his head into Zenobia´s office.

"Sorry I am late, just let me grab a cup of coffee," he started. "Wow, you look nice." He stopped in the doorway, having lost track of his original thought.

"Why thank you," she said, shuffling some papers on her desk.

He stood in the doorway, staring at her.

She was dressed in deep burgundy, with gold embroidery around the V-neck line. Her dark hair was swept up away from her face.

She peered over her reading glasses at him. "Sirius, we have quite a lot to cover today, and gawking at my outfit was not on my list of things to do," she said sternly. "So if you are going to get some coffee, get some."

"Coffee, right," he said, seeming to snap out of his momentary stupor. "Want a cup?"

She slipped her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose. "Black, two lumps of sugar," she said, turning back to the papers on her desk.

She smiled to herself. She had hoped that morning that the outfit would be becoming. Sirius´ reaction had set any doubts about that at ease.

Sirius didn´t say anything when he entered the room. He set Zenobia´s coffee on her desk and took a seat.

"Sirius, if you are going to just sit there and stare at me I won´t bother going over these protocols," she said. "I´ll hand the raid over to another team."

Sirius seemed to perk up. "Raid?"

"Yes, a supposed Death Eater hot spot," she answered. "But everything has to go by the book, and to do that we need to go over the rules and regulations of this sort of thing. I know you are eager to prove yourself, and if we play our cards right this is your chance."

Sirius was all ears. She began going over the broad and fine points of the raid. How to enter the room without extreme notice. How to speak only when spoken to, and even then answer no questions directly. How to properly equip yourself for a raid.

It went on and on but Sirius listened, enthralled. He asked occasional questions.

Zenobia glanced at the clock. "All right then, we made good progress," she said, standing. "We´ll do the briefing about this specific location after lunch."

"Want to go to that Muggle pub again for lunch?" Sirius asked, picking up their empty coffee cups.

"Actually," she said, straightening her robes slightly. "I have a previous engagement."

"You have a date?" he asked, looking surprised.

"I suppose you could call it that," she said, replacing one of the files that had been sitting on her desk into the file cabinet.

"So that´s why you are all dressed up," he laughed. "Who´s the lucky man?"

"Actually, it´s your friend Remus."

* * *

Remus shifted nervously and straightened his straw-colored hair using his reflection in one of the shop´s windows.

"Sure you can handle the shop on your own?" he asked.

"I don´t know," she said, sarcastically, gazing around the deserted store. "Maybe you should wait till this huge crowd goes down."

"Hardy, har, har," he muttered, now straightening his robes.

"Oh for the love of God, you look fine," she snapped playfully. "Now go before you are late."

She was already seated at a table when he arrived. She stood as he approached and offered him her hand.

"Remus," she greeted.

He held her hand for a mere moment. "Zenobia."

"How are things at the ministry?" he asked.

"Boring as usual," she answered, taking the menu their waiter was offering.

"I don´t believe that for a second," he said, his eyes sparkling.

"Most unfortunately, neither do I."

* * *

O´Farrell´s was an Irish Muggle pub deep in the heart of London. It had bad food, even worse employees, but probably the best liquor in the city.

The tin bell on the door jangled lightly as Sirius entered.

"Oy, you again?" the waitress behind the counter said, snapping her gum.

"Good afternoon Frieda," he said, turning to go to his normal booth, only to find it occupied.

James Potter, Lily Evans, and Peter Pettigrew sat in his usual spot. His face split into a wide smile.

"Prongs, Wormtail, Lil!" he said, joining them. "What are you three doing here?"

"We´d heard you babbling about this place for so long we decided to try it," Peter said.

The waitress placed a large, clear mug in front of Sirius. It was filled to the top with a deep amber colored beer.

"Your usual," she said. "So unusual to see you here with out your lady friend." She took down their orders and stalked off to the kitchen.

"Where is Zenobia?" James asked.

Sirius gave him a triumphant smile. "Having lunch with Moony," he answered.

Lily looked pleased while James looked quizzical.

"I thought you weren´t going to set them up," James said.

"This had nothing to do with me. I only found out this morning," Sirius answered, looking very smug.

"Oh lighten up, dear," Lily said. "Remus is a big boy. So what if she is Sirius´ boss. She seemed very nice."

"I was hoping she´d come with you," Peter said. "Everyone has met her but me."

"You´ll meet her soon enough, Pete. Especially if Remus works his magic properly," Sirius said, nudging Peter suggestively.

* * *

Remus had taken in the image of Zenobia as she had been looking at her menu. His eyes trailed along the curve of her neck, where a solitary curl had fallen down, contrasting drastically with her pale skin. He longed to see her hair down again, like it had been at the party.

Now they sat, eating and chatting loosely.

"Where do you work?" she asked, taking a sip of her wine. "I mean you work for Dumbledore, but what is your day job?"

"Its embarrassing," he said, his face gaining a slight red tinge.

"Not afraid of scaring me off already?"

"Of course not." He sighed. "I´m a clerk at Magical Memories."

"There nothing wrong with that."

He smiled slightly.

It was a beautiful moment, which was, of course, quickly interrupted. A soft buzz started emanating from one of Zenobia´s pockets.

"Pardon me," she said, standing and stepping a few feet from the table.

"Zenobia here."

She was speaking into what appeared to be a small, mirrored compact.

"Sorry to disturb you Miss Mills." Her secretary´s miniscule face looked up at her from one of the mirrored sides. "But there is a rather greasy and unpleasant man here to see you."

"I certainly hope you did not let him hear you say that," Zenobia said.

"Just come deal with him, please!"

"Did you tell him I was presently occupied?"

"I don´t think you want to know the response he gave me to that," the disgruntled secretary answered in a dark voice.

Zenobia was torn between laughing and scowling. "Tell him I´m on my way."

She stepped back to the table, her face unreadable.

"I´m terribly sorry Remus, but I have to return to the office."

I knew it, she´s escaping. Remus tried to keep his face neutral as he stood, shaking her hand.

"I thoroughly enjoyed lunch," he said.

"As did I," she said. She paused for a moment, looking at him. "Have dinner with me Saturday evening?"

Remus nearly choked. His heart did a belly flop and he was finding it hard not to jump up and scream `Whoopee!´. Fortunately he didn´t, he simply answered:

"I´d love to."

* * *

Zenobia was not surprised to see the figure pacing the hall in front of her office. His long, black hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, and his black eyes darted around him, taking in every nook and cranny.

She didn´t speak until she had stepped into her office. He swept in behind her and the door closed with a click.

"Couldn´t wait and come brief Sirius and I together, could you Severus?" she said, grinning slightly at him.

"I brief you, you brief him," he said shortly. "I do not want Black knowing. He will use it against me."

"Not one to hold grudges are we?"

"You know how I feel-"

"I´ve known for years, Severus," she said gently.

"I respect your loyalty to your young apprentice," Severus forced himself to say. "But only Dumbledore and yourself know of my true position, and my true loyalties. That is the way I would prefer it to be."

"Very well," she said. "I will record you, and play your altered voice back for Sirius."

He nodded and began to speak.

* * *

It is in one of the seedier areas of London, surrounded completely by Muggle establishments.

Two figures, cloaked completely in black, trod quietly through deserted Muggle streets.

The gathering place is in a basement below Auntie Jean´s bakery. The entrance is down an alleyway to the right of the storefront.

They walked quietly past a decaying store, a dusty front window displaying stale old bread. The sign hung from one nail and clanged against the wall with each gust of wind.

Eyes will be on you the instant you step into the alley. So do not falter. Do not pause to confer. Act as if you travel this path on a daily basis.

Zenobia was sure she caught a bit of movement out of the corner of her eye as they stepped down the alley, the sound of their footsteps reverberated slightly as they walked.

The door is colored no differently than the wall on either side of it.

They stopped in front of it, a faint outline on the smoky black wall.

Knock three times. Not four, not two, but three. The password is "Sly Snakes Slither Silently". Don´t mess it up.

Sirius knocked. Three thumps echoing down the alley.

"Password?"

The voice seemed to come from the door itself.

Sirius answered, his voice altered from its usual tone.

"Sly Snakes Slither Silently."

"I never pegged Death Eaters to be fans of alliteration."

"Well, would you have guessed such a ridiculous password?"

The door opened silently and the two partners stepped in.

When you are let in, stay together for a while. Head straight for the bar on the wall directly across from the door. Order a drink and do not speak until you are spoken to.

Zenobia slipped onto a stool at the bar. She felt sluggish under the heavy black Death Eater robes. Her eyes darted around the room, it was just as Severus had described it.

The layout is simple. There is one entrance. There is a single restroom with no windows, and one door. There are five tables, each with four chairs, and five stools at the bar.

There should be no more than perhaps fifteen Death Eaters there. All will be cloaked, faces hidden just like yours.

She was counting off in her head. One other at the bar, two sitting at a table to their left, eight others at tables to their right. One working the door, and one behind the bar.

Thirteen Death Eaters.

Sirius was sweating. As mush as he had urged Zenobia into bringing him on a real mission suddenly he was wishing he´d stayed home.

The air in the room was icy, it hurt to breathe it in.

Sirius was starting to panic.

"You see the problem with the Ministry is they are far too trusting," one of the cloaked men behind them was saying. "You turn up on their doorstep and say `I want to fight You-Know-Who´ and you are in."

"It is a bit more difficult than that." It was a female voice now.

"I take it you are in the Ministry then?" the man asked.

"Perhaps."

"No need for secrets here," the man coaxed.

"With us, there is always a need for secrets."

Zenobia took a long sip of her beer. She was marking the woman around the room with her eyes.

She wondered if Sirius had heard what had been said. She hated being hidden behind the hood of the cloak. Aurors relied heavily on eye contact for communication. And right now she and her partner were completely detached.

After the room has become accustomed to your presence. Mingle. Observe. But not together, split up. It is better to attack from two sides than one.

Zenobia sat her bottle on the bar, and ran her finger clockwise around the lip.

Sirius pulled himself back together. That was the signal he was waiting for. He already knew where he was going, to the small sect of Wizards towards the back of the bar, smoking cigarettes.

He pulled a cigarette out of his own pack, placing it gently between his lips as he strode silently across the room.

"Could I possibly get a light?"

A small, hunched over Wizard pulled out a lighter and lit Sirius´ cigarette.

Sirius took a deep drag.

"Thanks mate." He was trying his best to stay nonchalant when really his heart was doing the tango.

"These things will kill you, you know," the hunched wizard said.

"Well, we are all going to die eventually," Sirius said. "Some just sooner than others."

The other hooded figures nodded in agreement.

Zenobia watched this exchange from afar as she drifted over to where the witch that she´d been eavesdropping on was.

Where as Sirius had been edgy, Zenobia was completely at ease. This was her forte and her livelihood.

Unfortunately, the possible ministry Witch had fallen silent, her male companions were bickering about Quidditch.

Do not linger and just listen for too long, you want to take them by surprise. Hit them before they realize who and what you truly are.

She had just began to consider that when one of the Quidditch talking Wizards threw himself at her.

She had no time to even attempt an escape. He wrenched up the left sleeve of her robes, revealing her bar, flawless arm. He made a growling noise and pulled back her hood to expose her face.

"Spy," he hissed, menacingly.

She stared him down evenly, aware that the other Wizards and Witches had turned their gaze upon them.

"Sticking your nose where it doesn´t belong will get you killed," the Wizard said, pulling his want out of his robes.

He pressed the point into her neck.

"STUPEFY!"

The wizard crumpled to the ground, his want rolling away on the black floor.

The room burst suddenly into motion. Many of the Death Eaters began Disapparating with faint pops. Others were pulling out their wands and advancing on Zenobia.

Sirius had pulled back his own hood and was rushing to her aid.

I will not be present, so do not hesitate with your spells.

Zenobia began throwing hexes at all advancing figures. A couple more Disapparated.

"You bitch," the witch Zenobia had been tailing hissed, lunging at Zenobia.

The two women fell to the floor. The Death Eater fastened her hands firmly around Zenobia´s throat and began to tighten her grip.

Zenobia struggled against the witch, her lungs screaming for oxygen. She jabbed her knee upwards with all her might and caught the Death Eater in the stomach.

The cloaked figure rolled off of her with a grunt. Zenobia remained on the floor, catching her breath.

Her attacker moved off to aid the only other Death Eater that had not yet fled.

Zenobia´s mind slowly clicked onto a single thought: get to Sirius.

The next few moments happened in such a whir of motion that Sirius wouldn´t fully register what happens until the even has already past.

The two Death Eaters were pacing around him. The male muttered the most unforgivable of all the Unforgivable Curses.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Zenobia swooped in, colliding with Sirius just in time.

A flash of green light, a pop, and the room goes silent.

Zenobia lay with have of her body on Sirius and the other half on the floor. For a split second Sirius thought she was dead, till she muttered some curse words under her breath.

He vaguely knew in this moment that she had just saved his life, even though he avoided thinking about it.

He pulled them both up at once. Zenobia made a tiny, nearly inaudible, whimper of pain as he does so.

They surveyed the scene silently.

Zenobia swooped down and un-hoods the unconscious wizard. His face is not familiar to her, but she is sure they´ll find out the identity soon enough.

"Zen..."

Sirius is looking down at a figure crumpled near the bar.

The witch, hit by the killing curse that had been meant for Sirius, was still fully covered. Zenobia watches silently as Sirius bends down and pulls back the hood.

"Oh good Lord..."

Two dead green eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling. They were set in pale yet freckled skin on a face that swam in a sea of red hair.

Sirius looked shocked, taking a few steps back. "It can´t be."

"But it is." Zenobia sighed. "It´s Mirabelle Weasley."