Chapter 20: 020 // MC at end of 1st challenge.
-Day 3-
It was the dawn of 3rd day and Sirius was bone-tired after a night spent in an icy mountain cave. He just wanted this to be over and thought if he really needed the 3rd key for winning. He already had 2 and he was sure that nobody would dare to question him if he returned only with 2 keys and Christopher must have gotten at least one key by now. There were only 3 after all.
He could feel that he wasn't in condition to embark upon another challenge in his bones. He probably had a fever, and he could very well die if he went ahead in this condition. Possessing a responsible adult mind, he was thinking about this deeply.
He wasn't a child who would wither under the disappointed gaze of his family if he didn't finish the challenge, this was a matter of pride between adults, and he won't be questioned for forfeiting one obstacle if he worded it well enough. He was in lead anyways, so it wasn't like he forfeited without trying.
These obstacles, navigating a forest full of creatures, defeating a vampire, navigating Giants colony, surviving in a snowstorm, and many more little difficulties he had faced till now. He had overcome them. No 11 years old could do it. No matter how prodigious, not even merlin, who had begun his education in his 14th year as per tales of old.
He got easily tired while finishing his shortened morning routine and substituting cleaning potions with spells. It was hard controlling his movements and he wasn't in any condition to face whatever the third obstacle required. It would be a suicide, as nothing he had faced until now was made for an 11-year-old child.
But he had come so far along, one more won't kill him surely. And it would be the easiest one probably, seeing it was nearest to the place they had to begin from. He did have a few common potions on him which would help with fever.
He couldn't decide what to do so he looked at pearl who didn't look her best. She was shivering even after spending the night near flames, probably because they were near a frozen waterfall. That decided for him, potions would help him, and pearl in recovery, and they would go straight to the finishing point.
He coaxed pearl to drink a few potions which were safe for her, and they were ready to end this challenge.
As they were flying over the mountains, nearing the starting point, Sirius saw something peculiar ahead of him. There was smoke coming from somewhere, and it was red smoke. Generally used to ask for help in the magical world.
He questioned his sanity as he directed pearl towards the origin of the smoke. He wanted to finish this quickly, but he won't leave anyone in distress if he could help it.
Near the smoke, he saw Christopher, looking worse to wear but still alive. He was huddled near the fire which he was prodding using a long stick and was crying. His relative looked up when he heard the sound of wings and relief was visible on his face as clear as a maiden's mirror.
"Hello Noir" Sirius greeted his opponent who didn't look in the shape to be called opponent right now.
"Sii-ri-ius" Noir moaned shivering.
Sirius cast a warming charm on him, and he relaxed a bit.
"Why are you here like this Noir? Where is your Griffin?" Sirius asked while taking stock of noir's injuries.
"Stormtail died," Noir said crying which made Sirius feel bad for him.
"Ssshh it's okay." He said consoling Christopher. As Sirius touched him, he felt a wince and felt that Noir was burning up.
He took out one of his remaining healing potions and made Noir drink it.
"Have you eaten?" he softly asked.
"Nothing since yesterday," Noir said in a low voice, his pink face getting a dusting of red on his cheeks.
Sirius took out a meal and heated it for his relative. This was a genuine child in trouble. They were beyond some silly competition.
He let noir eat in silence as he took out dittany leaves, which he had plucked 2 days ago in the forest.
He made noir eat them as it was the best, he could do for visible injuries right now.
After seeing that Noir was drifting off, likely due to the effect of potion and dittany working on him, he applied a feather-light charm on him and guided him on the back of pearl. He looked around to see if noir had something on him and saw a torn bag lying there. He picked it up and saw it had some supplies for the challenge. He put it in his satchel till he could return it to the Noir heir later.
He extinguished the fire and climbed atop of Pearl, who was easily able to take the weight of two prepubescent children and they took off.
Sirius kept a tight hold on the child, as they reached the clearing which indicated the finish line in just an hour.
There he saw a few guards roaming around who looked up as they heard a powerful flap of wings.
One of them rushed inside, probably to call their family while 2 moved toward them.
"Give him to us, we would take him inside to the healer milord." One of the guards addressed him and he carefully helped them pick noir and then dismounted himself.
"Baxter, please take pearl to the caretaker Oswald after this, she needs to be looked after." Sirius addressed a guard he was familiar with just as he saw his family as well as Noirs and Merulas coming out of a cabin, which had a Floo connection.
"Son, are you hurt?" Sirius heard his mother asking him, checking him for injuries and anything out of the place.
"No mother, I am fine. I Might Have a little fever but it's not bothering me much." He said putting on a brave face.
"It is only luck that you survived this wretched thing nephew. I ought to have words with Lord Merula." His aunt haughtily sniffed after Sirius's mother finished making a fuss.
"I did well I think Aunty! I got 2 keys in 2 days. I might have tried for a third if I haven't come across Christopher." Sirius said, taking 2 keys out of his pocket and showing those to his family.
His family looked fairly surprised and proud in equal amounts as they saw that he had completed about 2/3rd challenge.
They moved inside the cabin, where tea was ready for them. His mother called on another stand healer who gave him a standard fever-reducing potion with plenty of rest till he felt better. They took tea and freshly made hot tea warmed Sirius as only a British tea could.
After a few minutes, they were called outside, where the Rest of the people were waiting
His father and grandfather conversed with Lord Merula and Lord Noir, later of whom was looking furious.
After a few minutes of what looked like a heated argument from afar, they approached Sirius who was standing with his mother and aunt.
"Lord Sirius Black, did you finish the challenge to the best of your abilities?" Lord Merula asked formally.
"I did complete it to the best of my abilities. I was able to conquer 2 obstacles and have 2 keys as proof." Sirius replied, taking out 2 keys from the cord around his neck.
"Then I believe congratulations are in order. You're in majority, winning the challenge." Lord Merula said with a smile directed at him.
"Thank you, Milord. How is Christopher faring? Did he get 3rd key?" Sirius asked, curious about if he could have found the third key as well.
"He would be alright according to the healer. Your quick thinking reduced his recovery time." Lord Noir injected somewhat bitterly.
Lord Merula glared at him for butting in between them,
"Your opponent was able to obtain one key which we found on his person. We would know what happened when he wakes up, and the rest would be discussed in his presence at my residence here tomorrow." Lord Merula said with finality.
Sirius let out a sigh of disappointment. It seemed that He couldn't have found the first key in any case. Noir beat him to it, as he had chosen harder and far away from obstacles unknowingly, he obtained 2 keys.
Unknown to the adults, he had chosen not to go for 3rd key anyways. But to them, he looked like a child who had abandoned the quest of 3rd key to helping his opponent. A win-win in any case if the expressions on Lord Noir's face were anything to go by.
"Thank you for the opportunity milord, I bid you farewell. The Healer had ordered bed rest." Sirius bowed to Lord Merula, who nodded at him and bid him farewell in return.
He looked at his assembled family and found them looking at him with various degrees of pride and happiness. He felt joy seeing him happy. His family loved him. Blacks did have hearts if only visible in intimate settings.
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A/N- Hello guys,
Sorry for this serious delay, I rejoined office after long months of work from home. I'd try to post chapters regularly, but it won't be as frequent as before. Thankyou for waiting and I'm seeing forward to reading your thoughts on the abrupt end of the 1st challenge.
I previously planned something grand for last challenge but then this happened and i found this a more fitting and realistic continuation.
Thankyou!
xoxo
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