Hey everyone. I hope you enjoy reading this. Please don't patronize me about the ending. Please review.

I walked down the street with Andrew's hand in mine. His short legs didn't walk as fast as I would've liked but I didn't mind that much. I enjoyed strolling through the market, seeing the people, seeing the faces, hearing the sounds.

I stared through a crowd of people when suddenly, I saw a face. I saw a face I hadn't seen or thought about for near fourteen years. I left Andrew looking at a sign for a new brand of broomstick and began to slowly walk forward. I heard grumbling from the people I was pushing back but I didn't care.

Finally I reached it. I reached the face I associated laughter and happiness and my time at Hogwarts. It took me a second to realize the person wasn't really there. It was a wanted poster. I gasped and wondered at first how I had recognized him at first. His face was grotesquely different. The hair usually kept clean and shiny was dirty and hung in tatters. His eyes were dark and sunken into his skull. However, behind all that, I could see him. I saw the little boy I'd fallen in love with. "Mommy, what are you looking at?" Andrew had followed me across the square and was now staring up at the man, screaming through the picture. "What did he do?"

"Oh, that old criminal there?" A nearby man had heard Andrew talking. "That's Sirius Black, that is. He's a murderer!"

"Excuse me," I said pushing Andrew back through the crowd, not wanting him to hear more. However, as we began walking back to our small apartment, my mind was reeling. Sirius. Sirius Black, the boy at Hogwarts that had all the girls swooning and all the teachers groaning. I knew he'd go places, but…to Azkaban…and then break out. He'd always been so carefree. Of course, there'd been those tricks he'd played on Severus but I never thought he'd kill anyone.

As we reached the apartment building Marcus stood outside. "Hey Andrew," he called. Andrew waved back. "I got this awesome new toy broomstick! Wanna come play?"

"Can I mom?" Andrew's grip loosened from my hand.

"Sure," I said, letting go. As I watched them walk away I couldn't help but imagine Sirius in his position. True, Andrew was only nine but I could easily imagine Sirius running so carefree, so…innocent.

At that moment I ran after them, up the stairs of the building. I unlocked the door of my apartment from a few doors away with a simple spell. The second I entered the small three room apartment I ran into the bedroom I shared with Andrew and sat down at my desk.

I considered myself a somewhat good writer (a skill I excelled at Hogwarts) and whenever I needed to get vent up feelings out I wrote a letter. Three years ago Andrews's father…left us. I write him letters often telling him how much I miss him. I never sent them (I wouldn't know where to send them if I did) but it helps me express my feelings. Now I would do the same…to Sirius.

I pulled out the quill I used to write to Andrew's father and slowly, softly wrote:

Dear Sirius Black,

You probably don't remember me. Well I was in your year at Hogwarts. Of course to you I'm just another girl who had a crush on you. I wasn't as obvious as they were though. It's so hard to like the popular guy.

Well, I saw the posters. The wanted posters. What happened? All you're doing is hurting yourself. I guess you really did it this time. I can't believe you murdered someone. Left yourself in your warpath. Lost your balance on a tightrope. You're sending your lift down the drain. Lost your mind tryin' to get it back. You look completely insane on the poster. Is this for your own good or are you doing it for another reason?

I remember your first year. I remember seeing you stroll up to the sorting hat, so confident, so sure of yourself. I bet your life was easier back then. Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days? Always a bigger bed to crawl into. I remember our first year. You came flying into the grand hall on a brand new broom, boasting about how Father Christmas had given it to you. Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything? And even though it was against the rules the teachers still smiled. And everybody believed in you?

I just want you to know, I still believe in you. It's all right, just wait and see
your strangled lights are still bright to me. You're deeds don't define you. You're strong and smart. You'll make it through. Oh, who you are is not where you've been, you're still an innocent. I'll always think of you as the small boy I fell in love with in our second and third year. The innocent boy with the carefree smile always on your face. You're still an innocent
 Later on, however, fifth or sixth year, I can't remember, you played that horrible trick on Severus Snape. Did some things you can't speak of. I know he was a little odd but you didn't need to bully him. But I know you felt guilty. But tonight you'll live it all again. One night, I was coming to bed late from the library with my friend Hannah. You were sitting in the common room with your mates talking in hushed voices. When we came in you all turned to look at us. We quickly ran up to our dormitories but before we did I saw all the guilt on your face. I don't know who you murdered but I hope you had a good reason. You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now. I wished you'd talked it through with someone. If only you had seen what you know now then.

Most of my memories at Hogwarts involve you. I remember watching you sneak out on warm May nights to catch fireflies. Wasn't it easier in your firefly catchin' days? It must've been easier. Everything was easier at Hogwarts. The real world is so tough. With everything out of reach, someone bigger brought down to you.

Oh, how much trouble you got into. You would stay out late, running around outside near the forest. Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild till you fell asleep? I bet running is getting pretty tiring these days. You must be chased a lot. Before the monsters caught up to you.

Like I said, you'll be okay. I've seen you get out of tough jams before. It's all right, just wait and see. True, they were never as bad as murder but you'll survive…you have to. Your strangled lights are still bright to me, oh; who you are is not what you've been. When I think of you, I don't think of the screaming man in the posters, I think of the teen I fell in love with from a distance. You're still an innocent.

It's okay, life is a tough crowd. I've had my experience with pain. No one's ever through with pain. 32, and still growin' up now. There are people who look at your picture with disgust without even knowing what you did. Who you are is not what you did. You're not that man. You're still an innocent.

Time turns flames to embers. Time heals all pain. Every September you would show up at the train with a shine that said this year will be better. You'll have new Septembers. We're not all perfect! Every one of us has messed up too. I've felt pain and you've felt pain. Remember when we were young? You'd have a different girl around your arm every week. We were fickle as children. Minds change like the weather. I hope you remember everyone can change. It's never too late. Today is never too late to, be brand new. I know you can do it.

It might be hard now, but once you're life settles down. Despite how hard it seems now, just remember, you control your life. It's all right, just wait and see, your strangled lights are still bright to me. You can shine, I know it. Believe me you shown show bright at Hogwarts. Oh, who you are is not what you've been. Even if you were sent to Azkaban, that doesn't mean you're completely guilty. You're still an innocent.

We've all messed up, we've all felt pain. Even though you aren't that thirteen year old, larking about in the forbidden forest and near the Whomping Willow, you can still be as happy as he was. It's okay, life is a tough crowd; 32, and still growin' up now. Who you are is not what you did. Like I said, your deeds don't define you. You've made some mistakes but that doesn't matter. You're still an innocent.I wish you could've seen yourself back then. I wish you could be like you were then, now. In some ways, you still are. You're still an innocent.

We've all had our problems. We've all been hurt and betrayed. Maybe you did kill someone. If that be the case, I don't care. You can still redeem yourself. Lost your balance on a tightrope. Don't forget. It's never too late to get it back.

Love,

Rose Baker

I signed the letter, surprised at how quickly I'd composed it. I replaced the quill and lay the parchment on my desk. All of sudden, Andrew's voice rang through the small apartment. "Mom! I'm home!" I smiled and turned around. I stood up and walked over to the small kitchen area.

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked him as he went into our room for something. I began to summon ingredients from the small cabinets when I realized he hadn't answered me. "Andrew?" I called.

"Mom, what's this?" Andrew called, a worried tone in his voice. I dropped the box of salt I'd been holding and rushed into the bedroom. Andrew was standing over the desk, his eyes scanning over the letter.

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Is this letter to…my dad?" He asked, looking up at me. I couldn't help but smiled.

"No, no honey. Just a guy I knew from school," I told him almost laughing.

"Oh, right. It couldn't be from dad." His face was crestfallen and he walked out of the room. A single tear fell down my face and I followed him, folding the letter and forgetting about it.

2 year later

"Mom, I'm nervous," Andrew said, as I walked along the street beside him.

"Oh, you'll do fine. Everyone's nervous their first year," I told him. We had just reached King's Cross Station. "Now, follow me." Andrew did what I said and gripped my hand tightly as I led him and the trolley around the crowds of people.

"Mom?" He asked in a nervous tone as I began to speed us into a run. "Mom, mom!" He closed his eyes tightly as we ran through the barrier between platform 9 and 10. When we came out the other side he gasped, taking in all the sights and sounds. The whistle blew and I led the trolley to be carried onto the train.

"You better get on the train," I told him. However, before he did, I knelt down and clutched his shoulders. "I'll miss you, so much," I told him, choking up, the tears in my eyes threatening to overflow.

"You too," he told me. I looked him over and smiled.

"Oh, you're father would've been so proud of you." He smiled back and kissed my cheek. He then joined the crowd, nothing more than a black head bobbing around among other children. I let a few tears fall.

"Daily Prophet, get your Daily Prophet here!" I turned and gave the newsboy a few gallons.

Opening the paper, I saw something that made my heart skip a beat. The head line read "Sirius Black: Innocent." I gasped and even laughed a little. Finally, he was declared innocent! He was cleared! I looked over the article when I saw it, the words that were like bombs. "…only after his death…" He was dead! I pulled out the letter I kept with me at all times. My hands shook and I began to cry. Why I was crying I had no idea. Sirius hadn't loved me. But I had loved him. Everyone I ever loved left me. I thought.

All of a sudden the train began to move. Put on a brave face for Andrew, I thought. I wiped my tears away and pushed through the crowd. "Goodbye Andrew!" I called, waving. His face peeked through a nearby window. "I love you!"

"I love you too," he called, waving until he was out of sight.

"You're father did too," I almost whispered.

All of sudden, I heard a voice yelling over the drone of parents saying their goodbyes. A voice I never thought I'd hear again. "Have you seen this woman?" it was asking. I turned to see a man. He had dark hair like Andrews. His face was like Andrews as well.

"Mark? Mark!" I shouted, pushing people out of my way.

"Rose? My Rose!" His voice screamed. He pushed a man out of his way, nearly throwing him to the ground. Finally he reached me. I pulled him closer and closer, tears falling from my face. "Rose, my Rose," he kept whispering. We stayed like that for a long time. Nearly everyone was gone by the time we let go.

"Mark, I never thought I'd see you again!" I cried, gripping his shirt.

"I'm so sorry," he said, holding me close. "Where's Andrew, or did he leave?"

I nodded, "Yes, he left. He looks so much like you." Mark smiled and held my hand.

"You never took off the ring," he noticed, nearly whispering. I smiled and nodded. Suddenly, his smile fell. "Why are you not mad at me? I left you! I hurt you! Andrew probably hates me! Why are you so happy!" I looked at him and all my thoughts for Sirius filled my brain mixed with all my thoughts for Mark.

I had completely forgiven Sirius. Sirius wasn't responsible for what happened and neither was Mark. I forgave both of them. I loved both of them. One of them was dead and one of them stood before me. I needed to give up on Sirius and love Mark again. I then pulled him in, kissing him long and hard.

"Because," I nearly whispered, "you're…innocent."