A/N: This was not supposed to happen yet. I'd wanted to fully edit Part 1 first :( Oh well! I'm super excited for Part 2 and couldn't wait to get started on it. The first couple of chapters will be a kind of transition from Part 1 to Part 2.

I hope ya'll enjoy! And pleeeeeease review. Please. I'm begging you.

Disclaimer: JKR owns anything you recognize.

November 1, 1981:

"Dead! Can you believe it? Little Harry Potter defeated You-Know-Who!"

"...Parents were killed...poor dears…"

"Sirius Black! Didn't you hear?"

"Oh, best mates. James loved him like a brother."

"I hear he went mad, laughed as they arrested him."

"I wager the death of the Stroud girl drove him to it. Never was the same after she died."

"...Won't be a trial…"

"Guilty."

"Azkaban."

May 17, 1982:

"Cissy calm down. What's happened?"

Great hiccuping sobs were all that Narcissa was able to manage. Ellie had arrived at Malfoy Manor early in the afternoon to find the witch sobbing on the couch and Lucius sipping scotch in an armchair across from her.

Ellie took a seat next to Narcissa and tried to get her to talk somewhat coherently. When all she'd managed to do was get tear stains on her favorite blouse, Ellie turned to Lucius, "What is she so upset about?" she asked exasperatedly.

Of course, working as close as she did with Crouch and the Aurors, Ellie knew exactly what Narcissa was upset about. Last night Bellatrix, along with the Lestrange brothers, had been arrested for the torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom. It was nearly a sure thing that they would go directly to Azkaban; Ellie hah heard a rumor that the trio had reinforced their loyalty to the Dark Lord while being taken in.

Surprisingly, Lucius seemed at ease with the situation. Especially considering the fact that he had just recently been on trial himself, and released only after insisting he'd been under the Imperius Curse. He was still an object of the Ministry's attention, as were Avery, Dolohov, Macnair, and Ellie herself. She hadn't needed to go so far as to say she was also a victim of the Unforgivable, but with her name on many suspected Death Eater's lips, Ellie-or Ari-was becoming a person of interest.

Lucius raised his glass of scotch to his lips and took a sip. "We got word today that Bella was arrested last night in connection to the Longbottom incident."

The "Longbottom" incident as Lucius so eloquently put it, had occurred a week ago. Frank and Alice Longbottom were found unconscious in an alley and were immediately taken to St. Mungos. It was soon determined that they had been tortured to insanity with the Cruciatus Curse. The news had been devastating. The Longbottoms were well known as talented and well-liked wizards. The fact that an attack like this had happened, and to such a wonderful young couple, had the wizarding world reeling.

"-bloody ridiculous. Can't imagine they have any solid evidence." Lucius was saying.

Apparently he and Narcissa were unaware that Bellatrix had ranted about their unending loyalty to the Dark Lord while on her way to Azkaban.

"And Rodolphus?" Ellie feigned concern.

Narcissa finally managed a response, "Arrested as well. Rabastan too. And Barty! Can you believe it, Ari? Crouch signed arrest orders for his own son!"

That was news.

Ellie leaned towards Narcissa to pat her hand, "I'm sure it will all work itself out at the trail, Cissy. There's no need to worry."

She was quite sure Bellatrix would be going away for a long, long time.

December 25, 1983:

Ellie walked into the Leaky Cauldron, briskly brushing snow out of her hair and off her cloak. She waved at Tom, the barkeep, and made her way over to a vacant stool.

"Whiskey, please Tom," Ellie said as she sat down.

He raised an eyebrow, "Sure you don't want some eggnog or mulled cider? You're too young to be getting smashed on Christmas."

"Just whiskey, please."

"Suit yourself." Tom shrugged and began preparing her drink. A moment later a man took the stool next to her.

"Gin and tonic for me, Tom." He said. Surprisingly, Ellie recognized the man's voice and turned towards him apprehensively.

Remus Lupin looked back at her. He blinked rapidly for a second, as if in shock, before understanding dawned on his face. "Ariella," he said plainly.

"Lupin." She forced contempt into her tone. Thankfully, Tom placed both their drinks before them, and Ellie grabbed hers, hoping to run off to a secluded corner far away from her old friend. However, before she could even stand, Remus had grabbed her elbow.

"Wait," he said. "I've got something to say to you."

Wonderful. Ellie sipped at her whiskey, doing her best to appear nonchalant.

Remus took a deep breath, "I think it was actually an accident. I don't think you meant to kill her."

His words nearly caused her to choke.

"I just wanted you to know...I forgive you." Remus looked at her expectantly.

Ellie wanted nothing more than to confess to him, to tell him she wasn't Ari and that she was working for Dumbledore. Instead, she knocked back the rest of her drink and stood up. She put a few sickles on the counter to pay for her whiskey and then left, leaving Remus and all the memories he'd drug up behind her.

October 31, 1984:

"You took long enough".

Ellie unbuttoned her cloak and tossed it on the back of her chair before sitting down. "I had a meeting with Albus. You know how he rambles."

"Hm." Apparently her excuse wasn't very well received.

Madam Rosmerta arrived to take Ellie's order. When she left to fetch Ellie's butterbeer, Ellie addressed her companion. "How's the teaching?"

Severus set down his butterbeer, "Horrendous. The whole lot of them are complete dunderheads."

Ellie smirked, "You said the same last year, Severus."

"Well it's true again this year."

The last few years had not been easy on Ellie or Severus. After the deaths of Lily and James, the imprisonment of Sirius, and the loss of Harry, she'd become a shell of the person she was before. Ellie found some enjoyment in Cissy and Draco-oddly enough-but was otherwise alone and bitter. She buried herself into her work at the Ministry, keeping busy to avoid having to socially interact with anyone outside of the Malfoys and Severus.

Severus also buried himself in work. He had become a well published potions master and had also obtained a position at Hogwarts. He'd made Head of Slytherin House this past September, an accomplishment he was adamant they not celebrate. Instead they'd waited until today, Halloween, to meet at the Three Broomsticks. While the students were enjoying their feast, Severus and Ellie were sitting in the all but empty pub.

Picking up the mug that had just been placed before her, Ellie took a sip of her butterbeer. "I'm still not sure why you decided to teach. You hardly have the...er...personally for it."

"I ask myself the same question daily."

They sipped their drinks in companionable silence.

"Is it getting any easier for you? As the years pass?" Ellie asked quietly after a few minutes.

The reply was instant. "No."

Ellie stared into her mug. "Do you think it ever will?"

Severus let a flicker of vulnerability into his expression. "I almost don't want it to. I'm worried I...I don't want to forget her."

The two went quiet once more.

"To Lily." Snape said suddenly as he raised his mug.

"To Lily." She responded, clinking her mug against his. And James.

May 19, 1985:

Occasionally, Ellie would find herself thinking of Sirius. It had been nearly four long years since she had last seen him-even longer since she'd seen him as Ellie. Her heart ached for him still. Often times she would make the mistake of mentioning him to Albus and Severus, a mistake that usually got her a lecture from both, though Severus had a tendency to name-call more than the Headmaster.

They were still adamant that Sirius had betrayed the Potters, according to Albus, even Remus shared this opinion. It hurt her to think that what was once such a tight group of friends had become so easily divided, but Remus was entitled to his opinion, as Ellie was hers. They hadn't known him as she had. Ellie had seen Sirius at his strongest and his most vulnerable. She'd seen him through loss and through growth. They shared memories and experiences that would stay with her a lifetime.

It made her sick to think of him rotting away in a cell, the Dementors slowly driving him mad.

Azkaban was not a place that most wizards had access to. In fact, besides the Minister, only the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and a couple of others were granted the privilege. Ellie had only ever visited Azkaban once, soon after Crouch's demotion. After he'd sentenced his son to life in Azkaban, Crouch had changed. Understandably, of course. He was withdrawn. His work became sloppy. The Minister saw fit to move him to the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Amelia Bones was promoted to replace him, and Ellie became her Undersecretary.

When Bones was first becoming acquainted with her new duties, she relied heavily on Ellie to provide any possible assistance. This included travelling with her new boss to Azkaban.

She hadn't meant to seek him out. Really, she hadn't. It was by pure chance that Ellie found herself standing outside Sirius's cell.

He was a shadow in the corner. Long matted hair draped over his face, his standard prison robes dwarfed his once muscular and attractive body. She must have made some noise, because that head soon jerked towards her to reveal a pale and gaunt face.

Ellie had expected to meet crazed eyes. She'd seen the paper the day of his capture, no one would contest that Sirius Black was a broken man. However, it wasn't mad eyes that met hers. Sirius grey eyes for full of sadness and, upon seeing her, sheer anguish.

"Ellie?" He croaked.

Sirius slowly unfurled himself and stood, the movement seemingly painful for him. He approached her, stretching out a skeletal hand to touch her face which she had unconsciously pressed against the cell bars.

He was inches from her when a voice rang out. "Ariella?" Bones called from down the hall.

Ellie and Sirius both started. She pulled back instantly, gasping for breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding. He withdrew more slowly, recognition seeping into his eyes.

His face turned menacing. "You," he spat.

Ellie only just managed to leap out of his arm's reach before he charged at her, thin arms slipping through the bars and towards her neck.

Tears were falling down Ellie's face when she awoke, the memory of the last time she'd seen Sirius fresh on her mind.

April 28, 1986:

"I'm so sorry for your loss, dear."

"You're poor mother. How is she holding up?"

"...lost her daughter just a few years ago...now her husband…"

"I hear he just dropped dead."

"I think the wife did it."

"He was never close to his children. I bet it was the daughter."

Ellie would never tell anyone what happened the day her father died, that would remain between her and her mother. Suffice it to say, she had become an accomplished actress over the years, but managing to appear bereaved at her father's funeral was terribly difficult.