I am Siera Black
Prolog
Hi. First I want to ask you a question. Have you read the Harry Potter books? If so, go ahead and read this book. If not I advise you to put this book down until you have read the Harry Potter series. I will refer to it allot. It is, after all, about what happened after the books. Hey, I'd even settle for you reading number three. That one is my favorite.
As you should know, Harry had a rough life. He thought in the third book that he could even move away from the Derslies. His godfather was named Sirius Black. He couldn't though, because Sirius was still wanted in Azkaban. Unfortunately, his name never came off the guilty list. But we know he was innocent, right?
Before you found out about Sirius, he was off in Azkaban Prison. Years after Sirius' death, a muggle hospital lab found an extra beaker. They tested it and found that it matched Sirious' DNA. They sent it, with the rest of the beakers, to the main hospital by accident.
When a young muggle woman, named Sery, desperately wanted a child, she went to the hospital and had a surgery that made her pregnant. All the muggle knew was the name of the kind man who had at last given her a child.
Who am I? I'm Siera Black. Yes, my dad is Sirius. Yes, This is my story.
Harry wound up getting together with Ginny. They had a son. His name is Peter. Ron and Hermiony tied the not and had twins. Their names are Hermy and Rony. Hermy is as smart as Hermiony and as stubborn. Rony is as bright as Ron is and as out-there as Hermiony. Tonks and Lupin had a girl, too. Her name is Luna.
We're as good of friends as Ron, Harry, and Hermiony. Our nicknames are Moony, Prongs, and Padfoot. You'll know why latter.
Hermy and Rony aren't really friends. They're more of known people. After all, they're still too young to go to Hogwarts.
Chapter 1
In a dark dingy room lay a large amount of children. Boys and girls of all ages under 18. Along the walls, a bed lay under every bared window that let in the dim light of the moon. In the beds the children sleep. All but one, a thin girl wearing glasses. She wears a pair of rip-kneed jeans and a baggy T-shirt. Her shoes on the floor have worn souls and fraying laces.
Siera's appearance is not much different than of the kids around her. Next to every kid's bed is a single bag. No matter the shape or size of the bag, in side is the child's' only worldly possessions. All the child has.
Inside Siera's is a collection of fiction books. The Harry Potter series.
You see, when Siera's mother gave birth, she had a complication. The baby lived. The mother didn't make it. Before she died, she handed the nurse a nap-sack. In it was this series. They sent it with the baby (Siera) to the orphanage.
That's where she sits now, reading by the poor light of the moon.
She looks at the large clock above the large double doors. It clicked to midnight as she marks her spot, lays the book gently into her nap-sack, and lay down to attempt to sleep. This is difficult considering how uncomfortable the beds are. So she thinks about a dream she had had the night before. A woman in strange robes, standing in front of a class wearing similar robes, melts down into the form of a cat. The girls of the class oooo and ahhh. The boys start to join in but stop and try to look tough…
Greeeitt! Greeeitt!
She shoots up and looks around. The kids closes to her, a two year old and a five year old, look over at her, obviously too tired to sleep. The light coming from the window is partly blocked by a small creature.
"Oh wow! An owl," says the five year old named Haily.
"Ya. But what's it doing here," Siera replies.
"I don' know," said the sleepy two year old named Kari.
Siera stands on her bed while Haily and Kari stand on either side of her.
"Easy, little fella. I'm not gona hurt ya," Siera croons while pulling the small bird into her arms and sits on her bed.
"She a pretty birdy," says Kari.
"Somepin' on 'is leg," says Haily's 10-year-old brother, Harly.
"She a girl," Kari says, then yawns.
"Na. Tha' there is a bo'," Harly shoots back.
Siera tones them out as she unties a rolled up letter from its leg. The bird hoots happily and opens its wings, making the kids around Siera's bed jump back, and takes off out the window.
"What's it say, Sie," says Haily.
"Don't call me 'Sie'. It says 'Dear Miss Black, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. On the other paper is a list of school supplies you must have for your first year at Hogwarts.'" Siera reads to them.
"Magic? I don' thin' it wort' my time. It' no' real. Wha' kinda name is 'Ogwarts? Seriously, Sie, I don' thin' 'ou shoul' go," Harly finishes lamely.
"I sink you go. You maybe get happy," says Kari quietly.
"I didn't know Black was your name," Haily whispers.
Looking at the other paper, Siera says, "How am I supposed to buy all these things? Look at all this stuff! I hope they let me take stuff without paying."
"No on's gona let ya steal. Don' ya 'ave money lef' from ya mom? We do, bu' we don' ge' it 'till I'm 18," Harly blabs.
"No. All I have left of my mom are my books," Siera says quietly.
"Oh, righ'. Sorry," says Harly.
Kari runs and grabs a small cloth tied like a bag, "You can have my moneys. I gots lots!" she pours the pennies out of the cloth onto the bed.
"No. Its O.K. You keep your money. I'll figure it out. Maybe Warden will let me have some money," Siera says thoughtfully.
"Fat chance!!!" Haily says.
"You go' a be'er chance o' 'er given' ya poison!" Harly screeches.
"Warden scare me," Kari says as she shivers.
"Ya. Me too. But this might be my only chance to get out of here. Maybe if I tell her this is one way to get rid of me…ya…maybe," Siera drifts off into thought.
Brrrrriiiit! Brrrrriiiit!
"I'm comen' in an if any of you twerps are out of bed you'll spend a week in the hot box!!" came a screech from the other side of the door.
"Oh shoot! The alarm! Get in bed you three," Siera whispers to the three around her. They scurry into bed as everyone else sits up, now wide-awake.
A door bangs open and in walks a fat, squat woman who greatly resembles a toad. Helped along by the fact that she is wearing a raggy black bow perched atop her head (like a fly) accompanied by a dark (scaly) green nightdress.
"Ok, twerps, bed check! I'm gona shine this here light on you bed. If your out of it then your gona be put in the hot box," croaks the owner of the orphanage, Miss Anfib Warden.
Siera looks at the three that had scrambled into bed and sat up looking fully alarmed. She shoves her legs under the covers and tries to look innocent.
"Wha's that in your hand, twerp? Somethin' from you dear ol' dad? Well here's news, you dad don' give a toad's tong for you," Warden croaks suddenly at Siera's bed.
"No. It's a letter telling me to go to a school. It says I only have to come back during summer brake. Just think of all the kids that you'll sell with out me here to ruin things for you. And I'll be out of your hair all but three months of the year," Siera says in a jumbled rush.
"Where is this school? Do I have to pay for any thin'? When dose it start," says Warden, also in a rush.
"Er…about that…I need money for school supplies and cabs to go to the airport. But then I'm gone for nine hole months. You'll practically be free of me," Siera says, hoping beyond hope that Warden would say yes.
"If I say yes and…through in a hotel room, will you leave tonight? Please," Warden begs.
"Well when it gets light if you like. I could fly to London, get the school supplies and catch the train on September first! After staying in a hotel room for three weeks, that is," she finishes quietly.
"Good. You have your tickets then?" Warden says suspiciously.
"Yes. Came with the letter," Siera replies calmly.
"Good. Don't wait to leave. Don't worry 'bout wrightin'. If you need anything ask someon' else," Warden croaks as she dances out through the large double doors.
"So, are you really leaving," Haily asks, suddenly next to Siera's bed.
"'Corse she is. I jus' wan'a know, when," Harly says.
"Soon as the sun rises. I can't wait to get out of here," Siera says getting out of bed and tying her shoes on.
"I gona miss you, Sie," Kari says reaching over to hug Siera.
"I'm gona miss you too. But I'll be back," Siera whispers while hugging her back.
As sun stars to climb and peak in through the windows, Siera grabs her bag and starts to head for the door. The kids, old and young, start cheering.
"Do you people want me gone so much?" Siera hollers back at them.
"No, you're getting out!" The older kids shout.
She turns around and burst through the large double doors and struts right past Warden's open door.
I'm free, she thought, I'm finally free!
Chapter 2
Outside the orphanage, the streets are dirty and gray. A mist lay on the town like a thick blanket. Walking down the sidewalk is hard du to the fact that no one can see each other save for when they pass within inches of each other.
Siera winds her way down the street knowing full well that any cabs on the street would not see her and thinking of how dangerous it must be to drive in these conditions.
Sploosh! Sploosh! Sploosh! Sploosh!
The slapping of her shoes in the puddles was a never-ending rhythm of tiredness.
Why didn't I sleep last night? Siera wondered to herself.
You were reading Harry Potter. Du. Siera answered herself. And the beds suck.
I should have slept. If only I wasn't so obsessed with Harry Potter
You don't mean that. You love Harry. She said to her self.
Ya. I do love it. I'm just tired.
And with that thought she plunged on, always followed by the sploosh, sploosh of her shoes.
When she finally got to the airport Siera found out that she was late. She also found out that her flight had been delayed and had just now started boarding.
She ran up and handed her soggy plane ticket to the man.
"Excuse me, Why are you all wet? Surely you didn't walk, did you," the man said as he took her ticket.
"Yes, I did. You don't have a towel, do you," Siera replies courteously.
"The flight attendant should be able to help you once you get on board," the man says astonished.
"Thanks," Siera says as she walks past him and onto the plane. She goes to sit down when a young- looking woman, a flight attendant, walks up and says, "Can I get you a towel before you sit down? That way you wont have to sit in a wet seat the hole way there."
"Uh…sure. My name is Siera, what's yours," Siera says, trying to start a conversation.
"Tonks," she replies.
"Ok, Tonks. Where are you from?" Siera says, liking the way her name sounds.
"Oh I'm from around London. How about you?" Tonks says reaching into an overhead compartment to pull down a towel.
"From the US. I think. I've been in the orphanage for my whole life. I could be from anywhere. They said that the nurse that took my to there had an English accent, but that doesn't mean much now these days dose it," Siera says, a little embarrassed that she was telling her life to this stranger.
"Your right. It's hard to tell these days… Whoa, heads up!" Tonks says as piles of clean towels topple onto Siera.
"Thanks. You know, I would have thought you were from the US," Siera laughs.
"Why is that? Is it 'cause I'm a little clumsy," Tonks laughs back.
"No, your hair," Siera says calmly, without a trace of laughter.
"What? You don't think we proper English people have spiky, bubble-gum-pink hair," Tonks says, still trying to stop giggling.
"I don't know," Siera mumbles.
"Is it O.K. with you if I sit next to you when I'm not getting other people things," Tonks asks, finally handling her urge to laugh.
"Sure. I like talking to you," Siera says grabbing a towel and drying her shoulder-length black hair.
The rest of the flight they sat and talked. That is unless some one wanted something. Then Tonks would scurry off…usually spilling something or knocking something over or some other clumsy thing.
They talked about a lot of things. Mostly life. For a little wile they talked about boys.
"So do you have a crush, Siera?" Tonks said after a poking fight.
"Well…sort of. But we can't be together," Siera replies sheepishly, breathing heavy with laughter.
"Why not? People should be able to be together no matter what," Tonks said defiantly.
"He's not real. I have a crush on (pulling out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) him," Siera says pointing at Harry.
"Where did you get this?" Tonks says taking the book in her hands.
"Left from my mom. This is all she left," said Siera patting her bag of books.
"What's in the bag?" Tonks said, handing the book back to Siera.
"The rest of the series," Siera says, pulling them out one by one and letting Tonks look at each in turn.
"So you like these?" says Tonks with a glance at a man sitting behind her. Siera looks back and sees a scruffy man with a hat pulled low over his left eye.
"Yea. Who's that? Is he your boy friend?" Siera jokes.
"No way. I…er, don't ever know him. Besides, I got this," Tonks says holding up her right hand to reveal a beautiful wedding ring.
"Oh. So, do you like Harry too?" Siera, desperate to change the subject.
"Ya! My fave is number five," Tonks says a little too eagerly.
"Why? It's my least fave," Siera says.
"It has that girl named Tonks in it. Why do you hate it," Tonks says quickly.
"Oh ya. 'Cause Sirius dies and that witch Umbridge. Sirius is my all time fave, who is yours," Siera asks.
"Lupin," Tonks says at once.
"Why," Siera inquires.
"He sounds cute," Tonks says sheepishly.
"Oh. You know who that guy back there looks like to me," Siera says looking back at the same man as before.
"Who," Tonks says, not looking.
"He kind of looks like Mad-eye Moody, don' t you think," Siera, hoping for some feed back from Tonks.
Tonks glances back and says, "Ya, kinda."
"No, really though! He even has his hat pulled down over the left eye! Come on, look at him," Siera says, anger and shock making her voice rise.
"Siera, please. Be quiet! He might… get offended," Tonks whispers.
"You kind of look like the Tonks from the book! I'm gona go ask him if he is Moody! Wanna come," Siera says, voice growing louder with every word.
"Siera, pleas…wait for me to get back. I've gota go do rounds. Please wait to talk to him till I get back," Tonks begs.
"Oh, all right, just hurry," Siera says quietly.
Tonks gets up to leave and Siera goes to the bathroom at the back of the plane.
When Siera gets back to her seat Tonks is still doing rounds.
I hate waiting. Siera tells herself.
Then a tall man walks up and sits in Tonks' spot.
"Hey, that spots taken," Siera says.
"I know, I just need to talk to you, Siera," the man says smiling.
"Who are you and how do you know my name," Siera says.
The tall man smiles warmly and answers, "Don't be scared. I used to know your dad. My name is Remus. Your dad and I used to be great friends. I'm sorry about what happened to him though," Remus finishes sadly.
"You know my dad? I mean knew? What's his name? What does he look like," Siera says getting quicker at each word.
"In order: yes, yes, Sirius, and you except for your eyes," Remus says calmly.
"Whoa," Siera says.
"Remus, what about being secret? Don't want the wrong people to hear our private conversations," the man behind her growls.
"Right. Sorry, Alistor," and with that Remus gets up and goes to his seat.
"Hey wait! You left this bag," Siera says, hurrying after him.
"Oh you can keep it. You'll need it on the train," Remus says pushing it back into her hands.
"Where's that," Siera says.
"It's in London. When you get to London, ask for Ginny. She'll be at the airport to help," Remus says walking off.
She goes back to her seat looking at the man behind Tonks' seat. Then realizes Tonks is back in her seat.
"I met a man. His name is Remus," Siera tells Tonks.
"Really? What did he say," Tonks asks distractedly.
"He knew my dad," Siera says.
"Excuse me for a sec.," Tonks says and without a word she follows the path Remus had taken earlier.
"Hey, kid, be quiet. Don't let people know anything," the gruffy voice behind her said.
She turns around and stares at his beady eye and says, "What's your name?"
"Alistor. Now shut-up, sit still, and wait for the plane to land," Alistor says.
She turns around and looks blankly at the seat in front of her the rest of the flight, even when Tonks got back and tried to talk to her.
Chapter 3
At the airport a tall woman with fiery red hair walked up and said, "Is your name Siera? I've been checking every flight for her."
"Er…ya. I'm Siera. Who are you?" Siera says.
"I'm Ginny. I'm glad I found you. You ready to go then?" the woman, Ginny, asks looking at her nap-sack. Then adds, "Is that all you got?"
Looking down at her bag, "Ya. This is it."
"Well it won't be for long! Let's go," says Ginny cheerfully.
"Ok. Where we going?" Siera asks as they head for the doors.
"To Diagon Ally, of corse," Ginny says laughing.
They leave the airport and walk to the subway. There they got on a train and headed straight for the heart of London. When their stop came they got off in the rush of people.
They headed up a street and came to a bar (or pub as Ginny called it) named The Leaky Cauldron.
"I can't go in there. I'm too young," Siera protested.
"Don't worry. I know the bar tender," Ginny says.
"Why isn't anybody going in?" Siera asks.
"They can't see it. They're muggles," Ginny answers. Then they walk in, Siera's mind racing.
"Hello, Ginny. Who's this young lady?" the man behind the counter says.
"Hi, Tom. This here's Siera," Ginny says.
"Nice to meet you, Siera. My names Tom and I expect you'll be needing a room," Tom says, now talking directly to Siera.
"Er…ya. How much is it gona cost? All I have is a ten," says Siera, fingering the bill with her hand, which was shoved into her pockets.
Tom looks from her to Ginny as if trying to decide what to say. As if making up his mind, he says, "Well I'll take care of it this time."
"Thanks, Tom," Ginny says and heads for the back door.
"Not a problem at all, Ginny. Not at all," Tom says, waving.
Behind the bar is a small ally type room. On all but one wall are a lot of barrels. Most likely filled with beer or something. On the wall straight across from them is made of old brick.
"Hold on," Ginny says, holding Siera back as she steps up to the wall and pulls out a slim piece of carved wood. With the stick she tapes five of the bricks in a sequence. Then the wall began to change. The bricks moved themselves into a new shape…the shape of an arched doorway.
A series of things happened in a quick sequence.
First, Siera saw a load of people buzzing in and out of the many stores. The largest of all being a tall stone-white building.
Second, oh the smell! It was the sweet of candy! It was of crisp new books! Yet there was the distinct stench of animal poop. Oh, but there was the smell of scented inks and candles!
Third, the sound of the street was almost overwhelming. But they were happy voices. It was laughter, and chatting women, and playing children.
Before she could tell what had happened, Siera was filled with the joy of the street beyond. As Ginny hurried her through the closing archway, Siera caught sight of a sign saying:
Welcome to
Diagon Ally
"Hey, Ginny, what is you last name?" Siera says bobbing along with the crowd towards the large stone-white building.
"Potter. Why do you ask?" Ginny says, startled by the sudden question.
"Oh. Are you married?" Siera says, determinedly.
"Yes," Ginny says, still baffled.
"What is his name?" Siera says, feeling her patients quickly disappearing.
"His name is Harry," says Ginny.
"Harry Potter," Siera whispers and peers into her nap-sack. Then adds, "Was your maiden name Weasley?"
"Ya. How did you know?" Ginny says quietly.
"My books," Siera says, excitedly.
"What books?" Ginny, now more confused then ever.
"I'll tell you latter. Hey, can I meet Harry?" Siera say.
"Sure. You were raised at a muggle orphanage, right? With no connections to your past, at all?" Ginny says.
"Ya. Think so," says Siera.
They go into the tall stone-white building and walk up the asle to a lager desk at the end of it.
"Hi, I need to make a withdrawal," Ginny says to a…creature sitting at the desk. The creature was short and fat with pointed ears and thin wisps of dark-gray hair.
"Do you have your Key, Miss…" the creature inquires of Ginny. Siera is unable to stop looking at it though she believes it to be the most discussing thing she's ever seen.
"Yep," Ginny says holding up a small rusted-gold key.
"Very well. Fallow me," the creature says sliding down from the tall chair and opens a door that Siera hadn't notice until then.
As the goblin shuffled through the door, Siera asks, "What is that?"
"Oh that's just a goblin. He won't hurt you unless it profits him. Either way, you should stick close," Ginny whispers back.
Behind the door is a small railway. The goblin was climbing into the front seat. Ginny and Siera go into the remaining back seats. The cart rocketed down the track, past a lot of doors and stopped at vault 374.
"Lamp, please," the goblin asked. Ginny handed him the lamp. He got out and went up to the vault's door and said, "Key, please." Ginny handed it to him and he opened it up.
Inside were large mounds of gold, silver, and bronze coins.
"Here, take your fill," Ginny said tossing Siera a large leather pouch.
"Oh, wow. Thanks," was all Siera could think to say before reaching up and garbing the pouch in mid-air.
"Nice catch," Ginny says as Siera begins to fill the pouch from the nearest mound.
"Thanks. What now," Siera asks straitening up and following Ginny out of the bank.
"Now, we shop," Ginny says enthusiastically.
"Oh, joy," Siera whispers.
"Shopping here isn't as bad as it is in the muggle stores. Hmm," Ginny says looking at the school supply list, "I think we'll get your school robes and so on."
"Ok," says Siera unenthusiastically.
So they go and get most of her supplies. Then when they are both laden down with necessary items, save a wand, they stop outside a wand store called Olivander's.
"Go on. I'm gona set your stuff here," says Ginny setting Siera's stuff on a chair by the door and says, "I'm gona go grab something right quick."
With that she turns on her heels and walks down the ally and is swallowed by the crowd in seconds.
"Hello?" Siera says quietly.
"Give me a sec. and I'll be right there," a man says from the back of the store. He came stumping out of the back and said, "Hello. Have we met?"
"Ah, no. I don't think so," Siera says, avoiding his gleaming blue eyes.
"Ah, well, lets get you a wand, shall we?" He says stumping back down the asle to grab a small box. Bringing it back he opened it and inside is a slim piece of carved wood sort of like Ginny had had.
"What is that?" Siera says looking at the intricate ivy carving on it.
"Well, this is a wand. This particular wand is 11 in. long, unicorn hair, ash wood," he says looking at it with what looked like…great longing. "Well?"
"What?" Siera says looking up from the wand and finding his wise blue eyes looking into hers and is unable to look away.
"Well, give it a wave, wile I'm still young please," he says, grinning as though he was enjoying a great joke. So she waved it and…CRASHOOP! A vase wielding aged daisies explodes.
Jumping back and dropping the wand Siera says, "Oh man! I'm sorry! I…I didn't mean to!"
"Oh no, that's OK," he says picking up the wand and, waving it, says, "Reparo." He hobbles back down the row putting the wand back into the box and returning it to the over-stuffed shelf and turns down another asle and picks up another box and brings it back.
"Try this one. Sphinx venom, 7 in., poplar wood," he says handing it to her.
She looks up from the carving of leafs from the tree (a.k.a.: quaking aspen) to him, startled and says, "Sphinx? You mean…they're real?"
"Yes, they're real. Did you grow up with muggles or something?" he says looking at her as if trying to remember her from somewhere.
"Right, OK," she says and waves the wand as he had done. Flootflootflootfloot! Flootfloot! The boxes off a whole shelf came whizzing off and onto the floor.
"Well, that's not it," he says taking it from her and returning it to its spot. And, going to the back of the last row, he pulls out another box and says, "I wonder…if this works…but, it isn't possible…" he says letting the sentence fade.
"What is it?" Siera asks from the front of the store, suddenly cold with fear.
But I shouldn't be scared, she tells herself.
You shouldn't be cold either, but you are, so deal. She says to herself.
"Here, try this one," he says handing the smooth black wand to her. "Sycamore wood, 10 in., phoenix feather."
She looked at the only two bumps. One was at each of the ends of the handle. Suddenly the wind swirled around her and she saw a large black dog run by out side of the window.
Did that dog smile at me as he ran past just now?
"That will be one Gallion and ten Knuts," he says.
"Oh…um, what's a Gallion and a Knut?" Siera asks.
"One of the gold, ten of the bronze," he says.
"Hey, Siera! Look what I got you," says Ginny coming in the door carrying an owl in a cage. "You ready to go then?"
"Ah…ya," Siera says handing the large coins to the man. "Thank you, Mr. er…what was your name again?"
"Olivander. Please to meet you, Miss," Olivander leaves off so she could fill in her name.
"Siera," she says smiling as she leaves the strange wand shop.
"What was all that about?" Ginny says as they eat at the Leaky Cauldron.
"What was what?" Siera says evasively taking a large bite of the hard bread.
"Never mind. Listen, I gota go but I'll be back in three weeks to get you to Kings Cross-Station," Ginny says knowing how stubborn teenagers can be.
The next few weeks Siera spent sitting in her room and read her Harry Potter books. The third week she spent getting little things here and there. Then on the 30th of August, she was walking down Diagon Ally and saw in a window a broom that was marked way down due to a shipment coming in the next day.
I don't think I'll miss 10 Gallions, she reasoned with herself, I have plenty left. Plus I still have the bag Remus gave me. I'm gona get it!
Chapter 4
The next morning Siera got up early to get ready to wait for Giny. After running a comb through her hair she got out the broom she had gotten. She used the front of her 'muggle' cloths to brush off some of the thick layer dust of the handle. She stood up and placed the broom in the top of her trunk. When she straitened up she turned and looked out the window. She, being a few floors, could only see the tops of the bustling heads. Then she noticed that a large black dog was weaving its way toward the Leaky Cauldron. Suddenly it looked up and right into her eye and vanishes. She shakes her head and sees a person with red hair go into the 'pub'. She wheels around, grabs her trunk, and the owl cage, and heads strait out the door and down the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs she rests the trunk on the wall and places the empty owl cage on top. The owl, having been named Sery, was out hunting. Then she looked around to find out if the redhead was Giny.
A tall man was standing at the counter talking to Tom. He was the redhead. Tom had stopped laughing when he saw Siera looking at them.
"Well here she is now! Ron, I believe this young lady is going with you," Tom said when the man, apparently Ron, has realized he had stopped laughing. Ron turned and looked her over. She shifted uncomfortably. This was how people had looked at her at the orphanage. Only…he was…smiling!
"Well, that's her all right. Thanks, Tom," Ron said turning back to the bar tender. Then he turned to look at her again, as though he had seen her somewhere before. "So…Giny got held up and made, I mean, asked me if I would come and take you. By the way, my name's Ron," he said talking slowly as his eyes traveled over her once more and coming to a rest on her eyes. Under his breath he says, "Blimy, she does look like him!"
He grabs the owl cage and she the trunk and they head out for Kings Cross-Station.
They walked in silence. Several times Ron had opened his mouth to say something but had closed it every time, shaking his head. This gave Siera plenty of time to think about the fact that her books were true.
When they got there, they walked to a brick pillar separating platforms nine and ten. She looked at her ticket she realized this all must be some kind of joke.
"There is no platform nine and three-fourths, is there?" she asked Ron.
"Nine and three-fourths? No, it's nine and three quarters. Just walk into the pillar between nine and ten. You can run if you're nervous," he said in a failing attempt at a soothing tone.
"I'm not nervous," she said in what she hoped was a brave tone.
"OK. Just make sure no muggles notice," he says and leans on the barrier. Suddenly, he fell inside the barrier! She steps up to it and places a hand on it. It goes right through! She wheels her trunk around and walks right through it.
She emerges in a different train platform. There is a spectacular train with the painted words:
Hogwarts Express
She looked around at the crowd and found Ron waiting for her.
"It's almost 11 o'clock. Get on the train and I'll see ya later," Ron says, giving her a very short hug.
She got on the train and found an empty compartment toward the front of the train. She stowed her trunk and cage in the overhead compartment. She sits for a wile then the train lurches forward. A girl stumbles into the compartment and says, "Is it ok if I sit with you? I can't find an empty seat anywhere."
"Oh, sure," Siera says, getting up to help her put her trunk on in the rack.
When they had sat back down the girl stuck out her hand and said, "My name is Luna, Luna Lupin. Its nice to meet you."
Siera shakes her hand once and says, "Siera."
"So…are you in your first year, too?" Luna says.
Siera looks her over and says, "Ya." She notices how her skin was sort of pale, almost like she was sick. She also noticed how her hair was short and light brown. Siera had a flash of memory of the man named Remus, who she had met on the plane. She noticed a slight similarity between them only…Luna was short and almost frail looking. Sort of like…Tonks had…
"Well that's great! I'm so exited! What house do you want to be in?" Luna says interrupting Siera's thoughts.
"What?" Siera asks.
"Surely you know what house you want to be in. I want to be in Grifindor. Both my parents were in it," Luna says.
"But…this means…it can't be…can it? But…then…oh wow," Siera says grabbing her nap-sack out of her trunk and looking at her books.
"What are you talking about?" Luna says a little scared.
"Do you know Tonks? Or Remus? Or Giny? Or Harry? Or Ron? Or…Alistor," Siera says in a rush, pulling out her books and throwing each in turn at Luna.
"Ah…yes. To all. What are these?" Luna says apprehensively.
"Read the title! Its Harry's story! I thought it was fic. Oh boy was I wrong! It's true! All true," Siera says then laughs hysterically.
"Er…hold on," Luna says getting up. She left before Siera could say anything.
Oh boy. Does she think I'm crazy? I'm not, am I?
When Luna got back, she wasn't alone. A small woman with gray hair and glasses came shuffling in after her. The woman looked Siera over twice and said, "Are you feeling ok dear? Could I get you anything?"
"No. I'm fine," Siera says impatiently.
"Are you sure dear? If you just come down to my cart…I could give you a potion…or a…" the old woman says.
"No. I'm fine," Siera repeats more calmly.
"Oh. All right then…" the woman says as though not sure where she was. Then she left, going the opposite way then she had come.
"Who was that?" Siera asked when she had shut the door and knelt down to gather up her books.
"Oh that was the train nurse," Luna says looking out the window. "Boy it's getting late. We should probably change."
They changed in silence, avoiding eye contact. When they had both sat back down Luna looked out the window at the almost full, but not quite full, moon.
"Its beautiful," Luna said in a sudden sigh.
"Wha…oh ya. It is," Siera says suddenly understanding. Remus was a werewolf. Luna would probably be one, too. "So…" Siera, unable to think of what to say.
"Before, what were those books?" Luna says looking apprehensively at the nap-sack, now sitting next to Siera, as though the books would fly out at her at any moment.
"Well, it's the Harry Potter series. It talks about Harry's life at school and all his adventures there," Siera says after a deep calming breath.
"Wow. I guess this is a big deal to you," Luna says apologetically.
They talk about Harry the rest of the way. Stopping only to eat when the food trolley came by.
By the end of the train ride, Siera is thinking, Oh man. It's true! I wonder how much of it is totally true.
Chapter 5
Once the train came to a halt all the students filed out leaving their things on the train. Siera was the only one who took anything aside from her wand. With her nap-sack slung over her arm, Siera followed Luna to a very large man holding a lantern and calling, "Firs' years, this way!"
"Hello, Hagred! How was your summer," Luna asks.
"It was ok. Come by some time an' you can see Bu…I mean Witherwings," the man named Hagred answers cheerfully and returns to calling for first years.
"Oh wow," Siera whispers to herself having turned around and seen the castle for the first time.
Hagred leads them to the edge of the lake where a cluster of boats sat waiting for them. Siera and Luna get in a boat with Hagred and they set off across the lake.
"'Ave we met?" Hagred asks after a while, breaking Siera's dazed stare at the castle. She turns to look at his eyes and quickly looks elsewhere. She chooses to look at his wild, dark, lightly gray-specked hair.
"Ah, I don't think so," Siera says turning away to look into the water where her hand had drifted unintentionally. A dark shadow moved along brushing her hand and she recoils, remember that there was a giant octopus, or was it squid, in the water. Suddenly the boat rocks violently.
"Hold on," Hagred says calmly as Siera drops her nap-sack to the floor of the boat and the boat shakes again. Luna starts muttering something under her breath, getting faster as the boat rocks a third time. The boat shakes a fourth time and…Sploosh!
"Siera!" somebody screams above the water, sounding very far away. Siera is dragged under the water by the current of the boats. She claws at the icy water desperate for air. She had never gone swimming and had no idea what to do. Then something raped itself around her ankle. She kicked and tried to scram and took in a great gulp of water. The edges of the little she could see began to darken. She felt something grab hold of the back of her robes and the pressure on her ankle release. Only, she felt them as if from a distance. More and more of her field of vision darkened rapidly. She felt the air hit her like an icy truck. She breathed in the cold night air. The little she could see swam before her, eyes unable to focus. She leaned over the edge of the boat she had been dragged into and spit water and vomit out. She sat up and wiped her mouth on the back of her sleeve, willing her eyes to focus on anything. She heard voices whispering in the surrounding boats.
"Siera! Are you ok? Siera," Luna called from…who knows where. Her eyes seeing more clearly, she saw who had pulled her up. Hagred's sleeve was wet up to his shoulder.
"I…I think so…" Siera stammered in the cold. Hagred pulled off his coat to put it around her. She asked Hagred suddenly, "D…d…did m…my b…books ma…make it?"
"Wha'? Oh this," he said picking up her nap-sack that had somehow managed to stay dry. She took them from him gratefully and hugged them to her chest the rest of the way.
When the boats came to a rest in a small cave underneath the castle Hagred got out and headed through the only door while the rest of them got out. When all the students had gotten out the boats departed and the door creaked as it opened. The students filed in. Inside the door was a set of stairs and at the top was a large open room. On one side where large double doors. On the other were a small flight of stairs leading up to a set of doors in front of witch was a tall slim woman who was wearing emerald green robes and a black pointed hat with one long feather stuck in it.
"My name is Professor Magonigal. Welcome to Hogwarts. In a minute you will pass through these doors but before you may join your classmates you must be sorted into your houses. Whilst you are here, your house will be like your family. Good deeds will earn you points. Bad deeds will lose you points. At the end of the term the house with the most points will win the house cup. Now, if you'll fallow me," she says bending down to pick up a stool with an old hat and a scroll that sat atop. With that the group filed through the doors and up the row in between two very long tables. At the front of the room Magonigal and set the stool down. Unrolling the scroll she called out, "Black, Siera."
She walked nervously up through the crowd as a round of whispered conversation rose up at the sound of her name. Siera sat down and the woman placed the old hat on her head.
"Interesting," it whispered in her ear. "You are indeed Black? Oh well. You will go to…Grifindor," yelling the last word for all to hear. The hat was removed from her head and she headed to the now silent Grifindor table. When she sat the people to around her moved over a spot.
She looked back up at the stool when she heard the name, "Lupin, Luna." The hat sat on her head for a fraction of a second then yelled, "Grifindor!" The table erupted in cheers when Luna came down from the stool and stopped cheering when she sat next to Siera.
A while later the name, "Potter, Peter," was heard. Less then a second latter, the Grifindor table was cheering and stopped when he sat on the other side of Siera.
"Hi, I'm Peter. Your Siera, right?" He asks.
"Ya. Why did you sit by me? So far as I can tell everyone here hates me," Siera answers him.
Two boys with fiery red hair (kind of like Ginny…and Ron, Siera thinks) come over and sit down across the table from the threesome.
"Hey," Fred and George said at the same time.
"Are you guys twins? You look a lot alike," Luna says, distractedly staring at the empty plate before her.
"Ya," Fred says.
"So who is your dad," Siera asks.
"George Weasley," George says.
"He works in 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' in Diagon Ally," Fred finishes.
"So you're the second set of Weasley twins," Peter asks.
"Yep," George says.
"And we already started trying to beat their record," Fred says enthusiastically.
"What record," Luna asked, still staring at the empty plates.
"Why the record of the most pranks done while at Hogwarts," George answered joyfully.
When the last student had been sorted, Magonigal put the stool in a door behind the staff table. Then she stood behind the staff table, in the middle, in front of a large cushioned chair.
"To the first years, welcome. To every one else, welcome back. I know now is not the time for speeches so, let the feast begin," Magonigal says briskly, when every one had settled down. With her words, the plates filled themselves with a very large amount of food.
"Oh wow! This is better than the books," Siera says pulling everything within reach closer to her.
After dinner a boy and girl from each house called for first years to show them the way to the comen room. The girl for Grifindor was tall with strait dark brown hair. The boy for Grifindor looked as though he could have been her twin.
"Come on now," the girl says.
"This way first years," the boy says.
They fallow the two up the stairs to a moving staircase. Up the stairs they go 'till they get to a portrait of a fat lady in pink at the end of a hall.
"Password," she asks.
"Gillyweed," says the girl confidently.
"Indeed it is," the portrait says and swings forward to reveal a hole. One by one, they all clamber through it.
"Welcome to the Grifindor Common Room," the boy says, "Boys dormitory is up the stairs and to your left. Girls, same on your right."
"Right. If you have any questions, ask one of us. My name is Jose. This is my brother, Josh," the girl says sweetly.
They file off to their dorms to get ready for bed. When they got there, their trunks were at their assigned beds. Siera walked over to hers as others rushed past to put posters and pictures up. She opened her trunk and pulled out her broom. Before setting it aside she polished the handle. Suddenly gold letters stood out brilliantly saying "FireBolt".
"Why do you have a broom," Luna asks as Siera sets it gently by the window seat next to her bed.
"Why? Why not," Siera says not looking away from her broom.
"First years never make the team," says a girl who sported dark skin and shiny long black hair.
"Someone did," Siera says coolly, still not looking around.
"Oh really? Who could have possibly…," a girl with dark brown hair asks.
"Harry Potter," Siera says rounding on her.
"Ya…well, your not Harry Potter," she says.
"Don't need to be. So who might you be," Siera finishes in a mock-polite tone.
"I'm Sarah, Sarah Longbottem. I don't need to ask who you are, Black," she says, spitting the last word as if it were a curse.
"Nice to meet you," Siera says still in the mock-polite tone. Turning to the other girl, Siera says, in an accusatory tome, "So, who are you?"
"Daniel Thomas," she says quietly and quickly.
"Let me see if I got your names right, Sarah Longbottem. Most likely Neville's daughter. Daniel Thomas, didn't your dad used to commentate for the Quiditch games? Oh and of corse, can't forget Moony's little girl!" Siera turns on her heels, changes, and is into bed before any of them could respond.
Siera pulls the curtains around her bed closed. She stares at the ceiling, thinking of the magic and mystery surrounding her.
Chapter 6
Siera stands alone in a hallway. At the other end is a black door. She starts to walk, then run towards it. She gets to the door and it flies open. She runs into a dark circular with blue-flame candles. She walks slowly to the door opposite her and opens it. Inside is a large, round, stone-room. The door is at the top of many sets of benches leading down into a sunken floor. At the bottom is a large stone dais. At the top of which is a large stone arch. In the arch is a tattered black curtain that sways as though touched by a breeze, though the air in the room is still and stale.
Suddenly, all around her were people. A group of black-capped and masked men and women were gathered in a circle around a boy who was holding a small glass ball. He didn't matter. Another boy stumbles out of a door and is instantly attacked. A woman pulls off her mask and points her wand at the boy who screams silently. Suddenly, one of the doors burst open and out a group of people come. One of which was a tall man with long black hair. He ran at a woman who had taken off her mask to torture the other boy who had come. Everything was going in very quick concession so Siera didn't hear anything at first.
The man ran at the woman with no mask. He fought brilliantly! As they fought their way up the dais time slowed that, by the time they reached the top, time was normal. The woman fires a spell! The red jet misses.
"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.
The second red jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.
The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.
It seemed to take him an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the raggedy veil hanging from the arch…
"Nooo! Sirius!!!" Siera wakes up screaming. The other girls had gathered around her.
"Siera, wake up, wake up, Siera," Luna kept saying, sort of like a chant.
"I'm awake," Siera says sitting up. She realizes that she is covered in cold sweat. She looks at the girls standing around her. They all look frightened and worried.
"Are you ok," Luna asks.
"I…I think so," Siera says uncertainly.
"Do you want to go back to sleep or do you want us to get Magonigal," Daniel asks.
"I think I'm ok. Maybe I'll try some sleep. The girls all nod and go off to their beds and Siera falls back against her pillow to try to sleep.
The beds here are way more comfortable than the ones at the orphanage…
Siera is running down the same windowless hall. This time she is running with a group. The second group that had come into her first dream. They burst through the door. They ran straight across the dark, circular room. In through the door directly opposite them was the stone room. She ran down the stairs to the unmasked woman, Shooting spells at her the hole way. They fought their way up the dais to the stone arch. One of the women spells flies past her
"Come on, you can do better than that!" Siera yelled, her voice echoing around the cavernous room. The voice came from her mouth, but it wasn't her voice.
The second red jet of light hit her squarely on the chest.
The laughter had not quite died from her face, but her eyes widened in shock.
It seemed to take her an age to fall. Her body curved in a graceful arc as she sank backward through the raggedy veil hanging from the arch…
"Ahhh! Ahhh," Siera sat up, screaming.
"What now," she heard Sarah say in another bed.
"Siera, are you ok," Luna asks, not fully awake.
"I…it was just a…a nightmare," Siera says. She lies down onto her side. Luckily, dreams do not come again.
Chapter 7
"Welcome to Transfiguration, first years. My name is Professor Magonigal. Any questions thus far?"
It was the next day, the first day of learning. Professor Magonigal was standing at the front of the room, explaining to a skinny white-blond hair boy with a thin, mocking face why transfiguration was important.
"Now, any more questions," Magonigal says leaving the boy in a fit of silent giggles.
"Er, Professor, I was wondering how to pronounce this word," Luna says, turning in the book to the very last page.
"Which word are you referring to, Ms. Lupin," Magonigal asks.
"Well, the last few words in the book, actually. Would you like the spelling? It is quite strange," when Magonigal nodded, "A-N-I-M-A-R-G-U-S-E?"
"An animarguse is a witch or wizard who has the ability to change their form into an animal. Like this," and she shrunk down, cloths and all, into a cat. The girls oooo and Ahhh. The boys look like they are going to join in but then stop and try to look tough. Siera on the other hand stares, this was a dream she had had the night before she had gotten her letter…
Magonigal turns back into a human and opens her mouth to say something, but stops because a hand in the back row had shot up.
"Yes," Magonigal said speaking to Siera, whose hand it was that had punctured the air.
"Wasn't…," Siera stumbles because all eyes were now turned in her direction. Starting again stronger, "Wasn't Sirius Black an… animarguse?"
After a round of mutters died down Magonigal answers, "Yes. He was. Now what are you all muttering about?" The last sentence was to the students who had started a fresh round of whispers, pointing, and mumbling. The bell chose this as a good time to ring. Siera walked quickly out to the first floor, then on down to the dreary dungeons. Potions was next.
The potion master was Professor Slughorn. Slughorn was a large, round man.
He obviously has friends in higher places, Siera thought.
"Welcome, class! Welcome! Now, who would I know? Yes? Who are you, young lady," Slughorn says jubilantly.
"Well, my name is Luna, Luna Lupin. My dad use to work here. At Hogwarts," Luna says putting her hand down.
"Ah yes. You must be Remus' daughter! How is he," Slughorn says, a little too joyous.
"He's fine. You don't sound very happy to meet me," Luna says mater-of-factly.
"Well…who are you," Slughorn says uncertainly moving on to Siera.
"Siera, sir," she says after a pause.
"Come now, who are you parents," Slughorn says encouragingly.
"Not 'are', sir, 'were'. I lived in an orphanage under the ownership of Warden. My mom's name was Syria. I think my dad's name was Siri-something," Siera says quickly.
"What did you say your last name was," Slughorn asks apprehensively.
"I didn't," Siera says without missing a beat.
"Oh al right then. You are?" He went through the whole class period.
"Well, that sure was educational," Luna says happily as they leave the dungeons.
"You ok? That class sucked," Siera says.
"Are all muggles raised to be this pessimistic? I learned a lot about the other students," Luna replies.
"What ever. What do we have next," Siera asks as they get to the first floor.
"Er…lets see. Transfiguration: check. Potions: check. We have Charms with Professor Flitwik," Luna says looking at the schedule.
"Ok," Siera says. They head off to Charms class to meet a squat little man who stood atop a precariously staked pile of books on his desk.
"Welcome, first years. This is charms class. My name is Professor Flitwik," he squeaks. They spend the rest of the class discussing charms and why it is important.
Then Siera and Luna head down to the Entrance Hall to have lunch in the Great Hall.
"So how was your first day," says Fred as he and George plop down across the table from Siera, Luna, and Peter who was coming from another direction to sit.
"Oh it was wonderful," Luna says.
"Ok," George says rolling his eyes.
"Were have you been," Siera says sharply to Peter as he sits.
"Well, I was in all your classes. I just sat by some friends of mine," Peter says defensively. Luna and the twins stare at Siera.
"What," Siera asks.
"Nothing," George says.
"Mom," Fred adds quietly. The two laugh as they walk off to who knows were.
"Sorry," Siera mumbles picking up a piece of buttered toast and leaving. She leaves the Great hall, gnawing on her toast. She stops at a window to stare at a brilliant blue sky.
I wonder how good my broom is, Siera thinks.
Madam Hooch walks up to Siera and looks out at the sky. "Luna Lupin tells me you have a broom," she says.
"What? Oh. Ya, I have a broom. Can you teach me to fly? The Quiditch Pitch is open," Siera says quickly.
"Let me see your schedule," Madam Hooch says. When Siera hands it over, Madam Hooch taps it with her wand. Before she put it away, Siera saw that the handle of Madam Hooch's wand had the Snitch carved into it. "Here you go. Usually I don't teach first years how to ride, but seeing as you already have a broom, I'll make an exception. Now, after dinner come out to the Quiditch Pitch and you may learn something," She says and turns on her heels and leaves.
"YES!" Siera yells. Then more quietly, "Finally something good to look forward to."
Chapter 8
After lunch Siera walked alone to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Alone because she was purposefully avoiding anyone she could.
This would work better if I knew the school better. Oh well, Siera thought as a crowd of students stared at her. When she had past them they would mutter something and rush off in a different direction.
When she got to the correct classroom, Siera quietly knocked on the door. The door swung open soundlessly. Siera quietly walked in to find the classroom empty. She takes a deep breath, trying to calm her racy mind.
What was she supposed to do now? Where was she supposed to go now…?
"Siera! Hey, Siera! What are you doing? Class is in the teachers' lounge today," Luna says as she runs up.
"Why? Oh, and who's the teacher? The paper doesn't say," says Siera.
"His name is Professor Moody. He's kind of mean looking, so we better get going," Luna says urgently.
"Moody? But I thought," Siera starts but Luna grabs her sleeve and tugs her down the hall. Luna drags Siera down the hall to a door guarded by two gargoyles. The door was wide open and inside was a group of students and a gruff man at the front of the room. Behind the man was a hutch that kept shaking and shuddering.
"Miss Lupin, 'bout time you got here! This her," Professor Moody asks as Luna drags Siera through the door.
"Yes, Professor. This is all of us," Luna pants.
"All right, who can tell me what we are looking at? You, at the back, what is in this," Moody says not turning around to look at the class. All eyes turn back to the back of the room. Luna steps into the crowd leaving Siera to be at the back.
"I…it's a bogart," Siera says.
"Right, and can you tell me what a bogart looks like, Miss," Moody says. He waves his wand and a chalkboard appears. He writes the word bogart on it but doesn't turn to look at the class.
"Er…no one knows, they take the form of whatever a particular person fears the most, sir," Siera mumbles.
"Yes, now class, you need to learn to defend yourself. You need to know what you're up against, you need to find a better place to put your gum than on the floor, Ms. Finigan," Moody says, turning to look at a girl closer to the back of the room who had just dropped her gum on the floor. Moody's left eye was large and electric blue. It swiveled and spun, stopping here and there. He turned back around when Finigan picked up the gum…and popped it into his mouth.
"Blimy, look at his eye! He can see through the back of his head," the girl whispers to another who was standing next to her.
Suddenly, Moody turns away from the chalkboard and yells, "And hear across classrooms! You act just like your father did!" Throwing the piece of chalk at Finigan. Some kids laugh, but most don't.
"Now, I need a volunteer. Miss Lupin, get up here," Moody says. Luna walks up and Moody says, "Now think of what you are most afraid of. Now think of a way to make it funny. You lot," He finishes pointing at the class, "Get out your wands and say 'ridicules'. Go on. Say it," Moody says. They all repeat the incantation.
"Ready, Miss Lupin? Good," Moody says after Luna nods. He opens the hutch and out of it flies a mass of disconcerted pieces of things, shifting and changing. When it sees Luna standing alone at the front of the class it turns into a night sky sporting a full moon.
"Ridicules!" The moon turns into a quickly deflating white balloon that flies around the classroom coming to land in front of the hutch. The class roaring with laughter the whole time.
"Form a line so one by one you can face your fears," Moody says, jabbing people into place.
Siera was, eventually shoved to the front of the line. The jumbled mass shifted and changed. Though it didn't take shape for a long time. For a while it just kept shifting. Then Siera looked into the mass and saw the man from her dream, falling…
Something black smothers her face…
The next thing Siera knows is she is flat on her back, covered in sweat. The bogart had been put away and the kids crowded around her. The bell rings and she attempts to sit up but is pushed back down by…Moody!
"Stay down," he says gruffly.
"Why were you on the flight that brought me here," Siera asks as the other students file out.
"Dumbledore asked me to," he says shortly.
"What happened," Siera asked.
"The bogart turned into a dementor. If Miss Lupin and I hadn't been here, you wouldn't be now," He says, not offering further explanation.
"A dementor," Siera asks persistently.
"A former guard of Azkaban. They suck you empty of happiness. If they want to they suck out your soul, by giving you a kiss," Moody says and spits on the floor.
"A…kiss? Ok…can I go now," Siera asks.
"Sure," Moody says and stiffly limps off, walking heavily on a gnarly wood walking stick.