Tami's Father
By Kate R.
Harry sped through the air, feeling the wind whip around him. The snitch was in sight! A second later, snitch in hand, Harry soared upward, then went into a spectacular dive. He landed with the rest of his team: the Weasley twins, Alicia, Katie, Angelina and Tami Caine. As he dismounted his broom, he felt Tami's hand brush against his…
And then he woke up. Crookshanks had crawled over him, disturbing his sleep.
"When is Hermione going to start keeping that cat in her own dorm?" He whispered fiercely, so as not to wake anyone else up. But as it was almost time to wake for breakfast, Harry knew that it was useless to try and fall asleep again. He lay awake, looking at the canopy over his four-poster bed, thinking of Tami.
He could see her in his mind's eye. The waist length auburn hair whipping behind her in the wind, her captivating bright yellow eyes and her beautiful smile. Tami and Harry had been going out since the previous year when he, as captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, had asked her to join. She was an excellent Keeper, and though she only had a Nimbus 2001, she could maneuver it as if it was a Firebolt.
Then Harry remembered that today was a Hogsmeade day. In a few hours the whole school was bustling with people waiting to leave for Hogsmeade. Harry managed to get in the same carriage with Ron and Hermione.
"Where is Tami?" Hermione asked, obviously surprised not to see them together.
Harry shrugged, "She doesn't much care for Hogsmeade. She only came once last year."
"What?" Ron exclaimed indignantly, "What's wrong with Hogsmeade? —No, what's wrong with her?"
Harry shrugged once more and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Come on Ron, you know Tami." Said Hermione.
"Yeah," added Harry, "you know that she is a bit like Percy."
Ron groaned at the reference to his brother, who after graduating only a few years before already had a job at the Ministry of Magic. They were all silent for a moment, Harry again thinking about Tami.
They were close in age, but she was a fifth year and he was a sixth year. As an infant Tami had been adopted by a Muggle couple who couldn't have children. Later the Caine's had adopted a boy named Jay and another girl named Samantha, but both of them were pure Muggle.
Harry looked out the window for a moment; he could see the sun reflecting off the lake's placid surface.
"Did you know that yesterday was Tami's birthday?" Harry asked, turning back to face Ron and Hermione.
Ron rolled his eyes, "Yes, Harry, you only told us twenty times! So did she like the broom care kit and the flowers and the butterbeer?"
Harry smiled, chagrined, "Yes she loved them.'
As Harry climbed out of the carriage, he heard a flutter behind him. He turned to find Hedwig, carrying a letter to him. He held out his arm for her to land and caught the letter in his other hand. She stayed only for a second, and then she flew back in the direction of Hogwarts' Owlery.
Harry looked around for Ron and Hermione, who had disappeared. He turned toward to outer edges of Hogsmeade and sat on the path to the Shrieking Shack to read his letter.
Dear Harry,
I am sorry I haven't written to you in a while. But as I am still a wanted man, can you blame me? I want to see you some time soon, maybe on your next Hogsmeade visit? You know what I will look like. Look for me outside of the Three Broomsticks the weekend before Christmas vacation. So how are Ron and Hermione? Oh and there is something I would like to tell you in person.
Sirius Black
Harry folded the letter up and tucked it in his pocket, frowning. Of course, he would like to see Sirius again but he didn't want to put his godfather in danger.
He caught up with Ron and Hermione in Zonko's and showed them the letter.
"Can we see him too?" Hermione asked.
"You mean, you want to see him, even though he is an outlaw?" gasped Ron in mock horror.
"Ha, ha." Hermione retorted dryly.
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When they got back to Hogwarts, the first thing Harry did was find Tami. The two of them went into a secluded corner of the Gryffindor common room to talk.
"So did you have a good day Tami?" Harry asked smiling.
She nodded, "I got a gift from my parents: a new wand and five Galleons. A letter too, of course."
"A new wand? What make?" Harry asked interestedly.
"Nine and a half inches, Redwood, unicorn hair." Tami said, producing the wand so he could see it.
Harry admired it for a minute and then handed it back. "What did your parents' letter say?"
Tami suddenly looked nervous, but she said, "Just happy birthday and a few other things." and forced a smile. Harry looked at her funny for a moment, but she was smiling so he shrugged it off.
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Over the next month and a half Tami seemed her normal self, except every so often she would stare off into space with an anxious expression on her face. Whenever Harry asked her what was wrong she would just smile and say "nothing". But, the day before Harry was supposed to meet Black, Tami received a letter, this one was not from her parents. She was clearly upset but would not say a word except to tell Harry she might go to Hogsmeade the next day. Harry, though, was worried. They always told each other everything. In fact, the only thing Harry had not told her was the truth about Sirius Black.
As the two rode side- by- side to Hogsmeade the next morning Harry was sure to keep an eye on her. She, on the other hand, refused to meet his eyes. The first place the couple went was the Three Broomsticks. After they left though a big black dog was walking beside Harry and on the other side was Tami.
By about 11 o'clock Harry had decided that Tami needed to say whatever was upsetting her. He stopped in the middle of the crowded street and looked at her.
"All right," he said, "what's going on?"
She looked nervously into his eyes and said in a whisper, "Can we go some place more private?"
Harry thought for a moment and then nodded. He looked at the dog, which Tami noticed for the first time, and then turned, leading Tami into Honeydukes. Giving a second look at the dog, Tami could have sworn she saw it nod to Harry. Once they were inside, Harry steered her through the crowd of Hogwarts students. They slipped behind the counter, and down the cellar steps. Tami watched in amazement as he opened the trap door. Neither of them said a word until they were a ways down the passage, illuminated by Harry's wand.
"Where are we? How did you find this?" Tami asked taking in the small tunnel.
"The Weasley twins showed me this in my third year. It leads all the way back to Hogwarts—and Filch doesn't know about it." As he said this Harry had been grinning but now he got a serious look on his face. "What's wrong?"
But before Tami said anything she let out a small gasp. Harry turned around to see what she was staring at. He scowled when he saw the enormous dog situating itself behind him. Then he shrugged and turned back to Tami, "He is just a friendly dog. Now, what is wrong?"
Tami took a deep breath, "Well, I am afraid to tell you." She looked down at her hands for a second. Harry looked startled but didn't say anything. She continued, "I mean, I'm afraid you won't like me anymore." Tami shoved her hand into her pocket and pulled out two pieces of paper.
"On the day after my birthday, when I received my parents' gifts for me, they also sent this." she held up the paper. "They said that when they adopted me my real father had just one request—that I be given this letter when I turn 16."
With shaky hands she handed Harry the letter. He unfolded it carefully; the handwriting was vaguely familiar, though it looked as if had been written in a hurry.
My dear daughter Tami,
As I am writing this you are asleep on the bed. Your mother died the day after you were born and I now know I cannot care for you. I am giving you up for adoption but I hope that one day I will meet you and talk to you face to face. It is my one request of your adoptive parents that they give this to you on your 16th birthday. So daughter I now wish you a happy birthday and wish I could see you on this day. I will not be happy until I see you grown into a young woman.
Your Father,
Sirius Black
Harry stared open mouthed at the letter held in his hands. Then he turned to look at the dog behind him. As he looked back at Tami she started talking before he had a chance to say a word.
"I know that my father killed your parents… and… well I didn't want to tell you because… because..." she trailed off staring at her hands. She handed him the second letter.
Dear Tami,
As you are 16 now I hope that you're the Caines have given you my letter as I asked them to. I know that you are a student at Hogwarts. Your mother was a muggle; she had shoulder length auburn hair and green eyes. She died November 1, the day after you were born. But what I wish to say is that I would like to meet you. I know that you have a Hogsmeade visit right before Christmas; I hope that this letter finds you in time. If you will come to Hogsmeade village I will make myself known to you. But please, I beg of you, do not tell the authorities. Please, I know what you must think of me but if only you knew.
Your Father,
Sirius Black
"I almost decided to tell Professor Dumbledore—but in some weird way I wanted to meet him. I haven't seen him yet though."
Harry still didn't know what to say.
"Please say something Harry." Tami begged almost fearfully.
"Why didn't you want to tell me?" Harry asked, for lack of anything better to say.
"Well my father killed your parents, I remember how you were in your third year, you hated black…" she trailed off when she saw Harry shaking his head.
"I did hate him once upon a time, but, well, I don't anymore."
She opened up her mouth to say something but he held up his finger to silence her. "Tami, your father did not kill my parents." Tami looked as if she had been struck by lightening. Harry continued, "Everyone thought he did, but I have met your father Tami, he is a good man."
Tami was silent for a moment; just staring open mouthed at him. "You've met…" she fell silent.
"Tami," Harry said quietly, "would you like to meet your father?" She hesitated and then nodded.
Harry turned once more to the dog situated behind him, "You have a lot of explaining to do."
Tami gave him an odd look and then back at the dog—but it was no longer a dog. She stared, shocked, at her father, standing before her.
"Tami." Sirius said, stepping foreword timidly.
"Wait, Sirius," Harry said, "you owe her a story."
Sirius nodded and then proceeded to tell Tami the story Harry had learned three years earlier. When he ended he turned to Harry, to include him.
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"When Harry was three months old my wife gave birth to Tami. She died leaving me to care for our infant daughter. About three weeks before Harry's first birthday the Potters made Peter (he said the name disdainfully) their secret keeper. I was worried that Voldemort would come after me, thinking I was the secret keeper, and so to protect Tami, I gave her up for adoption. I think that that was my only wise move in the whole affair. Not many knew I had a daughter and those that did soon forgot when Peter killed all those muggles."
"So what was it you wanted to tell me?" Harry asked.
"Well I remembered a few letters where you mentioned Tami, I know it had to be my daughter. I wanted to tell you myself that she was my daughter and," he grinned mischievously, "that you have her father's approval to date her."
Tami suddenly went up to Sirius and embraced him. They stayed silent, looking at each other as father and daughter, until Harry remembered the time. Harry and Tami walked back up the tunnel, up the stairs, through the cellar, through Honeydukes, and out into the street of Hogsmeade. Sirius- as a dog, would attract too much attention walking through Honeydukes so he apparated from the tunnel and met Harry and Tami again in the waning hours of daylight. They, all three, said good-bye. Sirius padded off in one direction while Harry and Tami clambered into the carriage where Ron and Hermione were already waiting for them.
"Where have you two been all day?" asked an exasperated Hermione.
Harry grinned, "Ron, Hermione, I would like you to meet Tami, daughter of my godfather, Sirius Black."