Sequel to Take Me Away! My writers block continues with its deadly rempage, so i'll post what i've got over today and tomorrow (there's five chapters) and you can tell me what you think ok?

Just a note; for a variety of reasons, this is AU and no, Lily and James will not be dying in this version. On the downside, an OC may get tortured :) happy happy…

Chapter 1

Someone was knocking on the door.

Tulah blinked and realised, too late to go back on it, that she was awake. She extracted herself gently from Sirius' arms; slid as quietly as she could out of bed and wandered in the vague direction of the door, stopping on the way to pick an apple out of the bowl on the kitchen table and check the state of her hair in the hall mirror. By the time she got to the door, the knocker had discovered the bell-push and was putting it to good use. "Coming," Tulah called, rather impatiently.

Swinging the door open, she let out a shriek of delight. "Rem!"

Remus Lupin, who was even taller and blonder than she remembered - but still with a hint of amber behind his blue eyes - returned her enthusiastic hug with a smile, eyeing her up and down. (A/N; No, amber-and-blue eyes do not make sense to me either…)

"Still in your pyjamas?" he queried, raising a sceptical eyebrow.

"It's Sunday," explained Tulah. "No work for me, and Sirius has the day off."

"You disturbed us!" said Sirius reproachfully from behind her. She turned around, startled and half-expecting a good morning kiss, but a glance at Remus dashed her hopes. ::Not with company…::

"It's midday!" Remus looked amused. "Lazy buggers!"

"Who said we were sleeping?" asked Sirius, with a wicked grin.

Remus changed the subject quickly. "I have a massive favour to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"My landlord's found out about my lycanthropy," he began.

"Yes."

Sirius and Tulah spoke together.

"Yes what?"

"Yes you can come and stay here," said Tulah.

"For as long as you like," Sirius finished.

"I could have been going to say 'and he's lowered my rent by half'," Remus joked, smiling.

"…or not…" countered Tulah, laughing.

Remus dragged his battered suitcase into the spare room then flopped down on the sofa, worn out. Sirius began breakfast.

Tulah went back to bed.


Later on that day, they apparated over to Lily and James' house. When they arrived, they found the two deep in the throes of another relationship-threatening argument...but since this was apt to happen at least once a week, no one was worried.

Lily twisted round just long enough to wink at Tulah – a sure sign that she was winning – before turning back to scream at James, "And what the hell do you know about it?"

"More than you!" James bellowed back.

"You want to get me mad, Potter?" Lily asked loudly. "You want me to get in your face over this? Am I getting in your face now?" she shrieked, inches from James. A second's pause and they were kissing enthusiastically, James pulling Lily roughly closer to him.

Sirius wandered through from the kitchen and handed Tulah and Remus a beer each. He tapped James' shoulder. "You want a beer?" he asked unconcernedly.

James disentangled himself from Lily's embrace. "A beer would be great." He turned back to Lily. "You want a beer?"

"I never start drinking until seven," said Lily sedately. Tulah privately agreed with her, but she gulped down her beer anyway.

"Any advances on the Rosier case?" Sirius asked suddenly, which prompted a rush of Auror-speak from James and Lily. The three were working together on the same investigation – looking into the disappearance of Evan Rosier, which meant long, involved discussions of the problems anytime James and Lily were around.

Tulah, after shooting Remus a 'don't-worry-they'll-stop-soon' look, settled back in her chair and began mentally planning her next History of Magic lesson – with the first years, as it happened. Working out how to fire enthusiasm for the complexities of the goblin rebellions took some doing, and ten minutes later she jumped at the touch of Sirius' hand on her arm.

"Dumbledore's here," he said softly. "He's, ah, got someone with him." Tulah looked up to find Dumbledore smiling benignly down at her from behind his half-moon glasses. Practically glued to his side was a willowy girl, at least a head taller than Lily or Tulah – although an inch or so shorter than Remus, the smallest of the guys. Her chestnut hair was soft and glossy; her face was delicate, with high cheekbones. Only the paleness of her milky skin and the shadow of fear behind her eyes spoiled her loveliness.

"This is Cassiopeia," Dumbledore announced. "I am afraid, Sirius, that I am going to have to ask you to take her in for a while."

Sirius looked surprised. "We, uh, already have Remus in the spare room. There's no more space."

"That's ok," said Remus, managing to tear his eyes away from Cassiopeia a few seconds before it got embarrassing. "I'll have the sofa," he added vaguely, still looking rather shell-shocked.

"She could stay here," Lily offered; glancing at James, who nodded.

"I would prefer not," Dumbledore answered apologetically. "You're both frequently employed elsewhere, on Ministry business or for the Order. Cassiopeia is…in need of company."

Cassiopeia herself let out a shaky laugh.

Dumbledore continued, "I would ask that either Miss Page or Mr. Lupin is with her at all times." He turned to James and Sirius. "Why don't you fetch Cassiopeia's belongings from outside? She'll show you where they are." Cassiopeia led the two out. "You too, Miss Evans," Dumbledore added, staring pointedly at Lily. She left with the other three, raising a questioning eyebrow at Tulah as she passed her.

Dumbledore beckoned Remus and Tulah closer. "Mr. Lupin, Miss Page, you must understand me. It is imperative that you do not leave Cassiopeia alone. Whatever she does, whatever she may…say…at least one of you is to remain with her at all times." He leant closer. "She is on the run from Voldemort, that much I am sure you have guessed. On top of all this, she is a very…unusual young woman. I am relying on you, do I make myself clear?" He peered sternly at them over his spectacles.

They nodded meekly, and Dumbledore smiled at them.

"Excellent. Then I suggest you help the others out with the bags."

"We'll come over with you," said James, "help get Cassiopeia settled in."

Cassiopeia smiled shyly. "Please, call me Cassie. Cassiopeia's such a mouthful."

"Ok, Cassie then. After you," said Sirius courteously, offering her the pot of floo powder from the mantelpiece.

Cassie took a handful, and then looked fearfully back at Dumbledore. "Albus…"

He gave her his hand; she clung to it, half fierce and half afraid. "It will be alright, I promise you," he said quietly. "I have great trust in these people. They will take good care of you, Cassiopeia."

Her eyes went unfocused for a second. "Yes, they will," she said, sounding surprised.

She smiled at Remus who was frowning, puzzled; then threw her floo powder into the fire, stepped in, ("Flat 7a, Number 19 Griffith Road,") and vanished in a spurt of green flames. Tulah and Lily went after her.

Sirius raised his eyebrows at James, who turned to Dumbledore. "Are we going to know any more about this, Professor?" he asked.

Dumbledore regarded them gravely. "I'm afraid not; at least not at the moment." He held up a hand as Sirius began to speak. "Not now, Mr. Black. I know you all have questions, and you are likely to have more before the day is out, but I promise they will be answered in a few days' time. Now, go after the girls." It was not a suggestion, and they all obediently took a handful of powder and vanished one by one into the green flames.