Sirius Black & The Mistral
A Harry Potter Fanfiction
By Lightheart_62442
Chapter One
"The way he's going, mate," said Sirius Black to his best friend, "I reckon he'll be walking soon."
Sirius watched as Harry, his newly christened godson, pulled himself to his feet against the coffee table and banged his hand on the surface.
"No," said James Potter, Harry's father. "He's too wobbly yet. He'll stand on the spot, but then he collapses and crawls everywhere he wants to go." And as he spoke, Harry's knees gave way and he sat down hard, turned around and crawled over to his godfather.
"Come here, tiger," said Sirius to Harry. Harry crawled up to Sirius' leg and clutching onto his jeans, pulled himself into a stand. "Up you come." He picked Harry up and sat him on his knee.
"He was so good today," said Harry's mother, Lily as she came from the kitchen holding a bowl. "He didn't scream once. I'm sure he knew he was the centre of attention. Sirius, can you bring him in here and I'll give him his lunch."
Sirius stood up with Harry in his arms and carried him into the kitchen. Harry had grabbed a handful of Sirius' collar-length, black hair and refused to let go as he passed him over to Lily.
"Come on, darling," said Lily, "let go of poor Sirius - he's got quite a grip, hasn't he? Look - lunch! Let go now, that's the way" and she sat down at the table and proceeded to spoon mashed vegetables into Harry's mouth.
"Is Dumbledore coming back to the house?" asked Sirius. Lily was softly blowing some of the heat out of the vegetables perched on Harry's spoon. She nodded.
"He said he had to give you something to be fixed at Folbigg & Coote's the jewellers and metallurgists in Diagon Alley," said James, who was leaning against the doorway. "He's gone off to fetch it and he'll be here in a while."
"James can you set up the table in the other room for me, please?" asked Lily, wiping dribble from Harry's chin.
"Yeah, sure. Sirius, can you give me a hand?" James beckoned to Sirius to follow him. "How many of us are there?"
"Six," came the answer from the kitchen.
When they were out of earshot of the kitchen, James conjured a tablecloth for the dining table. "Can you do me a favour, mate?" he asked Sirius in a low voice. Sirius looked at James who was anxiously looking at the kitchen door.
"Sure, what?"
"I've ordered something for Lily at Folbigg & Coote's. But I can't go and pick it up because I want it to be a surprise. It's our anniversary next week and I want to give her something really special. She's been put through hell with all this business with the Death Eaters. She's never complained once when we've had to go away for, well, you know, business purposes. But every time I come home I see this look on her face of absolute relief that I'm safe. She looks calm enough today, but Harry's getting very active and when he was teething a couple of weeks ago she had a few rough nights."
Sirius was placing knives and forks around the table. "You know that's not a problem. What have you got on order?"
"It's a silver necklace with a locket." He reached into a pocket and pulled out an envelope. Inside the envelope was another envelope. "Here, take this and guard it with your life."
"Why, what is it?"
"Well the inside envelope has a lock of my hair," said James. "Yeah, I know, How Romantic," he continued, eyeing the lap-dog look Sirius had put on his face and smiling. "And there's a note to Gringott's to remove some money from my vault for it."
Sirius placed the envelopes into an inside pocket of his robes. "Leave it to me," he said. "I'll go there tomorrow."
There was a noise of a chair leg scraping on the floor in the kitchen. "Well, what do you reckon," said James loudly with a meaningful glance towards the kitchen. "If I can rustle up tickets to the Falcons vs the Magpies on Friday night, will you come?"
"Sure," said Sirius, equally pointedly. "Wouldn't miss it."
There was a tap at the front door which opened and three people entered, obviously having just shared a joke. Professor Albus Dumbledore held the front door open for Mr. & Mrs. Potter, James' parents.
Harry had finished his lunch and was sitting on the floor playing with some wooden blocks. Mr. Potter sat on the floor with his grandson and with his wand was making the blocks levitate and then float down gently to the floor again, much to Harry's delight.
After lunch, Lily and Mrs. Potter went to change Harry and put him down for his sleep. James and his father went for a walk, leaving Dumbledore with Sirius.
"Sirius," said Dumbledore. "I have something to ask of you."
"Yes, I know," said Sirius. "James said you needed something done at Diagon Alley."
"I would do it myself, but there are many demands on my time just at the moment." Dumbledore's eyes looked creased and a little tired. He was not a young man, but Sirius didn't know anyone else of such strength of mind. "You know all too well how school activities come to the boil at this end of the school year. There are exams, OWLS and NEWTS and the Quidditch Final. You will be happy to know that Gryffindor are playing Ravenclaw this year."
Sirius laughed softly. "Well, that's a foregone conclusion then, isn't it! Gryffindor will win the cup for sure!"
"Well, Ravenclaw have a particularly good seeker at the moment," said Dumbledore, his eyes smiling at Sirius. "And since James left, Gryffindor hasn't quite rebuilt its former formidable reputation. Although it would pain you to hear it, I suspect that Ravenclaw might be in with a very good chance."
They continued in friendly argument for a few minutes before Dumbledore's more pensive expression resumed on his face.
"The task I have for you is quite straight forward," he said. "I have some instruments in my office which are very old. Occasionally accidents have happened - gusts of wind, Fawkes' wing tips sometimes sweep things from my desk and they have broken. Whilst I am quite adept at using repairing spells, this particular instrument is now in need of specialist attention and I would be grateful if you would take it to Folbigg & Coote's for me. They have recently gained the services of a particularly talented witch who assures me that she can restore the article to its original glory."
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure," said Sirius. "I'm going there anyway for another purpose so I can take it tomorrow."
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Dumbledore and he reached into his robes and pulled out a long, knitted sock with blue and yellow stripes and gave it to Sirius. "It might look a little bit unusual at first glance," said Dumbledore with a look of amusement at Sirius's surprised face, "but I'm sure Miss St. Cloud will be able to deal with it."
Chapter Two
Sirius pushed open the door of Folbigg & Coote's which triggered the flight of a bird of paradise into the rear of the shop. He looked around at the walls covered with shelves of whirring silver instruments, their cog wheels spinning and clicking, each to its own rhythm.
At the back wall, what looked like large grandfather clocks stood, their multiple hands pointing in various directions. Sirius couldn't help thinking of a similar clock he had seen in the home of Molly and Arthur Weasley, a young wizarding couple with links to Professor Dumbledore. Arthur Weasley worked in the Ministry of Magic and Sirius and James had gone to his home one night for a secret meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. He couldn't help feeling sorry for Molly Weasley who, at the time, had three small boys and had just given birth to twins. Nevertheless, she had taken the time to show him her large clock which had multiple hands, one for each member of the family which told her where everyone was at any given moment. She had inherited it and it was her most prized possession in her otherwise simple home.
Sirius turned his attention to the counters with their contents of silver and gold jewellery featuring crystals of rose quartz, amethyst, onyx and other magical stones set into rings and pendants. A section of gold wedding rings shone out at him, their engravings dancing before his eyes and reading messages of enduring love. "My love for you will burn until the end of time" one spelled out, a word at a time.
A separate counter lined with rich, black silk was set aside for the exhibition of a large, creamy pearl sitting on a gold stand carved into the features of an otter which was curled into a circle supporting the pearl. "The Pearl of Wisdom" read a little sign with no further information.
He looked up suddenly as the hands on one of the grandfather clocks started to move. The hand was shifting from "Workshop" to "Front Counter" and as it did, the door at the back of the shop opened to reveal a tall, slender young woman.
"I am sorry to keep you waiting," she said to Sirius, with a trace of an accent.
"Not at all," replied Sirius who was immediately struck by the deep black pools of her eyes and shoulder length dark hair. She was slightly shorter than he was although she was wearing heeled shoes. Her work robes covered a fine, white silk shirt with embroidery bordering the button holes which she had tucked into the waist of a black skirt. A slim leather belt circled her waist with a silver buckle engraved with rune symbols. A strand of her fringe had caught onto the ends of her lashes. She brushed it away. "I was having a look at all your fascinating instruments," he went on. "There's a lot to see in here."
"Well, I apologise for the delay," she said. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Sirius was trying hard to place her accent and thought it could be French.
"I've come to see a Miss St. Cloud. She's expecting a special delivery."
"Ah, yes, that is me. You have come from Professor Dumbledore, no? I am pleased to meet you," and she stuck out her hand, "I am Jeunesse St. Cloud."
Sirius took her hand and gently shook it. Her fingers were long and strong with perfectly manicured nails shining with a clear polish. He looked back at her face which had a questioning look.
"Oh, sorry, Sirius Black," he got out. And pulling the sock from the pocket inside his robes he said "Yes, Professor Dumbledore gave me this. He said you'd know how to deal with it."
Jeunesse St. Cloud's face broke into a small smile as the sock lay on the counter. Her eyes shining with amusement, she said to Sirius "Professor Dumbledore has a sense of 'umour, no?" She took a wand from her robes and touched the sock which immediately turned into a fine silver instrument with thin cog wheels pulling at delicate levers and turning whole sections of fine machinery into different directions all at once. Sirius had never seen anything so small or so complex in his life. Jeunesse picked up the instrument and examined it closely.
Sirius couldn't help looking at her eyes, then her nose which was fine and elegant and then her mouth which revealed straight, white teeth as she spoke. "Aah, yes," she murmured softly. "I see what the problem is." Sirius couldn't imagine what it was she could see that was wrong in the maze of whirring and whirling pieces of silver. "This should not take too long to repair, but he was right to send it in. It is a definitely a specialist job. Would you be able to collect it later today?"
"Oh yes," said Sirius. "What time do you close?"
"Six o'clock."
"Good. In the meantime, I have another small delivery, for my friend Mr. James Potter." Sirius was reaching into another pocket for the envelopes.
"Oh yes, the locket," said Jeunesse. "Your friend has excellent taste, Mr. Black."
"You might think that," said Sirius with a grin, "but it's taken many years of training on my part to get him to that stage." Jeunesse looked at him from beneath her lashes with a smile flashing across her eyes.
"You are a friend a long time, no?" she asked. "Is this the package from Mr. Potter?" Sirius took out the small envelope from within the larger one and gave it to her. She looked inside, her lips pursing slightly, and touched the contents with her wand. A slim black velvet ribbon sprang from her wand tip and wound its way around the strands of James' hair, binding it into a tidy curl.
"I think James' wife would like to know how you did that," said Sirius, impressed. "I mean, not the ribbon, but James' hair is always in a mess and it drives Lily mad sometimes."
"Well, it should not take long to finish off the locket for her," said Jeunesse. "But as you are a friend of Mrs. Potter perhaps you could 'elp me by telling me how long she would like the chain?"
Sirius was suddenly gripped by a small sense of panic. "I, I have no idea," he said.
"Well, perhaps you can tell me," continued Jeunesse, "is she a large lady or a small lady, because it is important that when she is wearing the locket that it sits over her heart." She took a crystal pendant out from a counter display.
"She's not as tall as you are," said Sirius, thankful to be given a legitimate reason to examine Jeunesse openly, "but she is not a large lady, she's about your build."
Jeunesse placed the pendant around her neck and lengthened the chain so that the crystal dropped momentarily inside the folds of her silk shirt. Then she shortened it slightly so that the crystal reappeared to a position over her heart.
"Hmm," she murmured. "That should be enough, then, you think?" And she looked to Sirius for his approval before removing the pendant and measuring the length of the chain. "If you could come back at about half-past five this evening, both of these items will be ready for you to take away."
"Fine," Sirius smiled. "I'll be here. Thank you. Goodbye, then." And he stuck out his hand to shake hers again. As he left the shop, he couldn't help feeling that bits of his stomach and chest had been left behind inside so that felt much less than his normal weight and he half skipped, half walked down the street towards Gringotts Bank.
Chapter Three
Sirius's walk down Diagon Alley took him past Madam Malkin's shop for Robes For All Occasions. Inside he could see the shadows of two women, both tall and thin with long faces and hooded eyes. He recognised one immediately as Bellatrix Lestrange, a known Death Eater and follower of the Dark Lord Voldemort. She was holding a baby which had whispy, pale blond hair. The other woman was talking with Madam Malkin and it was obvious they were fitting the child for an outfit of some sort.
Sirius turned his face towards the road and pulled the collar of his robes closer around his neck and continued on towards Gringotts Bank.
Once in the bank, he went as usual down the sickening carriage ride into the bowels of the bank to his own vault, number 711 to withdraw some gold Galleons and some smaller silver Sickles. Then he was taken on a rocketing ride back to where James had his vault and he withdrew the amount that James had written on the parchment letter. He did not need to go to a vault for Professor Dumbledore as he had apparently made another arrangement for payment with Folbigg & Coote.
As he walked down the wide central aisle of Gringotts Bank towards the exit doors, Sirius caught a glance of a slim man with long blond hair brushed elegantly behind his shoulders. His black robes fell in expensive-looking folds from his shoulders and the fastenings were pure silver with engraved crests. He knew this was Lucius Malfoy and guessed that the other woman in the shop was his wife Narcissa, the sister of Bellatrix Lestrange. He had no desire to greet Malfoy who was also a Death Eater but their eyes met across the expanse of marble flooring as Sirius made his way through the giant wooden exit doors. Lucius Malfoy made no sign of recognising Sirius, but Sirius knew that he would not have gone unnoticed.
Suddenly feeling like having a drink on this warm June day, Sirius headed towards the Leaky Cauldron pub, feeling certain that Malfoy would not be seen dead in such a place. As he turned the corner he bumped into a small wizard in brown robes who was balding prematurely.
"Peter!" Sirius greeted the small wizard. "How are you, what are you doing here?" Peter Pettigrew was an old friend of Sirius and James. He used to hang around with them at Hogwarts and was now working with them in the Order's fight against Lord Voldemort and his followers.
"Oh, Sirius," said Pettigrew. "Good to see you." They shook hands.
"Come and have a drink with me," said Sirius. "It's too warm out here." The two of them went into the Leaky Cauldron and found a table. Before long they were sipping on ice cold butterbeers and tucking into large pub sandwiches.
"Sirius," said Peter, a frown darkening his face. "I'm worried - I saw Lucius Malfoy in the street this morning with his wife and her sister."
"I know, so did I," replied Sirius. "But it didn't look much more than a family outing. I saw the women in Madam Malkins measuring up the kid for an outfit. What was it, a boy wasn't it?"
"Yes," said Peter. "They called him Draco."
"Ha," barked Sirius in a short laugh. "Malfoy lives in hope that his son will grow into someone with the courage of a dragon. I think not, it would go against all the Malfoy genes."
"Yes, but it worries me all the same," said Peter. "Malfoy's bankrolling so much of Voldemort's activities."
"How do you know that," said Sirius quickly.
"Dumbledore. He's got spies all over the place. The trouble is, the information we're getting isn't being used to organise proper attacks to foil all their plans. Voldemort is getting the upper hand. It won't be long before the Order is going to be under serious attack - you mark my words. Then I wonder who'll be around so I can say 'I told you so'."
"So if the spies are so good, how much information are they bringing back?" asked Sirius. "Who do they suspect of being active in the Order?"
"I have no idea," said Peter, staring into his half-empty glass. "Dumbledore doesn't tell me details like that." And he continued to examine the bubbles floating on the top of his butterbeer as if looking for divination. "That's the problem, Sirius. Dumbledore's keeping the information to himself half the time. How does he expect us to be co- ordinated if we don't know what's going on. He's up at Hogwarts nicely out of the way and we're here walking the streets not knowing if round the corner some Death Eater's waiting for us to step straight into a trap. Makes me nervous. The other side's getting stronger and stronger and we're all over the place."
"I'll talk to him, old mate," said Sirius comfortingly and slapping him on the back. "I'm seeing him in the next couple of days. Leave it to me."
"Trouble is, Sirius, we're all 'leaving it' to everybody else to do something. We're going to get cut short one day, you mark my words." He glanced out of the window and stood up hurriedly. "Sorry, Sirius. can't keep chatting on here. You know how it is, things to do, people to see. Thanks for the butterbeer." And he hurried out of the Leaky Cauldron and disappeared down a side lane.
Sirius was in no hurry. He had time to kill until half past five so he turned his thoughts back to Jeunesse St. Cloud and tried to imagine how she worked with all those tiny pieces of silver with those beautiful, long fingers.
Chapter Four
Half past five came at last and Sirius again pushed open the door of Folbigg & Coote's. The bird of paradise flew from its perch above the doorway and disappeared into the dark depths of the shop. Clicks and whirrs filled Sirius's ears as he waited with anticipation for Jeunesse to appear. The hands of the grandfather clock showed "Workshop" and then started to move, falling slowly down to "Front Counter".
The back door opened and Jeunesse appeared. She had changed her working over-robes for a smart charcoal grey set and she carried Dumbledore's silver instrument in one hand and a small navy-blue velvet box in the other.
"'ello again," she greeted Sirius with a smile.
Sirius's insides lurched almost as much as if he were back on the carriage in Gringotts.
"This is the instrument for Professor Dumbledore. It is quite like new again."
"I'll have to take your word for that," smiled Sirius. "Can you tell me what it does?"
Jeunesse studied his eyes closely. "This is a very magical object. It contains many spells which allows it to perform many different and varied functions. What Professor Dumbledore chooses to do with it, I know not. But one use for it is to study and interpret relationships between people. Some wizards and witches use it for finding a suitable marriage partner - not my preference I must say. We have better ways to do that where I come from." She glanced up and caught Sirius' eyes. "Other people use it to see whether there is trust between one person and another. That is on the other end of the scale - more like being a spy. Of course, there are any number of other things you can interpret it."
She took out her wand from her pocket and touched the instrument so that it folded itself up into the blue and yellow sock. Sirius shook his head with a grin and put the sock in his pocket.
"And can I see what James is giving to Lily?" he asked.
"Of course. This is the result of your good training, no?" Her eyes smiled at Sirius and then she opened the box. Inside was a silver heart locket with filigree carving with tiny crystals embedded in the surface. Slinked into the top ring of the locket was a fine silver chain which was tucked under the velvet lining of the box.
"I'm impressed," he said truthfully. "James is starting to get it right at last."
"It is a very clever choice," said Jeunesse. I have turned some of the hair strands you gave me to silver and woven them into the surface of the locket. They are the pieces which hold the crystals in place. They are rose quartz - a very powerful amplification of love straight to the heart, especially if the locket is worn in just the right position. The rest of the lock of his hair is contained inside the locket with a spell. If the two people are separated for any reason, the wearer of the locket can hold it to their heart and send a message of devotion to the partner. It is very - how do you say - sweet."
Sirius looked up from the locket to Jeunesse. "That's just what we say," he said quietly and he closed the lid of the box.
"Listen, would you like to come to Florentine's with me? It's not far from here. If you've finished, you would honour me greatly if I could buy you some dinner."
"I would like that very much," Jeunesse replied with a smile. She tidied a few things away, pulled out a silver keyring with several keys on it and locked up the shop.
It had been some time since Sirius had been to Florentine's. It was the most expensive restaurant in Diagon Alley. The tables were covered with crisp white linen which fell to the floor. The chairs lifted themselves away from the tables and tucked themselves gently under their patrons. Menues appeared from nowhere and napkins were shaken out and placed on their laps. Crystal glasses shone like diamonds in the candlelight on the table and highly polished silverware bordered the placemats. A crystal carafe of water lifted itself and poured some of its contents into one of the glasses.
"Tell me about yourself," said Sirius. "Where do you come from? How long have you been here - I want to know everything about you."
"Well," began Jeunesse running her index finger up and down the edge of the menu. "I come from France as you can probably tell from the way I speak. But I have worked very hard on my accent and I think I am doing your English speaking very well now."
"That you are," smiled Sirius. "Where in France."
"Originally my family is from Paris - I come from a long line of alchemists and metallurgists. My full name is Jeunesse St. Cloud Flamel."
"I've heard of that name," said Sirius sharply. "So that's your connection with Professor Dumbledore."
"Sshhh," she whispered. "I cannot use the name Flamel because it is still too dangerous for my family. Anyway, jewellery and silverware are the professions we all follow from when we are very small. My father and grandfather were experts and when I showed an interest when I was young, my father said I should be taught. He decided this after the tragic loss of my grandfather during the wizard wars of the 1940s. My grandfather was being pressured into making special instruments very similar to the one I have just repaired for Professor Dumbledore and then he was subjected to terrible torture when his enemies thought that he knew the secret to Philosopher's Stone. He did not, because that was something known only to my grand-grandpere Nicolas and even my father says he does not know what happened to it. It was a terrible blow to my family, but my father vowed our ancestral knowledge would continue no matter what. This meant that we had to go into hiding. We found a Romany community in the Camargue area which took us in and we adopted a new identity. But my father has been working non-stop to keep our knowledge in the family and he has spent years secretly writing down the methods and incantations that are used in each step of our work."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" asked Sirius curiously. "Don't you suspect me - we've only just met. After all, times are difficult now with Lord Voldemort getting stronger and stronger by the day."
"Aah," she smiled. "Your reputation precedes you, Sirius - can I call you Sirius?"
"Absolutely, you can"
"I have not been working on the instrument for Professor Dumbledore without detailed instructions. And I did a little bit of research on you after you left this morning."
"How much of a 'little bit'?" Sirius was more than mildly curious.
"Oh, enough to assure me that you could be trusted. And, of course, I know how to use the instruments for my own purposes." She smiled up at him from under her lashes in a way which both invited Sirius' questions and repelled them at the same time.
"Of course, my life here is very different to that in the Camargue," she continued.
"I told you," Sirius said gently. "I want to know everything. And I'll listen all night if I have to." His eyes followed the flick of her dark wavy hair which framed her face softly. Her slightly olive skin shone in the candlelight. The embroidery on her shirt gleamed and he could see now that there were hundreds of miniature pearls sewn with miniscule stitches into the design.
"In the Camargue we were living on the plains, riding horses almost before we could walk, living in portable homes like the ones the muggles call 'tents'. I went to school at Beauxbatons which I finished with very good grades. But my favourite time was the holidays. We had a life so close to nature. We followed the festivals of nature with singing and incantations and reverence to the spirits of nature. And every year, my favourite time was at the end of the year at Christmas and it is very cold. You can have days when the sky is so clear you think you can see right through the blue to the stars beyond. Then if it is calm and quiet with the sky so pale and blue, that is the time when in an instant the Mistral winds come and blow over the land. We had to wear scarves over our faces against the dust and the cold but the wind will blow right through your body and I always felt that it blew out of my being all the bad times of the year just passed and through my hair it blew out the memories I didn't want to keep. Every year my special friend the Mistral did this for me so that I could start another year afresh with new spirit. The Mistral both empties you and fills you at the same time. It is a bit like love, no?"
Sirius stared into her eyes. "I suppose it is," he eventually replied. "But I have never experienced the Mistral. I don't think we have anything like it in England. I shall try and think of something similar as we eat - look here come our meals." Plates of beautifully garnished food set themselves down in front of them. They started to eat, their conversation turned to small talk and jokes. Sirius was discovering Jeunesse had a smile and a laugh which appeared more often the longer he talked with her.
"Now it is your turn," Jeunesse said, placing her knife and fork side by side on the plate. "Tell me the story of Mr. Sirius Black."
"Well, there's not much that's exciting to tell, really," he started, leaning back in his chair and running his hands through his black hair.
"That's not what my research tells me," she replied quickly looking at him from the sides of her eyes. "I am told you were - how do you put it - a handful? When you were at school, I mean."
"Dumbledore's been filling you in, has he?" said Sirius, setting his chair upright again. "Well, alright, I gather I'm at a disadvantage here because you obviously know a lot more than I thought! Well, maybe James Potter and I were a little bit naughty every now and again.."
"How much is a 'little bit'?" It was Jeunesse's turn to ask the question.
They finished their coffees with Sirius filling in only the gaps he wanted to fill, with what he thought would be appropriate embellishments. Somehow he knew from her expression the bits she believed and the bits she didn't.
"Can I walk you home?" he asked, flicking some gold coins on the table.
"I would like that," Jeunesse replied. "It is not far, just a few blocks."
Sirius held open the door of Florentine's to let her pass then took her hand and linked her arm through his. They chatted quietly together as they walked past an elegant walled garden in the middle of the square where Jeunesse's house stood. He broke off a stem of flowers from a bush that was growing through the railings and gave it to her.
"Thank you for a lovely evening," she said as she stood in front of her doorstep. "I had a very good time."
"I've been thinking about the Mistral," said Sirius, unlinking her arm and holding her hand. "I'm quite sure that we don't have anything quite like it here." Looking straight into her eyes, he placed her fingertips to his lips and kissed them softly.
"Are you sure?" she said
"By comparison, the most we have is a gentle breeze," and he kissed the palm of her hand.
"A gentle breeze?" she smiled.
"Probably you'd think it just a bit of a draught, really," and he kissed the inside of her wrist.
"Oohh, and when can I feel this 'bit of a draught'?"
"Well, I was hoping you might be free on Friday night. I know a place where magical things can happen and I'll see if I can throw in a 'bit of a draught'." He dropped her kissed hand onto his shoulder and with his other hand pulled her body closer to him.
"That would be very nice," she said softly but before she could ask where this special place might be, Sirius had placed his lips on hers and was kissing her very gently.
Chapter Five
The following day was busy for Sirius, which he was glad about because all his thoughts were for Friday. He returned the silver instrument to Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore had been visiting the Ministry of Magic was involved in meetings for most of the day. At last he managed to find a brief break in the proceedings to return the blue and yellow sock to its owner.
"Thank you Sirius, you're very kind. You've no idea how uncomfortable it is to have to wear odd socks," Dumbledore said with an unconvincing look on his face. "Do remember to put them on my Christmas list."
In the evening he was expected at James and Lily's for dinner. He arrived early, hoping to spend some time with his godson.
He wasn't disappointed. Harry had been awake for only a short time before Sirius arrived and was sitting in a playpen in the corner of the kitchen banging a saucepan with a wooden spoon. It was a deafening noise.
"Hello, Harry!" exclaimed Sirius as he came into the room. "What's this then, little guy. You going to grow up to be a drummer for The Wild Nights, eh?"
He lifted Harry out of the playpen and took him into the living room along with the saucepan and the wooden spoon. "Hang on a minute," he said to Harry. "I need one of those spoons too. Let's see if Mum's got another one." And he returned to the kitchen and took a wooden spoon straight out of Lily's hand just as she was about to plunge it into a mixing bowl.
"Hey!" she cried. "That's mine!"
"Not any more," said Sirius, escaping into the living room. "Harry and I have prioritised these items for secret spellwork. We're going to transfigure them into a life-sized version of The Wild Nights!"
"Over my dead body," said Lily.
"Just like this, Harry," said Sirius in mock seriousness. "One, two, three.."
"Sirius, don't you dare!" cried Lily.
"Sirius, don't you dare what," came James' voice as he came in through the front door. "You giving Lily a hard time, mate?" And he kissed his wife trying all the while to avoid her floury hands. Lily saw this and immediately placed both hands on James' cheeks, leaving white powdery fingermarks all over his face.
"No, 'course not," said Sirius. "Harry and I were just about to get the party going, weren't we Harry. Harry's got the butterbeers and I was just about to bring on the entertainment." Sirius waved his wand and a tray of butterbeers appeared on the coffee table. "Here you go, Harry," said Sirius in a loud voice he knew would regain Lily's attention, "have a sip, and I'll give you some good advice about mothers."
"Sirius!" yelled Lily, horrified. "Don't you dare give him any of that stuff! What on earth's got into you today?"
"Oh nothing, just having some fun."
Lily returned to the kitchen, flashing a look over her shoulder to make sure Sirius knew she had her eye on him. Sirius got up off the floor and shook James' hand, at the same time slipping him the slim velvet box he'd brought back from Folbigg and Coote's. James pocketed the box and said "I've got the tickets for Friday night's match. Should be good."
Sirius had forgotten the Quidditch match altogether. Harry had started banging the saucepan again, making a deafening row.
"I'm really sorry, mate. I can't make it on Friday. I'm going to be busy."
"What?" said James who really hadn't heard what Sirius had said. James went over to Harry and picked him up and kissed him.
"I said, I'm really sorry.I'm going to be busy on Friday night. I forgot to tell you. Sorry."
"How can you be busy when the Falcons are playing the Magpies? That's a first class tournament in anybody's language. Lily, talk some sense into him will you?"
Lily came to the doorway and looked at Sirius. "It's a really great match to have to miss Sirius. Can't you get out of it and have some fun for a change."
Sirius looked at the floor and made a face. Then he looked back at Lily with a look of resignation and shook his head.
"Aww, come on mate," implored James. "I can't go on my own."
Lily was studying Sirius. "James, I think you'd better ask Remus or Peter if they want to go. Sirius is busy, otherwise I'm sure he'd love to go with you." Throughout all her words, she never took her eyes from Sirius.
"How can you be that busy?" James was still begging Sirius to reconsider. He looked at Lily and then swung a sharp look straight back to Sirius and said "Really?"
Lily smiled at James and said "Right, well I think Harry needs a change. I'll be back in a minute." And she picked up her son who was still gripping the wooden spoon and carried him upstairs.
"Who is it?" asked James with boiling curiosity.
"No-one you know," said Sirius, slyly.
"This had better not be a one-night stand, Sirius. You can't give up good Quidditch tickets for a one-night stand."
"It's not a one-night stand," said Sirius quietly. "Not this time."
"Where are you going, who is she? Is she pretty - sorry, dumb question. When did you meet her - come on, man, I'm desperate to know. You know my life will be hell if Lily comes downstairs and I have no information at all."
"All I can say is that if Friday goes well, I don't think it will be too long before you meet her," said Sirius in a promising tone.
"Meet her? Finally, we get to meet someone? Miracles will happen!" James slapped Sirius on the back. "Oh, thank heavens for that. Lily will live on that bit of information for a fortnight but then you'd better deliver or she'll start having a go at you. And me. And Harry had better look out too."
"Listen, James," said Sirius, frowning. "I met Peter Pettigrew in Diagon Alley yesterday. He's really nervous. The Malfoy family were there too with Narcissa's sister. I think the sight of Malfoy put the wind up Peter for some reason. He's starting to sound as if he's resigned to the worst. Said Dumbledore wasn't doing enough and the Order was more like the Disorder. I couldn't talk with Dumbledore today, but Peter's really getting into a sweat."
James picked up a butterbeer and took a thoughtful sip.
"I'll talk to Dumbledore as soon as I can," said James. "I think he's trying to organise something but he's getting mixed messages from all his spies. Some of them say one thing then that's contradicted by somebody else. I think Dumbledore's worried there's somebody sitting on both fences."
"What!" exclaimed Sirius. "You mean, someone's giving information on both sides? Merlin's beard they'd better not be near me when I find out who it is."
"No, me either," said James, wiping the last bit of flour from his cheek. They could hear Lily's steps coming down the stairs and she came into the living room and handed Harry over to Sirius.
"Dinner will be two minutes," she announced.
Chapter Six
At last, seven o'clock on Friday came around. It had been another warm day and the shadows of the summer evening were lengthening as the night prepared to shade the day from view.
Sirius knocked on the front door of Jeunesse's house. She opened it and stepped down to the pavement wearing jeans, the palest blue shirt and a black vest of fine, soft leather. Sirius took her hand and kissed it.
"My fine lady," he began theatrically, "your horse awaits you." And he swept his hand towards the road.
"What horse?" Jeunesse asked, puzzled.
"This one," said Sirius and swept an Invisibility Cloak away from a large black motorbike parked on the side of the road.
"Oh!" gasped Jeunesse, her hand flying to her mouth. She smiled a huge smile and said, "Is this yours?"
"Sure it is," said Sirius handing her a pair of goggles. "Do you think you could risk coming for a ride with me?"
"The risk is what would make it fun!" exclaimed Jeunesse, looking at the motorbike from end to end.
Her words stopped Sirius in his tracks and he eyed her up and down with his head slightly to one side.
"Come on," she called to him. "Let's go." She put her goggles on and sat on the back of the motorbike. Sirius pulled on his goggles and climbed in front of her, started the engine and steered off down the street.
They drove down the darkening streets as the lamps started to light themselves. The waxing moon was more than half-full and was filling the landscape with its silvery beams.
Sirius felt Jeunesse take her hands from around his waist and from a quick glance in his rear view mirrors could see that she was holding her arms in the air and occasionally running a hand through her hair. This was the closest thing he could bring her to her beloved Mistral winds.
When they were out of view of muggle townships, he indicated to her she needed to hold onto him again. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he felt the pressure of her body against his back. His wand was clipped into a bracket on the side of the motorbike. He touched it and immediately the bike took off from the ground and they were flying through the air over fields and woodlands. Jeunesse sat up in surprise and let out a whoop of delight.
Finally they landed near the dry stone wall of a field with pine trees densely packed into forestry. A clearing through the trees showed a silver ribbon of a river glistening in the moonlight.
They got off the motorbike and Sirius indicated to Jeunesse she needed to be very quiet. He took her hand and led her to a spot where they were hidden by the trees but with a good view of the clearing and the river.
"There are only two places I know of where we can see what I want to show you," he said "I hope we'll be lucky."
After a short while, they were rewarded. A unicorn emerged from the forest on the other side of the river, making Jeunesse gasp and she clapped her hand over her mouth. He was a magnificent beast, his coat shining and when he tossed his head his long mane rippled down the side of his neck. He turned and disappeared into the trees again. A short time after he reappeared with a smaller unicorn and a tiny golden foal trotting close to his mother's heels. They went to the bank of the river to drink. They were there only a short time before the larger unicorn suddenly raised his head and they all turned and galloped back into the forest.
"Something's scared them," whispered Sirius, and it wasn't long before they found out what it was. A dark figure on a broomstick was careering along the course of the river only feet above the waterline. Sirius pulled Jeunesse closer in behind the trees so there was no chance they'd be seen. About thirty seconds later, four more dark figures on broomsticks shot by them, following the path of the first.
"Who are they," whispered Jeunesse.
"I've no idea," replied Sirius in a very low voice. "It's not quite full moon so it could be the Ministry Werewolf Capture Unit - poor devil, I hope he gets away. Come on, I think we'd better be getting back."
They remounted the motorbike and Sirius took off and flew away from the river in a detour that would take them away from the four men on broomsticks. He flew as far as he thought safe before landing on a muggle motorway and headed back towards home.
Sirius parked the motorbike outside Jeunesse's house and helped her off. She took off her goggles and said "Please come in for something to eat. I have arranged for some food and drink for our return." Sirius did not need asking twice. It had been a long evening and they were both hungry. He took his wand and the Invisibility Cloak and they went inside.
Jeunesse shut the door behind them and they walked through the living room towards the kitchen door. "Thank you so much, Sirius. That motorbike ride was fantastic - I have not felt so good since I left France."
Sirius faced her and circled his arm around her waist. He kissed her gently on the side of her neck. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know I did." He softly kissed the end of her nose and then the other side of her neck. They looked at each other and suddenly all hunger and thirst for food or drink was gone. Sirius felt whole pieces of his being were detaching from who he was and were flowing into the beautiful woman in his arms. From the look in her eyes, he could tell she was feeling the same.
He kissed her mouth with a passion, and she him. His hands ran down either side of her hips pulling her closer and he kissed the base of her throat, the sides of her face and then her mouth again. She indicated a room to his right and had already undone four of his shirt buttons as they burst through the bedroom door.
They fought breathlessly to free each other from their clothes, kissing freshly exposed skin as each new item was shed.
Finally collapsing onto the bed they tumbled and tangled into a long, unfettered release of all their senses, touching and caressing their exploration of each other with their hands, their lips and their tongues. At last, Sirius lay her on her back and moved over her, their eyes wanting each other, longing for each other as he entered her body. There was no need for words. Everything he needed to know about her was flooding into his soul, filling every space in his head and his heart. He couldn't imagine how he had lived so long without feeling this way about another person.
Jeunesse let out a low groan and moved his hand down to where she wanted to be touched, her head flying back as he did so. He kissed her between her breasts and on each nipple and she cried out softly, trembling involuntarily beneath him. He moved up and kissed her mouth gently and then her neck and, burying his face into her shoulder, he too felt his breath forcing itself from his body as everything he had ever been, everything he was now and everything he ever would be, left his body and his soul and entered Jeunesse. The way he felt for her was a new magic for him. He knew himself emptied but filled at the same time with something so mysterious, something which went so much deeper than any spoken incantation ever could.
He held her closely for sometime, gently rocking her in his arms. Then he pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked at her face. They were both wet with sweat. His hair was sticking to his face and his neck. With his thumb he smoothed a damp lock of her hair away from the corner of her eye. He ran his fingers over the outline of her cheekbones and across her face to her jaw and with his thumb stroked the corner of her mouth.
"You," he whispered, "are very, very beautiful."
"And you," she whispered back, "are very, very good!"
They laughed softly and kissed again.
At last he drew away from her and pulled her up towards him as he stood. He lifted her up and she wound her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bathroom and into the shower. They washed each other, splashing each other with soap bubbles and letting the cascade of water drum over their heads as they kissed again.
Sirius turned off the water and reached for a couple of towels. He ran one around his waist and the other around Jeunesse, wiping away the rivulets running from her hair over her shoulders. His hair was dripping water which ran down the front of his body. She held him close and as each drop made its way down, she chased it with her tongue.
She laughed and caught another drip.
"You're risking a wasted shower," he said airily.
She shot him a look and said "Like you care. But there are some risks I like to take with you," And laughing they embraced, Sirius pushing her backwards towards the bed, pulling away the towels as he lay her down. They made love again, more playfully this time but with great passion, and a deeper, more certain knowledge of each other. Eventually they fell asleep in each other's arms and the sun was high in the sky when they woke the next day.
Chapter Seven
The following Monday was James and Lily's anniversary. Sirius had been invited round for a celebratory drink which was probably going to extend into dinner.
He arrived late in the afternoon to find Lily alone with Harry. After three nights and two days with Jeunesse, he was looking a little rough around the edges. Lily eyed him but kept her smile to herself. She was wearing the locket and chain which Sirius had collected from Folbigg & Coote's the previous week.
"It looks beautiful on you," Sirius said to Lily. "The chain is just the right length."
"I know. I absolutely love it. James is so clever," she replied, holding the silver heart between two fingers and turning it to catch the light. Sirius smiled knowingly to himself.
"Can I have a coffee?" he asked
"Sure," she said. "You know where it is, can you fix it yourself? I've just got to tidy up all Harry's mess." She started to pick up all the toys that Harry had scattered around the room.
"When's James coming home?" asked Sirius, sipping his coffee and sitting down at the kitchen table. Harry crawled over to him and pulled himself up into a stand against the table leg. Sirius picked him up and carried him over to a pile of toys, explaining to him how he couldn't play when he had a hot cup of coffee on the table.
"James went to see Peter," said Lily. "He was concerned about what you said about Peter's thinking. He wanted to go and straighten things out with him. Peter isn't in on as much information as James is."
There was a soft "pop" in the living room as James apparated into the house.
"Well," he smiled. "The gang's all here!" He kissed Lily and spent a few seconds fingering the locket around her neck. Then he kissed her again and kissed Harry before moving to shake Sirius' hand. "Busy weekend?" he shot at Sirius.
Sirius was leaning back on his chair and was in the middle of stretching his arms above his head and yawning. James caught his wrist and made a mock play at trying to find a pulse. "Hmmm," he mused, tugging his glasses down to the end of his nose and looking over them at Lily. "Healer Potter," he announced to Lily, "this is the most desperate case of over- shag I've seen since."
"Your honeymoon?" shot back Sirius, laughing as he ducked a playful cuff from James' free hand and he tried to pull his wrist away which only made James grip harder.
"Healer Potter, this calls for emergency medication!" He looked at Sirius' coffee cup. "Wow! How strong is that coffee? Did you make that all by yourself, Sirius? Well I think what this patient really needs is a strong potion of Veritaserum. He obviously needs to be purged of all his secrets!"
Lily was laughing so hard she had to prop herself up against the doorway. "Oh, I don't know," she got out. "Maybe if Harry's a good boy and goes to sleep we can take an early night you might get the gist of it?"
James pushed his glasses back up his nose. He turned to Sirius and with a totally straight face said "It was really nice of you to drop by, Sirius. Sorry you can't stay.."
A mirror on the wall behind him started to cloud and the face of Albus Dumbledore appeared.
"James and, oh good Sirius I need to speak to you also," Dumbledore said with a worried frown creasing his eyes.
The two men stood together, looking at the wizard in the mirror.
"It has come to my attention that certain dark forces in France have put it out that a member of the Flamel family has come to our country and I am very concerned that she will need to be found and put into hiding. Sirius, I believe you might be needed immediately at Diagon Alley?"
"I'm on my way," said Sirius, his face white as a sheet. "I might also go into hiding, if this is the case," he added. And with a soft "pop" he disapparated.
"James," continued Dumbledore. "I have reason to believe that you, Lily and in particular Harry are in great danger. I suggest the casting of the Fidelius Charm - Lily I am confident in your abilities. This should not be beyond you."
Chapter Eight
Fifteen years later, Albus Dumbledore was staring out of his office window high in the Hogwarts Castle, recalling the instructions he had given to James and Lily. How tragic were all the events that followed. So many lives lost or changed for ever.
"Penny for them, Albus," said Minerva McGonagall quietly.
"Hmm? Yes, I'm sorry Minerva, I was lost in a cloud of thoughts and regrets I am ashamed to say."
"Regrets? Surely not, Albus. You have always acted with the utmost thought and integrity."
"Thank you, Minerva. But our new student has brought back a number of memories I would have preferred not to have had. I have asked Miss Granger to settle her into the dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. She will return presently and I will introduce you. I must prepare you, because she will remind you immediately of someone who until recently was very close to us all."
There was a knock on the door of Dumbledore's office.
"Aah, Harry. Thank you for coming so quickly. Please sit down, I have something to tell you and Professor McGonagall." Harry Potter entered the office and sat down in the seat indicated by Professor Dumbledore. He was tall, with the slim athletic build of a young man very good at sports, his black hair tousled and spiking into different directions.
"I wanted to explain to you both about a new student who has joined us today from the excellent school at Beauxbatons. She will enter into fifth year Minerva, if that is alright with you. She might be a little young for it, but her abilities are exceptional and I think a little extra attention at transfiguration might bring her up to speed very quickly."
"Of course, Headmaster," Professor McGonagall nodded.
"Harry, there are certain things about the young lady which will be patently and immediately obvious to you. What you do not know is that she has been brought up in France by her grandparents from a time shortly after her birth.
"For various reasons connected to her safety, her mother went into hiding there shortly before the death of your parents, Harry. Her father is none other than Sirius Black."
"What!" cried Harry, "Sirius never said. he never told me."
"I know," said Dumbledore. "Jeunesse St. Cloud and Sirius had known each other only a short time before having to part, but I believe that they were the love of each other's lives. Jeunesse did not survive long after the birth of their daughter, just long enough to name her and to send an owl asking me to watch over her baby girl. Sirius asked me to do the same for Jeunesse when she went into hiding. He was uncertain of his own fate at the time. When his daughter was born, Sirius was already in Azkaban and his story is well known to you. He never knew he had a daughter, that is my greatest regret, not telling him that fact. It is a tragedy that he died before I had made up my mind to tell him, but I knew he would take extraordinary risks to meet her and I felt that was neither in his own nor his daughter's best interests. He was grief-stricken when I told him of the death of Jeunesse. That was pain enough for him to suffer. Now it seems that his daughter's family are again under pressure from dark forces and I have thought it best that she come to Hogwarts."
The silence in the office was thick and heavy when it was broken by another knock at the door.
It opened and Hermione entered the room followed by a tall, slender girl with black shoulder-length hair which waved a frame around her face. Her features were very feminine and fine, but she had the unmistakeable look of her father. She looked at Harry and Professor Dumbledore. A strand of her fringe had caught onto the ends of her lashes. She brushed it away.
"Aaah, welcome!" said Dumbledore. "Harry, Professor McGonagall, I would like you to meet Mistral St. Cloud."
A Harry Potter Fanfiction
By Lightheart_62442
Chapter One
"The way he's going, mate," said Sirius Black to his best friend, "I reckon he'll be walking soon."
Sirius watched as Harry, his newly christened godson, pulled himself to his feet against the coffee table and banged his hand on the surface.
"No," said James Potter, Harry's father. "He's too wobbly yet. He'll stand on the spot, but then he collapses and crawls everywhere he wants to go." And as he spoke, Harry's knees gave way and he sat down hard, turned around and crawled over to his godfather.
"Come here, tiger," said Sirius to Harry. Harry crawled up to Sirius' leg and clutching onto his jeans, pulled himself into a stand. "Up you come." He picked Harry up and sat him on his knee.
"He was so good today," said Harry's mother, Lily as she came from the kitchen holding a bowl. "He didn't scream once. I'm sure he knew he was the centre of attention. Sirius, can you bring him in here and I'll give him his lunch."
Sirius stood up with Harry in his arms and carried him into the kitchen. Harry had grabbed a handful of Sirius' collar-length, black hair and refused to let go as he passed him over to Lily.
"Come on, darling," said Lily, "let go of poor Sirius - he's got quite a grip, hasn't he? Look - lunch! Let go now, that's the way" and she sat down at the table and proceeded to spoon mashed vegetables into Harry's mouth.
"Is Dumbledore coming back to the house?" asked Sirius. Lily was softly blowing some of the heat out of the vegetables perched on Harry's spoon. She nodded.
"He said he had to give you something to be fixed at Folbigg & Coote's the jewellers and metallurgists in Diagon Alley," said James, who was leaning against the doorway. "He's gone off to fetch it and he'll be here in a while."
"James can you set up the table in the other room for me, please?" asked Lily, wiping dribble from Harry's chin.
"Yeah, sure. Sirius, can you give me a hand?" James beckoned to Sirius to follow him. "How many of us are there?"
"Six," came the answer from the kitchen.
When they were out of earshot of the kitchen, James conjured a tablecloth for the dining table. "Can you do me a favour, mate?" he asked Sirius in a low voice. Sirius looked at James who was anxiously looking at the kitchen door.
"Sure, what?"
"I've ordered something for Lily at Folbigg & Coote's. But I can't go and pick it up because I want it to be a surprise. It's our anniversary next week and I want to give her something really special. She's been put through hell with all this business with the Death Eaters. She's never complained once when we've had to go away for, well, you know, business purposes. But every time I come home I see this look on her face of absolute relief that I'm safe. She looks calm enough today, but Harry's getting very active and when he was teething a couple of weeks ago she had a few rough nights."
Sirius was placing knives and forks around the table. "You know that's not a problem. What have you got on order?"
"It's a silver necklace with a locket." He reached into a pocket and pulled out an envelope. Inside the envelope was another envelope. "Here, take this and guard it with your life."
"Why, what is it?"
"Well the inside envelope has a lock of my hair," said James. "Yeah, I know, How Romantic," he continued, eyeing the lap-dog look Sirius had put on his face and smiling. "And there's a note to Gringott's to remove some money from my vault for it."
Sirius placed the envelopes into an inside pocket of his robes. "Leave it to me," he said. "I'll go there tomorrow."
There was a noise of a chair leg scraping on the floor in the kitchen. "Well, what do you reckon," said James loudly with a meaningful glance towards the kitchen. "If I can rustle up tickets to the Falcons vs the Magpies on Friday night, will you come?"
"Sure," said Sirius, equally pointedly. "Wouldn't miss it."
There was a tap at the front door which opened and three people entered, obviously having just shared a joke. Professor Albus Dumbledore held the front door open for Mr. & Mrs. Potter, James' parents.
Harry had finished his lunch and was sitting on the floor playing with some wooden blocks. Mr. Potter sat on the floor with his grandson and with his wand was making the blocks levitate and then float down gently to the floor again, much to Harry's delight.
After lunch, Lily and Mrs. Potter went to change Harry and put him down for his sleep. James and his father went for a walk, leaving Dumbledore with Sirius.
"Sirius," said Dumbledore. "I have something to ask of you."
"Yes, I know," said Sirius. "James said you needed something done at Diagon Alley."
"I would do it myself, but there are many demands on my time just at the moment." Dumbledore's eyes looked creased and a little tired. He was not a young man, but Sirius didn't know anyone else of such strength of mind. "You know all too well how school activities come to the boil at this end of the school year. There are exams, OWLS and NEWTS and the Quidditch Final. You will be happy to know that Gryffindor are playing Ravenclaw this year."
Sirius laughed softly. "Well, that's a foregone conclusion then, isn't it! Gryffindor will win the cup for sure!"
"Well, Ravenclaw have a particularly good seeker at the moment," said Dumbledore, his eyes smiling at Sirius. "And since James left, Gryffindor hasn't quite rebuilt its former formidable reputation. Although it would pain you to hear it, I suspect that Ravenclaw might be in with a very good chance."
They continued in friendly argument for a few minutes before Dumbledore's more pensive expression resumed on his face.
"The task I have for you is quite straight forward," he said. "I have some instruments in my office which are very old. Occasionally accidents have happened - gusts of wind, Fawkes' wing tips sometimes sweep things from my desk and they have broken. Whilst I am quite adept at using repairing spells, this particular instrument is now in need of specialist attention and I would be grateful if you would take it to Folbigg & Coote's for me. They have recently gained the services of a particularly talented witch who assures me that she can restore the article to its original glory."
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure," said Sirius. "I'm going there anyway for another purpose so I can take it tomorrow."
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Dumbledore and he reached into his robes and pulled out a long, knitted sock with blue and yellow stripes and gave it to Sirius. "It might look a little bit unusual at first glance," said Dumbledore with a look of amusement at Sirius's surprised face, "but I'm sure Miss St. Cloud will be able to deal with it."
Chapter Two
Sirius pushed open the door of Folbigg & Coote's which triggered the flight of a bird of paradise into the rear of the shop. He looked around at the walls covered with shelves of whirring silver instruments, their cog wheels spinning and clicking, each to its own rhythm.
At the back wall, what looked like large grandfather clocks stood, their multiple hands pointing in various directions. Sirius couldn't help thinking of a similar clock he had seen in the home of Molly and Arthur Weasley, a young wizarding couple with links to Professor Dumbledore. Arthur Weasley worked in the Ministry of Magic and Sirius and James had gone to his home one night for a secret meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. He couldn't help feeling sorry for Molly Weasley who, at the time, had three small boys and had just given birth to twins. Nevertheless, she had taken the time to show him her large clock which had multiple hands, one for each member of the family which told her where everyone was at any given moment. She had inherited it and it was her most prized possession in her otherwise simple home.
Sirius turned his attention to the counters with their contents of silver and gold jewellery featuring crystals of rose quartz, amethyst, onyx and other magical stones set into rings and pendants. A section of gold wedding rings shone out at him, their engravings dancing before his eyes and reading messages of enduring love. "My love for you will burn until the end of time" one spelled out, a word at a time.
A separate counter lined with rich, black silk was set aside for the exhibition of a large, creamy pearl sitting on a gold stand carved into the features of an otter which was curled into a circle supporting the pearl. "The Pearl of Wisdom" read a little sign with no further information.
He looked up suddenly as the hands on one of the grandfather clocks started to move. The hand was shifting from "Workshop" to "Front Counter" and as it did, the door at the back of the shop opened to reveal a tall, slender young woman.
"I am sorry to keep you waiting," she said to Sirius, with a trace of an accent.
"Not at all," replied Sirius who was immediately struck by the deep black pools of her eyes and shoulder length dark hair. She was slightly shorter than he was although she was wearing heeled shoes. Her work robes covered a fine, white silk shirt with embroidery bordering the button holes which she had tucked into the waist of a black skirt. A slim leather belt circled her waist with a silver buckle engraved with rune symbols. A strand of her fringe had caught onto the ends of her lashes. She brushed it away. "I was having a look at all your fascinating instruments," he went on. "There's a lot to see in here."
"Well, I apologise for the delay," she said. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Sirius was trying hard to place her accent and thought it could be French.
"I've come to see a Miss St. Cloud. She's expecting a special delivery."
"Ah, yes, that is me. You have come from Professor Dumbledore, no? I am pleased to meet you," and she stuck out her hand, "I am Jeunesse St. Cloud."
Sirius took her hand and gently shook it. Her fingers were long and strong with perfectly manicured nails shining with a clear polish. He looked back at her face which had a questioning look.
"Oh, sorry, Sirius Black," he got out. And pulling the sock from the pocket inside his robes he said "Yes, Professor Dumbledore gave me this. He said you'd know how to deal with it."
Jeunesse St. Cloud's face broke into a small smile as the sock lay on the counter. Her eyes shining with amusement, she said to Sirius "Professor Dumbledore has a sense of 'umour, no?" She took a wand from her robes and touched the sock which immediately turned into a fine silver instrument with thin cog wheels pulling at delicate levers and turning whole sections of fine machinery into different directions all at once. Sirius had never seen anything so small or so complex in his life. Jeunesse picked up the instrument and examined it closely.
Sirius couldn't help looking at her eyes, then her nose which was fine and elegant and then her mouth which revealed straight, white teeth as she spoke. "Aah, yes," she murmured softly. "I see what the problem is." Sirius couldn't imagine what it was she could see that was wrong in the maze of whirring and whirling pieces of silver. "This should not take too long to repair, but he was right to send it in. It is a definitely a specialist job. Would you be able to collect it later today?"
"Oh yes," said Sirius. "What time do you close?"
"Six o'clock."
"Good. In the meantime, I have another small delivery, for my friend Mr. James Potter." Sirius was reaching into another pocket for the envelopes.
"Oh yes, the locket," said Jeunesse. "Your friend has excellent taste, Mr. Black."
"You might think that," said Sirius with a grin, "but it's taken many years of training on my part to get him to that stage." Jeunesse looked at him from beneath her lashes with a smile flashing across her eyes.
"You are a friend a long time, no?" she asked. "Is this the package from Mr. Potter?" Sirius took out the small envelope from within the larger one and gave it to her. She looked inside, her lips pursing slightly, and touched the contents with her wand. A slim black velvet ribbon sprang from her wand tip and wound its way around the strands of James' hair, binding it into a tidy curl.
"I think James' wife would like to know how you did that," said Sirius, impressed. "I mean, not the ribbon, but James' hair is always in a mess and it drives Lily mad sometimes."
"Well, it should not take long to finish off the locket for her," said Jeunesse. "But as you are a friend of Mrs. Potter perhaps you could 'elp me by telling me how long she would like the chain?"
Sirius was suddenly gripped by a small sense of panic. "I, I have no idea," he said.
"Well, perhaps you can tell me," continued Jeunesse, "is she a large lady or a small lady, because it is important that when she is wearing the locket that it sits over her heart." She took a crystal pendant out from a counter display.
"She's not as tall as you are," said Sirius, thankful to be given a legitimate reason to examine Jeunesse openly, "but she is not a large lady, she's about your build."
Jeunesse placed the pendant around her neck and lengthened the chain so that the crystal dropped momentarily inside the folds of her silk shirt. Then she shortened it slightly so that the crystal reappeared to a position over her heart.
"Hmm," she murmured. "That should be enough, then, you think?" And she looked to Sirius for his approval before removing the pendant and measuring the length of the chain. "If you could come back at about half-past five this evening, both of these items will be ready for you to take away."
"Fine," Sirius smiled. "I'll be here. Thank you. Goodbye, then." And he stuck out his hand to shake hers again. As he left the shop, he couldn't help feeling that bits of his stomach and chest had been left behind inside so that felt much less than his normal weight and he half skipped, half walked down the street towards Gringotts Bank.
Chapter Three
Sirius's walk down Diagon Alley took him past Madam Malkin's shop for Robes For All Occasions. Inside he could see the shadows of two women, both tall and thin with long faces and hooded eyes. He recognised one immediately as Bellatrix Lestrange, a known Death Eater and follower of the Dark Lord Voldemort. She was holding a baby which had whispy, pale blond hair. The other woman was talking with Madam Malkin and it was obvious they were fitting the child for an outfit of some sort.
Sirius turned his face towards the road and pulled the collar of his robes closer around his neck and continued on towards Gringotts Bank.
Once in the bank, he went as usual down the sickening carriage ride into the bowels of the bank to his own vault, number 711 to withdraw some gold Galleons and some smaller silver Sickles. Then he was taken on a rocketing ride back to where James had his vault and he withdrew the amount that James had written on the parchment letter. He did not need to go to a vault for Professor Dumbledore as he had apparently made another arrangement for payment with Folbigg & Coote.
As he walked down the wide central aisle of Gringotts Bank towards the exit doors, Sirius caught a glance of a slim man with long blond hair brushed elegantly behind his shoulders. His black robes fell in expensive-looking folds from his shoulders and the fastenings were pure silver with engraved crests. He knew this was Lucius Malfoy and guessed that the other woman in the shop was his wife Narcissa, the sister of Bellatrix Lestrange. He had no desire to greet Malfoy who was also a Death Eater but their eyes met across the expanse of marble flooring as Sirius made his way through the giant wooden exit doors. Lucius Malfoy made no sign of recognising Sirius, but Sirius knew that he would not have gone unnoticed.
Suddenly feeling like having a drink on this warm June day, Sirius headed towards the Leaky Cauldron pub, feeling certain that Malfoy would not be seen dead in such a place. As he turned the corner he bumped into a small wizard in brown robes who was balding prematurely.
"Peter!" Sirius greeted the small wizard. "How are you, what are you doing here?" Peter Pettigrew was an old friend of Sirius and James. He used to hang around with them at Hogwarts and was now working with them in the Order's fight against Lord Voldemort and his followers.
"Oh, Sirius," said Pettigrew. "Good to see you." They shook hands.
"Come and have a drink with me," said Sirius. "It's too warm out here." The two of them went into the Leaky Cauldron and found a table. Before long they were sipping on ice cold butterbeers and tucking into large pub sandwiches.
"Sirius," said Peter, a frown darkening his face. "I'm worried - I saw Lucius Malfoy in the street this morning with his wife and her sister."
"I know, so did I," replied Sirius. "But it didn't look much more than a family outing. I saw the women in Madam Malkins measuring up the kid for an outfit. What was it, a boy wasn't it?"
"Yes," said Peter. "They called him Draco."
"Ha," barked Sirius in a short laugh. "Malfoy lives in hope that his son will grow into someone with the courage of a dragon. I think not, it would go against all the Malfoy genes."
"Yes, but it worries me all the same," said Peter. "Malfoy's bankrolling so much of Voldemort's activities."
"How do you know that," said Sirius quickly.
"Dumbledore. He's got spies all over the place. The trouble is, the information we're getting isn't being used to organise proper attacks to foil all their plans. Voldemort is getting the upper hand. It won't be long before the Order is going to be under serious attack - you mark my words. Then I wonder who'll be around so I can say 'I told you so'."
"So if the spies are so good, how much information are they bringing back?" asked Sirius. "Who do they suspect of being active in the Order?"
"I have no idea," said Peter, staring into his half-empty glass. "Dumbledore doesn't tell me details like that." And he continued to examine the bubbles floating on the top of his butterbeer as if looking for divination. "That's the problem, Sirius. Dumbledore's keeping the information to himself half the time. How does he expect us to be co- ordinated if we don't know what's going on. He's up at Hogwarts nicely out of the way and we're here walking the streets not knowing if round the corner some Death Eater's waiting for us to step straight into a trap. Makes me nervous. The other side's getting stronger and stronger and we're all over the place."
"I'll talk to him, old mate," said Sirius comfortingly and slapping him on the back. "I'm seeing him in the next couple of days. Leave it to me."
"Trouble is, Sirius, we're all 'leaving it' to everybody else to do something. We're going to get cut short one day, you mark my words." He glanced out of the window and stood up hurriedly. "Sorry, Sirius. can't keep chatting on here. You know how it is, things to do, people to see. Thanks for the butterbeer." And he hurried out of the Leaky Cauldron and disappeared down a side lane.
Sirius was in no hurry. He had time to kill until half past five so he turned his thoughts back to Jeunesse St. Cloud and tried to imagine how she worked with all those tiny pieces of silver with those beautiful, long fingers.
Chapter Four
Half past five came at last and Sirius again pushed open the door of Folbigg & Coote's. The bird of paradise flew from its perch above the doorway and disappeared into the dark depths of the shop. Clicks and whirrs filled Sirius's ears as he waited with anticipation for Jeunesse to appear. The hands of the grandfather clock showed "Workshop" and then started to move, falling slowly down to "Front Counter".
The back door opened and Jeunesse appeared. She had changed her working over-robes for a smart charcoal grey set and she carried Dumbledore's silver instrument in one hand and a small navy-blue velvet box in the other.
"'ello again," she greeted Sirius with a smile.
Sirius's insides lurched almost as much as if he were back on the carriage in Gringotts.
"This is the instrument for Professor Dumbledore. It is quite like new again."
"I'll have to take your word for that," smiled Sirius. "Can you tell me what it does?"
Jeunesse studied his eyes closely. "This is a very magical object. It contains many spells which allows it to perform many different and varied functions. What Professor Dumbledore chooses to do with it, I know not. But one use for it is to study and interpret relationships between people. Some wizards and witches use it for finding a suitable marriage partner - not my preference I must say. We have better ways to do that where I come from." She glanced up and caught Sirius' eyes. "Other people use it to see whether there is trust between one person and another. That is on the other end of the scale - more like being a spy. Of course, there are any number of other things you can interpret it."
She took out her wand from her pocket and touched the instrument so that it folded itself up into the blue and yellow sock. Sirius shook his head with a grin and put the sock in his pocket.
"And can I see what James is giving to Lily?" he asked.
"Of course. This is the result of your good training, no?" Her eyes smiled at Sirius and then she opened the box. Inside was a silver heart locket with filigree carving with tiny crystals embedded in the surface. Slinked into the top ring of the locket was a fine silver chain which was tucked under the velvet lining of the box.
"I'm impressed," he said truthfully. "James is starting to get it right at last."
"It is a very clever choice," said Jeunesse. I have turned some of the hair strands you gave me to silver and woven them into the surface of the locket. They are the pieces which hold the crystals in place. They are rose quartz - a very powerful amplification of love straight to the heart, especially if the locket is worn in just the right position. The rest of the lock of his hair is contained inside the locket with a spell. If the two people are separated for any reason, the wearer of the locket can hold it to their heart and send a message of devotion to the partner. It is very - how do you say - sweet."
Sirius looked up from the locket to Jeunesse. "That's just what we say," he said quietly and he closed the lid of the box.
"Listen, would you like to come to Florentine's with me? It's not far from here. If you've finished, you would honour me greatly if I could buy you some dinner."
"I would like that very much," Jeunesse replied with a smile. She tidied a few things away, pulled out a silver keyring with several keys on it and locked up the shop.
It had been some time since Sirius had been to Florentine's. It was the most expensive restaurant in Diagon Alley. The tables were covered with crisp white linen which fell to the floor. The chairs lifted themselves away from the tables and tucked themselves gently under their patrons. Menues appeared from nowhere and napkins were shaken out and placed on their laps. Crystal glasses shone like diamonds in the candlelight on the table and highly polished silverware bordered the placemats. A crystal carafe of water lifted itself and poured some of its contents into one of the glasses.
"Tell me about yourself," said Sirius. "Where do you come from? How long have you been here - I want to know everything about you."
"Well," began Jeunesse running her index finger up and down the edge of the menu. "I come from France as you can probably tell from the way I speak. But I have worked very hard on my accent and I think I am doing your English speaking very well now."
"That you are," smiled Sirius. "Where in France."
"Originally my family is from Paris - I come from a long line of alchemists and metallurgists. My full name is Jeunesse St. Cloud Flamel."
"I've heard of that name," said Sirius sharply. "So that's your connection with Professor Dumbledore."
"Sshhh," she whispered. "I cannot use the name Flamel because it is still too dangerous for my family. Anyway, jewellery and silverware are the professions we all follow from when we are very small. My father and grandfather were experts and when I showed an interest when I was young, my father said I should be taught. He decided this after the tragic loss of my grandfather during the wizard wars of the 1940s. My grandfather was being pressured into making special instruments very similar to the one I have just repaired for Professor Dumbledore and then he was subjected to terrible torture when his enemies thought that he knew the secret to Philosopher's Stone. He did not, because that was something known only to my grand-grandpere Nicolas and even my father says he does not know what happened to it. It was a terrible blow to my family, but my father vowed our ancestral knowledge would continue no matter what. This meant that we had to go into hiding. We found a Romany community in the Camargue area which took us in and we adopted a new identity. But my father has been working non-stop to keep our knowledge in the family and he has spent years secretly writing down the methods and incantations that are used in each step of our work."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" asked Sirius curiously. "Don't you suspect me - we've only just met. After all, times are difficult now with Lord Voldemort getting stronger and stronger by the day."
"Aah," she smiled. "Your reputation precedes you, Sirius - can I call you Sirius?"
"Absolutely, you can"
"I have not been working on the instrument for Professor Dumbledore without detailed instructions. And I did a little bit of research on you after you left this morning."
"How much of a 'little bit'?" Sirius was more than mildly curious.
"Oh, enough to assure me that you could be trusted. And, of course, I know how to use the instruments for my own purposes." She smiled up at him from under her lashes in a way which both invited Sirius' questions and repelled them at the same time.
"Of course, my life here is very different to that in the Camargue," she continued.
"I told you," Sirius said gently. "I want to know everything. And I'll listen all night if I have to." His eyes followed the flick of her dark wavy hair which framed her face softly. Her slightly olive skin shone in the candlelight. The embroidery on her shirt gleamed and he could see now that there were hundreds of miniature pearls sewn with miniscule stitches into the design.
"In the Camargue we were living on the plains, riding horses almost before we could walk, living in portable homes like the ones the muggles call 'tents'. I went to school at Beauxbatons which I finished with very good grades. But my favourite time was the holidays. We had a life so close to nature. We followed the festivals of nature with singing and incantations and reverence to the spirits of nature. And every year, my favourite time was at the end of the year at Christmas and it is very cold. You can have days when the sky is so clear you think you can see right through the blue to the stars beyond. Then if it is calm and quiet with the sky so pale and blue, that is the time when in an instant the Mistral winds come and blow over the land. We had to wear scarves over our faces against the dust and the cold but the wind will blow right through your body and I always felt that it blew out of my being all the bad times of the year just passed and through my hair it blew out the memories I didn't want to keep. Every year my special friend the Mistral did this for me so that I could start another year afresh with new spirit. The Mistral both empties you and fills you at the same time. It is a bit like love, no?"
Sirius stared into her eyes. "I suppose it is," he eventually replied. "But I have never experienced the Mistral. I don't think we have anything like it in England. I shall try and think of something similar as we eat - look here come our meals." Plates of beautifully garnished food set themselves down in front of them. They started to eat, their conversation turned to small talk and jokes. Sirius was discovering Jeunesse had a smile and a laugh which appeared more often the longer he talked with her.
"Now it is your turn," Jeunesse said, placing her knife and fork side by side on the plate. "Tell me the story of Mr. Sirius Black."
"Well, there's not much that's exciting to tell, really," he started, leaning back in his chair and running his hands through his black hair.
"That's not what my research tells me," she replied quickly looking at him from the sides of her eyes. "I am told you were - how do you put it - a handful? When you were at school, I mean."
"Dumbledore's been filling you in, has he?" said Sirius, setting his chair upright again. "Well, alright, I gather I'm at a disadvantage here because you obviously know a lot more than I thought! Well, maybe James Potter and I were a little bit naughty every now and again.."
"How much is a 'little bit'?" It was Jeunesse's turn to ask the question.
They finished their coffees with Sirius filling in only the gaps he wanted to fill, with what he thought would be appropriate embellishments. Somehow he knew from her expression the bits she believed and the bits she didn't.
"Can I walk you home?" he asked, flicking some gold coins on the table.
"I would like that," Jeunesse replied. "It is not far, just a few blocks."
Sirius held open the door of Florentine's to let her pass then took her hand and linked her arm through his. They chatted quietly together as they walked past an elegant walled garden in the middle of the square where Jeunesse's house stood. He broke off a stem of flowers from a bush that was growing through the railings and gave it to her.
"Thank you for a lovely evening," she said as she stood in front of her doorstep. "I had a very good time."
"I've been thinking about the Mistral," said Sirius, unlinking her arm and holding her hand. "I'm quite sure that we don't have anything quite like it here." Looking straight into her eyes, he placed her fingertips to his lips and kissed them softly.
"Are you sure?" she said
"By comparison, the most we have is a gentle breeze," and he kissed the palm of her hand.
"A gentle breeze?" she smiled.
"Probably you'd think it just a bit of a draught, really," and he kissed the inside of her wrist.
"Oohh, and when can I feel this 'bit of a draught'?"
"Well, I was hoping you might be free on Friday night. I know a place where magical things can happen and I'll see if I can throw in a 'bit of a draught'." He dropped her kissed hand onto his shoulder and with his other hand pulled her body closer to him.
"That would be very nice," she said softly but before she could ask where this special place might be, Sirius had placed his lips on hers and was kissing her very gently.
Chapter Five
The following day was busy for Sirius, which he was glad about because all his thoughts were for Friday. He returned the silver instrument to Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore had been visiting the Ministry of Magic was involved in meetings for most of the day. At last he managed to find a brief break in the proceedings to return the blue and yellow sock to its owner.
"Thank you Sirius, you're very kind. You've no idea how uncomfortable it is to have to wear odd socks," Dumbledore said with an unconvincing look on his face. "Do remember to put them on my Christmas list."
In the evening he was expected at James and Lily's for dinner. He arrived early, hoping to spend some time with his godson.
He wasn't disappointed. Harry had been awake for only a short time before Sirius arrived and was sitting in a playpen in the corner of the kitchen banging a saucepan with a wooden spoon. It was a deafening noise.
"Hello, Harry!" exclaimed Sirius as he came into the room. "What's this then, little guy. You going to grow up to be a drummer for The Wild Nights, eh?"
He lifted Harry out of the playpen and took him into the living room along with the saucepan and the wooden spoon. "Hang on a minute," he said to Harry. "I need one of those spoons too. Let's see if Mum's got another one." And he returned to the kitchen and took a wooden spoon straight out of Lily's hand just as she was about to plunge it into a mixing bowl.
"Hey!" she cried. "That's mine!"
"Not any more," said Sirius, escaping into the living room. "Harry and I have prioritised these items for secret spellwork. We're going to transfigure them into a life-sized version of The Wild Nights!"
"Over my dead body," said Lily.
"Just like this, Harry," said Sirius in mock seriousness. "One, two, three.."
"Sirius, don't you dare!" cried Lily.
"Sirius, don't you dare what," came James' voice as he came in through the front door. "You giving Lily a hard time, mate?" And he kissed his wife trying all the while to avoid her floury hands. Lily saw this and immediately placed both hands on James' cheeks, leaving white powdery fingermarks all over his face.
"No, 'course not," said Sirius. "Harry and I were just about to get the party going, weren't we Harry. Harry's got the butterbeers and I was just about to bring on the entertainment." Sirius waved his wand and a tray of butterbeers appeared on the coffee table. "Here you go, Harry," said Sirius in a loud voice he knew would regain Lily's attention, "have a sip, and I'll give you some good advice about mothers."
"Sirius!" yelled Lily, horrified. "Don't you dare give him any of that stuff! What on earth's got into you today?"
"Oh nothing, just having some fun."
Lily returned to the kitchen, flashing a look over her shoulder to make sure Sirius knew she had her eye on him. Sirius got up off the floor and shook James' hand, at the same time slipping him the slim velvet box he'd brought back from Folbigg and Coote's. James pocketed the box and said "I've got the tickets for Friday night's match. Should be good."
Sirius had forgotten the Quidditch match altogether. Harry had started banging the saucepan again, making a deafening row.
"I'm really sorry, mate. I can't make it on Friday. I'm going to be busy."
"What?" said James who really hadn't heard what Sirius had said. James went over to Harry and picked him up and kissed him.
"I said, I'm really sorry.I'm going to be busy on Friday night. I forgot to tell you. Sorry."
"How can you be busy when the Falcons are playing the Magpies? That's a first class tournament in anybody's language. Lily, talk some sense into him will you?"
Lily came to the doorway and looked at Sirius. "It's a really great match to have to miss Sirius. Can't you get out of it and have some fun for a change."
Sirius looked at the floor and made a face. Then he looked back at Lily with a look of resignation and shook his head.
"Aww, come on mate," implored James. "I can't go on my own."
Lily was studying Sirius. "James, I think you'd better ask Remus or Peter if they want to go. Sirius is busy, otherwise I'm sure he'd love to go with you." Throughout all her words, she never took her eyes from Sirius.
"How can you be that busy?" James was still begging Sirius to reconsider. He looked at Lily and then swung a sharp look straight back to Sirius and said "Really?"
Lily smiled at James and said "Right, well I think Harry needs a change. I'll be back in a minute." And she picked up her son who was still gripping the wooden spoon and carried him upstairs.
"Who is it?" asked James with boiling curiosity.
"No-one you know," said Sirius, slyly.
"This had better not be a one-night stand, Sirius. You can't give up good Quidditch tickets for a one-night stand."
"It's not a one-night stand," said Sirius quietly. "Not this time."
"Where are you going, who is she? Is she pretty - sorry, dumb question. When did you meet her - come on, man, I'm desperate to know. You know my life will be hell if Lily comes downstairs and I have no information at all."
"All I can say is that if Friday goes well, I don't think it will be too long before you meet her," said Sirius in a promising tone.
"Meet her? Finally, we get to meet someone? Miracles will happen!" James slapped Sirius on the back. "Oh, thank heavens for that. Lily will live on that bit of information for a fortnight but then you'd better deliver or she'll start having a go at you. And me. And Harry had better look out too."
"Listen, James," said Sirius, frowning. "I met Peter Pettigrew in Diagon Alley yesterday. He's really nervous. The Malfoy family were there too with Narcissa's sister. I think the sight of Malfoy put the wind up Peter for some reason. He's starting to sound as if he's resigned to the worst. Said Dumbledore wasn't doing enough and the Order was more like the Disorder. I couldn't talk with Dumbledore today, but Peter's really getting into a sweat."
James picked up a butterbeer and took a thoughtful sip.
"I'll talk to Dumbledore as soon as I can," said James. "I think he's trying to organise something but he's getting mixed messages from all his spies. Some of them say one thing then that's contradicted by somebody else. I think Dumbledore's worried there's somebody sitting on both fences."
"What!" exclaimed Sirius. "You mean, someone's giving information on both sides? Merlin's beard they'd better not be near me when I find out who it is."
"No, me either," said James, wiping the last bit of flour from his cheek. They could hear Lily's steps coming down the stairs and she came into the living room and handed Harry over to Sirius.
"Dinner will be two minutes," she announced.
Chapter Six
At last, seven o'clock on Friday came around. It had been another warm day and the shadows of the summer evening were lengthening as the night prepared to shade the day from view.
Sirius knocked on the front door of Jeunesse's house. She opened it and stepped down to the pavement wearing jeans, the palest blue shirt and a black vest of fine, soft leather. Sirius took her hand and kissed it.
"My fine lady," he began theatrically, "your horse awaits you." And he swept his hand towards the road.
"What horse?" Jeunesse asked, puzzled.
"This one," said Sirius and swept an Invisibility Cloak away from a large black motorbike parked on the side of the road.
"Oh!" gasped Jeunesse, her hand flying to her mouth. She smiled a huge smile and said, "Is this yours?"
"Sure it is," said Sirius handing her a pair of goggles. "Do you think you could risk coming for a ride with me?"
"The risk is what would make it fun!" exclaimed Jeunesse, looking at the motorbike from end to end.
Her words stopped Sirius in his tracks and he eyed her up and down with his head slightly to one side.
"Come on," she called to him. "Let's go." She put her goggles on and sat on the back of the motorbike. Sirius pulled on his goggles and climbed in front of her, started the engine and steered off down the street.
They drove down the darkening streets as the lamps started to light themselves. The waxing moon was more than half-full and was filling the landscape with its silvery beams.
Sirius felt Jeunesse take her hands from around his waist and from a quick glance in his rear view mirrors could see that she was holding her arms in the air and occasionally running a hand through her hair. This was the closest thing he could bring her to her beloved Mistral winds.
When they were out of view of muggle townships, he indicated to her she needed to hold onto him again. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he felt the pressure of her body against his back. His wand was clipped into a bracket on the side of the motorbike. He touched it and immediately the bike took off from the ground and they were flying through the air over fields and woodlands. Jeunesse sat up in surprise and let out a whoop of delight.
Finally they landed near the dry stone wall of a field with pine trees densely packed into forestry. A clearing through the trees showed a silver ribbon of a river glistening in the moonlight.
They got off the motorbike and Sirius indicated to Jeunesse she needed to be very quiet. He took her hand and led her to a spot where they were hidden by the trees but with a good view of the clearing and the river.
"There are only two places I know of where we can see what I want to show you," he said "I hope we'll be lucky."
After a short while, they were rewarded. A unicorn emerged from the forest on the other side of the river, making Jeunesse gasp and she clapped her hand over her mouth. He was a magnificent beast, his coat shining and when he tossed his head his long mane rippled down the side of his neck. He turned and disappeared into the trees again. A short time after he reappeared with a smaller unicorn and a tiny golden foal trotting close to his mother's heels. They went to the bank of the river to drink. They were there only a short time before the larger unicorn suddenly raised his head and they all turned and galloped back into the forest.
"Something's scared them," whispered Sirius, and it wasn't long before they found out what it was. A dark figure on a broomstick was careering along the course of the river only feet above the waterline. Sirius pulled Jeunesse closer in behind the trees so there was no chance they'd be seen. About thirty seconds later, four more dark figures on broomsticks shot by them, following the path of the first.
"Who are they," whispered Jeunesse.
"I've no idea," replied Sirius in a very low voice. "It's not quite full moon so it could be the Ministry Werewolf Capture Unit - poor devil, I hope he gets away. Come on, I think we'd better be getting back."
They remounted the motorbike and Sirius took off and flew away from the river in a detour that would take them away from the four men on broomsticks. He flew as far as he thought safe before landing on a muggle motorway and headed back towards home.
Sirius parked the motorbike outside Jeunesse's house and helped her off. She took off her goggles and said "Please come in for something to eat. I have arranged for some food and drink for our return." Sirius did not need asking twice. It had been a long evening and they were both hungry. He took his wand and the Invisibility Cloak and they went inside.
Jeunesse shut the door behind them and they walked through the living room towards the kitchen door. "Thank you so much, Sirius. That motorbike ride was fantastic - I have not felt so good since I left France."
Sirius faced her and circled his arm around her waist. He kissed her gently on the side of her neck. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know I did." He softly kissed the end of her nose and then the other side of her neck. They looked at each other and suddenly all hunger and thirst for food or drink was gone. Sirius felt whole pieces of his being were detaching from who he was and were flowing into the beautiful woman in his arms. From the look in her eyes, he could tell she was feeling the same.
He kissed her mouth with a passion, and she him. His hands ran down either side of her hips pulling her closer and he kissed the base of her throat, the sides of her face and then her mouth again. She indicated a room to his right and had already undone four of his shirt buttons as they burst through the bedroom door.
They fought breathlessly to free each other from their clothes, kissing freshly exposed skin as each new item was shed.
Finally collapsing onto the bed they tumbled and tangled into a long, unfettered release of all their senses, touching and caressing their exploration of each other with their hands, their lips and their tongues. At last, Sirius lay her on her back and moved over her, their eyes wanting each other, longing for each other as he entered her body. There was no need for words. Everything he needed to know about her was flooding into his soul, filling every space in his head and his heart. He couldn't imagine how he had lived so long without feeling this way about another person.
Jeunesse let out a low groan and moved his hand down to where she wanted to be touched, her head flying back as he did so. He kissed her between her breasts and on each nipple and she cried out softly, trembling involuntarily beneath him. He moved up and kissed her mouth gently and then her neck and, burying his face into her shoulder, he too felt his breath forcing itself from his body as everything he had ever been, everything he was now and everything he ever would be, left his body and his soul and entered Jeunesse. The way he felt for her was a new magic for him. He knew himself emptied but filled at the same time with something so mysterious, something which went so much deeper than any spoken incantation ever could.
He held her closely for sometime, gently rocking her in his arms. Then he pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked at her face. They were both wet with sweat. His hair was sticking to his face and his neck. With his thumb he smoothed a damp lock of her hair away from the corner of her eye. He ran his fingers over the outline of her cheekbones and across her face to her jaw and with his thumb stroked the corner of her mouth.
"You," he whispered, "are very, very beautiful."
"And you," she whispered back, "are very, very good!"
They laughed softly and kissed again.
At last he drew away from her and pulled her up towards him as he stood. He lifted her up and she wound her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bathroom and into the shower. They washed each other, splashing each other with soap bubbles and letting the cascade of water drum over their heads as they kissed again.
Sirius turned off the water and reached for a couple of towels. He ran one around his waist and the other around Jeunesse, wiping away the rivulets running from her hair over her shoulders. His hair was dripping water which ran down the front of his body. She held him close and as each drop made its way down, she chased it with her tongue.
She laughed and caught another drip.
"You're risking a wasted shower," he said airily.
She shot him a look and said "Like you care. But there are some risks I like to take with you," And laughing they embraced, Sirius pushing her backwards towards the bed, pulling away the towels as he lay her down. They made love again, more playfully this time but with great passion, and a deeper, more certain knowledge of each other. Eventually they fell asleep in each other's arms and the sun was high in the sky when they woke the next day.
Chapter Seven
The following Monday was James and Lily's anniversary. Sirius had been invited round for a celebratory drink which was probably going to extend into dinner.
He arrived late in the afternoon to find Lily alone with Harry. After three nights and two days with Jeunesse, he was looking a little rough around the edges. Lily eyed him but kept her smile to herself. She was wearing the locket and chain which Sirius had collected from Folbigg & Coote's the previous week.
"It looks beautiful on you," Sirius said to Lily. "The chain is just the right length."
"I know. I absolutely love it. James is so clever," she replied, holding the silver heart between two fingers and turning it to catch the light. Sirius smiled knowingly to himself.
"Can I have a coffee?" he asked
"Sure," she said. "You know where it is, can you fix it yourself? I've just got to tidy up all Harry's mess." She started to pick up all the toys that Harry had scattered around the room.
"When's James coming home?" asked Sirius, sipping his coffee and sitting down at the kitchen table. Harry crawled over to him and pulled himself up into a stand against the table leg. Sirius picked him up and carried him over to a pile of toys, explaining to him how he couldn't play when he had a hot cup of coffee on the table.
"James went to see Peter," said Lily. "He was concerned about what you said about Peter's thinking. He wanted to go and straighten things out with him. Peter isn't in on as much information as James is."
There was a soft "pop" in the living room as James apparated into the house.
"Well," he smiled. "The gang's all here!" He kissed Lily and spent a few seconds fingering the locket around her neck. Then he kissed her again and kissed Harry before moving to shake Sirius' hand. "Busy weekend?" he shot at Sirius.
Sirius was leaning back on his chair and was in the middle of stretching his arms above his head and yawning. James caught his wrist and made a mock play at trying to find a pulse. "Hmmm," he mused, tugging his glasses down to the end of his nose and looking over them at Lily. "Healer Potter," he announced to Lily, "this is the most desperate case of over- shag I've seen since."
"Your honeymoon?" shot back Sirius, laughing as he ducked a playful cuff from James' free hand and he tried to pull his wrist away which only made James grip harder.
"Healer Potter, this calls for emergency medication!" He looked at Sirius' coffee cup. "Wow! How strong is that coffee? Did you make that all by yourself, Sirius? Well I think what this patient really needs is a strong potion of Veritaserum. He obviously needs to be purged of all his secrets!"
Lily was laughing so hard she had to prop herself up against the doorway. "Oh, I don't know," she got out. "Maybe if Harry's a good boy and goes to sleep we can take an early night you might get the gist of it?"
James pushed his glasses back up his nose. He turned to Sirius and with a totally straight face said "It was really nice of you to drop by, Sirius. Sorry you can't stay.."
A mirror on the wall behind him started to cloud and the face of Albus Dumbledore appeared.
"James and, oh good Sirius I need to speak to you also," Dumbledore said with a worried frown creasing his eyes.
The two men stood together, looking at the wizard in the mirror.
"It has come to my attention that certain dark forces in France have put it out that a member of the Flamel family has come to our country and I am very concerned that she will need to be found and put into hiding. Sirius, I believe you might be needed immediately at Diagon Alley?"
"I'm on my way," said Sirius, his face white as a sheet. "I might also go into hiding, if this is the case," he added. And with a soft "pop" he disapparated.
"James," continued Dumbledore. "I have reason to believe that you, Lily and in particular Harry are in great danger. I suggest the casting of the Fidelius Charm - Lily I am confident in your abilities. This should not be beyond you."
Chapter Eight
Fifteen years later, Albus Dumbledore was staring out of his office window high in the Hogwarts Castle, recalling the instructions he had given to James and Lily. How tragic were all the events that followed. So many lives lost or changed for ever.
"Penny for them, Albus," said Minerva McGonagall quietly.
"Hmm? Yes, I'm sorry Minerva, I was lost in a cloud of thoughts and regrets I am ashamed to say."
"Regrets? Surely not, Albus. You have always acted with the utmost thought and integrity."
"Thank you, Minerva. But our new student has brought back a number of memories I would have preferred not to have had. I have asked Miss Granger to settle her into the dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. She will return presently and I will introduce you. I must prepare you, because she will remind you immediately of someone who until recently was very close to us all."
There was a knock on the door of Dumbledore's office.
"Aah, Harry. Thank you for coming so quickly. Please sit down, I have something to tell you and Professor McGonagall." Harry Potter entered the office and sat down in the seat indicated by Professor Dumbledore. He was tall, with the slim athletic build of a young man very good at sports, his black hair tousled and spiking into different directions.
"I wanted to explain to you both about a new student who has joined us today from the excellent school at Beauxbatons. She will enter into fifth year Minerva, if that is alright with you. She might be a little young for it, but her abilities are exceptional and I think a little extra attention at transfiguration might bring her up to speed very quickly."
"Of course, Headmaster," Professor McGonagall nodded.
"Harry, there are certain things about the young lady which will be patently and immediately obvious to you. What you do not know is that she has been brought up in France by her grandparents from a time shortly after her birth.
"For various reasons connected to her safety, her mother went into hiding there shortly before the death of your parents, Harry. Her father is none other than Sirius Black."
"What!" cried Harry, "Sirius never said. he never told me."
"I know," said Dumbledore. "Jeunesse St. Cloud and Sirius had known each other only a short time before having to part, but I believe that they were the love of each other's lives. Jeunesse did not survive long after the birth of their daughter, just long enough to name her and to send an owl asking me to watch over her baby girl. Sirius asked me to do the same for Jeunesse when she went into hiding. He was uncertain of his own fate at the time. When his daughter was born, Sirius was already in Azkaban and his story is well known to you. He never knew he had a daughter, that is my greatest regret, not telling him that fact. It is a tragedy that he died before I had made up my mind to tell him, but I knew he would take extraordinary risks to meet her and I felt that was neither in his own nor his daughter's best interests. He was grief-stricken when I told him of the death of Jeunesse. That was pain enough for him to suffer. Now it seems that his daughter's family are again under pressure from dark forces and I have thought it best that she come to Hogwarts."
The silence in the office was thick and heavy when it was broken by another knock at the door.
It opened and Hermione entered the room followed by a tall, slender girl with black shoulder-length hair which waved a frame around her face. Her features were very feminine and fine, but she had the unmistakeable look of her father. She looked at Harry and Professor Dumbledore. A strand of her fringe had caught onto the ends of her lashes. She brushed it away.
"Aaah, welcome!" said Dumbledore. "Harry, Professor McGonagall, I would like you to meet Mistral St. Cloud."