Ok, so, have you ever had a moment of, "Aw, I wish I could just jump in and give them a hug!" while reading about your favorite characters in a book/story? I have those like fifty or so times a day (no joke)! And, for once, I had to do something about this one.

So, I dedicate this to ZairaAlbereo and her story The Promise because right in the very first chapter she gave me one of those moments with Sirius in Azakaban.

Also, to Winwriter, my faithful friend. =] Don't even know if she reads fanfic in this area (don't think she does), but she always did enjoy the random fangirl stories.

~Ok, so this is my first fic for Harry Potter! Blame obsession. =] R&R, please! Happy Christmas/Holidays to all!~

***

It was Christmas Eve and the fourteen year old girl had just gotten a new Harry Potter book (A/N: bear with her- let's say it's about 2006 or something?), the one gift that she had been allowed to open before she fell asleep.

She had stayed up as late as she could. Such a strange child, probably the only one awake past midnight that wasn't waiting for Santa. She was in her own world of happiness, reading…

Without even realizing, she drifted off to sleep on top of her book.

***

Silena woke up to find herself in some strange, dark place. It was cold and she shivered, thankful for her habit of falling asleep in warm jackets. She looked around the strange place that she found herself, curiously. She saw a wooden door- it seemed very thick- with a small window that was covered with iron bars. The rest of the room was stone. There was a small cot in one corner, and on the cot a man was huddled. He looked very cold- much colder than she herself was.

The man was very sad looking- his hair was much too long and tangled-, his bones seemed to stick out, and his eyes held a strange combination of a frightened and very dejected look. He was looking at her, too, but not exactly at her so much as through her. She guessed that he didn't completely believe that she was real. She understood that. This place could be enough to drive anyone crazy, she supposed, if you were only left here long enough. The lingering sadness, the cold, and just the sheer lonliness…

"Hello?" she said tentatively. The man didn't respond. "I'm Silena Bowman," she continued. "I don't exactly know how I ended up here. I think I know where 'here' is though. We're on a little island in the North Sea, right? Azkaban." The man shuddered slightly at the name, but he was already shivering with cold, so it was possible that Silena had been mistaken. "I think I know who you are, too. You're Sirius Black, aren't you?" His eyes held only the slightest flicker of recognition at his own name, but it was enough for Silena. "You're my absolute favorite person in the whole world!" she gushed.

The man gave her an odd look. It was a look that said he was sure now that he'd gone crazy- or that she had. But, of course, then there was the immediate question: how had a crazy girl ended up in his cell?

"I'm a murderer," he told her. His voice was rough with disuse, but she could hardly blame him for that. She wasn't sure what year it was here, but she knew that it had been a very long time since he had spoken to anyone. His voice was also quiet and his words carefully enunciated, as if he wasn't sure that speaking would even work anymore. She felt a rush of sadness for this poor, helpless person. Her favorite person in the whole wide world.

"No you aren't," she told him. "They all think that you are, but I know the truth. You were betrayed, weren't you? By a man named Peter. He was supposed to be your friend, but he misled you all. He let your best friend die, didn't he?" Slowly, Sirius nodded. "See? You must be really brave, to be locked up here! And you haven't even gone crazy yet. You won't, don't worry. I know you'll get out soon."

"Escape?" he asked quietly. "I deserve this. It's all my fault…"

"No!" Silena cried out. "It is not your fault! How could you have known that Peter would betray you and James?" She sighed- this conversation felt so strange. Everything she'd always wanted to say to him, and yet…

"Life isn't that simple," he told her.

She shrugged. "Anyway, you have to get out eventually."

"Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Peter, duh. Voldemort may be gone, but Peter's still on the loose. You can't let him get Harry. You've got to escape when the signal comes. You'll know how." She smiled. "You're very smart."

"What is the signal?"

"Like I said, you'll know. I'm sorry, but I hate to give away the ending of the story before you get there yourself."

"Story?"

She nodded. "My absolute favorite story. Just trust me a little. Or, trust yourself. Or, just… remember Harry, ok? Protect your godson- James wanted you to."

Sirius was staring at her with a mixed look of fear and awe. "Who are you?"

"Me?" She laughed. "I'm just a girl. Your biggest fan. I supposed this is your Christmas present." He looked confused. "It's Christmas Eve!" she exclaimed. "Or rather, Christmas morning now I think. I'll probably need to wake up soon. I'll be back in my own home then." She went over and hugged him. "Hang in there, ok? You'll be fine, you'll see."

***

Blinking, Silena stirred under her sheets. The dream had felt so real! Her perfect Christmas gift.

Maybe it had been real. Who knew?

She thought of what she'd told him- "you'll be fine, you'll see." She only hoped it was true. You see, she had fallen asleep before the end of the book.

***

Yes, I absolutely couldn't resist. It was weird to write this! But I had to. So, yes, my Christmas gift to myself and the rest of anyone who likes it. =] Review, please! They're like little xmas gifts with wings, floating around my head. =] They make my day.

~much luv, lynxzpanther