Author's note - So this is coming fast and furious along with further key plot points for further on down the road. I hope all of you are enjoying it so far, even if the relationship between a young Dahlia and Sirius is a bit creepy (sorry, was not my intention).

Shout outs:

paulaa90 - Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful reviews, seriously made my day. Thank you also for the favorite and follow, I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Toesef - Thank you for your review! It means the world to me when my work is appreciated! I hope you like the continuation.

Alex - You are a lifesaver girl, don't know what I would do without you to bounce ideas off of.

Crazy Devil Girl and BookFan5252 - thank you for the follow!

Forgot to mention this on the first chapter but I do not own any part of Harry Potter book or movie series.

As always please enjoy, read, and review!

Dahlia had walked home in the summer sun. The day wasn't too hot and the sun felt good on her skin with just the right amount of breeze. It had been sometime since she had walked anywhere; using the Floo Network to get to her Ministry internship with Arthur Weasley in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts sector. Arthur's joy in all things muggle was refreshing, however she was interning with Kingsley Shacklebot an Auror while the Weasleys were in Egypt on holiday. Interning at the Ministry kept her mind off of Severus, however that did not mean it kept her off his mind.

Everyday when she got back to Aberforth's bar in Godric's Hollow there was either a letter or a vase full of flowers with pages of apologetic words. It didn't make her want to stop assisting at Hogwarts but it was enough to make her not want to talk to Snape. It was embarrassing and frankly every time she saw another package from him angered her. If he'd just let it go so could she. It was surprising that she didn't cry on her uncle or father's shoulder but rather that of Lockhart who in his weak minded state was the perfect blank slate to direct her frustrations on. He was doing better, working on a novel to see if anyone else had any other information on who Gilderoy had been, other than his exploits in the books he had previously put out which to Dahlia's amusement he found rather outlandish and boastful.

The lilac haired girl reached her father's pub and walked into the Hog's Head bar seeing the younger Dumbledore behind the bar now smiling that at her arrival. He stopped cleaning to embrace the young woman, "You're home early," he observed going back to wiping the bar down.

"The Ministry let us go early today, some kind of uproar," she said absentmindedly putting on her apron.

"Hmm," Aberforth mumbled.

"Daddy," Dahlia sighed, "Yes, I went to St. Mungo's but only to see if he was getting better," she protested as she laughed lightly.

"Does he remember your name?" a chuckle filled her father's voice.

Dahlia laughed, "It's about the only thing he remembers now." She picked up a broom to sweep the pub floor, "Do you have a copy of the Prophet? I couldn't find any in the city."

"Should be a copy in the office," he nodded in the direction of his office located in the back of the bar.

She hugged her father once more and kissed his cheek, "Thank you Father," she said softly.

"Something came for you while you were out, it should be on the desk," Aberforth said continuing to clean.

Dahlia entered the small room filled with open ledgers, quills, ink pots, and parchment everywhere; she chuckled a bit, like father like daughter. She saw the pale purple primroses in an old vase, it sparked a faded memory but she just wrote it off as Severus trying to get back in her good graces after what happened last year at school. Dahlia made a face at the flowers and sighed just wishing he'd leave her be for a moment.

The scene even replayed as she searched the desk for the newspaper. He called her Lily! Her face flushed hot with anger but it dropped almost immediately. Letting out a sigh, she rummaged through the parchment on the desk when she saw the tri-folded newspaper and grabbed it. Flipping it forward she screamed and dropped the paper to the ground. Her body trembling with alarm as she looked at the vase again, she knew who exactly those flowers were form and they weren't from Severus.

"They're called promises?" Dahlia innocently asked Sirius as he handed her the pale purple blooms that resembled her hair.

The young and charming wizard laughed kneeling to the child, "Primroses, but you can take them as a promise that I will always be around for you," he smiled stroking the side of her face.

The young girl threw her arms around his neck, "Thank you Sirius," her voice filled with joy.

Black saw her uncle waving them in, "Enough sunshine for today little love, time to study," he flashed a charismatic smile at the child before kissing her cheek.

Aberforth ran into the office, "What happened child?" All Dahlia could do was shake her head as she pointed to the paper on the ground. The younger Dumbledore followed her wide eyes and shaking finger to the Prophet on the floor.

There in sepia tones read the headline: "Have you seen this wizard?" with a moving and screaming picture of Sirius Black holding his Azkaban prison number.

The door opened to the pub before either one could say anything the deep and concerned tones of Hogwarts headmaster filled the building, "Dahlia."

Aberforth escorted his daughter out to meet her uncle, "She's here Albus." He sat her down at the closest table and Albus sat across from her.

"He's escaped," her voice still filled with shock, "how?"

"That we don't know," Dumbledore stated. "Has he tried to contact you?"

Dahlia couldn't process what was happening, Sirius escaped. From Azkaban! That was impossible! Her eyes fixed on the corner of the room, looking past her uncle and father, not hearing the question. He had been here! He could have hurt her father! Rage built up inside the fear and confusion she was feeling but it evaporated. If he wanted to hurt him he would have, not bring her the 'promises'. She tried to put the pieces together and almost had it when her uncle's booming voice overtook her thought process.

"Dahlia," Albus said loudly to snap her out of the trance.

The teaching assistant shook her head and with it the puzzle collapsed, "He brought me flowers," her voice was hollow and vacant.

Both Dumbledore siblings were taken back. Aberforth looked to his office; the flowers were on the doorstep after she had gone to the Ministry. Her father looked at his brother, wondering if she would be safer with him rather than at the school.

"Perhaps my dear niece you should stay in the safety of the Hollow this year," Albus suggested.

"Albus," Dahlia scolded, "I'd be safer at Hogwarts than I would in Godric's Hollow. He came to the Hog's Head, he knows I'm here. It's not known to him that I'm a teaching assistant."

They both took her words in and it made sense, "Very well, get your things and you'll stay in the castle until Black is apprehended."

Dahlia nodded, dashing to gather her trunk. The day's events replayed in her head trying to figure it all out. Sirius knew where she was; put the flowers on the pub's front step. Strange, why didn't he try to talk to her?

"Don't be silly Dahlia," she scolded herself softly, "if he had appeared you would have screamed and run in the other direction." Her head down in thought as she walked to the house she shared with Aberforth. "Or would I?"

The last thought made her stop mid-step; she was so close with the Marauder, inseparable. There was a bond they shared that went beyond their age difference, beyond magic, beyond comfort; it was deep and meaningful; as if it was meant to be. Dumbledore's niece still didn't believe that he had betrayed Lily and James or killed anyone despite evidence to the contrary. But did Sirius know that? Halloween, that horrible night was the last time she had seen him. It had been 12 years, why now? What had happened that made him escape? As she pushed herself forward every cherished and treasured thought of Sirius replayed itself. A grin etched its way onto her mouth, the love she felt for him came back practically ten fold, there would never be a day she didn't love Sirius Black.