Hey everyone! =] New chapter! I wasn't sure if I would be able to update today, but I've managed to. And guess where I went yesterday...The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! AHHH! It was freaking AWESOME! If you ever get the chance to go, TAKE IT! hahah. Anyways, without further ado, here's the chapter. Love you!

~Ouaysis.

"You're accepting Dumbledore's offer?" I asked James. He exhaled heavily and ran a hand through his hair like he was in the habit of doing. The black hair became even messier as he dropped his hand back to his lap. Finally he nodded.

"Yes."

Silence weighted heavily between us and I wished I could be talking with him in person. The mirror wasn't an ideal way to have a conversation like this. Of course, I could join him—it would only be too easy to Apparate there and back. But everyone was getting ready to leave for Paris, so I couldn't leave now. I nodded slowly.

"How is Lily handling it?" I wondered. Dumbledore had extended to James the offer of accompanying him on his mission and perhaps changing the odds of the war. The same offer that I had denied. I was happy to know the fate of our world was in good hands, but also worried. And I never would admit either. James shrugged.

"She understands. She's worried, but I can't blame her. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit scared myself. Did he tell you what all this is about?"

I shook my head. "No. Only that it was dangerous and crucial to defeating Voldemort."

I heard a noise from inside the living room of the hotel suite and looked behind me. All I saw was my closed door. I turned back to James.

"I think someone just came in. One minute, mate."

Standing up, I turned the mirror around so no one could see James and opened my bedroom door. I nearly ran into Danielle as I stepped into the hallway. Swearing under my breath, I stepped back.

"You know, you really should learn to knock." I said sourly, scowling at her.

"Emilia let me in."

"Of course she did," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. "You can't just go round sneaking into people's hotel rooms."

"I wasn't sneaking." She said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What do you want?" I asked, wincing inside at the harsh way it came out. I didn't move my expression from the scowl.

"I came to tell you we're leaving in ten minutes." Her tone was colder than it had been moments before. "If you're not there we'll leave without you."

I scoffed. "And I'll report you for kidnapping. Your father would just love having that in the papers, wouldn't he? Oh, and not to mention the illegitimate granddaughter no one knew about until this summer."

"Ten minutes." She said, narrowing her eyes at me.

"I'll be there." I told her. Danielle gave a curt nod before turning and walking away. I closed my eyes a moment before going back to the desk in the corner.

"Sorry." I apologized to James. He grinned and raised his eyebrows.

"Danielle?"

"She still doesn't know what knocking means." I told him. "I can't count how many times she's just walked in on this damn trip."

"It's only been four days."

"Exactly." I said, rubbing the palms of my hand against my face. Leaning back in my chair, I sighed. "How's Moony?"

"He's okay. You know the transformation's always worse when we can't be there. I think Pete went over, but there's not all that much he can do, you know?"

I nodded. Feeling sorry for Remus was better than feeling sorry for myself. Blowing air out of my lips, I glanced at my closed door.

"I'd better make sure Emmy's ready to go."

James nodded and looked over at something I couldn't see. "I have to go as well."

"Don't get yourself killed while you're out there saving the world." I told him.

"I won't. Don't kill Danielle."

I laughed humorlessly. "I can't guarantee anything."

James gave me a knowing look before standing up, taking his mirror in his hands.

"Bye, Padfoot."

"Goodbye, Prongs." I said, not able to hold back the small smile that came to my lips. Once my mirror was vacant of James' form I slid it into my bag and then went to check on Emilia.

"Everything packed in here?" I asked, knocking on Emmy's door before walking in. She looked up from the picture she'd been drawing and closed the notebook I had never seen before. Emilia nodded and slid off the chair.

"Were did that come from?" I asked, gesturing to the notebook.

"It's a sketchbook." She told me. "Mummy gave it to me this morning."

I just nodded. Now she was trying to win Emmy over with gifts? Did she know nothing about me? I wasn't the kind to be bought, and neither was my daughter. Danielle should know I would never put up with that kind of thing. Shaking my head, I took Emilia's bag to the front door. I sighed and realized that maybe I wasn't being completely fair. Danielle would never try to buy our daughter's love; she wasn't like that either. If she'd given the book to Emilia, then it had simply been a gift. Perhaps she was trying to make up for the seven years she wasn't in Emmy's life. Doubling back, I grabbed my own before taking both of them out into the hallway. Danielle and Stan were there, discussing something. They stopped talking and stared at me as I place our bags in the pile accumulated between our doors.

"Something wrong?" I asked. Danielle shook her head a little too vigorously.

"Fine." She said, smiling at me. Rolling my eyes, I went back into my suite. It couldn't have been more obvious that they'd been talking about me if there had been a huge sign above their heads.

"Come on Emmy-Bear, it's time to go." I called out to her.

"Coming, Daddy!" I heard her reply. Moments later she appeared, carrying her stuffed dog in her arms and her knapsack over her shoulder. I'd always thought it a bit odd that Emilia had chosen a big, black dog when I'd taken her to the Muggle store selling stuffed animal toys. At least Harry hadn't got a stag. That would have just been creepy.

"Ready, love?" I asked. Emilia nodded with a smile. Taking her hand, I led her out the door. Bret and Sally were there as well. I handed Bret my room card for him to check out.

It took nearly all day to get to Paris by train. I didn't know how Muggles could stand the amount of time it took to travel. I was edgy enough as it was, I didn't need to be stuck in a train car for hours on end with Danielle and her family. Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice. And Sally just had to choose the longest possible route in order to "see as much as possible", in her words. It was time for supper when we finally arrived, so after checking into our hotel we found a restaurant.

"Emilia, would you like to come to our room for a few hours before bed?" Sally asked, glancing over at me. "Your father would love a break, I'm sure."

Emmy grinned and nodded.

"Can I, Daddy?"

I looked down and had to smile at her enthusiasm. If I said no, she'd be disappointed but I knew she wouldn't show it. She'd make an excuse so that the others wouldn't question my decision. She had learned long ago not to question me. I always had a reason for what I did and did not allow her to do, it just wasn't always appropriate for her to know them. I nodded at last and she wiggled in excitement.

"Yes, that would be fine." I said with a smile. She'd been good so far, besides the incident at the castle. I knew she was aware that I didn't much care for Danielle's family, but I didn't want her to think the same.

"Actually, I think that's a brilliant idea."

"Are you drunk?"

Looking up, I scowled and shook my head. When had she come down here? I took in a deep breath and I let it out moments later. It was exactly because of that attitude and those kind of remarks that I needed a drink in the first place. Though Muggle alcohol wasn't nearly as good as Firewhiskey, it did its job. I put the bottle to my lips and took another drink, waiting a long moment before swallowing. Danielle eyed me as she came to stand beside me. She looked out at the Paris night sky beside me.

"Of course not, Emmy's not even asleep. What kind of a father do you take me for?"

Danielle looked stricken. "No, that's not what I—It was just a…."

I shook my head. "You said yourself, Danielle, we're not the same people we were. I've realized there's something more important in life than me."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Contrary to popular opinion, I'd never thought I was the most important thing in life. Quite the opposite, honestly. But it was easier to pretend I did; it hurt less to be cocky and arrogant. At least that way people wouldn't get close enough to hurt you. James, one of the few thick enough to care anyway, showed me that I wasn't the scum my mum thought I was—the scum she'd made me think I was. I was just telling Dani what she wanted to hear, because I knew that's what she thought, even if it had been a long time ago. She open and closed her mouth, but then left it shut and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Thank you." I said, surprising even myself. I hadn't meant to say that out loud…. Damn, I thought to myself.

Danielle looked up at me, startled. "What on earth for?"

Knowing I'd done myself in and I couldn't get out of it now, I took in a deep breath. "If you hadn't have left that day, I wouldn't be the man that I am now. I wouldn't have had a reason to change."

She nodded, looking down at the ground thoughtfully. It was true, I wouldn't. I would probably still be reckless and irresponsible if not for Emilia. Danielle looked up and met my eyes.

"I'm sorry."

I raised my eyebrows. "For?"

"I've been kind of an ass lately." She said, giving me a small, apologetic smile.

"Only kind of?"

She rolled her eyes and pushed against my arm. We stood together on the balcony in silence a moment. I offered her the bottle and Danielle looked at it a moment before shrugging and putting it to her lips.

"How's everyone taking it so far?" I asked, taking another drink when she handed it back.

Danielle sighed deeply. "Mum's accepted it well; she's just thrilled to have a granddaughter. Stan already knew. I think he's taking well to Emilia, though. He's not really a kid person, but he likes her and she likes him. Dad's still furious that I didn't tell him, but he's warming to Emilia as well. He was talking to her earlier before I left."

I nodded thoughtfully. Was Bret finally accepting that his daughter wasn't as perfect as he'd like to believe? In school Danielle had done all varieties of things she knew he wouldn't have approved of. It was her rebellion, in her own little way. But then as we got older she'd become more responsible, more obedient. Yet I'd still loved her, because that was who she was. Ee hadn't started to date until sixth year, but I fell in love with her much sooner than that. I set the bottle of whiskey on the ground and turned to Danielle.

"We should do something. Something crazy and irresponsible…..something fun."

She looked up at me through her thick, luscious lashes. A scowl twisted her features.

"I don't know….." She shook her head. "We really shouldn't."

"But that's the fun of it." I insisted. "C'mon, Dani. What happened to the girl who loved adventures?"

"She grew up."

I scoffed. "Growing up is rubbish."

"Yeah, well, life isn't about just having fun."

"'Course it is. Oh my dear, there is so much you still have to learn."

Danielle's eyes darted around as she thought it over. Rolling my eyes, I stepped closer. I did my best to ignore the electricity that sparked between us as I took her hands in mine. I started to back up and finally she sighed, her face splitting into a grin.

"Oh, alright."

Moments later we were in Danielle's hotel room, informing the others of our plans.

"Sirius and I are going out. Would anyone like to join us?

Emilia was on Sally's lap and they were reading a book. Bret was flipping through television channels and Stan was on his laptop, set up on a table in the corner. At the announcement Bret started to get up, but then sat back down heavily when Sally shot him a look. I stepped closer to the couch.

"Emmy, you listen to your grandmother and go to bed when she tells you. We'll be back in a bit." I promised, leaning down to give her a kiss. "I love you."

She smiled at me and wrapped her small arms around my shoulders. "I love you more."

I hugged her back and then ruffled her hair as I straightened.

"Shall we go?" I asked Danielle, who nodded. We left the hotel and soon were stepping out onto the Parisian street.

"Where are we going?"

I shrugged. "We're in the City of Love. We can do anything we'd like."

"Don't, Sirius." Dani said, giving me a look of reprimand.

"Don't what?"

"You know what." She said coolly.

"Relax, Danielle. We're supposed to be having fun. Come on." I started forward, heading to the illuminated Eiffel Tower. The entire city was lit up, sparkling with various colors of lights. I couldn't help but smile. We stopped several meters away from the base and looked up.

"Beautiful…" Dani muttered breathlessly. I nodded, though I wasn't looking at Muggle architecture, but at her.

"Let's go up there." I said suddenly and Danielle looked over at me, startled.

"What? No, it's closed. We can't—"

Before she could protest further, I grabbed her hand and spun around. Next moment we were on the look-out, gazing down at the shining city.

"We shouldn't be here," Dani said, chewing her bottom lip worriedly.

"You need to relax." I told her, stepping behind her. Reaching up, I started to massage her shoulders gently. Danielle closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

"Don't take life so seriously." I said in her ear. "After all, I should know."

Danielle laughed softly and shook her head. But she also relaxed against me as I continued to massage her shoulders. A part of me knew I shouldn't be doing this, but the other, larger part didn't care. For a moment, it was just like old times when it was just me and Danielle and the love that we shared. And if I closed my eyes and thought hard enough, I could almost forget the fact that she no longer loved me and that she was marrying someone else in less than seventy days.