Chapter 12

August 2nd 1993

Sofia briskly shut the door behind her, "Another hot one Carrie" She smiled as she placed her satchel on the counter. Sofia live in Lucca, Italy, a tiny little cottage over looking the local valley's. In the middle of no where, it was what Sofia wanted.

After she was let go from the Ministry, she tried everything she could to see Sirius. She went to the Minister multiple times, however much they did hate one another. But she was desperate to get into Azkaban to visit him. Yet Sofia was always turned away.

After 6 years of fighting for Sirius, she started to grow tired. Not that she stopped loving him, never, but there was only so long she could keep going.

So Sofia left the UK, she had to get away from everything she knew, go somewhere to be on her own. She could not have gone anywhere more secluded, it was at least 30 kilometres to another living soul.

"Right Carried, you hungry?" Sofia asked as the big red Irish Setter bounded towards her, slobbery but full of energy and fun. "I bet" She smiled and walking to the kitchen, she picked up Carrie's bowl from the floor and stood up. Her eyes then looked to the kitchen table, dog bowl crashing to the ground with a clatter. Staring back at her from the kitchen table was Sirius Black, hand to her mouth she gasped. "Oh my god" she whispered. It took her mind a moment to register what it really was.

A copy of the Daily Prophet had arrived, Sofia although cut off from society, still liked to be kept informed.

Slowly picking up the newspaper, she looked at the image of the screaming man. He looked insane, no longer the man she knew 12 years ago. Face gaunt, teeth yellow and his hair a long matted mess. His eyes, no longer full of life, they were dead, nothing was left inside of him. Sirius was broken.

Sofia decided to turn to someone who she never thought she would speak to again. She hated him, or she used to, Sofia wasn't really sure. But she had not spoken, or had any contact with Remus Lupin in 12 years. She would never forget the day Remus turned his back on her.

She had no one else to turn to, she never did have anyone. James and Lily were dead, Sirius...well it was Sirius. Although she was never that close to Remus, she had always stood up for him, even when Sirius accused Remus of betraying them.

Picking up a piece of parchment, and a quill and ink, she started writing.

Dear Remus,

I had not been expecting to write to you again in my life time.

But you will already know why I am writing to you now.

It is about Sirius. I have just seen the Daily Prophet.

I need to see you, can we meet?

Sofia McGregor.

Sofia read the letter a few times. Sighing, she took a slow deep breath and rose from the chair. With a short, sharp whistle, she called her owl. On her window sill landed a medium sized, spectacled owl, with it's brown head, yellow and white body and brown back.

"Alright Toby, you have a long trip ahead of you" Sofia fastened the letter to a pouch on the birds leg. Out of a box on the counter, she took out two tiny dead mice. "This is for the trip" The bird snapped up the mice in his beak before turning and flying away. Sofia watching the bird disappear into the clouds. Now she just had to wait.

Sofia had propped up the newspaper on the kitchen counter, staring at it all night. She couldn't believe she was looking at Sirius Black.

Sitting at the table, starting to dose when a gust of wind jerked her awake. Opening he eyes, Toby fluttered to land in front of her, a letter in his pouch. So leaning forwards, she opened the pouch and took out a folded letter.

"Alright Carrie, Toby, we can do this right?" Sofia looked for reassurance from the only company she ever had. Looking to the animals, both simply staring at her. "Okay, here goes" hands trembling, she pulled open the letter and looked at the scrawly writing inside.

Dear Sofia,

It is nice to have word from you after all these years. I did write to you however the letter were returned unopened. I understand your feelings towards me, I regret what I did, what I said about you and Sirius.

Of course I want to talk. I am in London. I am teaching up at Hogwarts starting September.

Come to Diagon Alley, let me know when you arrive.

Faithfully,

Remus Lupin.

Sofia let out a long sigh.

"Diagon Alley it is then" Sofia said and stood up. "I'm going on a trip you two, Toby, you know where to go" The owl flew from the table and out of the window. "Carrie, let's get you sorted out" The dog barked playfully at her.


A couple of hours later, Sofia walked into the dark grubby dusty bar that was the Leaky Cauldron. Rucksack over her shoulder, she looked to the bar and saw what must be the usual patrons slumped over their drinks.

Walking between the tables, Sofia approached Tom as he was scrubbing a pint glass with a mucky cloth.

"Tom" Sofia spoke up and Tom the innkeeper turned to Sofia.

"How may I help you my dear?" Tom asked her.

"Do you have any spare rooms for a couple of nights?" Sofia stepped up to the bar.

"Of course" Tom moved to a rack of keys that hung on the wall, picking up a single set. "Room 12, lovely view, lovely room, follow me"

Sofia followed Tom as he walked from behind the bar to the staircase. It wasn't a long walk to the room. Tom showed her inside before leaving Sofia to settle.

Tossing her rucksack onto the bed, she walked to the window. From her view she looked over Diagon Alley, it was quiet right now. Too early for the Hogwarts students to be arriving. A quiet hoot came from the corner and Sofia turned to look at the noise.

"Well hello Toby" Sofia walked to the bird, giving Sofia an affectionate nip on her finger. "Fancy a job?" Sofia asked as she started writing on a piece of parchment before slipping it into the pouch still attached to Toby's leg.

"Remus said he would be around, give that to him, let him know I have arrived" Sofia said to Toby as she opened the window and the bird flew away. Taking in a deep breath of the London air, Sofia nodded. Time for a walk.

Stepping onto the cobbles of the most magical street in Britain, Sofia smiled at all the wonders through the shop windows. Being here always took her back to when she was 11 years old. Ready to start her life at Hogwarts, fill of hope and dreams. She would never have pictured herself in the position she was in now.

As she turned down one of the streets, Sofia felt a cold chill run down her back. Something felt, strange, like she was being watched. Turning in a circle she looked to those around her. A mother hurrying a small child down the street. An elderly wizard carrying multiple boxes in his hands. But then she saw it, in the corner, a flash of...of something. Sofia broke into a run.

"Wait" Sofia ran to what she had seen, a tiny alley between two shops, running through. Ahead of her, disappearing around the corner she saw a long black tail. Sofia knew that shaggy black animal anywhere, she had seen it hundreds of times before.

"Sirius" Sofia hushed to herself, the run turning into a sprint, faster and faster through the alley until she came to a grinding halt.

She had run back out onto the main street. Looking up and down, through the bustling people. That was when she saw him, no, it couldn't be him.

"James?" Confusion coming over her. She stood by the corner of Flourish and Blotts, staring across the street at a young lad, no older then 14 surely, with short messy black hair.

"No...Harry?" Sofia said to herself and she smiled. She had not seen Harry since he was a newborn. Now he was all grown up, and he looked just like his father.

"Sofia" Called a quiet voice.

Sofia turned and she saw Remus. Much older than she remembered, his clothes tired, baggy and worn. Scar across his face.

"Remus" Sofia replied, face blank. She wasn't really sure how she would react when she saw him.

Walking across the cobbles, Sofia stopped in front of Remus. Slapping the man across the cheek. He didn't stumble back, not did he cover his cheek with his hand. Instead Remus simply nodded.

"I deserved that" Remus stated, his cheek stinging.

"You bloody well did, you deserve more than that" Sofia, anger rising.

"I will never be able to replay what I did, I'm sorry. But you wanted to talk about Sirius. I don't know much, but I will say what I do know" Remus said and walked with Sofia back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"I have just seen Harry. He looks so much like James" Sofia said in a whisper.

"That he does, from what I hear, he is also highly talented" Remus added in agreement.

"You mentioned you are teaching up at the school this year" Sofia looked to him quickly.

"Yes, Defence Against the Dark Arts"

"Ah yes" Sofia nodded.

"Snape is also a teacher there, had been for many years" Remus said.

"You are kidding...?" Sofia was shocked to hear Snape of all people would be at the school. "Dumbledore if letting him teach, was ass kissing Voldemort not seen as much of a crime" Sofia scoffed.

"I have had little contact with him over the years, but Dumbledore trusts him, and I trust Dumbledore" Remus said, pushing open the door of the Leaky Cauldron, holding it open for Sofia as she entered.

"Dumbledore's mind can be questionable" Sofia muttered as she moved to an empty table, Remus walking to the bar and bought himself and Sofia a butterbeer. Setting the jug down in front of Sofia, she took it gratefully.

"I must repeat again, I know very little on the subject of Sirius' escape" Remus said, getting straight to the point. Sofia, glad of that. "He escaped, the Ministry have no idea how, the Dementors are furious, Fudge, well you know him, running straight to Dumbledore for help" Remus said sipping his drink.

"He hasn't tried to contact you?" Sofia asked him and Remus shook his head. "I thought I saw him, in animagus, in the alleyway." Sofia added "But, I must have been seeing things" She sighed.

"I doubt Sirius would show his face around here, he isn't that stupid" Remus noted. Sofia nodded but she stared at her drink.

"Guess I am stupid to think he would try and contact me" Sofia said, watching the ripples in her drink.

"Sirius may be different now, Azkaban, it mess' with the mind" Remus said "You have to contact the Ministry if you speak to him."

"Are you crazy, after all these years have you still not come to any sense, he is innocent Remus, I have never thought different of him. And you should be ashamed to have once called him a friend." Sofia stood, anger rising again. "Good luck at the school Remus" Sofia walked away from the table, leaving Remus with his drink.

Taking the staircase steps two at a time, Sofia charged with a fury into her room, locking the door behind her. Moving to the window she looked to the street below. Watching the young Harry Potter walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies. She wondered. Did Harry know about Sirius, about who he was to him, he certainly wouldn't know who she was, that she was his godmother. Certainly not.