After Harry's trial and the news that he would be returning to Hogwarts everyone in Number Twelve seemed overjoyed, except for Sirius though. It appeared that Sirius was not thrilled about everyone leaving the house. When all of the children went back to school Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were planning on returning to the Burrow, and Bill was going to remain in his flat. Remus had mentioned that he was sticking around Number Twelve, but Serena could see in her Father's eyes that he was going to miss his daughters and Harry particularly. She felt bad, because she was going to miss him too—but at the same time she felt like he was being somewhat selfish about it. He was talking to everyone less and less, and if he did talk to anyone he was angrier and harsher then usually. He was constantly in a bad mood it appeared, and Serena was annoyed by it. She wanted to spend the last couple of days of the holiday with her Father, in peace and happiness, and the only thing he did was have a temper around them or lock himself up in his Mother's room with Buckbeak.

It wasn't just Serena he was annoying either. Amber and Kendra were both beginning to get annoyed with it, and they felt the same way Serena did. They wanted to spend the end of their holiday with their Father. Harry was also frustrated by it, but said very little. He appeared to understand Sirius's feelings—he wouldn't want to stay stuck up in the gloomy Number Twelve alone all day either.

"I think he's being selfish," said Amber crossly as she folded her robes and put them into her trunk, getting ready to leave for school the next morning. "It's our last day here and he's locked up in that damned room with that damned hippogriff."

"He doesn't want us to go," Kendra said. "Believe me, I'm annoyed by it, but I think I understand at the same time."

"I think he's been lonely for a long time," whispered Serena. "And he doesn't want to feel that way anymore…can you blame him?"

"No," Amber said closing her trunk and crossing her arms. "Sometimes…sometimes I wonder if Mrs. Weasley is right about him though…that he isn't a very responsible Father."

Serena sat up on her bed and glared at her eldest sister.

"Of course he's a good Father," she snapped. "He has limitations on what he can do for us, and yet he somehow manages to do as much as possible. He didn't have to come up to school last year to be there for us—"

"—he wasn't there for us," said Amber pointing at Kendra and herself. "He was there for Harry…and you a little. But I think he watches over Harry more then he watches over us sometimes…"

Serena's mouth fell open. She was completely speechless.

"Amber, I don't that's necessarily true," Kendra whispered softly.

"Kendra," Amber said. "After he escaped he went after Pettigrew to prove his innocence. He didn't drop us a line—"

"You wouldn't have believed him if he had!" Serena snapped. Amber glared at her, but ignored her comment and continued.

"And when he did prove his innocence he didn't try to talk to either of us," she said. "He talked to Harry, a lot, and Serena…he didn't even send letters to us until we started to send them to him."

"Because he didn't want to scare you!" Serena argued. "He didn't want to force himself onto you…and he didn't want you to pretend to like him. He thought it would be easier for you to come around first."

Amber shook her head and ignored Serena's comment again. It appeared that she was trying to avoid an open argument, and that she was convincing Kendra that Sirius didn't care about the two of them.

"Last year when he came to school and hid in that cave," Amber said looking at Kendra. "He didn't tell either of us that he was hiding there. And he didn't ask us to come see him. He came back because Harry was in danger. That was his main reason. And Serena you just happened to be having freaky visions that linked to Harry. He came back to support Harry, not us."

"Shut up Amber!" Serena jumped off her bed. "Just shut up! Why do you question his motives like that? You're no better then him then if that's what you're going to do!"

Amber glared at Serena, but said nothing to her. She looked at Amber again.

"I'm not saying he doesn't care about us," she whispered. "But his attention isn't on all of us…it's only on a few of us, and if it is on all of us it's only for a few gleaming minutes."

"So that makes him a bad person?" Serena snapped. "An irresponsible Father?"

Amber finally looked Serena straight in the eye.

"Not necessarily an irresponsible Father, just not a very good one."

"He hasn't done this before Amber! He was in Azkaban most of our lives. He didn't see us grow up. Suddenly he was back and we were grown up, developed individuals, how is he supposed to respond to that? How is he supposed to be a good Father when he barely knows us?"

"He seems to take care of you just fine," Amber said. "He relates to you and I suppose that's just a connection you guys have. I'm sorry Serena, but I just feel that sometimes we don't matter…that he doesn't love us."

"That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Serena retorted. She desperately wanted to rip Amber's hair out of her skull at that moment. "Of course he loves us! If he didn't love us do you think he would have tried so hard to get our approval? Do you think he would have worked to get our trust if he didn't love us and want us back in his life? We're his daughters Amber…his little girls. He loves us and he always has."

"Well he doesn't show it very well," Amber said. "He neglects Kendra and I—"

Serena didn't give her a chance to finish the sentence. She ran at her sister and tackled her to the ground with fury. Amber fought back against her, being just as strong, and shoved Serena clean off her body. Kendra was yelling in the background, but Serena was blocking her out.

"What are you crazy!?" Amber screamed. Serena came at her again and Amber ducked out of the way. "Serena!"

In self defense, Amber smacked Serena in the face and Serena slapped back. The two girls were rolling on the ground of the bedroom as Kendra shouted at them to stop fighting and get up off the floor. They didn't stop until the bedroom door burst open and Sirius, Mr. Weasley and Remus appeared.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Sirius snapped moving forward and pulling Serena off of Amber's body. He pinned her against the wall and Serena sighed with frustration. Remus was helping Amber off the floor and she dusted off her shirt and pants.

"Are you calm?" Sirius asked looking at Serena very seriously.

Serena nodded her head and he released her. She took a long deep breath and glared at Amber as she brushed her hair out of her face.

"What is going on in here?" Sirius asked looking between his daughters. None of the girls said anything. "Someone had better answer me within the next five seconds—"

"Amber was saying nasty things about Parrish so Serena tackled her," said Kendra quickly. Sirius looked at Amber and Serena, whose mouth was hanging open. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Kendra. It was clear whose side Kendra was on.

"Is that true?" Sirius asked looking at Amber. Amber nodded her head. Sirius turned and looked at Serena. "Serena?"

Serena was debating what she wanted to say. Did she want Sirius to know that Amber and Kendra felt neglected in their relationship or did she want him to think Amber didn't like Parrish? Which would hurt his feelings more?

Serena closed her eyes and nodded her head slowly as she bit her lip.

"She called him a bastard," she whispered. "For stuff that happened a long time ago, and that I've forgiven him for."

Sirius nodded his head.

"You'll apologize to your sister," said Sirius frankly to Amber. Then he turned to Serena again. "And you'll apologize for beating your sister up."

Serena frowned. She felt like a two year old again, and she had just stolen Amber's favorite toy.

"I'm sorry," they both muttered.

Sirius nodded his head and looked at Remus and Mr. Weasley.

"Your Hogwarts letters just arrived girls," said Mr. Weasley. "Molly is taking them to Diagon Alley right now to get your supplies. Did any of you need anything else?"

"I need some more potion ingredients," said Amber. "I'll get you the list of them..." She went to her trunk and began to write a quick list of the ingredients she needed. Serena was giving Kendra a very ugly look, and Kendra's cheeks were turning red. "Thanks Mr. Weasley," Amber said giving him the list. "I appreciate it."

"No problem," said Mr. Weasley.

"Oh," Serena looked over at Mr. Weasley, away from Kendra who was sitting on the bed now, stared down by Serena. "Who's prefect? I know it wasn't me…"

"Hermione and Ron," said Mr. Weasley.

Serena's mouth dropped open a little.

"Close your mouth Serena," said Sirius with a smile. He lifted her chin up, closing her mouth for her.

"Harry didn't get it?" she questioned. "I mean…that's…I thought for sure he'd…wow…well good job Ron!"

Mr. Weasley nodded.

"Molly is thrilled," said Mr. Weasley. "Ron…I don't think he wants it that much." He shrugged. "Dumbledore knows what he's doing…I'm sure there's a reason he didn't give it to Harry."

Serena nodded.

"Well," said Mr. Weasley heading for the door. "See you all at dinner."

Mr. Weasley disappeared from the room with Amber's list clenched in his hand. Sirius looked at his three girls with stern eyes.

"Are we okay in here?" he asked.

Amber and Kendra nodded their heads.

"Yea," Serena said looking at her sisters. "We're just fine."

"I don't like your tone," Sirius said crossing his arms.

"We're fine Daddy," Serena said with a smile. "It's okay. I promise I won't tackle Amber again…even if she does deserve it."

Sirius smiled and nodded his head.

"We're eating once Molly gets back from shopping," he said.

He and Remus disappeared from the room and Serena turned sharply on her sisters.

"You're a bunch of cowards," she snapped and left the room. She marched straight down the hall and knocked roughly on Parrish's door. He opened it and looked down at her with a surprised smile.

"Serena," he said.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure," he said opening the door wider. The trunk that Sirius had loaned him was open next to the bed and his bed was covered in robes, clothes, and books. He was packing for school and Serena was reminded that she hadn't even started yet. "What's wrong?"

"My sisters are a bunch of cowards," she snapped once the door was shut. "I just-oh I could rip both of them to pieces right now! I can't believe Amber thinks that Daddy is neglecting her and Kendra and paying more attention to me and Harry! Isn't that the dumbest thing you've ever heard!? And then Kendra said we weren't fighting about him, we were fighting about you—"

"—about me?" Parrish said folding some of his clothes and putting them in his trunk. "What about? My good looks?" He was smiling at his joke and Serena couldn't help but smile too. She fell onto a clear spot of his bed and stretched out.

"Shut up," she muttered. "It just makes me so mad that Kendra sided with Amber."

"Why?" Parrish asked packing the rest of his clothes. "Because she didn't side with you?"

"No," Serena said glaring at him. "Because she lied to him…and if they really did feel neglected, isn't it best to tell him because then he can try and fix it. If he knew that they felt that way I know he'd go out of his way to make sure they didn't…I just can't believe they feel that way to begin with. Do you think he pays more attention to me then them?"

Parrish looked at her quite seriously.

"I think you share a deeper connection with your Father then either of your sisters," said Parrish very carefully. "I wouldn't say that he neglects them, not at all—on the contrary, he defends them and takes care of them, but I think that Amber and Kendra see the extra connection he has with you and not them as neglect. I don't think Sirius would ever intentionally neglect either of them, and I think if he knew about it he would go out of his way to make it better."

"Exactly," Serena said. She smiled at Parrish. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

Parrish laughed and smiled as he sat down on the bed next to her.

"Why, because I side with you?"

"No," she said. "Because you're reasonable, and logical…you thought about it and decided the same thing I did."

"So yes, it's because I agreed with you."

"Okay," Serena laughed. "Maybe that has a little to do with it." She looked at his trunk, to avoid his smiling eyes. "Almost done packing?"

"Yea," he said throwing a book into the trunk. "Just have to fit my new books in and I'll be all set…how about you?"

"Haven't even started yet," Serena said.

"You should probably go do that before dinner," said Parrish. "Why are you procrastinating?"

"It's what I'm good at," she whispered. "And I don't really want to go. I think I'd rather stay here with my Father."

"You can't stay here forever Serena," he said. "And school wouldn't be a bad thing. Maybe it would help get your mind off your visions."

"What do you know about my visions?" Serena asked looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"Nothing," he said looking at her with calm eyes. "Because you won't tell me."

"I just don't want to freak you out," she whispered.

"You know you wouldn't do anything of the sort," he said. "I've seen some pretty freaky things in my life…I doubt your visions would scare me."

"No Parrish," she whispered. "I don't want to scare you."

He looked at her very seriously, as she avoided his eye.

"It was about me," he whispered. "About us again, like the one you had in Diagon Alley?"

Serena couldn't help laughing loudly.

"No," she said shaking her head. "The one I had falling down the stairs was nothing like the one I had in Diagon Alley."

"Then what were they about?"

"Can't you just except that I don't want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it'd be better for you to talk about them," he said. "Maybe I could help you figure them out…give you an outsider's perspective."

"Most outsider's perspectives make me look like some crazed fool," Serena said. "Besides, I know what theses visions mean. They were pretty clear and to the point."

"You said the one you had falling down the stairs was broken up and confusing," Parrish said as he lay on his side. She looked up at the ceiling of his room and folded her hands together on her stomach.

"Yea," she muttered. "It was…except for the last second of it."

"And what happened in the last second?"

She looked at him and saw how serious he was. As she looked at him she debated telling him. Maybe by telling him he would realize how much of a danger she was to him and he'd be careful. Maybe this was her chance to warn him and save him from the future she had foreseen.

"Seriously?" she sat up a little.

"Seriously," he said nodding his head and looking at her with her serious eyes.

Serena sighed and nodded her head, looking down at the bed sheets.

"Alright," she whispered not looking at him. "The last bit I was standing in a shower covered in blood, washing the blood off my body—well really I was just standing there sobbing, and the water was washing off my body—but that's not important. I, before it was over, I sobbed that I had killed you…I was responsible for your death. I had killed you."

Parrish was looking at her as if he were waiting for her to laugh and say "April fools!" But she didn't, and he frowned deeply looking down at the bed. When she didn't say anything more, because she wasn't really sure what to say, he looked up and took her hands.

"I doubt that you would ever kill me," he whispered.

"Parrish," she sighed. "I'm being serious."

"So am I," he said. "I think you're just blaming yourself in the vision… you feel that you're responsible when in reality I know you won't be."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Because," he said with a small smile. "I know that despite how much you hate me sometimes you like me and you could never harm me. Not to mention that you've seen me die in a vision before…and here I am…alive and well."

"Parrish I want you to be careful."

"I always am."

"I want you to be more careful then usual," she said.

"I will be," he said. "If you do something for me."

"What?" she whispered.

"If you promise me you'll be careful," he said.

Serena was confused. Why did she have to be careful? He was the one who was going to die.

"What?" she questioned.

"Promise me you'll be careful," he said. "Because You-Know-Who is after you, and not even at Hogwarts are we completely safe. Just promise me you'll be careful, and you'll take care of yourself and those you love."

"You make it sound like I'm never going to see you again."

"Well," he said slowly. "How often do we see each other at school?"

"I wasn't joking."

He smiled.

"I go out of my way to see you Serena," he whispered. "If you don't want me to, I won't…but—"

She took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze, and interrupted him.

"Parrish," she said. "You're my friend, of course I want you to go out of the way to see me. When else will I talk to you?"

Parrish forced a smile and shrugged.

"I suppose I could go out of my way every once in awhile," he said.

Serena nodded.

"Good," she said. "Now promise me you'll be safe."

"I will," he said. "If you will."

"I will if you will," she said back with a smile. Parrish kissed her hand in a friendly manner and Serena beamed.

"Agreed then," he beamed.

There was a knock on the door and Serena pulled her hand out of Parrish's. Mrs. Weasley appeared in the door way with a smile. She was holding many packages and gave a number of them to Parrish and Serena.

"All of your new books," she said. "And more ink for you Parrish."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," he said with a smile. "You're the best."

"Aw, thank you dear," she said and making her way to the door. She paused and turned to them. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, come down when you've finished packing."

Serena and Parrish nodded.

"Thank you," said Serena. Mrs. Weasley left the door frame and Serena looked at Parrish. "I should go put these away and pack probably."

"Good idea," said Parrish with a smile. "Do you need some help?"

"No," Serena said. "I'll just dump everything into my trunk and leave it like that."

Parrish laughed and nodded as Serena stood up.

"Alright," he said. "Then I'll see you at dinner."

Serena nodded.

"Thanks for listening."

"Anytime," he said back as she reached the door. "Thanks for the warning."

She looked back at him with a smile.

"Anytime," she said.

He smiled as she left the room and made her way back to her room where she began to pack for school.