14.

Marietta Edgecombe stared at her reflection, trembling with fear and rage at what she saw in the mirror. She had no idea how long she'd been held captive. It felt like months but she had no way to know for sure. The room she'd been trapped in had no window and there was nothing in which she could count the passage of time.

As she stared in horror at what had become of her, she remembered waking that first time in the cold bare stone room with no clothing and no idea what had happened to her. She had sat in the corner of that room sobbing, and waiting for the inevitable rape and torture.

But it never came.

The next time she had been visited by Bellatrix Lestrange she had been stunned. When she awoke, she found herself in this room. There had been a note telling her that she was to keep herself clean and to eat all the food she was provided. There had been no clothing, and Marietta had taken to wrapping herself in a blanket. But she had obeyed the note and bathed and ate.

Then she had been visited again by Bellatrix LeStrange who had brought a large basket of lotions and scented oils. She had also provided Marietta with a silken dressing gown. It was short, and barely covered her, but it was clothing, and Marietta coveted it.

When she had awoken after that visit, she had noticed more tattoos. And each tome after that, more and more of her flesh was marked with runic writing, until she was covered with them.

Marietta had only just awoken moments ago and had come to the bathroom to see what had happened during the last time she'd been unconscious. She could barely breathe now as she cried. Her face was now tattooed. She held up her hands and stared at them to avoid her reflection now. Everywhere she looked there were the tattoos.

To make matters worse, Marietta didn't feel right. She felt light headed and hungry. The young redhead forcibly turned away from the mirror and went into the main room of her cell and found the normal platter of food. There was a fine roast chicken and vegetables and mashed potatoes. Yet one sniff of the normally delicious food left her nauseous.

Deciding that she wouldn't eat, she poured some tea for herself and drank it down greedily. This only increased her dizziness, and made her body start to tingle, especially between her legs. It was the same felling she used to get when she lay awake at night in her own bed thinking of Michael, and wishing he were there with her…

Realization hit her, and she threw the teacup, shattering it against the wall. She'd been dosed with something. Some kind of lust serum or something. Though it didn't really make sense to her. From what she knew of lust potions, they should be keyed to an individual and she should have been unable to think of anything but that person. Yet her mind seem to be hers and hers alone. She was able to think rationally, or at least she was pretty sure she was. However her body was clearly in heat. Her nipples stood erect, and she could not stop clenching her thighs together in an attempt to scratch that very primal itch.

It wasn't too much longer after Marietta realized she had been dosed with a potion that the door opened and a woman entered at Marietta had not seen before. She was tall, and elegant with silken blonde hair and a haughty look. She fixed Marietta with an appraising look with stony blue eyes. Marietta realized that she was naked and made to cover herself while she looked about for her robe.

"There is no need to cover yourself." The woman spoke quickly, stopping Marietta from moving. The woman came forward and took Marietta's hands and moved the younger girl's arms away from her body, admiring the redhead's body. "My sister has done a wonderful job. You look absolutely splendid."

Marietta shivered and tried to pull away but the woman held her firm. She made Marietta spin slowly, still holding onto her left wrist.

"What have you done to me?" Marietta demanded in a shaky voice, as tears began to sting her eyes again. She turned herself so she was looking at the older witch who was actually smiling pleasantly. "I've done everything you asked. I've obeyed every command. You said you'd let me go!"

"You were told that you would be set free." The woman corrected. "And tonight you shall be."

"What?" Marietta asked stupidly, clearly confused now.

"You have but one task to accomplish, and then you will be set free like your sisters before you." The woman said, offering a hand.

"What sisters?" Marietta asked.

"Come." The woman said, her hand still held out." It is time, and we mustn't keep the master waiting. It would be best if you came on your own."

Marietta caught the warning tone and hesitated despite desperately wanting to be set free. She missed her mother and father, and she wanted to get out of here and return home where she knew she was safe.

But she didn't say you'd get to go home, Marietta's inner voice screamed.

"I want to go home." Marietta whined, stepping away from the woman who dropped her hand and looked disappointed. She then motioned to the two Death Eaters who quickly gathered a kicking and squirming and screaming Marietta up and followed the woman out of the room.

Marietta shrieked and fought, but the two Death Eaters had iron vice like grips on her and easily were able to carry her despite her twisting and writhing. She didn't bother taking in her surroundings or listen to the woman who was keeping up a running dialogue of what awaited her and how she would be forever remembered for her sacrifice. She was far too busy trying to get her toes to touch the ground so that she might make an escape, but her captors kept her feet out of reach of the floor.

Eventually they stopped and Marietta was set on the floor, though the two robed captors kept their hands grasped on her arms.

It was a circular room lined with robed and masked figures. In the center was a large bed and standing just behind the bed was a man in a loose fitting black robe.

His gleaming bald head was unnaturally white and his face was slender and sunken. His nose looked as if it had been scooped out of his face, though there was no blood. He smiled a lipless smile and bade her forward with a skeleton like hand.

"Come forward my priestess." Came a rattling hoarse voice.

Marietta shook her head and tried to back away but the two who'd brought her prevented her from running away.

"The moon rises my priestess, the ritual must begin now, or we shall have to wait another month. Come to me." The thing said.

Marietta was dragged towards the bed and despite their brutishness the Death Eaters lay her reverently upon the black silken sheets. Her wrists were bound tightly and then her ankles followed. She was now fully exposed before them all. She was breathing in panicked gasps as she glanced about, looking for anyone who might help her.

"Take your places my faithful and prepare to bear witness." The malformed thing spoke in that cold rattling voice. He then turned to Marietta and gave her look that chilled her to her very core as he shrugged off his robes and she saw him fully.

He was a ruin of a man. His pale white skin was stretched tightly over his skeleton, his bones clearly visible. There were many bruises and angry looking burns all over his body along with several open wounds that were oozing pus. There wasn't a single hair on the body, nor were there lips on the mouth, our ears on the head, or lids on the eyes.

It, because she refused to call this thing a man, despite the very obvious erection it now had, began to chant and circle the bed. One by one the followers who lined the wall began to repeat the chant, and Marietta felt a strange tugging sensation all over her body. It also felt as though thousands of tiny insects were now crawling up her body.

Worse still was that she noted her body betraying her. She began to feel moisture between her legs. Panic gripped her heart as the thing having circled the bed thirteen times now stood at the foot of the bed staring into her eyes.

The sensation of insects crawling on her intensified, and she began to fight against her restraints and whimper in protest. The chanting continued and the man shaped thing began to crawl onto the bed and on top of her. Marietta began to scream and writhe as the thing came level with her and she could feel its erection pressing into her. As it stared into her eyes, she felt the insects biting her. Thousands of miniscule creatures sinking their teeth or pincers or whatever they had into her flesh.

"Your power, your life is now mine priestess." the thing snarled just as he sank himself deep within her.

Marietta screamed out as the chanting rose in pitch and she felt her flesh being torn apart by insects. She then saw a red mist rising from the bed and realized as she looked at her arm and could see it coming out of her pores. It was her own blood being extracted from her.

Her mind was spinning. She had no clue as to what was happening to her. As she watched in terrified fascination, she could feel herself becoming tired… weaker. At the same time she felt the beast thrusting deeper into her.

"Please." Marietta begged. "Please."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the beast increased his thrusting and more of the red mist was extracted from her pores. Marietta felt light headed now as she choked down a sob. She knew then that she was going to die. That's what the woman had meant when she said the Marietta would be set free.

Marietta began to feel cold now as more and more of the red mist was pulled from her and she noted that swirled above her and the thing that was violating her. But it wasn't just swirling it was coming back down again, and she noted with disgust that it was entering the skeletal beast through his open wounds.

She then looked in petrified fascination that something was happening to the beast. Its raw red flesh bubbled softly. She could also see around its mouth the skin was plumping a bit, as if sacs were filling and forming what might be considered lips. Also, its left eye seemed to be clearing. The red was ebbing away and a hint of white was appearing.

But then her own vision was darkening, and she was growing more and more tired, and her body was getting colder. Her strength was leaving her and all she could think of now was her mother, who had no idea where she was or what was happening to her daughter.

"Mummy." Marietta said weakly. She heard the beast grunting but it sounded a million miles away. She tried to focus on the ceiling which was open and the moon shone down directly on her. She was so tired now and she couldn't fight sleep any longer.

"It is done." Came a single voice from among the followers lining the wall.

The man thing slid off the bed and let out a long exhale. The red mist that had been Marietta Edgecombe's life blood had all been absorbed into the homunculus body and it took in a deep satisfying breath as two women came forward and draped an ebony black robe onto it. The beast held up its right hand where there was a long deep cut. Miraculously the cut was slowly beginning to knead itself shut. Pleased the beast turned to the gather robed figures spread out around the wall.

"My faithful Death Eaters, bring me the others priestesses. Help heal your master and be rewarded beyond your wildest imaginings. Then, we will take what rightfully belongs to us at long last!" Lord Voldemort cried.

"What are you doing here?"

Alastor Moody smiled softly when he heard the ethereal choir of voices Dumbledore's secret warrior used to disguise his voice. His magical eye which could see through invisibility cloaks was whizzing about in his head looking for the source and unable to locate him.

The once infamous Auror had come to the rooftop of the Monico building as Tonks had instructed him. She had really wanted to be there herself, but Moody had convinced her that the smart thing to do was play along with Kingsley for now. He had lost trust in her over her involvement with the vigilante, and it was better for her to take a step back.

"I was asked to come by Tonks." Alastor said, hoping to coax the vigilante out of the shadows. "Seems she got herself in a bit of hot water because of you."

Alastor turned at the sound of footsteps and found the leather clad vigilante behind him, emerging from shadow.

"I'd really love to know how you do that." The old Auror quipped.

"What kind of trouble?" The vigilante asked.

Alastor leaned on his walking stick a bit and his demeanor shifted to something a bit cooler. He still felt a need to knock Shacklebolt down a few pegs, but he'd had enough time to think about it from the younger man's point of view. Tonks had also helped to fill in some information about Kingsley that made things a bit clearer.

"She went to her partner and told him she'd been talking to you hoping to get him on board with your way of doing things. She hated lying to him, and thought that he'd be willing to listen to you. But Kingsley Shacklebolt's become a very by the book sort of bloke. A fantastic Auror, but he sometimes can't see the bigger picture. He's under a lot of pressure right now. Hell they all are. Anyway, when he found out that she'd met with you and didn't bring you in, he hit the roof. He's planning to use her to set a trap for you. So, in the mean time, I offered to be a go between. Gives her a chance to appear as if her head is in the right place, and she can still get information to you, and vice versa."

The vigilante remained silent for a moment before he nodded.

"Do you know this Shacklebolt well?" He asked.

"Aye." Moody nodded. "Trained him."

"What would it take to convince him I wasn't the enemy here and get him on our side?"

"A few years ago I would have said a mutual hatred of Voldemort." Moody sighed, rubbing his scarred face. "But now, with everything going on, and the fact that he's being groomed to take over for Rufus Scrimgeour, I couldn't say with any certainty."

"I didn't want to put Tonks in a position that would jeopardize her job, but I need an Auror or two." The vigilante folded his arms across his chest.

"If you're open to suggestions, I have an idea." Moody remarked. The vigilante indicated he should speak and Moody began to smile.

"Let him lay his trap." Moody grinned. "Let him come at you with whatever he's got planned. I can get the details from Tonks, so you'll be prepared, and then you wipe the floor with his ass, and show him what I've already seen outta ya. Show him that you have much more power than he has, and that you are trying to d the right thing here. Kingsley could use a good ass kicking anyway."

"There's the risk I will only further alienate him, and drive him to work that much harder against me." The vigilante pointed out.

"Possibly." Moody agreed. "But If I'm there to put a stop to things, he may back down enough to at least listen to you. And that's not nothing."

The vigilante thought about it for a bit before he nodded.

"Alright. It would be better for me if I had more Aurors on my side on this." He said and moody gave a hearty laugh and clapped his hands.

"In the meantime, let Auror Tonks know that she needs to start looking into Oigh Ban'dia."

"What is that, some new rock group?" Moody asked.

"It what the thirteen girls are called. Voldemort is killing them and taking their power into himself. He's healing himself with each one he kills and if he gets all thirteen, they'll be no stopping him."

Before Moody could comment further the leather clad hero turned and melded back into the darkness. Moody was left staring after him wondering just how in the hell the man had literally vanished without so much as a pop of apparition, or a disillusionment spell. It was bloody brilliant, and if he could teach the Aurors that trick, the Death Eaters would all be rounded up in no time.

When this was all over, Moody pledged to have a very long and detailed discussion with this guy and find out who trained him.

Pansy Parkinson sat alone in the sitting room of her home, staring blankly into the fire. She was in the chair that had once been her father's favorite, her silk stocking clad legs tucked underneath her. Her left hand held a tall glass of firewhiskey, which she was idly swirling as the index finger of her right hand lightly caressed her lower lip in thought.

She had finally managed to stop shaking after witnessing another sacrifice of a marked girl, knowing that the Dark Lord was now one step closer to discovering that one of his own followers bore the mark as well. Her life was edging ever closer to its end, and it terrified her knowing that if she didn't act soon, she would endure the same thing she'd seen four other girls suffer through.

However, at the moment, Pansy was trying very hard to focus on what had taken place after the sacrifice. Not the Dark Lord's stunning transformation, and increase in strength, but what he'd spoken of. The most feared dark wizard in all of history was actually afraid of something. Or rather someone.

She had heard the Dark Lord rally against Dumbledore before. It was fairly well known that the Dark Lord had been weary of the old headmaster as he felt Dumbledore was the only one who might have challenged him. There was of course talk that he had gone after the Potters sixteen years ago because he felt they could challenge him. And while the Dark Lord had wiped out the family, it had cost him gravely. He'd been less than spirit for many years after that night.

But tonight Pansy had heard the master of the Death Eaters speak of someone that he was clearly concerned about, and that intrigued Pansy. This was someone she needed to find, and forge an alliance with. Perhaps he could protect her. But she knew she would need to offer him something.

Thankfully, she had already figured out exactly what to offer, and where it was. So it was only a matter of collecting it. The problem lay in when to get it. The Dark Lord never left his personal chambers except when they were all gathered to witness something. This meant her only chance would be during the next sacrifice. That could be a real problem if it turned out that she was the next girl selected.

She could just offer her memories of each gathering, and that could be enough, but she wasn't willing to bank on that. And there was of course the fact that this new party was unknown. Pansy had no idea who it was, or where their leanings were. It could easily be a new Dark Lord, far more terrifying than the current. She needed to know more.

Thankfully, the Dark Lord had given her a direction. She had learned that several Death Eaters had encountered this newcomer, and one of them had been none other than her former - and she really hated to use this word to describe him - lover, Draco Malfoy.

Pansy knew that she would be able to easily convince Draco to share his experience, and maybe learn who else had faced this new threat. Perhaps once she discovered what had taken place, she might figure out a way to make contact with this new player, and make an offer of alliance in return for protection.

Pansy took another long drink of whiskey as the image of Marietta Edgecombe trying to fight the Dark Lord off of her as he ripped her magic and life from her surged to the forefront of her mind's eye. Her insides twisted up, and she felt the bile rise in her throat. She had to forcibly suppress the images again and focus on something else or she knew she would go mad.

So she chose to focus on everything she had done up till now in regards to her plan for escape.

The first and most important was to get to know the Dark Lord's fortress. She had spent as much time there as she could, lingering for as long as she could without drawing suspicion to herself and avoiding being seen by the Dark Lord. After three months she was certain she knew the fastest way to get to the Dark Lord's private chambers, and the fastest way to get to the apparition point.

What she didn't know was where the books and scrolls were located, and what protections that might be placed upon them. She also had no idea if the Dark Lord would know if someone entered his chambers. This was really the only part of her plan that gave her real anxiety because it had the most potential for her to get caught and killed.

Then it was a matter of getting out with the prize. Getting past the Dark Lord himself and the entirety of the Death Eater ranks to the only apparition point in the entire fortress. It was an almost impossible task, but Pansy had no alternatives. She had to find something that would ensure that she would live. Because she had something she wanted now.

Pansy turned to where the morning edition of the Daily Prophet lie on the small table. The edition that had featured Augusta Longbottom emerging from the Wizengamot accompanied by her Grandson. The young man that Pansy had admired from afar and been forbidden to speak to. Now she felt there was an opportunity to be who she wanted to be. To live the life she wanted. But she had to get out from under this darkness. She had to find the one who the Dark Lord feared. And she had to find them soon. Before her secret was discovered.

Sirius looked to Annalise who looked to Remus who looked to Sirius. they had been sitting there together for two hours discussing the latest development in young Harry's crusade. Remus had reported to Sirius that Harry now had concerns about his ability to protect them all.

"So how do we convince him that it's the right move?" Remus asked.

Sirius leaned back in his seat, his shoulders slumping a bit. The idea was a good one really. It simplified so much of the overall problem.

"A better question would be how do we convince them?" Sirius asked. "You're asking these girls to leave their lives to hide for gods only know how long. Their jobs, their friends and families. That's a lot to ask anyone."

"They will do it." Anna said. "They know the danger they're in. And they trust him now. Trust him to protect him when the Aurors clearly can't or won't."

"Again, how do we convince Harry?" Remus asked. "He knows what's at stake better than any of us. He's seen the girls, and he's fought the Death Eaters. He can't watch over them and try and find You-Know-Who. Those girls could be snatched up at anytime, and now that they're converging, the Death Eaters can snatch them all up at once and be done with it."

Sirius sighed and ran his hands through his hair. Annalise laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"He'll listen to you." She said softly. "He always has. If you tell him this is a good idea, he'll listen."

Sirius remained silent as he thought about the solution to protecting those girls who were being targeted by Voldemort. It had been Remus who had first suggested it. Annalise got on board right away, though Sirius thought she might have alternative motives for wanting the Oigh Ban'dia ladies to move into Grimmauld Place.

The fact of the matter was that the girls needed to be protected, and other than Hogwarts, Sirius couldn't think of a safer place. It was hidden well, and had the benefit of having Harry there to watch out for them. And while they were there, they could possibly figure out what it meant to be one of these special witches. And maybe, just maybe, they could help Harry do what he was destined to do.

And sure, if he were being honest, Sirius wouldn't mind that much to see his godson in a house full of pretty young women. Though in fairness to Harry, he really wasn't wired the same way most young men were. That was largely thanks to the fact that Sirius was more focused on getting the boy the training he would need for the fight ahead instead of the upbringing he should have had. it was the only thing Sirius regretted in his upbringing of his godson.

But none of that was important now. The only thing that mattered was the safety of those young women, and defeating Voldemort.

"He's not going to like having to give up his privacy." Sirius said finally. "He's going to resist. Even if I manage to convince him that this is the right play, he's going to try and come up with alternatives. He really believes that his way is the only way to proceed with his war. Putting all those girls into the house with him means he will inevitably have to reveal who he is, and I don't think he's ready to do that."

"Then you have to make him understand that this is the only way." Annalise said emphatically. "You have to make him understand that he knows what it would mean if Voldemort got these girls, and it's in his best interest to take them in. If they are safe, he'll be able to refocus on finding this madman and end him once and for all."

Remus gave a firm nod of agreement and Sirius stood up.

"I've got to get to a pizza joint." Sirius sighed.

"Why?" Remus asked.

Because he's always more amiable to certain concepts when he's eaten." Sirius chuckled.

An hour later found Sirius entering his ancestral home carrying two large pies and butterbeer as well as a plan to convince Harry that he needed to protect the girls.

As usual Sirius found Harry in the study. The walls had even more articles and pictures tacked up, and an even more intricate web of red string connecting things all centered around the parchment with Voldemort's name on it. Harry was standing in the room staring at a new article he'd just placed on the wall. He was wearing only black pants and his hair was messier than was normal. He also looked as if he'd just gotten out of the shower.

"You look tired." Sirius remarked, setting the pizza down. Harry turned, and a smile appeared on his face when he spied the pizza boxes.

"Food." Was his reply as he lunged for the box. He took a slice and after three bites he looked at his godfather who was smirking.

"Something happen?" Harry asked.

"No, why do you say that?" Sirius asked.

"Because you're here." Harry pointed out. "We made a deal. Sundays and every other Wednesday for dinner to keep you up to date on everything I'm doing. If you're here that means that something's happened, and the fact that you brought food means you're trying to ease me into it. So what is it?"

"I liked it better when you were less perceptive." Sirius bemoaned. "Remus told us what happened with Rookwood the other night, and then he told us about you wanting to find a way to protect the girls."

"They're too spread out. I can't…" Harry stopped and looked at Sirius and then his shoulders sagged.

"No." He said shaking his head. "No. Absolutely not. We get the Aurors to do it. It's their gods damned job Sirius!"

"You've seen for yourself how well the Auror deal with the Death Eaters kid." Sirius held up his hands to try and calm his godson down. "You've only got one option here. The place is big enough for those six girls and more if you get them to double up on rooms. And to be frank it'd do you good to have them here with you. You're too isolated. You told us yourself just last week that you've been getting lonely here."

"Yeah, but that wasn't a hint that I needed full time company!" Harry argued. "Sirius, if they know that I'm who I am, and I'm alive, it puts them in greater danger than they already are."

"Not if they stay here all the time." Sirius said, giving a half hearted shrug.

Harry could only stare for a moment.

"You expect them to give up their lives? Their jobs? Friends and family? Just to stay here until I find and kill Voldemort? Sirius, I can't even find the bastard. I can't promise those girls that it'll be just for a while. I can't ask them to give up everything a come live with me like some sort of sick sex cult leader. And that's how they'll see it too."

"What other choice do you have? Do they have?" Sirius pointed out. "Four of them have already been attacked and they were lucky you were there. At least three girls are dead because you weren't there. And you said yourself that the Death Eaters are starting to send more out to collect each girl, likely because of you. What will you do when the next girl shows up dead? Or if one of those girls gets snatched knowing you could have protected her just by hiding her here?"

Harry tossed his half eaten pizza slice on top of the box and began to pace. Sirius allowed him to move about because he knew he'd backed the kid into a corner. He'd hated to do it, but the kid could be as stubborn as his mother sometimes. But Harry was also just as smart as Lily had been, and Sirius knew that if he allowed it Harry would realize that there really was only one option.

"I can't afford the distractions." Harry said after a few minutes of pacing. Sirius managed to keep himself from smirking.

"If I do this I need to channel my energy back into finding Voldemort, or finding any of the others. So I'll need someone here to take care of them. I need to remain separate from them."

"Of course." Sirius nodded, knowing that it would only be a matter of time before Harry found himself interacting with the girls without his precious armor and hood between them. Eventually he'd have to reveal himself to them. If Sirius knew anything about women, it was that eventually they would need to solve the mystery of who was protecting them.

"I really wish I had a house elf." Harry grimaced.

"He's not a house elf, but I'm sure we could persuade Remus to help you. And Annalise would love to…"

"NO!" Harry snapped. "Gods if we let her in here with those girls she'll have me all but betrothed to one or three of them. No, Annalise keeps her distance, or I swear to god, I will just let Voldemort kill me without a fight."

"Alright." Sirius said laughing at his godson's theatrics." Alright, I'll keep her chained up. When will you ask them?"

"I don't know. I've got to think this through. Besides, I have another problem right now." Harry said as he ran his hand through his damp hair.

"What's up?"

"Auror Tonks got into some sort of trouble with her partner because of her association with me. Alastor moody was there tonight instead of Tonks. It sounds like this Kingsley Shacklebolt is planning on trying to trap me. Moody thinks I should let it play out and then take Kingsley to task. Moody thinks he's a good Auror, but he's been groomed and maybe needs a wake up call."

"Kingsley was with the Order in the final days before Voldemort's fall." Sirius said folding his arms. "He was a lot younger then and less ensconced in the Ministry. It does stand to reason with his record as it was then, and with Moody's training that Kingsley could be someone that Amelia Bones is looking at to replace her one day. That would mean doing everything by the book, and keeping his record clean. On the other hand Kingsley was someone not unlike your father or myself who was willing to get their hands dirty during the first war. Maybe Moody's right, and Kingsley needs to be reminded what it is to fight a real war."

"I really don't want to fight a war on two fronts." Harry sighed. "The Aurors are already hell-bent on seeing me locked up."

"You knew this was going to happen." Sirius reminded his godson. "I warned you about this."

"I know." Harry sighed. "I was hoping though that I would be able to rally them to my side. But that night in Diagon Alley really bollocksed it up."

"Well, maybe this is your chance to start persuading them." Sirius pointed out. "Moody's got your back, and so long as you don't hurt Kingsley, Tonks is supporting you. So let Kingsley set his trap. If you don't like the odds, don't let them spring it. But if you think you can handle it, then show them what they're dealing with, and then show them what's at stake, just like you did with Tonks. If after that Kingsley still isn't convinced… fuck him. You don't need his help."

"How do you make everything seem so uncomplicated?" Harry asked with a soft chuckle.

"Mostly because I don't dwell on the details." Sirius grinned. "That's your job. I'm just the idea man and cheerleader."

"You're not going to put that skirt on again, are you?" Harry grimaced.

"I might." Sirius gave a thoughtful expression. "It was pretty freeing."

"And there goes my appetite."