A/N: Another chapter, and just before I start back to school too :) Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, the reviews are what keep me writing and your reviews are all amazing! Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters related to Harry Potter, but I do own the storyline for this.
Chapter 13: Incognito
James balanced against the hull of his ship. A rope wrapped around his waist and thighs provided a harness which was attached to the lifeline hanging from the ship's rail. The sea wind tugged at the rope, rocking James like a baby in a cradle. The ship itself barely swayed against the roll of waves. The anchor had been dropped and not the wind nor waves could budge the Marauder.
The brush he clenched dripped hot tar to the foaming sea when James paused. Dull eyes traced the gold lettering branded on the wood. His eyes memorized the swooping cursive before James dragged the tar stained bristles across the name.
The woman stood far above him, red hair pulled back in a tight braid. Lily's eyes followed the jerked brush strokes and the smoothed black they left behind, then paused to watch the face of the man that left them. Her nostrils flared, allowing the salty damp air to clear her head as she glanced along the bow to the shadowed patch just on the horizon.
Her eyes were not the only ones fixed on the distant Looe Island. Remus' misted gray ones had not wavered from the shadow except to send paint down to James and Sirius, who hung from the other rail just as precariously.
Lily watched the second mate's back, then reached out a hand to pull him from a trance even as a sharp whistle did it for her. Remus jerked backward, then stepped over to the starboard rail. Three other men helped him pull Sirius back on the deck.
The first mate shook his head, to rid himself of the flecks of sea water that had dampened his hair. After shrugging out of his harness, Sirius stepped over to the opposite rail. Sirius braced a hand as he leaned over the edge, peering down at the dark figure.
"He done yet?"
Lily did not answer. Instead she returned her gaze to the man still swinging below. James had had the ship for over six years, and though he'd never confessed it, Lily knew it was his one home. Every inch of the ship down to the name was his own. To take away any part of it, even just the name, was crippling. And yet he was doing it anyway. Lily let out a long breath, fist tightening around the rail.
"I don't understand how hiding a name is going to help." Mitz spoke up, picking at his boot's edge with a knife. "If they know what to look for - "
"They're looking for the Marauder." Sirius interrupted. "And they can't find what doesn't exist."
It had been Sirius' idea to use Crouch's trick against the coven. While it was a disguise that would only last for so long, changing the ship's name would delay the coven enough for passage into and the needed escape from Looe Island. At least that was the theory.
James' sharp whistle finally came. Lily gripped the tethered rope while Sirius hooked the knot around his forearm. With the added muscle of Remus and Mitz, they pulled James back on board.
"It done, captain?" Mitz questioned. James pulled off the harness and handed over the brush and buckets of tar and paint.
"It's done. You're now the proud crew of the Phoenix." It was evident by Sirius' frown that Lily was not the only one to catch the undercurrent of regret in James' reply.
Mitz wrinkled his nose. "The Phoenix? Ain't that a bird?"
James ignored him and descended the stairs of the landing. Sirius glanced once at Mitz. "Very good. We'll move on to reptiles next."
Mitz narrowed his eyes after a moment, then followed them down the steps. "That ain't what I meant. I meant – why are we naming our ship after a bird."
James paused at the railing, eyes narrowed at the shadow. His voice was directed at the rolling waves. "The phoenix is an ancient bird of magic. Tears that could heal a mortal wound. A song to call for aid. And whenever it dies...it's reborn from the ashes."
Lily stared up at him, wondering who had told him that, and how long ago. James shrugged a shoulder, eyes still on the horizon.
"Maybe it will bring us some luck." James murmured so only the ones closest could hear.
James pulled away from the rail and spun to face the crew. "Weigh anchor and stay the course. Destination is still Looe Island." His voice rippled with command.
Murmurs of "yes'" and "ayes" masked James' next words as he leaned closer to Lily. "I want you below deck. Not even a whisp of hair above."
Even as he spoke James' experience warred with his instinct. He had learned long ago that Lily did not do well with being ordered to stay out of the way, in fact it was such orders that normally brought him into serious conflict with the redhead. But nor was James willing to place her in full view of pirates, some of whom were trying to kill him. He tightened his shoulders slightly as he waited for her response, knowing if she chose to argue with him it would be an argument she would not win.
Lily watched him through freed strands of hair, then nodded once so abruptly that James' eyebrows lifted high on his forehead. When no argument fell from her lips, he let a half relieved smile curl the edge of his lips. "Thank you." He murmured and moved past her. As he did, Lily caught his elbow and he swung off balance to face her.
"James, you need to stay hidden as well." James frowned at the statement, though a deeper part of him recognized that Lily had found her argument and was slightly relieved for it. However as he opened his mouth to negate the point she had just made, Lily tightened her grip.
"You are in more danger than I. I understand I could bring unwanted attention by being in view. But you are the man they are looking for. The man they want dead. Your head needs to be just as below deck as mine."
James' mouth closed under her hard gaze. "Someone is going to have to go into port, Lily." He pointed out slowly.
"It shouldn't be you." Lily was unyielding. Out of the corner of his eye, James noticed Remus and Sirius waiting for him, and he gently pulled his arm from Lily.
"Don't worry, Lily." He said, though knew his words sounded hollow as her eyes narrowed slightly.
"James, you know I'm right." Her voice held none of the smugness that might have normally come from winning a dispute. Instead it wavered and dropped deeper to churn his stomach.
James turned from her, unsure of how to quell her fears without making a promise he might not be able to keep. Instead he left her to disappear into his cabin, after gesturing to Remus and Sirius to follow.
James stepped over to his desk, not bothering to urge Sirius and Remus closer. He ran a finger around the tiny dot he'd sketched on the newer map. Looe Island was of no consequence to the Royal Navy, even though according to Hagrid it was a lesser version of Tortuga, and therefore had not been put on the map. It made James wonder how many other ports or islands were missing from even the best maps, and how many of those ports or islands might have led them to Dora sooner.
He tapped the dot again. "Looe Island has docks on all sides but most only for smaller boats because of the lower water level. Which means we'll have to weigh anchor just off the coast to the south and go in on a long boat. I told Hagrid and John to prepare one once we're close enough." James rubbed his jaw, eyes still focused on the sketch. "It may prove to be a benefit and provide quicker escape if we need it."
Remus and Sirius were silent in agreement. A pair of black and gray eyes watched the map with equal intensity. James walked around the desk and sat down, then continued.
"It used to have an abbey, but now the abbey is more ruin than anything, according to Hagrid. The main section of the abbey was retained and now holds a single pub." James pulled forward a scrap of paper on which he'd sketched the outline of the island and abbey as Hagrid had described it. It was rough at best, but it was also better than going in completely blind. Sirius reached forward and pulled the scrap closer, gnawing on his inner lip as he examined the page.
"Several floors high, the pub is the only entertainment on the island. It holds both wenches and drinks. If the coven is anywhere on this island they'll be there. And if Dora is anywhere on the island, she'll be there too." James tapped the edge of his desk, frowning down at the map.
Remus had barely glanced at the scrap of paper still clenched in Sirius' hand. Instead he fixed James with a steady look which the captain did not return. "One long boat? If something were to happen seven men might not be enough."
"There won't be seven men." James corrected, standing up to face them. "There will be one."
Sirius' head jerked up and Remus' eyes widened. "One?" The voice of the second mate wavered. "One man..." It was almost a hiss.
"We cannot afford to bring unnecessary attention to ourselves." James said, his face twisted in a grimace. "One man is less noticeable than seven. He can mingle and question much easier. He can get where seven men cannot." James paused, eyes fixed on the two men in front of him. Lily's warning burned in the back of his mind. But if one man had to go into the coven's hideout -
"I'll do it." Sirius spoke before Remus could utter a word. The second mate whipped around even as James' jaw sagged. Sirius crossed his arms defiantly, crumpling the island sketch in the process. "I'd be more believable than either of you, since I can at least pretend to like wenches."
"Pretend?" James said before he could stop himself.
Sirius eyes hardened, but he ignored the tease. "Who else is it going to be, James? I heard what Lily was telling you on deck and she's right. Lestrange was looking for James Potter. And now he knows your face."
"He knows yours too. And Remus'" James reminded him.
"Well we can't very well ask Hagrid to walk back in there, can we? Or one of the crew?" Sirius argued. "It has to be one of us."
James shook his head numbly and Sirius stepped around the desk and grabbed James' arm hard. "It has to be me, James. I can flirt and play drunk and get people to talk. You'd shrug off any wench who came near you and they're the ones that are going to know if Dora's there or not."
"Dora? You don't even believe Dora's alive?" Remus snarled, breaking from his surprise. "And you think you're the best suited for this rescue mission?"
Sirius' hand tightened, digging his nails into James' arm, but it was the only sign of his rising temper. "This isn't a rescue mission. We're here to get information first."
"Information?" Remus hissed. "I'm here to rescue Dora!"
"And if that information leads us to find that Dora is in fact here, then you can perform a rescue." Sirius snapped, turning at last to glare at Remus.
"Then I'll be performing that from start to finish." Remus spat, looking back at James. "James, I'm the one that needs to go in there. If I see her I'll know – neither of you would -"
"Yeah, you'll see her and run off half cocked and get yourself, and possibly her, killed." Sirius challenged as he stalked over to the corner, and then whirled back on the other two men. "Face it, Remus. You'd be so focused on looking for Dora you'd miss anything that passed under your nose that didn't have blond hair. Which would include pirates looking to stab you in the back."
Remus flushed red. "James!" He begged, looking over his shoulder at the captain who remained silent.
"You know I'm right." Sirius said, whether he purposefully mimicked Lily's earlier words or not, James did not know.
Sirius' eyes were hard even as Remus' were crazed with begging. James dropped his eyes for a moment, studying the map as each argument played over and over through his mind until he was almost sick to his stomach.
When James finally let his gaze land on Remus, the second mate took a step backward. "You cannot be serious." He breathed out, reading the decision in the hazel eyes of his captain. "James -"
"Sirius is right." James broke in. As is Lily, he thought humbly. "None of the crew can do this because they do not have all the facts. We dare not entertain the thought of sending Hagrid, who is already known here. It can't be me." His breath caught at the feeling of helplessness, but James cleared his throat once. "You are no more comfortable in a pub than I am, Remus. Do you think you could hide your intentions long enough to fake friends and wheedle information?"
"We might not have time for just information, James." Remus argued, flinging out his hand and knocking several books from the desk. "If there is too much danger and Dora is -"
"Then if Dora is there and there is no time for us to come, Sirius will get her out." James replied confidently.
"Ha!" Remus laughed bitterly, sending a scathing look toward the silent first mate. "He'd be distracted by the first wench to pass by. He'd probably grab the wrong woman."
Sirius snarled under his breath but bit his lip hard to keep from spewing the curses that rose from his chest. James' eyes narrowed at Remus. "Enough, Remus. Sirius will keep his head." James' eyes flickered to the first mate, and then back again.
"You're putting Dora's life in the hands of a man who doesn't even love the woman that he returns to and beds every few months!" Remus almost screamed. Sirius paled slightly. "In the hands of a man who hasn't believed from the beginning that there is any hope that Dora is alive. I'm not willing to risk it."
"You don't have a choice." James snapped. Remus straightened abruptly. James took a labored sigh, trying to reign in his temper. "A few weeks ago you asked for my help. You asked for our help. And now you're getting it, so you will have to listen to what I say. I have full confidence in Sirius and until a few weeks ago, you did as well. He will go into port, get some information, and come back. Then if a rescue is needed I will send you and any other man you wish."
Remus stared at him, panting slightly. He glanced once back at the silent man in the corner, then turned sharply on his heel. The door slammed in his wake, though neither Sirius and James winced.
Sirius stepped slowly from the corner, walking into the light that filtered through the window. James stared at him for a long moment, then leaned on the edge of the desk and dropped his gaze back to the map.
"It will be a few hours more until we're close enough to drop the longboat. You should return by midnight, which would give you about four hours."
Sirius bobbed his head once.
James looked back at him. "Sirius, if any trouble starts -"
"I know, get out of there and don't forget to grab Dora on my way out." Sirius recited, but his lips did not form a smile.
James thought to rebuke him, but decided to only give a brief shake of his head.
Sirius took a long breath, toying with the edge of his sleeve. "You won't be able to go on deck once we're close." He spoke slowly.
James frowned. "I know." He almost groaned
"Hey," Sirius nudged James' shoulder. The captain glanced at him. "You're more important than information. Just spend some time with Lily and you won't even notice I'm gone." The first mate gave him a wane smile, but it did not reach his eyes.
James let out a breath. Sirius turned away, but he was barely at the door when James called out to him.
"Sirius. Be careful."
Sirius shrugged a shoulder. "I'm always careful." He replied, then swept out of the room.
---------------
Sirius rubbed his palms against the fabric of his pants, watching as Hagrid and Mitz secured the single longboat to the riggings. His dark eyes watched the two men weave knots simultaneously, as though it were rehearsed. An almost fond snort escaped as Sirius followed the newest crew member, who had so effortlessly slipped into the crew's good graces, with a quick tilt of his head.
"Drop anchor!"
The shout caused a stir across the deck and Sirius dropped the unconscious smile that had twisted his lips when he approached the two men.
"Doesn't have any holes, does she?" Sirius questioned offhandedly as he glanced toward the flickering lights that illuminated the small island. He dropped his gaze back in time to see Mitz grimace.
"She'll get you to the island. Though why you'd want to -"
"You don't understand. I know." Sirius finished.
Hagrid appeared as doubtful as Mitz, and Sirius felt his own resolve wavering in the face of their worry. He bit the edge of his lip, then cast his gaze behind him on the main deck.
Sirius' eyes landed on Remus. The second mate stood half a deck away, arms crossed. His mousy hair beat at his furrowed brow, while his muscles bunched and his hands fisted. Then the second mate purposefully turned his face away.
The hairs on Sirius' neck rose and he turned back to his crew mates, all wavering gone from his eyes. "Don't worry so much. I'm just popping over for a drink. Be back before you can get too comfortable without me." Neither man smiled, but Sirius ignored the cautionary sounds from Hagrid's throat as he heaved himself over the edge and into the longboat.
Sirius did not bother to look at the faces on the deck as the lines grew taunt and the longboat was lowered toward the water. The first mate gripped the edges of the boat as it dropped the last foot, jarring him into the oars. The ropes slackened and he was on his own.
Sirius took an oar with each hand and his muscles strained as he began to row toward the island. The lantern at the boat's bow flickered in the wind. Beyond the lulling waves he could see other lanterns of incoming boats. Eyes dragged back to the waiting island, and Sirius grunted with each stroke that pulled him toward port.
When the boat finally slipped into the knee deep water, Sirius dropped the oars on the floor and let out a huff of air. The edge of the boat bumped against the rotting dog and Sirius tossed a frayed rope around one post. As he pulled himself onto the dock a hunched over man limped in front of him.
"Watch your boat for a shilling." He croaked through the rotting remains of his teeth.
Sirius' nose wrinkled, even as he straightened his coat. "No, I'm -"
"Watch your boat for a shilling." The old man repeated, holding out a hand caked with grim.
Sirius let out a grunt and shoved a shilling into the man's palm. "Fine, watch my damn boat." He snarled, shouldering past the swaying man and up along the path that lead from the beach to the abbey, which rested on the crest of the hill.
Sirius followed the graveled path, stepping over half crumbled steps and drunken bodies sprawled in the tall grass. His eyes read each face, but the only light came from the abbey and the stars, leaving the faces cloaked in shadows. His fingers brushed against the hilt of a hidden dagger for reassurance.
He passed under the crumbling brick of the abbey's outer walls, then froze under the arch. Torches lit the courtyard and wooden huts as brightly as the set sun. Broken bottles crunched under Sirius' boots as he wove through the vendors, women, and pirates. Spicy smells burned his nose and throat, and too thin silk covering too rounded bodies brushed against his arms and chest. The music pulled him to the center of the courtyard where the remains of the once majestic abbey stood.
There were holes in the stone near darkened windows, holes from past cannon fire which revealed abandoned staircases to the naked eye. Most of the other windows glowed and the polished doors had been torn from their crafted hinges to leave a seductive open doorway.
Sirius passed into the crowded pub as just another body, unnoticed save for a few stray wenches. Sirius lifted his eyes to follow a polished wooden staircase leading beyond the ceiling to several dozen rooms. He cast a look over one shoulder at the wide bar, then toward the tables where drinks and women were being passed from pirate to drunk. One freckled wench gave Sirius a coy look, which he returned with a thin smile, then turned to wander through several more tables, pausing finally at a table where a large dice game was going on.
Sirius pulled a chair around and straddled it, weighing his bag of coins with his palm as he dropped it jingling on the table. Several heads turned, eyebrows lifting at the bag.
"Have another set?" Sirius inquired innocently, stripping out of his coat and throwing it over his knee.
A nearby pirate slid his own cup and set of dice into Sirius' waiting hand, then made a go-ahead motion as he left the table. The five remaining pirates, and their respective crew mates and wenches, watched as Sirius tossed shook the dice and slammed the cup, lip down on the table.
A red-bearded pirate made the first call. "Two sixes."
"Four sixes."
By the time the circle had reached Sirius the bid had increased to 10 sixes. Sirius leaned casually back in his chair, and cast his best half grin to Red Beard. "Twenty two sixes."
One of the wenches nearby gasped, while the other four pirates quickly peaked at their hands, then looked intently at each other, trying to wheedle out the other's dice.
Red Beard stared straight back at Sirius, his eyes narrowed at the challenge. He would either have to make a higher bid, or call Sirius out on his. He glanced at his dice for half a second, then snarled, "Liar." And lifted his cup to reveal one six.
A murmur went through the crowd as the other pirates revealed their own dice, adding to only eighteen sixes. Sirius flipped his cup up with a flick of his wrist, revealing five beautifully crafted dice, each with six black spots.
"Twenty three then." Sirius chuckled as a hoot and cheer went up through the crowd of onlooking pirates. The players tossed over their coined bets as Red Beard reached over to Sirius and clapped his hand.
"You're one lucky bastard." He smiled.
Sirius grinned. "Let's hope it holds the rest of the night, eh?" This elicited a laughter and a few good natured threats around the table. Pints of rum were slammed on the table and the dice were cast again and again until Sirius finally staggered away from the table three hours later.
His hands gripped the edge of the bar, digging his fingers into the cool wood while he blinked his bloodshot eyes. Sirius felt the weight of his coined purse. A bit lighter than when he'd arrived, but he'd won a fair amount of hands to make up for how the grogginess of his head had lost him the last few.
Sirius straightened up from the bar and beckoned the bartender over, knocking his arm into a wench standing at his shoulder. He blinked a few times and asked for a water. The pint handed him was filled with a murky liquid that seemed to crawl up the edges of the cup. Sirius wrinkled his nose and braced his back against the bar as he scanned the pub.
Despite the ruckus of the pub his nerves had not been on end the entire night. He had inquired here and there about the prettiest wenches, had let Dora's name slip a few times and had flirted with a few until he saw their brown eyes, old faces, or heard their whispered name. Though none of his flirting or cleverly woven words had provided anything other than stories about beautiful wenches from other ports and even once a story about a loyal golden retriever. Sirius had spent the first half an hour glancing over his shoulder for Lestrange and any of his crew. But then the rum and easy words of the other pirates had relaxed him into his current state.
Which was why the feeling of someone's prying gaze unnerved him beyond normal. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand and his muscles tensed as he quickly scanned the faces near and far for the glare that was directed at him. But he met no furious eyes or glaring gaze. The feeling did not abate, however, and Sirius shifted his arms on the bar and half turned, only to find the feminine face that had been the cause for his nerves.
She was fairly pretty. No, Sirius contradicted as he stared down at her, she was beautiful. Her hair fell in black ringlets, framing a thing pale face. While her blue eyes glared at him from under a frown.
"Um..." He found his tongue caught between his teeth as the woman's eyes narrowed further. He could see her knuckles turning white as she griped her skirts. "Hello..."
"Leave." Her voice was ice and cut through any drunken defense he might have thrown together. Sirius' jaw dropped slightly.
"Wh-what?"
"Leave. Now. Get on your ship and leave." She shoved past him, knocking his shoulder so that he threw out a hand to catch himself on the bar. He whirled back and stepped around her, blocking her path, just before she could disappear into the maze of tables.
"Leave? What do you mean leave?" Sirius said, resisting the urge to grab her arm to keep her from stepping around him again.
"Get off the island. Now." She tried to step around him, but Sirius sidestepped with her.
"Why do I need to leave?" He demanded, trying to catch her eyes even as she seemed to look through him.
He swore that she hissed like a wet cat before she answered. "There needs to be a reason? Fine, because if you stay here you will die!"
"Die?" Sirius stuttered and then glanced over his shoulder. The rest of the pub was too occupied with drinks and women to be paying attention but he could feel his muscles tensing even more. He turned just as the woman was escaping. This time he did reach out and grab her arm, pulling her sharply back to him.
"Let go of me." Her voice was dipped low with anger, but it shook with some other emotion. Now her eyes met his fully for the briefest of moments.
"Someone's going to try and kill me?" He ignored her request. Then winced as she dug her nails into his forearm.
"Someone will kill you if you do not heed me. Now let go of me and leave." She ripped her arm from his loosened grip and disappeared into another group of men. Sirius stared after her, heart thudding loudly in his ears. He turned sharply and ran into another woman.
He caught her elbows, steadying them both. Surprisingly, the wench laughed and held onto him as he did her. "You look a bit worn on your feet." She soothed, flicking her red hair over her shoulder.
"Yeah....maybe..." Sirius glanced over his shoulder and then shied away from an abrupt shout from the winner of the continuing dice game.
"Spooked like a lost pup too." She ran a hand through his bangs, brushing his face with cool fingers. "Here, come with me."
The black haired woman's warning blazed suddenly in Sirius mind, but he shoved it aside just as abruptly. He hadn't found Dora yet, hadn't found any sign or whisper of her. And he couldn't return to the ship, to Remus, without that. And besides that, his legs were feeling a bit weak as the wench kept a comforting grip around his arm and waist as she led him up the stairs.
His eyes traveled up the hallway lined with doors similar to the one that the wench ushered him through. Sirius did not bother to examine the room as he sat down hard on the bed and stared at the wood floorboards.
A cool cloth against his cheek made him jerk backwards until a hand caught his arm. The wench knelt at his feet as warm smile crossed her lips. "It's okay." She pressed the damp cloth against his face again then dropped it back in the water basin near her knee.
"I'm Sara. And you're....?" She pushed back his bangs as he stared mutely back into her brown eyes.
"I'm....Black." He said simply.
"Black? That's your name?" Sara asked, her smile turning into a short laugh.
Sirius shrugged a shoulder. "My mother wasn't creative..." He muttered.
Sara ran her finger through his hair and smiled up at him. "Well, names are just names." She reassured him.
Sirius blinked at her, finding her face too close and her breath hot on his already dry lips. When she leaned forward he didn't stop her, he even let his own lips dance with hers, though he felt as though they were stepping on each others toes throughout the dance.
Finally his mind caught up to his lips and he pulled abruptly back. "I...I have to go..." He stumbled a few steps past her and then stopped halfway to the door, staring at the wood with warring wills. Go...where? To find Dora in some room down the hall? If she was even there. Go from the island like the mysterious woman had warned him?
"Go? Where? Why?" Sara was on her feet staring at his back with parted lips.
Sirius turned slowly to face her again, his eyes dropped to her own and he let her move closer before shaking his head sharply. "I'm looking for someone." He spoke as though it was the answer to all her questions.
She snorted once, looking down for a moment. "Aren't we all." She murmured in a broken voice.
Sirius stared at her for a long moment then grabbed her waist and crushed his lips to hers, aggressively mating their mouths until his lungs protested and he was reminded of his heart silent and cold beneath his breastbone. He shoved her back a step and gasped for air, hands still holding her arms while she stared at him, eyes wide.
"Are you...all right?" She questioned as though he hadn't just grabbed her and sucked the breath from her own lungs.
"No." His answer was short and he staggered back a step. "I need to find a girl. A woman...a wench."
Sara's eyebrows dropped. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific."
Sirius growled in his throat. "Blond hair. No gold. Gold hair. And blue eyes....or sapphires or whatever Remus would compare them too." His breath was coming in quick bursts.
Sara shook her head and caught his arm with a hand. "Whoa, who's Remus?"
"He's the problem. Idiot is looking for this woman and now I have to find her – she's here, or I think she is. But I can't leave without finding her." His voice cracked and Sirius pulled from Sara's grip and slammed his fist into the wall with a crunch.
Her eyes widened as she watched him pull away from the wall and saw a few fleck of blood fall from his knuckles. "You're really looking for a woman."
"Yes. I just told you -"
"Okay calm down." Sara gripped the front of his shirt, forcing the shaking man to look down at her. She felt her heart flutter slightly when the swelling dark eyes fell upon her, but she swallowed away the two kisses and silenced her heart. "You know she's here, yes?"
"No." Sirius contradicted. "We think she's here. She could be in Istanbul for all I know."
"Think? Were you going to check every wench, every room until you found her?" Sara demanded. She saw the color rising in his face and she patted his shoulder. "Okay, so that wasn't the plan. Then what are you going to do?"
"None of the pirates I talked to know her...or maybe they're too drunk to remember..." Sirius spouted, unable to stop the words from falling from his lips. Then his eyes seemed to glow with inspiration. "But you - you would know her." Sara frowned for a moment. "You would know her if she was a wench here, right?"
The shake of her redhead sent his stomach dropping again. "There's no guarantee that- "
"But you're a wench too. You all live here, together. You see each other every night!"
Sara pulled away from him and hugged her arms as she backed away from him. "Not by choice." Her voice was small and Sirius felt his jaw snap closed. "Do you know how wenches get here? They're taken off ships that have been raided...or from villages...or from fathers who want to settle debts. No one wants to be here...and if you can get off, any way you can, you do. If she had the opportunity to leave then she would've, if she was even here at all."
As he watched her Sirius realized that the girl before him could have been no older than Lily. He swallowed hard at the thought and stepped over to her and reached out a hand to take hers. "Her name was Dora."
Sara stared up at him for a long moment. "I don't know a Dora." She said slowly. "I don't think I've met anyone here by that name, at least no wench. I'm sorry."
Sirius dropped her hand and nodded once, backing away until she caught his arm for the final time.
"There are many blond haired girls and many more girls who have been here longer than I." Sara told him. "At the end of the hall there's one. She's got blond hair and she's older than me. I don't ever see her when I'm downstairs but...I know she's been here for awhile and she knows everyone."
Sirius felt his lips smile slightly, just for the redhead staring up at him. He dropped his lips into a soft kiss on her cheek and felt her intake of breath as he did. "Thank you." He whispered and squeezed her hand briefly before disappearing out the door.
Voices from downstairs drifted up the stairs and flooded the walls. Sirius walked slowly past the doors and around the couples that had migrated to the upper hallway. He averted his eyes and moved on, almost running into a man who was leaving one of the rooms. Sirius did not even look at the man's face as he moved past the remaining doors. He heard another door creak and a murmur of voices behind him but he could only stare at the sliver of yellow that seeped from the crack under the door.
Sirius pushed the door open and stepped inside, eyes scanning the clean room to find the woman standing at the window. Her back faced him and he could only make out the color of her long hair. Gold. Sirius stepped further into the room, clearing his throat but so soft that she still didn't hear. He reached out a hand and touched her shoulder.
As she turned Sirius felt an explosion of pain in the back of his head. Blackness swam through his vision, suffocating him before his body could crumple to the floor.