Chapter 36

(A few months later)

Rochelle Vittori sat back in the Hogwarts Express, trying to control the tears that were threatening to spill out of her eyes. She felt stupid for feeling so emotional, but she couldn't help it. This was the last time she would ever sit in this train again. The realization was almost devastating. She was on her own, now. Hogwarts had always been that one place where she would always be safe, but that was no longer possible. She was being thrust into the real world, a world she didn't want to enter.

"Tell me you're not crying," Sirius teased, as he pulled his trunk into the compartment, and sat down beside her. He smiled when he saw her eyes were shining. "You big baby. Come here."

Rochelle let Sirius put his arms around her as she tried to blink away the tears. "Sorry, I must look like such an idiot. It's just scary knowing that we won't come back, ever."

Sirius nodded, resting his chin on her head. "I know. I'll miss it here too. I suppose Hogwarts made me who I am."

"A self-obsessed little prick?"

Sirius pulled away, removing his arms from around her and feigning hurt. "Well, just for that, I'm not going to comfort you anymore," he replied, standing up. "Where have the others gone off to?"

Rochelle smiled. "I suppose Lily went back to see if she could convince Professor McGonagall to tell her how she did on her Transfiguration NEWT. I swear, that girl doesn't know the meaning of waiting. We're going to get our results owled to us in a week or so, anyway."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm certainly not losing any sleep over that. I'll go see if I can spot Peter or Remus in the corridor. Stay put, all right?"

Rochelle nodded, and Sirius pressed his lips lightly to her forehead once before leaving the compartment. Rochelle sat back, and leaned her head on the window.

The past few months had been exhausting, but her NEWTs were finally over. She hadn't done all that well in Charms, but the most important subjects; Potions and Herbology; had gone rather well. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts had never been too strong, but Rochelle thought she could scrape the grade she needed. She smiled to herself, with the relief that the exams were finally over. At least now the results were out of her hands.

A few moments later, Sirius came back into the compartment and smiled at her. "Well, they all found a better compartment at the other end of the train. We could go join them. Or if you want some time alone with me, I'd completely understand. I am excellent company, after all."

Rochelle laughed. "Of course you are."

"Darling, if I wasn't excellent company, you wouldn't have agreed to live with me, would you?"

It was true. After Rochelle had mentioned Lily and James' plans for after they left Hogwarts, they'd had a similar conversation of their own. Sirius had suggested that he was going to buy his own apartment, and that Rochelle should live with him. It hadn't taken much thought for her to agree. Sirius claimed that he honestly didn't care if they got married or not; he was perfectly willing to do it if it made her happy, but he didn't think it would make much of a difference to their relationship. Once they'd fixed things, Sirius had apparated away one Hogsmeade weekend and bought their apartment.

"I think we should make things clear. Just because I'm going to live with you doesn't make me your personal maid. I've seen your room at the Potters, and if you even think that I'm going to clean up after you, you're mistaken," Rochelle told him firmly.

Sirius smiled. "Yes, mother. I can't wait until you see it. It's wonderful, honestly. A bit small, but it's really cozy. I didn't have time to buy any furniture, though; we'll have to get the basic beds and things today before we go to the flat."

Rochelle's smile dropped. "Today?"

"Of course, today.

"Sirius, I… I thought you knew. I'm going back to the Vittori mansion today."

Sirius stared at her, his grey eyes widening. "What? Rochelle, you told me that you were never going back there! You promised me!"

Rochelle frowned. She wasn't sure how to explain this to him, how to tell him so that he wouldn't get angry. "Sirius, I'm not going to stay there. I just need to pick up a few things and… and say a few last words, that's all. An hour or two at most."

"Send your elf or someone to pick up your things. You don't need to go there for that."

"Sirius…"

"No, Rochelle, don't Sirius me. What can you possibly have to say to them after all they've done to you? They don't deserve your goodbyes, and I don't want to risk you stepping in that house again," Sirius told her firmly. "I won't let them hurt you."

Rochelle sighed. "Sirius, please understand. I need to go there. I need to tell them that I'm leaving, I won't run away like a coward. I want to face them, tell them what I'm doing and make sure that they don't follow me or send someone to find me. I need to make a clean cut, Sirius. They deserve to know why I'm doing this."

"They don't deserve crap," Sirius snapped. He looked down at the seat, and then up at Rochelle's pleading blue-grey eyes. "I'll come with you, then."

"No, you won't."

"Why not?"

"Because I want to walk in there and walk out, you know that won't happen if you're with me! My father will be furious, and there's no knowing what he'll do to you. He'll kill you, and then claim that you threatened him or something. He can't murder his own daughter without facing repercussions, at least."

Sirius gave Rochelle a long, hard look. "I can't change your mind about this."

"No."

"I don't like it."

"I'm sorry. But I won't be satisfied unless I do it."

Sirius sighed. His hands cupped her warm face, and he looked into her blue-grey eyes. "Promise me you'll come back safely. Rochelle, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Rochelle smiled. "That won't happen."

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

When Rochelle got off the train with Sirius, she spotted Dipsy the house elf waiting for her immediately. The house elf looked nervous, and the sight of her mistress only seemed to tense her more. Rochelle hugged Lily quickly and shook hands with James, Remus and Peter, knowing she would see them again soon. Sirius had promised to throw a party once they'd fixed up their flat, and James was more than happy to bring the drinks.

"Miss… shall I take your trunk, miss?" Dipsy asked softly, approaching Rochelle. She glanced at Sirius, looking almost terrified at the sight of him.

Rochelle nodded, handing Dipsy her trunk. The house elf shivered as she took it, and Rochelle glanced at the elf warily. "Dipsy? Are you quite all right?"

The house elf nodded, but she was still shaking. "Of course, miss. Dipsy is fine, miss."

"No, Dipsy. Tell me what is wrong. Did someone hurt you? Was it my father?"

Dipsy shook her head quickly, blinking tears out of her eyes. "No, not master, never master… miss, we should go. Dipsy is fine."

Rochelle glanced at the elf warily once more, but then she turned back to Sirius. He was watching the elf impatiently. "Give me a few hours. I'll apparate to the flat directly, all right?"

"Two hours, and then I'm coming to get you," he replied.

Rochelle nodded, and kissed him lightly on the lips before taking Dipsy's hand and disapparating.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

When Rochelle arrived at the Vittori mansion, she found herself standing in the front garden. It was beautiful thing; they had a gardner, as well as two elves specifically for the maintenance of the grounds. The only house in all of Britain that could possibly boast of rivaling it was Malfoy Manor. The Malfoys had white peacocks, and although Rochelle had begged as a child that she wanted them too, her father had never been too fond of the birds.

Rochelle paused for a moment, to smell the lavender growing near the front door. It was a smell that brought back nostalgic memories of playing in the gardens with Royce and Lucius. As Rochelle forced herself away from the flowers and stepped up to the front door, a wave of certainty hit her.

This was the last time Rochelle Vittori would ever set foot in her home again.

X _ X_ X_X _X_ X_ X_X

A/N – (Sob). This chapter marks the end of Hogwarts for our beloved Marauders. I hope it wasn't too awful. I can't WAIT to write what's going to happen with Rochelle's parents, and I hope you're just as excited to read it.

So... thoughts? Suggestions? If you have any ideas about what you want to happen next, now is the time to tell me because I'll probably be able to incorporate them. Or you can just tell me what you think. This chapter also marks my story crossing 100,000 words! Eep! I honestly have never written a story this long, and it's nowhere near finished! Then again, I do write really long and boring Author's Notes, so... half the word count must be for them.

Review!