Tonks wakes up blearily as Azaria's cold toes touch the back of her legs as she get's into bed.

Yawning, she asks, "Where have you been going that means you get up so late?"

"Do you want to know now or in the morning?"

She yawns again, almost falling back to sleep, "In the morning I guess, but I'm writing a note so you don't forget."

Azaria smiles into her hair as the note falls to the floor half finished, Tonks' snuffles telling her she'd gone to sleep again. She levitated the note from the ground and wrote a proper note beneath it before putting it on the bedside table and going to sleep herself.

Tonks woke up cuddled up to Azaria, she loved this feeling more than she'd felt with any of her other partners. Spotting a piece of parchment, she smiled as she levitated it over so that she could read it without leaving her comfy spot. Her eyes widen as she remembers the cold toes last night.

"Azaria, are you awake?"

"Mmph, I am now."

"Why did you leave the bed for a couple of hours last night?"

"Karen made me progress to the realm after my home realm at the weekend. She then told me about how she learnt the skill that she uses to stop people from moving between realms. I've been trying to learn it so that I can help you progress safely, as I want to show you my home one day."

Shuffling around so that she was now facing Azaria without leaving the cuddle, Tonks kisses Azaria, "I love you. What do you need to do to learn this skill?"

"I need to study how the small creatures use magic to escape."

"What else, as I know that look."

Azaria mumbles something.

"What was that?"

"I need to learn to get my magic levels down to that of a muggle."

Tonks laughs and kisses her on the nose, "Let me guess, you have been trying to learn the skill without reducing your magic levels?"

"It's unnatural, and should never be taught." She huffs haughtily.

"What you mean is that it's bloody hard, and makes you very uncomfortable."

"I should be dead with the amount of time I've spent here. If it wasn't for you, I would need to live in the sanctuary and only come out to this realm for short periods of time. When Karen took me to that realm and casually talked about spending months there when previously she's been sweating about every single hour we've been spending on teaching her to track magically. It made me realise that sometimes there are benefits to how fast you live your lives. On my own it would have taken me years to learn how to pass to the next realm, if I ever bothered to. But sitting there trying to get used to the new level of magic in my body, I realised that if I didn't move faster I'd lose you because you live such a short life naturally.

"You are my life, you are part of me. Will you marry me in the way of my people?"

"I'm flattered that you're asking me this, but how did we get onto marriage from you travelling between realms?"

"It was while I was telling you how I should be dead that I suddenly realised that you are my bonded one, the other half of what you call your soul. If you look at your magic, I'm sure you can see the connection that we have, even though it's far from finalised. At the moment, we would both survive the death of the other, though we may wish we hadn't. You are literally the reason I can live in this world. Of course, we might need to take you to the sanctuary for you to be able to see your magic enough to make it out, but for me it's always there."

"Ok. I'll make you a deal, you show me using one of those tablets that the healers have that you can get your magic down to the same level I can, and keep it there for an hour. Then I'll go with you to the sanctuary and do the bond with you."

"I… I can do that Nym."

"I love you, you silly elf, I don't know how I fell so quickly, but I did."

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Victoria sat with Sirius in a cold grey room with metal chairs and a table that was bolted to the floor. A duel tape recorder was in a metal case attached to the wall and a stereo microphone visible at the top of the casing. Sitting in the corner of the room was Sirius' mind-healer. The door opened and Sir Connolly walked in with a squib police officer and a mundane-born trainee that was part of the first batch of M-branch police officers. She'd also been working with them to contact families with magical family members and tell them about Little Whinging.

They set down a cardboard box on the end of the table. She knows that it holds the files and evidence they have for his case in it.

Taking a seat, Sir Connolly opens the interview, "Good morning Mr Black, thank you for coming in this morning. I'm sorry that the accommodation is not more comfortable, but these are the interview rooms that the local station had."

Holding up his hand to forestall any quips or remarks, "Before we begin, we understand that being at Azkaban was like been forced into severe depression, including the inability to think about anything except the worst things in your life. As depression ticks a number of boxes on our internal prisoner safety checklist, I am obliged to ask if you would consent to having one of our psychologists monitoring the interview from the observation room.

"Due to the fact that they are not related to the magical world, we need your explicit permission and for you to know that they are there so that you can guard your words. Their job will be to call a halt to the interview if they see signs that the questioning is having a detrimental effect on your mental health."

Sirius pauses with his mouth open and his finger pointed up, "Ah. I was not expecting you to say that. I don't think I can give this interview without talking about magic, sorry. I don't know what Healer Pike thinks."

"Is a psychologist the muggle version of a mind-healer?" Pike says from the corner.

"It is." Confirms Sir Connolly

"Then I could talk with them and see what signs they're looking out for that I might not know. Although, there's a fair chance that they wouldn't notice the signs in Mr Black because he's skilled in Occlumency, and so drops into it when things are becoming problematic."

"If nobody minds postponing the meeting for an hour while they talk, we can do that and check out the Bakery that's opened on the high street."

"It's fine with me, and I can make the room more comfortable when we get back too. Just remember to power off the tape recorder before I start."

They all head out to grab tea and coffee as well as cakes for everyone, and head back with 15 minutes to spare.

"Ok Mr Black, do you stuff." Sir Connolly says from the door.

Sirius quips back "I was going to let Victoria do it personally."

"Men! Sirius, I'll do the desk and the walls, you do the chairs and carpet." Victoria huffs.

"But you've still got my wand!"

"Tough luck, it's at home."

"Well do it without it then."

"You're mean!" He sticks his tongue out at her.

Together they redo the room with plush leather chairs on either side of a walnut desk that's attached to the wall. The walls had understated walnut panelling and the observation mirror now had an ornate frame around it. The door had a walnut veneer, and the ceiling was covered in art deco stucco with wall sconces masking the magical lighting.

As they finished there was a flash from behind them, and the characteristic sound of a polaroid camera ejecting a photo.

"Blimey, I can't wait to show the boys at the yard what our interview room looks like now." The culprit says while waving the photo.

Impulsively Sirius hugs Victoria, "You're getting good that that V."

"You're not so bad yourself. I should probably just snap your wand now to stop you from being lazy."

Sir Connolly looked at the healer who nodded. Sir Connolly then cleared his throat.

"If you would take a seat, we can get the interview started."

Giving proof to his desire, he went to his chair and sat in it. Apart from the farting sounds it made as he sat down, followed by a squeak of protest as he finished settling his weight, the chair was the most comfortable chair he'd ever sat in. His aid set up a dicta-quill in the corner while he setup both tapes.

Once everyone was seated, he began, "I would like to open the interview with discussing what caused you to leave the prison. As through some impromptu interviews we have the picture of parts of your journey to prison and your life there."

He then starts the tape recorder.

"For the record, this is an official police interview with Mr Black at Little Whinging Magical Police Station. The Date is Tuesday the 5th of October 1993, and the time is 13:43pm. Seated in the room we have Mr Sirius Black, here under political Asylum from the British Ministry of Magic. As support and advisor is Magi Ambassador Victoria. I am Sir Connolly, and I am presiding over the interview, private PC Marks is monitoring the recording equipment and Healer Pike is monitoring the condition of Mr Black.

"Mr Black, for the record please can you state your full name and date of birth."

"I am Lord Sirius Orion Black, 3rd November 1959"

"Thank you. This interview is to officially cover the events that lead to your illegal incarceration by the British Ministry of Magic, as well as the circumstances of your escape. If you need any of the things that you arrived at Little Whinging with, we have everything here.

"Please would you detail what lead you to escape your confinement."

Sirius takes a deep breath, and Victoria puts a hand on his knee, "You have to understand that every prisoner at Azkaban is suffering from what you call Artificially Induced Chronic Clinical Depression to a level that I believe that you would institutionalise them to ensure they didn't commit suicide if you were outside. This starts from the moment they lock the door and return to their safe haven on the island. The worst part is that twice a day they patrol and the cause of the depression is driven off for a few minutes. I was able to survive because I am what is known as an Animagus, that is I can take the form of an animal. Because animal brains work differently to human brains the source of the depression is lessened to a level where you can still function somewhat. A week or so before I escaped, the Minister had his yearly inspection, I saw that he had a newspaper, so I begged him for something to relieve the monotony. He threw the paper that I arrived with at me. I quickly hid it in my bed clothes in case the guards decided they wanted to take it from me. It took me a few days to realise what was in the photo on the front page. If you could get the paper for me."

As he talks, Sirius' voice becomes deader and deader. Sir Connolly glances over at the Healer who give a signal that he's OK for the moment.

"For the record PC Marks is handing me a copy of the Daily Prophet dated the 2nd July 1993, Evidence Number SP/LW/30722199/sb/1. We are not breaking the seal on the bag."

Sirius stabs his finger onto the picture, "See here, when the rat appears. That is Peter Pettigrew, the secret keeper and traitor to the Potters. The person that murdered 12 mug… Non-magicals on the 3rd November 1981 and implicated me in their murder. He was an unregistered Animagus as well, and cut off his finger to cover his escape. Not only would I recognise that rat anywhere, it is also missing the finger on it's front paw.

"As I came to realise what I was looking at, I felt something other than empty and sad with wild thoughts going through my mind. Suddenly I could feel anger and a desire for vengeance. My mind healer tells me that this is normal for people that suffer from depression. It took me a few more days to build up the motivation to escape, and I snuck out of the cell as a dog and swam across the sea to Scotland."

"Thank you Mr Black. Would you like to take a break and we can revisit this again in 15 minutes?"

He shakily nods his head, "Yes please, that was harder than I thought it would be."

"For the record we are taking a short recess so that Mr Black can regain his equilibrium."

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Celia watched in amazement as her teapot poured itself at her direction, her wand nowhere within reach. She wondered if this is how Daphne had felt the first time it had happened for her. Mindful of the fact that if she didn't learn how to control it herself, it would give her away by doing stuff for her, and she didn't want her husband finding out about it, as she was certain that he would demand to know how to do it. Making up her mind before she let her nature to be passive and bury herself in her books took over, she made her way to the Floo and then to the Three Broomsticks.

Walking up to the path to the school, she saw that there was a new gatehouse added. She could also feel a faint oppressive air pressing down on her, and causing her to think of all the mistakes she's made in raising her girls.

It was a maudlin witch that arrived at the gate house, an Auror bustled out and handed her a piece of chocolate.

"How can I help you Ms? Sorry about the atmosphere, the Ministry has posted Dementors to keep a look out for Sirius Black."

Celia had to bite her tongue rather than say that he couldn't possibly be causing a problem as he was in Little Whinging. Instead she says, "I was asked to visit Karen or my daughter Daphne, I suppose Magi Daphne in truth."

"Oh, right. Just step to the other side of the gate and call out to Hogwarts and then say who you're there to visit. If you're expected someone will be with you in a few minutes."

More than slightly confused Celia does exactly that. Less than a minute later, a young witch who surely had to be a student appeared by the gate.

"Good afternoon Mrs Greengrass, I'm Apprentice Penelope, if you would follow me I'll take you to your first lesson and also your first test."

Leading her up to the entrance she stops by the Hogwarts crest on the wall.

"First of all I'm going to teach you a simple spell to play a note and show a coloured light. Once you've got that down, I'm going to teach you a simple three note tune to play with that spell. Finally, you're going to touch the crest and play that tune."

"I think I've got that."

It took her an hour but she succeeded in doing all three things, when she finished the last step she suddenly felt woozy and the world seemed to have changed.

"Oh good, it worked. Penny, I told you it would, but you didn't believe me."

Penny replied, "Oh, like you sounded so confident just now. Miss 'Oh good, it worked'"

"Fair point, get her inside and somewhere comfortable while she adjusts to the new level of magic. Then let Daphne know that her mother's here."

Once Penny had left, the lady turned to Celia, "I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Hogwarts, and I will be your teacher and guide in the school. The first thing you're going to need to do is learn to sew using just your magic. Oh, I'm sure there's other things that could be done instead, but it's both a useful skill, and it teaches you to keep track of multiple items with your magic as well as teaching you the fine control that many people lack with wandless magic. After all, it's not much good if the only things you can do with it are large and obvious effects. We have 3 different libraries in this level some of which have books that haven't been touched by a human hand in over 1000 years. To get access to it, all you have to do is have lessons with me every day for 3 hours. Daphne's going to be here in a moment, so if you agree, just come here tomorrow morning and we'll start."

She then takes a seat and watches the door, while Celia tries to process what she's just been told.

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Emma is just leaving the surgery to head home when Hedwig swoops down, lands on her shoulder and bats her around the head with her wing.

"Hello, what are you doing here?"

Hedwig hoots derisively and holds out her leg. Taking the letter Emma reads it.

Emma

Hedwig and I have finally got the dicta-quill working.

How are you getting on with the mind healer? Or did you get side-tracked?

Let me know.

Lily

Emma touches her handbag and decides to head to the leaky caldron instead of home.

"Thank you Hedwig, and let Lily know I am thankful for the reminder too. I'm going now."