It was a warm September evening, one of those you probably knew was one of the last traces of summer. Ava sat by a tent with Remus upon an a hill in the Wiltshire area. A large white manor towering over its surroundings and with a large acre longer than the eye could see. On the driveway peacocks were walking around in the dark looking for some food. You couldn't expect anything less from the Malfoy's.

They have been asked to spy on Malfoy for the Order as they were suspecting that he was perhaps hiding Voldemort inside his manor. However, as far as the night had gone there would be nothing to suspect anything going on there had been one visitor who had stay for one hour then left. It was now creeping up to the early hours of the morning. and Ava was starting to feel her eyelids grow heavier with each passing minute By now the air was getting warmer, the dark sky clearing up as the sun was about to rise.. They could hear the hoots of owls nearby and some screams from foxes in the forest behind them. Remus was in the tent sleeping, as they were taking turns resting but she noticed the sound of his relaxed breathes and snores had stopped and it didn't take long before he popped out of the tent.

'Anything happen?' he said yawning and she shook her head as he sat down besides her.

'Ava, can I ask you a favour' Remus asked carefully

'Sure'

'Well, I'm going to be away for a few weeks on a special mission. I was wondering if maybe you could pop by and check up on Sirius once or twice. I've asked Tonks, Bill and Kinglsey as well. I'm just a bit worried for him all cooped up in that house. I'm afraid he's going to do something stupid, and especially after the Daily Prophet the other day. From nearby they could hear the sound of some animal digging it was through the bush behind the

She was relieved that it was still dark enough that Lupin couldn't see her perplexed face. She had read the article and knew what he was referring to. It had stated that they believed Sirius was hiding in London. Except from the time in the Summer when she had talked with Sirius in the room with Buckbeak she had barely been alone with him but she sensed Remus plea and part of her agreed as well that Sirius could very well do something drastic that could in danger him.

'Yes'

'Thank you' he said and there was a clear note of relief in his voice. She had been about to ask what the mission would entail, but remembered reading that he had been let go from Hogwarts as Defence against Dark Arts teacher because it had come to light he was a werewolf and reckoned with the dreading tone in his voice meant that the mission had something to do with this so choice not to dwell any further into it.

'How is Sturgis doing?' Lupin asked suddenly breaking Ava's thoughts. Sturgis had been on guard the other day when he had been found trying to enter the Department of Mysteries. It was very odd, and it had resulted in him being imprisoned for 6 months in Azkaban.

'Don't think he's doing too well at Azkaban from what I heard. But then who does? I still don't understand why he was trying to get into the Department of Mysteries'

'No idea either but it sounds like he was confunded. Lucky you managed to get Moody's cloak before anyone else had time to see it'

Ava nodded in reply. By now the sun was rising in the distance and they could see the lights in the manor had flicked on.

'Well, I guess we are done here for now' said Remus and she nodded and they cleared their things and the protective charms they put over the area before apparating.

-x-

Not being one to go against her word, a few days later on a rainy Thursday evening Ava found herself outside the black door 12 Grimmauld Street. With a small flick with her wand she heard the loud clicks of the locks coming undone. It was normally considered rude but Ava knew Sirius preferred her coming unannounced to the painting of his mother coming alive.

'Hello, Sirius?' Ava called out as she stepped into the gloomy hall she could. Her her voice carrying up in the building. The smell of damp and the cobwebs was nowhere as bad as the first time she stepped in but she noticed it was looking a worse state than when she last was here few weeks ago. There hadn't been much Order business in a while, with the professors back at Hogwarts and the ones working at the Ministry work had been piling up as Fudge was trying to do anything to stop people believing Dumbledore. She did feel a bit of a sting for Sirius.

After a few seconds she saw him coming down the stairs in a slow pace. It seemed as though Remus had been right in to be worried. Sirius had an dishellved look, his hair longer and greasier and had grown a bit of a scruffy beard and had the look ( and smell ) of someone who had been drinking firewhiskey during the day.

'I suppose Remus sent you to check up on me as well. I'll save you the headache so you can go home' he said coldly.

'Or - you can go and take a shower and I'll make some dinner' said Ava in unusual firm voice. She was sure he would protest to this, but to her surprise, he nodded his head seeming to be in a bit of shock as he made his way up the stairs again.

She had just finished making her pasta carbonara when Sirius walked down to the kitchen. He did look much better than he did half an hour ago, with a wash, clean clothes and a shave he was much more resembling the host from the summer than to the man she had seen 30 minutes ago. 'Thank you' he said with a weak smile. She nodded as she waved her wands towards the pot on the stove and the pasta swirled into two bowls that made its way to the kitchen table where Ava and Sirius had sat down.

Not at first coming up with much to sa Ava started talking about her day. She had mostly spent it at The Three Broomstricks in Hogsmeade. Fudge have heard Dumbledore was meeting someone there, which turned out to be just him and some elder wizard with curly brown hair and handle bar mustache who she hadn't sene before. But it looked more like a casual meeting to deter Umbridge than anything else.

'Oh yeah I spoke with Harry-' Sirius started

'How?' She asked confused with an raised eyebrow.

'Floo powder'

'Sirius-that's'

'Reckless - I know, I know' he said a bit annoyed. 'But he sent me a letter that worried me so I needed to speak with him' It seemed like Remus had been right again that Sirius may do something stupid.

'Was everything all right with him?' She asked, now a bit concerned for Harry as well.

'Mostly, but that Umbridge lady is having a go at him and not teaching them any practical in Defence Against Dark Arts'

'No surprise there, Fudge doesn't want them trained in combat' Ava said and Sirius leaned a bit forward, seeming to become more interested as she started to talk about her meeting with Fudge, Umbridge and the other aurors.

That is how it started, Ava visiting Sirius after work a few times a week and them sitting talking by the fireplace in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.

-x-

Sooooo, been doing my yearly Harry Potter rereading ( currently on Half Blood Prince ) and I just felt more and more the need to continue this because it's a story I had in my brain for years. Got one or two stories more in my head but think those are going to be waaay shorter than this one. Anyway, don't think next update will take 2 years haha. Up until January I don't have many plans since I'm planning to go back to uni then and doubt I be able to get a full-time job in the meanwhile so hopefully quite regular updates at least until then! Hopefully may even finish this story by then.