Author's Note:  I'm so sorry to have disappeared off the face of the earth!  I believe that this is the longest I've gone without updating this story.  You see, what happened is that—almost four weeks ago—my wonderful laptop—containing an almost finished version of this chapter—just shut down for no apparent reason and we have not been able to revive it yet.  So I'm posting the first two pages of this chapter, which is all I've been able to reconstruct--due to a severe lack of computer availability.  I will post the rest as I am able.  Thank you all for your patience!

Chapter 10 (Part the First): Traveling

The Knight Bus was due at dusk.

Both Remus and Sosia had changed their Muggle clothing for the robes Dumbledore had sent with Fawkes.  Sosia, wearing her new burgundy robes, was pulling on a fine thick woolen cloak that had come out of the trunk in the library.  She had admitted to keeping most of her magical belongings locked away in there since coming to London.  As she had been busy extracting the cloak from the depths of the trunk, Remus had spotted some scrolls, as well as an assortment of bits and pieces, that he recognized as Sirius'.  Personal effects Remus had searched for, but never found, after the Potter's deaths.  Possessions Sirius would not have wanted the Ministry to lay hold of.  He'd often wondered where those things had gone.

Another pair of objects to emerge from the trunk were a beautifully made Paisley scarf and a pair of expensive brown leather gloves.  These too stirred memories.

"Aren't those?"

"My graduation present from James," Sosia confirmed.  "I couldn't bear to leave them behind, even if it isn't quite legal to use them here."

She fingered the material of the scarf pensively which, like the gloves, was charmed to always keep its owner warm.  Both fell under the aegis of Proscribed Objects.  The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was duty-bound to confiscate such objects, especially if used around Muggles.  None of which really mattered—as a formal Exile, Sosia was not supposed to be in possession of any sort of Magical Items.  Dumbledore had taken a risk in sending Sosia her wand.  If discovered, the trunk's contents along with her possession of a wand… Well, her case would certainly skip right over Arthur Weasley's department and directly into the Exile Non-Compliance section of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

The doorbell sounded, causing them both to jump.

"I'll answer it this time."  Sosia looped the scarf around her neck, stuffed the gloves in her pockets, and headed for the front door.  Remus followed, frowning slightly.  It was early yet for the Knight Bus' arrival, the sky was barely beginning to darken.  Sosia opened the door to… emptiness.  Not a soul stirred out on the pavement, much less on the front stoop.

A shrill whistle pierced the air.  Looking towards the noise's origin, just to the left of the front gate, Remus blinked nonplussed as the void of the street was filled by two men, a woman, and a violently purple double-decker bus all shimmering into existence.

The woman was wearing robes of a dark plum that complimented her pale complexion, deep brown eyes, and hair the color of toasted almonds that curled around her shoulders.  Shorter than both her associates, she nevertheless gave an off impression of authority and confidence.  She looked of an age with the older of the two men.  Remus felt he ought to recognize her for some reason.

The two men accompanying her were as dissimilar as sun and shadow.  The younger man was slim and tall, a clean-limbed youth with hair the color of burnished copper and eyes of slate blue.  His robes were of an expensive looking russet material.  The other was both shorter and stockier than his companion, a slightly older man with dark brown hair and a careworn face.  He looked fit but tired, wearing business-like robes of a gray-green that set off eyes the color of sunlight through leaves.

Leaning upon a well-turned cane of Ash wood and walking with a pronounced limp, the older man came forward, revealing a brace on his left leg.  As his uneven gait brought him closer to the pair in the doorway, he raised his free hand in greeting.

"Hello Sosia."  His deep voice carried across the short distance that now separated him from the entranceway.  He smiled slightly, as if in encouragement.

"Titus!  What on earth brings you here?"  Her tone conveyed both startlement and caution.  If the surprises kept piling up like this, Sosia was going to go into shock before he got her to Hogwarts, Remus mused privately.

"Dumbledore sent Kirley and I," he gestured towards the younger man, "to accompany you to Hogwarts.  Just in case."  His eyes flickered to Remus.

"Lupin."

"Ferule."  Remus responded in a neutral tone.

"And Thessily here happened to join us enroute, she has business of her own to conduct with the Headmaster."  Titus continued, indicating the woman, who was standing somewhat apart from everyone else.  Remus mind suddenly supplied him with the reason for her strange familiarity and he blushed a deep crimson.  He devoutly hoped that she had forgotten by now the prank pulled on her by himself and the other Marauders in her fifth year.

Meanwhile, Titus had beckoned the young man forward for a more formal introduction.  "Do you remember Kirley McCormack?  He was a couple years behind our lot at Hogwarts, but…"

Remus had only a moment to wonder what the lead guitarist for the Weird Sisters was doing running errands for the Headmaster of Hogwarts when Sosia responded.

"Of course I remember Kirley."  She turned to the young man and smiled warmly.  "You were the fourth year that detangled that blasted 'Little Black Spot' prophecy."

He grinned back at her, obviously delighted that she'd recalled the incident.  "Yes.  That prophecy saved my life, so it did.  Made for good lyrics too."

That explained what he was doing here, then.  Now what about Miss Buckram and Mr. Ferule?

"We really should get going."  Titus swept his hand back to indicate the impatient and curious faces of the Knight Bus' conductor and driver peering at them from out of the bus' front windscreen.  "Are you ready?"

Sosia looked to Remus.

"I suppose we are as ready as we'll ever be," he replied and, picking up his bag, headed towards the bus, preceded by the other two men.  Thessily had already reboarded.

"Oh wait!"  Sosia dashed back into the house.

~~~

To be continued…. Someday soon, I hope!