Chapter One
Sirius sat back in a very comfy red couch in a nice sized house, once again in Scotland. For a whole year he'd been set free of his charges as a convict. A year after Voldemort had been defeated by his god-son, Harry. A year after Wormtail had been found and told the truth, to everyone. It had taken a while, but no one gave him dirty looks anymore. It had taken a while, but he no longer looked shabby like a beggar.
No, now Sirius Black was somewhat returned to his original state. His eyes still held that haunted quality, his cheeks weren't as full as they once were, and his hair was still long and raven-colored (just graying around the temples), but a heck of a lot better kept.
He even had a job with the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Dark Art Defense. His job was to find out how convicts, dark art uses, and dark lords trying to rise were doing what they were doing and putting a stop to it. They figured since a high security Azkaban escapee, ex-convict had hidden from them for years with out being caught, there was no better man for the job. After all who else could think like a convict as well?
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all came into the living room at once sitting down in various chairs. Ginny smiled at him," 'ello Sirius."
Harry, Remus, and he shared a house in Scotland as they were all bachelors. Harry had been doing well one year out of Hogwarts as well. He had a job with the Ministry in the Dark Arts Defense Department. Often he had to work along side Sirius as Harry was an Auror. Remus had retaken his position at Hogwarts as the Defense Against Dark Arts Professor.
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were over at the house visiting them all. It was summer and Ginny had just graduated Hogwarts. She was thinking of becoming a Charm-breaker for the Ministry of Magic.
Hermione was employed at the Ministry of Magic as well, she worked in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, the same department as Percy. Whereas Percy did reports and paperwork, Hermione was an ambassador-witch, meaning she traveled to which ever country and worked out deals with whatever they were discussing. This was a perfect job for Hermione, because not only was she brilliant enough to know what and what not to say, she had a great mind for persuasion, and loved to learn new things from different countries.
Ron on the other hand had practically refused to work at the Ministry of Magic. He worked with Seamus Finnigan in Bradley Brothers' Brooms, designers of all the newest, fastest, best-looking broomsticks. Ron was a designer there.
Sirius, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were sitting around talking catching up with the latest news in the wizarding world when Remus came through the door. "Sirius?! Oh there you are," Lupin said rather excitedly.
Sirius laughed, "Woah, find the witch of your dreams or something, Remus?"
"No, but I've found something that might be of value to you," Lupin replied, pulling a bulk of papers out of his navy blue robes and handing them to Sirius, "they're about you-know-who."
"Why would Snuffles care about You-Know-Who, Harry's defeated him," Ron replied. Harry smiled and looked at his best friend.
"Not, Voldemort, Ron," Harry replied. Ron still flinched. It surprised Harry how much everyone still feared that name. Harry, Sirius, and Lupin's eyes met all a the glint in all of there eyes was a tell-tell sign that they knew something the other three didn't.
"But we've tried looking since I got my freedom, how did you get it?" Sirius asked looking at Remus a bit surprised.
"A witch friend in the ministry, I told her the girl owed me some money," Lupin chuckled. Sirius joined in. A smile played on Harry's lips.
Hermione grew quite frustrated and flustered, "All right, out with it, what's going on?" She looked at Sirius, Harry, and Lupin.
"It's information...on my daughter," Sirius stated, thumbing through the papers.
The room seemed to spin quite quickly in Hermione's mind, "But you don't have a daughter...do you?"
Sirius looked at Hermione, Ginny, and Ron, "Yes, I do, it's a long story, but here goes..."
"Of course, I went to Hogwarts, like all of you, and like all of you I was put in Gryffindor with James, Remus, here, Peter, and Lily. Lily and James started to see each other. They'd always been friends, but became more after James broke up with some Ravenclaw girl. Anyways I messed around with alot of girls, but I never became serious until Charlotte Greenwoode, in my sixth year, I met her she was a fifth year Hufflepuff, very sweet, but very shy. Not my usual type at all. So after Hogwarts we were still seeing each other. Right before Lily had Harry, she told me she was expecting as well. Not many people knew because we choose to keep it a secret from everyone except James, Lily, and Lupin, we weren't married and Charlotte didn't want to deal with the scandal, and I agreed. Nosy people are the worst sort," he paused.
"After she had our daughter, we lived pretty happily, visiting the Potters often and all. Charlotte and me would still take rides on that flying motorcycle I used to have. Anyways..." Sirius found him self embarrassed by the revelation of a tender moment, "after Lily and James...passed...I was taken to Azkaban, and never saw them again."
"Wow, Sirius, we never knew," Ginny said looking very sympathetic, her fiery shoulder-length red hair gleaming in the light. Hermione looked like her heartstrings had been played on to, but a gleam came to her eye.
"But with this information you could find her, both of them, and meet," she burst out.
Lupin and Sirius exchanged looks of conspirators, before saying in unison, "Exactly."
"And we could help!" Ron offered.
"So what's her name?"
"How old is she?"
"Where's she at?" Three of them all fired their questions all at once.
"Hold up, hold up. One thing at a time. You can't tell anyone, first off, until we see what happens. Her name is Vallen Morgaine Black. She's about Ginny's age a little older. Where she's at..." Sirius looked at Lupin, "I think he's figured out."
Lupin looked kind of grim as he picked up the file of wizarding information, "First there are a few things you must know. She is located on Briralyl Island."
"Briralyl Island?" Harry asked, always being the clueless one. He didn't like reading the wizarding newspapers and magazines in fear of seeing something written on him. He hated writings on him.
Hermione piped up,"There are three totally wizarding nations. Briralyl Island, is the only one that is in fact an island, it's a monarchy, a kingdom. It is located in the Atlantic between America and England. The official language is English, but the island is one of the most diverse in nationalities and magical races, so there are many languages spoken. The other two are Valavanya, located off of France, it's a repulic, and Narwa, located off of India, another republic. You can't see them on Muggle maps because Muggles don't see them and they don't go near them. Infact Briralyl looks like an iceberg to them..."
"Thank you Dr.Dictionary," Ron quipped rolling his blue eyes, catching a glare from Hermione, that made them stop.
Lupin continued,"She just graduated Briralyl Academia of Magic. She's 18. Apparently Charlotte is remarried to a wizard named Anthony Tatterton," Sirius nodded. After all, he figured she would be,"and Vallen is known there as Vallen Morgaine Tatterton."
Sirius nodded a weird look in his eyes, "So, anyone up for leaving tomorrow?"
-----
One by one the six of them apparated to Cornwall, then one by one the six of them apparated to Apparation Point on Briralyl Island. They were quite tired from the two taxing apparations, but Sirius was determined to head out at once. They were headed for the East coast of the island. The richer part of the island, Hermione informed them.
"So how exactly are we going to get to there?" Ron asked wiping sweat from his brow. Briralyl was somewhat warmer than Great Britain.
"Well, we need a ride, obviously," as soon as the words sprang from Ginny's mouth a puff of red smoke evaded in the air around them. When the smoke cleared they saw a riding trolley or sorts, and plump wizard in the steering seat. There were two passengers at the front of the trolley.
"Did I hear anyone say they needed a ride?" the man asked jovially, "Well, look no further, I'm Ned the driver of the Briralyl Trolley. Where might I be taking you all today?"
"We need to go to the East Coast. The Roseberry District. 733 Vine Lane," Sirius commanded, taking a seat. Harry crawled into the next seat, Ginny beside him. Ron in the next, and Hermione and Remus in the last one. In a cloud of red smoke they were off.
"I have to take Mr.Vance and his daughter to the East Coast too, same District as a matter of fact, but I believe you'll be staying at the Majestic, right Mr. Vance?" The driver asked, as he drove down the crooked and twisting roads of the East Coast.
"That's right," Mr. Vance a tall, thin man answered. His daughter was tall and thin as well, Her hair was chin-length and a golden strawberry blonde color. She turned to them and looked at them suspiciously through hazel eyes.
"Are you going to the Tatterton Gathering?" she asked, looking at them.
"Erm, we were unaware there was one," Sirius said, trying to choose his words wisely,"We're old friends of Mrs. Tatterton."
At that the girl smiled, "Oh yes, she's from Britain, and it's quite obvious that you all are as well, but you didn't know there was a Gathering? How odd, the through one every year at this time. That's why we're on this part of Briralyl. We live on the West End, but my father is friends with Mr. Anthony. I'm Gretchen, by the way."
"We've never visited this time of the year, in fact we haven't seen her for sometime," Sirius answered, "but it's nice to meet you Gretchen."
"You really should come to the Gathering tonight. I have my gown in my trunk. It's a wonderful event. Mrs. Tatterton is such a jewel, you really should see her all fancied up. Their daughter is of course beautiful as well, "Gretchen rolled her eyes.
"You don't like their daughter?" Harry asked narrowing his eyes and looking at Sirius.
"Oh, it's not that I don't like her...it's just she seems too...perfect, and it's sooooo annoying..."
"Well, here's your stop!" Ned called out and Mr. Vance and Gretchen hopped off the trolley, leaving the rest of them to wait for their stop.
Without Gretchen's talk, everything became quiet except for the whistling of Ned. In fifteen minutes, Ned informed them that it was their stop. Ron's jaw practically hit the road when they pulled up in front of 733 Vine Lane. Standing down a white stoned driveway was a white mansion, with four huge columns.
Ron whistled, "I reckon Mr.Tatterton is...er...creme d' la creme?"
Sirius nodded biting the insides of his cheek. He stepped up to the door and knocked. There answered a short, stout, little woman, half Sirius's height, and twice his age.
"Ah visitors, come in, come in, I will get the lady of the house," she said and let them stand in great expanse of the main hall.
Sirius sat back in a very comfy red couch in a nice sized house, once again in Scotland. For a whole year he'd been set free of his charges as a convict. A year after Voldemort had been defeated by his god-son, Harry. A year after Wormtail had been found and told the truth, to everyone. It had taken a while, but no one gave him dirty looks anymore. It had taken a while, but he no longer looked shabby like a beggar.
No, now Sirius Black was somewhat returned to his original state. His eyes still held that haunted quality, his cheeks weren't as full as they once were, and his hair was still long and raven-colored (just graying around the temples), but a heck of a lot better kept.
He even had a job with the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Dark Art Defense. His job was to find out how convicts, dark art uses, and dark lords trying to rise were doing what they were doing and putting a stop to it. They figured since a high security Azkaban escapee, ex-convict had hidden from them for years with out being caught, there was no better man for the job. After all who else could think like a convict as well?
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all came into the living room at once sitting down in various chairs. Ginny smiled at him," 'ello Sirius."
Harry, Remus, and he shared a house in Scotland as they were all bachelors. Harry had been doing well one year out of Hogwarts as well. He had a job with the Ministry in the Dark Arts Defense Department. Often he had to work along side Sirius as Harry was an Auror. Remus had retaken his position at Hogwarts as the Defense Against Dark Arts Professor.
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were over at the house visiting them all. It was summer and Ginny had just graduated Hogwarts. She was thinking of becoming a Charm-breaker for the Ministry of Magic.
Hermione was employed at the Ministry of Magic as well, she worked in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, the same department as Percy. Whereas Percy did reports and paperwork, Hermione was an ambassador-witch, meaning she traveled to which ever country and worked out deals with whatever they were discussing. This was a perfect job for Hermione, because not only was she brilliant enough to know what and what not to say, she had a great mind for persuasion, and loved to learn new things from different countries.
Ron on the other hand had practically refused to work at the Ministry of Magic. He worked with Seamus Finnigan in Bradley Brothers' Brooms, designers of all the newest, fastest, best-looking broomsticks. Ron was a designer there.
Sirius, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were sitting around talking catching up with the latest news in the wizarding world when Remus came through the door. "Sirius?! Oh there you are," Lupin said rather excitedly.
Sirius laughed, "Woah, find the witch of your dreams or something, Remus?"
"No, but I've found something that might be of value to you," Lupin replied, pulling a bulk of papers out of his navy blue robes and handing them to Sirius, "they're about you-know-who."
"Why would Snuffles care about You-Know-Who, Harry's defeated him," Ron replied. Harry smiled and looked at his best friend.
"Not, Voldemort, Ron," Harry replied. Ron still flinched. It surprised Harry how much everyone still feared that name. Harry, Sirius, and Lupin's eyes met all a the glint in all of there eyes was a tell-tell sign that they knew something the other three didn't.
"But we've tried looking since I got my freedom, how did you get it?" Sirius asked looking at Remus a bit surprised.
"A witch friend in the ministry, I told her the girl owed me some money," Lupin chuckled. Sirius joined in. A smile played on Harry's lips.
Hermione grew quite frustrated and flustered, "All right, out with it, what's going on?" She looked at Sirius, Harry, and Lupin.
"It's information...on my daughter," Sirius stated, thumbing through the papers.
The room seemed to spin quite quickly in Hermione's mind, "But you don't have a daughter...do you?"
Sirius looked at Hermione, Ginny, and Ron, "Yes, I do, it's a long story, but here goes..."
"Of course, I went to Hogwarts, like all of you, and like all of you I was put in Gryffindor with James, Remus, here, Peter, and Lily. Lily and James started to see each other. They'd always been friends, but became more after James broke up with some Ravenclaw girl. Anyways I messed around with alot of girls, but I never became serious until Charlotte Greenwoode, in my sixth year, I met her she was a fifth year Hufflepuff, very sweet, but very shy. Not my usual type at all. So after Hogwarts we were still seeing each other. Right before Lily had Harry, she told me she was expecting as well. Not many people knew because we choose to keep it a secret from everyone except James, Lily, and Lupin, we weren't married and Charlotte didn't want to deal with the scandal, and I agreed. Nosy people are the worst sort," he paused.
"After she had our daughter, we lived pretty happily, visiting the Potters often and all. Charlotte and me would still take rides on that flying motorcycle I used to have. Anyways..." Sirius found him self embarrassed by the revelation of a tender moment, "after Lily and James...passed...I was taken to Azkaban, and never saw them again."
"Wow, Sirius, we never knew," Ginny said looking very sympathetic, her fiery shoulder-length red hair gleaming in the light. Hermione looked like her heartstrings had been played on to, but a gleam came to her eye.
"But with this information you could find her, both of them, and meet," she burst out.
Lupin and Sirius exchanged looks of conspirators, before saying in unison, "Exactly."
"And we could help!" Ron offered.
"So what's her name?"
"How old is she?"
"Where's she at?" Three of them all fired their questions all at once.
"Hold up, hold up. One thing at a time. You can't tell anyone, first off, until we see what happens. Her name is Vallen Morgaine Black. She's about Ginny's age a little older. Where she's at..." Sirius looked at Lupin, "I think he's figured out."
Lupin looked kind of grim as he picked up the file of wizarding information, "First there are a few things you must know. She is located on Briralyl Island."
"Briralyl Island?" Harry asked, always being the clueless one. He didn't like reading the wizarding newspapers and magazines in fear of seeing something written on him. He hated writings on him.
Hermione piped up,"There are three totally wizarding nations. Briralyl Island, is the only one that is in fact an island, it's a monarchy, a kingdom. It is located in the Atlantic between America and England. The official language is English, but the island is one of the most diverse in nationalities and magical races, so there are many languages spoken. The other two are Valavanya, located off of France, it's a repulic, and Narwa, located off of India, another republic. You can't see them on Muggle maps because Muggles don't see them and they don't go near them. Infact Briralyl looks like an iceberg to them..."
"Thank you Dr.Dictionary," Ron quipped rolling his blue eyes, catching a glare from Hermione, that made them stop.
Lupin continued,"She just graduated Briralyl Academia of Magic. She's 18. Apparently Charlotte is remarried to a wizard named Anthony Tatterton," Sirius nodded. After all, he figured she would be,"and Vallen is known there as Vallen Morgaine Tatterton."
Sirius nodded a weird look in his eyes, "So, anyone up for leaving tomorrow?"
-----
One by one the six of them apparated to Cornwall, then one by one the six of them apparated to Apparation Point on Briralyl Island. They were quite tired from the two taxing apparations, but Sirius was determined to head out at once. They were headed for the East coast of the island. The richer part of the island, Hermione informed them.
"So how exactly are we going to get to there?" Ron asked wiping sweat from his brow. Briralyl was somewhat warmer than Great Britain.
"Well, we need a ride, obviously," as soon as the words sprang from Ginny's mouth a puff of red smoke evaded in the air around them. When the smoke cleared they saw a riding trolley or sorts, and plump wizard in the steering seat. There were two passengers at the front of the trolley.
"Did I hear anyone say they needed a ride?" the man asked jovially, "Well, look no further, I'm Ned the driver of the Briralyl Trolley. Where might I be taking you all today?"
"We need to go to the East Coast. The Roseberry District. 733 Vine Lane," Sirius commanded, taking a seat. Harry crawled into the next seat, Ginny beside him. Ron in the next, and Hermione and Remus in the last one. In a cloud of red smoke they were off.
"I have to take Mr.Vance and his daughter to the East Coast too, same District as a matter of fact, but I believe you'll be staying at the Majestic, right Mr. Vance?" The driver asked, as he drove down the crooked and twisting roads of the East Coast.
"That's right," Mr. Vance a tall, thin man answered. His daughter was tall and thin as well, Her hair was chin-length and a golden strawberry blonde color. She turned to them and looked at them suspiciously through hazel eyes.
"Are you going to the Tatterton Gathering?" she asked, looking at them.
"Erm, we were unaware there was one," Sirius said, trying to choose his words wisely,"We're old friends of Mrs. Tatterton."
At that the girl smiled, "Oh yes, she's from Britain, and it's quite obvious that you all are as well, but you didn't know there was a Gathering? How odd, the through one every year at this time. That's why we're on this part of Briralyl. We live on the West End, but my father is friends with Mr. Anthony. I'm Gretchen, by the way."
"We've never visited this time of the year, in fact we haven't seen her for sometime," Sirius answered, "but it's nice to meet you Gretchen."
"You really should come to the Gathering tonight. I have my gown in my trunk. It's a wonderful event. Mrs. Tatterton is such a jewel, you really should see her all fancied up. Their daughter is of course beautiful as well, "Gretchen rolled her eyes.
"You don't like their daughter?" Harry asked narrowing his eyes and looking at Sirius.
"Oh, it's not that I don't like her...it's just she seems too...perfect, and it's sooooo annoying..."
"Well, here's your stop!" Ned called out and Mr. Vance and Gretchen hopped off the trolley, leaving the rest of them to wait for their stop.
Without Gretchen's talk, everything became quiet except for the whistling of Ned. In fifteen minutes, Ned informed them that it was their stop. Ron's jaw practically hit the road when they pulled up in front of 733 Vine Lane. Standing down a white stoned driveway was a white mansion, with four huge columns.
Ron whistled, "I reckon Mr.Tatterton is...er...creme d' la creme?"
Sirius nodded biting the insides of his cheek. He stepped up to the door and knocked. There answered a short, stout, little woman, half Sirius's height, and twice his age.
"Ah visitors, come in, come in, I will get the lady of the house," she said and let them stand in great expanse of the main hall.