br The night was silent, and the moon bright, as Harry Potter climbed into bed. He pulled the thin cover up to his knees, and reclined himself against the wall. He was glad he had survived a whole other day with the Dursleys. Although he didn't expect to get a big celebration tomorrow, he still shivered slightly at the thought of his upcoming birthday. In less than an hour, he would be 15. Harry wondered whether he would receive any birthday greetings from his friends. Ron and Hermione had not written to him in two weeks, and it seemed Professor McGonagall had forgotten him too. A deep feeling of loneliness filled Harry, and he felt like a huge rock had been placed on his chest. Knowing that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the only place where he felt at home, he sighed, looking at his calendar, which he kept to count the day until he was to take the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts. Harry couldn't wait to wander the halls, use his wand, climb the forever changing staircases, and see all his friends. Suddenly, his eyes wandered towards a dark shadow in the corner of the room. The shadow was too big to be human and too oddly shaped. If he didn't know any better, he would think...br br "Sirius...is that you?", Harry asked nervously, wondering if his brain was misleading him. br br No one answered him, yet he could hear heavy breathing, almost like panting. He slowly got out of bed and had only walked a couple of steps, when he froze in his tracks. A huge black dog was in his room. Grinning, Harry let out a sigh of relief and went over to sit on the bed. When he looked back to where the dog had been, he saw instead a tall, dark man, about 30 years, staring intently at him. br br "How is it that you can always tell it's me Harry? Do you have a godfather alert owl, or something? I must not be doing it right.", said Sirius, slightly chuckling. "No, but seriously, we need to talk. But first, the important things, how are you? Are those muggles treating you okay? They better be..." he said with a slight menacing hint in his tone.br br "Yeah. Actually, they haven't even really noticed I exist, which is just fine with me." br br Giving Sirius a small smile, he suddenly seemed to realize that his godfather was actually in his room, talking with him after so long. br br "Can I ask you something Sirius? What are you doing here? I mean, not that I don't want you here, but I haven't heard from you in awhile and suddenly you just decided to show up in my room." br br "I just came to check on you myself, I'm not very good with letters."br br Giving him a stern stare, Harry could tell that Sirius was trying to hide something. He continued staring at Sirius until he began to realize that Harry knew something was up. Giving him one last chance to spill, he finally questioned him firmly.br br "What are you REALLY here for Sirius? I mean, I know you didn't come all the way from wherever you were to see me, especially not in the middle of the night."br br "Your right Harry, something is up. And, unfortunately, it has to do with Voldemort...."br br "What is it?"asked Harry bravely.br br "Well, you know how he came back last year?"br br "Yes. He took his fathers body and is now more powerful than before."br br "Well, he's back. Near Hogwarts. The Ministry of Magic spotted him somewhere near the Forbidden Forest. They think that he's after me, Snape, and Lupin. Even you Harry. But that's not what worries me, because I've seen that you can take care of yourself, and we are all experienced wizards, its someone else that I'm worried about."br br "Who Sirius? Dumbledore? McGonagall? Hagrid?, and stupidly Harry added, "Buckbeak?"br br Shaking his head furiously, Sirius replied with deep concern in his voice, "No, not them. Plus why would Voldemort want Buckbeak. Its...its my niece."br br Slightly puzzled, Harry pried at the response again. "Y-y- your...niece?" br br Nodding, and running his hands through his thick black hair, Sirius sat down on a stool in the darkest corner of the room. He seemed to be in deep thought, or in deep anxiety, either way, it wasn't good. Looking back up at him, Sirius seemed to be searching Harry for an answer.br br "Yes Harry, my niece. Her name is Angela. Her father, my brother Nicolas, was killed by Voldemort, same as her mother, just like what happened to your parents Harry. She was left all alone, because her relatives had moved far away before any of this had happened, and most of them still don't even know what really happened to them. Well, Voldemort, unlike with most of his victims, didn't just kill Angela's parents because he thought they were a threat. His reason was power. Now unluckily, my niece happened to have what Voldemort was looking for. Le cour de phoenix, or the phoenix heart. Now you might be pondering why Voldemort had wanted the jewel, you know, what made it different from any other valuable. Well, you see, the it is worth millions and millions of galleons, and makes a rare liquid, much like the Sorcerer's stone. The difference though, is that it doesn't make the wearer immortal, it makes them able to take the magic of another witch or wizard and use it for themselves. Now you see that this crystal is a very wanted thing."br br Nodding, yet still a bit confused, Harry tried to put everything together all at once. br br "So your saying that Angela, your niece, had a jewel that lets you take magic from someone else, and Voldemort wanted the jewel for himself. What I don't understand is how Angela had the jewel in the first place, and why wasn't Angela killed along with her parents?"br br "I'm glad you asked that Harry. You see, when Angela was born, a fairy appeared and became very taken with Angela, because of her simplistic beauty. She wanted to be Angela's protector so that she could be by her side forever. The fairy, whose name was NeWanda, lived happily with the Millermoore's until the day Voldemort came around and killed Angela's parents. Angela was spared because of NeWanda, who had somehow hidden her while Voldemort wasn't paying attention. So, NeWanda told no one what had happened and stayed with Angela until she was thirteen. On Angela's thirteenth birthday, NeWanda presented Angela with the gift of easily taking the form of any animal, and of course, the phoenix heart. Now, it just so happens that NeWanda had three sons, all a year older than Angela. They were very fond of her, and since there was only one of her, trouble started up. Her sons, each loving Angela, began to duel among each other. Instead of resolving anything, they ended in blowing the place up. Angela was spared, but it seemed that no one else survived. She began digging through the debris, and discovered an old scrapbook. As she began looking through it, she saw my picture in it, along with my name, and relation to the Millermoore's. When she discovered that I had escaped from Azkaban, she sent an owl, and asked for my help. I have been hiding her since then, and her secret has been safe. While I was disguised as Padfoot, she took the form of a flea, to keep her self from being discovered. This thing I'm telling you is so secret that not even Dumbledore knew. He found out of course, because he is also key to keeping my niece safe. So Harry, know that you have heard all this, I need your help. She is not safe where I'm living. She needs to go to Hogwarts, where she has a better chance of steering clear of Voldemort, and resuming her education. Will you help me Harry?" br br He finished with a pleading tone, and then his eyes fixed on Harry's face. Sirius had this way of telling a complicated story, sticking to his point, and then surprising you with a shocking question. Millions of thoughts ran through Harry's head. But in the end, his courageous and generous heart overpowered his mind and he nodded. Sirius grinned and patted Harry on the shoulder. br br "I knew you would help me Harry. Your a good kid, and I can't thank you enough."br br Giving his godfather a weak grin, he wasn't sure what he had gotten himself into but was willing to help out Sirius.br br "I have just one favor to ask of you Sirius."br br "Anything Harry, anything at all."br br "Can I meet your niece? I mean, if I'm going to help protect her, couldn't I at least meet her?" Harry asked slightly embarrassed.br br Giving Harry a knowing smile, he agreed and pointed out the window.br br "It's getting late, so I should get going. But before I leave, I have something for you. Remember, not a word."br br Sirius handed Harry a small package and an envelope. Then, Sirius transfigured back into Padfoot, and sneaked out the door. Harry, concerned, listened and sighed with relief when he heard the front door creak slightly and then close. Looking down at the things Sirius had given him, he decided to open the envelope first, in case he told him about what the package contained. As he unrolled the piece of parchment, he found that Sirius had remembered his birthday. br brDear Harry, I can't believe you would even think that I had forgotten your birthday. Quite impossible for a man like me. Heh, well, I wish you the very best for your 15th birthday. I have included The Book of Stunts, which shows you all different kind of tricks you can perform on your broom. Hope you enjoy it. I will be in touch. Happy Birthday, and remember..not a word. Siriusbr br Harry closed the letter and placed it back into the envelope, quite happy. Knowing the contents of the package next to him, he ripped open the wrapping, and found the book, and to his surprise, yet another note. br briHarry, Read the following instructions and don't question what I have written, just do it. Good luck. 1) Act extra nice to the Dursleys. I know it will be tough, but your strong, you'll make it. 2) I overheard that the Dursleys will be going on a family picnic in two weeks. Perfect opportunity. They seem to want to leave you locked up in your room, but you need to convince them to have you stay at Mrs.Figg's house. 3) Pack up all your stuff and set it next to your window. 4) Let Hedwig go. 5) Tell Ron and Hermione that you'll see them at Diagon Alley in about two or three weeks. 6) Bring your cloak. You know which one. Sirius ibr br As he read the instructions, he became more and more puzzled. He didn't know what exactly it was that Sirius had planned, but he hoped that whatever it was, it worked out. Starting to think that there was a hidden message in Sirius' note, he kept reading it over and over again, until his eyes began to ache. Lifting his vision upward, he was surprised to see that it was daytime, and according to his clock, time for breakfast too.br br ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ br br Walking out to the garden, he was glad to have an excuse to get away from the Dursley's. Aunt Petunia had shrieked at him to get rid of the weeds, before pushing him roughly out the door. About to object, he decided not to, and walked toward the garden in the corner of the yard. Getting down on his knees, he began to pull the weeds from the ground. After about an hour, he was drenched in sweat, and had a huge pile of weeds beside him. Just as Harry was about to go in and call it a day, he say a pair of eyes staring back at him from over the fence. With great curiosity, he grabbed a small step ladder from the shed nearby, and quickly and quietly, he stepped on it, and looked over, just in time to see a dark cape disappearing from the back of the neighbor's house. Furious that he wasn't a bit taller, he stepped down, almost falling, and by chance, happened to lay his eyes on a golden locket, shimmering in the blazing sun...br br ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ br br After two weeks, Harry had managed to follow most of Sirius' instructions. He had been nice and obedient with the Dursley's, but not too good, in case they began to get suspicious. Just yesterday, they had told him about the family picnic, and how they had decided to let him stay with Ms. Figg, instead of leaving him locked up in the house. Uncle Vernon had gave him a lecture on how he better behave or he would never be able to do anything for the rest of his life. Pretending to care, Harry nodded, and acted as obedient as he could, without bursting out in laughter. Listening to the letter, he had sent letters to Ron and Hermione, and told Hedwig to fly around for awhile, but not to come back to the Dursley's house. Giving him an affectionate look, Hedwig had sailed off, and Harry began to pack his spellbooks, robes, and other belongings. Keeping his invisibility cloak set on the bed, he looked at Sirius' letter once more, to check that he hadn't missed anything. He hadn't, but something puzzled Harry. iHow was he suppose to find Sirius once he was at Mrs. Figg's house? i Sirius hadn't told him anything concerning the matter, but Harry decided that Sirius had a plan and would let him in on it later on. His thoughts distracted by the loud yells of Uncle Vernon, he knew they were heading out for the picnic. He walked out of his room, and stood next to the banister, to listen to what his uncle had to say. br br "Listen boy, you better be good. Or else..," Uncle Vernon made a gurgling noise, as he moved his fat pink finger across the little neck he had. br br "Yes Uncle Vernon, I'll be good. I'm just going to get some stuff to entertain me, and I'll go over to Ms. Figg's house right away," said Harry hastily. br br Giving all of them an innocent smile, he shut the door, and listened. Sighing with relief as he heard the main door shut closed, he ran around, making sure all of his things were as close to the window as possible. He walked out, cloak in hand, wand in his pocket, and the golden locket dangling around his neck, hidden underneath his shirt. br center~ ~ ~ ~ br br Reaching Ms. Figg's house, he nervously knocked on the door, getting a very weird feeling in his stomach. He felt like a bunch of fairies were flying around in there, punching and flapping their wings furiously. Not getting an answer the first time, he knocked once more, and turned, to survey the street. A man was washing his car, along with his son, who was continuously tripping over the water bucket. Laughing under his breath, he looked further down the street, and saw a bunch of teenage girls, giggling and enjoying the great weather. He noticed some of them were staring in his direction, and pointing. Rapidly turning to face Ms. Figg's door, he found himself face to face with Ms. Figg herself. He felt her warm eyes staring at him intently, and he held his breath, unsure of what to do. br br "Well, what are you doing just standing there, come on in boy. My you've grown, your a lot taller since I last saw you. Are you going to stand there like a statue? Well?"br br Harry had kept silent for too long he thought, as he walked through the door, following short Ms. Figg. He couldn't help but notice how crooked Ms. Figg's nose was, or the big wart on her nose. Cringing at the awful, yet familiar smell of cabbage, he sat down on a sagging couch, the color of a rotting log, and looked around the house. On the walls, were pictures of all her cats, some dressed in odd costumes, others in groups of three. Another thing Harry noticed was strange, was that the whole house was awfully hot. He had already begun to sweat, even though he had only been in the house for about 10 minutes. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was only 11 o' clock. Too early for the sun to make a house feel like it was on fire. Just as he was about to speak, Ms. Figg left the room, without a word. Thinking that she was probably going to go get some of her chocolate cake, which often tasted like it had been made 20 years ago. Just then, Ms. Figg entered the room again, not with chocolate cake, but with milk and cookies. Shocked, he looked at her, a bit confused. Ms. Figg, sensing Harry found her behavior different, smiled and sat down, opposite of him, in a huge armchair, full of rips and tears made by her cats.br br "Yes Harry, I know what your thinking. Old Ms. Figg is acting normal and is serving me milk and cookies instead of that awful chocolate cake. She isn't rambling on about her cats, or showing me their pictures from her humongous album. Well, let me tell you, that how I use to behave in front of you, was just a slight cover-up. In fact, that wasn't at all like me. You, see I know who you really are, but you have no idea who I am. Does that frighten you at all?" She finished off, giving him a look of superiority.br br Harry, now feeling very awkward, let out the breath he had been holding onto. He had found her behavior strange, and her words just confirmed it. Wondering what she meant by a cover-up, and what she meant when she said she knew him well, while he knew nothing about her. Words finally hitting him, he responded, slightly stuttering. br "W-w-well no, no, it does not frighten me at all. I haven't told you anything about me, and the Dursley's sure wouldn't spread around information about me. I don't think your telling the truth, but its somewhat obvious that my being here is not welcome, so if you don't mind, I think I will go now." br br Reaching for his cloak, he turned to leave, when suddenly he felt a cold bony hand on his wrist. Turning to face Ms. Figg, he was surprised to see that she was not glaring, but reaher smiling, warmly and honestly. Half confused, and half relieved, he was speechless. About to open his mouth to say something, he was at a loss for words, when suddenly, acting as if it was normal, Sirius appeared, right behind Ms. Figg smiling. As if things couldn't get any weirder, Ms. Figg turned around, smiled, and greeted him. When he finally found the right thing to say, he blurted it out so fast, his brain didn't put them in the right order. br br "Here you what doing are?!" Realizing his mistake, he shook his head, then said once more, "What are you doing here?" Staring at the two intently.br br Sirius and Ms. Figg stared at each other for a second, like if they were searching each other for words. Finally, Sirius spoke.br br "Harry, Harry. I think its about time we let you in on the secret. What do you think Arabella? Or should we let him suffer for awhile?" br br Sirius winked at Harry, then motioned for him to sit down, then he sat, followed by Ms. Figg who sat down in her armchair, watching Harry intently. Harry eased himself onto the couch next to Sirius, and looked back and forth at the two. The silence seemed to drag on forever, until finally Ms. Figg spoke.br br "I think we should tell him Sirius. After all, if you let him in on the secret about your niece, I think its only fair we let him in on this one too. However, I think you should tell him, and tell him the WHOLE truth. "br br Sirius suddenly getting a look of embarrassment on his face, turned to face Harry. You could almost see the gears turning in his head, while he was trying to think of the correct way to tell Harry. br br "Harry, remember how I told you that no one but you, Dumbledore, and me knew about Angela?" Not waiting for him to answer, Sirius continued. "Well, I lied. Arabella here, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley know too. I had to tell them so that I knew Angela would be safe wherever she went. Ms. Figg isn't an ordinary neighbor. She's a witch. Not a muggle. I wanted you to come here because I didn't think the Dursley's would be too happy about letting an ex-convict stay in there house, eh Harry?"br br Harry laughed uncertainly, surprised at Ms. Figg's real identity, and was just about to ask his godfather a question, when he heard a loud crash. All three of them stood up at once, and Sirius and Ms. Figg ran off into another part of the house, while Harry stood there, frozen. He wanted to go see what was going on, but his legs didn't seem to want to. Standing there like an idiot, Harry was finally able to move, but sighed, seeing that Sirius and Ms. Figg had returned. Harry's mouth droped as his eyes lay on the girl....it was Angela.br