I know I promised two chapters last time but I had a teensy server problem and couldn't get the second chap uploaded, soooooo I'll let you have two this time! I know, I'm too kind! I hope these are in the right order cos I've totally confused myself (easily done)
Polkat: I know- I love Remus too! Glad your still enjoying and I have no idea what obsequiousness means!
Gaul1: Thank you for reviewing again! Luckily I have no more college, my sympathies if you have to go back!
Headmaster Cromwell: Thanks for visiting! I am actually already registered on your site.
Hermione 'DB': Thank you for that madness, it got me laughing-not sure what at but it did! Like I said I didn't manage to get the two chapters uploaded that I had intended to, but I have made amends! I love Starman, I don't know how I forgot about it, thank you for your help!
Three-days-grace: Please don't cry! Than you for reading, I'm glad you're getting into it but I never meant to upset anyone! Don't worry nothing bad is gonna happen in the house (except for what already did) Belle Reve actually means beautiful dream so that should give you a clue.
Wintermoon2: Why does everyone have numbers these days? I'm not surprised I couldn't find your fic! Thank you for your comments, I've got a great big grin now (which is scaring the guy opposite judging by his nervous twitching) Here's the update as requested, hope you like!
Wow! I think that's the most reviews I have ever gotten for one chapter!
Letters
When Sirius arrived home that evening he found a letter from Remus awaiting him on the kitchen table. Slumping into a chair, Sirius pulled the envelope apart and read the small scrap of parchment within.
Padfoot
Sorry to keep this short. I hope your meeting with Ebony went well, let me know how you got on. I just thought that I ought to remind you, if you are planning on meeting her again you have a godson who might like to know.
Best wishes
Moony
Sirius sat himself upright and re read the letter. Remus was right. With everything that had been going on Sirius hadn't spared a thought for anyone else. Harry did not even know that his godfather had a sister. Sirius was the closest thing Harry had to family and for the past few years Harry had been the closest thing Sirius had to family. How would Harry react to knowing that Sirius had another relative? Ever since Sirius had found Harry he had dreamed of the day that he and the boy would live together, along with Ebony. Harry had shared that dream, but a strange young girl had never been a part of his equation.
Sirius, however, failed to see that his godson may feel less than happy about the idea. In fact, Sirius thought that Harry would be positively delighted to have a sister, or would she be an aunt? Whatever the given title, Sirius decided that a relative of his own age would be a blessing to Harry.
Pulling a quill and sheet of parchment from the kitchen drawer, Sirius began to pen a note to Harry in his usual, untidy scrawl.
Harry
Sorry that I haven't written for so long, I feel I owe you an explanation. I explained to you back in September that I wanted to spend some time rebuilding my life. In truth, I did not leave you to find a new house or meet old friends; I left you to find my sister. I have never mentioned Ebony to you before, mainly because I feared that she may not want to be contacted. I have recently met up with her and I am confident that we will be able to repair our relationship. You'd love her Harry, she's just a year older than you and I know you'd get along brilliantly .I hope that one day you get to meet her. I cannot describe to you how happy I feel about finding her; I feel that I am finally piecing my life back together. I just wanted to let you know about her, I'll tell you the whole tale when I return. I hope that this letter explains my absence.
Take care of yourself and say hello to Ron and Hermione for me. I look forward to visiting at Christmas, just over a week to go! Good luck for your Quidditch match on Saturday.
See you soon.
Sirius
Sirius folded the letter with a smile and left a note for Mrs Lupin to send it to Hogwarts with the morning post owl. Taking himself upstairs, Sirius couldn't help feeling extremely pleased with himself. As he lay upon his bed, wrapped in a thinning blanket, his mind wandered back to the Martin house.
Ebony sat there by his side, entertaining him with her stories. She was perfect, he decided. Pretty, intelligent, friendly and very cheeky- she was everything he'd ever hoped that she would be. A Black. No matter who had raised her, Ebony was a true Black. She looked like a Black and acted like a Black, she was definitely her mother's daughter. If Sirius had feared anything, it was finding his sister to be a stranger. A girl, who may have looked like her mother, but acted like a complete stranger. But Ebony was definitely no stranger, in fact Sirius felt as though he had just bumped into an old friend, the kind that he'd known for years.
Downstairs, Mr and Mrs Lupin could be heard returning home; Sirius barely noticed, he was still at the Martin house. It was only when Mrs Lupin entered the room that his mind snapped back to reality.
'Are you ok pet?' she asked softly, as she sat down on the corner of the bed.
'Yes.' Sirius smiled. 'Yes, I am.'
Mrs Lupin smiled warmly down at her son's friend. She seemed pleased to see him looking so happy but at the same time slightly worried.
'And Ebony, she was pleased to see you?'
Sirius sat up enthusiastically and beamed at Mrs Lupin like an excited child.
'She wants to see me again Pat…she's brilliant…it was like we'd never been split up…it was perfect!' Sirius rambled, as if too happy to construct a proper sentence.
Mrs Lupin frowned slightly. 'But you were split up honey. You have only known each other five minutes, it takes years to built a relationship.'
'But were great together, she's so similar to mum, to me even! I feel like I know her already!' Sirius gabbled enthusiastically, pushing Patty Lupin's comments to one side.
'You knew your mother, you remember her,' said Mrs Lupin as she looked deeply into Black's eyes. 'She does not have that privilege, to her the Black family is a stranger. Don't forget that pet. This is the first bit o' contact she's had with her family, don't push 'er'.'
With that statement, Mrs Lupin left the room. Sirius's mind continued to roam as though she had never entered, untouched by her words.
Sirius did not remember falling asleep that night, his dreams a mere continuation of his constant thought. Ebony remained at his side until day break. After humming his way through breakfast, Sirius took the time to write to Remus and then continued the day in his overly cheerful fashion.
It was two days later when Sirius received an owl, sent by Harry.
Dear Sirius
I didn't realise that you had any living family; you can tell me about it at Christmas if you want. I think that Quidditch will go well this weekend, Hufflepuff's beaters have both gone down sick and the replacements aren't up to much. I've been practicing on the Firebolt all week; it's handling the wind very well. Ron and Hermione say 'hi' and Hermione says she's thrilled to hear your news. We're all looking forward to you coming back to school (Hermione asks if you can send her the syllabus for your Defence against The Dark Arts lessons as she feels that she will need time to prepare for your new teaching methods – sorry I did promise to ask!)
See you soon
Harry
Sirius read the letter twice. He had hoped that Harry would have had a little more to say about Ebony, it sounded as though Hermione cared about her more than he did. Maybe Remus was right, maybe Harry was jealous. Sirius hoped that that was not the case, it certainly wasn't his intention.
Pushing the letter to one side, Sirius realised that another piece of parchment lay on the kitchen table, with his name on it. The note was very short and looked as though it had been scribbled hurriedly.
Sirius Black,
I hope my owl has found your house, I didn't ask for your address! Sorry I can't meet you at home on Sunday. Could you come to The Gentle Witch teashop in Auldertown, it's near my house. Sorry to ask, I'll explain when we meet, is 1 o' clock ok.
E. Martin
c/o Beauxbatons Academy, for the education of young sorcerers.
Ebony's name and address had been typed in bright blue ink, the school crest emblazoned in gold.
Sirius examined the scrawled writing. It didn't take much brain power to work out why Ebony had changed the location of the meeting.
Martin.
He obviously objected to having Sirius in his house; maybe he had objected to the entire meeting. He had clearly assumed, or hoped, that only one meeting would take place between his daughter and her convict brother. He had seemed rattled when he had encountered the two hugging on his doorstep. The more Sirius thought about it, the more he convinced himself that Martin was behind the change. Why had he changed his mind?
Martin's reasoning meant very little to Sirius, he would continue seeing his sister and nothing would get in his way.