Rachael stared at him in shock. She, like the rest of the world, had heard of his death. How could he be standing in front of her, now?

"You're dead…" she said slowly, suspicion evident in her voice.

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. I swear."

"Prove it…" she hissed, still suspicious.

"Is there any way I could look this good if I was dead?" he asked, a smirk on his face.

She had to admit, he was good-looking. With a hair-cut, he'd be hot. What am I thinking? He's like 36! She frowned softly. He looked more 19 than 36.

"You're younger than you should be," she stated bluntly.

Sirius shrugged impishly. "Ok, I'll give you that. I am. It's a long story and—."

"—you're going to tell me it before I go anywhere with you."

He sighed and glanced around. "Ok, fine. But not here. Come on." He grasped her hand, and before she could protest, dragged her out of sight.

She rolled her eyes. Planting her feet, she forced him to stop. "Now tell me."

Nodding, Sirius took a deep breath and began to tell her, starting when he fell through the mirror…

[flashback…2 years previous]

Sirius stood in between two mirrors. Exactly in the middle. Looking to his right, he watched the mirror. Inside it was the life he'd had till then. It showed him select scenes from his past. His favourite ones. Getting his letter to Hogwarts…Meeting James, Remus, and Peter…Becoming an Animagus…Graduating…Getting a motorbike…Lily and James' wedding…

He smiled and took a step towards it. Instantly, he felt younger, and looked about 10 years younger too. He glanced over his shoulder, looking at the mirror that had been on his left. He frowned and turned half-way.

In the other mirror, he could see all those he'd known. Harry's, Hermione's, and Ron's faces were in the front of the crowd. Hermione and Ron were watching Harry sadly as he stared at Sirius. The pain in his godson's eyes almost killed him.

Suddenly, the face of a girl appeared next to Harry's. She was staring at him, her eyes filled with more pain than the boy next to her. It shocked him, the other emotion in her eyes. It was love. She whispered softly, her voice low, yet soft, "Come back…please come back…don't leave."

Sirius sighed. Which to choose? Living happily in the past, where all the things that were happening now weren't existent?

Or…go back. Go back and be with his godson again. Go back and find that girl who was begging him to return. Go back and be loved.

Taking a half-step towards the mirror-of-his-past, Sirius turned and, before he could gain back his years, leapt through the mirror. Just as he got through, the girl's face smiled.

[end flashback…the present]

"…and then I found myself in the office. I became a big, black dog and snuck out. I allowed myself to be thought a pet by this family." Sirius finished.

Rachael just stared at him in disbelief. If what he said was true, he'd come back for a girl who loved him. She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Who was the girl? Why are you here?" she asked. Her voice wasn't filled with the insulting tone it had been when he was Fudge.

Sirius hesitated, thinking quickly. "Umm…I don't know her name. I'd never seen her before. Why am I here? I'm here telling you how I'm not dead, obviously."

Rachael rolled her eyes. "So you came back just for a girl you've never met?"

He paused, then nodded, "Yep, that sounds just about right."

"You're pathetic. Oh well, you've helped me escape from the bloody prison," she muttered. Suddenly a thought occurred to her, "Why did you help me escape?"

"I—ah—thought you could help me find the girl," he stuttered.

She thought a moment then shrugged. "Ok, what did she look like?"

He thought a moment, then "She was in her late teens, with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes. She wasn't extremely tall, but she wasn't short either…I know she was a witch and that she went to Hogwarts. She was wearing the uniform in the mirror."

Rachael kind of nodded absentmindedly. The description fit about twenty girls she'd seen at Hogwarts. "Do you know what house was on her robes?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Um…not at the moment. If I think about it hard and long enough I probably could though." Sirius sighed.

"Ok, I'll wait…"

"No!" he almost shouted. "I mean, not here. We really have to go…we shouldn't stay here. It won't be much longer before people realize you're missing."

She raised her eyebrow, "Ok…whatever."

Sirius thought a moment. "Do you know how to Apparate?"

"No, but—."

"Shit. Um…"

"Sirius—."

"Well, I'll have to transport you, now how did that spell go? I wasn't ever good at doing those kind of spells," he muttered to himself.

"Sirius! I—."

"Shh! Not now! I'm trying to remember the bloody spell."

"I'm an unregistered Animagus!" she practically screamed at him.

Sirius jumped about a foot in the air and stared at her in surprise. "Oh, well why didn't you say that in the first place?!"

"I tried but—."

"Never-matter, let's go!"

Suddenly in Sirius's place was a gigantic black dog. It wagged its tail and started to trot off, leaving Rachael to stare at it in disgust.

"Insufferable…" she muttered under her breath. Concentrating a second, she became a huge silver wolf. Yes! I did it! she thought to herself. Shaking herself thoroughly, she loped after Sirius who was heading for the trees off the bank.

This is going to be one interesting year, she thought. Slipping into a comfortable pace, she followed him into the shadows. They were on the edge of the forest that would soon turn into the Forbidden Forest.