Author's note: Small chapter to lead up to a pretty big one . . .I'm still reviewing some parts and sections that don't make sense . . .thanks for the reviews!

Scipio and Malfoy hadn't spoken since the 'incident' in the quidditch supply store. He knew that the fight had sort of begrimed Malfoy's reputation around him as the 'man of the house' but Scipio didn't care one way or the other. He preferred to be alone when he traveled to Diagon Alley; he went once a day now, just to admire the Firebolt. He had to have one, one day soon. He'd thought time and time again to ask Malfoy to help him choose the best broom, but Malfoy seemed more interested in his two friends Crabbe and Goyle, two of the most ugly, ignorant and powerful boys Scipio had ever laid eyes upon.

Scipio desperately wanted a broom, and very soon, he had only one week until he had to leave for the Hogwarts Express with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. He had to taste the fresh air of freedom one last time, what if he was put into Slytherin? He knew he'd be miserable there. He contemplated all of this while sitting in a chair at Florence Fortescure's Ice Cream Parlor. He had just finished his eighth cone when a familiar voice called his name.

"Scipio?"

Scipio turned in his seat to see Harry, the redheaded boy and a new girl . . . he hadn't met her before.

"Oh, hi Harry. How are things going?"

"Fine I suppose. How are things at the Malfoy's?"

"Absolutely dreadful. I wouldn't mind Malfoy so much if he would just admit he was pummeled to death by you in the quidditch supply store."

"Pummeled to death, Harry?" The girl poked in. "You didn't include this in your story."

"Yeah, he was probably being modest. I don't know your names, I saw you at the shop," Scipio said, pointing to Ron with his available finger (the others were wrapped around his ice cream cone) "but you didn't tell me your name."

"Oh, I'm Ron, Ron Weasley and this is Hermione Granger."

"Pleasure to meet you, Scipio," Hermione said offering her hand, blushing slightly.

"The pleasure is mine, Hermione," Scipio said, after kissing her hand lightly.

Ron and Harry turned and made gagging faces at one another discretely. Hermione and Scipio didn't notice a bit.

"So Scipio, you're going to Hogwarts?" Ron asked, taking a seat across from Scipio.

"Yeah, Dumbledore managed to convince me. Seems a lot better than Kikaider, our school never had enough funds."

"Kikaider? Isn't that a school in Italy?" Hermione asked, sounding like a human encyclopedia.

"Yeah, that's Venice, Italy in direct location terms." Scipio added.

"You're from Venice? Why don't you have an accent?"

"I wasn't born in Venice. I ran away from an orphanage in Bristol when I was eleven, the orphanage forbade me to learn magic. I do speak Italian, though. It's my secondary language."

"Really? Could you say something in Venetian for me?" Hermione asked, taking a seat next to Scipio.

"Hermione, leave Scipio alone, he doesn't want to speak Italian to you for your entertainment. That's not why we came here." Ron said, eyeing Hermoine.

"Oh, why did you come here?" Scipio asked, nibbling on his ice cream cone.

"We were going to ask you if you wanted to hang out with us for a while, that is, if you aren't waiting around for Malfoy." Ron said, looking around, expecting Malfoy to pop out of the woodworks.

"No, Draco's with Crabbe and Goyle. Some kind of business they needed to take care of."

"Well then, why not? Come on and hang out with us for a while, Scip!" Harry said, punching Scipio's shoulder lightly.

"Scip? I've never been called that before. Alright, let's go."

Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Scipio walked around Diagon Alley. Scipio found it was much more fun walking in a group of friends rather than alone, and before long, the conversation turned on Malfoy.

"You and Malfoy are really close, huh?"

"No, not really. He's rather sneaky and he doesn't say much around me besides: move please or come to dinner. He's a bit spoiled."

"A bit?" Ron said incredulously. Hermione elbowed him hard in the guts.

"Yeah, he's right, Hermione . . . he's a pampered little prince. Malfoy's always gotten his way…I bet he's a teacher's pet."

"Pet. . .fine choice of words, Scipio…did Harry ever tell you of the time Malfoy got turned into a bouncing ferret?"

Scipio looked in disbelief at Harry who nodded his head. Pausing to laugh during the entire tale, Harry gave great detail of how many times Malfoy got bounced by Moody's wand. At the end of the story, everyone was in hysterics. Scipio let out a loud familiar laugh. Tears were coming from Harry's eyes as he laughed with him. Scipio suddenly noticed Harry was crying and asked what was wrong.

"You laugh just like Sirius! You bark like a dog!"

"I laugh like a dog? I laugh like my father . . ."

"Has anyone shown you pictures of your father?"

"No, Aunt Narcissa said they were somewhere in the house, but she didn't seem in a rush to find them."

"I have one in my pocket, I figured you'd be here again today."

Harry slipped the photograph to Scipio. Scipio looked at the picture in disbelief. He did look just like his father! The nose, the hair, the smile, the incredible height…it as all there…except for the eyes…Scipio had his mother's eyes. Luckily he had a picture of her.

"Lately, I've wondered why he just abandoned me and Mum . . .he doesn't sound like the same guy you guys describe."

"Yeah, I know . . . Sirius wasn't the kind of guy to not take responsibilities for his actions."

"I wouldn't know. I wish there was somebody left who knew my father well enough to tell me . . . somebody like your Dad or Mum . . ."

"There is! Lupin's still around! He would know!"

"Then what are we standing around for? I'd very much like to find out some details . . ."

"Sure thing Scip, Let's go back to the Burrow . . . Lupin and the rest of your Guard are supposed to be visiting today . . . remember Harry?"

"Great! I'll go . . . I'll have to talk to Aunt Narcissa when I get there though, I might be pretty late coming back home."

"You actually call her Aunt?"

"Well, she is . . . let's go! I can't wait any longer!"

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Scipio (now called Scip) traveled by floo powder back to the Burrow. Fred and George were playing what looked like a fifth round of exploding snaps and Tonks, Shacklebolt and Moody sat in the living room, sipping butterbeers. Fred and George looked up to acknowledge the visitors then did a wide-eyed double take at Scipio. Ron made motion for Fred and George to not say anything, but George screamed out in disbelief.

"Sirius???"

Tonks, Moody and Shacklebolt all sputtered on their butterbeers. Tonks actually choked on hers and dropped the glass down to the ground, where it shattered into tiny splinters. For a moment, there was silence. Then, Scipio, feeling it proper to correct the red-headed twins managed to squeak out his name.

"No, not Sirius, Scipio. . . his son."

Tonks stood up and ran into the kitchen (nearly toppling over Fred and George getting there) to get a better look at Scipio. Her eyes watered over and she wiped the stray tears from her eyes, smiling brightly.

"S-Scipio? S-Sirius's son? I never knew . . . lord in heaven, he looks just like him," Tonks said, choking back tears ". . . all but those eyes . . . look at those eyes."

Suddenly realizing she was acting very weak, she wiped her eyes and pulled a hankie out of her pocket to blow her nose. Then, to Scipio's great surprise, she squeezed him tightly in a bear hug, as if she never wanted to let him go. Seeing the great confusion upon Scipio's face, Tonks began to explain.

"I'm your . . .oh what are the relations in genetics? Your rather distant cousin . . .seems that stealth and tracking aren't my only weak spots, huh Harry?"

"Who's Lupin?" Scipio asked trying to remove himself from this sort of attention. Sure he was ecstatic to find he had more family, but this was a mouthful.

"He's not here," Tonks replied, still sniffling back tears.

"Not here? He told us he'd be her today. . . along with the rest of you."

"Ah, well Ron, it seems Lupin's overbooked his calendar . . ."

"What do you mean?"

"Well . . .it's rather difficult to explain. . ."

"Lupin, how do I put this is a bit of a-"

"Werewolf." Tonks finished, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, you people would think you've never been around Lupin under a full moon."

"A werewolf?" Scipio muttered to himself. What kind of people had his father been associated with? Cool the police wanted him, thumbs up that he knew the boy-who-lived, but being best friends with a werewolf? Now that was wicked!

End of chapter 3. Don't forget to R/R . . . any questions or suggestions are appreciated! Thanks!