Disclaimer: Love ya, J.K.R. Not stealing, just borrowing.

Chapter Four

Roxanne tightened her grip on the kitchen knife, as she waited for her burglar to step out of the shower. She saw his tall shadow through the curtain wrapping the large towel around his waist. The curtain was pushed aside to reveal a tall, lanky man with soaked long black hair hanging from his head, hiding his face. Roxanne noticed the intruder was a bit on the thin side, ribs visible through his pale skin but didn't take that as a sign of weakness. She also noted the thin, but still muscled arms connected to that lean chest.

It was about now that she realized she was a bit frightened, well, frightened enough to not know what to say to this stranger.

"You're back two hours early..." he said, breaking the silence.

"What...?" Roxanne asked, alarmed.

Sirius tensed a bit, realizing that may not have been the best thing to say. Roxanne narrowed her eyes at him, trying to figure out how he could possibly know she had planned on arriving at four and not two? Something dawned on her.

"Did that bastard Rick send you?" she asked, spitting the mans name like a curse. "Didn't he think humiliating me in front of hundreds of people today was enough? He had to send someone to ... to... what was it he told you to do? Kill me? Beat me? Scare me? Rape me? Please, stop me if I'm getting warmer."

"No, no... Rick didn't send me..." he assured, wincing at the accusations she made.

"Then you came up here of your own will? How did you get in?" she demanded, feeling braver with her anger.

Sirius was silent. "I..."

He raised his eyes to look at Roxanne's angry face, unable to think of a response. That was when he noticed her bleeding lower lip, her puffy eyes, her smeared eye make-up. She'd been... crying? Sirius felt a spark of anger in his chest.

"That bastard..." he suddenly hissed, causing Roxanne to jump in surprise. "He hit you, didn't he?"

"What? Who hit me? What the hell are you raving about?" she asked, confusion making her aching head pound.

"Your lip is bleeding. Rick hit you," he said, sure of his assumptions.

As he spoke he moved a hand forward to take her chin and get a look at the injury. Roxanne backed up, raising the deadly kitchen utensil in her hands, eyes wide.

"Keep your hands to yourself," she snapped.

Sirius let his arm fall back to his side, frowning. She'd be nicer if she knew he was 'Snuffles'. Roxanne observed him for a moment.

"Are you homeless? Did you break in because you needed food and shelter?" she asked, reprovingly. "There are places that would be more than happy to help you, you know. How did you get in? Oh, God, you didn't break one of my windows did you? How am I going to pay for a damn window...?"

"I didn't break anything," he muttered, trying to think of what to tell her.

"Then how did you get in? And who are you?" she repeated. "Listen, if you don't answer me I'm calling the police."

"..." Sirius gave a sigh. "Could I get dressed first? I rather not be standing here in a towel, dripping wet while I explain. Besides... the air conditioner has been on full blast all day and this thing doesn't offer much warmth."

Roxanne slightly flushed. It was a bit uncomfortable with him standing there in a towel.

"How do I know you won't escape through the window when I leave you to dress?" she asked, coolly.

"Then don't leave if it suits you better. What do I care if you watch?" he asked, reaching down to pick up a bundle of ragged black cloth.

"I-I'll turn my back..." she said, facing the opposite way as her flush deepened.

She heard the shower curtain close and realized he was dressing in the concealment of the shower rather than behind her turned back. She turned around when she heard the curtain pushed open and watched the man step out of the tub clad in a dirty, shapeless black garment, hair still dripping puddles on the floor. Sirius noticed her still slightly pink face and couldn't hold back a small smirk. With that grin on his face, the stranger stirred a memory up in the back of Roxanne's mind. This wasn't the first time she was meeting this person... He was familiar, but she couldn't quite place him.

She led him into the living room, watching him carefully. They sat at opposite ends of her little couch, facing one another. Roxanne still had the knife grasped in her right hand, a little uneasy with the situation. Sirius saw Roxanne look at a spot on her couch and followed her gaze to where his wet hair was splashing onto the upholstry.

"Sorry," he said, looking at her, apologetically.

"Talk," was her short reply.

Sirius frowned. Obviously the old Black charm had been affected by his years in Azkaban, too. He wasn't exaclty sure how he was going to explain to her that he was an Animagus or why he was running around as a dog when he was actually a human. She was too intellegent to deceive and eventually she'd notice Snuffles was missing.

"You know that dog you found in the park...?" he began weakly, knowing revealing even a little bit of the Wizarding world to a Muggle wasn't a very good idea.

"Snuffles?" she asked, realizing she hadn't seen him since entering her house.

He flinched at the sound of the name. "Yes, Snuffles."

She whistled. "Here boy! Come here, Snuffles!"

Nothing. No trod of padded feet or sound of something being knocked off a table by the dog's wagging black tail. Roxanne paled.

"Sn-snuffles? Come here!" she shouted, a bit more firmly. She reared on Sirius violently. "What did you do with my dog, you git?!"

"Nothing, nothing! Just listen a moment!" he told her, brushing his hair off his face and out of his eyes.

Roxanne opened her mouth to shout a retort when her gaze locked onto the man's gray-blue eyes. She froze as recognition clicked. Her anger faded and was replaced by surprise. Sirius sat there, confused, unsure of the reason she'd stopped verbally attacking him. A bitter grin flitted across her lips.

"It's hard to forget eyes like yours, Sirius Black," she told him.

Sirius jumped at the sound of his own name leaving her lips. He looked at her, trying to figure out if she was going to dive for the phone and call the police or just stab him to death herself. Roxanne didn't seem to think twice on either of those choices. She sat back, relaxing a bit, to Sirius's further puzzlement.

"Don't remember me?" she asked, raising a brow.

He shook his head, still trying to find words.

"I suppose that makes sense seeing as you were being dragged away by the police at the time. I still don't understand why you stood there laughing like a mad man when you could have run," she said.

"You were... there?" he whispered, mouth suddenly dry.

"I was almost twelve and I was standing right behind that rather chubby blond man you were yelling at," she told him. "Do you know why no one believed you were innocent?"

Sirius scowled. "I have a good idea."

"All of the people who witnessed the murder were standing behind you. To them it probably looked alot like you had done it. All of the people standing behind the blond man on the other side saw what really happened, but unfortunately for you, they all died. Except me."

Sirius's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"I saw it. I saw that man use whatever weapon killed all of those people. It was a sort of stick, right? It shot out sparks, but I was so short when I was eleven that they flew right over my head. I saw it," she told him. "What happened after is the reason I have the reputation I do..."

Roxanne raised a trembling hand to her cheek and her stomach twisted into knots when she felt warm, sticky liquid splashed there. She held her reddened fingertips out in front of her face, horror stricken. Blood. Blood. Not her own, either. The eleven year old's wide eyes surveyed the scene she stood in the center of. There were at least a dozen bodies sprawled on the ground, blood-stained and all wearing shocked, grim expressions on their still faces. And there was a finger. A human finger lying in the center of it all where the blond man once stood. Something scurried past her feet. She looked down to see a pudgy gray rat clamor by her frantically. Usually she would have scremaed or jumped away from it, but the disgusting creature didn't quite compare to the horror she had just witnessed.

She looked up when the first scream broke out. All the men and women standing behind the tall, handsome, dark-haired man scattered, shouting and sobbing. But he stood there, staring at the scene before him with an expression similar to the one on Roxanne's face. She saw a black and red stick clutched in his left hand and recalled the blond man using a yellow and green one to murder the people standing around her. For a moment, Sirius Black's eyes met Roxanne Callisto's and that moment burned into her memory forever.

"Are... are you alright?" she asked him in a shaking vocie.

His lips twitched at the question. A low rumble escaped his mouth. Roxanne took two steps towards him, confused. Her mind was in a daze. he must be half-delirious, since he seemed to know the man who had killed all those people around her. She stopped moving forward when Black broke out into uncontrollable, fitful laughter. And he stood there amid all the death and destruction and laughed. Roxanne felt a wave of sympathy for the man. She began to walk towards him when a group of strangely clad men ran over to the scene of the murder, looking grim. One of the men immediately went over to her. He knelt beside her, looking over her in concern.

"Are you alright?" he repeated the question she gave Sirius.

"I'm... I'm better than the rest of them..." she murmured, the event that had occured not yet sinking in completely. "What about him? I think he needs to see a doctor..."

"Sirius Black?" he snorted. "There aren't any doctors where he's going. Don't worry and be glad you're still alive, miss. Black is being taken to pay for murdering these people."

"For what?" she asked, alarmed.

Roxanne looked past him and sure enough, three men were trying to bind Black's hands as he doubled over in his inane laughter. They thought he did it. The girl cried out and dashed right by the man beside her and attached herself to the green robes of one of the men trying to restrain Sirius.

"No no no! You don't understand! Leave him alone!" she cried.

"Filmore, will you get this kid away?" the man grumbled.

"He didn't do it! I swear, he didn't do it! I saw the blond man do it!" she tried, desperately.

The man called Filmore scooped her up. "Take it easy on her, John. She's the only survivor. She's been through alot today. Poor thing doesn't know what she's saying."

Roxanne struggled madly against Filmore as the three men began to drag Black away, still laughing and chortling as if he'd broken his funny bone. But no one listened to what she said. Black was taken away and all the screaming Roxanne did couldn't save him now. By then, everything had begun to sink into her mind and she broke down completely. The police managed to get her parents' work phoen numbers out of her and have them come to get her. Detectives and men in green and black cloaks came and asked her questions and she told them all the same thing. Black hadn't done it. He was innocent. It was the blond man. No one she told seemed satisfied with the answer, especially sicne there was nothing left of the 'blond man' who she had been informed was named Peter Pettigrew. They kept asking. They wanted her to say the same thing everyone else had. Yes, sir, Black did it. he killed those people and Pettigrew. And that's the truth.

The memories after that were blurred and she had been told she passed out within two hours of the murders and didn't wake until the next afternoon.

Sirius sat there, mind somewhat numb, after hearing her account of the day that changed his life. Why couldn't he remember? He always had a vague recollection of there being someone else there that day, but he had neevr been able to recall who.

"I felt guilty that I had let them take you. I wrote letters to organazations, attempted to gain support, tried to send essays to the papers. No one wanted to hear it and I was getting a worse and worse reputation. I stopped when I was sixteen, when people began to harass my family for my beliefs," she sighed.

Silence fell between the two. Roxanne observed Sirius with a slightly grim look on her eyes.

"I was young and in a bit of shock when all those people fell dead around me twelve years ago. Maybe I did imagine Pettigrew as the one who killed them, maybe you did do it. Maybe I am sitting alone in my apartment with a murderer on the couch next to me," she began. "I could easily call the police or kill you myself, couldn't I?"

Sirius eyed the knife still clutched in her right hand. "You could."

"Or... I can be as unrational as I've been all my life and say this," she resumed. "You have two choices here, Black. You can either sit there and answer some of my questions at the risk of my deciding you deserve to be turned in---"

Roxanne took his hand and put the handle of the knife in it, closing his fingers around the grip. She sat back, a bit overly casual for the words she spoke next.

"---or you could kill me and take the easy way out," she finished.

Sirius paled as the words left her lips, realizing the reason the knife was now in his hand. He threw it down at the coffee table as if physical contact with it burnt him. He was a little overenthusiastic as he did this and the glass panel in the coffee table shattered from the force the knife struck it. Roxanne groaned and put a hand to her face.

"Couldn't you have just killed me...? That table is from a rent-a-center..." she muttered.

"Are you mad?" he had to ask.

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black," she mused. "I had to know if I was safe alone in here with you or not. Now you'll be answering me a few questions. Firstly, what happened to Snuffles?"

Sirius shifted in his seat. "I can't tell you."

Roxanne cocked a brow. "You can't tell me."

"No."

"Ah."

Silence fell between the two. Roxanne sighed, looking over the shattered remains of her coffee table. She had owed another hundred and fifty dollars on the table. She had planned on returning all her rented furniture since she could no longer afford the monthly bills. Now she would have to finish her payments on a table she'd never be able to use. That wasn't really the foremost thought in her mind, though. When a supposed murderer tells you he can't tell you what happened to your pet dog, you begin to suspect the worst.

"...Did you kill my dog?" she had to ask.

"No," he replied, to her relief.

"Then where is he?" she demanded.

"..."

"Damn it, Black! As pathetic as it sounds, that dog is all I have!"

Sirius cursed under his breath. He couldn't do this to her. All the time spent in Azkaban hadn't driven away his humanity nor his conscience. Sometimes having a conscience wasn't necessarily a good thing...

"I'm afraid Snuffles is no ordinary dog, Roxanne," he muttered,

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know my name."

"I know more than your name," he mused, sighing. "I really shouldn't be showing you this, but I suppose I owe you alot and I'll soon owe you more."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just watch and... try not to be too alarmed, alright?"

Roxanne decided to give her attention to whatever revelation he had for her. She made a gesture as if to say 'Well, go on,' looking at Sirius pointedly. The man sighed and stood up. Roxanne gasped as he began to change before her eyes. He seemed to get smaller, hunching over then in a flash he wasn't a human at all, but a large shaggy dog. Snuffles hesitantly waged his tail at his 'owner', looking a bit sheepish. Roxanne stared at the dog, wide eyed and slack jawed. She'd just witnessed a man turn into a dog. Into her dog, no less. She made a choking sound, trying to form words.

The dog suddenly changed back into a man, watching Roxanne apprehensively. She stood up, taking three steps backward from him.

"Wh-what are you??" she asked.

"I'm not much different than you are, believe it or not," he told her, sitting back down.

"A little more different than you seem to think, Black! I can't turn into a dog or cat or horse or anything else, for that matter!" she exclaimed. "And I---"

She froze a moment when it hit her. Sirius winced as he saw the look of shock and confusion on her face fade into anger. He had expected such a reaction once she put two and two together and realized if he had been Snuffles, than he had been living with her for a little less than a week. She began to take steps forward rather than backward now.

"I fed you and sheltered you and, and bathed you and told you things I would have never confided to anyone and the whole time you just sat there, wagging your tail, and let me!" she accused, voice growing increasingly violent. "Not even my parents know about my... my..."

"Powers?" he helped.

"Yes!" she hissed.

"What would you have liked me to do? Turn into a man in front of you, and say, 'Hey, my name's Sirius Black, could I stay here for a while? I'm trying to hide from some people trying to put me back in prison.'?" he retorted.

She gave an aggravated sigh and flopped onto the couch beside him. Sirius let out a similar sigh. Roxanne looked up at him, cheeks slowly becoming a slight pink tint.

"You didn't.... you know, see anything, did you?" she asked, quickly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not quite understanding.

"... Did you watch me while I was in the shower or getting dressed, Black?" she blurted in the bluntest way possible.

The man face faulted. "NO!"

"Well, I had to ask! Don't act so offended!" she snapped, cheeks flushing a bit deeper.

Roxanne sat back, somewhat relieved at knowing her privacy hadn't been completely invaded. With such frivilous matters aside, she concentrated on the big picture. Sirius Black, supposed murderer and madman, was hiding out in her apartment as a large black dog named Snuffles. There were at least seven issues in that one statement that could have Roxanne in jail or comitted to an asylum. She let her gaze rest on the man before her, who was eyeing the broken coffee table somewhat guiltily.

"I could be locked up for having you here," she mused. "They'd probably find a way to pin your escape on me, as well."

"I'd like to see them try," he snorted, standing up. "But the Muggles could put you away for a couple years, so I'll leave."

"Muggles?" she repeated, cocking a brow. "And sit down. If you wanted to leave you should have killed me when given the option. Now you're stuck here."

Sirius shook his head. "I can't. If they figure out I'm here you're in more danger than you think."

"Well, where are you planning on going, then?" she asked.

"...London," he replied, brushing his stil wet hair out of his eyes.

"And I suppose you'll just waltz up to the train station and buy yourself a ticket?"

"I won't need a ticket."

"Ah. Then you won't need food or shelter or clothing either?"

"Don't worry about it."

"But I do."

"You won't have to anymore."

He made to walk past her, but she grabbed his hand with both of hers. Sirius jumped at the touch, whirling around on the girl, scowling, though there was a look of surprise in his light eyes. Roxanne stared right back, stubbornly.

"I can help you."

"It's out of the question, Callisto."

"Why? I can get you a train and meals and some decent clothes and---"

"And look out for me?" he snorted. "You don't realize what you're getting into. Look, I can't risk having you along. If they find me, I won't be the only one to be sent away. You provided for me these past few days and that's enough on your part. Just finish out college and make a life for yourself, alright? You're bright enough to---"

"You don't get it, Black!" she exclaimed, yanking him down to the couch.

He was surprised at the amount of force she exerted to pull him and nearly toppled forward onto her.

"There's nothing here for me. I don't belong here anymore than you do," she said, voice becoming quieter, as an almost regretful bitterness set into her eyes. "I couldn't survive here if I did, either. No job, no friends, I can't show my face at the university... People hate me, Black. Really, truely hate me. And I hate what's happening to me here. I don't care if once I go with you I can't turn back. Do you understand me yet...?"

Sirius sat back beside her, slowly. The path she was about to choose wouldn't be an easy one. She didn't realize that he wasn't just planning on hiding. She didn't understand that he was out to commit the crime that landed him in Azkaban, to avenge his friends and his lost years. She could be killed or worse, a dementor could get to her. Then again... she was right. She didn't belong here. Not among Muggles. Roxanne had magic in her, even if it was in an unrestrained, uncontrollable form that could cause her more damage than good.

An idea began to form in Sirius's mind. Perhaps he didn't have to take her to the very end with him. He could let her come along then leave her in good hands to learn to use her abilities and become a part of the Wizarding society. Looking into her eyes, he knew for certain that he couldn't leave her here. This was her Azkaban. She was being drained of all her cheer and hopes and confidence and being left with all the cruel, fearsome things. They both needed their freedom.

"How about I stay the night and we can decide in the morning?" he finally said. "That is, unless you rather I not sleep under the same roof as you. I could understand---"

"No, no. You had a hundred opportunities to do whatever I could have fears of," she reasoned. "You're still soaked. There's a hairdryer in my room to use. Are you hungry? You look it. I---"

"Roxanne," he stopped her.

She looked to him.

"I'm fine. But I have one question before I go use that... hair dryer... you mentioned," he said, speaking the word 'hair dryer' as if it were foreign.

"What's that?"

"...Why did you call me Snuffles?"