CHAPTER 5

It was 4 o'clock. Sirius began pacing the coffee shop. Where was she? He couldn't stop his mind from racing. So many things were running through his mind, what if she doesn't show? Why am I even getting myself mixed up with a muggle?

Ring. The door to the café opened and Emma walked in.

She looks really good, Sirius thought to himself as he approached her.

"Hello Emma." he grinned

Emma giggled, "Hey."

They stood there a moment staring into each other's eyes before finding a seat and ordering two cappuccinos and some éclairs.

"So.. Where did you say you were from again?"

Sirius nearly choked on his éclair.

"Me? Oh, oh I'm not from around here."

"Um okay, but where are you from?"

Sirius thought a moment, "I'm from America."

Emma raised her eyebrows as though she didn't completely trust him, "Yeah okay."

Sirius kept thinking about how pretty she was, he couldn't help it.

"So how old are you?" Sirius finally asked.

"17, I'll be eighteen in August."

Sirius nodded, "I'm 18, as of last March."

Emma flashed a smile and playfully punched his arm, "Oooo an older man!" She made a face afterwards as though realizing that she probably looked like a complete fool, although Sirius didn't think so.

"So tell me about yourself," Sirius asked.

Emma screwed up her face, deep in thought, "Well, I've lived here my whole life, in that neighborhood I saw you in. wait- you never did tell me what you were doing out so late last night, hmm?" Sirius shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "I just needed a breath of fresh air, you know, to clear my head."

"Oh how well I can relate."

"What do you mean?"

Emma sighed, "Well things aren't going to good with my life right now. My family seems to be having a lot of trouble; my parents are always away and I'm left to care for my little sister, Caitlin."

"How old is your sister?"

"She's only 6. And she is constantly sick. Sometimes I think she almost doesn't try to get better, like it's her way of trying to get attention. I can't blame the poor child, she doesn't understand why mum and dad are always gone."

"Oh" was all Sirius could manage to say.

"So tell me about you, Sirius Black." She grinned.

"Me?" Sirius thought, how could he say without actually saying?, "Well, I hate my family, the whole lot of them, and wouldn't care if the where to drop dead at me feet."

Emma looked startled. "Excuse me?"

"Okay, well maybe they don't have to die. But I sure wouldn't mind if I never had to see them again. My parents, well lets just say we don't agree on anything. And my little brother? Oh he's just a doll, a natural little chucky." He grinned maliciously, "I swear to you, all the do is disagree and think that they are so much better than anyone not born into a pure blood wiza-" Sirius stopped, completely forgetting not to tell her that part.

"What?"

Sirius cleared his throat, "Bad people. Very err, racist."

"Oh!" Emma looked slightly upset, "That's horrible! So what do you do?"

"Oh I manage. Mostly stay at friends houses, that's where I'm staying here."

Emma was about to respond when the door of the Café swung open with such force it nearly flew off its hinges.

Framing the doorway stood a tall muscular man of roughly 19 or 20. He had hair of about the same dark color of Sirius's. But the man's hair was short and buzzed as opposed to Sirius's hair that fell into his eyes every time he looked down. His eyes were a creepy looking cloudy gray and his lips were curled down into a frown.

The man in the doorway heaved a sigh and looked darkly around the coffee shop. His buff figure was shaking as though he was angry. His eyes darted around and Sirius was reminded uncannily of a hawk or vulture or some other bird of prey.

Sirius's attention was drawn off of the man when he felt Emma grab his hand and let out a small shriek.

He glanced at her as she bowed her head and whimpered.

The man thrashed through the store over to Emma. He swung a fist on their table, spilling Sirius's drink.

"Where the hell were you last night?" He bellowed at Emma, ignoring Sirius.

Emma shook violently, "I-I told you, m-my sister was sick."

He sneered, "She's always sick. Why don't you just hire a babysitter?"

Emma pushed back her chair and stood up. She looked the strange man in his face and said boldly (although Sirius could tell she was scared to death), "Well I had to take care of her! You know mum and dad were gone!"

"AND THE BABYSITTER?"

Emma didn't sit back down but instead kept glancing at Sirius, "You know perfectly well that we can't afford one!"

Sirius just sat there confused.

The man grabbed her arm and pulled her in one violent sweeping motion, towards him. "You will meet me tonight then, right?"

Emma stammered a meek, "Yes," before he let her go. He had pulled her so close that when he let go, Emma fell backwards and Sirius had to catch her so she didn't fall into the table. It was only then that anyone seemed to take notice of Sirius.

The man looked at Sirius with the strongest dislike. He turned to Emma and spat, "Who the hell is he?"

Emma looked frightened, "J-just a friend.. I-I met him the o-other day."

He glared at her, disbelieving. "So now you are flirting around with strangers? Why doesn't that surprise me?" Emma looked deeply embarrassed.

The man stomped his foot and turned to Sirius, "So how much did you pay her?"

Sirius was the one getting angry now. "Would you mind leaving? I really don't think you're wanted here." Sirius said this coldly, as though to end the conversation.

But the man ignored him and turned back to Emma. "Slut." He called her, "Skanky whore."

Sirius could feel his hand twitching for his wand as the man continued.

"If I hear your out with other men again, I swear to god you'll regret it bitch."

Sirius wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to hex the living shit out of him, but he knew he couldn't in such a muggle-infested area. He didn't even know who this guy was, what he was doing, or what his problem with Emma was.

After what seemed like an eternity the hulk of a man left. He slammed the door on his way out, knocking several pictures off the wall.

Slowly, Sirius turned to Emma.

She was sitting there, looking at her hands, silent tears running down her face. He reached out and grabbed her hand, which she quickly pulled away.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled talking more to the floor than him, "Todd normally isn't that bad. He just gets mad sometimes. ssIt's just I told him I'd meet him and I never did."

"So he came in here and wrecked havoc all because your sister was sick?" Sirius shook his head, "Who does this Todd guy think he is anyways?"

Emma stood up, her pretty little face all red, "Todd's my, my boyfriend."