"Mmm." Annikaya cracked her eyes open to see Sirius's worried face. He had
been shaking her. Quickly memory returned and she sat up. "Where are we?"
She looked around, noting thick blue carpeting, white leather couch, and an end table with a lamp on it.
Sirius, seeing she recognized in general where they were, didn't answer. "Great. Now I'm going to be arrested for breaking and entering." he grumbled.
Annikaya tried not to laugh but it came out a strangled cough. He eyed her suspiciously. She just gave him her best innocent face and batted her eye lashes at him.
"Let's look around." he suggested finally.
"Shouldn't we just leave? What if we get caught?" Annikaya looked around nervously.
"That's what this is for, remember?" Sirius held up his wand.
Annikaya didn't look any less nervous but she didn't say anything when he got up and begin walking toward the adjoining room. After a few minutes hesitation she joined him and they both walked into a brightly lit kitchenette. Annikaya immediately went to the pantry bad begin filling her pockets with little packets of crackers.
Sirius eyed her curiously. "Hungry?"
"Unfortunately, no. They're supplies. For transfiguring." She readjusted her bulging pockets.
"Huh." He took some of the cracker packets and stuck them in both his pants pockets and his robe pockets. Annikaya had some good ideas and thought ahead. He liked that and wondered briefly if he'd still have been stuck in dog form eating rats while running from the ministry if she'd been with him then. A noise caught his attention and he cocked his head, listening. Far away, drawing closer, was the sound of sirens. Annikaya could hear it too.
"Those are probably coming for us." Sirius said, scratching his jaw.
As if hearing his thoughts, his companion spoke. "Why us?" It was half moan, half question.
"We could stay and find out."
"But...but what if we can't ever escape?" her voice was tiny and frightened.
Sirius stared solemnly into her eyes, deadly earnest, ignoring the rapidly approaching sirens. "If Azkaban taught me anything it's that there's always an escape. It just depends on if it's worth it." He couldn't begin to impress upon her how serious he was.
She unclenched her hands and jammed them purposefully into her already full pockets. He could hear the crackers crunch. "What do you want to do?" she asked.
"I'd kind of like to know who's after us and why." he answered.
She squared her shoulders resolutely. "Alright then."
Would have been a Gryffindor, he thought with a touch of pride. Definitely a Gryffindor.
They found the front door and sat on the steps together, watching the screaming cop-like cares pull into the driveway. "Name?" the bored bookie asked, not lifting her gaze from the computer screen as they were processed.
Annikaya shifted uncomfortably in her handcuffs. "Annikaya Horn."
"Stephen Malcolm." Sirius said, not a beat behind her.
Annikaya tried hard not to look at him, afraid to give him up and wondering why he'd bothered with a fake name.
"Dungeon three." Dungeon? Annikaya's eyes widened but Sirius didn't seem surprised.
Their two guards took them down a corridor that abruptly became stone, unlocked their handcuffs, and locked them into the stone prison.
"A dungeon?" she asked Sirius incredulously. He only shrugged. There was even straw on the floor.
Sirius retreated to the back of their cell and stretched out on the rough stone pallet. Annikaya gingerly cleared some of the straw away and sat on the floor, considering Sirius thoughtfully.
He cracked open an eye, having felt her regard. "What?"
"Why did you use a fake name?"
He closed his eyes again. "Habit I guess. I don't tell people my name anymore. They tend to run screaming or try to kill me."
"You told me."
His brow knitted in thought. "I suppose I did. Peculiar."
He didn't say anything more and shortly after Annikaya noticed he'd fallen asleep, frowning deeply. He always did that when he slept. She regarded him for a second longer, wishing his sleep was untroubled. She had a feeling the sleep of Sirius Black never was. Shaking her head sadly, she rose and began to inspect their new housing. It was perhaps an hour later and Annikaya's third time counting all the stone blocks when Sirius awoke and spoke again.
"So how did you become an English teacher?" He didn't know what prompted him to ask that but conversation would help keep the cabin fever at bay.
"Huh?" She looked up, startled, not having noticed he was awake. "Oh. I just like reading, that's all. You know, magic, outer space, that kind of thing. See, I always wanted to be a sorceress or a starship captain when I was little. What about you?"
Sirius wasn't quite sure what a starship was but he didn't ask. "I wanted to be a quidditch player." The next three or four hours were devoted to explaining the game.
When the topic ran dry Annikaya began pacing. The cell was considerably smaller than the white room they'd been trapped in before and she was feeling claustrophobic.
"Why don't you try to sleep?" Sirius asked. "Pacing won't help."
"It'll help me not go crazy." she replied.
"Oh, I dunno about that. One of the fellows in Azkaban always used to pace. He went crazy pretty fast." he paused. "Of course, that could have been the dementors."
Annikaya stopped and turned to meet the obscure pain in his eyes. "Is it hard to be here?"
He hadn't expected her to ask that. He didn't want to answer and so he fell back on the cocky attitude he'd displayed as a foolhardy young Marauder. "Who, me? I'm Sirius the Unconquerable!" He threw a reckless grin that had been known to make Hogwarts' female populace swoon.
Annikaya laughed. "More like Sirius the Impossible!" He laughed too but they both cut off abruptly as the door opened.
"Time to go. The Empress wants to see you."
Annikaya caught Sirius' eye at that last bit but he only shrugged before they were both cuffed again. Annikaya smirked when she heard him whisper "Alohomora" under his breath and saw his cuffs twitch as they unlocked. Neither of their guards noticed and Sirius just winked at her.
The two were led to a car like the ones they'd been picked up in earlier and were placed in back. The windows in the car had been darkened and they couldn't see where they were being taken. When the car stopped and the door opened by one of their guards they were already in what appeared to be an underground parking structure.
Sirius growled in annoyance. He didn't like not knowing exactly where he was. It tended to make escaping difficult.
The guards pretended to ignore his little vocalization but as they stepped into the fancy wood inlayed lift one of them was eyeing him warily. Sirius grinned back, making sure to show all his teeth. It was juvenile but it made him feel better.
The lift stopped and the doors opened onto elegant marble flooring liberally scattered with what appeared to be Persian rugs. The walls were again inlaid with the expensive dark wood and a gold gilt. Oil paintings hung in subtly lit alcoves.
Ug. It looks like someplace you'd find a Malfoy. He noticed though that Annikaya was looking around appreciatively as they were led to massive bronze doors flanked by two men in fancy uniforms.
"We have the prisoners she wanted to see." One of their guards said to the men at the door.
They nodded and moved to open the doors.
"Empress, we brought the prisoners you wanted to see."
Both of their guards bowed deeply upon entering the hall and Annikaya and Sirius took the opportunity to look around. The hall had the same highly polished marble floor but the Persian rugs were absent this time. Instead there was a bright red carpet runner that made its way to a raised dais at the other end of the room. Before the dais were several people, all in very formal dress, bordering on being uniforms. On the dais itself was a massive gilt throne with a woman in it, presumably this empress they spoke of. She was wearing a delicate crown of gold with sparkling gems set in it. "Bring them here." she commanded, sounding bored.
As they drew nearer Sirius heard Annikaya gasp and saw her turn a bit pale but she didn't say anything. Sirius turned his attention back to the empress, wondering what had caught Annikaya's attention. The empress was, he guessed, about Annikaya's own age with shoulder-length blondish hair. She was rather pretty but Sirius didn't see what had caught his friend's attention.
The empress was considering them thoughtfully. "What are your names? Where are you from?"
Sirius, not wanting Annikaya to forget his assumed name, stepped forward.
"I am Stephen Malcolm and this is Annikaya Horn. We're from another universe your majesty." He launched into his tale, watching her face to see her reception to what might seem a fairy story but her face remained impassive, her hands folded calmly on the lap of her blue gown. When Sirius was done the empress regarded them thoughtfully.
"Did you know me in your universe Annikaya?"
"Yes Empress Nevaria. We are best friends there."
The empress nodded. "You are dead here. Dark magic attacked a movie theater you and I were in on a double date with out fiancées. Only I survived and after more attacks the people came to me to stop it. I became Empress." As she had spoken, her eyes had unfocused to view her past but now they snapped back to the present and burned into Annikaya's and Sirius'. "Magic of any kind is the highest crime in my empire. Even claiming to be Annikaya will not protect you from that." Now she addressed the two guards. "Take them back to their cells."
The guards saluted crisply and led their prisoners out of the empress' throne room. As they walked back to the lift to the parking garage Annikaya knew Sirius was trying to catch her eye but she ignored him.
The woman on the throne in that room had been so similar and yet totally dissimilar from the friend she had made in grade school. At first Annikaya had been upset and hurt at the treatment they had received from her friend but the memory of empress Nevaria's eyes as she recounted the attack at the theater had worked it's way into her heart with ease. She knew exactly why too. Tragic love stories had always burned the English teacher deeply. But those were only stories. They weren't supposed to happen in real life. All the way back to their cell Annikaya remembered two little girls dreaming of their future loves and the haunted look in one woman's eyes. "We have a problem." Sirius informed Annikaya after having transformed no less than four packets of cracker crumbs into bombs only to have them remain unsuccessful at opening their cell. This was also after the fruitless hour of yelling unlocking spells.
"Another anti-magic barrier?" Annikaya asked glumly, already knowing the answer.
"To outlaw magic you must first have the means to stop it. What's surprising is that they didn't try to break my wand."
"Maybe they have different magic here and didn't know that's what it was." she suggested. She looked around. "So what's the plan now?"
He shrugged. "Don't have anything. But something will turn up. It always does."
His calm unconcern on that matter apparently annoyed her a trifle. "Oh? How can you be so sure?"
Just then the door opened into their cell and Annikaya had to sit back fast to avoid being hit. A woman looked in nervously.
"Come on. Quietly. "
Sirius threw Annikaya a smirk as they followed the woman into the hall. Annikaya wondered at Sirius for so willingly following the woman. After all, it might be a trap instead of a rescue. A shot-while-they-were- escaping or some such. Annikaya eyed their "rescuer" as the other woman led them down the hall to a laundry room with a bright window that looked out onto a manicured lawn.
"Go out the window and to the left until you get to the parking lot. Get in the back of the semi that's parked there. Don't let anyone see you!" She eyed them both fiercely before closing the laundry room door behind her.
"Sirius, are you sure we should-"
"Ah, ah, ah!" he wagged a finger at her admonishingly. "Never question a lady's honor!" Humor and excitement sparkled in his eyes.
"You're enjoying this!" Annikaya grumbled.
Only sometimes he thought but he wouldn't let that get him down now when he was finally starting to have fun. He leaped over the window sill and held out a hand to his diminutive companion, who was struggling to pull herself over.
"Come on." He urged.
"Wait right there mister. They might be looking for us already. I want you to be a dog."
"Good idea."
The woman and the dog crossed the lawns to the parking lot and climbed into the waiting semi with no trouble. Where the semi took them they had no idea and the inside gave them no clue either, for it was empty. When the truck stopped they stayed quietly in the back, waiting. An hour later their waiting paid off as the door cracked open and the woman entered, bearing a wand. The tip of the wand was lit up, illuminating the dark of the truck.
"Nice to see you again Sirius."
"Berlin Bear. Always a pleasure."
Annikaya listened to the odd nickname and wondered at its origins.
"You do get yourself into the biggest messes, don't you?"
"How do you two know each other?" Annikaya asked curiously.
"School mates." Sirius replied. "Now what exactly is going on here friend?"
Berlin Bear sighed. "The empress told you about the dark magic attacks? I don't know how things work where you're from but here those attacks were by a certain He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Things probably wouldn't have gone so far as the ban on magic if it hadn't been for that blasted attack on that theater. With that anti-magic barrier they've got there's no reason to outlaw all magic but their muggle empress was absolutely devastated but the loss of her friend and fiancé. Now at least the death eaters and the like are at least partially confined by their inability to attack but we're limited in our ability to continue as well. What makes it all so ridiculous is that we have our suspicions about her deceased fiancé."
"What's everyone doing about the situation?" Sirius asked before Annikaya could ask her own question.
"Obviously we have a recovery team in place for those who are picked up." She leveled a pointed look at Sirius. "Rosalind, you remember her? She acts as a reporter and is able to get wind of any that might be ours."
Sirius nodded, "I thought I saw her in the throne room but I wasn't sure. And of course you work as their bookie at the station to spring them."
Annikaya jabbed Sirius in the ribs. "No plan, huh? We'll see what comes along?" She turned to the other woman. "You know that he's not the same Sirius you know. We're trying to get home." She briefly described the veil the two were searching for.
Berlin Bear frowned, "You two are in for some trouble then. Nevaria's got the veil frittered away some where. Rosalind did a piece on that a while back. I can see if she knows any more." She stood up and started toward the back of the truck.
"Wait!" Annikaya called, struck by a comment Berlin Bear had made earlier. "What did you mean about having suspicions about Nevaria's fiancé?"
"We're not sure he was killed." Berlin Bear said before she hopped out of the truck. "Rosalind will tell you if you want. You guys stay here." She stopped and looked back thoughtfully before she closed the doors, plunging them back into darkness.
"Sirius." Annikaya's voice came suddenly out of the dark and he almost jumped. "I'm glad we're here together."
"In the dark?" he joked. He felt her hand slip into his own.
"I'm being serious." she reprimanded.
"Sorry. I'm not too good at that." he apologized. He didn't really like being serious either. Still, he had been teasing her quite a bit today.
"What I mean is that, well, I'm not very brave." she confessed. "And I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't here."
Sirius gave her hand a squeeze. "Oh, you'd do alright. But I'm glad too."
"It's weird to think I'm dead here." she mused, changing the subject much to Sirius' relief.
"And were engaged," he reminded her.
She laughed. "I wonder if that means I'm entitled to a diamond. I can't be accused of stealing from myself."
"I would say thinking about diamonds when you're dead is looking on the bright side of things." he said consideringly.
"I suppose." Abruptly she let loose a deep sigh. "Being in the dark always depresses me."
"Lumos." The end of Sirius' wand began to give off a steady white light.
"Hey! Thanks!"
Sirius shrugged. "No problem. We'll just have to make sure while we're here to pick you up a wand."
"Really?" At mention of her own wand her face had lit up brighter than a thousand illuminated wands. Impulsively she gave Sirius a quick tight hug. "Oh, I'm so excited!"
"Here. Why don't you hold my wand for now? Practice." He smiled, putting his wand into her hand.
She took it hesitantly, no doubt remembering the incident with the sparks before, but as she hadn't tried to cast the spell the wand remained as it was. As the lit wand passed from his hand to hers the light fell on her face and he could see that her eyes were completely fixed on the wand, sparkling with wonder and joy.
She looked around, noting thick blue carpeting, white leather couch, and an end table with a lamp on it.
Sirius, seeing she recognized in general where they were, didn't answer. "Great. Now I'm going to be arrested for breaking and entering." he grumbled.
Annikaya tried not to laugh but it came out a strangled cough. He eyed her suspiciously. She just gave him her best innocent face and batted her eye lashes at him.
"Let's look around." he suggested finally.
"Shouldn't we just leave? What if we get caught?" Annikaya looked around nervously.
"That's what this is for, remember?" Sirius held up his wand.
Annikaya didn't look any less nervous but she didn't say anything when he got up and begin walking toward the adjoining room. After a few minutes hesitation she joined him and they both walked into a brightly lit kitchenette. Annikaya immediately went to the pantry bad begin filling her pockets with little packets of crackers.
Sirius eyed her curiously. "Hungry?"
"Unfortunately, no. They're supplies. For transfiguring." She readjusted her bulging pockets.
"Huh." He took some of the cracker packets and stuck them in both his pants pockets and his robe pockets. Annikaya had some good ideas and thought ahead. He liked that and wondered briefly if he'd still have been stuck in dog form eating rats while running from the ministry if she'd been with him then. A noise caught his attention and he cocked his head, listening. Far away, drawing closer, was the sound of sirens. Annikaya could hear it too.
"Those are probably coming for us." Sirius said, scratching his jaw.
As if hearing his thoughts, his companion spoke. "Why us?" It was half moan, half question.
"We could stay and find out."
"But...but what if we can't ever escape?" her voice was tiny and frightened.
Sirius stared solemnly into her eyes, deadly earnest, ignoring the rapidly approaching sirens. "If Azkaban taught me anything it's that there's always an escape. It just depends on if it's worth it." He couldn't begin to impress upon her how serious he was.
She unclenched her hands and jammed them purposefully into her already full pockets. He could hear the crackers crunch. "What do you want to do?" she asked.
"I'd kind of like to know who's after us and why." he answered.
She squared her shoulders resolutely. "Alright then."
Would have been a Gryffindor, he thought with a touch of pride. Definitely a Gryffindor.
They found the front door and sat on the steps together, watching the screaming cop-like cares pull into the driveway. "Name?" the bored bookie asked, not lifting her gaze from the computer screen as they were processed.
Annikaya shifted uncomfortably in her handcuffs. "Annikaya Horn."
"Stephen Malcolm." Sirius said, not a beat behind her.
Annikaya tried hard not to look at him, afraid to give him up and wondering why he'd bothered with a fake name.
"Dungeon three." Dungeon? Annikaya's eyes widened but Sirius didn't seem surprised.
Their two guards took them down a corridor that abruptly became stone, unlocked their handcuffs, and locked them into the stone prison.
"A dungeon?" she asked Sirius incredulously. He only shrugged. There was even straw on the floor.
Sirius retreated to the back of their cell and stretched out on the rough stone pallet. Annikaya gingerly cleared some of the straw away and sat on the floor, considering Sirius thoughtfully.
He cracked open an eye, having felt her regard. "What?"
"Why did you use a fake name?"
He closed his eyes again. "Habit I guess. I don't tell people my name anymore. They tend to run screaming or try to kill me."
"You told me."
His brow knitted in thought. "I suppose I did. Peculiar."
He didn't say anything more and shortly after Annikaya noticed he'd fallen asleep, frowning deeply. He always did that when he slept. She regarded him for a second longer, wishing his sleep was untroubled. She had a feeling the sleep of Sirius Black never was. Shaking her head sadly, she rose and began to inspect their new housing. It was perhaps an hour later and Annikaya's third time counting all the stone blocks when Sirius awoke and spoke again.
"So how did you become an English teacher?" He didn't know what prompted him to ask that but conversation would help keep the cabin fever at bay.
"Huh?" She looked up, startled, not having noticed he was awake. "Oh. I just like reading, that's all. You know, magic, outer space, that kind of thing. See, I always wanted to be a sorceress or a starship captain when I was little. What about you?"
Sirius wasn't quite sure what a starship was but he didn't ask. "I wanted to be a quidditch player." The next three or four hours were devoted to explaining the game.
When the topic ran dry Annikaya began pacing. The cell was considerably smaller than the white room they'd been trapped in before and she was feeling claustrophobic.
"Why don't you try to sleep?" Sirius asked. "Pacing won't help."
"It'll help me not go crazy." she replied.
"Oh, I dunno about that. One of the fellows in Azkaban always used to pace. He went crazy pretty fast." he paused. "Of course, that could have been the dementors."
Annikaya stopped and turned to meet the obscure pain in his eyes. "Is it hard to be here?"
He hadn't expected her to ask that. He didn't want to answer and so he fell back on the cocky attitude he'd displayed as a foolhardy young Marauder. "Who, me? I'm Sirius the Unconquerable!" He threw a reckless grin that had been known to make Hogwarts' female populace swoon.
Annikaya laughed. "More like Sirius the Impossible!" He laughed too but they both cut off abruptly as the door opened.
"Time to go. The Empress wants to see you."
Annikaya caught Sirius' eye at that last bit but he only shrugged before they were both cuffed again. Annikaya smirked when she heard him whisper "Alohomora" under his breath and saw his cuffs twitch as they unlocked. Neither of their guards noticed and Sirius just winked at her.
The two were led to a car like the ones they'd been picked up in earlier and were placed in back. The windows in the car had been darkened and they couldn't see where they were being taken. When the car stopped and the door opened by one of their guards they were already in what appeared to be an underground parking structure.
Sirius growled in annoyance. He didn't like not knowing exactly where he was. It tended to make escaping difficult.
The guards pretended to ignore his little vocalization but as they stepped into the fancy wood inlayed lift one of them was eyeing him warily. Sirius grinned back, making sure to show all his teeth. It was juvenile but it made him feel better.
The lift stopped and the doors opened onto elegant marble flooring liberally scattered with what appeared to be Persian rugs. The walls were again inlaid with the expensive dark wood and a gold gilt. Oil paintings hung in subtly lit alcoves.
Ug. It looks like someplace you'd find a Malfoy. He noticed though that Annikaya was looking around appreciatively as they were led to massive bronze doors flanked by two men in fancy uniforms.
"We have the prisoners she wanted to see." One of their guards said to the men at the door.
They nodded and moved to open the doors.
"Empress, we brought the prisoners you wanted to see."
Both of their guards bowed deeply upon entering the hall and Annikaya and Sirius took the opportunity to look around. The hall had the same highly polished marble floor but the Persian rugs were absent this time. Instead there was a bright red carpet runner that made its way to a raised dais at the other end of the room. Before the dais were several people, all in very formal dress, bordering on being uniforms. On the dais itself was a massive gilt throne with a woman in it, presumably this empress they spoke of. She was wearing a delicate crown of gold with sparkling gems set in it. "Bring them here." she commanded, sounding bored.
As they drew nearer Sirius heard Annikaya gasp and saw her turn a bit pale but she didn't say anything. Sirius turned his attention back to the empress, wondering what had caught Annikaya's attention. The empress was, he guessed, about Annikaya's own age with shoulder-length blondish hair. She was rather pretty but Sirius didn't see what had caught his friend's attention.
The empress was considering them thoughtfully. "What are your names? Where are you from?"
Sirius, not wanting Annikaya to forget his assumed name, stepped forward.
"I am Stephen Malcolm and this is Annikaya Horn. We're from another universe your majesty." He launched into his tale, watching her face to see her reception to what might seem a fairy story but her face remained impassive, her hands folded calmly on the lap of her blue gown. When Sirius was done the empress regarded them thoughtfully.
"Did you know me in your universe Annikaya?"
"Yes Empress Nevaria. We are best friends there."
The empress nodded. "You are dead here. Dark magic attacked a movie theater you and I were in on a double date with out fiancées. Only I survived and after more attacks the people came to me to stop it. I became Empress." As she had spoken, her eyes had unfocused to view her past but now they snapped back to the present and burned into Annikaya's and Sirius'. "Magic of any kind is the highest crime in my empire. Even claiming to be Annikaya will not protect you from that." Now she addressed the two guards. "Take them back to their cells."
The guards saluted crisply and led their prisoners out of the empress' throne room. As they walked back to the lift to the parking garage Annikaya knew Sirius was trying to catch her eye but she ignored him.
The woman on the throne in that room had been so similar and yet totally dissimilar from the friend she had made in grade school. At first Annikaya had been upset and hurt at the treatment they had received from her friend but the memory of empress Nevaria's eyes as she recounted the attack at the theater had worked it's way into her heart with ease. She knew exactly why too. Tragic love stories had always burned the English teacher deeply. But those were only stories. They weren't supposed to happen in real life. All the way back to their cell Annikaya remembered two little girls dreaming of their future loves and the haunted look in one woman's eyes. "We have a problem." Sirius informed Annikaya after having transformed no less than four packets of cracker crumbs into bombs only to have them remain unsuccessful at opening their cell. This was also after the fruitless hour of yelling unlocking spells.
"Another anti-magic barrier?" Annikaya asked glumly, already knowing the answer.
"To outlaw magic you must first have the means to stop it. What's surprising is that they didn't try to break my wand."
"Maybe they have different magic here and didn't know that's what it was." she suggested. She looked around. "So what's the plan now?"
He shrugged. "Don't have anything. But something will turn up. It always does."
His calm unconcern on that matter apparently annoyed her a trifle. "Oh? How can you be so sure?"
Just then the door opened into their cell and Annikaya had to sit back fast to avoid being hit. A woman looked in nervously.
"Come on. Quietly. "
Sirius threw Annikaya a smirk as they followed the woman into the hall. Annikaya wondered at Sirius for so willingly following the woman. After all, it might be a trap instead of a rescue. A shot-while-they-were- escaping or some such. Annikaya eyed their "rescuer" as the other woman led them down the hall to a laundry room with a bright window that looked out onto a manicured lawn.
"Go out the window and to the left until you get to the parking lot. Get in the back of the semi that's parked there. Don't let anyone see you!" She eyed them both fiercely before closing the laundry room door behind her.
"Sirius, are you sure we should-"
"Ah, ah, ah!" he wagged a finger at her admonishingly. "Never question a lady's honor!" Humor and excitement sparkled in his eyes.
"You're enjoying this!" Annikaya grumbled.
Only sometimes he thought but he wouldn't let that get him down now when he was finally starting to have fun. He leaped over the window sill and held out a hand to his diminutive companion, who was struggling to pull herself over.
"Come on." He urged.
"Wait right there mister. They might be looking for us already. I want you to be a dog."
"Good idea."
The woman and the dog crossed the lawns to the parking lot and climbed into the waiting semi with no trouble. Where the semi took them they had no idea and the inside gave them no clue either, for it was empty. When the truck stopped they stayed quietly in the back, waiting. An hour later their waiting paid off as the door cracked open and the woman entered, bearing a wand. The tip of the wand was lit up, illuminating the dark of the truck.
"Nice to see you again Sirius."
"Berlin Bear. Always a pleasure."
Annikaya listened to the odd nickname and wondered at its origins.
"You do get yourself into the biggest messes, don't you?"
"How do you two know each other?" Annikaya asked curiously.
"School mates." Sirius replied. "Now what exactly is going on here friend?"
Berlin Bear sighed. "The empress told you about the dark magic attacks? I don't know how things work where you're from but here those attacks were by a certain He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Things probably wouldn't have gone so far as the ban on magic if it hadn't been for that blasted attack on that theater. With that anti-magic barrier they've got there's no reason to outlaw all magic but their muggle empress was absolutely devastated but the loss of her friend and fiancé. Now at least the death eaters and the like are at least partially confined by their inability to attack but we're limited in our ability to continue as well. What makes it all so ridiculous is that we have our suspicions about her deceased fiancé."
"What's everyone doing about the situation?" Sirius asked before Annikaya could ask her own question.
"Obviously we have a recovery team in place for those who are picked up." She leveled a pointed look at Sirius. "Rosalind, you remember her? She acts as a reporter and is able to get wind of any that might be ours."
Sirius nodded, "I thought I saw her in the throne room but I wasn't sure. And of course you work as their bookie at the station to spring them."
Annikaya jabbed Sirius in the ribs. "No plan, huh? We'll see what comes along?" She turned to the other woman. "You know that he's not the same Sirius you know. We're trying to get home." She briefly described the veil the two were searching for.
Berlin Bear frowned, "You two are in for some trouble then. Nevaria's got the veil frittered away some where. Rosalind did a piece on that a while back. I can see if she knows any more." She stood up and started toward the back of the truck.
"Wait!" Annikaya called, struck by a comment Berlin Bear had made earlier. "What did you mean about having suspicions about Nevaria's fiancé?"
"We're not sure he was killed." Berlin Bear said before she hopped out of the truck. "Rosalind will tell you if you want. You guys stay here." She stopped and looked back thoughtfully before she closed the doors, plunging them back into darkness.
"Sirius." Annikaya's voice came suddenly out of the dark and he almost jumped. "I'm glad we're here together."
"In the dark?" he joked. He felt her hand slip into his own.
"I'm being serious." she reprimanded.
"Sorry. I'm not too good at that." he apologized. He didn't really like being serious either. Still, he had been teasing her quite a bit today.
"What I mean is that, well, I'm not very brave." she confessed. "And I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't here."
Sirius gave her hand a squeeze. "Oh, you'd do alright. But I'm glad too."
"It's weird to think I'm dead here." she mused, changing the subject much to Sirius' relief.
"And were engaged," he reminded her.
She laughed. "I wonder if that means I'm entitled to a diamond. I can't be accused of stealing from myself."
"I would say thinking about diamonds when you're dead is looking on the bright side of things." he said consideringly.
"I suppose." Abruptly she let loose a deep sigh. "Being in the dark always depresses me."
"Lumos." The end of Sirius' wand began to give off a steady white light.
"Hey! Thanks!"
Sirius shrugged. "No problem. We'll just have to make sure while we're here to pick you up a wand."
"Really?" At mention of her own wand her face had lit up brighter than a thousand illuminated wands. Impulsively she gave Sirius a quick tight hug. "Oh, I'm so excited!"
"Here. Why don't you hold my wand for now? Practice." He smiled, putting his wand into her hand.
She took it hesitantly, no doubt remembering the incident with the sparks before, but as she hadn't tried to cast the spell the wand remained as it was. As the lit wand passed from his hand to hers the light fell on her face and he could see that her eyes were completely fixed on the wand, sparkling with wonder and joy.
