Authors Notes: Whoah... amazingly speedy update! PLEASE REVIEW! I need some encouragement to continue through GCSE's :( they're mean!
Review Thank Yous-
Hatchetryda: Oooo a psychic one ;) I saw it coming too... but then again i'm the writer MUAH HA! This chapter isn't very long actually...
anna: **blush** awww thanks!
Darienetta Stoke: soon enough for ya?! aren't I good to you, even after you dragged me over the field :P
I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update (since it takes SO long for me to actually finish a chapter!)-just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)
Please R/R! :)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Twelve
Sirius transformed back to his human form with practised ease and on a moth-bitten couch in his grandfathers mansion. Black Manor was the last place anybody would come to look for him on the premise that he and his grandmother had not gotten on too well, well, that and the wards good old granny had place on the place before she died. Only a Black could find or even see the place -she didn't want anybody else stealing the precious heirlooms she'd cared about so much… he'd always like his grandfather more. He liked Quidditch.
It had been four days since he overheard his daughter was alive. Four days since he'd learnt Remus had lied to him. Four days he'd spent sneaking into Muggle offices and finding out as much as possible about what had happened to his daughter in the last fifteen years and stealing bits of food from the local town market in his dog form.
He understood why Dumbledore had kept it from him, but not Remus. Remus knew how much he'd loved Jess and Orion. If he knew Orion was alive why did he let her grow up in the Wizarding world? Even if she couldn't live with him a magic orphanage would've been better than the Muggle family she'd lived with for over a decade.
And what did the Ministry have to do with it?
Sirius started to pace. He wanted to see her, see how she'd grown… she was in Gryffindor, friends with Harry, learning magic five years later than everybody else… he needed to see her, even if it was from a distance. He was going to have to go back, talk to Dumbledore and sort things out because when he was free she was going to live with him too; Harry, Orion and he living in Jess and his old house.
Yes. It was time to go to Hogwarts. Grabbing his cloak he Apparated to Hogsmeade without a further thought.
In a quieter part of the town he transformed into a dog and padded through to the kitchen of The Three Broomsticks and scratched at the door until Rosmerta came. She smiled at him, "Good to have you back."
He barked a thank you and sprinted through the back steps to the rooms upstairs, only changing back once he was sure the door was closed. He already knew Remus was there; a benefit of his dog form was the much-heightened sense of smell that came with it, but that didn't mean he was ready to talk to him yet.
"Padfoot -" However, apparently Remus was.
"Not now Moony. I, I can't talk to you. Not now. I need to get a message to Dumbledore. I want to speak to my daughter."
"Padfoot look at me, hear me out at least!"
"You lied to me Moony! For the last what? Three years you've lied to me!"
"No! Sirius," Remus stood barely a foot in front of him, desperation in his eyes, "I've only known since the summer -"
"Oh so that's alright then is it? I thought my daughter was dead Remus! That isn't a happy thought -I was left with thoughts of my baby dying at the hands of Deatheaters for thirteen years. Everyday I thought of what they might have done to Jess before they killed her! Now I find out that my last friend lied to me! That my baby is alive and the love of my life died alone in a Muggle hospital with no one to hold her! What is there to hear out?"
"I did what I thought was best for her, Sirius." Remus' voice was quiet, filled with the regret he had felt since he'd Orion up from the Williams in June. "Dumbledore only found out that she was still alive a year ago. Since Harry's Second Year he checks all the underage improper uses of magic's that are reported, in case Harry uses magic accidentally again, like in his Third Year, and Fudge tries to expel him. But some time last year he noted an underage improper of magic that had been reported but never cautioned, he looked into it and after some of his probing he found that Jess and Orion had been found at that Muggle hospital a few miles from your old house,"
"County Royal?"
"Yes, but that was a week after you'd been put into Azkaban and they decided that Orion should not be allowed in the Wizarding world because they thought she would turn into the murderer they think you are -"
"That's ridiculous!" Sirius raged.
"They were afraid, Sirius, and scared people do stupid things. Obviously once Dumbledore found this out he started to appeal for Orion to be sent to school at Hogwarts and it took him this long to get it. He had to edit the lists so that her name wouldn't appear 'Orion Black' -"
"What? Why?"
"The only way Fudge would agree to her getting a magical education was if she didn't know she was related to you, I believe he phrased it 'who knows what brainwashing Black used on that child. The perfect chance for him to raise the perfect operative for You-Know-Who.'
Dumbledore decided that the best way to keep Orion's family a secret from her was to keep her a secret from you."
"She's my child!"
"I know, Sirius, but it was the only way."
"I need to talk to Dumbledore, I want to see her and I want to hear all about her, Remus."
Remus gave him the smallest of smiles, "You'd be better off asking Harry, Ron or Hermione, but what do you want to know?"
Sirius gave him a genuine smile and began to light the fire, "Anything… what does she look like? What does she like? What doesn't she like? Everything!"
Passing him a piece of wood Remus remembered his first meeting with Orion, "She's a lot like you really but Jess is in there in more subtle ways… she's got your hair, and somehow she's got both your eyes, one is blue like yours, and the other is brown like Jess's. She loves everything magic Padfoot, she's fascinated by it… she plays pranks, she's smart, quick… Sirius she's so much like the two you."
Sirius looked into the now roaring fire and threw in some Floo Powder, "Are you coming?"
"Be right behind you," he said, "and Sirius?"
Sirius paused, about to throw the powder into the fire.
"I'm sorry."
"I know, Moony." Maybe he understood a little now, he didn't have to like it though. Throwing the powder in, he stepped into the coloured flames, "Headmasters Office, Hogwarts!"
Personally, Sirius had never been overly fond of travelling by Floo -it tended to bump and jostle him a little too much for his liking but it got him from A to B without being detected by the Ministry so, right now, he didn't have much of a choice and when he fell out of the fire grate in Professor Dumbledore's office, he was covered in soot.
"Good afternoon, Sirius," the headmaster greeted with a slight hint of surprise, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Just a moment, Headmaster."
And Remus arrived, as promised, right behind him.
"Oof! Thanks Moony!" He said, helping his friend to his feet after he'd fallen to the floor, having ended up there when he collided with Sirius.
"Remus." Dumbledore greeted, "I presume I know what this is about?"
Sirius didn't spare him a smile now. He was so close. "Where's Orion? She's in lessons now, what does she have?"
Dumbledore shook his head gravely, "I cannot allow that, Sirius. She cannot know who you are: the Ministry have forbidden it."
"I don't care what the Ministry thinks!" Sirius' eyes darkened and he made to move to the door, "They took thirteen years from me, they won't take my daughter from me too!"
"Padfoot," Remus placed a hand on his friends chest, "There must be another way, Professor? Maybe he could just see her? The staff know he's innocent, let Sirius come as Snuffles with you through the school."
Sirius' eyes blazed with hope; he'd take anything he could get right now.
***
Dumbledore's cloaks swirled around him as he walked through the echoing corridors of Hogwarts. Muffled sounds from the occasionally classrooms were the only indication that it was inhabited. A dog padded along eagerly beside him, a huge, black dog with shaggy fur and a big wet nose and intelligent eyes.
The Headmaster stopped at one classroom door and nodded to the canine beside him,
"She's in this class," he said in a low voice.
The dog looked down to each end of the corridor, cocking his head to listen and sniffing before changing into a man and looking through the window.
"Which one is she?" Sirius asked,
"Do you see the two girls standing at the front?"
Sirius nodded,
"Orion is the one on the left, with the long black hair."
"She's so much like Jess," he said, breathless.
Dumbledore looked at his former student sadly, "We must go, Sirius, you cannot be seen by her or especially one of the other students."
"I just want to talk to her, for a few minutes, see what she's like, what she sounds like…"
"Sirius we must leave."
He shook his head, "Just a bit longer,"
Abruptly he dropped to the floor and paled,
"What is it?"
"I -you -she -she…" he transformed into Snuffles and sprang away seconds before the door opened.
Dumbledore smiled brightly, "Good afternoon,"
Professor Tasny looked sharply up and down the corridor, "Hello Professor Dumbledore, can I help you with something?"
"No, no, nothing at all; I was just taking a stroll through the castle and I'm afraid I caught myself spying in on several lessons and I must say yours is the most interesting so far, what are you covering today?"
"Stunning, Headmaster."
"Sounds like a lot of fun, though I think I will pass this time. Good-bye!" He strolled away in the opposite direction to Sirius, smiling jovially.
Professor Tasny's smile disappeared the minute Dumbledore turned a corner. She was positive she'd seen Black, she'd bet her life on it.
They were in danger.
*****
Post A/N: Whoah. I think this is the shortest chapter I've ever written for this story! :O PLEASE REVIEW! I'll give you plushie dolls!!
Review Thank Yous-
Hatchetryda: Oooo a psychic one ;) I saw it coming too... but then again i'm the writer MUAH HA! This chapter isn't very long actually...
anna: **blush** awww thanks!
Darienetta Stoke: soon enough for ya?! aren't I good to you, even after you dragged me over the field :P
I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update (since it takes SO long for me to actually finish a chapter!)-just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)
Please R/R! :)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Twelve
Sirius transformed back to his human form with practised ease and on a moth-bitten couch in his grandfathers mansion. Black Manor was the last place anybody would come to look for him on the premise that he and his grandmother had not gotten on too well, well, that and the wards good old granny had place on the place before she died. Only a Black could find or even see the place -she didn't want anybody else stealing the precious heirlooms she'd cared about so much… he'd always like his grandfather more. He liked Quidditch.
It had been four days since he overheard his daughter was alive. Four days since he'd learnt Remus had lied to him. Four days he'd spent sneaking into Muggle offices and finding out as much as possible about what had happened to his daughter in the last fifteen years and stealing bits of food from the local town market in his dog form.
He understood why Dumbledore had kept it from him, but not Remus. Remus knew how much he'd loved Jess and Orion. If he knew Orion was alive why did he let her grow up in the Wizarding world? Even if she couldn't live with him a magic orphanage would've been better than the Muggle family she'd lived with for over a decade.
And what did the Ministry have to do with it?
Sirius started to pace. He wanted to see her, see how she'd grown… she was in Gryffindor, friends with Harry, learning magic five years later than everybody else… he needed to see her, even if it was from a distance. He was going to have to go back, talk to Dumbledore and sort things out because when he was free she was going to live with him too; Harry, Orion and he living in Jess and his old house.
Yes. It was time to go to Hogwarts. Grabbing his cloak he Apparated to Hogsmeade without a further thought.
In a quieter part of the town he transformed into a dog and padded through to the kitchen of The Three Broomsticks and scratched at the door until Rosmerta came. She smiled at him, "Good to have you back."
He barked a thank you and sprinted through the back steps to the rooms upstairs, only changing back once he was sure the door was closed. He already knew Remus was there; a benefit of his dog form was the much-heightened sense of smell that came with it, but that didn't mean he was ready to talk to him yet.
"Padfoot -" However, apparently Remus was.
"Not now Moony. I, I can't talk to you. Not now. I need to get a message to Dumbledore. I want to speak to my daughter."
"Padfoot look at me, hear me out at least!"
"You lied to me Moony! For the last what? Three years you've lied to me!"
"No! Sirius," Remus stood barely a foot in front of him, desperation in his eyes, "I've only known since the summer -"
"Oh so that's alright then is it? I thought my daughter was dead Remus! That isn't a happy thought -I was left with thoughts of my baby dying at the hands of Deatheaters for thirteen years. Everyday I thought of what they might have done to Jess before they killed her! Now I find out that my last friend lied to me! That my baby is alive and the love of my life died alone in a Muggle hospital with no one to hold her! What is there to hear out?"
"I did what I thought was best for her, Sirius." Remus' voice was quiet, filled with the regret he had felt since he'd Orion up from the Williams in June. "Dumbledore only found out that she was still alive a year ago. Since Harry's Second Year he checks all the underage improper uses of magic's that are reported, in case Harry uses magic accidentally again, like in his Third Year, and Fudge tries to expel him. But some time last year he noted an underage improper of magic that had been reported but never cautioned, he looked into it and after some of his probing he found that Jess and Orion had been found at that Muggle hospital a few miles from your old house,"
"County Royal?"
"Yes, but that was a week after you'd been put into Azkaban and they decided that Orion should not be allowed in the Wizarding world because they thought she would turn into the murderer they think you are -"
"That's ridiculous!" Sirius raged.
"They were afraid, Sirius, and scared people do stupid things. Obviously once Dumbledore found this out he started to appeal for Orion to be sent to school at Hogwarts and it took him this long to get it. He had to edit the lists so that her name wouldn't appear 'Orion Black' -"
"What? Why?"
"The only way Fudge would agree to her getting a magical education was if she didn't know she was related to you, I believe he phrased it 'who knows what brainwashing Black used on that child. The perfect chance for him to raise the perfect operative for You-Know-Who.'
Dumbledore decided that the best way to keep Orion's family a secret from her was to keep her a secret from you."
"She's my child!"
"I know, Sirius, but it was the only way."
"I need to talk to Dumbledore, I want to see her and I want to hear all about her, Remus."
Remus gave him the smallest of smiles, "You'd be better off asking Harry, Ron or Hermione, but what do you want to know?"
Sirius gave him a genuine smile and began to light the fire, "Anything… what does she look like? What does she like? What doesn't she like? Everything!"
Passing him a piece of wood Remus remembered his first meeting with Orion, "She's a lot like you really but Jess is in there in more subtle ways… she's got your hair, and somehow she's got both your eyes, one is blue like yours, and the other is brown like Jess's. She loves everything magic Padfoot, she's fascinated by it… she plays pranks, she's smart, quick… Sirius she's so much like the two you."
Sirius looked into the now roaring fire and threw in some Floo Powder, "Are you coming?"
"Be right behind you," he said, "and Sirius?"
Sirius paused, about to throw the powder into the fire.
"I'm sorry."
"I know, Moony." Maybe he understood a little now, he didn't have to like it though. Throwing the powder in, he stepped into the coloured flames, "Headmasters Office, Hogwarts!"
Personally, Sirius had never been overly fond of travelling by Floo -it tended to bump and jostle him a little too much for his liking but it got him from A to B without being detected by the Ministry so, right now, he didn't have much of a choice and when he fell out of the fire grate in Professor Dumbledore's office, he was covered in soot.
"Good afternoon, Sirius," the headmaster greeted with a slight hint of surprise, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Just a moment, Headmaster."
And Remus arrived, as promised, right behind him.
"Oof! Thanks Moony!" He said, helping his friend to his feet after he'd fallen to the floor, having ended up there when he collided with Sirius.
"Remus." Dumbledore greeted, "I presume I know what this is about?"
Sirius didn't spare him a smile now. He was so close. "Where's Orion? She's in lessons now, what does she have?"
Dumbledore shook his head gravely, "I cannot allow that, Sirius. She cannot know who you are: the Ministry have forbidden it."
"I don't care what the Ministry thinks!" Sirius' eyes darkened and he made to move to the door, "They took thirteen years from me, they won't take my daughter from me too!"
"Padfoot," Remus placed a hand on his friends chest, "There must be another way, Professor? Maybe he could just see her? The staff know he's innocent, let Sirius come as Snuffles with you through the school."
Sirius' eyes blazed with hope; he'd take anything he could get right now.
***
Dumbledore's cloaks swirled around him as he walked through the echoing corridors of Hogwarts. Muffled sounds from the occasionally classrooms were the only indication that it was inhabited. A dog padded along eagerly beside him, a huge, black dog with shaggy fur and a big wet nose and intelligent eyes.
The Headmaster stopped at one classroom door and nodded to the canine beside him,
"She's in this class," he said in a low voice.
The dog looked down to each end of the corridor, cocking his head to listen and sniffing before changing into a man and looking through the window.
"Which one is she?" Sirius asked,
"Do you see the two girls standing at the front?"
Sirius nodded,
"Orion is the one on the left, with the long black hair."
"She's so much like Jess," he said, breathless.
Dumbledore looked at his former student sadly, "We must go, Sirius, you cannot be seen by her or especially one of the other students."
"I just want to talk to her, for a few minutes, see what she's like, what she sounds like…"
"Sirius we must leave."
He shook his head, "Just a bit longer,"
Abruptly he dropped to the floor and paled,
"What is it?"
"I -you -she -she…" he transformed into Snuffles and sprang away seconds before the door opened.
Dumbledore smiled brightly, "Good afternoon,"
Professor Tasny looked sharply up and down the corridor, "Hello Professor Dumbledore, can I help you with something?"
"No, no, nothing at all; I was just taking a stroll through the castle and I'm afraid I caught myself spying in on several lessons and I must say yours is the most interesting so far, what are you covering today?"
"Stunning, Headmaster."
"Sounds like a lot of fun, though I think I will pass this time. Good-bye!" He strolled away in the opposite direction to Sirius, smiling jovially.
Professor Tasny's smile disappeared the minute Dumbledore turned a corner. She was positive she'd seen Black, she'd bet her life on it.
They were in danger.
*****
Post A/N: Whoah. I think this is the shortest chapter I've ever written for this story! :O PLEASE REVIEW! I'll give you plushie dolls!!