Chapter 4- Black as Night

It was always described as hell on earth. The foulest place you will ever encounter. Azkaban. And this was were Sirius Black had been for the last nine years

The light of dawn was creeping through the narrow window; if you'd call it that; it was more of a space than a window. Sirius Black was sitting on the dirty grimy floor looking out the window, trying to see what he could of the sky. Screams could be heard from all over the place, he sat there mumbling to himself.

Then something dropped through the window into his lap. He held it up; he could just make out the words, it was addressed to him.

Opening slowly he read the words

Dear Sir
I don't know how to begin this but let me start with saying who I am. My name is Carlie Mason but according to my birth certificate I was born Carlie Black and you, Sirius Black are my father. I don't know what happened between you and my mother but it must of been bad, since she never speaks of you. I want to meet you, if you get this can you please met me at the Leaky Caldron on August 4th at 9.30pm. I will be wearing a red cap so you know me.

Thankyou

Carlie Mason Black

He wanted to write back then, to tell her everything. He was innocent; Pettigrew had faked his own death and that he love to see her again. She would be about twelve now. Yes twelve, he had been in Azkaban for nine years. She was three when he was sent away.

Looking around his tiny cell he looking for something to cut his finger on, he would write back on the back of the paper in blood who he was and why he couldn't meet her. Then she could work from there. He heard the flapping of winds and he stood up and starred out the window.

"COME BACK!" He yelled in his raspy voice.

A few dementors had crowed around his cell. He looked at them. "Bugger off" He growled.

Then burying his face in his hands his body shook and he wished so bad he could just see his little girl at least once.

Carlie didn't tell anyone what she'd done. She'd managed to talk Fred and George into picking her up in their dad's flying car. When they asked why she needed to go to the Leaky Caldron so bad she told them it was a secret. Neither twin said anything more but were suspiscious. They dropped her off at 8.30 and asked if she needed a ride home.

"No. I have a ride home." She smiled and waved them off. She had a small amount of gold in her pocket and sat down and ordered a drink. She sat there and sipped the drink for a while, checking the clock every so often. When the clock turned to 10 she began to get edgy, he was late and her mother was out until 11, after that she was pushing her luck and Jess also was still at home, she'd told him that she needed to be somewhere and if her mother came home to tell her she was asleep. He knew something was up and she would have to explain to him.

"You want another drink?" The toothless barman asked her. The crowd had thinned out a bit and now mostly people who were heavy drinkers were there.

She nodded and he refilled his glass with his wand. "How old are you?" He asked.

Carlie knew not to say twelve, so instead she told him sixteen. "Can't have underage wizards in here after twelve. You have a parent or someone who's supposed to be here?"

She nodded. "My dad's meeting me here."

He left her alone to attend to the other wizards. She sat and had two other drinks. At 11 she started blinking tears away and the barman began to hound over her. "You alright?" He called from the bar.

She nodded even though she knew her eyes must have been puffy and red. She sat and ordered a little meal, she was hungry since she'd last eaten at seven. She sniffed back some more tears, she didn't want to burst into tears in front of all these people.

"Carlie?" A voice asked.

Her head jerked up she saw the large caretaker of Hogwarts in front of her.

"Hi Hagrid." She gulped.

He sat down in the chair opposite, it groaned under the weight but didn't break. "What yer doin' 'ere so late?"

She shrugged. "I was hoping to meet someone here but they're almost 2 hours late."

He sighed. "Sorry to hear that. But someone yer age shouldn't be here by themselves."

Carlie noticed the barman looking at her through narrowed eyes. "I'm fine. I'm sure they'll show up." Carlie doubted her own words. It was too late but she didn't know what else to do, she had no ride home.

"Well I think yer should consider goin' home." He said.

Carlie sighed and Hagrid seemed to get the message. "Yer can't get home."

She shooker her head. "I was supposed to catch a ride with him."

"Got any money left?" He asked.

She nodded. "Take the Knight Bus. Just hold out your wand arm and it'll take yer home."

"Thanks Hagrid." She whispered and left the pub.

As she stood in the night air she didn't want to go home. Not yet. She wandered along the dark looking street until she felt as if someone was watching her. She turned around and saw a shabby looking man following her.

"Crap" She murmured and began to walk faster. He followed and she ended up sprinting up the street. She felt an arm grasp her arm and she spun around. The strange man was leering at her and she felt back and hit the floor.