Chapter 34: New Hope

The exams were finally over. Tanwen walked along the corridor, humming happily to herself despite the fact that she had just lost the game of rock, paper, scissors and now had to return the full pile of library books the fourth years had taken out over the exam period. They had all been so jubilant that the exams were over that the small matter of overdue books had been clean forgotten. Curfew was past but the prospect of what Madam Pince, the librarian, might do when her books were discovered missing the next morning had overridden any protestations from Lou that they would be breaking school rules. Outside night had just fallen and a luminous full moon hung in the air illuminating the grounds. As she paused at a large window, resting her load of books on the sill she gazed out at the moonlit grounds, it really was a beautiful night.

She didn't bother to go into the library when she got there, instead she deposited her load into the large box in front of the door marked, 'Returns'. Then she wandered along the corridors, trying to decide if it was too risky to take a walk outside. It was certainly past curfew but she had already broken that rule, surely a few more minutes wouldn't make that much difference. All of a sudden she heard the sound of urgent voices up ahead. Breaking into a jog she ran towards the sound of the voices skidding to a halt at the edge of a large stair well. Beneath her she could hear the sound of Snape's voice.

"As I say Minister, it was lucky I found them. Black had them all under a very strong befuddlement charm. They seemed to think there was a possibility that he was innocent."

"Excellent work professor, take him away and lock him up somewhere safe," another voice said, she didn't recognise who it was but from the way Snape had addressed them she thought it might be the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge. She'd seen him earlier that day as she had returned from a walk by the lake with Cedric.

"Might I suggest Professor Flitwick's office. It's on the seventh floor and is protected by a number of charms, there's very little chance of him being able to escape from there," Snape said.

"An excellent suggestion, see to it," agreed Fudge. "McNair, go with Professor Snape and see that the prisoner is secured."

Tanwen leaned over the banister and watched as Snape raised his wand, a limp figure, bound and gagged floated into the air. She bit her tongue to stop herself from crying out. There was little doubt in her mind about who it was Snape and the man called McNair disappeared out of her sight and Dumbledore came walking along from the other direction.

"What's going on Fudge?" he asked crisply.

It was then that the full weight of what was happening hit her. Somehow Sirius had been captured and if she didn't do something soon that it was the Dementor's Kiss for him. Only there was nothing she could do. The Minister for Magic was there, what authority did a fifteen year old girl have against that? But all the same she would have to do something. Spinning round she fled up the corridor as fast as her legs would take her, her heart pounding with more than the exercise. Racing up flight after flight she came to a panting halt on the seventh floor. Hopefully she had beaten them to it.

"Flitwick!"

Snape's voice came from round the corner. She ducked behind a large suit of armour, as she watched the door to Flitwick's office opened and he walked a few steps down the corridor. It was now or never. With hardly a thought for what she was doing, Tanwen threw herself forwards and silently slipped into Flitwick's office.

Her heart racing, she knew she had only seconds before she would no longer be alone, her eyes darted around the room for somewhere to hide. Footsteps sounded outside. The small desk was the only place that looked big enough to conceal her. She dashed over and crawled behind it into the cramped space underneath. And not a moment too soon, the door opened and the three men and their burden entered the room, closing it behind them.

There was a small crack between the desk top and the thin piece of wood at the back of the desk where she was hiding. As she crouched, hardly daring to breathe, she peered through it to see what was going on.

"We need to keep Black in here until the Dementors are ready," Snape was saying. She was shocked to hear a note of pleasure in his voice, how could anyone feel anything but disgust at the mention of that?

There was the sound of grunting and Sirius began to struggle against his bonds. McNair thrust him into a chair that Flitwick had swiftly enlarged to fit the tall figure. A word from Snape and ropes snaked round Black's arms and legs, strapping him into the chair. He twisted and fought against his restraints. Tanwen clenched her fists as she felt herself begin to shake in silent anger.

"Come, let's leave him," Snape span on his heel and walked swiftly out the office. "Place your strongest charm on the door," he added to Flitwick.

"Very well Severus," squeaked Flitwick, "does Albus know about this?"

"I do, professor," came the sound of Dumbledore's voice. He stepped into the room, "I wish a moment alone with Sirius if you please, gentleman. I believe Fudge is at this moment down in the Hospital wing if you wished to join him." Dumbledore's tone left no room for disagreement. The others all left and the Headmaster closed the door behind them.

The first thing he did was to remove the gag round Sirius' mouth.

"Harry?" The word burst from his lips the second the restraint was gone.

"Harry and the others are all fine," Dumbledore assured him.

He looked relieved for a moment and then the urgency of his situation came rushing back.

"Whatever Snape said it's a lie!" Sirius growled, a dark look on his face. Then he looked suddenly serious and very pale, "Are they…" he couldn't bring himself to say the words. Dumbledore was watching him closely, "I didn't do it!" Sirius said urgently, "Whatever anyone says- it was Peter, I made James change at the last moment- the perfect bluff I thought," a pained expression flitted across his face and he shook his head.

"Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper?" Dumbledore asked sharply.

Sirius nodded, "It was all my idea- I never should have trusted him," he scowled.

"So…" Dumbledore's shrewd mind quickly pieced the pieces together, "so when everyone thought Pettigrew tracked you down it was actually the other way around."

"Yes, he's an amimagi- a rat. Harry's friend had him- I saw it in the newspaper Fudge brought-"

"An animagi?"

"We all were, James, Peter and me." A flicker of amusement passed over his face as he remembered the pains he and his best friend had gone through, "We did it to accompany Remus when he transformed." Then, as if remembering what he faced, he looked up at Dumbledore, his face pale, "You do believe me, don't you?"

"I do," Dumbledore replied firmly, "I always had difficulty with the notion that you would-could ever betray James, but the facts were against us- we didn't know the whole truth and so, as so often happens, the wrong man was convicted."

"But what's going to happen now?" Sirius asked anxiously, "surely…"

"I have no power to overturn the Minister for Magic-"

"-But-"

Dumbledore held up his hand thinking quickly, suddenly a light came into his eyes and he said, "There isn't time to explain, but don't give up hope just yet Sirius!" He grasped Sirius' arm reassuringly and freed him from his bonds, walking to the door, he turned and looked back, "Patience, my friend." Then he closed the door behind him and Tanwen heard the sound of it being locked. And then they were alone.

Sirius leant forwards and put his head in his hands, Tanwen stared at him, a large lump forming in her throat. What was she supposed to do now? Taking a deep breath she backed out of her hiding place and straightened, her hands tightly clasped. He hadn't noticed her presence yet; shaking she took a step forwards and cleared her throat.

He jumped to his feet and span round, his eyes wide with surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I…" her voice wavered, she stopped not trusting herself to speak. What was she supposed to say anyway? 'Oh, by the way, I'm your daughter'? He looked so different from how she had remembered and those eyes which always sparkled and smiled when he had looked at her were darkened and haunted.

Mistaking her emotion for fear he said gruffly, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

Tears welled up in her eyes and she gulped in an effort to avoid bursting into tears. 'Pull yourself together girl!' she told herself sternly. Sirius stared at her, completely at a loss to what to do.

"I…are they really going to…."

He sighed, "I don't know, I really don't know."

He looked so dejected that she just couldn't help herself. She knew he was dirty and haggard looking and that in anyone else's eyes he would look like a criminal, but to her he was just Sirius Black, with or without his good looks, he was her father. With a small sob she crossed the short distance that separated them and threw herself at him, flinging her arms round his waist.

Sirius stared in surprise at the girl who was holding on to him. To begin with he patted her tentatively and then pushed her back holding her at arms length, "What are you doing?" His voice wasn't harsh, but not exactly gentle either.

"I'm s-sorry," she stuttered, wiping tears from her eyes, "I didn't mean to-it's just that-it's been such a long time-I didn't think you'd know me but-" she stopped and looked up at him uncertainly.

"What are you talking about? Who are you?" He eyed her suspiciously as he released her shoulders, giving her a slight shake and taking a few steps back.

"I- you're…" she didn't know how to tell him. So she took a deep breath and looked up into the face that was so changed from how she remembered it and said, "It's me Daddy. Tanwen."

Suddenly his eyes widened and he took a step back, crashing into the table behind causing the various small items to crash to the ground. Utterly regardless of this, he stared at her not for a moment taking his eyes from her face.

"Tanwen?" His haunted eyes were unreadable yet filled with an intensity that made her suddenly nervous and all she could do was nod inaudibly.

He made a small strangled sound and passed a hand in front of his eyes, shaking his head, "But it can't be!"

"Sorry to disappoint you," she replied, with a weak attempt at humour.

"Disappoint me?-" The words broke on his tongue and he crossed the room to her in single stride raising a hand to gently touch her cheek but withdrew it with a start. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again and turned so his back was to her. She could see his shoulders shaking as he rested his hands against the window ledge.

There was a long silence, then he spoke again in a low voice, she had to strain her ears to hear him. "I was sure that day when I left you on that bench…and after what Pettigrew did…I didn't believe that you could have made it."

"We Blacks are made of sterner stuff than that," Tanwen replied in a wavering voice with a small smile.

"All the time I was in Azkaban, never for one minute did I allow myself to think that you were still alive…to be the daughter of a convicted murderer…I would never wish that on any child…" he turned to her but couldn't meet her gaze.

Tentatively, she walked over to him and reached out a hand as he took it with his own she squeezed it comfortingly.

"Only Dumbledore and Lupin know." She told him as he looked up, "The officials that found me thought I was a Muggle and put me in a Muggle orphanage."

She had meant this to be a comfort but he looked pained, and broke eye contact, "I've been a terrible father…I never should have gone after Pettigrew when I had you think about. It was irresponsible and…wrong…I was just so angry. I should never have-"

"Please," Tanwen said softly, placing a tentative hand on his arm, "it's ok-"

"But don't you see, it's not!" his eyes flashed angrily, "If I hadn't gone after Pettigrew then Harry would never have had to be left with the Dursleys and you wouldn't have had to have been put in an orphanage! This horrible mess is all my fault!"

Tanwen didn't say anything; she just stood there, her hand resting on his arm. She'd listened to him railing against himself, but didn't know what- if anything she could do or say would help. Because in a way what he said was true, but it wasn't the way she saw it. He was her father and she could and did forgive him for everything. All that mattered was that he was here now. So she took a step forwards and leant her head against his shoulder. Immediately he stopped and looked down at her. Tears beginning to fill her eyes again, she looked up at him. With her throat tight with emotion she whispered, "I love you daddy."

"Oh my darling, darling child," he whispered, turning to enclose her in a tight hug, a tear trickling down his cheek as he held her close.

Pressing her tightly to him, Sirius stared down at the girl in his arms. It all seemed like a dream. He'd had a lot of them recently, but none of them ever ended like this. Dark and frightening his dreams had been of late, always haunted by the memory of his friend- his brother- lying cold on the ground, gone where he could not follow.

To see her here, unbidden and unlooked for, seemed too sweet a dream to be real; half of him was just waiting for her to disappear with a silent whisper, but the solid warmth where her hands clutched at the back of his shirt were like anchors. I'm real, they seemed to say, I'm real.

He had no idea how long they stood there for, but eventually he drew back, his hands on her shoulders, eyes flickering over every feature so different and yet somehow familiar. Then he smiled, a rough thumb wiping away the tears that had fallen from her bright blue eyes. He didn't know what to say, but somehow it didn't really seem to matter.

Taking a step back he sat on the windowsill behind, Tanwen lifting herself up to perch next to him.

"I won't let them take you, you know," she said fiercely, one hand grabbing his arm, her eyes desperate and pleading at the same time.

He tried to say something but it choked and died in his throat. Dumbledore had said not to give up hope and here before him was a new hope, one that would sustain him whatever happened. However long or short the time he had left was. But it wouldn't do any good to dwell on what might happen when the door opened. In an effort to distract his daughter from this thought he said the first thing that popped into his head.

"You look so much like your mother when she was your age," he said, a small smile on his lips. "She always burned with the same white hot intensity- always so alive." His eyes had a faraway look in them, and for a moment the shadows were gone as he remembered happier shades of the past.

Tanwen listened intently, eager to hear any words about her mother. She couldn't even remember what her name had been, only a bright, warm smile and the light scent of spices.

He turned to her, "That's why we named you Tanwen. It means 'white fire'. We knew from the way you kicked and wriggled in your mother's tummy that you would be the same, just as bright, just as beautiful- just as wonderful." His words were low and his eyes almost closed as if fighting off a great pain.

Tanwen closed her hands over his, her hands dwarfed in comparison to his. It was too painful at that moment to talk of such things. Both felt as if they should say something important, something the other would always remember. Words of comfort and hope, but neither could find such words.

There was a long silence as they grasped for something, anything to say, but soon realised that words weren't always needed. Tanwen let go of his hands, lifting an unresisting arm to sidle underneath. Sirius closed his arms around her, resting his cheek against the top of her head as they waited.

At the sound of tapping on the window behind them they both started in surprise, turning to see Harry and Hermione on the back of a hippogriff. They jumped to their feet as the window sprang open.

"How- how -?" Sirius said weakly, staring at Buckbeak in disbelief.

"How did you get in there?" Hermione asked Tanwen, frowning in confusion, "And why-?"

"-Save that for later, Hermione," interrupted Harry, although he too was looking at her with a puzzled expression, "Get on, Sirius, there isn't much time. You've got to get out of here- the Dementors are coming. MacNair's gone to get them."

Sirius hesitated and looked at Tanwen. She gave him a little push and a quick hug, "Go! I'll be fine."

"But-"

"Just go," Tanwen shook her head and grinned. "I'll see you again soon enough."

He kissed her clumsily on the forehead and placed a hand on either side of the window-frame, squeezing himself out and climbed onto the Hippogriff. He looked back at her as if to say something, but the words died on his tongue.

"OK, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope, "Up to the tower-come on!"

And the Hippogriff gave one mighty sweep of its wings and was borne out of sight. Feeling rather dazed, Tanwen was about to sit down when she realised with a jolt that the Dementors and other officials were on their way. She had to get out of here. Looking down out of the window she didn't know how she was ever going- she paused and then grinned, suddenly pleased her last exam had been Charms.

"Accio Zephyr!"

Soon she saw her broom come streaking through the skies towards her, just as cleanly as the other plethora of objects in her exam earlier that day-or was it yesterday? With a quick shrug of her shoulders, Tanwen leaned out the window to snatch her broom out of the air. Precariously balanced half out the window, she didn't think she'd manage to get it in without breaking anything. Manoeuvring it inside carefully inside she breathed a sigh of thanks that the room remained more or less intact before quickly straightening up the room and mounting her broom. Carefully she flew out of the window, body flush against the wood. Turning back as she drew her wand, she locking the window shut behind her. Now there were no clues as to how Sirius had escaped.

With a triumphant smile she flew back towards Gryffindor Tower, keeping close to the shadowed walls and below windows. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw, brushed with silver from the full moon, Buckbeak and Sirius as they flew off into the distance. But then a cloud passed over the moon and they were gone.

She barely knew what to think as she threw herself onto her bed and gazed up at the canopy. A huge weight seemed to have been lifted off her chest and she couldn't stop smiling. She had found him and he was safe. Within the short course of one night her whole future now seemed brighter and more promising than ever.

She had said she would see him again soon enough, and while she realised he would have to be in hiding for a good while yet, that wasn't going to stop her. As he and Buckbeak had disappeared in the sky an idea had begun to form in her mind. And the longer she lay there, the more solid it became and she was certain it would work. She would make it.

Tanwen had wanted to speak to Harry and Hermione but it was very late- or very early depending on how you looked at it. She'd soon discovered that they were in the hospital wing with Ron, Cassie had told her when she'd come up to put away her jumper. She'd had quite a fright to see Tanwen there standing by an open window when she was sure she'd seen her friend go to the library and had been sat opposite the portrait hole all evening.

She was so filled with adrenaline that night that she couldn't sleep, tossing and turning until she was so tangled in her sheets that she got up and went to look out of the window. It was calm and peaceful outside and somewhere in the distance a wolf howled to the moon.

The window was open a little and she pushed it all the way out so the cool night air could come in. It stirred her hair, gently caressing her face as she closed her eyes. She'd always found the moon a calming influence ever since she could remember. Unbidden the memory of her mother, cradling her in her arms as she stood by an open window came to mind. A silver pendant in the shape of a crescent moon hung from her neck and glinted in the muted light.

Sighing, Tanwen climbed back into bed, but lay awake a good while longer before sleep finally came.

When morning came she was so tired that she just waved away any efforts to wake her and slept right through breakfast. It wasn't until Marcia rolled her out of bed onto the floor after they all came back that she woke properly.

"Come on," she said from where she knelt on the edge of Tanwen's bed, grinning, "last Hogsmeade visit."

With a resigned sigh Tanwen headed for the bathroom, yawning. Half an hour later she was walking down the lawn towards the wizarding village. Talk was full of stories about Sirius and how he had been captured and then escaped during the night. She grinned to herself as she heard some of the outrageous theories.

Because of the obsession with this latest piece of gossip, Tanwen didn't hear of the news of Lupin's resignation until almost lunch time.

"What?" she exclaimed, looking shocked, "But why?"

"Oh yeah," Jon said, "I forgot you weren't at breakfast. He's a werewolf, Snape 'let it slip' to Slytherin then."

She blinked, reeling at the news, she supposed it must make sense and it stirred up vague memories and Sirius's words to Dumbledore about he and the other Marauders learning to become Anamagi in order to accompany Lupin when he transformed. It all made sense now. "But they can't let him go!" she protested.

"I know, he's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," Mark agreed, "But imagine all the fuss parents would make."

"Not mine," Cassie interrupted with a grin, "I'd have trouble convincing them he's a werewolf in the first place!"

"He's really going?" Tanwen asked.

"Yep," Jon said, nodding, "probably packing his stuff right now."

"Then I'm going to say goodbye," she said resolutely, "I'll meet you back in the Tower later."

And without waiting for their replies she sped off back up the hill to the castle. She was just in time to see Lupin emerging from the front doors, Grindylow tank under his arm. He looked at her in amusement as she skidded to a breathless halt in front of him.

"Come to say goodbye?" he asked her with a small smile.

She nodded, "I wish you weren't going, there was something I wanted to speak to you about."

"Well I have a few minutes now, what is it?" He started to pile his things into the waiting carriage.

Glancing around she said in a quiet voice, "I saw Sirius, last night, before he-"

Lupin looked up sharply, cutting off her words. "Best not to talk about that here, although I'm glad you mentioned him." He straightened and placed a light hand on her shoulder, "I wanted to say I'm sorry for not believing you earlier. It wasn't until I saw Pettigrew on the map that I understood."

"Map?" Tanwen replied, frowning in confusion, "What-?"

"-You and Harry have much to discuss I think," Lupin said, smiling slowly, "But I had better be going. And while I'm sad to leave a job I enjoyed, more things have been found than lost this year."

Tanwen smiled and gave him a spontaneous hug. He looked a little surprised but smiled as he got into the coach.

"I'm sure we'll meet again," he said as the carriage pulled off, taking him to the station.

Once the carriage had passed out of sight, she spotted Hagrid and was about to go and ask if he'd seen Harry, when Harry walked out of a side door a short distance away. She called to him to stop and he turned, waving to let her know he'd heard.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she approached, "I hear you were in the Hospital Wing."

"Yeah, I'm ok now," he replied.

They lapsed into silence, each with so many half-formed questions that they didn't know where to begin.

"I guess we have to talk," Tanwen said eventually, breaking the awkward silence.

"I guess we do," Harry replied, shifting uncomfortably.

"Ummm…why don't we go and sit down?" she suggested, and they walked in silence to sit on the grass.

The lawn had only a scattering of students, most of whom were down in Hogsmeade making the most of their last visit. From where they were sat, Tanwen and Harry could make out the figures of Ron and Hermione stretched out beside the lake.

"So…how do you know Sirius?" Harry asked finally.

"He's my father," Tanwen replied, grinning when Harry stared at her in shock and opened and closed his mouth.

"What?!"

She began to explain, telling much more than she needed. There was at least one person she didn't need to lie to anymore and it was a relief to say the words outloud. When she had finished she asked Harry about what had happened the previous night and then about the years before she came to Hogwarts. They stayed that way for the whole afternoon, talking until the students started to come up the winding path from Hogsmeade.

Exam results came out on the last day of term and she had done much better than she had expected, not only easily passing all her subjects but also getting some surprisingly high marks in Transfiguration, Charms and Ancient Runes. She journeyed back to Kings Cross with mixed feelings, her first year at Hogwarts was over, soon she'd be leaving her friends behind and returning to an empty apartment. But in another way she was looking forward to it, she'd planned her time at home already and knew it was going to be a very interesting summer.

A/N: Ta-da! End of Tanwen story part the first! Thanks for being so patient with me, hope the end was worth the wait!

The title, which some of you must have found odd, is finally revealed. Tanwen is the white fire. Heh.

Already written part of the sequel to this, but haven't decided on a title yet, was thinking of having some sort of play on words thing with the colours again. You know, Tanwen means 'white fire' but her real surname is 'Black' and the surname given at the orphanage was 'Gray'. Actually that was a complete coincidence and I only realised it later! Hehe. Well, when I think of a title I'll post the first chapter of the next story. I've written a few chapters already.

Lots of exciting things happening for Tanwen as she goes into her fifth year- the Quidditch Cup for one thing and also of course the mysterious plans she hints at in this last chapter. In case you were wondering, I am more or less going to keep to GoF, ordinarily I don't like interfering with JK's plot, but I will tamper a bit with it. As you might have noticed there are some incidents that happen in GoF that could have major impact on Tanwen and her circle of friends cough students from Beauxbatons cough Cedric cough

Well anyway, do let me know what you thought about this story! Tips for the future, ideas that you might like to see, hints as to what worked well and what didn't in 'The White Fire' are all most welcome.

Happy Holidays people!

xxx