Disclaimer – if this is mine, I'm a ferret. If you recognize it then it
belongs to the brilliant and wise Ms. Rowling. Cambri belongs to my
brilliant and wise friend.
Author's Note – this is basically the last real chapter, and I think it's one of the best, but there'll be an epilogue. That one was too short to count as a chapter. Do enjoy.
Chapter Nine Flashing Back
"This is stranger than I thought Six different ways inside my heart."
—The Cure
Cambri scrabbled over tree roots, feeling tiny and insignificant in her whiskered form, but not daring to transform back. Remus was nearby. She tracked him by smell. She knew his scent well, the cold animal musk of wolf and the warm, mild humanity of Remus, blending together into a lukewarm silver-grey scent. Though the moon bathed everything in a cold blue glow, she couldn't see well enough to follow the werewolf by sight. When they were young, on his good nights she had sometimes seen him in the form of a great ash grey wolf. She found him beautiful in that form, beautiful and very sad. She wished she'd been able to see him after the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion, maybe happier, maybe unhurt, maybe even enjoying the magnificent form of the wolf.
She could also smell a dog. When the two trails diverged, she risked a brief transformation, looking around from her higher viewpoint. The path of the werewolf-scent had led toward the forest. The dog-scent headed for the mirror-sleek lake. There was blood on the grass, and the air was cold. Very cold.
She spied Sirius, and ran toward him, just as Harry came from another direction. He reached Sirius first, and dropped to his knees next to the unconscious man. Cambri ran down the hill, stumbled, regained her feet, and half-sprinted, half-tripped the rest of the distance. She transformed to avoid any more roots or holes, and streaked to Sirius's side, where she became human again.
Sirius's shoulder was torn open, but it was a wound from claws, not teeth. Cambri was more worried that he was unconscious. He was pale, gaunt and disordered, and he looked a bit dead.
Suddenly she shivered – they all did – as the cold swept over her, and with it the feeling that she would never know another moment's content. She grasped Sirius's thin hands in hers, trying to keep in mind that he was out of prison, she was with her husband again, and he still loved her –
– but the dementors were closing in, and it was no use pretending she couldn't feel it, as she was swept away by the tide of memories.
---"The reason you have to stay in your room, Cambri," Lily explained gently, "is because you are very, very smart for your age, and if anyone heard about you, they might want to take you away from us. Voldemort would take you and try to use you. And Dumbledore said – do you remember Professor Dumbledore?" Cambri nodded solemnly. "Professor Dumbledore told us that the Ministry of Magic might think you were useful, too. So that's why we're hiding you – because you're a little different, and we don't want to lose you. Understand?" Cambri nodded with the gravity that is the sole province of toddlers. She liked being told that she was smart, but she wasn't so happy with the idea of being different. She hated being different. Lily nodded too, smiling distractedly, ignorant of her daughter's passionate anger.
Cambri fought the memories hard, but it was a fight no one had yet won.
--- Alone in the dark below the floor, Cambri listened in terror to the hurried footsteps up above, to her father yelling, her brother wailing loudly, and her mother screaming. A high, cold voice spoke strange and terrible words, and then there was a thud. A thud that sounded awfully like something soft and heavy striking the floorboards. Dust sifted down onto Cambri's tearstained face. And then a flash of green light – pain screaming tears noise couldn't move, couldn't breathe –
The claustrophobia gripped Cambri in a vise. She forgot that she was not a child anymore, that she now had her wand. These things were unimportant now, the memories coldly shouldering her thoughts aside.
--- Her parents had died fifteen years ago, and left Cambri alone. Now she lived with her beloved godfather – but no more, because Sirius was dead. Abruptly, ignobly dead, knocked through a veil by his Death Eater cousin. Sirius had been ready, but his goddaughter hadn't. Cambri simmered a crocodile heart and drew off the resulting broth. She couldn't believe she was actually going to make herself swallow all this, but to see Sirius and James again, young and happy, it was worth it. To see her friends and parents in their prime, at her age, just for a few days ...
Cambri bowed her head, grasping Sirus's hands, telling herself that she wasn't alone. It all blurred through her head – the Willow prank that nearly killed Snape, the fight with Sirius in seventh year, coming all alone to bear witness to the death of James and Lily – these aren't my memories, these belong to Sirius – Remus crying his eyes out when his shameful secret was discovered –
--- That dreadful funeral when Karenina Potter succumbed to her illness at long last. She stood with Sirius and James, all three crying for the woman who had been all their mother, hand in hand in hand like children. Cyril, James's father, sobbing with the breathless cries of a truly miserable man, the rain washing tears from their faces.
--- Ginny Weasley was lying on the floor, pale and still, and a familiar boy stood over her. "She won't wake," he said –
Damn it, that's not mine, it's Harry's –
--- "No, not Harry, please not Harry!"
--- "Stand aside, silly girl, stand aside –
Cambri bent her head and let the memories come, punishing her like the brief, sharp cracks of a heavy whip.
--- Tomorrow's sleepy sun peeking over the blankets of horizon, begging for five more minutes, as Cambri, chained, watched through a window. A blow returned her attention to Lucius Malfoy. He had a journal in his hand. He explained what he wished her to do, tortured her for hours while the sun peeked in and went away from the terrible sight. Finally, weakened, she looked up at the face of the translucent teenaged boy. As he began to draw on her powers, she wrested away just as much control as she could, and concentrated on receding, on time moving backwards. She knew all about the regression of time – she rolled away the years until a solid boy stood before her. Very solid, alive, but very young – about seven, in fact – and confused. A blow from Malfoy, and a punishment Cambri would never, could never forget. A punishment that made her frightened even of escape (though I did escape in the end, we escaped together)
--- An eight-year-old boy asleep on her bedroom carpet with the quilt from his bed, face tearstained. Cambri rose from her lonely bed at dawn and found him there, clutching the blanket, so fast asleep she didn't wake him with her hand. Nightmares? She'd certainly had them. Sirius was in prison, and to keep Dominic from the Death Eaters she had to stay so deeply undercover that she dared not even try to save him. Three years, he'd get out in three years, she reminded herself, as she turned back to her creation. A brief touch confirmed her suspicions; Nicky remembered everything he used to be. To have seen such things, done such things, was far to much for a little boy. Cambri smoothed his dark hair back from his brow. I've created a monster, she thought heavily, without even a trace of humor. In the Muggle novel, the soulless thing had killed its creator – and then itself. She sat next to Nicky, guilt and grief hurting her inside.
Cambri briefly pressed her lips to Sirius's badly shaven face. Prongs – she thought half-deliriously. You were always the only one who was really good at the Patronus Charm. Remus isn't here, Prongs – I can't do it –
She passed out cold.
She awakened later, much later, and immediately panicked. Her eyes flew open and focused on a silver-haired old man – Dumbledore, looking not much older, but a bit more tired.
"Sirius," she whispered.
"Sirius is fine for the moment," said Dumbledore. "I have done all I can for him, and it's up to Harry and Hermione now."
Cambri knew this ought to comfort her. She thought she remembered that it should. But her memories of specific events past age five in her own reality, the reality where she was Harry's twin – those memories were very, very foggy, and sometimes false. Except the one where she left there.
"I have listened to Sirius's story," Dumbledore said calmly, "and I believe him. The mention of you made me think of a way. I sent Harry and Hermione to rescue Buckbeak the hippogriff, and told them where Sirius is. I then returned to this time three hours before and sent my past self to wait for them and talk to Sirius. In an hour, Harry and Hermione will be returning – whether they have been successful or not. If they are successful, they will probably land on the West Tower to be dropped off and come downstairs. If you wish to join Sirius, I will accompany you there, and you can wait for him."
"How did I get here?" Cambri asked blankly.
Dumbledore smiled a little. "Professor Snape found the three of you – Sirius, Harry, and yourself – beside the lake. Something drove the dementors back. It seems Professor Snape remembered your, ah, relative kindness when you were young, and left you there so you, as Sirius's wife, could avoid awkward questioning. Hagrid found you."
She looked around. She was in Hagrid's cabin. "But – what about Nicky? Dominic," she amended.
"I haven't seen him," said Dumbledore to Cambri's worried face. "I don't think there's anything we can do. Now tell me, please. I have been wondering. Who is he?"
"He used to be Tom Riddle," Cambri said distractedly. "The journal had a lot more life-force originally, but I took most of it to make Dominic. Please think of him as my son, though. He's the closest thing." She sat up quickly. "He can take care of himself. He's very independent. Please, sir, can we go to the tower?"
"Of course," said Dumbledore, rising and offering his hand gallantly to help her up. "Let us go. On the way, would you mind telling me more about Dominic?"
"There isn't much more to tell," said Cambri as they set off across the grounds. "I was forced to make him come to life, but when I was sharing a room with Remus at the Potters' I used to pick up on his memories sometimes. At a certain time of night people tend to dream nightmares. And since we were both picking it up, I eventually learned to control my powers, so that I could make the nightmares easier on both of us. And I used the control I learned to turn sixteen-year-old Tom into a little seven- year-old boy. So I've been raising him."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "Your powers. I placed a Memory Charm on Remus after you vanished ... but it was meant to be temporary. Just so that he couldn't reveal any information on your mental powers, or on time travel. Unfortunately, once it became apparent you weren't coming back, I'm afraid I let him continue to forget you. It appears to have worn off, however."
"Yes," said Cambri. "He figured it was because you meant it to be
temporary."
"At the time, I didn't really believe you dead," said Dumbledore as they reached the front steps of the castle. "But when I didn't hear from you, even after Sirius was imprisoned, I was fairly sure. Others in the Order, I think, assumed that you had left Sirius when you discovered his treachery."
"I wasn't getting any news by then," said Cambri. "I was undercover in the uncharted wilds. By the time I heard, I was even deeper undercover. Nicky was only seven, and I had to protect him from being found by the Death Eaters, so we stayed hidden. Speak of the devil," she added with great relief, as Nicky ran up to them.
"Peter's gone," he said. "He's not on the grounds. But I'm going to find him. He can't go anywhere that I won't be able to find him." Nicky glanced at Dumbledore.
"He knows," said Cambri.
Nicky nodded. "All right. Professor, may I be excused from the last few days of school? I can find Peter Pettigrew. He won't get away from me. I can follow him." He sounded quite determined.
"I don't like the thought of sending you alone," said Dumbledore.
Nicky showed a flash of teeth. "I'm not eleven, Professor, as you now know. I am fully as capable as any adult wizard."
"That would work," said Cambri. "That would work. You can track Peter, he's your Death Eater. And when you find him ..."
"I'll bring him back alive," said Nicky. "Alive and probably kicking. I can go after him now if you like. Just get me a little money, so I can eat, and let me find some Muggle clothes to wear."
Cambri turned to Dumbledore. "He can do it. I know he can."
"Very well," said Dumbledore. "I'll take care of seeing you off. Get a good night's sleep first, and you can set off early tomorrow morning."
Dominic started to dash upstairs, then turned back. "Cambri?" he said uncertainly. "Can I still live with you?"
"Of course," said Cambri. She touched his shoulder lightly. "Of course you can. And I can't wait for you to really meet Sirius. He'll like you."
Nicky nodded. "So you're going with him."
"Naturally," said Cambri. "Bye, Nicky." Her voice was oddly tender as he turned and ran upstairs.
Dumbledore watched Cambri, reflecting on how much she'd gentled. He was still a little unsure about the fact that a miniature Lord Voldemort had been running around his school, but he was proud of Cambri. She must have learned, grown a great deal indeed, if she could accept this..
They started upstairs. "I shall take my leave," said Dumbledore once they were up there. "It has been very good to see you again, Cambri."
She nodded formally. "Thank you, Professor. For everything. Thank you so much."
Dumbledore nodded and left her.
A quarter of an hour later, three people on a great grey beast landed on the battlements. Cambri ran to them just as Harry and Hermione were getting off and Sirius was asking after Ron. Cambri bowed to the hippogriff, which was staring haughtily at her, and it bent its neck. She hurried closer. Sirius caught her arm and pulled her up in front of him. He kissed her hair lightly, then pulled the hippogriff around. "We'll see each other again," Sirius said firmly. "You are ... truly your father's son, Harry ..."
And as Cambri nodded her agreement, they took off. Past the great beating wings, she could see Harry and Hermione going down the stairs.
As soon as they leveled off, Sirius bent forward to speak in Cambri's ear. "Where to, love?" he asked.
"A deserted island somewhere," Cambri said immediately.
"Where I can get a bath," said Sirius, so fervently that Cambri
laughed at him.
She turned a little on the hippogriff's shoulders to smile at Sirius. "And after that," she said softly, "we can catch up on thirteen years. I missed you so much."
"And you're all that kept me sane," Sirius replied. "Even ... remember that fight in seventh year ... even that wasn't as bad a memory because you were in it. We sound like one of those romance novels."
Cambri, laughing, leaned her head back on his shoulder as he turned Buckbeak eastward.
Author's Note – this is basically the last real chapter, and I think it's one of the best, but there'll be an epilogue. That one was too short to count as a chapter. Do enjoy.
Chapter Nine Flashing Back
"This is stranger than I thought Six different ways inside my heart."
—The Cure
Cambri scrabbled over tree roots, feeling tiny and insignificant in her whiskered form, but not daring to transform back. Remus was nearby. She tracked him by smell. She knew his scent well, the cold animal musk of wolf and the warm, mild humanity of Remus, blending together into a lukewarm silver-grey scent. Though the moon bathed everything in a cold blue glow, she couldn't see well enough to follow the werewolf by sight. When they were young, on his good nights she had sometimes seen him in the form of a great ash grey wolf. She found him beautiful in that form, beautiful and very sad. She wished she'd been able to see him after the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion, maybe happier, maybe unhurt, maybe even enjoying the magnificent form of the wolf.
She could also smell a dog. When the two trails diverged, she risked a brief transformation, looking around from her higher viewpoint. The path of the werewolf-scent had led toward the forest. The dog-scent headed for the mirror-sleek lake. There was blood on the grass, and the air was cold. Very cold.
She spied Sirius, and ran toward him, just as Harry came from another direction. He reached Sirius first, and dropped to his knees next to the unconscious man. Cambri ran down the hill, stumbled, regained her feet, and half-sprinted, half-tripped the rest of the distance. She transformed to avoid any more roots or holes, and streaked to Sirius's side, where she became human again.
Sirius's shoulder was torn open, but it was a wound from claws, not teeth. Cambri was more worried that he was unconscious. He was pale, gaunt and disordered, and he looked a bit dead.
Suddenly she shivered – they all did – as the cold swept over her, and with it the feeling that she would never know another moment's content. She grasped Sirius's thin hands in hers, trying to keep in mind that he was out of prison, she was with her husband again, and he still loved her –
– but the dementors were closing in, and it was no use pretending she couldn't feel it, as she was swept away by the tide of memories.
---"The reason you have to stay in your room, Cambri," Lily explained gently, "is because you are very, very smart for your age, and if anyone heard about you, they might want to take you away from us. Voldemort would take you and try to use you. And Dumbledore said – do you remember Professor Dumbledore?" Cambri nodded solemnly. "Professor Dumbledore told us that the Ministry of Magic might think you were useful, too. So that's why we're hiding you – because you're a little different, and we don't want to lose you. Understand?" Cambri nodded with the gravity that is the sole province of toddlers. She liked being told that she was smart, but she wasn't so happy with the idea of being different. She hated being different. Lily nodded too, smiling distractedly, ignorant of her daughter's passionate anger.
Cambri fought the memories hard, but it was a fight no one had yet won.
--- Alone in the dark below the floor, Cambri listened in terror to the hurried footsteps up above, to her father yelling, her brother wailing loudly, and her mother screaming. A high, cold voice spoke strange and terrible words, and then there was a thud. A thud that sounded awfully like something soft and heavy striking the floorboards. Dust sifted down onto Cambri's tearstained face. And then a flash of green light – pain screaming tears noise couldn't move, couldn't breathe –
The claustrophobia gripped Cambri in a vise. She forgot that she was not a child anymore, that she now had her wand. These things were unimportant now, the memories coldly shouldering her thoughts aside.
--- Her parents had died fifteen years ago, and left Cambri alone. Now she lived with her beloved godfather – but no more, because Sirius was dead. Abruptly, ignobly dead, knocked through a veil by his Death Eater cousin. Sirius had been ready, but his goddaughter hadn't. Cambri simmered a crocodile heart and drew off the resulting broth. She couldn't believe she was actually going to make herself swallow all this, but to see Sirius and James again, young and happy, it was worth it. To see her friends and parents in their prime, at her age, just for a few days ...
Cambri bowed her head, grasping Sirus's hands, telling herself that she wasn't alone. It all blurred through her head – the Willow prank that nearly killed Snape, the fight with Sirius in seventh year, coming all alone to bear witness to the death of James and Lily – these aren't my memories, these belong to Sirius – Remus crying his eyes out when his shameful secret was discovered –
--- That dreadful funeral when Karenina Potter succumbed to her illness at long last. She stood with Sirius and James, all three crying for the woman who had been all their mother, hand in hand in hand like children. Cyril, James's father, sobbing with the breathless cries of a truly miserable man, the rain washing tears from their faces.
--- Ginny Weasley was lying on the floor, pale and still, and a familiar boy stood over her. "She won't wake," he said –
Damn it, that's not mine, it's Harry's –
--- "No, not Harry, please not Harry!"
--- "Stand aside, silly girl, stand aside –
Cambri bent her head and let the memories come, punishing her like the brief, sharp cracks of a heavy whip.
--- Tomorrow's sleepy sun peeking over the blankets of horizon, begging for five more minutes, as Cambri, chained, watched through a window. A blow returned her attention to Lucius Malfoy. He had a journal in his hand. He explained what he wished her to do, tortured her for hours while the sun peeked in and went away from the terrible sight. Finally, weakened, she looked up at the face of the translucent teenaged boy. As he began to draw on her powers, she wrested away just as much control as she could, and concentrated on receding, on time moving backwards. She knew all about the regression of time – she rolled away the years until a solid boy stood before her. Very solid, alive, but very young – about seven, in fact – and confused. A blow from Malfoy, and a punishment Cambri would never, could never forget. A punishment that made her frightened even of escape (though I did escape in the end, we escaped together)
--- An eight-year-old boy asleep on her bedroom carpet with the quilt from his bed, face tearstained. Cambri rose from her lonely bed at dawn and found him there, clutching the blanket, so fast asleep she didn't wake him with her hand. Nightmares? She'd certainly had them. Sirius was in prison, and to keep Dominic from the Death Eaters she had to stay so deeply undercover that she dared not even try to save him. Three years, he'd get out in three years, she reminded herself, as she turned back to her creation. A brief touch confirmed her suspicions; Nicky remembered everything he used to be. To have seen such things, done such things, was far to much for a little boy. Cambri smoothed his dark hair back from his brow. I've created a monster, she thought heavily, without even a trace of humor. In the Muggle novel, the soulless thing had killed its creator – and then itself. She sat next to Nicky, guilt and grief hurting her inside.
Cambri briefly pressed her lips to Sirius's badly shaven face. Prongs – she thought half-deliriously. You were always the only one who was really good at the Patronus Charm. Remus isn't here, Prongs – I can't do it –
She passed out cold.
She awakened later, much later, and immediately panicked. Her eyes flew open and focused on a silver-haired old man – Dumbledore, looking not much older, but a bit more tired.
"Sirius," she whispered.
"Sirius is fine for the moment," said Dumbledore. "I have done all I can for him, and it's up to Harry and Hermione now."
Cambri knew this ought to comfort her. She thought she remembered that it should. But her memories of specific events past age five in her own reality, the reality where she was Harry's twin – those memories were very, very foggy, and sometimes false. Except the one where she left there.
"I have listened to Sirius's story," Dumbledore said calmly, "and I believe him. The mention of you made me think of a way. I sent Harry and Hermione to rescue Buckbeak the hippogriff, and told them where Sirius is. I then returned to this time three hours before and sent my past self to wait for them and talk to Sirius. In an hour, Harry and Hermione will be returning – whether they have been successful or not. If they are successful, they will probably land on the West Tower to be dropped off and come downstairs. If you wish to join Sirius, I will accompany you there, and you can wait for him."
"How did I get here?" Cambri asked blankly.
Dumbledore smiled a little. "Professor Snape found the three of you – Sirius, Harry, and yourself – beside the lake. Something drove the dementors back. It seems Professor Snape remembered your, ah, relative kindness when you were young, and left you there so you, as Sirius's wife, could avoid awkward questioning. Hagrid found you."
She looked around. She was in Hagrid's cabin. "But – what about Nicky? Dominic," she amended.
"I haven't seen him," said Dumbledore to Cambri's worried face. "I don't think there's anything we can do. Now tell me, please. I have been wondering. Who is he?"
"He used to be Tom Riddle," Cambri said distractedly. "The journal had a lot more life-force originally, but I took most of it to make Dominic. Please think of him as my son, though. He's the closest thing." She sat up quickly. "He can take care of himself. He's very independent. Please, sir, can we go to the tower?"
"Of course," said Dumbledore, rising and offering his hand gallantly to help her up. "Let us go. On the way, would you mind telling me more about Dominic?"
"There isn't much more to tell," said Cambri as they set off across the grounds. "I was forced to make him come to life, but when I was sharing a room with Remus at the Potters' I used to pick up on his memories sometimes. At a certain time of night people tend to dream nightmares. And since we were both picking it up, I eventually learned to control my powers, so that I could make the nightmares easier on both of us. And I used the control I learned to turn sixteen-year-old Tom into a little seven- year-old boy. So I've been raising him."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "Your powers. I placed a Memory Charm on Remus after you vanished ... but it was meant to be temporary. Just so that he couldn't reveal any information on your mental powers, or on time travel. Unfortunately, once it became apparent you weren't coming back, I'm afraid I let him continue to forget you. It appears to have worn off, however."
"Yes," said Cambri. "He figured it was because you meant it to be
temporary."
"At the time, I didn't really believe you dead," said Dumbledore as they reached the front steps of the castle. "But when I didn't hear from you, even after Sirius was imprisoned, I was fairly sure. Others in the Order, I think, assumed that you had left Sirius when you discovered his treachery."
"I wasn't getting any news by then," said Cambri. "I was undercover in the uncharted wilds. By the time I heard, I was even deeper undercover. Nicky was only seven, and I had to protect him from being found by the Death Eaters, so we stayed hidden. Speak of the devil," she added with great relief, as Nicky ran up to them.
"Peter's gone," he said. "He's not on the grounds. But I'm going to find him. He can't go anywhere that I won't be able to find him." Nicky glanced at Dumbledore.
"He knows," said Cambri.
Nicky nodded. "All right. Professor, may I be excused from the last few days of school? I can find Peter Pettigrew. He won't get away from me. I can follow him." He sounded quite determined.
"I don't like the thought of sending you alone," said Dumbledore.
Nicky showed a flash of teeth. "I'm not eleven, Professor, as you now know. I am fully as capable as any adult wizard."
"That would work," said Cambri. "That would work. You can track Peter, he's your Death Eater. And when you find him ..."
"I'll bring him back alive," said Nicky. "Alive and probably kicking. I can go after him now if you like. Just get me a little money, so I can eat, and let me find some Muggle clothes to wear."
Cambri turned to Dumbledore. "He can do it. I know he can."
"Very well," said Dumbledore. "I'll take care of seeing you off. Get a good night's sleep first, and you can set off early tomorrow morning."
Dominic started to dash upstairs, then turned back. "Cambri?" he said uncertainly. "Can I still live with you?"
"Of course," said Cambri. She touched his shoulder lightly. "Of course you can. And I can't wait for you to really meet Sirius. He'll like you."
Nicky nodded. "So you're going with him."
"Naturally," said Cambri. "Bye, Nicky." Her voice was oddly tender as he turned and ran upstairs.
Dumbledore watched Cambri, reflecting on how much she'd gentled. He was still a little unsure about the fact that a miniature Lord Voldemort had been running around his school, but he was proud of Cambri. She must have learned, grown a great deal indeed, if she could accept this..
They started upstairs. "I shall take my leave," said Dumbledore once they were up there. "It has been very good to see you again, Cambri."
She nodded formally. "Thank you, Professor. For everything. Thank you so much."
Dumbledore nodded and left her.
A quarter of an hour later, three people on a great grey beast landed on the battlements. Cambri ran to them just as Harry and Hermione were getting off and Sirius was asking after Ron. Cambri bowed to the hippogriff, which was staring haughtily at her, and it bent its neck. She hurried closer. Sirius caught her arm and pulled her up in front of him. He kissed her hair lightly, then pulled the hippogriff around. "We'll see each other again," Sirius said firmly. "You are ... truly your father's son, Harry ..."
And as Cambri nodded her agreement, they took off. Past the great beating wings, she could see Harry and Hermione going down the stairs.
As soon as they leveled off, Sirius bent forward to speak in Cambri's ear. "Where to, love?" he asked.
"A deserted island somewhere," Cambri said immediately.
"Where I can get a bath," said Sirius, so fervently that Cambri
laughed at him.
She turned a little on the hippogriff's shoulders to smile at Sirius. "And after that," she said softly, "we can catch up on thirteen years. I missed you so much."
"And you're all that kept me sane," Sirius replied. "Even ... remember that fight in seventh year ... even that wasn't as bad a memory because you were in it. We sound like one of those romance novels."
Cambri, laughing, leaned her head back on his shoulder as he turned Buckbeak eastward.