Disclaimer: All characters accept Kate, Abby, and Riana are the property of J.K. Rowling. She created this wonderful tale in which I only get to play; I take no credit for her work.

Chapter 2: Hogwarts

An owl arrived from Hogwarts on Riana's 11th birthday. She had been accepted and would be attending the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Kate took Riana to England and bought her school supplies at Diagon Alley two weeks before school started. It was there that she learned of Sirius' escape from Azkaban Prison.

Nervous about her daughter's safety, Kate contacted Dumbledore again. He assured her that Riana would be safe at Hogwarts; after all, Sirius did not know that he had a daughter. He also informed her, to ease her fears, that Remus Lupin, another one of her friends from school, would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. Remus wouldn't know that Riana was Sirius' but still would protect her like his own simply because she was Kate's.

On September 1st, Kate brought Riana to Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross station so she could board the Hogwarts Express.

"Now, be good, study hard, and don't forget to write!" Kate told Riana just before she got on the train.

Riana had been deep in thought for the past few hours. She had seen the Wanted posters for Sirius Black in Diagon Alley two weeks ago and realized just how much she looked like him. This got her thinking about her father. She had asked her mother often about her father, but Kate had kept making excuses and putting the conversation she dreaded the most off. Riana decided that she needed to know before she left for school.

"Sure thing," she told her mother. "Ummmmm, Mom?"

"Yes, Dear."

"You promised me that you'd tell me about my father, I'd like to know before I leave for school."

"We really don't have enough time for me to tell the whole story now..."

"At least tell me what he was like," Riana prodded.

"I never really got to know the true him," Kate told her, staring off in the distance. After a few seconds, she regained her composure and looked her daughter in the eye. "Now, hurry up, the train is about to leave."

"Alright, but we're going to have this conversation when I come home for Christmas," Riana insisted. "Bye Mom, I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Bye."

Riana jumped on the train, turned around, and waved at her mother. Kate waved too, and cried to herself as the train pulled out of the station. How am I going to be able to tell her the truth?

"Wake up, Riana! We're going to be late for our first class ever!" screamed Courtney Smith, one of her roommates in Gryffindor. "Everyone else went to breakfast without us."

"Mmmmmm..." Riana opened her eyes, blinked a few times, and looked at her clock. "Thanks for waking me up, Court," Riana said as she jumped out of bed and began pulling her robes on. "What class do we have anyway?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, come on we'd better get going."

The two ran through the halls of the castle and got to their seats two minutes late. Their teacher, Remus Lupin, raised eyebrows and said, "Nice of you two to join us today, ladies. Which of you is Courtney Smith?"

Courtney, blushing, smiled at him. "And that would make you Riana Black," he stated. Wow! She looks like Sirius. I wonder... thought Remus.

Riana nodded. The mention of her last name caused everyone to stare at her and she felt uncomfortable under all of their eyes. "Sorry, professor, it won't happen again."

"I still would like to see the two of you after class."

"Yes, sir," the two girls said in unison.

When class was over, Remus gave Courtney and Riana a lecture on the importance of being on time. Then he excused Courtney and said he needed to talk to Riana alone.

Riana watched as her new friend left the classroom and wondered just what her professor wanted to talk to her about.

"Riana Black," Remus said, "you wouldn't be related to Katherine Black, would you?"

Riana, still staring at the now empty doorway, turned to face him. "Yep, she's my mom. Do you know her?"

"I went to school with her; we were both in the same year and, like you, we were in Gryffindor too."

Riana's eyes opened a bit further. She smiled and said, "That's cool."

"However, that's not why I wanted to talk to you," Remus stated. Riana nodded, knowing where this conversation was going. "Last night, at the sorting and just now, in the classroom, I couldn't help but notice that everyone was staring at you. It will only get worse, I'm afraid; the staring will turn to teasing. You have the same last name as an escaped convict and you vaguely look like him too." You look exactly like he did when he was your age, thought Remus, but none of the students know that.

Riana nodded, "Everyone thinks I'm his daughter. But my mom's last name is Black, and when I asked her about my dad, she told me, 'I never really got to know the true him'. I think that means that she doesn't know who my father really is."

"Well, I want you to know that if you ever need me, for anything, I'll be here for you. Your mother and I were friends, and I owe it to her to look after you. I know it must be hard for you to be in a new country so far away from your home."

"Thanks, professor."

"I'll see you in class tomorrow, and I trust you'll be on time," Remus said, raising his eyebrows and giving her a lopsided grin.

"Of course," Riana grinned mischievously, and turning to walk out the door she added, "I would never dream of being late again."