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Chapter Two: Stories for Another Time

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. – Gilda Radner

The next few days passed in a haze of hallucination and exhaustion and before he knew it, Sirius Black was being roused from his pleasant slumber by a soft voice and the smell of pumpkin soup. He slowly opened his eyes to see a young woman leaning over the bed he was so comfortably lying in. She regarded him with her quiet, grey eyes and smiled slightly when she saw he was awake.

"How're you feeling?" She asked softly, placing her hand to his forehead.

"Better," he replied.

"Good." She drew her hand away and pushed the bowl of soup towards him. "Eat up."

He nodded gratefully and took the soup from her. Sitting up in the bed, he looked around. He was in a small room that was painted a burnt desert colour. The floor below was a dark wood, as the various furnishings around the room were. In one corner of the room was a chest of drawers and a tall mirror. The bed was at the other end, the walls being taken up by the built in cupboard and a large window.

He began to cautiously it his soup, for it was hot, as the woman pulled a chair over to the bed. She sat down and bit her lip.

"I know who you are."

He looked up at her, shock and fear evident in his eyes.

"I haven't called the Ministry. And I won't, as long as you don't give me a reason to. I took your wand while you were out cold. I'll give it back later, I think."

"Why?" He croaked. "Most people would run away screaming murder if I appeared in their living room in the middle of the night."

"I've always been a firm believer that things are not always as the seem. That and to follow your instincts. Aside from that, I'm good with people. Something's telling me not to."

He nodded quietly. "How did you know I wasn't a dog?"

She smiled. "As I said, I'm good with people and you weren't acting very doglike. That, and this."

Sirius blinked as the young woman in front of him turned into a nightingale and back into a human.

"Ah," he said knowingly, "You're an Animagus."

She smiled dryly. "My, my, you are quick on the uptake."

He chuckled. "What's your name?"

"Anna. Anna Fair. Nice to meet you Sirius."

"Nice to meet you too." The shook hands.

"Now we have to deal with the small problem of you being a known mass murderer. If you tell me that you didn't kill all those people, I'll believe you."

"I've never murdered anyone in my life."

She must've been able to see the determined look in his eye and the sincerity in his voice for she nodded quietly. "That seems to be a story for another time, but perhaps there is someone else that I can ask for a confirmation of your innocence?"

Sirius smiled. "Three fourteen-year-olds, a werewolf who happens to be my best friend and Albus Dumbledore."

She raised an eyebrow. "My, you are full of stories. So, if I were to write to Albus Dumbledore claiming that a large, black dog with a rakish grin and quick wit took a turn for the worse and ended up fevered in my bed, pleading innocence, he would tell me that you are indeed as harmless as you look?"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "Well, I don't know about 'harmless' but he would tell you that I would never betray Lily and James Potter and that I certainly did not kill Peter Pettigrew. Yes, he would tell you that if you owled him."

"Right," she said with an impish grin. "That's what I'll do then."

She left the room humming inaudibly, leaving Sirius staring into space for a moment, a look of confusion on his face before he shrugged nonchalantly and continued to eat his soup.

Anna returned minutes later. "Well, I just sent Helena off to Albus. I've been meaning to write to him for a while anyway."

"Oh? Are you close to the Headmaster?"

"Yes," Anna answered rather distractedly. "Very close. He's almost like a grandfather." She smiled at the thought.

"Really? How did that come about?"

A flash of pain flickered through her eyes, and Sirius immediately regretted asking the question. But as soon as he had seen it, it was gone and in its place was a quiet smile.

"Oh, I think that's one more story for another time."

A/N: Well? What do you think? Please review, it only takes a few minutes and makes me feel so special pokes tongue out Hope you're all enjoying it!