Disclaimer: Oh, for the LOVE OF CHEESE! I don't own it.

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Touch

The truth is rarely pure and never simple.

-Oscar Wilde

Sirius quickly swooped down to catch Anna in his arms before she hit the ground, bringing her to rest gently on the hard floor. Harry gasped, blinking back tears of pain. Everyone in the room had turned to stare.

"What was that?" Harry asked, kneading his forehead. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know," Sirius replied, "She's breathing, if that's what you mean. Are you okay?"

Harry nodded. "Why did my scar hurt like that? She's not -?"

Harry was silenced with a pointed look from Sirius. "I'll take her upstairs to her bed." He gently scooped Anna into his arms and as he passed Harry, fervently whispered in they boys ear, "I'll explain later. After dinner." With a short nod to Harry, he headed up the stairs.

Laying Anna gently on the bed he shared with her, he Summoned a bowl of warm water and quietly began to bathe her face with a face cloth.

Her eyelids fluttered open. "Sirius," she murmured groggily. "What happened?"

"I don't know," he said, letting his hand drop to his side. "As soon as you and Harry touched, his scar burned and you collapsed."

She nodded.

"You knew it was going to happen, didn't you? I saw it, you were hesitant before you shook his hand." His voice was only slightly accusatory.

She nodded again. "After the meeting, Albus told me that I might get a reaction. He wasn't entirely sure. I suppose he was right. Something about Harry being able to detect when Voldemort was near. I suppose it goes the same for his daughter."

"So, that explains what happened to him. What about you?"

"Oh, this?" she said, gesturing to her limp form. "It's happened before. Some people's auras are very... overwhelming. Some people have a hard past, and it makes me react like this, it just completely overloads my senses. It happened when I met you. That's how I knew you weren't a dog; your emotions were too strong. I was out for three hours after I touched you. Of course, in your fevered state you didn't notice."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"It's okay. Just one of the occupational hazards. Happens sometimes. I just have to get used to being around him, like I did with you, then I should be fine."

He nodded. "We're going to have to explain to him why his scar hurt when he touched you. Otherwise he'll start wildly speculating that you're a Death Eater. And we couldn't have that."

She grinned mournfully. "Oh, that's going to be one hell of a conversation starter; 'Harry, the woman that your godfather is sleeping with happens to be the daughter of your arch nemesis, the greatest evil in the world, and she also has the potential to be the ultimate bane of your existence, prophesised to be your very downfall.'" She raised her eyebrows at Sirius.

"This is not going to be fun."

A/N: Okay, I've given you quite a few chapters today, and now it's my bedtime! Please review so I can wake up happy!