All right, It seems I got A LOT OF HITS but not reviews…so I'm just gonna put of chapter 3 anyway. I proud of this one and hope that I'll get a review for this one!

"HEY! I THINK SOMEONE'S UP THERE!" The morning of the flood was met with bright sunlight and clear blue skies, lighting the terrible wreckage of a few less than lucky houses, fallen trees, and debris piled upon the streets, blocking any way of modern transportation. Rescue teams of both muggle and wizard tentatively avoided the wreckage around them and set forth to find anyone who might've been swept away by the flood. And just when many of them had lost hope, one muggle rescuer spotted two young boys upon the roof of an old building.

Sirius, startled out of his peaceful sleep, groaned and shook his head, staring around at his surroundings and realizing what was going on. Sirius quickly stood up and ran toward the opposite of the call, and began to climb down. Praying he wouldn't fall, Sirius carefully used his right foot to look for window ledges or any crevices if none of the latter. He froze as he heard the men scuffle upon the roof and one murmur, "I swear I saw two of 'em…" "Well, don't worry about that now, this one needs help. Should we bring 'em down to the station?" "No," one said, obviously a wizard rescuer and could tell that James was one, "I'll take him to ours. Go on." "Alright there, Phillip." Sirius sighed in relief and continued his journey downward, trying not to look, for if he did, fear would stop him in his tracks and that was especially not what Sirius's needed right now.

Feeling the firm, hard ground below, Sirius let go of the ledge he was holding onto and whirled around to see where he was. But of course, he didn't know. Bits and pieces of the fence lay ahead and he realized how far away he was from his destination, this would take a while.

Trudging along quietly and avoiding anything that would make racket-he didn't want to alert the rescuers to his presence-he looked between the gaps of the buildings in hope to find the exact place the fence had once been, but he soon realized how far away he actually was.

Sirius soon decided that where the fence was would be more likely at one of the very last gaps. But, just when he was about to start walking and wait until he found the end of the gaps, something shiny caught his eye. At first Sirius thought it was just a piece of metal or some trinket washed away from its previous location, but when he looked again, he realized it was the tattered remains of James's invisibility cloak.

Hurrying over, Sirius scooped it up and surveyed the damage. Half of it was gone, probably torn off when it got hung on something and pulled away, as it was really of no use anymore. Gently packing it into his damp pocket, Sirius began to continue on his way to The Hovel.

--

After fifteen minutes of tireless walking, Sirius found himself in a slightly washed-out looking neighborhood. He ignored the dull appearance and turned left as James had instructed. And, as he traveled on a bit, came upon a cluster of trees, bunched together as if they were foliage. Sirius climbed his way through, grasping that it was a bit denser than he thought, and soon came upon a small, weather-beaten trail. Walking it was easy, much less bumpy than he intended it to be, and made his way into a clearing.

And there it was, sitting atop a gigantic tree, a large tree house, The Hovel. A slender wooden ladder draped down the tree and was inches from touching the ground. Sirius cringed at the idea of climbing up that, but as soon as he scrambled upon the ladder, the ladder rungs began to move beneath him, like that of an escalator at a muggle mall. It was amazing to watch the ground disappear beneath him and all shrubbery become tiny dots.

As he reached the top, the rungs slowed to a stop and he scurried off. Looking around warily, he opened the door and walked into a cozy living room. The couches were brick red, both were loveseats, and the one chair was a soft gold. A fire crackled in the fireplace in front and a small kitchen huddled off to the side. Many brown cabinets scattered across the wall of the kitchen, and the white tile counter and a fridge took up the rest. Oh, poor, poor Mr. Potter-tricked out of another pen again. Bugger.

The walls of The Hovel were decorated with Gryffindor objects, some Quidditch things, others symbols. Sirius hadn't felt this warm in a good long time.

Flopping onto the couch and staring at the fire sleepily, he pulled out the half-destroyed invisibility cloak and looked around. Was there a possibility he could fix it…? He then set to work on finding out how.

--

James felt warm and comfy, and he really didn't want to wake up. The layers of sleep were disappearing now that his conscious recognized all of this. Darn. James fought to stay asleep as the haze of warm darkness slipped from his grasp and, frustrated, rolled on his side, eyes still shut tight. Wait. Bed. James's eyes snapped open and everything came back to him. Sirius. Flood. His eyes widened and he looked around. Did Sirius…was he okay?

"Mum?" James called out weakly, staring at his empty room. He was heard automatically, it seemed, for his mother came bursting in. As soon as she saw him, her long beautiful hair wild but in an elegant way, she threw herself on him. James, surprised, was happy to be hugged but slightly pushed away as he looked up into his mother's tear streaked face. "Mum?" James asked again. "Oh, honey, you're awake. I was really…I really thought…" she heaved into body wracking sobs and just held him tighter. "Mum…did they find anybody else with me?" James asked. Brina Potter shook her head but didn't answer as she continued to cry on James's shoulder. The boy heaved a sigh of relief. Sirius had made it to The Hovel then. As soon as he was allowed out he would go and see if he was okay. And…to thank him for saving his life…

The door creaked open behind them and James looked up as his mother began to dry her tears. Harold Potter, looking soaked and tired, slouched into the room carrying a newspaper, The Daily Prophet it seemed.

"Dad?"

Harold flopped onto James's wooden desk chair and sighed, placing his chin on his fist before smiling at James, "I'm glad you're awake, you gave us quite a scare. I'd scold you, but, I don't think I have the energy." He'd been out in the flooded streets, trudging through all its cold and murkiness, helping out with the search teams. So far it seems the damage was minimum. It was a relief to all. Harold Potter sighed again, removing his chin from his fist and slowly turning to stare at the front page.

"Well, they haven't found the Black's son yet."

James's mother nodded, sliding off the bed and joining her husband, leaning over to stare at the picture of a glaring Sirius. "It's a shame really, I heard he ran away. Isn't he the one that's going to inherit the Black Fortune?" "Yeah, name's Sirius Black. Odd name, that. But I suppose only the Blacks would. I think he's named after an ancestor."

James had frozen at the mentioning of the Blacks, he'd heard of the family. They were purebloods, like the Potters, but were a darker kind; known to be on all of the dark wizard's sides if ever one was to show up. It was their family history. And Sirius. Sirius's last name was Black. The heir of the Black fortune. Why hadn't he thought of that before? I mean, Sirius had told him straight out his first and last name. So why hadn't he…?

"Do you think they'll find him?" Brina's voice gently cut through James's thoughts and he became intent upon the conversation his parents were having. "Probably not. But I understand why the boy ran away, the family isn't exactly known for its kindness towards its family members."

James sighed and looked down. That's what Sirius had meant when he'd told him he was running away from his parents. They were awful people. James had only seen them once but their sharp faces and hate filled gazes was all he needed to see.

James tightened his grip on the bed sheets and stared at them from all angles, wondering why they were bothering him so much. It was as if they were reminding him of something. But what…?

The messy haired boy shot up, startling his mother and father. "My invisibility cloak!" James cried, realizing it wasn't with them. He must have lost it in the storm. James's heart sunk like a large rock, plummeting into the ocean, slowly and annoyingly steady. That invisibility cloak had been one of the best presents he'd ever had, and then he'd gone and lost it.

"Shh. It's all right, honey. We'll get you one to replace it next year." Brina comforted, walking over to her young son and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah. It won't take me long to get another. I'll just explain to Moody what happened and I'm sure he'll lend me another. He's got plenty after all."

James looked up, "Mad-Eye Moody?" "Yeah, him. But don't call him 'Mad-Eye', it's making fun." Mad-Eye Moody, or actually, Alastor Moody, was Harold Potter's commander, as they were both Aurors. Even though Moody was growing older, he could still fight just as well and his mind was as sharp as ever. James had always hoped someday that Mad-Eye could be his own commander, as he also wanted to be like his father in that respect of career.

"Well, now, that's enough of Mr. Moody. You should be in bed," she held up her hand as James whined, "But I am!" and amended, "in bed and asleep." James grumbled under his breath but complied, flopping back unto his pillow and pulling the covers up to his chin. Brina smiled, leaning over and planting a kiss on his cheek. James rolled over onto his side, obviously trying to hide his pout, and listened to his mother chuckle then head out the door, his father in tow, albeit slower. As the door shut and the lights flickered off, James stared up at the window across the room.

Light was shining through the glass, softly blasting light back at itself as it created a glare upon the smooth window. James distinctly heard the cries of men as they picked through the debris lain upon the ground as mere memories of what the objects may or may not have been.

James found himself wondering how Sirius was doing and if he was well, but told himself not to worry as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

--

James's worries were good intentioned and very necessary, for Sirius was not exactly well nor was he doing particularly fine. James's friend found himself upon the grubby, dirt speckled cobblestone street, on his belly, covered in mud and bruises, with a very stomach-large cat snuggled upon his back. He'd been in, and thrown out of, every shop he could think of that would sell such rare things as Demiguise Hair. He'd been able snitch a needle but that was all. He didn't even need that much fur, only enough to fix half of the cloak.

Shifting as best he could in his position, Sirius tried yet again to shoo the cat off his back but it refused to move from its spot. The cat just opened one golden amber eye lazily before closing it again. Sirius grumbled something like, "stupid cat," before he was startled as two pairs of footsteps came into his hearing.

He could see no one at first, only hearing the echoes of their footfalls against the brick walls. The town in which The Hovel resided was almost like a ghost town in every other way, so noise was heard like a cannon. You hardly ever saw people, muggle or wizard, roaming about. But time by time he did see a few dark looking wizards come in and out of the shops every once and a while.

"Where are we going, father?" came the voice of someone Sirius recognized, though he could not exactly recall whose. "Do not ask questions. I don't want anyone to suspect anything." That was another voice he incredibly recognized. But who…?

Then, they came into view. It was a tall man and a boy, barely two years younger than Sirius. The man had long, spindly black hair that laid limply on his shoulders and piercing black eyes. He was well groomed and handsome, wearing a long black cloak with a clasp that was in the shape of a silver serpent that was leering ruby-made eyes.

The boy beside the man was quite the opposite of his father's domineering appearance. His hair was more so dark brown, cut short as all boys usually do, and his eyes were a soft blue-grey, though they held a coldness that he and his father seemed to share.

Sirius shot up, ignoring, at first, the yowl that escaped the cat as it slid off his back and onto the hard ground. Sirius froze, grappling for the cat and covering his hand over the cat's face. It struggled before slowly calming down, as if sensing the urgency of the situation.

Outside of the alley, for that was where Sirius was currently, the man and the boy ceased their talking and froze. The boy fidgeted whilst the man flickered his cold eyes everywhere, like a hawk searching for lost prey. After a minute or so of bated silence, the man turned to the boy and said briskly, "Let's go, Regulus." The boy nodded, "Yes, father." And they hurried out of Sirius's sight towards a small, wilting building five shops away.

Sirius sighed in relief and slowly released the cat from his grip upon its slender, black and ginger-almost-orange head. He blinked and looked at the cat, noticing that the ginger was speckled across the cat's fur in medium sized clumps, and then deep into its eyes, the cat staring back, grey against amber.

"I suppose you're going to follow me anyway?" Sirius asked after the long silence. As if to answer, the cat swished its tail and began to make its way out of the alley and down the street in the direction Sirius's father, Carrick Black, and younger brother, Regulus, had went.

Sirius, quickly pushing himself to his knees, dusted himself off, contemplating seriously. Why would his father and brother be here? Of all places? He knew they couldn't possibly be looking for him, could they? I mean, he thought they would search for a week or two, and then give the inheritance to Regulus if he were not found. So, what could it be then? Well, he was sure to find out, Sirius ended his thoughts with a brisk nod before jumping to his feet and hurrying after the cat.

--

Brookes and Creak was a different store. The name for one thing, for it made no sense, and the other was that it held more dark magic items than any shop found in Knockturn Alley alone yet no one had said anything about it. The perfect place to find exactly what Carrick Black was looking for, the perfect place.

A screech erupted through the quiet that held the dismal store in its clutches as the two Blacks shuffled in. Regulus eyed his surroundings warily. The counters and desks that held the items were old and rotting, some of the desks were even on the verge of toppling onto their sides. The room was musky and the air filled with ancient dust, holding with it dark secrets of the past. Bottles upon bottles of assortments lined the desks and counters, filled with eyes, creatures, and things that Regulus wasn't willing to even really know what they were.

"Ah, Mr. Black. It's good to see you." The creaky voice caused Regulus to jump slightly, though he was stilled by his father's sharp hand.

The middle-aged man's face was drawn and his eyes sparkled with impish light. As he stood behind the counter, the man surveyed young Regulus and he gulped, cowering away from the man's intense gaze.

"And you, Corrin." Carrick Black answered with a nod and a steeled gaze as he, with Regulus trailing hesitantly along, made his way up to the counter.

--

Sirius had watched his father and brother have a quick conversation in front of the shop, though it was mostly one-way for his father did most of the talking, and then headed into the alley alongside the store. The black and ginger cat was already in there, sitting upon a pile of three large crates. It was cleaning its paw and not paying attention to the boy as he clambered up next to it.

Sirius found himself staring into a fully open window at a store that seemed almost deserted for dust caked everything. Deciding it was best to just slide into it before the absent owner returned, he lay on his back and began to slowly push himself inward.

The cat watched him smugly, as if it were finding his less gracefulness amusing, and followed as it heard Sirius smack to the ground, landing elegantly on his head.

Sirius flinched and looked around, making sure no one heard him, before gently pushing the cat off his head and scurrying behind one of the closest desks to ensure he was not seen. The cat followed and sat straight up beside him just as the door opened, followed by a screech that made Sirius flinch, and his father and brother walked in.

He smiled grimly as he saw how nervous his younger brother was and as he peeked around the desk, emulated by the cat beside him, watched as his father and the shopkeeper, who had appeared out of nowhere, exchange words.

As soon as his father reached the desk, Sirius began to desperately try and hear the conversation.

--

"Ah, so, you wish for a certain, ah, item?" Carrick Black nodded; disgusted by the way the man's voice creaked. "My Lord wishes that I collect it, for it is slightly personal and he wishes for me to give it to a friend of mine." The man, Corrin, nodded eagerly, "And what is it that you need, Mr. Black?" "A book, a journal of the sorts, my Lord assures me that it is here." Corrin smiled, "Ah, yes…I know of what you speak…Then, I will return with it, it will not take long." Carrick just nodded and watched the man turn his worthless body around and head into the back of his dingy shop. Pitiful.

During this, Regulus had wandered off, studying the continents each bottle held. It was all gruesomely fascinating to the eight-year-old. He was just reaching the last bottle-covered desk when he heard an odd sort of mewing noise. Regulus stopped, confused and startled, and began to walk toward the aisle he believed it came from. A quiet, rapid shuffling was heard right before he turned around the desk but as he walked, Regulus saw nothing. Presuming it was nothing more than rats, he shrugged and made his way back to his father, who was stuffing something in his cloak and nodding to the now returned shopkeeper.

--

Sirius had been too busy trying to hear everything the shopkeeper and his father were saying to even notice his brother snooping around the shop. His thoughts were too busy confusing him with the thousands of questions that were popping up. A journal…? Why would his father, an esteemed man of high character and prestige, well, as the man thought of himself, be buying a journal? And who was his father's supposed "lord?" He'd heard that there had been a few attacks made on the ministry, be it they were seldom and few, and his father seemed to know a lot more about these attacks than the wizarding world themselves.

A soft mew shook Sirius from his contemplations and he jumped, staring down at the cat before looking up. There was his brother, heading toward them, and it seemed like he'd heard.

As quickly as possible, Sirius grabbed the cat, hand over its face once again, and began to scoot backwards and around the desk, making his way to the one beside it, noting this desk was closer to the wall. Sliding himself into the crevice between the wall and the desk, Sirius sat the cat onto his knees, for the only way to fit was to pull them to his chest, keeping his hand on the cat's face, and watched as Regulus shrugged and made his way back to Carrick Black.

Sirius didn't move an inch until he heard the two Blacks leave, followed by a shrill scream that sounded like it belonged to a woman. Sighing in relief, Sirius let go of the cat's muzzle and it yowled softly in protest.

He sidled out quietly but not strategically enough for he bumped his head against the desk and had to quickly catch the bottle that fell from atop it. Rubbing his head, Sirius stared at the bottle he held with his other hand. In it were two spools, holding delicate string that was almost see-through. Sirius's eyes widened when he realized what the string was, Demiguise Hair.

Gently sliding the cat from his lap, Sirius slunk back toward the window, eyes constantly glancing to the counter, where the shopkeeper was once again no longer there, and climbed his way back out of the window and onto the crates outside. It was slightly darker; the clock in the last shop he'd been kicked out of had read 4:00. Sirius suspected he hadn't been in there long but it got dark in the ghost of a town, called Spectre by the way, quicker than anywhere else.

The cat hopped up next to him and he looked down at it, smiling slightly and ruffling its fur. The cat did not back away but it did slightly duck away from his hand.

Jumping down from the crates, Sirius catapulted toward The Hovel, the cat trailing him at quite the fast pace, and he decided that what had happened in there was important. Maybe not at this particular moment, but someday in the future, whatever his father had taken, would be very important.

There's chapter three! If you can guess what I mean by important and the journal, I'll give you a batch of cookies and fifty points. Oh, and, thanks to the people that reviewed, by the way!