Awakening

by Stardust3 ANNOYED WAUG.2nd

AU. For seventeen years they've been apart but now she's back and so is Black. When it all comes together it just might prove deadly. And to complicate an already twisted love story, a poem reawakens a murderous spirit. Sequel to The Last Laugh. FINISHED.

6. November Third

Awakening Chapter Six: November Third By: Star*dust

A/N: It's 1:30 in the morning and I leave for California in nine hours. But, I finished the chapter. I wanted to finish before I left and before the fifth book came out (and the fanfiction world is screwed as we know it.). Well, I accomplished it. I admit it was thrown together, not that it is poorly written but I warn I didn't have time to proofread and I regret to say there will be no personal thank-yous in this chapter but I do appreciate all of you!

Once again, I will not be changing anything for the sake of the next Harry Potter book but I hope that you will continue to read this story. I promise, even more interesting things are coming up next.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy Halloween, it was extremely fun to write.

I suppose that's about all I can say on the subject. Without further ado, I shall post.

PS I will be gone for eleven days, so if you e-mail I might be delayed in replying.

~Star*dust

* * *

"Harry, are you in here? What is going on? I heard you shout and-" She suddenly gasped as cold shock shot through her body. Sirius somehow managed to react immediately showing no emotion except for a quick widening of the eyes as she first entered. Sixteen years of separation and he didn't even blink.

In two large strides he overtook her and secured her mouth before she could scream. Harry watched in awe as he efficiently shut the door, while Angie stiffened in his tight grasp and whimpered pathetically.

All at once Sirius's creative vocabulary rang throughout the empty classroom as he forcefully ripped his hand away. Without hesitating he drew back and slapped her across the face sending Angie staggering into the wall.

Harry jumped, totally shocked while Angie steeled herself against the tears that bore down upon her. Harry could see that her cheek was quickly reddening, while fury shown in Sirius's eyes and anger poured from his mouth.

"She bit me! Can you believe that? She bit me?" He shouted, managing to say three sentences without swearing. Sirius suddenly seemed to notice Angie again, who was breathing shallowly and lightly touching her cheek. Sirius's eyes flashed toward the door and back to her and he painfully gripped her arm and forced her into the nearest chair.

Sirius began pacing across the room, daring not to look at her for he knew other, less relevant thoughts would creep into his mind. Harry was standing there, literally watching with his mouth open. In less than a minute flat all this had occurred and Harry was still waiting for his reaction.

No matter how hard she tried one confounded tear escaped Angie's eye slowly sliding down her stinging cheek. There was the man she once loved more than life itself, pacing before her, changed, bitter, heartless.

"Sirius?" Harry asked in a somewhat hoarse voice as he only just realized he could use it again.

"Shut up Harry!" Sirius snapped. "I'm trying to figure out what we can do with her." He hadn't stopped pacing, and not once had he looked her way. His words cut through like cold steel but she wasn't entirely useless.

"Shut up Black, and come quietly." Angie said confidently rising from her chair and pointing her wand at Sirius, who had obviously stopped pacing. Surprisingly Angie found her inner strength that she once possessed but seemed to have been lost all these years. Now, ironically, facing Sirius again she found her head and her confidence.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted tossing Sirius his own wand. Sirius caught it and turned to Angie with a smirk. She was staring in shock.

"Your father would kill you!" She screamed at Harry in utter and complete disbelief.

"Leave him alone," Sirius snapped. Angie's eyes suddenly focused on him.

"Just because you have no respect for James!" She screamed. Those words from her mouth were the end of Sirius's short fuse. Complete rage at not being understood and so many other things overtook him as he grabbed a chair and threw it with incredible force, across the room and into the wall.

The deafening roar gave way to shocked and deafening silence, save their shallow breathing and pounding hearts. As usual, Sirius was the first to react and he had no problem disarming Angie. Fear was written in her eyes, but she wasn't broken yet.

"Say it again, Mrs. Thompson," Sirius said through gritted teeth. A mad gleam shown in his eyes and he seemed to move forward without lifting his feet. Defiantly Angie placed her hands on her hips.

"Jealous, Mr. Black?" She asked raising her eyebrows. Sirius suddenly laughed mirthlessly, a sound Harry was not familiar with.

"If you think this is about jealously, you have another thing coming. You're the one who choose to run away to America." Angie's face twisted in fury, reminding Harry of the time she had exploded at Kirsten.

"YOU ARE THE ONE WHO LEFT!! YOU SAID YOU'D BE RIGHT BACK AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW-" She suddenly stopped, and her eyes were not focused on the present. "I'm reading about your arrest in the paper. You killed all those people." She trailed off and looked back at him but Sirius had not been affected.

"Yeah," He replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Let's have a pity party." Harry grinned despite the situation and his complete bafflement.

Words completely failed Angie as she stared into the depths of Sirius's eyes. Her once handsome, suave, hero was now dark, heartless. evil through and through. Emotion began to set in, in spite of herself. Angie shrank back against the wall aghast, feeling like sobbing but being too shocked to even do that. Was it possible? Though she had tried to accept it, the reason she had never gotten over Sirius all these years was because of the little bit of doubt in the depths of her heart but reality was sinking in a stone. Sirius was a traitor and a murderer.

Curiously Sirius returned her steady gaze, anxious to see how she reacted to his last statement. And she took an unsure step back toward the wall, a wild glint caught his eye and in a flash he realized what it was.

It was Sirius's turn to be shocked. Amusement, curiosity, but mostly just utter confusion took hold of his thoughts. Why on earth would she keep it after everything that had happened.and all these years?

Without giving himself a chance to think, words poured from his mouth. "Nice ring, Mrs. Thompson." Harry frowned realizing that was not the first time Sirius had addressed Professor Star by that name. Not only was this a puzzlement, but Sirius had said something about a ring and Angie's left hand immediately had flown to her right, and yet, though she fiddled with something both hands looked completely bare to Harry.

"Yes, well." She said quietly stalling and most definitely not looking at him. "I was just saving it until I could give it back to you." She found herself saying. With a great effort and reluctance she slowly slid the ring off her finger. Her entire body had gone stiff in protest.

Harry had by now grasped his sense of reality and had some time to think about the short time span that had just taken place. Without any control over himself, Harry was horrified to hear himself speak. "What on Earth are you talking about? There is no ring there!"

Sirius and Angie stared at each other and Angie looked down at the ring. "There's a spell on it," She said hastily.

"Of course," Sirius said holding out his palm to take the ring Harry couldn't see. "Josh mustn't know you're already married." If Harry had thought his wits had returned his mind and breath left him at that moment as he involuntarily sank into a chair. "Afraid of what dear Mr. Thompson would say?" Angie looked straight into his eyes and spoke.

"I am divorced." She said evenly. Sirius did not miss a beat, though on the inside he was shocked, as he had not known that piece of the puzzle.

"I don't think that's possible since you never technically married Josh. You were legally still married to me. though you seemed to have skimmed over that point.Mrs. Black." He added with a smirk. Emotion coursed through every vein in Angie's body.

"If you're going to kill me, spare the stupid remarks," She said boldly.

"Who said I was going to kill you? First I want my ring." He emphasized his open palm and Angie lifted the ring above it and hesitated. Every fiber in her body was defiantly opposed to the move she next had to make. Using every inch of her will power she departed with the ring watching it fall softly into his palm. In a second his hand had closed around it, gone to her forever.

Harry swallowed trying to sort out his thoughts. "You were married to him?" Harry asked, utter disbelief written in his expression. "So, are you my god- parents?" Harry asked cautiously. Sirius silenced him with a harsh word, not wanting to be interrupted. The object of his thoughts for the past sixteen years was standing before him and he had so many things he wanted to say.

"If Lily and James were alive you-" Angie started to shout but Sirius wasn't about to let her continue. He didn't want to talk about Lily and James. Utter frustration bubbled inside of him as he knew she didn't understand. Every muscle in his body tensed with rising anger as he raised his hand-suddenly the door swung open and there stood Albus Dumbledore. (Harry suddenly wondered how in the world he had known to come.)

Dumbledore's eyes took in the scene playing out before him. Angie immediately took advantage of his entry by forcing her knee in a very.um, inconvenient place, and Sirius crumpled like a piece of paper. Harry bit his lip in concern and amusement all adding to his confusion as Angie threw herself into a chair and fought off the wave of emotion that was flooding her.

Very solemnly, and as if he were far away Dumbledore addressed Harry. "Run for your life if you know what's good for you."

"Headmaster, it's Sirius Black!" Angie exclaimed, as if he hadn't noticed.

"Indeed." He replied indifferently.

"What are you waiting for?" She cried.

"Explanations," Harry and Dumbledore both replied.

"So am I, but this is hardly the place. He's got my wand." Angie said frantically. Sirius vaguely looked down at the wand in his hand.

"Dumbledore, I shouldn't be here-" Sirius began.

"No you shouldn't." Dumbledore curtly interrupted and Sirius visibly flinched.

"What are you doing?" Angie screamed leaping from her chair. "He's armed and he's dangerous. He. he struck me," Angie said carefully feeling her red left cheek. Dumbledore's eyes blazed as he rounded on Sirius who kept his ground. His face went rigid with defiance. Sirius certainly supported himself on that action, if nothing else he had done.

"The bell is about to ring. I can't stay," Sirius said opening the door.

"You. Will. Stay." Dumbledore commanded. And if Sirius had been looking into his face he wouldn't have had the will to defy him however he hadn't been looking at him and therefore kept walking. His blood boiled with a rage that he hadn't felt since the last time he saw Peter Pettigrew. "Black!" Dumbledore yelled, his face twisting in fury.

Dumbledore gestured to Harry indicating that he should go after Sirius. Harry obeyed running out the door. However, he nearly fell over when he stopped suddenly realizing Sirius was leaning against wall right outside the door. "I'm sorry about all this Harry," Sirius said speaking quickly as he took out the invisibility cloak. "Dumbledore will explain, or I will later."

"He's right here," Harry called and Dumbledore almost immediately appeared at the door.

"You will go to my office and you will wait there. You will not do anything until I get there and you will take care to avoid owls, house elves, and any other visitors who might turn up. GO now." Dumbledore spoke deliberately and with an edge on his voice that would reduce most men to jelly. Sirius simply nodded slipping under the cloak.

Dumbledore re-entered the classroom where Angie stood stuttering in utter confusion. "Harry, you should be in class," Dumbledore told Harry, intending to get rid of him.

"But I'm in HER class," Harry protested.

"You have a class now!?" Dumbledore asked turning to Angie with visible surprise written on her face. Angie could only stutter incomprehensibly. "Harry, go to your classroom, make sure no one leaves and make sure they didn't hear anything. get a quill, parchment and ink. I need to write a letter." It took Harry a second to realize that that had been directed at him before he dashed outside and into the next classroom.

~*~

Immediately the room buzzed and shouts rang out from every corner demanding to know where he'd been and what was going on. Harry approached Hermione. and Ron and Kirsten. He nearly stopped for a second realizing that he had completely forgotten about what started this whole catastrophe. The two traitors had sent him into his own world, from there Sirius had startled him and caused him to shout bringing Angie from her classroom and here he was. Staring into their concerned faces.

He intentionally ignored both of their questions and went directly to Hermione. Quickly he started taking her parchment, quill, and ink. "Harry, what's going on? Where have you been?" She demanded.

"I'll explain later. Did you guys hear anything unusual?" He asked.

"Unusual. we heard you shout. then there was something that sounded like an explosion on that wall," Hermione said pointing. *That would be when Sirius threw the chair.* Harry thought. "But it's just from the classroom next door. What is going on?"

"Hermione, I need you to do something. Do not on your life let anyone leave this classroom." She nodded in a simple state of confusion.

"Do you know where my mother is?" Kirsten demanded, somewhat frantic. Harry looked at her with a stone face, hate shown in his eyes. He looked back to Hermione ignoring her completely.

"Everything is perfectly fine.well, at least Dumbledore is taking care of it and no one is hurt.well, not seriously anyway." Harry kept reconsidering his statements as he realized that yet another Sirius discovery had occurred and that Sirius and Angie had had some physical contact.

"What!?" Hermione said, starting to panic. "You're scaring me Harry."

"Don't worry. Trust me on that statement." He turned and looked at Ron and Kirsten pausing for a moment before hastily walking out.

~*~

Sirius arrived in Dumbledore's office and ripped the cloak from around him throwing it forcefully across the room. He desperately wanted something to beat into dust. His head was screaming.

She had stood before him, taunted him, BIT him. Her eyes glittered as her words echoed in his mind. "Jealous, Mr. Black?"

But what did he expect? He knew she had completely disregarded him and everything to do with him. She had married Josh without a second thought to her real husband. It didn't matter that he was in prison, she didn't even send divorce papers.

Worst of all, she had no idea of the truth. Well, obviously. He had always known that but it was just much more shocking in person. The last time he had seen her, love shown from her eyes. Now there had been pain, and hate. He was nothing but a murderer to her now. (As he was to almost everyone.)

What did it matter? There was nothing for them now. It wasn't as if he still loved her after all this time. after her complete disregard for everything. She ran away to America. Was it true that she had really tried to commit suicide?

What did he care? She was always trying to run away from everything. She wasn't worth his time anymore. Sirius forcefully slammed the door with his fist in frustration. He slumped against it, sobbing beyond control.

~*~

Dumbledore looked at Angie compassion in his eyes. "Sit down my dear," He said softly reaching out to gently push her shoulder down but she stepped back with a loud shout.

"NO! I demand to know what is going on! THAT WAS SIRIUS BLACK!!"

"Angela, be calm and let me explain."

"Be calm? The man that drove me to want nothing more than my death just walked back into my life and you want me to be calm!? WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET THE SON OF A BITCH GO?" She screamed, hot tears streaking her face.

"My reasons are my own. Please, I ask you to calm yourself, chaotic emotion serves no purpose. I realize that you have the right to a full explanation, but not from me. I am asking you to trust me now Angela ask you have trusted countless other times in the past. You have never known me to once act illogically, please now trust in me." Dumbledore spoke sincerely and Angie felt herself calming down under his continual stare. But confusion still raced through her. "Promise me that you will not do anything until it has been explained. Take time to yourself. Work out what you can in your mind and everything will make sense. But promise now that you will not speak to anyone about this until later."

Very slowly she nodded, seeing that she had no other choice. Dumbledore's face cracked into a smile. "Be at peace child, your life is about to change dramatically." And with that he swept from the room, Harry coming in his wake with the parchment, quill, and ink.

Dumbledore took these items gratefully and began writing. Without stopping this action he spoke to Harry. "What exactly happened?" Harry explained in full detail as his mind was still reeling from the shock of it all and he was able to recall every single aspect of the situation. "You are sure that they are still married?" He prompted at the end of this monologue. Harry nodded. "Very well, take this to the owlrey, I'm dismissing your class. I need to go and talk to Sirius. don't mention this to anyone, especially Kirsten. And I wouldn't bring it up with your professor either." With that Dumbledore turned around and entered the classroom where the students immediately fell quiet.

"Your professor had a. meeting she could not miss. At this moment she is thinking things over and should not be disturbed the remainder of the day." Dumbledore explained, looking pointedly at Kirsten. "Do not worry, your lessons should resume tomorrow, you are dismissed for the day. Head boy and girl make sure to post a note on the door for the next class!" And with that, Dumbledore hastened to his office.

* * *

Angie wasn't sure how long she stood, totally unmoved, not a single thought crossed her mind, as if time had stopped. Then very slowly a state of perplexity swept over Angie. Various contradicting and confusing statements surfaced in her mind. And all at once everything seemed to hit her; she slumped into the chair gasping for breath as tears came in sharp and violent gasps.

Sirius did escape. He was a guilty murdering fugitive. His rough hand smacking her face was real. And Dumbledore had told her not to worry? (You pick the one that doesn't belong.)

But how could Dumbledore be deceived? He certainly couldn't be working for the other side? NO. That wasn't a possibility. Angie threw it out almost immediately.

But what were his reasons for letting Sirius go? Not that he really let him.go, she actually didn't know what had happened. but he certainly wasn't hailing the ministry, the IAA, and every bloody reporter in the world. What had happened?

And Harry? Harry was there, he tossed Sirius his wand. He watched as Sirius slapped her, threw a chair into the wall, took her wand and her ring. Did Sirius have him under a spell?

Her wand. DAMMIT!!! Sirius still had her wand. That bastard was gone and he was armed, WITH HER WAND! (And he would use it. He might have used it on her if he'd had the chance.)

There was no mistaking his guilt. He was a traitor. Of course, she had always known that. They put him in jail, why else would they have. But if she knew this, then why did his sarcastic and unemotional words cut through her with the feeling of cold steel? Why had the blood suddenly chilled in her veins with this startling revelation-if she had known this for years?

She actually flinched at her thought of her stinging cheek. And before that, his strong arms had wrapped their way around her; striking fear into her heart. She sat staring into the classroom but in her mind her eyes were locked in his. They had no longer held that sparkle, the mysterious twinkle that used to make her heart quicken it's pace. Instead they held determination, fierce emotion. And something else. like a deadened gleam.was it sadness, or anger?

Emotion totally gripped her at she sat in that chair gripping the chair with all her might. Her eyes stayed wide and her mind kept playing scenes and memories over and over. Tears stained her cheek and wet the desk. She had been running for sixteen years and it was back. For a moment a suicidal thought flickered through her mind but Angie stopped herself.

She'd be better off dead, however, over the years after her two suicide attempts she had realized that Kirsten did need her. She had other things in life to live for too. but this new encounter had sent her mind in a state of chaos. She could no longer separate her emotions. It was like someone had set a bomb off inside of her head.

Bells rang, students passed the door in the hallway, the sun slowly sank and Angie cried her eyes dry before she was able assume a shaky standing position. She was in desperate need of a drink and a cigarette. (Some other things too, but these would have to do.)

* * *

Sirius paled as Dumbledore entered his office, eyes ablaze. Sirius knew he'd be furious. Of course, he had every right to be, but Sirius had not exactly felt like doing what he was told at that moment.

Dumbledore took in several deep breaths trying to decide where to begin. "Why, pray tell, are you here and not in Paris, where you are somewhat safe?"

"Sierra threatened, begged and cajoled. I finally told her I'd meet with her."

"Do not blame this on someone else!"

"I didn't want to talk to Sierra!" Sirius protested.

"This is not Sierra's fault. It is not Sierra's fault that you keep ending up in dangerous situations."

"You don't think I planned that back there in the classroom?" Sirius shouted leaping from his chair. Dumbledore lifted an eyebrow and Sirius scowled. "Why would I want to see HER?" He spat.

"Why don't you tell me?" Dumbledore replied. "If this is about Mr. Thompson- "

"Josh can go screw a horse for all I care."

"That is quite unnecessary, Sirius. However, Harry informed me that you were extremely angry, unnecessarily so, and you demanded a ring back, I assume the one you gave her when you two were married."

"Yes," Sirius said in a very different tone of voice. "She was wearing it." He looked to Dumbledore hoping he might have something to say on the subject; he did not.

"That was not the point Sirius. You were quite violent with her. I ask you again: Does this have anything to do with Mr. Thompson?"

"NO! This has nothing to do with that cocky bastard!"

Dumbledore let out an exasperated sigh. "Explain your unusual surge of emotion." Sirius frowned and started to pace wondering how to articulate what his mind was screaming.

"You know I have a short temper."

"That's no excuse for striking a woman." Dumbledore said coldly and Sirius looked away. He hadn't really stopped to consider his action, but it was true, he had hit her. A horrible sensation rose inside his body before he quenched it with anger. After all, she had deserved it.

Sirius continued to pace in silence, choosing not to respond to that statement. Dumbledore continued. "Sirius, what has gotten into you lately? Nothing that happens can make you see. you had a close call this summer in Paris, then the incident with Remus at the Weasleys, next was Sierra, and now this?! All in, what, four months? Are you suicidal, psychotic, some combination of the two?" Sirius was rather inclined to believe "some combination of the two" but he didn't voice that opinion.

"You think I planned all this? You think I'm trying to get caught?"

"I don't know Sirius but I'd like you to explain to me just exactly what you were doing in the empty classroom next to Ms. Star's?" Sirius had no ready answer for that one. He supposed it had something to do with the fact that that was one of their rendez-vous points back in school but it was probably some cruel trick of his subconscious. He said sort of just wondered there and happened to realize that Harry was conveniently located in an empty hallway.

"Sirius, I hope you have not jeopardized your life by doing whatever it is you have done to her."

"She just walked in! I don't know what happened, it was like I was some kind of a different person. I couldn't stop myself. She was right there, and when I saw that ring on her finger all I could think about was the way she totally pretended as if nothing had ever happened and went ahead and got married anyway!"

"So this is about Mr. Thompson." Dumbledore said.

"NO!" Sirius shouted. "This was an accident! Not supposed to happen. I might have never thought about all of this ever again if she hadn't walked through that classroom door. And then, I don't know what happened to me. I don't recall ever being that angry in my entire life. except for, maybe, when I had the confrontation with Peter in the street, but that was more like shock and utter sickness, not anger."

"Sirius, it's perfectly natural. You haven't seen or talked to her in sixteen years and all of sudden you're emotions come pouring out but you can't expect to her to have not moved on. To her you're a criminal."

"I never asked her to accept that. I want her to acknowledge our wedding. I want her to not pretend like it didn't happen."

"If I had known of their engagement I would have made her realize that she owed a duty to you, and to society before she took the next step but I didn't. She was a total wreck. I thought she was going to die. After she recovered from the first suicide attempt she looked horrible. We couldn't get her to eat. She didn't speak for three days. And then suddenly she declared that she wanted to go to America. She left with Josh a week and a half later. In late December he sent a general letter stating that she had tried to commit suicide again. I think that's around the time when he proposed and us over here found out about their marriage second-hand. I wrote a letter to her, in fact, most of her friends did, and no one got an answer. Sierra tried for years and nothing. Finally about three years she wrote brief letters to a few of us and I asked her to come back and be a professor. She's had a hard time coming back and facing her past and it didn't help that she ran into you just now. Sirius, you have got to go and talk to her. She deserves to know the truth."

Sirius stared in stunned silence for a long time. He had ruined her life. NO! It was all Pettigrew's fault, the bastard! "I know." He finally replied.

"Go and explain to her."

"What am I supposed to say? She thinks I'm a traitor.worse. And none of that changes the fact that she still married Josh."

"No it doesn't, and perhaps you can discuss that with her. All I can tell you is you can't leave her to wonder. You owe her, at the very least, an explanation." Sirius nodded and he took a long, deep breath. "I'm sorry about earlier, I just had to get out of there." Dumbledore's mouth twitched but he took it in stride. He would have to sacrifice his pride for just this one time.

"I understand, Sirius."

* * *

In her room Angie sat in a cloud of smoke drinking her troubles away. She had long since given up on tears comforting her. There was a knock on the door. She had no intention of answering it, then the knocker spoke.

"Angela? It's Holly." Angie closed her eyes. Why had her sister come today of all days? She was about to get her answer. She put out her cigarette and opened a window in an attempt to get rid of some of the smoke. She unbolted her door and came face to face with her sister. She hadn't seen Holly in person for over sixteen years though she had had some contact with her.

Holly was struck by Angie's disheveled appearance. Her eyes had dark circles around them and she looked so much older than she remembered. "What are you doing here?" Angie snapped.

Holly was caught up in Angie's appearance. "I.I thought that maybe you might want someone to talk to. You know what today is."

Halloween.

Angie suddenly paled. She had barely realized what the day was. How ironic that Sirius should reenter her life on that day. That cursed, wretched, dark day! So many things had happened on this damned day.

"I don't have anything to talk about." Now, more than ever, she wanted to be alone.

"I thought maybe we could go to the cemetery together. You probably haven't been there since you left for the United States." Angie considered this for a moment. New painful memories came back to her. Her mother and father being murdered. Her older sister. What had she done to deserve this punishment?

"OK," She said heavily. She retreated into her room and took a cloak and they set out towards the Hogsmeade cemetery, each one respectfully silent.

~*~

It was dark and gloomy in the cemetery and each sister was glad to have the other one with them. Not a word was spoken but they stood over their loved ones graves for many minutes reflecting on days long ago.

It weighed heavily on Angie's heart to be back here where her parents and others lay. She was startled to realize she had nearly forgotten about them all those years away.

* * *

Dumbledore watched with satisfaction as one of his summons reached Hermione shortly after the start of the meal. He was still going to allow this Sierra/Sirius meeting but he was going to make damned well sure Sirius didn't get into anymore trouble. Dumbledore's eyes flashed to Angie's empty seat. The poor girl, he didn't know what else to do for her.

"We must not have the usual charm tonight, eh Harry?" Ron asked jokingly once both Hermione and Kirsten had left the table. But Harry simply took a drink and ignored the remark. With a slight frown Ron continued eating, assuring himself Harry was just mulling over Kirsten.

Kirsten. What the hell had he been thinking in the library? His action had at least served it's original purpose of shutting Kirsten's incessant chatter. And he was pretty sure that even if Kirsten never said anything about the episode she would permanently break things off with Harry, which Ron viewed as a definite plus. The only problem was that he felt guilty for what he had done. He felt just like Brutus must have felt after he stabbed Caesar. He had done the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Oh well, there was nothing he could do now.

~*~

Hermione strode confidently into Dumbledore's office fully expecting to see a ready and waiting Sirius. She was seriously disappointed. Sirius was sitting in the midst of the clutter on the small balcony above her deep in thought. He hadn't noticed her enter and therefore didn't make his location known.

Hermione impatiently tapped her foot. "Where is he? Late as always?" Somewhat surprised Sirius looked down to see his guide. Both hands resting on the railing he spoke down to her.

"Don't jump to conclusions," She jumped and looked upward at his forced smile. She suddenly wondered if Sirius knew anything about the events that had happened this afternoon.

Professor Star disappearing. Harry being late to class and then telling them all not to leave. Then he came back with Dumbledore who dismissed the class. And, try as she might, she hadn't gotten a single word out of Harry, who sat in the common room studying or pretending to do so.

What did it all mean? Put it all together with the strange quietness and somewhat tenseness of Ron and Hermione was utterly stumped. Even Kirsten stopped her annoying chatter. It was as if they had all been to a funeral.

"What's the bloody idea dragging me away from the feast and startling me?" Hermione demanded. Sirius grinned.

"It wasn't my idea, blame Dumbledore. He absolutely insisted I have someone to play the seeing eye dog."

"I resent that." Hermione said indignantly.

"Come now, we mustn't keep Sierra waiting."

"Oh no. She can wait 'til kingdom come, you're going to tell me everything that's going on, everything you know that I don't. Sierra has been writing to you for the past two weeks trying to get information out of you. You're going to tell me what that's about and I have the sneaking suspicion that you had something to do the disappearance of my Professor and Harry today. You're going to tell me everything and you're going to start by coming down here so I don't have to crane my neck!"

An amused smile played on his lips. "It's like that, is it?" He asked, casually descending the half a dozen stairs.

"Yes. Now, start talking, obviously you know something or you wouldn't have that annoying smirk on your face."

"My dear girl," Sirius said, in what might be called an annoying voice, "Did you ever consider that this information might not be for your ears?"

"Oh stop it and tell me something I don't know." She demanded.

"Oh fine! Ron and Kirsten had a make-out session in the library today!"

"WHAT!?!?" Hermione shrieked. "You are SO joking!"

"Joke? Me? Never, it's the exact opposite of my name!" Hermione gave him a death glare. "Honestly Hermione. I swear to you Harry told me this very afternoon."

"AHA! That brings me to another point. You saw Harry this afternoon, you must know what was going on with Harry and Dumbledore and Professor Star." Sirius's mouth twitched involuntarily at the mention of Angie.

"I suppose I played the part of an extra in that play." He said casually casting his glance around the room. Hermione didn't buy it.

"Nothing doing, Sirius. You know what happened."

"All I can say Hermione is that I was there, I know physically what happened but I am so confused I couldn't be much help for information. You're going to have to let me talk to your mother and sort out my thoughts first." Hermione pursed her lips. She suspected there was both some truth in that and some avoidance.

"Fine, I'll let that one slide until later. in the mean time I'll pump Harry for information. What about my mother? I know it concerns that ring you always have. I was at the house when that conversation began so you might as well explain to me."

"I have my own reasons for not wanting to discuss that with you. Look, I can't explain but it's better if you don't know about that just yet." She opened her mouth to argue. She wasn't about to walk away with no information at all but he firmly silenced. "Not right now Hermione. Let's go to Sierra's before she starts worrying."

Sirius bent over to pick up the invisibility cloak and felt something poke him in the side. Reaching in his robes he pulled out, to his dismay, Angie's and Harry's wands. He must have stormed out with them not realizing it.

Hermione looked at him with a frown. "Is that Harry's?" She asked pointing to one of the wands.

"Oops," Sirius shrugged. "Listen, once you drop me off at Sierra's would you be so thoughtful as to return Harry his wand and set this one-" There was a brief moment of hesitation. "--on Professor Star's desk. Don't let on that you know how it was returned either."

"Oh no! I refuse to do so until you give me some sort of explanation!"

"OK, I had a run in with her today."

"That hardly explains anything!" Hermione shouted.

"True, but that's what you're going to have to take." And he annoyingly disappeared under the invisibility cloak.

"You owe me SO much," Hermione grumbled walking towards the door.

"I told you about Ron and Kirsten."

"That's true." Hermione replied; she had almost forgotten.

~*~

Sierra nervously paced in her chamber several stories above the Halloween festivities. She was silently contemplating whether Sirius had led her on or if he would show up. Suddenly a knock turned her blood to ice in her veins. Was he standing outside her door now-in the plain sight?

Rushing to the door she was utterly surprised to see Hermione standing alone. "Good evening," Hermione said stiffly. She was rather put off from just being told to keep her nose out of things. Besides that, they had to put an act on just in case someone would overhear.

"Hermione, listen, I'd love to chat, but I've got some things to do. Wouldn't you rather be at the feast anyway?" Sierra asked in a somewhat distracted manner. What she didn't realize was that Sirius had quietly slipped past Sierra in the doorway and now was casually seated at the table.

With a glance over Sierra's shoulder Hermione mumbled a "See you later," and departed. Sierra shut the door, turned around and let a cry escape from her lips. Her eyes fell to the cloak laying in soft folds on the table and she relaxed, seating herself opposite him.

"Well, Sirius," Sierra said. She wasn't quite sure how to start a conversation with a man she thought was a murderer. "It's been.a long time."

"That is true," He confirmed. Sirius let her stutter around with pleasantries and the like for a few moments longer before cutting to the point.

"Sierra, I know you're bursting with questions-your letters indicated as much-so why don't you just ask and get it over with. Come on, lay it on me."

Before she could sort out her thoughts the first thing that came to her mind flew from her mouth. "Why do you still have your wedding ring?"

"And what, exactly, was I supposed to do with the ring?" Sirius asked; taking out the object in question and studying it. Sierra silently cursed him for answering with a question.

"Angie didn't want it back?" She prompted.

"She never asked." Sierra was quite annoyed at his shortness. At any rate, she had had the sufficient amount of time to neatly arrange her thoughts.

"Never mind that, for the moment. First, explain to me just exactly how you managed to get arrested in the span of.what was it?... twelve hours? Less perhaps.?" Sirius was prepared for the question and was surprised at hour willingly his mind traveled back sixteen years ago. He reentered a world he had tried to keep in his past.

~*~

The wedding, the kiss, midnight. laughter and conversation had followed for nearly an hour. Dumbledore busted out a bottle of champagne he kept on hand for one reason or another. In good spirits he remembered descending the stairs and emerging under the stars.

His arm had rested protectively around Angie's waist as they watched Sierra make her way to the village somewhere during the hour of 1:00 to 2:00AM. Suddenly Sirius scooped her up and set her on his motorcycle, relishing in the sound of her bell-like laughter.

For a long time he studied her face and grinned as she blushed and looked shyly down. "What is it?" She asked, her eyes dancing. He shook his head and gave her a smile as intimate as a kiss. Angie felt her heart skip a beat.

"I love you," He said, knowing no other words could come as close to what he was feeling. They shared a tender kiss before being interrupted by an overbalance on the motorcycle. Each of Sirius's strong arms steadied something as they both laughed.

~*~

Horrible blood curdling screams punctuated the dead quiet. The sounds of death set his heart racing with fear. Blackness all around was swallowing him up.

Sirius's eyes flew open; his chest was rising and falling rapidly, somewhat disrupting Angie from her state of semi-consciousness. Vaguely familiar surroundings and the gently beating of Angie's heart calmed him.

He still couldn't shake that feeling. It was a feeling of raw animal fear that had somehow even penetrated his heart. Immediately his mind raced to headlines about death eaters and He-who-must-not-be-named. Panic started to take a hold of him as his mind stopped on Lily, James, and Harry.

Peter.

He was supposed to have gone to check on Peter last night. Now Sirius really was panicking as a series of horrible visions crossed his mind. It was like re-living his dream.

Slowly, Angie moved so she could see her new husband. She had felt him suddenly stiffen and had been brought out of near sleep. If there was one thing that could have distracted Sirius at that moment-and Angie did just that.

A relatively short interval later Angie rested her head on his shoulder. "Sirius?" She asked softly. "What am I going to tell Josh?" Sirius found that he could only reply by laughing.

~*~

"Early that morning Angie and I split up. We agreed to meet at The Leaky Cauldron around eight or nine. I can't remember any more," Sirius said looking upwards, as if trying to see into some stored away file folder of his mind.

"Hold it. I already have a problem with this story. Why, for all the gold in King Tut's tomb, would you split up, hours after you were married?" Sirius proceeded to explain the dream/vision to Sierra, his missed appointment with Pettigrew (and also the fact that Angie needed to go and collect her daughter).

"You might as well skipped the whole vision because you're talking before the sun had risen. Don't forget I left you two around two in the morning. There wasn't an ice cubes chance in hell that you two were sleeping," Sierra said with a grin. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Call it a break then, like an interglacial period or something, but I'm speaking the truth."

"OK, so, we established you did things that all newly weds do, except have freaky visions on their honeymoons, and then split up because of previous obligations/business that needed to be sorted out before you're rendezvous at, let's say eight-thirty. That still doesn't explain to me how you got arrested."

* * *

All alone in the dark, Angie was visited by dark thoughts. Sixteen years ago she had married that traitorous, unspeakable man. Guilt flooded her body. How could she have missed something like that? They had been so close, how did she not even suspect? How could HE do such a thing? His reasons for leaving that morning seemed so innocent, so logical.

Then again, he had acted with unusual urgency. But why, why, why, why, WHY, would he marry her the night of the murders, the time when he was supposed to show his true colors? If he suspected she would provide an alibi he was seriously mistaken. She closed her eyes and reentered her past.

~*~

She was drifting into partial consciousness when Sirius tightened underneath her. She smiled and let out a long sigh. Her mind asked the question: We're married, what next? The next part seemed to bring her to an interesting train of thought that involved herself stuttering to explain to Josh. The muscles in Sirius's body stiffened again and Angie lifted her head and smiled.

A relatively short interval later the next part seemed to lay heavily on her mind. "Sirius?" She asked softly. "What am I going to tell Josh?" Sirius found that he could only reply by laughing.

"When were you supposed to leave?" He finally was able to ask.

"Ten, I think."

"You've got plenty of time before that. When does Josh usually wake up?" He asked, gently running his fingers through her hair.

"Early; seven, if we're lucky."

"You've still got time before that. Dawn isn't far off." Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of watching the sunrise with her newly beloved. Unconsciously he stiffened again as he thought of Pettigrew.

"Something wrong?" She asked sweetly. Sirius sighed, reluctant to tell her that he needed to check on some things. That would mean he'd have to leave. he almost missed her already.

"I just realized I was supposed to go and check on--" He stopped realizing that she didn't know about the switch. Did he tell her? How long would that take? A brief wave of fear swept over him as he recalled that horrible scream from his dream. He suddenly knew he had to leave. He could explain later, something might be terribly wrong. He sat up, alarming Angie.

"Check on who? What's going on?" She asked, extremely concerned.

"James. I just had this, this vision."

"Vision?" She asked sharply. Realizing he was frightening her, he gave her a kiss.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing." She gave him a weak smile.

"You should go then," She said painfully. He looked toward the window, hesitating.

"I don't want to leave you." She couldn't help it, she smiled.

"If I hurry, I can get Kirsten, and some of my stuff before I have to confront Josh." She shuddered. He took her hand and kissed it. Even in the gray of the morning, her hair in about six million directions, her eyes surrounded by dark circles, she was still beautiful.

"I could go with you," Sirius said.

"No, I think I better do it myself. Sirius, you had better hurry," She said, getting him out of bed. Another moment of hesitation, and then he was dressing. "What time were you supposed to be there?"

"Just sometime last night. you know, before I went into hiding." He was only partially lying to her. He had planned to go into hiding to bluff. Everyone would assume he was the secret-keeper anyway. He had, however, planned to go and check on Pettigrew. Thinking of it, he quickened his pace.

"I'm so sorry," He said, catching sight of her again.

"I've got to go anyway. Look we'll meet up in a couple of hours, OK?"

"Leaky Cauldron?"

"No later than nine." He kissed her again. Resistance coursing through him. He was probably just overreacting.

"Are you sure you'll be OK?" He asked again.

"I'll be fine. You be careful."

"No later than nine," He repeated, not moving. She nodded. "So, I'll see you later.?" She hesitated, she knew she had the power to keep him. All she had to do was say it and he would stay. but what if something was happening...? She had to get Kirsten anyway.

Besides, what was a few hours when they had years ahead of them? "Go," She finally said, firmly.

"We're going to be OK. Everything will work out. Don't get discouraged. You, me, and Kirsten are going to be happy together. I promise."

"I know."

One last kiss.

"I love you," Sirius said.

"Forever," She finished. His hand left hers and she watched the door the close. Outside, she heard the motorcycle roar to life, and it got fainter, and fainter.gone.

* * *

"With the understanding that we would see each other at the Leaky Cauldron, I left." Sirius look on a far away voice and seemed to forget to whom he was talking. "That was the last time I ever saw her until this afternoon."

"This afternoon?" Sierra shrieked, and then quickly calmed down. "Oh, you mean you were invisible."

"No," Sirius replied, realizing he'd slipped up, but he'd known he'd have to explain it anyway. "I'd say we were pretty close, considering she kneed my in the balls."

"WHAT!?!?" Sierra cried with so much emotion she nearly leapt from her chair. Calmly, Sirius sighed, realizing he was going to have to carefully explain this story from the beginning before he'd get through the one already in progress.

Smoothly, he skimmed over some of the other things. "I left Paris earlier than I had anticipated this morning. Not really knowing what to do, I found myself in the castle around lunchtime. Conveniently Harry was late to class, inconveniently he was off in his own world and I had to throw the idiot into the classroom. He created such a noise Angie apparently heard it and interrupted our conversation. We were in the empty classroom next to hers, by the way."

"So what happened?" Sierra asked, unconsciously she had leaned forward in her chair.

Sirius scowled not eager to discuss HER again. "She started in with that mass murder crap. Yelling at me about being traitorous to James!"

"You can hardly blame her," Sierra said. Sirius scowled.

"Well she certainly didn't act like I was a murderer. The woman had the nerve to imply I was jealous about her marriage to Josh and she used her physical abilities to inflict a good amount of pain." Sierra did all she could to stop herself from smiling.

"You knew she was married.?"

"Yeah, when did she get a divorce? I don't think she liked it when I called her Mrs. Thompson."

"I bet not. I'm not really sure, I know it was a good many years ago. She went away to America and no one could get through to her. Letters, visits- she wouldn't accept them. No one was in contact with her for years. I wrote her every year, at least once, though I never got a reply. I think the time she responded she was already divorced. No one really knows her story, she just left us. And get that cool look of indifference, I know better!" She snapped causing him to scowl again.

"You THINK you know better. But right now the only thing that's keeping me- well, never mind, I was telling a story."

"I assume you'll get back to today in this story, I still want to know about that."

"Yes, yes, I'm going to tell you everything if you'd just shut up. Where was I? Oh yes, so, I left Angie. When I got to Peter's and he wasn't there. There was no sign of a struggle or anything indicating that anyone had come.Somehow I just knew the worst had come.

"I can't even begin to describe the house. The first light saw me helplessly trudging through the smoldering debris. I." He cleared his throat loudly, and tried to blink away the moisture in his eyes. He was somewhat frustrated that after sixteen years of reliving it, he still couldn't conquer his emotions. "I picked up Harry. He. He was cut and he was crying, but otherwise, he seemed to be OK. He seemed to be in the middle of the wreckage.like everything had exploded outward from around him. Lily.Lily." He had to stop again and actually wipe his eyes this time.

Sierra could feel the emotion in the room and despite herself a tear actually leaked from her eyes. She was breaking a rule of hers and letting her emotion get in the way. This was her friend, and she was hearing the real story for the first time.

Sirius dropped his line of conversation and continued with another. "I knew exactly what had happened. I argued with Hagrid but he said it was Dumbledore's orders. By that time my mind was hell bent on something else." Sierra now heard his voice change and his eyes blaze. She felt her breath catch in her chest. She knew what was coming next.

"It took me a good long time to find The Rat. I started in Knockturn Alley, I used every tactic I could stopping just short of murder to get information. By that time I had heard the beginnings of rumors among the shadier of the group. I tracked him down through the Knight Bus and wound up in a muggle town. It wasn't too huge and I spotted him down the main street.

"He was no fool. The bastard knew he could distract me with conversation since he rightly guessed I was still in shock and half didn't want to believe his treachery. We argued and all the while he was setting me up. The rat bastard started yelling about me murdering them. He set me up! I had my wand out I was just about to blow the fucking asshole to hell but he got the better of me. I guess you know that story." Sirius said, looking down, somewhat embarrassed he had talked with such emotion.

Sierra took a moment to compose herself before speaking. "OK, I understand how you came to be arrested and I've heard the story of your escape, let's hear about Angie. I want to know why you still have that ring."

Sirius blew out a long breath. He took both rings and set them on the table in between them and just stared at them preparing himself for the next phase of this story.

"You have them both? Angie didn't want her father's ring back?" Sierra asked feeling Sirius needed something to start on.

"I told you I never saw Angie until today."

"Then how did you get her ring? Did she send it to you with the divorce papers?"

"I got her ring today; and 'the' divorce papers? If you've seen them I'd sure as hell like to know who signed them because I never saw any."

"Stop. First of all, how did you get this ring back today? She just had it with her? And secondly, what the hell do you mean, there were no divorce papers?"

"First of all she was wearing it on her finger and secondly there were no damned divorce papers I never heard a word from that woman and the next thing I hear she's off and married Thompson!"

"Too much too fast! She was wearing it? On her FINGER? And wait a minute what are you telling me? You're still married? That's not possible. is it?"

"I'm sure you can imagine my shock when I walk in and see my glittering ring on her left ring finger. And I'm just as confused as you are as to how exactly all that about being married to me and then to Josh worked out."

"Well, technically there was no one from the court, no official documentation, it wasn't like you two had a marriage license or anything."

"Hold it right there! That's not the issue we're discussing! I don't give a hoot how official it was, we were married. We swore to love each other until the day we died and what did she do? Married another man!"

Sierra wondered if his angry was because he still had feelings for her or if it was due to the fact that she flat out denied anything had ever happened. That was a rather curious situation.

"Tell me about today," She commanded and Sirius gladly obliged. By the end of their conversation Sierra had decided that there was definitely something there but his anger about the whole situation was genuine and it would take a lot to make it go away, and rightly so. Angie had done her share to piss him off. "You've got a real situation on your hands. You've got to talk to her Sirius. You can't let her hang like this, she's got to know what's going on before she gains her courage back."

"Damn it, and I know it. But, do you think I want to talk to her? No, I want to stay away from her; we're through!"

* * *

Angie's hope of drowning out dreams and plaguing visions in the night with intoxication sadly failed. She managed to sleep a troubled sleep and didn't wake up until quite late. She found herself fallen across her table, full ashtrays and empty bottles around her.

She stood up and her head screamed, her knees buckled and she swayed. Steadying herself on the table she stumbled into the bathroom and became violently sick. After swallowing two pills she decided she had better get a grip or she'd be late for class.

Head still screaming, senses somewhat disoriented she searched for her wand and remembered how she had lost it. Cursing mentally-for if she spoke out loud she thought her head would explode-she made her way out into the hallway and thankfully into Remus's waiting arms. He had just been on his way to check on her, since no one had seen anything of her since last afternoon.

She obviously didn't look her best and smelled heavily of cigarette smoke and alcohol. He couldn't let her go to class in this condition. "Angie," He said softly. "I think you should have a hot bath and some coffee before going to class."

Without the will to protest she found herself doing these things. Remus promised to handle her class if she couldn't make it in twenty minutes. After she had refreshed herself she felt much better and extremely embarrassed. Glancing at the table she shuddered, wondering if Remus had seen that deplorable mess. Gathering her things she rushed to class only a few minutes tardy.

Remus had already explained she would be a few minutes late and gone off to his own class. She found they had been relatively less destructive as usual mostly owing to the early hour of the morning.

She tried to look chipper and happy, though she knew she wasn't fooling Kirsten's worried face. Through her somewhat distracted mind she managed to note that Hermione sat quite far away from the other three that morning.

She was about to begin when she looked down at her desk and her breath momentarily stopped. There sat her wand-and Harry's-as innocent as a paperweight. She glanced around, nothing was out of order or seemed to have been touched at all. There was no note, just her wand. She picked it up with tingling fingers. It gave her somewhat of an eerie sensation.

"Mr. Potter here is your wand back," She said softly, still staring at her own. Her eyes slowly scanned Harry as he walked up to her desk and took his own wand. He, in turn, was watching her anxious to see what she was like the day after such interesting events. Slowly, and somewhat reluctantly, he turned around and went back to his seat.

* * *

Lunch was something of an adventure for all Harry, Ron, Hermione and Kirsten. Ron and Kirsten were avoiding eye contact at all costs which totally freaked Hermione out and Harry couldn't help but glare at the two of them.

"Harry, I'm not really hungry. Would you like to take a walk?" Hermione asked hoping he'd take the hint.

"Sure," Harry agreed throwing his fork down. Without so much as a word they left the table.

"Harry, I know what's going on," Hermione said as soon as they reached the entrance hall.

"What?" Harry asked, stopping. "Then why didn't you tell me?" He demanded.

"I just found out last night from Snuffles!" Hermione said defensively.

"Oh," Harry said, feeling somewhat stupid for getting so angry. "So." Harry said awkwardly. "How long do you think that's been going on?"

"It couldn't be long," Hermione said, at least hoping she was right. Harry didn't say anything.

"Why?" He finally prompted.

"Whoa, you're asking the wrong person," Hermione said. "I am here to offer support, sympathy and friendship, maybe even advice, but certainly not answers or pointless speculation."

"What do you propose I do about this then?"

"Well, you've got to confront them. This is just crazy, we've got to know what's going on." Harry nodded in agreement. "But Harry, don't wait too long. You know you'll just dwell on it and this is going to affect your concentration in everything."

"I just don't understand."

* * *

After Angie's last class ended she sat down in a state of exhaustion. It had been almost as trying a day as yesterday. Thankfully, she had been so busy that her mind hadn't had the time to slip back into it's confused state over recent events.

She was just wondering if a small sip of brandy would help calm her when Remus cautiously entered. The smile she gave him was genuine, glad to see him. With his appearance she might gain back something of a normal day.

~*~

Sirius waited until he knew classes were over for the day. He convinced himself one last time that it was absolutely necessary he go and set things straight with Angie. Besides, though he'd never admit it, he was driven by some curiosity and desperately wanted some answers.

With the help of Hermione he had managed to get a hold of the invisibility cloak and the marauder's map. He felt somewhat guilty, he really was going to have to get another invisibility cloak, for Harry's sake.

He was about to politely knock on Angie's office door when he heard voices from within and unintentionally began listening through the slightly open door.

Remus and Angie were laughing. He had perched himself comfortably on her desk. "Ron, I believe, was trying to insult Draco Malfoy in German, but he got his words and languages confused and ended up calling him a half-peeled banana. Who knows, that may have been his original intent; Kirsten and Hermione found it rather funny. Draco demanded to know what had been said." Angie was animatedly telling Remus of her classes.

"What languages have they studied? Romance languages." There seemed to be a hidden meaning in that, that Sirius did not like.

"Oh yes, though somehow they manage to insult each other in those languages too. I can't imagine where they pick up this profanity." Remus was barely listening to her and seemed intent on other things. He removed the glass from her hand and placed her arms around his neck.

"You know, when Ron discovered I was taking you out to Hogsmeade he once teased me about you whispering French sweet nothings in my ear. I was sadly disappointed that this has never happened."

"That way, you were able to deny this accusation truthfully," She said with an amused smile. "However, I suppose since he's already accused us."

"Oh hell," Remus said. "Skip that and come here!" He pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers.

Sirius felt a new rush of anger wash over him. He wasn't exactly sure why, but the fact that Angie was kissing another man, not even getting to the fact that it was Remus, severely pissed him off.

His first thought was of bursting in, but on a second look he decidedly turned the other way and stalked off. Clearly, this was not what one might call a 'good time'.

* * *

Hermione was talking with a few Ravenclaws after dinner about their potions essays when she suddenly remembered that Harry might need someone to talk to. Glancing around and not seeing Harry, Ron, or Kirsten she immediately broke off and rushed up to the common room. She was a trifle late however and came in at the tale in of a shocking display of emotion.

She had stopped abruptly in the portrait hole upon hearing the shouts, the tears and seeing Ron stomping up to the dormitories. Harry turned his red face from Ron's retreating form to Kirsten who already was crying. "And I'm through with you and you're excuses!" He shouted sending her to run past Hermione and out into the hallways.

Harry flung himself down in the armchair and ever so slowly normal conversation began to pick up again. Hermione swore as she realized she'd missed the action and immediately went over to Harry.

"What happened?" She demanded. Harry shook his head. "OK, fair enough. Promise me you'll talk later."

"Maybe," That was as far as they were allowed to carry a conversation before Lavendar and Parvati timidly approached.

"Harry, we just wanted to let you know that we fully support you. It was wrong what they did and we'll be sure to let them know it!" With that statement the two girls retreated and Hermione stared open-mouthed after them.

* * *

Remus escorted Angie back to her room. She did not invite him in and so, he went off in search of Holly Mischel. He knew he should have felt guilty seeking out his (quote/unquote) "girlfriend's" sister, but he and Holly went way back. They had seen each other off an on for over sixteen years. Every so often she'd show up somewhere or he'd show up at her apartment. It was like someone to fall back on, and they both enjoyed the companionship.

He really knew better than to seek her out.but, there was just something about Angie. He had first kissed her as a sort of comfort, and that's about all he felt for Angie, sympathy. He was just there to make her feel better, and he was happy with that. But there was something lacking about it all the same. Angie wasn't ready to give her whole self to him. Perhaps this is why he had high hopes for finding Holly that evening.

He ran into her apparently on her way out. "I apologize Remus," She said to him. "But I've done my duty. I went and visited the cemetery with Angie and I just want to get away from here for a little while."

"I understand. I just thought we mind enjoy a pleasant conversation before you left." She smiled at him. He was very thoughtful. Remus had been a wonderful friend through the years. Never changing. She supposed, deep down in there somewhere, she had some real emotion for him.

"How about I'll owl you and we'll meet in Hogsmeade sometime. I really am sorry, but I've got to get back to work." Ever the gentleman, he took her hand and pressed it to his lips and sent her on his way.

Fortunately this little episode had distracted him from Angie long enough for her to sneak outside to sort out her thoughts, if that were possible. But returning to his office he suddenly remembered he wanted to ask her to translate something for him so that he might use it in an upcoming lesson.

* * *

Angela wandered down to the lake shore that night. It was pitch black and rather chilly outside but she didn't seem to notice. She was smoking a cigarette, aside from carrying the possibility of getting her fired, it took off the edge of the cold. However, he surroundings were the farthest thing from her mind.

She was so utterly confused and scared. She felt terribly alone; not that this was a new feeling for her. She stared at the peaceful waters and once again debated what her next plan of action should be.

By now she should have acted at least one of two ways. Either she notified the ministry or the IAA or some sort of police unit, or she gathered up Harry and stormed into Dumbledore's office demanding answers and explanations. Neither of which she had done, and neither of which was she eager to accomplish.

As the same answerless questions bore down on her brain just the man to answer such questions appeared.

"Stay away from me or I'll scream!" Angie threatened whipping out her wand. Sirius immediately held up his hands, cursing himself for not taking to time to better assess the situation.

"I'm not going to hurt you," He said calmly. "Why else would I give you back your wand?" She glanced at it, remembering how eerie it was that she should find it returned to her desk.

"Because you're a lunatic. Who the hell knows how your mind works!" She snapped. Sirius had to admit to himself that it was a rather difficult thing to prove he was completely sane when he had gone off to Azkaban laughing.

"Please, I've come here to explain to you what has been going on," Sirius had to use a good deal of self control. He was slowly learning that as more and more he found himself begging people. How cursedly degrading!

"You don't have to explain anything. I have all the information I need to know. You betrayed Lily and James, you betrayed Peter, you betrayed us all! And heavens knows why you're here now but I'm here to send you back where you came from," Angie said, surprised at her own confidence in this situation. She was not quite sure what she would do with her wand when the time came to use it.

"Please Angie, don't look at me like that, like you're in pain." He said softly, not entirely realizing he was speaking out loud.

"But I am in pain!" She screamed, tears flowing. She cursed herself for crying, over him! "I look at you and I realize I don't know you. I realize that I never knew you! You are someone who would murder his friends!"

Courageously, Sirius took a step towards her and firmly placed his hands on her shoulders. She was not looking at him, desperately trying to control her tears and emotions. He spoke in a low, hoarse voice, wrought with emotion. That tone had only come to her ears once before, on that Halloween night so many years ago.

"Angie, would I do that.to Lily. and to James?" He asked slowly. She forced herself to look at him, and was taken aback with his wet eyes. Emotion choked her and she didn't answer. For some time, they searched the infinite depths of each others eyes.

"I don't know who you are," She finally said, a note of even finality in her voice. With a horrible twang of her heart, a tear leaked from his eye, and he swallowed hard. Dropping his hands and his head he slowly started to walk away leaving Angie to cry.

"Angela?" Remus called from the near darkness. "Angie, I've been looking all over for you. What has happened?" He asked hugging her to comfort her.

"Remus?" Sirius asked, the name escaping his lips. He was somewhat surprised at his sudden entrance.

"Sirius!" Remus exclaimed. "What the devil are you doing here? I've missed something." He still had a protective arm around Angie.

"And I've missed something here," Sirius replied pointing at the two of them.

"What's going on? Since when are you two on a first name basis?" Angie cried, interrupting the men.

"She's not been explained to yet?" Remus asked, unconcealed shock in his voice.

"Do you think that would do any good. She'd never believe me." Sirius was quite convinced of that fact now.

"I believe you," Remus said.

"You SAW him," Sirius said, somewhat annoyed at his suddenly casual attitude.

"True," Remus admitted.

"Oh my God!" Angie shouted, freeing herself from Remus's annoying grasp. "Somebody start talking and fast!"

"Would you believe me if I told I'm innocent?" Sirius asked Angie.

A series of responses flew through her mind but Angie decided a flat "No." did the job the best.

"See!" Sirius cried directing this somewhat juvenile statement at Remus.

"No, no, you're going about this all wrong," Remus scolded.

"Oh, and I suppose you're going to advise me to start from the beginning and end with an exciting conclusion by pulling the rat out," Sirius said, rather sarcastically.

"Yes, actually," Remus replied mildly.

"That's just great!" Sirius continued in his sarcastic mood. "And where am I supposed to find Wormtail? Up my ass?" Even though he was being quite serious, Remus cracked a grin.

"Have you looked there yet?" Remus asked. Sirius was about to reply with a shout but Angie was getting rather heatedly annoyed by this point.

"What are you talking about?" She demanded. "Peter's dead!! Or haven't you noticed?" She snapped; her husband and her boyfriend were really starting to piss her off.

"Oh, gee, Remus, how did we miss THAT?" Sirius said with ineffable sarcasm.

"What's with the sarcasm?" Angie snapped.

"You try spending thirteen years in Azkaban and then you try telling me you're not sarcastic," Came his smooth reply. Though really, his mood was due mostly in part to Remus and the indescribable anger he had experienced earlier at seeing the two of them together.

"Sarcastic or not I'm going to scream in about thirty seconds!" Her tone of voice left no room for arguing.

"Sirius, you had better start from the beginning," Remus said, placing his arms around her shoulder. "For her sake."

"Get your hands off her," Sirius said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, for once he's right," Angie agreed removing herself from Remus, again.

"What is your problem?" Remus demanded. Both Sirius and Angie started to speak at once, then stopped and glared at each other.

"Oh please, go right ahead," She said sarcastically, gesturing for him to go first.

"This isn't the best time to be pissing me off, Moony," Sirius began. And Remus' annoying behavior lately had certainly been pissing Sirius off.

"That's your lame reason-" Angie began caustically.

"Fine!" Sirius interrupted loudly. "I'm incredibly jealous, knock it off!" Angie wasn't quite sure if he was being sarcastic or not. At any rate, Sirius shocked himself with such honesty. "Now. What is your reason? You don't just shrug a guy off, especially not a marauder like Remus."

"You just told him to remove himself!" Angie cried exasperatedly. Sirius raised his eyebrows, challenging her to answer. "You were about to tell me something?" Angie asked, pursing her lips.

Sirius crossed his arms and after a brief pause he began talking seemingly to Remus. "How the hell do you start this conversation? Anything thing I think of is incredibly dumb or unbelievable."

"The point." Angie snapped.

"The point is I was not the one working for You-Know-Who. I wasn't the one who sold Lily and James to the Dark Lord, ignoring everything he ever knew of his friends. I wasn't the one who blasted half a street apart and murdered innocent people. I wasn't the one who cut off his finger and escaped down the sewers as a rat!!" Sirius spat, his anger rapidly rising as the monologue wore on.

"What are you saying?" Angie asked. It seemed an appropriate question.

"Peter Pettigrew is alive! He tricked Lily and James, and me."

"No," Angie gasped, slowly taking a few steps backward. "NO! I don't believe you! It's not possible!"

"I told you she wouldn't believe me," Sirius mumbled.

"There's just one problem with your story," Angie shouted. "You were the GOD DAMN SECRET-KEEPER!"

"NO!" Sirius shouted back, annoyed to hear a note of desperation in his voice. "That's just it. I convinced Lily and James to go with Peter because no one would ever suspect that it wasn't me." He trailed off at the end noting her skeptical look and the weak sounding statement. "Ask Harry, or Hermione, or ANY of the Weasleys. or Dumbledore. You would believe Dumbledore.wouldn't you?"

Angie crossed her arms defiantly and took a step forward. "You're so full of shit it's not even worth sympathy," She spat in his face.

"Then who would you believe?" Sirius wasn't exactly sure what he had hoped to accomplish with this question but he was determined to keep her from yelling.

With a rather sarcastic voice she replied in a way that was almost challenging. "Severus Snape."

~*~

"Of course!" Remus and Sirius both cried. Angie gave the two of them a bewildered look.

"This is like a nightmare," Sirius muttered. "Depending on Snape."

"It is rather ironic." Remus admitted. The two of them had each taken a hold of an arm belonging to Angie and had begun to propel the slightly shocked woman towards the castle.

"We need a diversion," Sirius said scanning the face of the castle.

"Fourth from the left, second floor," Remus said automatically.

"Wand," Sirius commanded and Remus obeyed, much to the horror of Angie. "Let's see if I can still do this." Sirius said, aiming and muttering a few words. In a moment a small explosion could be heard from the open window on the second floor. They hid in the shadows for a few moments to ensure that those patrolling the hallways had time to reach the classroom before starting up the front steps.

Just as they reached the doors however, they began to open. In an instant Sirius was replaced by a huge dog. Fortunately, Hermione was on the other side of those doors. "Sirius, you idiot," She remarked as he changed back into himself. This was quite a shock to Angie. "I had a feeling."

"Shut up Hermione, and let us in!" Sirius snapped. "And what are you doing here?"

"It's part of my job to help patrol the hallways. I had a feeling something was up other than that explosion on the second floor. Professor Flitwick won't be pleased in the morning." She stood back and let them in. "What are you doing here? And with company?" She demanded as she found herself holding the door for two of her professors as well as the fugitive.

"We're going to pay Snape a visit," Sirius replied shortly.

"Of course, Snape-SNAPE?"

"Hermione! You're going to get us caught."

"Oh, all right then, I'd better go do some distracting. You owe me major explanations by the way!" She called as they were disappearing in opposite directions.

Remus led the way to Snape's quarters and Angie found she really had no choice but to go along. It was a rather strange predicament. Sirius's gentle knocking gradually increased to pounding before a rather bedraggled Snape answered the door.

He blinked several times. It was not every night that he was awoken by two ex-marauders and the next best thing to one. "What the hell is?" He finally asked. "The circus?"

"Yes, and you are the main attraction," Sirius replied missing the sarcasm and the humor. "If you want to make this as quick and painless as possible answer me briefly and honestly,"

"Is this some kind of a joke?" He demanded.

"I didn't feel the standard 111 was appropriate on her. You've got to help us out." Remus put in.

"And I suppose this is all your fault," Snape said, again returning to Sirius.

"That's not the point."

"Of course it is. I need someone to blame for lack of sleep! But anyway," Snape said, looking Angie straight in the eyes. "Whatever they've been telling you about Black being stabbed in the back and a rat missing a finger is true. He is innocent, at least of murder, and being in the service to the Dark Lord, and I ought to know.

"Now stay the hell away from me!" He shouted slamming his door shut and muttering about nightmares.

~*~

Angie just stood blinking for several minutes. Sirius and Remus just stared at her waiting for some sort of a response. Sirius could see--or hoped he could--everything coming together in her mind. It was like a light-bulb had been turned on.

After several moments of rational thought, and many more irrational thought she looked up and realized they were waiting for a reaction. "I hope you'll forgive me for an pain I may have caused you yesterday," She said quietly, not looking Sirius in the eye.

Sirius had to bite his tongue from smiling. An overwhelming sense of relief flooded him. There was another successful convincing. It was also rather odd that these were her first words.

"I suppose I am over it," He admitted. Remus narrowed his eyes.

"What happened yesterday?"

"You tell him," Sirius said.

"No, you tell him," Angie said with a sigh.

"Let's go back to the teacher's lounge and have a cup of coffee. We're still a long way from having it all explained." Remus suggested. And though it was late, none of them were in a position to decline.

* * *

Ron noted with amusement that both Professor Star and Professor Lupin seemed unusually tired on November second. Coincidence? Not in Ron's mind.

November third saw a cold rain and not much else.

By November fourth Ron and Kirsten had both started skipping meals and sneaking food from the kitchens. Spare time was spent in the library or in their dormitories where they could stay away from as many people as possible. They had become the most hated people in the castle.

It seemed like everyone knew what had happened. It was like the whole bloody world saw them kiss in the library and then EVERYONE heard Harry yell at them in the common room. It was the talk of the entire school.

Ron couldn't walk anywhere without a rude comment directed at him or someone pointing. He had gotten what he'd always wanted. He was famous. How bittersweet this all was.

By November the fourth Hermione had decided she had better talk to Ron to at least hear his side of the story. She was incredibly angry with him, but on the other hand Harry was a single man again. although with the mob of girls that now followed him everywhere.

She managed to catch him in the common room that night and take him aside. "Ron, I decided that I'd give you the chance to speak for yourself rather than rely on the stories of everyone else though I can't for the life of me see how you can talk your way out of this." Ron took several deep breaths, managing his anger.

"Do you think I planned for this to happen?" He asked.

"Well, I doubt you planned to get caught," Hermione said.

"Caught? This was a one time thing. Whether you believe me or not I never meant for this to turn out so wrong. I couldn't stand that girl constantly whine and complain about Harry. She is the most narcissistic person I've ever met and I don't think she deserves Harry!"

"So she deserves you, is what you're saying?" Hermione asked dryly.

"NO!" Ron said in frustration. It was extremely difficult to articulate what had driven him to kiss her on Halloween. It had all worked out so well in his mind until it was over and then he realized he'd made a terrible mistake. "Believe it or not I actually believed at the time I was doing it for you."

"Bullshit!" Hermione said, rather more loudly than she had intended. Ron shrugged.

"This is pointless," He said and entered his dorm. As much as she hated the thought Hermione couldn't help dwelling on the fact that Ron had claimed to have done this for her. Harry was single again, and Kirsten was the outcast of the school. What more could she ask for?

* * *

In the days that followed Ron was grudgingly forced to admit that Kirsten was an excellent consultant for homework. Especially questions involving Languages. Being forced together by their mutual out-casting from the school they had started studying together.

It seemed like Kirsten was the only sane and logical conversation Ron was involved in these days and that was just frightening. He'd learned a lot about her and realized she wasn't all about her looks, though that was a major part of it.

He had really felt guilty when she got a letter from her father. Kirsten had mentioned him a couple of times before. She didn't speak very highly of him.

The letter he had sent had shocked her, at first because he had actually spent time to compose a letter to his only daughter and child but as she read it, the letter shocked her by it's content and his audacity.

It was a rather nasty letter and Ron commended Kirsten for having so much courage. He could see that her eyes were a trifle damp when she finished but she had spoken with a note of steel in her voice.

A horrible feeling filled him as she handed the letter to him to read. Even her own father had become just like one of the students. It began without a greeting.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I demand to know what happened! As your father I order you to go straight to Harry Potter and do whatever it takes to get him to take you back. You screwed up Kirsten and you damn well better make it right! I don't care what it takes!! You finally did something right in your life and you screw it up just like your mother would do! Not only have you disgraced yourself but you have me. How am I supposed to call you my daughter!?"

The letter continued in the same shocking pattern. Ron looked up and offered his sympathy to her doing his best to make her feel better but she refused to admit that it had bothered her.

It had certainly bothered Ron; if not for the simple fact that this news had been in the papers and there were probably millions of people who felt the same way, then it was because he had been the cause of this nasty letter.

As events would prove Josh seemed to be in a particularly evil mood that night.

* * *

Kirsten almost immediately left the great hall after realizing that her mother wasn't present. She wanted to talk to her, though she wasn't particularly eager to talk about the subject discussed in the letter she just wanted to talk to her mother. Hopefully Angie would be someone who wasn't against her.

On another note she had been ignoring obvious signs of her mother's distress concentration more on the library incident.She hardly wanted to believe it. on the other hand, it was a grudgingly wonderful experience. She knew it was rather wrong of her to make-out with her, technically, still steady boyfriend's best friend. But what could she have done? It just happened.

She found herself standing in front of her mother's room. Cautiously she knocked, there was no initial response so Kirsten tried repeatedly. When she decided she would give up, decidedly worried about her mother, an owl swooped in through a window and flew straight into the closed door.

Kirsten rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the animal and picked it up, taking the letter it had tied to it. She immediately recognized her father's handwriting on the letter. *No wonder this bird is so stupid.* She thought throwing it back outside.

It was clearly addressed to her mother, though Kirsten couldn't think of a reason why Josh would be writing to Angie. They may try to act civilized when around her, but the last time they had met over the summer. She didn't too soon forget the hate in their voices. *What could he write to her about?* Unless it was to talk about her. She shuddered to think of that possibility.

She turned the letter over and over in her hands before deciding to see if her mother was in her office. It was worth a try. Where else could she be, unless she had purposefully ignored her knocks.

~*~

Angie seemed mentally drained. Her mind had constantly been active since November first when Sirius had suddenly walked back into her life. There was no way to escape it. It was the only thing to think about and new thoughts were driving her absolutely wild. A whole new set of 'what if's' had recently taken over.

Dragging herself out of her chair she decided that the best thing to do was to go to her room and have a cigarette to calm her and maybe a glass of vodka. It was a chilly.

Unfortunately while exiting the premises she ran headlong into her daughter. She forced a smile but it was clear Kirsten saw right through it.

Kirsten not wanting to say anything outright to her mother bit her lip in a concerned manner. "I was at your room when an owl from Dad brought you this." She handed Angie her letter, who took it from her frowning. The same question of "why?" was going through her mind as well.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Kirsten said, hoping she didn't sound overly eager. Slowly Angie did so, hoping to distract Kirsten from questions about her recent state of mind.

Angie required every ounce of energy she possessed to keep her poker face as she read that letter. She was absolutely not prepared for what lay inside no more than she was prepared for Sirius's sudden reappearance.

Kirsten's curious face asked the questions she desired to voice but there was no way she was going to tell Kirsten what was in that letter. And there was no chance in hell she would let Josh get away with it !

* * *

"What's got you irked?" Sierra asked as Sirius stomped inside Nikki's night club on November tenth. Sierra was absolutely right, he was irked. He didn't want to be there, he wasn't anxious to have a confrontation with Nikki, especially not in front of everyone. And furthermore, he had had to travel all that way for an Alliance meeting called by HER!!

"Who's irked?" Sirius shot back angrily, his tone completely contradicting a point he was hoping to make. "This, by the way, is the headquarters, so to speak."

"Impressive," Sierra said sarcastically. "You come and go as you please?" She asked, with what she hoped was tact. Sirius wasn't buying it.

"Don't talk before you know the whole story. Most of the people that work here have never seen me, including those hired for.entertainment. I'm a fugitive, or have you forgotten?" He reminded her, resenting her implication that he was involved with less than ethical activities.

"There you go again. I didn't say anything about the ENTERTAINMENT."

"You would just love a scandal like that wouldn't you? And before you even start thinking about it, nothing ever has happened, and nothing ever will happen, between me and Nicolette." Sierra burst into laughter. *Men.* She thought rolling her eyes.

"Is Nicolette part of the entertainment here?"

"She is proprietor, and you can stop your snickering. This may be headquarters but that doesn't necessarily mean I approve of her-er profession."

"Sirius, you might as well just stop, I can read you like a book. As much as you hate it, you wear your heart on your sleeve. Don't forget, I specialize in analyzing people's minds."

"You really know how to make a person feel at ease, don't you?" He asked, again with the sarcasm.

"So, are there any other people at this meeting.?" She asked looking around at the empty bar. Sirius gestured to the back where a narrow winding staircase connected their floor with the one above it.

Sierra led the way, since Sirius didn't seem too anxious to go. "This doesn't seem very smart of you. Shouldn't you consider this single entrance/exit a security issue?" She asked going up the staircase and finding what would have been a door, had it been closed, in front of her.

"There's a fire exit, and three windows leading to the street and the alley. This is only the second floor." He replied smoothly. Sierra gave a nod of approval and cautiously entered the small apartment.

It was filled with artificial light from Nikki's electric appliances. (She lived generally as a muggle, being the squib that she was.) The windows were all closed and the curtains pulled in front of them.

Nikki appeared, walking briskly into the room from her kitchenette. "O, Bonjour!" She exclaimed waving them farther inside. "You are first," She informed them after shutting the door. Now that Sirius was present she was slightly more worried about non-members accidentally stumbling upon something.

Sirius retreated to Nicolette's "mini-bar" as she exchanged pleasantries with Sierra. Nikki tried to seem interested in her conversation, but she stole several glances at Sirius trying to determine what he was thinking. No communication had occurred between them since Halloween morning.

Sierra immediately picked up on her fixed smile and what she thought were secret glances in Sirius's direction. Sirius had obviously lied to her, something was going on.

She wasn't given much time to dwell on it. Nikki broke off in heated French with Bill Weasley when he burst through the door. Sierra gathered that it had something to do with security measures but Bill's mood was not changed by Nikki's shouts. He ignored her after a moment and went to greet Sirius who was looking darkly over his glass.

After that the apartment rapidly filled up with various people Sierra hadn't seen for quite some time. Many were old classmates, others were ministry officials, some were a good deal younger and strangers to Sierra.

"Fourteen hundred hours!" Penelope Clearwater shouted over everyone. The conversation died down and they gathered in something of a circle, so they might all have a good view. Penelope was one of the few who had a seat. She was at the small table with a good deal of parchment and a quill that was recording conversation.

Nicolette had spread out her various documents and records out over quite a large area and was consulting something. Her eyes scanned over the small group of people.

"Where's Remus? He's late," Nikki said, voicing aloud Sierra's thoughts.

"I'm right here," He said behind her. She turned to see not one, but two people. Holly Mischel followed Remus. Nikki gave Remus a look.

"Would you mind giving me the pleasure of introducing me to the woman who has breached our security under your consent?" She snapped.

"Oh, calmez-vous Nikki," Remus said, an extremely nonchalant air about him.

"Calm yourself!" She said. "I'm serious, you can't just be bringing random people in off the street. Especially without telling me! We are a group of people fighting a war here and you breach security like it's no big deal!" Bill muttered something to one of his twin brothers about the fit Nikki threw when he came.

"Sirius brought Sierra!" Remus protested.

"Sierra is here at my invitation, thank you very much!"

"Oh, yeah, when Sirius brings somebody you get to take the credit! When I bring somebody I get accused of bringing in some random whore off the street!"

"I never said that! If I had, you can be sure I'd be giving her a job interview!" Nikki said bursting into a grin. "Nice to meet you darling, what was your name?"

"Holly Mischel." She said taking the extended hand.

"I've heard that name before," Nikki said looking down at a piece of parchment. "Yes!" She said spotting it. "Right here, Holly Mischel, you're on my list of graduates." Holly looked at Remus to see if this was a good thing but he just offered her a seat.

"At any rate you're late."

"I can't deny it," Remus admitted, Nikki rolled her eyes.

"Who else is missing?"

"Grace couldn't make it today, she said to send her best sarcastic remark to Bill on his latest hair-brained scheme." The former quidditch player for the French National team, Jacques Valier said.

"There will be time enough for that later," Nikki said, winking at Bill. "Arthur is not here?" She asked Molly Weasley.

"No, he decided that he wouldn't take off the time at work seeing as four members of his family would be present at this meeting already." Nikki nodded and scratched on her piece of parchment muttering other absentees to herself. "Dumbledore, McGonagall, Wimple-the lab had a minor explosion this morning-is that all?"

"Gilbert Wimple works on experimental charms for the ministry," Remus was telling Holly and Sierra. Sierra also recognized Amos Diggory, Cuthbert Mockridge-Head of the Goblin Liason Office--, and the shadowy looking fellow in the corner was Arnold Peasegood an obliviator. All in all, for a small group of people they were a well rounded one.

"Let us begin," Nikki said, commanding attention of the room. "Sierra Havairhafpvermin and Holly Mischel join us today, and hopefully will permanently join our ranks. If not, you may become good friends with Arnold over there," A chuckle swept across the room. "OK, news, anyone give me some news. Death eater activity first. Does anyone know anything more about the arrests made back in August?"

"That was an IAA job, they wouldn't breathe an extra word to the ministry if the world depended on it," Severus Snape said coldly, though he was speaking the truth. Those who worked in the ministry agreed with him.

"If Fletcher hadn't gotten sacked." Oliver Wood said looking at Mundungus Fletcher.

"Blame that on your leader!" He said pointing at Sirius, who had quietly stayed to the side of things. "How am I supposed to keep a job if I've got to run around after him all the time? I was late three times on Sirius's account and when Nikki summoned me away they fired me! The IAA is supposed to be an elite group of the top aurors in the world. They don't tolerate tardiness."

"That's enough." Nikki said, interrupting this side conversation. They all listened politely as Arnold Peasegood told them of the vague details he knew about death eater activity.

Then, Andre Parc, former French National quidditch player, teammate of Jacques Valier, and now present member of the French ministry of magic, informed them of what he knew about current situations. He spoke rapidly in his native language and Nikki translated for the benefit of those who were not bilingual.

"Death eater activity is down in Provence, however, our ministry has been catching hell from Elizabeth Hoffenmeijer from the IAA since the sighting of 'our cause'-" He was, of course, referring to Sirius who somewhat resented being blamed for everything at this meeting. Gravely, Parc continued. "Dementors have moved into the country. I advise you no longer stay here, Sirius." Nikki somewhat trailed off with this last statement as she looked at Sirius, who gave her a bitter look.

"No need to worry about that," He snapped softly, causing several people to frown in acknowledgement of something going on between them. Nikki tried to look un-offended and continue.

"OK, now that we've discussed current news I would ask the Arabella task force to report anything new," This task force consisted of Remus, Dumbledore, various Weasleys, and several of Sirius's contacts that didn't come to regular meetings.

Those present looked around uncomfortably. For nearly a year now they could find on record of Arabella Figg. Sirius and Remus had been searching for her for three years to no avail. Something was up and they were determined discover what it was. Nikki sighed.

"Nothing new? Miss Mischel and um, Sierra, you wouldn't happen to know anything about Arabella Figg that we do not know?" Nikki asked hopefully.

Sierra and Holly looked at each other and shook their heads. They, of course, knew Arabella from school but had not seen anything of her since school. "I know she always was interested in history. Her ultimate goal was to become an alchemist. She loved to just pour over books. The last thing I knew from school, she was headed to any university she could go to." Holly told them.

"Alchemy?" Remus asked. "That is something I did not know about."

"OK guys," Nikki said. "We're obviously doing well on recruiting but as always I'm suggesting a new name. I can start to gather background information on a person." She went to her desk and crossed off the names of Sierra Havairhafpvermin and Holly Mischel on the list of Hogwarts graduates. Nikki was not a Hogwarts graduate; she was a squib and therefore never went to school. But by means of the lists they chose a name and voted on whether that person would be a prospective recruit, and if it was they all tried to recruit the person.

"I'm going to pick someone random.here's a name. Angela Star." She looked up hopefully at the people in the room. Bill exploded with laughter and started to go so far as fall of his chair. Remus was grinning and Sirius was shaking his head.

"She's out," He said, but Bill continued to laugh. Molly Weasley and Amos Diggory looked nervous.

"What's the matter Sirius?" Mundungus said. "You two hit it off at Hogwarts."

"Absolutely not. There is no way we're bringing An- HER into this."

"Une amoureuse?" Nikki asked with a grin.

"It has nothing to do with that!" Sirius shouted, going slightly red.

"It has everything to do with that!" Bill managed to shout around his laughter.

"No," Sirius argued. "She's not capable of handling this, she has emotional issues."

"You're just making excuses," Remus said, his mouth twitching.

"She's emotionally unbalanced and not capable of handling something like this! She'd go into shock or something." Sierra was about to make a statement on her behalf but she couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"You're just being overprotective!" Remus declared.

"She's your girlfriend!" Sirius shouted.

"I've got to meet this girl!" Nikki interrupted with a grin, luckily masking Sirius's last comment which may have avoided disaster involving one of more of the women present in that room. After that Remus agreed that Angela was not a good prospect.

"If I might say something," Sierra said. "I think you two are being absolutely ridiculous. Angie is not a fragile porcelain doll; she's been through a lot. However, I'm not so sure this is the sort of thing she would take an active roll in. She would be an excellent source for translations of anything. She is fluent in hundreds of languages."

"Excuse me, she may be slightly more advanced than I am but I am pretty good with languages," Holly interrupted. She did not want to be out-done by her sister again.

"Exactly," Sirius interrupted. "I would just like to say that I would not work well with Angela." This statement sent Bill into another fit of hysterics and earned him a very nasty glare from Sirius.

"Well, as curious as I am to the story behind this girl I suppose I'll have to put her aside as a recruit. Shall I choose another?"

"No," Sirius said. "I get uneasy about all these people knowing so much."

"Don't you trust us?" Fred Weasley asked with big innocent eyes. Sirius just gave him a look.

"Very well," Nikki said. "I'll turn the floor over to the real reason we're all here today. A few of our members have been brainstorming and by the way they brag about their idea one would think they found the cure for cancer. So, with high hopes I turn the floor over to Bill Weasley and his team of misfits," Nikki finished, earning a playful noise of indignation from one of Bill's brothers.

Bill Weasley centered himself in the room and spoke loudly and clearly. He was certainly into the dramatics. "Before I start I must confess that my task force has done a great deal of help and they 'claim' they helped to come up with The Idea. Anyway, Fred and George, Oliver Wood, and myself, have been working out the details of this scheme for sometime now.

"I assure you that this is our most brilliant plan. It's flawless, when we pull it off we'll achieve much greater freedom for Sirius, and we'll have fun pitching the ministry and the world into chaos. This brilliant, it's fool-proof, besides that I don't know how we didn't think of it before. This is guaranteed to get us results. One of these days they'll erect a statue to my genius-"

"Don't start posing for it now!" Molly Weasley, his mother, interrupted. "Get to the point and then we'll start discussing the necessity of this statue."

* * *