Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potterish

A.N. sorry for the long wait, but i just haven't gotten round to putting this up. Loads of coursework deadlines. Anyway, enough excuses. Please don't shoot me. :author dodges bullets and other missiles:

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I haven't time to leave personal messages. Just a quick note, due to someone being slightly upset over the hard time I am giving Amaya, in this, things look up a bit.

Sirius' thoughts

Amaya's thoughts

Draco's thoughts


Looking round, Sirius frowned when he failed to see his daughter. Where is she? After the argument last night, and her request for a re-sorting he had thought it best to stay and then hopefully have a chat with Amaya before her classes. Sighing with an annoyed frown creasing his forehead, Sirius methodically searched each of the house tables from his vantage point at the head. Amaya was nowhere to be seen. Rising, he walked over to Gryffindor and squatted next to where his godson and his friends were sitting.

'Hey Sirius.'

'Hi. Where's Amaya? Is she still in the dorm?' Sirius worry increased tenfold when all students blanched, Harry included. All knew how fierce his temper was.

'Well?'

'She…err…well.' Harry stammered. 'No.'

'Then where is she?' Sirius voice was low and soft, a sure sign that his temper was rising.

'Where is who?' Parvati and Lavender had just joined the table. 'Oh, hello Sirius.' Lavender simpered, batting calf eyes at him. 'Are you looking for Amaya? We don't know where the bitch is. Damned serpent lover isn't good enough for our…Are you alright Harry? What's with the arm waving?' For Harry had been making frantic gestures behind his Godfather's back, who was now staring at Lavender, eyebrow raised and a poisonous smile playing with his lips.

'Where is she?' His voice was at its softest yet, and Harry braced himself for the explosion, which was surely to come.

'We kicked her out of course. She didn…' the rest of her sentence was drowned out by Sirius' furious yell. 'WHAT! YOU DID WHAT?' Rounding on his godson he continued 'WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? WHERE THE HELL IS SHE NOW?' cowering in his seat, Harry muttered 'Last night.' and 'Don't know.' As he shrank as far as he could into the seat. Breaking into a run, Sirius flung himself through the doors, muttering his apologies to McGonagall as he almost knocked her over in his haste to search the castle.

After several hours of searching fruitlessly, even enlisting in the help of the ghosts and the portraits, where unfortunately all he had learned was that the Gryffindors had kicked her out and then promptly changed the password from the Fat lady, and that several others had seen a girl running, or more accurately a flash of gold tinged with black and cinnamon, but the sobs of pain had been heard by all. In despair, Sirius began heading out of the Main Hall, and across the grounds towards the forest. Turning round, he vacantly scanned the castle for anyone who was in the vicinity and who may prevent him from his search. As he prepared to change into his canine alter ego, Sirius did a double take. Squinting, Sirius looked directly at the window of the Astronomy Tower. The one place he had neglected to look. There, fluttering in the breeze was a fragment of black cloth tinged with warm gold. A cloth that fluttered in the icy, strong wind as if it was composed of many tassels. Cursing, he ran back into the castle and raced up the stairs, along corridors until he barged into the tower.

Pausing at the doorway, he looked round frantically, finally locating the girl, slumbering at the window edge. The wind made his eyes water. Her lips and fingertips were blue and there were Goosebumps on her exposed legs. Placing his hand in front of her mouth he could feel her faint breathing. Gathering her carefully in her arms, he hushed her as she began murmuring Remus' name. 'Keep awake Amaya. Keep awake sweet heart. It'll be o.k. Dad's here.' As swiftly as he could, he made his way to the hospital wing, taking care not to jolt her. Laying her down on one of the beds, he called for Madame Pomphrey. As he sat by her side, he noticed Malfoy sliding of the bed opposite, and coming to sit on the other side, a thick orange paste coated half of his face. She bustled round efficiently; she gathered potions in varying degrees of colours, including a familiar red one that constantly emitted copious amounts of steam.

Sirius smirked. 'Bad burn was it.' Draco looked up, startled.

'Yes. Longbottom caused his potion to explode again, and I got a faceful.' Sirius winced before returning his gaze, instantly anxious, to his daughter. Gently, Madame Pomphrey prised open the immobile girl's jaw and poured the red liquid down her throat. As the steam gushed from her ears, her pale pallor lifted and roses bloomed in her cheeks. A rich, reddy pink replaced the icy blue that had covered her lips. Draco watched her colour return, transfixed. She is so beautiful. Bloody Gryffindors. Not even a Slytherin would lock a member out their dorm or common room. He was jolted from his thoughts by the wing doors bursting open, and Dumbledore gliding in.

'Ah. I heard that she was in here.' Sirius looked puzzled. I never got chance to tell him 'How?'

'Ah well, several portraits saw you heading this way. They informed the Fat Friar, who informed Sir Nicholas, who told me. Oddly enough, I was under the impression that she had been attacked by thestrals, was dying of pneumonia and had cold feet, so I took the liberty of bringing these.' He produced some socks from his pocket. 'It is odd how some things can be magnified isn't it.' He replaced the socks, eyes twinkling.

'Yeah.' A voice rasped from on the bed. 'It's called Chinese Whispers.' All turned to look at Amaya.

'Chinese what?' Draco asked, mystified.

'Chinese whispers. It starts off as one thing, then someone else mishears or says it in their way, and by the end the message is nothing like what it started off as.' She giggled, 'It can be quite good fun.'

'Indeed. Well Miss Black…' He faltered as Amaya glared at him '…Miss Lupin, you are excused from the classes for the remainder of the week. If you wish, you may wander about the castle, to acquaint yourself with you surroundings.'

'Dumbledore, if I may, maybe we could go out to shopping. I know that you couldn't take much from Remus' house before the belongings were confiscated, so maybe we could go buy new things. Get to know each other better.'

'Excellent suggestion. Miss Bl.. Lupin?' Sirius looked so hopeful, that Amaya didn't have the heart to refuse. Memory of what her papa had said swam through her mind. 'He's really isn't that bad a person.'

Nodding her head, she agreed. It can't be worse than detention surely. And it would get me away from this damned school. The happy smile on her other Father's face was almost worth it alone.


They had gone straight to London. It appeared, that Sirius knew the area very intimately, and took her to all of the popular, not to mention highly expensive, shops. Amaya protested at the prices, especially when she saw a pair of jeans she had been eyeing up in Preston that were thirty pounds, cost seventy in London. Sirius, used to the expense of living in the south was mystified to her outrage, and bought them any way; his logic being that she needed them, and it was nice to spend money on people other than himself, and his immediate friends, i.e. the Potters.

Sirius took her to Harrods, Next, Top Shop and various other stores where he bought everything from jeans, t-shirts, and various other articles of clothing to teddies and other plushie toys from Hamleys. When in discreet locations, Sirius would either shrink the packages or, as in the case of the large stuffed wolf, just sent them home. The day passed smoothly, they enjoyed meals in China Town and in a burger shop. They discussed music, fashions, events in the news, lives before they had met, Sirius explained quidditch, while Amaya explained hockey, tennis and football. Eventually they passed into Diagon Alley for an ice cream. All of their conversations had been relatively normal and civilised until Amaya enquired as to the location of her dog.

'Where's Lupo?' Sirius looked up from the large sundae he was eating

'Who?'

'Lupo. My dog. You know. The big German Shepherd. Come to think about it, I haven't seen him since you took me. How come he didn't bark or anything?' Sirius started to look guilty. 'What did you do?'

'I distracted him as Padfoot and then we put some sleeping potion in his water.'

'Makes sense. Where is he now?'

'With Umbridge' Amaya's reaction was incredible.

'WHAT! HE IS WITH THAT… THAT…' Amaya broke off, at a loss for a curse that was appropriate for The Under-Secretary. Sirius, conscious of every one staring at them, smiled and tried to pull Amaya down into her seat.

'Amaya, I can buy you a new dog.'

'I don't want a new dog. I want Lupo. GET OFF ME!' Storming out of the ice cream parlour, she ran down the street and melted into the crowd. Sirius sat down calmly and ran his hands through his hair. Tapping the carrier bag by his feet with his wand, he sent all of the parcels home. Leaving two galleons on the table, he promptly followed his daughter out of the shop. Looking round, he tried to catch a glimpse of his daughter. Until, that is, he passed the music shop. Remembering what Lily had said, he followed her in, to find her gazing at the violins almost longingly.

'Sweet heart, I'm sorry.' Sirius laid a hand on her shoulder, which she shrugged off sulkily.

'Get off.' But the words didn't carry the force which she usually put in. Sirius could see her face reflected in the glass of the case, which held the precious instruments. She looked so beautifully sad, so melancholy, that Sirius felt his heart ache. The instruments swam before her as tears slowly began to cloud her eyes, splintering the prized objects into thousands of little pieces that mingled before her, and no amount of blinking could re-new the jigsaw. A shuddering sob escaped her frantic attempts to keep it in, and instantly, she was swung round and enclosed in an embrace that was as black as the moonless night, smelt of loam, leaves after a nightfall and forests. An embrace that felt of love.

Sirius held back his own tears as his daughter sobbed into his robes. Leaning close, he could barely discern the words 'He's all I have' and 'All I have of him'. They stayed that way for some time. Amaya's sobs had subsided, but the tears still came, with the grief, that even after all energy was exhausted, the raw pain was still there.

'Does he really mean that much to you?' The face against his chest nodded. 'Then I will get him for you.'

'He's all I have left of Papa.'

'I know.'

'I will never forgive you for what you have done. The abduction maybe eventually, but never for locking him up. Why did you do that?'

'I wanted to see you. He would never have let me. I went to the Ministry for help, and it escalated.'

'Oh.' Amaya leaned into his shoulder.

'That's all you have to say. "Oh"'.

'Too tired to argue.' Sirius just smiled.

'A little birdie told me that you like to play instruments.'

Amaya raised her head to look at him questioningly, 'Little birdie?' Sirius just shrugged. 'Used to say it to Harry all the time. It amused him no end.' Amaya grinned wickedly, a Marauder's grin. At last. Ammo. 'Really, what else did he do?' Sirius' smile was equally evil.

'Tell you at home. Come on.'

Amaya fell out of the grate grumbling. 'I will never get used to those bloody things.'

'You will in time. And watch your language.' Amaya snorted

'That's rich, coming from you.' Sirius, getting used to the peace, said nothing.

Amaya settled everything away in her room. Looking round, she mentally selected what she would take with her back to school. She really wanted to take back the large wolf plushie, which she had named Moony. But she seriously doubted whether the rest of her dorm mates would approve of a 5ft stuffed toy. She settled for the powder blue bear and a fluffy cream one, which she would have been prepared to beg for. Seeing her robes, and the red and gold lion on the front, she scowled.

'Amaya, can you come here for a minute?' Sirius called.

'Sure.' Casting the robes one more dark look, she went downstairs. Next to Sirius was James. A familiar smell was lingering in the air. It was the hazel-eyed man who spoke.

'Sirius asked me to sort a few things out today. I got Lily to do some of them, and she will be round tomorrow. I had to go to the Ministry for my …task.' Amaya began to eye him suspiciously. It had better not be another guardianship contract or any other legal crap.

'You have to understand that the responsibility is yours, and will have to go to Hogwarts with you.' Sirius smiled. 'Ready?' Turning, he gave a piercing whistle.

Paws scrabbling on the laminated floor, in a comical Scooby Doo-like run, Lupo came bounding along to his mistress who had sank, overjoyed, to her knees to greet him. Licking every part of bare skin he could see, Lupo clearly expressed his joy at having been reunited with Amaya. Amaya herself did it by hugging both of the men fiercely in turn, all the while stammering her thanks. Hours later, when Sirius went to check on Amaya, to find her on her bed, Lupo curled up at the foot, both in peaceful dream sleep, he felt hope for the future.


Please review. Also whicxh house shouls I put Amaya into. Please vote in your reviews. I was thinking Ravenclaw, but i would like to konow what you think.