Faerietale

by Tenshi no Nozomi

Sirius fell through the veil, but what came next? It turns out there's a few familiar faces on the other side waiting to greet him. HP cross. Usagi x Sirius

Faerietale

Tenshi no Nozomi

(contact at lasohaney(at)neo(dot)tamu(dot)edu

OR

tenshi(underscore)no(underscore)nozomi(at)hotmail(dot)com

Setting: HP- after the end of Book 5, before the beginning of Book 6... and throughout, perhaps, the fall of the 6th year. SM-really, the SM portion is rather AU, and therefor doesn't exactly follow the canon.

Warnings: Possible spoilers if you still haven't read the 5th or 6th books. Mushy/fluffyness. Possible senshi betrayal... depending on how you look at it. This is a short story–I intend to end the fic in three to four chapters, and that will be it.

Major Thanks: goes to Pokahydee and Sailor Ronin Usa-chan, my most wonderful betas/sounding boards/oneechans, without whom I truly would be lost. Really, these two kept me aiming as high as I could go.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter. The plot's mine, the title's mine... what can I say? I'm just a poor college student, guys. Please don't sue me, I'm showing my appreciation for the things I love and my resolve to change the things I don't. . Nor do I own the genius that is Colplay. I love these guys, seriously... their songs are awesome. Anyhow, they wrote Till Kingdom Come.

Author's Notes:

Okay. So, I loved writing Apple or Cherry? so much that I wanted to write another SirixUsa fic. Frankly, they're just about the only HP/SM ship that I'll ever get in–if I ever see a good RemxUsa, I would accept that, and obviously I'm fascinated by Tom(Volde)xUsa. And on the subject of baddies, I would so like to see a well-written SnapexUsa. I've considered writing one more than once, but... well, SirixUsa and RemxUsa are the only pairings I find realistic/acceptable. I hate Draco, I really don't like seeing Harry paired with anyone (I don't care much for Ginny, and LunaxNeville floats my boat), and frankly, Ron and Hermione are just kind of waiting to happen.

So. Having finished that long ramble... I wanted to write another SirixUsa piece. I wanted the background to be similar to the one I used for Apple or Cherry? in which Usagi attended Hogwarts with the Marauders and Lily. I did NOT however, want it to be a continuation of Apple or Cherry?, which I wanted to leave as a simple, sweet one-shot with no real continuation (or purpose). So I decided to write another one, and basically most of it's the same–this time, however, Usagi's in Hufflepuff, which I believe is the house she would probably get sorted into.

Already these notes have gone too far, but I still have more to say. I'm a freshman in college now, which is exciting and new and scary, and inspiring all at the same time. I do want to continue writing for as long as I'm inspired–this is not a hobby I intend to give up yet. I'm sure one day I will grow up and go on–all good things must sometime come to an end–but that's a while still. I will not always be able to update my fics frequently... or on time... although I've never been reliable when it comes to that.

On a final note, I'd like to say that if you have access to the song Till Kingdom Come (it's on Coldplay's X&Y cd, the new one) then it will enhance the experience, so to speak.

Anyhow. I hope you enjoy my solution to the Fifth Book, at long last.

IIIIIIIIIIII

Hold my head inside your hands
I need someone who understands
I need someone, someone who hears
For you I've waited all these years.

For you I'd wait till kingdom come
Until my day, my day is doneAnd say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me

Till Kingdom Come, by Coldplay

Usagi got off the train platform, for a change as silent as she could be. Normally she'd be chatting with her friends, maybe crying a bit, because she'd miss them. Right now, though, she had nothing to say to them.

That wasn't true–she wasn't mad at her Hufflepuff friends, and she waved to them, sad to see them go, but knowing that she'd see them again in the fall. On the other hand, she was purposely avoiding her boyfriend and his friends.

No one had told her that dating a Gryffindor would be so frustrating. In fact, everyone had thought that she and Sirius Black would make a cute couple. And Usagi had to agree that ninety percent of the time they were the perfect couple. But then they'd fight like cats and dogs and they'd both be too stubborn to break down and admit they were both wrong.

And Usagi did want to make up with him. She hated leaving this sort of business unresolved over the summer, and somehow apologizing to him in letters wasn't appropriate. Usagi didn't want to lose him–he was fun to be around, a good boyfriend, and a really good kisser to boot. There was a strange sort of thrill that she got when she looked in his eyes that no other boy could elicit from her-her heart would beat faster, her skin would prickle, her hair felt like it stood on end.

She dared a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and felt like she'd doused her sore bleeding heart with salt water. He was having a marvelous time chatting with several Gryffindor girls, all of whom were beautiful and clever and bold. Usagi felt a surge of hateful jealousy but squelched the feeling. She wasn't going to approach him now, and yet guilt insisted on twisting her guts.

"Usagi-chan," a voice called to her. Usagi turned around and saw that Haruka and Michiru were standing there, accompanied by their adopted daughter, Hotaru. She smiled at them happily, lugging her trunks over.

"It's so good to see you guys," she gushed, genuinely happy, shoving her previous worries away. She hugged each of them in turn, even Hotaru, who was still shy around Usagi. Usagi gave the small, shy child a lollipop she'd bought at her last trip to Hogsmeade and was rewarded with a small smile.

"Koneko-chan, you look like you've grown since we last saw youཀ You're getting bigger everyday," Haruka joked, faking sorrow. Usagi laughed, her previous sadness completely forgotten.

"Are you ready to go, Usagi-chan?" Michiru asked, helping Usagi lug her heavy trunk. Haruka tsked in disappointment, and forced Usagi to give up her handle.

"Of course," she said, and they went off on their way, trying to find a place where they wouldn't be jostled or crowded. Even using the special transport Japan had allowed them to use–a giant bubble which would allow for speedy transportation underneath the water–it would still be a long trip.

III

"It's so good to be home," Usagi gushed, heaving a giant sigh as she flopped down on her bed. She closed her eyes, a silly smile plastered across her face. She'd forgotten just how much softer her mattress was, the joy of having a door you could lock and privacy, sweet, blessed privacy...

Luna eyed Usagi. "Didn't you hear Haruka? Your friends want you to go and have a party with them, not take a nap." Usagi rolled her eyes; she was back for five minutes and what did Luna do? Start nagging at her.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard her." Usagi yawned. "But I'm still sleepy." Still, Usagi got up and went to her closet. She wasn't going to wear her robes around the streets of Tokyo. What should she wear?

"They bought you a dress," Luna pointed out, jumping off the bed and padding over to a large box.

"They did what?" Usagi asked, incredulous. Yeah, they'd bought her a present for a welcoming home present her first year away at Hogwarts, but it had just been a small stuffed animal and a balloon bouquet–the kind of thing you'd expect from a friend. Usagi stooped, picked up the box, and lifted off the lid. She took the dress out, shook the wrinkles out, and gasped. "Oh, my God."

It was very, very cute–a dark purple dress with spaghetti straps, the bottom shaped like a morning-glory's blooming petals. And underneath it, layers of gauzy, lacy frills, each layer a lighter shade of purple than the last. She spotted a pair of matching shoes sitting at the foot of the bed. "Oh, wow..." Usagi murmured, unable to wrap her mind around the dress. "What kind of a party is this supposed to be?" she asked Luna as she eagerly undressed.

"A tea party, from what I've gathered," she informed her charge. "Don't forget the gloves," she added, gesturing to the lacy plum gloves that Usagi had nearly forgotten. Usagi struggled to put them on, admiring the length–they went up to her elbows–and the way they made her skin seem paler and arm slender.

A horn honked outside, and Usagi peered down out of the window. Below, she could see Haruka's race car parked at the curb. "Wow... what in the world's going on?" Usagi wondered to herself.

III

Usagi walked beside Haruka up to Rei's temple. "Thanks for picking me up," she repeated–she'd just gotten through thanking Haruka. She didn't think she could have made it all the way in this clothing, what with the high heels and lacy everywhere. She would have been a spectacle, that's for sure.

"Not a problem–no point in buying you such a nice dress just for you to dirty it up," she reminded Usagi. It was common sense, but Usagi still felt like she should say thank you. "Anything for our hime," she teased.

Usagi laughed. "Actually, you know, this has to be the first time I've actually felt like a princess," Usagi confessed. "I mean, what with all the frills and lace? It's so pretty... Where did you guys find this dress? And for that matter, how could you all afford something like it?"

Haruka shrugged, carefully. "I wasn't there when they got it. You should ask Minako, though. Or Michiru. They'd know." Haruka eyed Usagi. "You look good in it," she said with a smile, but it faltered a little bit. The look in Haruka's eyes for that split second of time–Usagi couldn't tell what it was, but it was very powerful.

"Is something the matter, Haruka?" she wondered. For a split second, she'd thought that Haruka looked like she was going to... cry? Was that possible? What had she seen? She couldn't tell now, though; the look passed as suddenly as it surfaced.

"Hmm? No, not really." Haruka paused again, before admitting. "Just watching you grow up. You're making me feel old," she lectured Usagi. Usagi just laughed.

"I'm only two years younger than you," Usagi protested. "But, hey, I'd stop aging if I could," Usagi teased Haruka. Again, that same look flickered across Haruka's face, and Usagi suspected her friend was lying, but she had better manners than to point it out.

They went inside the shrine, and everyone was there waiting for her–all of her good friends. And they all hugged each other, happy and celebrating, before they sat down to eat and drink tea. "Why am I wearing such fancy clothes to a tea party?" she asked them. "And why are we having a tea party in the first place? I mean, we're a bit old for this," she pointed out between sips of tea.

"We wanted to do something a little special," Rei told her, taking small, delicate sips of her own tea. "Besides, I thought the British were really big on tea, too."

"Well, they are... but it's not like they hold fancy tea parties. Or at least, I've never been to one," she added thoughtfully. She thought that the witches and wizards of Britain had better things to do.

"Well, consider it a special occasion, then." Makoto smiled at Usagi. "What do you think of the scones? It's my first time making them."

"They're delicious, Mako-chan. Everything you make is really good, though," Usagi reminded Makoto, praising her cooking. Makoto blushed with pride. "One of these days will you make biscotti for me? That's really good stuff, too."

"What's biscotti?" Makoto asked.

"It's kind of like a cookie, and it's log shaped and crispy and very, very yummy," she assured her friend, finishing off her tea. "Can I have a bit more? I'm still thirsty," she explained to Rei. She expected the priestess to be upset that Usagi was pigging out so much, but instead she just calmly poured Usagi another glass.

"Where's Mamoru, by the way?" Usagi wondered. That was the one person missing. Not that his absence particularly surprised her–after she'd cut off their relationship for good, he'd pretty much disappeared from their lives. Still, it would have been nice to see him and find out if he was getting along well with his new girlfriend.

Thinking about his new girlfriend made Usagi think about why she'd broken up with him in the first place–she fell hopelessly in love with Sirius. Her heart ached, and Usagi regretted again having not reconciled with him. Now she was going to miss him and worry all Summer that he was going to get a new girlfriend and leave her, a possibility that filled her with dread.

He was witty and handsome, but above that, he was noble. She'd never heard of a boy–much less a full-blood witch of a renowned house–with such ideals and an open heart. Yes, she loved his wonderful silky black hair that hung long down his back in a way that could only be described as incredibly sexy, and his stormy blue eyes gave her a thrill when he looked at her. Even more importantly than his physical attractiveness, though, he was an attractive person on the inside. Well, except for the few times she'd caught him looking at other girls–or certain body parts–or when the need to beat up on Slytherins like Severus Snape got into his system.

Usagi took a huge gulp of her tea, forgetting to blow on it first so that it wouldn't burn her. She choked and sputtered unattractively as the liquid scorched her mouth and brought tears to her eyes. If it wasn't for Minako's quick reflexes and a handy napkin, she'd have ruined her dress. "Thanks," she gasped, blinking away the tears in her eyes, smiling sheepishly. "That hurt," she mumbled.

"You should pay more attention," Rei reprimanded her, but she sounded disheartened. Or half-hearted. Usagi noticed then that the rest of them had hardly drunk any of their tea, and a strange feeling of unease welled up within her. Usagi set down her own cup and stared at. She yawned, and covered her mouth with one hand.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I'm really tired today for some reason. I mean, it was a long day and all, but I would have thought my second wind would have come by now." They were quiet, watching her with knowing eyes. Too knowing. Something was definitely wrong. "What's wrong?" she asked them, looking around, peering at each of their faces.

Minako looked like she was trying hard not to cry. Her lower lip was quivering, and her eyes were glistening unnaturally, and her cheerful expression was wobbling, threatening to smash into a thousand pieces. "What's wrong? You guys, you look like someone died." Minako's last shred of self control snapped and she burst into tears, hiding her face in her hands.

"Minako's just happy to see you," Ami said, but it was a lie, and a poor one. Ami's own eyes were proof enough. She couldn't even seem to bring herself to look at Usagi as she talked to her. Usagi could have sworn those were tears trailing down her friend's cheeks. No one had gone to stop Minako's crying, although she seemed to be getting herself under control.

Usagi looked down at her tea again. There was something wrong. She brought the cup up to her nose and smelled it. It was green tea, but there was something else there, disguised by honey and lemon, something with a powerful odor and taste and an even more potent purpose. Usagi's heart began to race in her chest. "What's in the tea?" she asked, but her voice sounded distant and strange even to her own ears. She eyed it again, tilting the tea this way and that, and caught the silver film of magic.

"What did you do to the tea?" she whispered, horrified. "What did you do to the tea?" she repeated, her voice rising in volume. "What did you do to the tea?ཀ" she screamed, jumping to her feet and throwing the china at the wall. The ceramic shattered and tea sprayed Rei and Setsuna, neither of whom even batted an eyelash, although Rei looked sad.

Usagi tried to stand, but she got up too fast, or something... because the world tilted. Usagi gasped, feeling sick, and staggered helplessly, like she was drunk. "What did you doooooo?" she moaned, using a nearby wall to support herself. The world continued to spin and dance in ways that no solid surface ought to. Her head felt fuzzy, like she'd been stuck in a room where dozens of magic markers were being used, or she'd taken one decongestant too many.

Minako was crying harder now, and Ami was leaving the table, shaking her head, but she looked more frightened than anything else. Hotaru, who screamed when Usagi threw the tea cup, was hiding behind Michiru looking properly terrified. The others were gazing at her with a mixture of surprise and pity and sympathy. All except for Setsuna, who seemed unmoved.

"It's just a spell to make you sleep," Rei explained. She looked a little sad, but stern. "It's for your safety, Usagi-chan. It's too dangerous for you to be over there studying witchcraft. Too dangerous anywhere, to be truthful. The Great Fire says that there's a terrible dark power on the rise–one that's searching for the secret to immortality."

"What does that have to do with me?" Usagi gasped. Her legs felt funny, like they were falling asleep. She wasn't sure she could support herself for much longer, wall or not. And her vision was dimming. Usagi yawned again. So, so sleepy...

"The Ginzuisho holds the key to longevity, Usagi. A Lunarian Queen can easily live for a thousand years–if her life span is very long, she will live anywhere from four thousand to five thousand, even if she should abdicate her thrown for her daughter to take over. It's very unusual for a Queen to die before a thousand years have passed," Setsuna explained.

"It's not quite immortality as humans picture it, but as far as any witch or wizard is concerned, that is immortality, Usagi, because they understand that true immortality is impossible for any mortal creature to achieve. If we don't do something to prevent you–and the Ginzuisho–from being captured, you will become the first target this Lord Voldemort reaches for."

Usagi's eyelids felt weighted. "We-we can fight them," she snarled in frustration. "Why are you giving up so easily? Aren't you always telling me to do my best? Why are you doing this to me?" she sobbed, finally crying.

"I know you don't understand right now, Usagi-chan," Rei told her, "but it's for the best. We discussed it, and we all agree." Usagi finally collapsed, feeling too faint to hold herself up.

Hands came and wrapped them around her arms, pulling her limp body up. Another pair of arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground and carrying her.

You didn't ask me, Usagi thought to herself. I bet you didn't ask my parents. You didn't ask my friends or teachers. And you didn't ask Sirius. She felt like her heart was breaking, and if she'd had the energy, she would have cried. What lie would they use to explain her disappearance? Would they say she decided to quit school, just up and leave before her final year? Would they tell Sirius that it was all because of him to discourage him from digging his nose into it? Would he even bother? She imagined her friends sending her letters day after day, that they would pile up year after year, unread and unopened and decaying to nothing more than a pile of garbage.

It's not fair, she thought to herself. It's just not fairཀ They were laying her down now, on something soft. A bed? A couch? Usagi fought to open her eyes and watched them lower the lid on top of her glass coffin. Usagi mustered up her remaining energy and screamed in dismay and revulsion, clawing at the glass top. She could just make out their vague forms standing in front of her holding the lid down. Casting some kind of spell. "LETMEOUT, LETMEOUT, LETMEOUT," Usagi screamed at the top of her lungs, shredding her voice.

She could feel the magic pressing against the openings where the lid came on top. It would hold the top in place, reinforce the sleeping spell–strengthening it till she slept as though she were in a coma or, worse, dead–but let the air in. Instantly she felt twice as heavy as before, and although she continue clawing at the glass with her gloved hands, her motions slowed and, finally after some time and great resistance on her part, she finally succumbed to their spell.

III

18 years later

Sirius didn't remember what had happened, at first. He'd sat up to find himself in the Gryffindor Common Room with a sick sense of deja vu. When he did remember, he wondered if it hadn't been a very strange, sad nightmare. Everything seemed in its place–he ran to the boys' dormitory to find his clothes, his most treasured belongings, his bed sheets even, all where they ought to be. And not just his, even, but all of his friends' and classmates'.

He looked into a mirror to be sure. There before him stood his youthful self–those same clever indigo eyes stared back at him no longer sunken or shadowed. His flesh looked neither pale or wrinkled, but supple and clear again. His hair wasn't unkempt or unruly or even wiry, though it was long–but held back in a tie, the way he'd had it when he was seventeen or so. He touched his skin and hair, prodded and pulled at his clothes, uncertain; the dream had been quite convincing.

The door to the outside hall opened, and Sirius took in a deep breath. He was uncertain what to think of everything that had happened so far–or perhaps hadn't happened. In walked James, followed by Lily. The air rushed out of Sirius' lungs, though not in relief.

They looked older, the both of them. Not as they had when he'd been a boy of sixteen, but when they'd been twenty two. When they'd died. Died. The word rode around in his head, commanding his attention and drawing fresh horror like blood from a wound.

Lily's curly red hair was clipped back like she always liked it. James still looked very much like the charming rogue, with his lopsided grin. They did not wear their robes for magic, though–Lily wore a simple white blouse and a flowing brown skirt, practical but beautiful anyhow while James wore a sweater and jeans. They could have passed for simple Muggles. The both of them seemed rather confused and out-of-sorts, as though the meeting were as awkward for them as it was terrifying for Sirius.

"You know, when I fell through, this is where I came too, mate," James finally said, breaking the silence. His ran his hand through his dark hair, ruffling it absently. "Best days of my life, really. Must have been for you, too," he added with a knowing grin. Sirius had to fight off the urge to grin back.

This thing was not his friend. James was only 16, like himself. And this... this was obviously some kind of continuation of his earlier dream.

Lily was the one to bring him back to his senses; somehow she always seemed to know what he was thinking. Lily informed him bluntly, "You're dead, Sirius. That's why you're here. The dead are brought back to this place"–

"Hogwarts?" he croaked, trying to joke, but his voice was too quiet and his trembling too noticeable for him to pass off his wavering grin as more than a feeble attempt to deny everything.

"No," Lily corrected him, her tone gentling considerably, seeing the state he was in. "We're brought back to the places we remember that we were most happy. Well, until we're ready to move on."

"I'm dead," he repeated, completely monotone. He sank onto the couch behind him. "I'm dead," he said, one more time, as though he expected the blow to soften himself if he spread it out more.

"It's not so bad, really," James offered, trying to make his friend more comfortable. "I mean..." He trailed off when Sirius gave him a dark look. He scratched the back of his head, smiling just a little in that same apologetic manner he always did. "Really, this is kind of a reward, if you think about it. Before you move on you can kind of... relive your best moments. That kind of thing."

"Don't be stupid," Lily admonished her husband, taking a seat of her own in a plush chair adjacent to Sirius's. "It's never good to live in the past. Especially," she added, giving James a meaningful look, "when you're dead." Facing Sirius again, she advised him, "You really ought not to, Sirius. It's just too painful."

Sirius nodded, not really taking anything in. "So then–so then I'm supposed to move on, right?" He was having trouble believing all this, adjusting to the situation. Surely it wasn't really true. He continued to pray it was just a bad, bad dream that would soon be over. He felt like he was in shock.

"About that, Sirius," James began, looking nervous. He shot Lily an uncertain glance; it had been years since he'd been admonished so severely and in such succession. Apparently, Lily had not lost her fire yet. "You kind of go when you're ready."

"Frankly, you're not," Lily told him, patting him gently on the shoulder.

"What? Then why–then why did you come here...?"

"We're trying to make this easier on you," Lily admitted. "It's hard waking up to discover that, well... you're not alive anymore. It's harder still when you're not supposed to be dead yet."

"What?" Sirius exclaimed. Confusion was written all over his face. "Then why am I here?"

"You fell through the veil, Sirius–the bridge between life and death. It's... an anomaly, I suppose, and a real pain; it has a habit of screwing up the proper balance of life-and-death periodically. But you're supposed to be alive still, Sirius–most of the people who fall through the veil are."

Sirius sat quietly and thought that over for a while. "I don't think I have much in the way of an option about that, though, do I," he finally commented. He was surprised by the bitterness in his own voice. Apparently, Lily wasn't, and she hit him very lightly on the cheek.

"Stop feeling so sorry for yourselfཀ A lot of people have been further up the creek than you have, and they've made it back just fine. Of course, they didn't do it by crying and wailing about pitiful-poor-me, so I guess if you keep that attitude up then you really won't have much of a choice."

It took most of Sirius's self-control not to let out some scathing comment in return. He'd learned a long time ago that no one profited by arguing with Lily. He'd even stopped blaming it on her red hair; she was just an exceptional arguer.

"Anyhow," Lily said, smoothing her skirt with her palms, a habit of hers when she was irritated, "it's not necessarily anything that James and I can do anything about. But you're still needed back in life. Harry still needs you, in particular," she added, her voice sounding soft and wistful.

Poor Harry. Sirius knew what it was like to have the people you cared about disappear practically in front of your face. It was like a sucker punch to your gut that left you winded. There was plenty of air to be had, but you just couldn't seem to make your lungs work.

And poor Lily and James. He could only imagine what it must be like to watch your son grow up in the company of people who couldn't understand him. Sirius felt ashamed, thinking that they might have been watching him too, as his sanity and body rotted away in Azkaban.

A knock sounded at the door, and both James and Lily looked startled. "Oh, that's right," James murmured, "I almost forgot."

Lily frowned. "We're not quite ready yet. Wait just a minute," she called to the person on the other side of the door. She turned back to Sirius planted firm hands on both of his shoulders. She forced him to look in her emerald green eyes. "Listen, Sirius. James and I can't help you with this, but there is someone who can. Try not to freak out too much, okay?"

"Why?" he asked, trying to joke, feigning nonchalance. "Long as it's not my mum, I don't see why I should have any problems."

Lily just shook her head, crimson curls swaying. "I don't think there's a way to really prepare him for this one," she admitted, looking to James, whose frown looked nothing short of doubtful. "You might as well come in now," she called, sounding resigned.

The door opened and in walked a girl. She was rather small, barely over five feet tall or so. She had extremely long blonde hair, which hung in a tousled manner to her ankles, a shade of silky light gold. She wore an extravagant purple dress, featuring ruffles and lace and what looked like might be some pearls around the bodice.

He ought to have recognized her the moment she walked in the door–she was the only girl he'd ever known with such excessively long hair. But her hair had always been up in those funny little balls, which he had loved to play with and try to untie, much to her chagrin. That, and he'd rarely seen her in Muggle clothes, much less in a dress like that.

It wasn't until she was right in front of him, looking at him in the face with those ocean blue eyes staring right into his that he knew who she was. She didn't even need to say anything to him–he knew.

He'd always wondered what had become of her. It was like she'd fallen off the face of the earth that Summer. Any Owl Post sent to her was returned by a befuddled owl. None of her Hufflepuff friends had heard from her. There had been whispers that she had dropped from Hogwarts in light of tension growing in Europe concerning You-Know-Who. When Sirius had tried asking the Hufflepuff head of house, he'd simply redirected Sirius to talk with Dumbledoor, who hadn't been able to tell Sirius much.

It had devastated him for quite a while–of all the girls Sirius had gone out with, he'd liked her the best and gone with her the longest. Of course, they also argued the most often too, but following a short break-up or a period in which they refused to speak to one another, everything was back to normal, if not better. She'd certainly understood him the best and she hadn't resented his desire to hang out with his friends all the time like most girls had.

Really, thinking about it, he hadn't gone out much after she'd disappeared. He'd dated occasionally that last year in Hogwarts, but never often or with the same girl twice. Even if they were pretty or interesting or a good kisser, they just weren't Usagi. He'd even considered going to look for her for a while before the situation in England had gone from bad to worse. When James, Lily, and little Harry's lives were all threatened, leaving to look for her was out of the question.

"Usagi," he whispered, uncertain. He wasn't sure if he ought to be horrified or happy to see her. Yes, he was glad to see her... but not under these circumstances. Still, he managed to dredge up a half-hearted smile from somewhere.

The smile that spread across her face, on the other hand, was sincere. "Hello, Siri," she responded. "It's good to see you again."

"Is it?" he asked, amused. "You look... the same," he said, taking her in. She must have died that year, he realized with a pang. She had died so young... She'd barely been older than Harry.

Usagi laughed like she wasn't dead and 18 years hadn't passed since he'd last seen her. "You've still got your silver tongue, then. I can see that some things are still the same. You're still handsome," she complimented him, winking. She was flirting with him. Flirting.

Didn't she realize that he was in his 30s now? Didn't she know that he was hardly handsome? He'd spent 13 years in Azkaban, filthy, pale, malnourished, hopeless–he'd come out looking like a walking corpse, kept alive only by pure hate. He'd spent the next two years alternately on the run and caged up in his own home like a rabid animal.

He must have done something. Maybe he'd begun to cry–he wasn't sure. He knew he was shaking. A rippling sort of sensation spread through his body, and he saw that his hands had changed–grown more, become wrinkled and calloused and scarred. So his image had changed to reflect what he really looked like now.

How horrified she must be, he thought, to realize what I've become. Sirius hid his face in his hands, struck with a terrible sense of shame. "Please don't look at me," he begged her.

Lily took James by the arm, and led him toward the door. He protested a little, but it was only half-hearted; he really didn't want to get into another argument with Lily. Lily led him out of the room with a soft goodbye to Sirius that James chimed in. As good as it was to see their friend again after such a long time, he didn't belong here anymore than Usagi did and it was high time that they both left.

"Sirius, I want you to look at me," Usagi instructed, equally gentle but firm. Sirius wasn't sure how anyone could manage both to exemplify both traits at the same time, but both Usagi and Lily seemed to be able to. Maybe it was just one of those things women seemed to know how to do naturally. In any case, he found himself looking at a girl who was 18 years younger than him, but ought to have been the same age as him.

"You've been lonely for a long, long time. I don't care if you look like you did when were both in school or if you look like an old man"–He let out a strangled laugh at this. "No, I don't think you look old now, but I couldn't care less if you had a beard like Dumbeldore's. I will always love you."

"You'd love a man 18 years your senior?" he quipped sarcastically. He couldn't quite believe it. Back when they had been 16, 30 had seemed positively ancient. And he was older than 30.

"You're not really older than me, you know," she teased gently. "I'd be as old as you, if certain things hadn't happened," she pointed out. "If anything, I'm still your age–I just look extremely young. But no, I don't care how old you are. I promise," she added, stopping him before he could say anything in denial. As though to prove herself, she enfolded him in a gentle embrace.

Sirius had not held anyone in a long, long time. Solitary confinement in Azkaban had been terrible in that respect–sometimes he'd spent days with his arms wrapped around himself. Without anyone else's contact to validate his sense of self, it was the best he could do. After getting out, he'd still only had the occasional contact with other humans–most everyone was frightened of him, and even Molly Weasley couldn't bring herself to do more than touch him on the shoulder occasionally.

Sirius hugged her back, ferociously tight. She let out a tiny squeak, but otherwise said and did nothing but hug him back. He was content to sit like that for a long time, with his nose buried against the side of her neck and in her hair. He didn't even notice as his form gently shifted younger–not as young as it had been before, but at least younger than he'd been moments before.

He released her at length, and smiled sheepishly. If Usagi was embarrassed or bothered by the unusual display of emotion, she made no mention of it. "There's some things you need to understand, Sirius, about where we are and how we got here."

Sirius nodded. He couldn't remember Usagi being so serious; she'd always been incredibly playful and sweet. Even though she didn't appear to be any different physically, it was obvious that she'd still managed to change in their time apart.

Usagi took a deep breath and settled back next to him on the couch. Suddenly she looked a little nervous, and Sirius recalled vaguely that she hated public speaking. He grinned a little, and she smiled back at him. "Obviously Lily and James told you that this place is for people who can't pass on quite yet. What they didn't tell you is that the people in here can't pass on for one of two reasons. They've either got unfinished business, like Lily and James, or they're not supposed to be here."

"Lily and James have unfinished business?"

Usagi nodded. "Typically, murdered people aren't able to pass on unless they've been avenged, or their murderer dies. When that person dies they... well, a sort of "trial" is held, in which they stand to testify. After the person in question has been judged, they can move on. On the other hand, if their murderer is put to death in life, sometimes that's enough to satisfy them."

"So... Lily and James are waiting for this trial thing, right?" Sirius really didn't understand this, but obviously Usagi knew what she was talking about. She'd been there longer than any of the rest of them, it seemed.

"Yes, but I think they'd also rather stick around to make sure everything turns out alright for Harry. Those Vernon characters ought to thank their lucky stars they didn't stick around as ghosts. Lily alone would have ripped them a new one for the way they've treated Harry."

"What about you, then? Are you waiting for someone to keel over, too, then?" Sirius asked, hesitantly. He didn't want to think about anyone purposefully killing Usagi. She'd been far too sweet to warrant such an ending.

Usagi smiled a little. "No. I'm not supposed to be here, either, Sirius. Actually... well, this is the hard thing to explain." Usagi took a deep breath, gathering the right words before she spoke again. "I'm not really dead, Sirius. Just... trapped."

"Trapped?" he echoed, confused. Not dead? Then she was alive somewhere?

Usagi nodded. "You see, the summer of our seventh year–or what would have been my seventh year–my friends in Japan were... concerned. They knew that something bad was on the rise in Europe, but they didn't want me to be involved. They knew, though, that I wasn't just going to quit school just because it was risky."

Sirius blinked. He'd seen her friends, once or twice, when they'd picked her up, but he couldn't remember them very well. He certainly hadn't thought they were so overprotective of Usagi to do whatever they'd done.

"So they tricked me into consuming a particular spell... they put it in my tea, and well, I didn't expect my own friends to do something like that. I didn't even know they knew how to do that," she added thoughtfully. "At any rate... the spell made me very sleepy. Once I was out of it, they put me in a coffin with a glass lid"–

"A coffin?ཀ" Sirius shouted in disbelief. He stared at Usagi, who just looked back at him, a little startled by his outburst. Sirius was outraged, though. "What kind of friends"–

Usagi reached out took Sirius's larger hands in her own. "Easy, easy–they were... misguided, but they thought what they were doing was best for me. They didn't want anything bad to happen to me."

"'Best for you?' They wanted to protect you... by sticking you in a coffin?" Sirius continued to mutter, but otherwise calmed down. Usagi smiled at him.

"They didn't want me hurt, so they did what they thought was necessary. Trust me, I was just as angry as you with them for a long time–if not more so–but I've forgiven them for it. In any case, I've spent the last 18 years in a coma. While people are in comas, their spirits wander through the realm of the dead, separated mostly but not quite from their bodies.

"Because of the spell on me, my soul is free to wander, to an extent, but I don't get lost like lots of separated souls do. Nor will I actually accidentally pass on, since the spell keeps my soul locked to it still–kind of like a dog's leash. So I'm stuck, until they decide to let me out."

"That's complete bull," Sirius protested. Usagi smiled at him endearingly, and gave him a quick hug–one that was too quick for him to return, much as he would have liked to.

"I think so, too. So I've been saving my energy–magical and otherwise–for a long time now. My hope was kind of that I might get enough to force the barrier keeping my body in that coffin–and my soul here–open."

Sirius frowned. "You realize that could kill you, right? And possibly everyone else that took part in holding you there?"

Usagi nodded, expression grave. "I know. That's why I didn't want to, but... I've spent 18 years here, Sirius. Sometimes I wanted to die," she admitted. "It's painful to watch the world move on without you." Usagi shook her head, dismissing her depressing thoughts, and smiled quite cheerfully. "It would appear, though, that you could be the solution to both of our problems."

Sirius blinked and raised his eyebrows. "And how am I going to solve my own problem?" he asked, bemused.

"Well, I guess I solve your problem. But it's a you-scratch-my-back,-I'll-scratch-yours kind of thing," Usagi explained. "I'll use my energy to revive you–you're not supposed to be here, anyhow, so I won't be breaking any rules. If anything, fate will be more than happy to help right the situation. By helping you out, you can come to Japan and rescue me," she beamed.

Sirius stared at her. "You make it sound so simple. Usagi, I don't even know where you are."

Usagi smiled again. "Well, that's easy enough. My body's being kept in this little room in the Hikawa Shrine in the Juuban prefecture of Tokyo. Go to Dumbeldore, he can get you floo'ed there. Or close, at any rate," she murmured.

"Usagi. I don't know how to break the spell they've got on you," he pointed out. He didn't want to hurt her feelings or burst her bubble, but it was true. If he guessed wrong, he could kill her–he didn't think that he could live with that kind of guilt. "And I can't just walk into Hogwarts–I'm wanted for murder, and besides... I'm supposed to be dead."

Usagi just laughed, though. "Well, I suppose you can't just stroll right in. But Dumbeldore's seen plenty of strange things in his years. As for waking me up... No worries. I've thought about it long and hard–well, that's about all I've been able to do this entire time. So I think I know what they used."

"Oh? And that would be...?"

"There are only two spells on the coffin–a strong Magnifisum charm, most likely, and a form of Incarcerous to keep me there. But all you should have to do is lift the lid, and those should break nice and easy."

"So then... you'll just wake up on your own?" he asked, uncertain. Surely it wouldn't be that easy. It rarely ever was.

"Well, no, not exactly. Anyone can lift the lid, but you're the only one who can wake me up."

"Why me?" he asked, perplexed.

Usagi stared at him, looking both amazed and confounded. "You mean... you don't know? Didn't your mother ever read Snow White to you? Or Sleeping Beauty? Any kind of fairytale?"

"My mom wasn't exactly into reading anything to me," Sirius responded. "Our nurse maid read to us, if anyone did. And I have no doubt those must be Muggle tales. Nothing Muggle ever entered our house," Sirius practically snarled.

Usagi looked taken aback. "I'm sorry. I forgot." An awkward silence hung in the air, and Usagi fidgeted with a lock of her hair. "Well... they're fairy tales about princesses who fall into a deep, deep sleep through a curse. Well, they're different curses, but the result and the counter-curse are the same, anyhow."

"And that would be...?" Sirius prompted, when Usagi didn't continue.

Much to his surprise, Usagi began to blush, rather embarrassed. "Well, uhm. About that. The counter-curse is... it's very simple. All you have to do is..." Usagi hesitated, and then blurted as fast as she could, "allyouhavetodoiskissme."

Sirius stared at her. The longer he sat there just looking at her in silence, the darker the red in her cheeks would turn. It was actually quite fascinating. "Are you sure you're not just using that as an excuse to get me to kiss you?" he teased her.

"I am notཀ" Usagi's protest came out as a squeal, and Sirius laughed. Usagi stuck out her lower lip in a pout and punched him in the arm, but it was obvious her heart wasn't in it. "You were always like that, making fun of me."

Sirius's playful mood drifted away. "That really bothered you?"

"No, Sirius, I liked being the butt of every one of your jokes," Usagi responded scathingly. The look she gave him was one of reproach. "It really hurt my feelings," she mumbled. "Especially when you did it in front of those Gryffindor girls. You know they hated me, right? Thought I wasn't good enough to go out with you."

"Is that what they thought?" Sirius asked, surprise reflected in his voice and on his face.

Usagi nodded thoughtfully. "Apparently Gryffindors are of the opinion that simply because they value loyalty and bravery above all else that they're the only ones that know anything about it." Usagi stuck her chin out in a manner that she thought stubborn but Sirius had always found to be more cute than anything else. "But frankly, I got into more fights over you behind your back than Lily and James ever argued."

Sirius raised a single eyebrow in amused skepticism. "I doubt that."

Usagi shook her head insistently. "I wouldn't. Lily had to drag me to Madame Pomfrey's on more than one occasion."

"You're joking," Sirius suggested.

"I'm not. I'm a Hufflepuff, but I'm not a coward."

Sirius grinned and ruffled her hair. "Of course you're not. I would never have dated a coward," he informed her in a matter-of-fact way. As an after thought, he kissed her nose, and then tentatively kissed her lips. His hands shook a little after he did that; it had been so, so long since he'd been so close to anyone. Frankly, he'd thought after he'd gotten out of Azkaban that he'd never be able to have a romantic relationship ever again. With any other girl, it probably would have been impossible...

She held him again, resting her head against his shoulder. His body was practically humming with energy; he was only too happy to hug her close in return. "So will you do it?" she asked at long last.

"How could I turn down such a pretty girl?" Sirius joked.

Usagi looked up at him, completely serious. She looked a little sad... and maybe a little scared. Sirius realized, then, that as lonely as he'd been for all those years, Usagi had probably felt just as lonely and probably equally frightened, even if it was in a different way, for even longer than he had. "Do you promise you won't forget about me?" she whispered.

"Hey, don't cry," he whispered. "I promise, I'll get you out of here. I would kiss you for much less than a curse–if anything, I get to use this an excuse to kiss you," he told her, trying to make her laugh. She rewarded him with a wobbling smile at the very least.

"Thank you, Siri," she whispered. Leaning up, Usagi placed her face level with his, so that she could look directly into his eyes with her lips just mere inches away from his. "All those years ago... when we left on such bad terms... I-I wanted to apologize, but I had too much pride. I spent a long time regretting that. I don't want to regret not saying how I feel anymore. I love you, Sirius Black, even when you're being a stubborn prat. And I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me most."

And before Sirius could say even one word to her, she pressed her lips very gently against his, and silenced him. A strange, bubbling sensation filled him, tingling like an electric current passing through his body, gaining strength until it was almost painful. Sirius automatically took her into his arms, more than happy to hold her, in anything in a state of ecstasy. If he'd been told as a boy that a simple kiss would be enough to drive him mad like this, he would have laughed. Sirius found himself becoming quite dizzy, and then he seemed to pass out, consciousness melting away slowly, the feel of her touch lingering.

When Sirius woke up and opened his eyes again, it was to a strange sight. He'd expected to find himself back in the Ministry of Magic, or somewhere equally as difficult to get away from without notice. Instead, he was in a room, and he was lying in a rather plush bed.

Sirius looked around, trying to think of all the places he'd been in the past dozen years or so. It obviously wasn't his cell in Azkaban, unless he'd lost his mind–his cell only had a bench that doubled as a bed, if you could force your body to stay still enough to say on it. It wasn't Grimmauld Place, either–it didn't smell musty, nor was the bed covered in gaudy green and silver sheets with ornately carved wood.

Sirius moved the sheets aside, and got up, gingerly. He was wearing a pair of red plaid pajama pants that were probably three sizes too small for him. He regarded the way the legs bared his ankles with amusement. No, it wasn't comfortable, but someone had been kind enough to apparently take a complete stranger off the street.

Even so, it probably wasn't smart for him to stick around. Instinctually, after having been on the run for so long, he knew that he needed to get away before some realized he wasn't just a poor bum or a drunk who'd passed out after too much partying on the weekend. It only took a minimal amount of concentration to change his form to the massive black dog that looked so much like the Grimm.

He nosed the bedroom door and crept down the hallway, keeping low and watching and listening cautiously. The carpeted hallway lead to several doors, one of which was opened to the living room, in which Sirius could see an old Muggle couple sitting in front of a strange box that blasted pictures and noise. So they'd been the ones to kindly house him for whatever length of time he'd slept. It was good to know that not all the Muggles in this world were like Vernon and Petunia Dursley, of which Harry never had anything good to say.

Going further, Sirius came to a kitchen. One, that he noted, that had a doggy door. He was about to thank his lucky stars when he realized that the doggy door in question was not only nailed shut but far too small for his Animagus form. That, he noted, was more like his luck as he knew it to be. Sirius cautiously shifted back to his normal form and crept close to the door.

Fiddling with the knob a little, Sirius finally managed to unlock it. As he snuck out the door, he noted the wall calender hanging over the trash-can on his way out. The previous days were marked out with a thick black pen. According to the calendar, it was already August 28th. School would be starting in a matter of daysཀ

Once outside, Sirius snuck across the green lawn, thankful that even though it wasn't night that at least it was evening, and the shadows had lengthened considerably. It was quite easy for him to sneak over the fence and into a little street where he shifted into his Animagus form once more.

Sirius continued to make his way through the streets. He could tell it was London, obviously. He wasn't sure exactly where, but in his day Sirius had gotten quite familiar with London. He would make it to King's Cross, and from there, make it to Hogwarts. That trip would take about three weeks, if he made good time, but seeing that he knew the way–he had traveled there not on one occasion but twice as Padfoot-it shouldn't be too hard. (1)

So Sirius set out under the cover of the plum cover of day-turning-to-night, remember the shade of a certain girl's gloves. Harry was relying on him, but so was Usagi. He didn't have any time to waste.

III

September 17th turned out to be quite drizzly, and colder than usual. Hogwarts' students bundled themselves against the cold mists that seemed to hang in the air. It was funny to think that only two months ago it had been relatively sunny and warm. At least in comparison, anyhow–Scotland would never be Cancun.

No one wanted to stay outside much, not even Hagrid, who normally didn't mind bad weather so much but had been rather depressed that almost none of the sixth years had continued in his course. So that was why no one saw a drenched, ragged looking dog wander onto Hogwarts' grounds and over to the Headmaster's quarters.

Sirius raised his cadet blue eyes and gave the guarding statues a rather reproachful glower. He glanced around him, suspiciously, and hesitantly changed his form to that of the man he really was. Again, he glanced around, before he wracked his brains for the different wizarding candies he knew. "Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Chocolate Frogs. Ice Mice. Jelly Slugs. Acid Pops. Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. Fizzing Whizzbees"– The door slid back into a groove in the wall, and rotating stairs began to rise, the passage down into Dumbledore's quarters. (2)

Wasting no time, Sirius quickly returned to his dog form and began to trot down the stairs. Dumbledore would not rat him out, of course, but who was to say there was not another teacher or a ministry official who would not feel the same way? For once in his life, Sirius decided to play it safe. He would not hesitate, however, to try to rip out the crotch of Snape's pants if he was down here. Or the butt of his robes–whatever he could get his teeth into. The thought of seriously irritating his arch nemesis would have made him grin, if his mouth was capable of it

Walking down the stairs was awkward for him in his dog form–the stair steps were quite narrow–, but Sirius forced himself to ignore the discomfort. It would be much less comfortable for him to wind up in Azkaban again. A shudder rippled through his body at that thought. No, he'd rather spend the rest of his life as a dog free than get caught.

Dumbledore's antechamber was empty, and the door to his office was cracked open. Sirius carefully nosed the door open, looking inside. Dumbledore sat at his desk, gazing down at papers from behind his half-moon spectacles. He was carefully marking the papers with his quill with his left hand. Sirius found that odd; he had always thought Dumbeldore was right handed.

Dumbledore was quite absorbed in whatever he was doing–so absorbed, in fact, that even when Sirius wandered in and sat down on his hind haunches, Dumbledore did not see him. He didn't shapeshift back–he could imagine giving a man as old as Dumbledore a heart attack. It was the paintings on the walls who noticed him first, in fact.

"A muttཀ Dumbledore, you've gone and left the door open again," sniffed a pinch-faced elderly man, who regarded Sirius with beady, black, disdainful eyes. Sirius just looked back at him with a dog-grin on his face.

"That creature is going to get fleas everywhere, Dumbledore. You'd best send it out," another one said. This one he recognized to be his own great-grandfather, Phineus Nigellus. He was surprised by the anger he saw in his relative's face.

Dumbledore finally looked up and blinked his little blue eyes. He then rubbed his eyes hastily with his left hand, disregarding his quill which stood ready for his hand again. He blinked again, staring at him. Finally, he stood up. "Well, now, this is truly unexpected. I shall feel myself a feeble old man if I'm wrong. Is that you, Sirius?"

Phineus made a strange choking sound from his position on the wall, watching the events with disbelief in his eyes. Sirus released the dog guise, and resumed his human form. It took him a short while, and it was painful, a bit like ripping a band-aid off of one's arm. Finally, though, he was back to his normal–though definitely unkempt–self.

A long silence pervaded the room. Phineus was the one who finally broke it, crowing with triumph, "I knew the boy couldn't really be deadཀ It takes more than that to get rid of a Blackཀ"

Dumbledore chuckled a little, and stepped out from behind his desk. "My boy, it is good to see you. Truly, we all thought you were done for. However did you manage to get out of that scrape? Perhaps you belonged in Slytherin after all," Dumbledore murmured in amusement.

Sirius was about to make a scathing comment–he never wanted to hear anyone talk about the possibility of him becoming a Slytherin; he considered them the greatest evil there ever had been–when he spotted Dumbledore's blackened, shriveled arm. "Great Gryffindorཀ What happened to you, Albusཀ?" Sirius exclaimed, horrified.

Albus smiled, just a little. "Just an accident, I'm afraid, although now it's rather useless to me. Please, Sirius, sit down. You look like you could use a good meal. And a bath. And I do insist before you rest that you tell me how you managed to get out of that scrape. I should call Harry down, too–overjoyed, I would imagine."

"Don't," Sirius croaked, taking his seat. "I can't stay," he admitted, regretting it. He truly was devoted to protecting Harry. He was James' son, after all; he'd died to save him. But the image of the girl he had once known so well held in a wood and glass coffin refused to be squelched–if anything, it clamored for him to remember that she was dependant on him. He was the only person in the world who knew where she was and wanted to save her. Surely Lily and James wouldn't begrudge him a small vacation to go and rescue her.

"Wherever is it that you feel you have to go, Sirius? Much has happened since that day in the Ministry," Albus explained gently. "You've been proven innocent of the murder of those 13 Muggles, as well as James and Lily's fates."

Sirius inhaled a deep breath. He'd waited a long, long time for that. But he hadn't wanted that nearly as much as he'd desired for Peter to suffer for his betrayal. "And Peter? Is he"–?

"Dead? Captured? Imprisoned? I'm afraid not yet, though certainly it shouldn't be too much longer, now. Time certainly does fly when you get older." A silver tea cart equipped with cream, sugar, and honey appeared and rolled itself over the desk. Albus took the cup that was already filled and lifted it to his lips, taking a sip. "Always perfect. Would you like some tea, Sirius?" Albus offered.

Sirius shook his head. "I still have to go," he replied. His voice was croaking a little less now. It would never sound as rich and smooth as it once had, though–years of disuse in Azkaban had seen to that. It was a wonder that he could talk at all, probably.

Dumbledore set down his tea cup carefully. His cornflower blue eyes regarded Sirius critically, although they shone no less than when he was laughing. At long length, Dumbledore finally replied, "You're an innocent man, so I cannot tell you know. But as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, I should advise you to lay low, take all precautions, and above all report back to me as soon as you can. If you don't mind my asking, where do you have to go?"

So Sirius began to explain. He began with his death, and continued to his encounter with Usagi, which in and of itself explained where he had to go and why. Dumbledore made no noise the entire time, simply nodding his head and listening. Sirius was glad to let the story finish itself uninterrupted. "So now you know," he concluded awkwardly.

Dumbledore released a small sigh. "I had wondered, of course, what had become of her," he said, sitting back in his chair, eyes closed and voice thoughtful. "I did try to locate her. Every avenue I attempted was simply a dead end, though. When I approached her old Muggle schools in Japan they knew nothing of her. When I approached her friends, they feigned ignorance of the English language. And when I went to her parents... they denied they ever had a daughter."

"What?"

Dumbledore nodded sagely, his hands clasped in front of him. "They truly had no knowledge they had a daughter. They showed me photo albums–she was not in a single one of them. Through some way or another, some force had managed to efficiently wipe her face clean from the memories of those around her. I had suspected, of course, but I had no proof–with Usagi's testimony to you, though, it would appear that her own friends were responsible for it."

Sirius felt disgusted, and Dumbledore knew it from the snarl that had transformed his face. Dumbledore was no judge on the appearances of men, but between his facial expression and his state of being–unkempt hair, overgrown stubble forming a haphazard beard, and deep circles beneath his eyes–Sirius did not look at all handsome, like he had in his youth. Still, Dumbledore could tell that something had changed. "Some friends," he spat.

Behind his beard, Sirius looked younger. His skin was pale and dirty, but it did not look the skin belonging to a man nearly forty years of age. Nor did his face appear so craggy or sunken–part of that was due to better meals during his stay in 12 Grimmauld Place, but again, he looked much healthier–much younger–than he had even then. His hair was wild and filthy, but Dumbledore had a hunch that one it was washed and combed it would possess a sheen. Even his posture had improved since Dumbledore had last seen him–years of sitting slouched in Azkaban had done nothing to help him. Dumbledore smiled a little–although most areas of life continued to become increasingly glum, it would appear that Usagi had granted her would-be rescuer quite a gift.

"Perhaps, though, it was a blessing in disguise," Dumbledore mused, half to himself. Usagi would never have allowed for anything to happen to Lily or James, much less their son. She would have been devastated with their death, and if possible, even more so by Sirius's "trial" and imprisonment. Imagining in his mind what she might have done or how she would have handled it was not a pretty picture. Usagi would probably feel duty bound to raise Harry in Lily's stead, but without a husband she would have had to take him to Japan. That would not have been in anyone's best interest, especially Harry's, since he needed to live with his aunt in order to be protected from Voldemort.

Yes, she had missed out on quite a bit of her life, but if Sirius's current state was any kind of indication of things to come, that wouldn't pose such a terrible problem. "Yes, indeed," he decided.

"Yes, what?" Sirius asked, confused. He knew from the decisive but calm look on Dumbledore's face that the older man had made his mind up about something. The question, though, was what.

"Try not to judge them too badly, Sirius," Dumbledore simply instructed him, ignoring his question. An old man had the right to some secrets, did he not? "Sometimes, in order to protect the things we love most, we must take actions that still hurt them. A lesser of two evils, if you will."

"Are you trying to suggest that this was for the best?" Sirius demanded.

Dumbledore chose, yet again, not to answer him. "Never mind that, my dear boy. We have more important concerns at hand at the moment. I hope I'm correct in assuming that you don't want a cave man the first thing Usagi sees after 18 years of sleeping?"

IIIIIIIIIII

(1) - I try to be factual, or stick to the books when I write. I looked up the location of Hogwarts at HPlexicon, and people seem to think it would be close to Edinburgh Scotland. I cannot, however, for the life of me, figure out the distance from Kings Cross to Edinburgh. I think it's about 7 or so hours of travel time, depending on the speed of the train and whether or not "pit stops" are made, but I still wouldn't know the speed of the train. Nor have I been able to figure out how far/fast a man can travel in one day. Having dashed that hope, there's no way anyone's going to be able to tell me how far a dog could go in a day. So I'm just guesstimating—I could be way, way, way off. So please don't be mad at me–I did try to figure it out. If anyone knows, however, I would be more than happy to hear from you.

(2) - Again, I do try to be accurate. However, Sirius is so not getting into the castle without at least Mrs. Norris knowing–and once she knows, so does Filch. So I had to fabricate an outside entrance.

(3) - There is no actual third number/note. I wanted to say, however, that I do not support Senshi betrayal fics, nor is this fic meant to be one. I think that the senshi care about Usagi a great deal–she's their friend. They chose their course of action out of care for her, wrong choice or not. So please don't flame me about how I'm so cruel to your favorite senshi; I'm not trying to bash them.

In final notes... I'd like to say thank you to all the people who reviewed the third chapter of Apple or Cherry? since I don't think I thanked you all. Here goes, from first to most recent.

Seren Luna Echo, Mischief and Mayham, Kage-Shadow-of-Darkness, DaughterofDeath, star-siren, sapphireskies, Celestial DreamBlaze, Sailor Ronin Usa-chan, Darling of the Hulta, TheMello, SailorStarScream, Kou Kepani, B-FAD's fiction, Flame Ivy Moon, Sylverkaze, and samisweet. You guys are all simply awesome.