Review Responses

The Great and Powerful Oz- thanks AGAIN for the review and im so happy that you enjoy this story- makes me happy! (or did I already say that?) And so does mayonnaise? WTF was that?

Peyton/satan in a biscuit- Im not even gonna try and spell the last part of your penname- yikes- thanks for the review and in the beginning I did have Persephone being a lot like me but shes - how do you say? A badass me, I would cry.

Kurama-Forever- Thanks for reviewing (cool name by the way) and the name Persephone is the name of the goddess of the underworld. (for more in depth see below)

Note: If you are interested in who Persephone is and don't know who she was then read this.

The story went that Persephones mother Demeter warned her to never leave their home. When Persephone did leave, Hades, the God of the underworld took her with him back to his home, taking her away from her mother. So Demeter and Hades reached a compromise, that Persephone would spend half the year with her mother and half the year with Hades (her new husband) so we have seasons. BC Demeter was the goddess of agriculture she was sad in winter when her daughter was gone. So Persephone in my story spends half her time in the "Underworld" with the Death Eaters and half her time with her "mother" or the Order. The seasons part doesn't really matter to this story but its interesting.

Chapter 4- A Reunion Of Sorts

Sirius braced himself and opened the heavy door to the darkness outside, Remus was holding her, she was covered in a beautiful cloak and without words Sirius took Persephone from Remus and carried her upstairs. The werewolf simply followed the pair upstairs with his eyes, his friend needed this time with her. Remus turned to Mad-Eye and motioned him towards the kitchen for a well deserved drink, the duo silently stalked down the empty hallway and into the cavernous kitchen, leaving the hall lonely and bathed in darkness once more.

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Sirius was surprisingly calm for such a passionate man, usually ruled by his emotions, he was quiet and strong, laying her down on the bed for Madam Pomfrey to treat. The mismatched pair worked without a sound, treating her many ailments with potions and spells until she almost seemed human again. Her teeth were no longer rotted and yellow, her nails were not brown and brittle, but her starved body would take a few days of a powerful potion to fully heal, and Sirius would get her cleaned up. When they were finished with the initial "cleansing" as Pomfrey referred to it Sirius bent to his knees on the edge of the bed and grasped Persephones hand, Poppy touched him and the shoulder and quietly left the room.

Sirius's strength had dwindled when they had had to administer the potion to combat the starvation through her vein, she had winced in pain, that wasn't like her. Looking at his beautiful love tears came to his stormy eyes, she looked so defeated, so tired and helpless. His guilty emotions were fueled by the look of Persephones deteriorating body, laying there, trembling on the bed in front of him. As soon as the door closed behind Madam Pomfrey Sirius allowed the tears to fall for his beloved one. He would not release her hand from his sturdy grip and through the tears he kissed her fingers lovingly, delicately, believing that any touch could injure her. Madam Pomfrey said she would most likely not wake until tomorrow morning but Sirius didn't care, he would stay with her all night. No matter how many times Remus came in and begged him to come eat something or get some rest, Sirius just sat protectively, on a chair facing the bed. Dumbledore would come next afternoon to check on her, Sirius couldn't decide whether he was looking forward to seeing him or not.

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At dawn the next morning Madam Pomfrey arrived again with another potion to give Persephone. Remus led her upstairs and the pair found Sirius asleep in the chair, not 3 feet away from her, his hand still wrapped around hers, Remus smiled and went to wake his friend as the nurse got her things ready. Sirius woke with a start and quickly rose to assist Madam Pomfrey. Lupin sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed her hand as the other individuals came to the four poster, Sirius went to the opposite side and held her while the long, sharp and sinister looking needle was shoved past her thin skin into the frail arm underneath. Persephone whimpered and all of sudden she coughed, then gasped and sat up in the bed, this action seemed to have drained much of her energy and grabbing her head with one hand she fell back onto the soft pillows. Her eyes were wide open and attentive, but their steely gray color was now dull and uninspiring, as she looked around the stuffy room she slowly registered the other people there. First was Madam Pomfrey, who stood over her holding some device and asking her questions. She tried to respond but her voice wasn't strong,

"Persephone can you hear me? Give us some sign." She coughed again and replied a feeble, "Yes." The other 2 people in the room let out a sigh of relief and Persephone looked to the man holding her hand. He had aged dramatically and he had many more gray hairs but it was undeniably the kind face of Remus Lupin, he smiled his wide smile and glanced at someone to her left. Turning her head she saw the characteristic shaggy dark hair that belonged to Sirius, he had a sad smile upon his handsome face as he looked down at her, running his fingers through her still dirty hair. Remus motioned to Madam Pomfrey and the 2 left the room to "Give them a few minutes" and Sirius lay down next to her and wrapped her into a tight embrace. For 14 years she had wavered between being angry at Sirius and missing him with intense desperation, now that she was finally with him, her anger was gone in a flash and she allowed herself to melt into his warmth and comfort.

Sirius held onto her for dear life, as if he was trying to make up for the past 14 years they had been apart, his hold never loosened. The couple remained like this, quiet and still, wrapped up in each other until Madam Pomfrey came back in and told Sirius to go downstairs and eat something so that she could give Persephone a thorough checkup. It took some bribing to get him to do it but he relented and soon left the room and went down to the kitchen. Remus would have thought him to be jubilant but somehow he was even sadder after he left the room where reality had been suspended for brief few minutes.

The cavernous kitchen was aglow with the fireplace burning strongly and Remus sat at the long table, a bowl of steaming soup already sitting next to him, ready for his friend. Sirius casually walked to the table and sat down, drinking the soup in minutes. The Auror and the werewolf glanced at each other and they registered Sirius change in behavior. Mad-Eye began telling stories about his days as an Auror and it seemed to Remus that Sirius had finally understood that things in their lives could not go back to the way they were. He admired Sirius for his optimism but the fugitive had never really grown up and learned this lesson. Any other time in their lives he would have been more than willing to help his friend with this painful truth but he realized that they were sitting in a dark wizards house with 2 convicted felons, a crazy old Auror and a werewolf and the fact that this was all happening during a silent war with the most evil wizard of all time.

Remus just bent his head and continued eating, wanting to dissapear into the background of this whole struggle.

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Dumbledore arrived that afternoon, exactly as he said he would and without hesitation he headed upstairs to Persephones room. Sirius, once again being kicked out went to feed Buckbeak and Dumbledore was left alone with the patient. He was pleased with her improvement and glad to see that she was up, Sirius had not left her side since breakfast earlier on, Dumbledore sensed that not much had been said but he had known that there was sure to be unease between the 2 of them. He just prayed that the loyalty they held to each other would help them through it. He pushed that aside, Dumbledore had to talk to her alone, settle some issues he was sure she had.

When Sirius left the bedroom, Dumbledore crossed over to the side of her four poster and pulled up a chair. There were no warm words of welcome, no smile for him, in fact she looked indifferent.

"What is it now Dumbledore? Here to spin some fantastic tale of why I was abandoned for 14 years? An innocent witch stuck inside Azkaban? But all can be made right with one of Dumbledores meticulously planned stories. Oh," she said with feigned enthusiasm, "Is it because you were to busy running your precious school to take the time out to free the devoted innocents?"

For someone who had just come out of a coma she spoke with force and he could tell this wasn't going to be easy. She was still so young in many ways that he doubted she would understand in the near future why he had done the things he did, if she ever did understand. All she could see was her own pain, her own misery and he understood that. She was only 20 or 21 when she went to prison, she had spent all of her adult years contained in a stone box, but regardless he felt he had to explain his actions somehow.

"Persephone I am going to defend my actions and I ask that you do not interrupt me until I am finished." Persephone scoffed but gave a curt nod of agreement.

"Good, well when you and Sirius were put into jail no one knew that Peter was alive, let alone that he was the one who had betrayed us. I did not learn any of this until Sirius escaped and was able to tell me what really happened, that wasn't until a year ago, I tried then to free you but the prison board wouldn't budge. I didn't want to free you so that you could be hunted like Sirius is, I would never wish that upon you, so I had to wait for an opportunity where you could be released, not broken out. I didn't get such an opportunity until a few days ago, as soon as I got it, I arranged to go to Azkaban and get you transportation back here. I apologize but I'm at a loss as to what else I could have done." Persephone wanted to be angry still, but she couldn't help trusting him, and his explanation seemed to make sense. She hated herself for thinking that. She was still mad but it was only going to hurt her to stay angry at him, after all he still came for her. That had to mean something didn't it? For the next half hour the pair talked about her condition and the recent news of Voldemorts return to power. Persephone scowled at the news but made no fervent remarks, it seemed to Dumbledore as though she wanted nothing to do with the whole situation, he couldn't blame her for that, no one did.

When Dumbledore finally did depart he was loathing himself once more, knowing he would have to break the news to her that she must go back, back to Voldemort and the Death Eaters. But for now he would let her have a few days with Sirius with nothing hanging over their heads, contrary to popular belief he did care about these people, they were the closest thing to a family he had.

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That night Sirius came into Persephones bedroom and got her out of bed. He had drawn a bath for her to eradicate 14 years of dirt and grime from her skin and bones frame. Stripping her down he lifted her into the steaming tub and tried with much difficulty to stay focused on getting her cleaned up. He felt strange, although he wanted to touch her, to hold her, he couldn't bring himself to do it, after all these years she was a stranger to him. Persephone felt the same way, they had spent all day together after Dumbledores visit, just laying there staring into each others eyes but something had just been…awkward. They weren't the same people anymore, those years in Azkaban had hardened them. Sirius's being on the run, attacked by Dementors and constant fear of capture had aggravated him. He was a much angrier person than she had known, always a passionate person it was now channeled differently and she wasn't quite sure what to think of him anymore. And Sirius in turn could see the subtle changes in her character. Although the first thing a person would notice was her bone thin frame Sirius could see her eyes, once so filled with energy and zest for life were sunken and sorrowful. Her jubilant personality was gone, she was filled with pain and regret. Her fiery personality had now become apathetic and cold.

"Who were these people?" Sirius thought to himself as he helped her out of the tub. Remnants of lives once so intense and proud. They were strong people by nature but Azkaban finally broke them after all these years, hard as they might try they couldn't fight it anymore. They were too tired. Sirius rubbed her dry and gave her a robe outside of the claw footed tub, walking on her own back to the bed she lay down and Sirius kissed her goodnight. On the forehead.

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Persephone was almost at full strength and she had been called to the school for a complete check up (more to test her stamina then anything else) Borrowing Sirius's wand and some clothes from Remus (a pair of loosely fitting black slacks and an oversize sweater) she apparated with much difficulty into the town of Hogsmeade. Entering the village she squinted at the sunlight, even though it was a cloudy day her eyes had not yet grown reaccustomed to the light, she pulled on a pair of old sunglasses and trudged up the long walk. She found it much more difficult than ever before to climb it and the wide open space almost made her nervous but she knew how Dumbledores mind worked. Constant tests, and she never lost her stubborness, she would pass them all. Feeling winded she found her way to the hospital wing to be greeted by an ecstatic looking Madam Pomfrey and a grave Albus Dumbledore.

She sat down on a bed as Madam Pomfrey gave her numerous potions and Dumbledore briefed her on all the news for the order, she just listened and nodded until he came to her assignment,

"Persephone, Severus has returned to his role inside Voldemorts ranks and I am ordering you to join him." Whatever potion she had in her hand went flying into the air as she stood, her freshly cut hair swirling around her shoulders. Her indifferent feelings had just died with that little sentence, her anger was swelling.

"How dare you?"

"Now Persephone calm down. What did you expect? We need you in there." Persephones chest heaved while Madam Pomfrey was feebly attempting to get her to sit back down. She replied, softly, once again defeated,

"Is that why you got me out? Please just tell me the truth for once."

Dumbledore sighed and replied, " No, it is not the only reason. But if you want honesty it was a defining factor, you are the only person who can get that close to him. We need you to do this."

"We?" she said mockingly, "I never needed anything from you besides your complete trust, which, you failed to deliver." she sat on the bed and placed her head in her hands, "But I suppose I have no choice?" she waited for some kind of reply that never came. She sighed and finished the potions that she was handed. She hated Dumbledore more than anything in the world right now, more than that sicko Coben, more than the people who had put her away and even more than Lord Voldemort himself. When she walked back through the door of 12 Grimmauld Place she told Remus, "I think we might all be fighting the wrong dark lord." Sirius had locked himself in his mothers bedroom with Buckbeak so Persephone retired to her room and closed the door, cursing the darkness.

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The next day the houses few occupants were busy preparing for the Weasley horde to arrive, luckily the house was large enough to accomadate the family and everyone else comfortably. Buckbeak even got to keep his own room. Persephone and Sirius were put together until Harry arrived, when she would move out until he left again. That had been something else she and Dumbledore had chatted about yesterday, one of the few things she agreed with was that Harry didn't need to know who she was or get attached to her in any way. He had been through so much already and they didn't think it was fair to have him become attached to someone else in a dangerous position. If he didn't know her, he couldn't lose her. When the house was prepared Persephone again borrowed the clothes and wand and headed off to do some shopping, she needed clothes and most importantly a wand.

Her first stop was Diagon Alley, with its bustling shops and brightly dressed wizards running to and fro she felt elated, somehow, she was getting back her life. She retrieved her money from Gringotts and headed straight to Ollivanders. The shop was a new experience to her, it looked disorganized and the dust was overpowering her senses. She had always remembered buying her first wand with fondness in America but this was different entirely. She glanced around the shop at the numerous boxes and knickknacks that lined the counter. She heard something stirring behind the shelf in front of her and an old man with wild hair jumped out in front of her with an ill-mannered greeting of "Who are you?" Persephone merely stated her name before the man jumped down and began to measure her for a wand. She stood still at the front of the shop while he looked through the numerous shelves in back, the tape fell and he was back in seconds holding several boxes. He motioned her forward and handed her the first box but she didn't take it, instead she glimpsed at the third box in the row, Ollivander saw her look and immediately whipped the first box away and handed her number 3.

"13 inches, Birch wood with a core of dragon heartstring."

Persephone took the wand out and held it in her right hand, there was no warmth in her arm, instead their was a scorching heat and she felt the power flood into her, filling her to the brink. The man nodded and she gave it a wave, fire erupted from the end of the wand in a great burst and Ollivander jumped back. Persephone smiled a true smile and handed the wand back to the shopkeeper to wrap up for her, she paid for her new possesion and left the shop, quickly pocketing the treasure she had just purchased. Leaving Diagon alley she went to buy some clothes and returned to Grimmauld Place.

When she walked through the door she heard the voices of children yelling about something and Molly Weasley scolding them in the kitchen, placing her bags on the steps she walked through the door of the kitchen to see the plump Mrs. Weasley holding a spatula to 2 boys identical faces. She clearly wasn't happy about something they had done. As soon as she entered Molly stopped hollering and ushered the boys out and giving Persephone a binding hug, Arthur had been reading his newspaper and at the sight of her he rose and walked towards his wife. Persephone finally detached herself and shook hands with Arthur. The couple were beaming and Persephone couldn't help but smile at her old friends, they said a hurried hello before the children came running in for dinner. Persephone decided to put her things upstairs before they all ate so she quickly left the room, taking the steps 2 at a time (those potions really worked wonders) she soon found herself on the landing outside of hers and Sirius's room. She opened the door and went to place her things upon a table in the corner, she could hear Sirius was in the shower. Persephone decided to change into some of her new things before heading down to dinner, she couldn't really call attention to herself in front of the kids but she didn't have to constantly wear Remus's old clothes. The shower clicked off right when she was pulling a new shirt on and Sirius came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel around his slender waist. She didn't turn but he came to her anyway. She could feel him behind her, his warm breath on the back of her neck, his wet hand grabbed her arm and he leaned into the back of her head. Although they were alone in the room he whispered,

"Im so sorry." His voice was full of regret and sorrow, "If I had known you were there I would never have left without you." He was talking, of course, about his solo escape from Azkaban. She relaxed in his grip,

"Oh Sirius don't blame yourself. This whole," she hesitated, "Situation, is as much my fault as anyone elses." He shook his head, his wet hair tickling the back of hers.

"No, I shouldn't have left, you asked me not to go. This was my fault from the beginning." His voice was cracking, she allowed herself to lean her head on his shoulder, she sighed, "Whats important is that we're here together now."

"But for how long? How long is it going to be before Dumbledore sends you back?" Persephone breathed in heavily, due to their recent awkwardness with each other she hadn't told him of her chat with Dumbledore yesterday.

"2 days." she replied relunctantly.

Sirius's head violently jerked up.

"What?"

To be continued…

Next time…

The couple talk about Persephones assignment and because of the circumstances they overcome their awkward feelings. Yay!

Disclaimer: I aint repeatin it. Check prologue.