Sirius: After Azkaban

Chapter 14:

The Eager Ramon

Siriussa sat daydreaming outside of Florean Fortesques Ice Cream Parlor, her new owl, Ramon, flying around over head, coming down every once in a while to nibble some of Siriussa's ice cream. It was only when Ramon started nibbling at her hand, trying to get the ice cream, that she snapped out of her reverie.

"Come on Ramon, let's go back to the Leaky Cauldron before it gets dark." She called to Ramon, but he started to fly the other way, toward some less populated shops.

Siriussa followed her owl, wondering if he was going to fly away and leave her, "Ramon! Come on!" she yelled at her owl, but he seemed to be too eager to get to where he wanted to go.

When the owl stopped it was at a shop called Dervish and Banges. But Ramon only stayed until Siriussa caught up with him. He then set off again, down a road at what looked like the edge of Diagon Alley.

"Oh come on, Ramon – Please!" Siriussa pleaded. She then remembered that at the store she whistled and he came to her; so she tried that, and it worked like a charm.

Now with Ramon safe, she headed back, but didn't get too far. A man selling newspapers caught her.

"Hey miss. Want to buy a copy of the Daily Prophet?" he asked.

"Oh, no thanks." She replied, then started to walk away. But the man wouldn't give up. He kept pestering her to buy one of his newspapers, so finally, after five minutes of refusing, she gave in.

"Thank you very much!" he yelled to her, as she quickly walked away, tucking the newspaper under her hand. But after a minute she noticed she went the wrong way, down a different street that had deserted houses up and down it.

"Oh shit," she said, turning around, "now where?"

She put her hand to shield out the sun that was now lowering steadily, and the paper fell out from under her arm.

"Man!" she said with frustration. But when she bent down to pick it up it wasn't there. She then looked up and saw where it had went immediately.

Standing in front of her was a shaggy-looking, black dog.

"Hey dog." She said, walking over to it. "You must be a stray, or at least you look like it." She commented. Ramon was now perched on a rock on the side of the road. Siriussa bent down and patted the dog.

"You know what?" she asked, even though there wasn't anyone around, "I've always liked dogs." She smiled at it, and something strange happened; Siriussa saw it smile back. But she disregarded it for the fact that it had been a long, humid day, and she was just tired.

Siriussa then made to grab for the paper, but the dog wouldn't let go. "Okay, you can have it. I didn't want it anyway."

At that moment the dog nudged her in the leg and started going off in the direction in which she had though she came from.

She whistled for Ramon, then followed the dog. In no time Siriussa was back on the familiar main road of Diagon Alley, and the dog had nudged her once again and disappeared.

"Wow, that was nice. Strange, but nice."

"Hey Siri. Who's your friend?" greeted Tom after Siriussa finally retired to The Leaky Cauldron, Ramon on her shoulder.

Siriussa smiled and looked at her owl, "Oh, this is my new owl, Ramon!"

"She's beautiful. A snowy, right?"

"Yes." Siriussa confirmed, grinning.

After a moment Tom asked, "So, you want anything to eat?"

"Yes, that'd be great." Siriussa said, after thinking about what she ate that day; her breakfast, which was pancakes and sausage, and then the little bit of icecream she had.

"So, how are you liking it here in London?" Tom asked, as Siriussa took a refreshing swig of her butterbeer.

"Hmmm-mmh. Great." She replied, after swallowing the soothing beverage. "Hey, this stuff is really good. What'd you call it again?"

Tom smiled and gave a small laugh, "It's butterbeer, and your right, it is really good; most people will agree."

"This stuff is beer, you say?"

"Yeah, but it's not strong at all, for human's at least. The young ones can even drink it."

"Really? Wow." Siriussa said, amazed.

"Yeah, but anyway, if you're looking for strong stuff, there's nothing I've seen that's more strong than Firewhiskey. Now that we can't sell to young ones, but of course they somehow still manage to get their little hands on it - wouldn't put it past them that most get it from that pub Hog's Head . . . dodgy place, that is." Tom rambled, and, finding that Siriussa's attention had drifted elsewhere, went to go talk to an elderly wizard on the other side of the table.

"...Yeah, there's tons of cool and weird shops there, for all ages even. It has far better selection than Diagon Alley. And plus it's the only all-wizard village in Britain." Siriussa had turned and listened intently as two witches chatted on.

"Wow Daphne, I can't believe I've been missing out! What's this place called now?"

"Hogsmeade, Gaila – Hogsmeade. It's in Scotland, near Hogwarts, where I went to school."

"Oh, yeah. That's right. Well, we'll have to go then, shall we?"

"Yes, and just in time for Christmas, right – "

Siriussa turned away, thinking. This was perfect timing. A new place to go, a change. 'That would be great.' she thought happily. She was getting bored of Diagon Alley now; it didn't have anything left there for her to explore; she needed a change.

"Hey Siri, you all right there?" Tom called, breaking her train of thought.

"Oh, yeah. Just thinking . . . hey Tom, I was wondering - if I were to go to Hogsmeade, how would you say is the best way for me to get there?"