It took a lot of coaxing for Sirius to agree to take his family to Diagon Alley but, on a warm, sunny Friday afternoon, there they were. Leo was walking around as easy as you please by then and even the Healers could find nothing wrong with him physically. In fact, it had been a month since anything questionable had happened at all. Ella's dream, though frightening, had never made a second appearance. Sirius, Remus, Leo, and Ella were going to shop for a while before catching a bite to eat with the Potters who would be arriving later that day.

Leo and Ella were walking ahead of there dear old dad while Remus was leading the way at a brisk walk. Sirius kept his eyes firmly on his two progenies, petrified that someone would jump out of a store and snatch one away from him. This, as Remus had told him on more than one occasion, was very unlikely. That he knew, but it didn't keep him from worrying. He and Ella had talked a little and were getting on moderately well. He hoped that they would be back to full swing before she left for school in September. Leo would join her as well, Dumbledore having promised to give special help to the boy.

Remus kept shooting them exasperated looks which all three ignored pointedly. "Come on, pick up the pace. We've got a lot of ground to cover," Remus chided over his shoulder. Remus was not a leisure-shopping sort of person. He liked to get in, get what was needed, and then get out. He couldn't stand dallying.

"We're coming, don't worry," Ella replied with a grin. She and Leo, quite on accident, were wearing the same sea-green color, hers in dress form and his as a shirt. He also wore brown thongs and khaki shorts. His hair fell shaggy by his ears and he kept running his hand through his hair as if to keep it tousled. Ella's dress fell to mid-calf and had a bit of body in the skirt. The top had thick straps that barely missed the beginning of her arm and the neckline formed a very low V. With it, she wore white sandals and a string of pearls once belonging to Remus' mother. He had never had a child of his own and thought the gift suited her. Her hair fell in her customary curls down her back, bouncing as she walked.

They went to Madame Malkins, the Apothecary, the Magical Menagerie, Gringott's, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and finally, they had only time for one more store. "I was kind of hoping to go to Flourish and Blotts," Ella put in tentatively. "Why don't you three go on ahead to Ollivander's and I'll meet you there in five minutes." Sirius balked. The day had been trying for him as it was without his daughter running off by herself.

"I would feel more comfortable if you went with me or Remus," Sirius said.

"Actually, I have to go meet the Potters at he Leaky Cauldron so I can't take you," Remus stated hastily, giving Ella an apologetic glance.

"Why can't I go by myself? I'm almost of age and Flourish and Blotts is a hop skip and a jump away from Ollivander's. I just need to pick up a book I ordered."

"I don't think I'm comfortable with that," Sirius was quickly beginning to flush.

"Come on Sirius, she's right. She needs at least a little independence. If she's not at Ollivander's in exactly five minutes you can call in the Auror Squad," Remus tried to use his most soothing voice but he wasn't all together sure it would work.

"Yeah Dad, come on," Ella pleaded.

"Fine, but don't think I'm joking about the Aurors young lady." Ella grinned and gave her father a quick peck on the cheek before running off toward Flourish and Blotts. Remus waved goodbye and started toward the Leaky Cauldron. This left Sirius standing in the street, craning his neck to see that Ella got to Flourish and Blotts alright. Once she was out of sight, he and Leo started toward Ollivander's

Meanwhile, In the Bookstore

Ella whipped through the door and straight to the counter where Mr. Thomas was talking to a rather rotund woman about the latest magical cookbooks. "But Mrs. Adams, I won't be receiving those until Monday. I could reserve one for you but-"

"There's no need, I'll just get this one," Mrs. Adams replied, pointing at a small, green volume. Mr. Thomas rung it up and Mrs. Adams was soon on her way.

"Ella m'dear, it's been a very long time."

"Yes it has. It feels like ages."

"I heard about your brother; how is he?"

"Adjusting well, look, I really would love to chat but my father will have an auror squad in here if I'm not at Ollivander's in five minutes. Actually, it's only three and a half now." Mr. Thomas smiled warmly and pulled a huge tomb from under the counter.

"It's the most authoritative text on the Goblin Rebellions. I do hope you enjoy it." She paid him and gave his hand a quick squeeze before heading right out the door. "Goodbye Ella dear!"

"Goodbye Mr. Thomas," she exclaimed over her shoulder. As she walked out of the store, she ran straight into a short, rat-like man who had been picking up a stray galleon off the ground. Her book fell from her hands and she nearly fell over herself, managing just in time to catch herself on her elbow. "Oh I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. Do forgive me." From the corner of her eye she saw a very worried looking Sirius Black round the bend.

"Well you should be, running into people like that!" the man exclaimed, picking his head up to glare at her from beady little eyes. Upon seeing her, those eyes widened and he nearly gasped. "Vela Black!"

"Yes, do I know you?" she asked, just as her father came quickly toward her. The man looked flustered for a minute before grabbing her roughly by the arm and apparating out of sight with a sharp "pop".

"Ella no!" Sirius yelled just as she disappeared from sight. The man looked so much like Peter Pettigrew but how was that possible? He had seem him dead hadn't he, so many years ago? He had been angry he hadn't killed the rat himself. All he knew for sure was that Ella was gone. Just then, he heard his name being called. "Mr. Black! Mr. Black, you son has just collapsed," Ollivander came running down the street, panting heavily. They both took the trip back at a sprint, Sirius desperately afraid he was about to loose his son as well.

When he entered the shop, Sirius fell at Leo's side, Ollivander hovering over his left shoulder. "What happened?" Sirius asked gruffly.

"One moment he was trying a wand and the next, a moment ago, he just collapsed," Ollivander answered hurriedly. Sirius nodded distractedly. He had to find Remus, he had to get to the Leaky Cauldron. With a wave of his wand, he made Leo weightless and floated him out the door. He took the streets at a run and soon caught sight of the wall that separated him from the Leaky Cauldron. He plunged through and burst through the back door. Remus was sitting at one of the tables, laughing with James, Lily, and Harry.

"REMUS!" Sirius boomed, bulleting toward the table. The werewolf's head shot up and the color in his cheeks paled at the sight of Leo's listless body in the air.

"Sirius, what happened," he asked hurriedly as Sirius lowered Leo onto a bench. "Ella, she, Wormtail, gone," Sirius' words came out in a strangled, fragmented sob and he sunk to the floor.

"What?" Remus asked confusedly. "What are you talking about Sirius."

"Wormtail, he took Ella and I don't know where she is," Sirius sobbed. James was at Remus' shoulder now.

"Wormtail? Sirius I don't understand."

"She's gone, he took her, right there in the middle of the street. I ran but I couldn't catch up. He, they were gone."

"But what's happened to Leo?"

"He just collapsed, that's what Ollivander said."

"Sirius, I'm going to get Leo to St. Mungo's. You go with James to investigate. We will find Ella, I promise," Remus seemed close to tears himself but he had to stay calm for his friend. Sirius, unable to do anything else, only nodded his assent and allowed James to heave him off the floor.

"What's happened?" Harry asked, rushing over to James as he was leading Sirius out the door.

"Harry, go back and help your mother and Remus," James demanded tersely.

"Dad, what's happened with Ella?"

"Harry, go back now. This is none of your concern."

"Come off it Dad! Sirius, what's happened?" Harry asked, catching Sirius' arm. James whirled around, worry and fire in his eyes.

"Harry, go back now!"

"Fine but shouldn't someone notify Professor Dumbledore," Harry put in, almost smugly. James nodded.

"You do that Harry. Remus will fill you in but do not, under any circumstances do anything stupid. We've already got two kids on the frits and I don't need you in danger too." Harry hurried back to his mother and Remus who were trying to revive Leo out of what they assumed was some sort of stupor.

Once out of the Leaky Cauldron, James took Sirius by the arm and apparated outside the Ministry building. He hurried into the elevator and gave his name quickly, hoping it would catch his drift and get him down as soon as possible. He hoped the new surveillance they had installed only weeks before in Diagon Alley would catch something. Unlike muggle forms, the picture was clearer and it monitored the apparation destinations of all wizards in the shopping area. He pulled Sirius into the Auror office and into the surveillance room. His friend sunk into a chair, in a bit of a stupor himself.

Of course, James could sympathize. If Harry had just been kidnapped he didn't know what he'd do. The thing that really irked him was the whole Wormtail thing. Sirius had unusually keen eyes and would not have been fooled by a trick of the light. Wormtail was not the most nondescript person on the planet either. With a few taps of his wand, James pulled up the map. "Where did this happen?"

"Right outside Flourish and Blotts. She tripped coming out of the store," Sirius answered faintly, now looking at the screen in anticipation. James nodded and prodded the tiny picture of the bookstore.

"It happened about forty five minutes ago right?" James asked, moving his wand in a circular motion, making the picture blur by. Sirius nodded. As the tiny clock in the upper left hand corner of the picture moved closer to 5:30, James began to slow down his motion. When a tiny Ella appeared and walked into the store he began to go slower and slower till everything was moving in slow motion. He nearly gasped at what he saw. It was indeed Wormtail, sidling along the street and finally bending to pick up a galleon. "I can't believe it," James breathed. Sirius gave a derisive snort.

"Pathetic little rat," he spat. James ignored Sirius' comment and tapped on Wormtail, blowing him up till he filled the screen.

"That's Wormtail alright; he doesn't look good," he noticed, taking a bit of vindictive pleasure in the hollowness of the man's cheeks.

"Maybe he's sorry now for ever joining his "master"," Sirius hissed.

James tapped once more on Wormtail and said, in an authoritative tone, "Most Wanted File." The picture zoomed away and the frozen picture of Flourish and Blotts once again appeared. James prodded the screen and it resumed its slow motion.

"There she is," Sirius breathed as Ella came out of the store, a huge book under her arm. He almost couldn't watch as the haunting events panned out in front of him once more. He watched painfully as his screen self pelted toward her, not reaching her in time. As soon as Wormtail had apparated with Ella, James put his wand once more to the screen. "Destination," the picture disappeared and curving, black words appeared: Stoatshead Hill: Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon.

"That's near the Burrow. Why would he apparate there?" James asked.

"I doubt he's stayed there," Sirius replied gloomily. "He probably knew we could find out his first apparation destination and used that as an stopping point."

"Come on Sirius, lets at least see if there's any evidence," James pulled Sirius up bodily and began pushing him toward the door. He stopped before the first fire he saw and pulled out a satchel of floo powder, tossing it in. "The Burrow," he said and whirled off. He hoped Sirius would follow. A moment later, he tumbled out of the grate at the Weasley's.

"Arthur?" Molly called from the kitchen. "Is that you?" she walked into the room just as Sirius tumbled out on top of James. "Oh my, James? Sirius? What are you two doing here?" James extricated himself from Sirius and stood up, slowly followed by his friend.

"I can't explain now Molly but I will later. We're very sorry for the inconvenience," he apologized, trying to avoid her mother-gaze.

"That's quite alright. Would you like some tea?"

"No, we have to be getting on at the moment, thank you," Sirius hastened, not wanting the subject of Ella to come up. The two rushed out of the house and, after getting a good three feet away, apparated to Stoatshead Hill. It looked just as it always had, nothing out of the ordinary, at least at first sight. It took a few seconds for Sirius to notice a large, blue tomb sitting on the ground. He rushed over to it, picking it up and turning it over. "The Goblin Rebellions; this is what she was getting at Flourish and Blotts." James was at a loss for words, such was the pain in Sirius' voice. Instead, he rested a hand on Sirius' shoulder. Sirius opened the book, leafing slowly through the pages as if she had somewhere left a clue. All the volume seemed to say was "goodbye".

A/N: Another chapter. I hope you liked it. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks for your review Tawa! Cheers.