A/n Please read chapter 1 again if you haven't. I've added more words. Again, if I've spelled any non-English words wrong please let me know. I'm blind and listened to the books in audio. To the Spanish reviewer, I'm sorry but I don't know what you said.

Chapter 2:

The Sweet Shop of Promises

Ash landed with barely a bump on the pavement outside a small sweet shop. The sign read, Laurie's Treats and Ash looked at it for several seconds. "Matera really?" he thought as he stared at it. Simi appeared beside him in her human disguise. She looked at the shop hungrily.

"Are we going in there akri?" she asked curiously. "The Simi is hungry."

Ash was about to answer when the door opened and a portly, friendly looking woman ushered them inside. She closed the door behind them and led them behind the counter to a small office. Ash and Simi sat on two comfortable chairs while the woman sat behind the desk.

"You must be Ash and Zia," the friendly woman stated. "My name is Laurie Kail."

Ash used a trickle of his power to keep Simi in her seat. She looked confused and a bit angry. He noticed his power level was lower than half the amount he could command, but still vaster than he thought it would be. He had his teleport powers which surprised him. He nudged Simi and she calmed down.

"We are indeed," Ash spoke for the both of them.

"Great to hear," said Laurie. "I've received your applications just this morning. Are you sure you can take care of the shop for the next few years?"

"Of course we can!" Simi said cheerfully.

"If I may ask," said Ash calmly, "Why will you be absent for so long?"

"I'm afraid I have family issues that keep me away from the shop," answered Laurie. "I decided to close up shop, but thought it better to keep it open since people seem to love it so much. You two do know how to cook right?"

"Of course," said Ash with false cheer. "We might not be great at it at first, but I hope we don't lower the customer rate."

Ash knew how to cook alright. He didn't want to think about it, but he had learned cooking early on during his years of enslavement. Surprisingly, he still enjoyed cooking now. He pushed the thoughts back harshly.

"I can make all the treats look pretty," said Simi with a grin.

"That's lovely sweetheart," said Laurie. "Thank you both for running the shop for me. If you ever need to hire some help, don't hesitate to do so. I'll check in now and again is my family and health permits."

"Thank you for hiring us," Ash said calmly. "We won't disappoint."

Laurie showed them the kitchens, the method for wrapping, stocking and pricing goods, and the account books. She explained their wages, and set a column aside for any help they might need. She then took her personal affects out of her office and showed herself out. As she left, a thin man entered the door and walked to the counter.

"Hello," he said to Ash. "My name is Remus Lupin. By chance do you have a job opening?"

Simi was happily decorating cupcakes in the kitchen so didn't hear any of this. Ash's mind went back to what his mother said and his heart clenched. This Remus Lupin looked desperate and careworn.

"Why don't you come back to the office," Ash suggested. "We can talk about it and see if you have any qualifications."

Remus followed him back and into the office. The door closed and Simi, now Zia, walked out of the kitchen. She didn't spy her akri anywhere but heard voices in the office. She didn't have much time to wonder if she could go back there though because the door opened. She scurried over to help the thin blond woman and the two children. She saw the tiny little boy in his over large clothes and realized who he was.

Zia kept her calm as best as she could, holding onto it by the skin of her teeth. The woman walked through the shelves, picking up a large cake and two chocolate bars. She spotted a tub of home made ice cream in the freezer section and picked that up too. She placed them all onto the counter and pulled the smaller boy away from the little cupcakes in a display. The larger boy whined for a caramel doughnut and the woman snatched that too.

"Who are you?" asked the woman a little snappishly. "Where's Laurie?"

"I'm Zia, Miss," said Simi as calmly and politely as she could. "Laurie is ill and has given the shop to my… brother and I to run. My brother is in the back interviewing a potential employee."

The woman huffed as Simi gave them the right cash back, using her best English and remembering everything her akri told her. She stumbled a little on her words but did the best she could. The blond woman looked at her as though she wasn't right in the head but hefted the bigger bag and made the tiny boy carry the other. Simi quickly slipped him a tiny cupcake while the other two had their backs turned.

"Eat quickly," she whispered to him.

The boy nodded and beamed so brightly at her. The woman and children left the shop and her akri came out. Behind him was a man who was covered in scars. He looked worn out.

"Zia," said Ash, stressing her new name, "This is Remus. He is our new employee."

"Hello Remus!" Zia exclaimed happily. "Welcome to the sweet shop!"

"Thank you Zia," said Remus with a tired smile. "I hope I'll be a good contributor to the job."

"I'm sure you will," said Ash.

Remus and Zia decorated cakes and wrapped them up in boxes. They talked amicably with each other as they mixed icing and measured out ingredients. Ash mixed batches and batches of cake batter, cookie dough and ice cream. He carefully watched as each pan of cupcakes, cakes and cookies turned out well. Even the ice cream wasn't too bad.

All this time, Ash thought over what he would do with this new situation. He had Remus. The man was working with him now, which was a big favor in his book. Ash didn't expect for Remus to just up and appear at his door, but there he was and there he needed to stay. Now all Ash needed was the boy and the prisoner Sirius. Simi came into the kitchen and whispered to him that she'd seen the boy when Remus and himself had been in the office. Ash smiled and rubbed flour off his hands. This was all turning out better than he could ever have imagined.

"My son," came a very faint voice in Ash's head.

"Mother?" ash whispered as he began to fry up some sweet bread.

"it won't always be so easy," said his mother. "Watch your back. Keep the Simi close to you."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked over the sound of the frying bread. "I may need to send someone else over," said the faint voice. "There will be hard times ahead."

"Ash?" called Remus's voice. "It's five oclock. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you then," Ash called out distractedly.

What the hell did his mother mean? As Simi and he walked out of the sweet shop, a faint trail appeared in the air. Ash followed it to a modest house. He felt in his pockets and found a key. He happily unlocked the door and flopped down on the couch. Tomorrow would be another busy day

A/N So my friends, who should I bring over to help Ash?