Chapter 1: Down Memory Lane

Cassiopeia Potter was only four years younger than her brother James. She couldn't do anything that resembled fun and all her male friends (if any bothered to go near the little sister of James Potter) were submitted to the third degree. Cassie was in her seventh year when James and Lily Potter were murdered, her nephew defeated the Dark Lord and Sirius Black was sentenced to a lifetime punishment in Azkaban without a trial. Sirius had always come by at least twice a week to hang out with her and he always accompanied her on Hogsmeade trips. Many people thought they were "together" but James squashed those rumors faster than a snitch.

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Cassie stared out the window of her flat. She watched her neighbors mow their lawns, water their gardens and wash their cars. It had been twelve long years since her brother and sister-in-law was ruthlessly murdered; her best friend put in prison for having them killed. She shuddered at the thought. Her mind wandered, memories floating to the surface.

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Cassie snapped out of her memory as the doorbell rang. She jumped from her chair and nearly ran to the door.

"REMUS! You're here!" Cassie jumped and gave the man a large hug. He quickly dropped his luggage and caught her mid jump.

"Yes. I'm here" he said, laughing loudly. "Are you happy to see me?" He smiled.

"Of course!" she squealed. "I'm always happy to see the greatest man I know."

"Well, I don't know about that." Remus said, setting her back on the ground. He picked up his bags. "Oh well. It was wonderful seeing you again. Off to the hotel I go!" He had a smirk on his face, already knowing her response.

"You are not going to a hotel! You, my darling, will be staying with me until your train leaves for Hogwarts." She grabbed one of his bags and led him into the house. "It's right this way!" she called, walking swiftly ahead.

Remus looked around the flat. The walls were full of life as the pictures chatted amongst themselves. He smiled as he looked at the photographs. He saw himself in many of them, as well as his three, rather two, best friends. "I love your photos, Cassie" Remus said, walking into the bedroom.

"Thanks. I put most of them up last week. I found them in an old box of James'." Her voice trailed off. Cassie felt tears begin to well in her eyes. She furiously tried to blink them away but no avail.

"Oh Cassie." Remus walked over to her and pulled her close to his chest. "It's been a long time. You never allowed yourself to mourn. You just went headfirst into your studies. Have you even had a vacation in twelve years?"

Cassie shook her head. If she stopped working, she'd think. And she definitely didn't want to think. She wiped the tears off her cheek with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry. It's just been a rough week, with that trip and all." Cassie clamped her hand over her mouth, hoping he didn't catch what she just said.

"You went to see him again, didn't you?" Cassie nodded, almost ashamed to admit it. "Oh Cassie! You promised!" Remus looked at her with a look of sorrow. He had told her never to go there, but did she listen? Of course not.

"I'm sorry! I had to. I just don't believe he did it! I can't! He loved James as much as I did, Lily too! He would never! After all the trouble his parents put him through with the Dark Arts. He never would have gone to it! He hated his parents and all that they stood for, including Voldemort!" Remus shuddered and Cassie stepped back. "Besides, I loved him. And you can't help who you love."

"Oh Cassie. I don't like you going there. And you promised you wouldn't anymore."

"I'm sorry." She looked down, "I just had to see him. He's so depressed! I… I just can't in good conscience let him stay there alone, with no visitors. I'm the only person who believes him!" Cassie sat down in an armchair, lost in her memory.

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Flashback

Cassie walked into the prison, unaware of exactly where she was going. She carefully walked up to the thin, pale witch at the main desk.

"How can I help you," the witch droned in a monotonous voice.

"Umm, yes. I'm here to see Mr. Sirius Black." Cassie stuttered. "I...is that okay?"

"Give me your wand." Cassie placed her wand on the desk. "I keep this," the witch took her wand; "and you get this," she handed Cassie a receipt. "You can get your wand back once you leave. Please walk forward to be searched. Bryce, search this woman. Then take this woman to the dangerous prisoner ward. She's visiting Black."

Cassie walked forward and was searched from head to toe. After making sure she was unarmed, the heavy-set guard led her past the dementors and into the holding area. The two entered the ward and walked past the dementors. Cassie felt herself gasping for air. Her skin felt clammy and the air turned frigid. Memories surfaced when she walked past, memories that she wished she could forget. She remembered being told her parents had died; being in Dumbledore's office when he told her about Lily and James; she remembered being at the funeral; being alone at Graduation.

Cassie hurried to keep up with the man, Bryce, so she wouldn't be alone. They quickly walked past the dementors and walk down a long corridor. They walked for what felt like 20 minutes.

"VISITOR! COMING THROUGH!" The man yelled and the prisoners quickly moved to the bars of their cells.

"Ooo aren't you a pretty girl" several called. "Watch it you. Once you come in, you never leave!" a young, heavy lidded woman called. Cassie glanced at her, noticing that the woman looked vaguely familiar.

They soon stopped in front of a dark, damp cell. "Here you go. I'll be back in 60 minutes. If you need help…yell, someone may come." The burly man laughed and unlocked the door for her to step in. "Be careful."

Cassie stepped in and the man shut and locked the cell door. He walked swiftly down the hall and Cassis was suddenly alone and very terrified. She heard a noise in the cell with her and spun around; nervous without her wand; terrified he would wake up.

"Sirius?" she whispered softly. "Are you awake?"She suddenly felt terrified. What was she supposed to do if he woke up?

Not receiving a response, Cassie walked slowly, further into the cell. There he was, curled up on the makeshift bed. She gasped when she saw him, not recognizing him. He had lost a lot of weight and his skin seemed to stretch over his bones.

Has it really only been two and a half years? Cassie stared at the man in front of her. Surely this isn't him! His hair had grown so, it was long past his shoulders and he had a beard growing.

Cassie moved towards the bed. Her eyes welled as she sat down at the head of the rock hard bed. She gently picked up his head and laid it on her lap. Tenderly, she ran her fingers through his long, black hair. She had always begged him to cut it, but now she was glad it was long. It gave her something to occupy her hands. Her other hand ran across his cheek and forehead, down along his chin and over his lips.

It's only Sirius. He won't hurt you, he loves you.

"I'm sorry!" she whispered. "I wrote letters, I tried to free you but they wouldn't listen! I know you're innocent!" She cried. The tears that had threatened to drop from the moment she stepped into the cell began to fall.She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears fell anyways. They landed with a soft plop on his cheek and Sirius Black's eyes flew open wide; he sat up straight.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered angrily. "You shouldn't be here. They shouldn't have let you in. You of all people… Don't you know what I did?" He asked sarcastically, then threw his head back and laughed.

Sirius stood up and began to pace the cell while Cassie curled up in the corner of the bed, afraid to speak. She was terrified to provoke him, lest he felt the need to hurt her. He must have gone crazy, or he's going that way.

"That's why you're here, isn't it? To make me confess? Did you plan on laughing at me? Terrorizing me? Giving me more painful memories to relive when the dementors pass? Why Cassie? Why did you come here?" He turned to face her. Cassie looked up at the sound of her name and met his stormy grey eyes; his eyes that had once been so full of life, new jokes, pranks and love. They were so full of sadness now that Cassie wouldn't have recognized them.

"I… I believe you," she whispered, barely audible. "I believe that you didn't do it." She felt her courage rise and she moved to stand.

Moving towards him, she reached out her hand. "I wanted to see you. I wanted to let you know that…that I believe you and I tried to get you out."

"How do you know I didn't do it? Or are you just toying with me?" His voice dripping with scorn.

Cassie tried to touch his arm but he jerked it away. "I…I just know. I know you couldn't do those things. Not to James and Lily…" she lowered her head. "Not to me. Everyone said that I was just grieving and I'd be over it soon. But that's not what it was. I'm sorry." She sat back on the bed, tears flowing freely from her sad, blue eyes. She heard him sigh softly then she felt the bed bend, like someone had sat down.

"Don't apologize Cass. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I…This place does things Cass. It does things to a person…I'm not the person I was. I don't think I ever will be the same again. I'm sorry. We both lost everything in one day, one quick day. I never meant to hurt you." Sirius turned his head and rested it in his hands. "I never wanted to hurt you Cassie. You're my best friend and damnit the only person who's visited me in here!"

He looked down at her hand, the left to be exact. "You're wearing the ring," he stated. "Why?"

"Because I accept," she said quietly, the ring being twirled around her finger by her right hand.

"Don't tell me that. Just don't. I can't know. It'll kill me, I can't know." Sirius turned away from her, looking out through the bars of the cell.

"Oh Sirius!" Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer for a hug. She held him close to her chest, feeling him relax. Sirius took a deep breath, inhaling Cassie's signature scent: lilacs and roses. He breathed deeply and calmly for what was the first time she he was sentenced to his hell hole.

Cassie rubbed his head, the mass of tangled curls. She kissed the top of his head, sighing as he sighed.

"TIME'S UP!" The guard yelled as he walked up to the cell and the two jumped. Cassie glanced at him and squeezed Sirius tightly.

"I'll be back, I promise" she whispered in his ear. "I love you." She released him, kissed his cheek and stood up, fixing her robes. When she reached the door she looked back. He watched her leave, the sadness returning to his face. "I promise."

The guard locked the door and began walking down the hallway. Cassie looked back once more at Sirius Black and whispered "I love you" softly, so no one would here. She followed the guard out to the main lobby and retrieved her wand.

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Cassie glanced up at Remus. He was looking at her with a sad, strange face. Almost as if he felt sorry for her. She jumped up.

"Let's get you unpacked and we'll go out for lunch. I'm starved." She unzipped his luggage and began to open drawers. "I put fresh sheets on the bed and cleaned the entire house top to bottom yesterday." Cassie turned to look at him.

Remus Lupin gave a half hearted smile. "Let's save the unpacking for later and just get lunch now."

"Okay. Let me get my purse and coat."