Chapter 14: A new start.

When Ali eventually came to, she noticed Remus sitting at the end of her bed and Kat sitting in a chair across the room. She sat up and Remus immediately hugged her. Ali felt something wet dripping on her shoulder and realized Remus was silently crying.

"I'm so sorry Ali, I just couldn't risk you staying there. I didn't want you to get hurt"

Ali pulled back and looked into Remus' eyes. How sad they were. She gently kissed Remus and then motioned for Kat to give her a hug. Kat was hesitant at first – she didn't know how Ali would react. After all, Remus wasn't the one who drugged her. Ali seemed to guess this and shook her head.

"I'm not mad"

Kat smiled and crossed the room, gave her friend a hug and then they both turned to Remus.

"Well, it's explanation time Remus"

Remus nervously scratched the back of his neck and began talking.

"Well you see, Sirius wasn't the one who betrayed Lilly and James Potter – Peter Pettigrew was however Sirius didn't kill Pettigrew. He had faked his own death and the blame got put on Sirius. Sirius escaped tonight to kill Pettigrew but Harry had gotten mixed up in things and had persuaded Sirius to hand Pettigrew over to the Dementors. We were on our way back to the castle when I turned into a werewolf"

Ali looked at Kat darkly but then turned back to Remus.

"Sirius tried to prevent me from hurting the students but I accidentally hurt him. He managed to stagger to the lake where he was attacked by Dementors and imprisoned. The Dementors had planned to perform 'The Kiss' but Harry and Hermione managed to help him escape. Harry also trapped Pettigrew as he had transformed back into a rat and planned to escape again but Harry caught him and gave him to me to hand over to the Ministry. Sirius was cleared of all charges. He is a free man"

Kat and Ali had ear to ear smiles on. Sirius was free at last.

"But we have to hurry. Sirius doesn't know he's been cleared, he's still with Harry and he's planning to leave. We have to stop him"

Kat, Ali and Remus ran down the stairs and out of the castle as fast as they could. They were just running down the flight of stone steps to where Sirius was when Ali tripped and fell down them. She landed at the bottom with a painful thud and all the noise had caused Sirius to come running.

As soon as Kat saw Sirius, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him like there would be no tomorrow. Sirius laughed and hugged her with the same passion.

"Sirius, Pettigrew has been sent to Azkaban for the murder of James and Lilly Potter. You're free"

Shock, disbelief and happiness displayed on Sirius' face before he hugged Kat so hard he lifted her off the floor causing her to scream and then laugh.

"I never thought I'd hear those words in all my life. However, I still have to leave. It hurts, but I have to"

Tears sprung from Kats eyes. She couldn't lose him and if he was leaving then ...

"I'm coming with you. You're free now, there's no danger anymore. I'm coming with you and that's that. I'm sorry Ali but I'm going"

Ali nodded and Kat climbed up onto Buckbeak behind Sirius.

"Will you tell Dumbledore I won't be coming back next year?"

Ali began to nod but Remus interjected.

"I've already told him Kat. It seems someone let slip the fact that I'm a werewolf and if word gets out beyond Hogwarts, well parents won't want someone like me teaching their kids, so I quit. I also told Dumbledore about the events of tonight and I think he guessed you both might want to take time off. He's given you a year off and he said you were welcome to come back in fifth year if you wished"

This was more than either girl had hoped for. Ali gave Remus a hug and Kat was crying tears of joy.

"Sirius, where is it we're going?"

"Well Kat, as I'm a free man I'm entitled to go back to my house. Number 12 Grimuald Place"

Both Ali and Kat went wide eyed and their jaws dropped. All this time they had been living next to Sirius' house?

"Wait, there is no number twelve, we should know, me and Ali lived in number 11 for 10 years. It goes 11 and then 13"

Sirius laughed.

"That's because it's a secret house"

Kat raised an eyebrow before Ali asked Remus if he would like to move in to Number 11 with her. Remus' eyes lit up and he immediately said yes.

"Wait Ali, our stuff!"

"We'll be back in 5 minutes ok?"

Both Remus and Sirius nodded and the two girls raced back to their room, packed their bags and sent them to Grimuald Place. They then raced back down where Sirius and Remus were waiting. Sirius was looking at the clock on the tower.

"4 minutes and 50 seconds"

The two girls laughed and Kat climbed on Buckbeak behind Sirius and Ali behind Remus on his broomstick. The four then set off for Grimuald Place, leaving the great castle behind them.

A few hours later, they arrived on the dark street. Ali and Remus went inside Number 11 while Sirius tapped the metal rail in front of 11 and 13 three times. Suddenly, the walls began to move apart, bits moving in and out until a whole new house stood in the street. What's more the Muggles didn't seem to notice a thing. Kat and Sirius went inside and in the hallway stood Kat's trunk. Sirius picked it up and led Kat up to a room on the second floor.

"Here's your room. I'm sorry it's not clean, I have a house elf but he doesn't do much. No one's lived here in years, the whole house needs cleaning"

Kat smiled before taking Sirius' face gently in her hands and placing a tender kiss on his lips.

"It's fine, as long as I'm with you I really couldn't care less where we were"

Sirius smiled and Kat pulled out her wand while he went off to wash and find better clothes. Kat waved her wand and in a few minutes everything that was broken became fixed, all the dust vanished, the bed was made, paper that had been strewn over the floor was placed in the desk and the peeling walls, dull floorboards and tarnished furniture were restored to almost brand new.

Kat went round performing this in every room until the house was restored to its former state. When Sirius came out from his room he could not believe his eyes at the wonder that Kat had performed.

"Kat Smith you are the most amazing person I have ever met"

Kat smiled and their lips had just met when the door bell rang.

"I thought you said Muggles couldn't see this house?"

Sirius looked confused.

"They can't ... unless they aren't muggles"

Sirius ran down the steps and flung open the door. Ali and Remus stood on the door step.

"Hey, just came to see how you were"

Kat grabbed Ali's hand and started to give her the tour. Sirius and Remus headed for the kitchen and sat down.

"Who'd of thought that those tree carvings would come true eh Remus?"

The werewolf smiled as he looked around the kitchen.

"Sirius I thought no one had lived here for years and from what you've told me about Kreacher, he certainly hasn't done all this work to keep the house looking this grand"

Sirius gave a slight smile before leaning back in his chair.

"I have one word for you: Kat"

The two men gave a hearty laugh just as Kat and Ali returned from the house tour. Kat sat in Sirius' lap and Ali in Remus'.

"What's so funny?"

"That you've been here, what, ten minutes, and you've already got the house looking like you've been here for 10 years"

Kat smiled and her hair turned a light blue, showing she was happy.

"Well, I'll start dinner. After the events of today, I should think we're all hungry, especially you Ali"

"Oh Kat, you know me so well"

Kat smiled and got to work on the dinner while Ali set the table. After a long silence she said,

"What are we going to do with ourselves this year, if we aren't going back to Hogwarts?"

Remus looked at Sirius who looked at Kat, who shrugged and then said,

"Well whatever it is I hope it's going to be a normal life. I don't think I could stand any more magical mishaps!"