4. Foo!
With her lank, badly cut hair and scraggly beard, Remy glared at the stray dog slinking besides her. The hit wizards barely even glanced at them as they passed through the exit point, more focused on a couple of witches being questioned - one of whom protested loudly that no her child was not called Harriet, she was called Holly.
"Cheer up mate," one of the hit wizards called to Remy as she passed. "She's dead, y'know? Here, buy yourself a drink."
He flicked a sickle at Remy and she fumbled to catch the coin, one hand clinging onto Harriet hidden beneath her coat. Her expression smoothed the second they were on the other side of the barrier, although she still shot Siria a dirty look before turning left. Siria stopped next to a newspaper stand and barked. They would be away from the wizarding world for some time if Remy agreed with her next plan. She had to know - was You-Know-Who really gone? The cover of the Daily Prophet certainly said so - but how?
"Padfoot, come on!"
Siria barked again. The newspaper boy eyed her, fingers on his wand as if she might jump up.
"For Merlin's sake," Remy muttered, marching back and passing the sickle to the newspaper boy.
She rolled her eyes pointedly at Siria as the newspaper boy counted out twenty eight knuts change. She stuck the rolled up newspaper in her pocket and marched on. Siria gambolled after her.
With every step away from Diagon Alley, the excited witches and wizards faded into muggles; locals doing their shopping, tourists with cameras stuck up at the sights. About a mile away, Remy slipped into an alleyway and with her back turned on the main street, opened the baggy coat. Harriet's head poked out, grinning fiercely and gripping handfuls of Remy's cut hair in both hands. Remy tugged at her beard, tearing it off in strips.
"You are the worst friend."
Siria transformed, cackling. "Dunno what you're moaning about Remus. Gimme that paper."
Remy shook her head, passing Harriet over. Harriet bounced in Siria's arms, then threw the hair over her and gurgled.
"No. We need to keep moving."
"Is Remy Lupin seriously telling me not to read?" Siria taunted, reaching one hand out for the paper.
Remy rolled her eyes. "Stop messing around Siria. For once. We need to get as far away from Diagon Alley as possible and work out what we're doing."
Harriet poked Siria in the cheek.
"Mama?"
The smile dropped off Siria's face.
"Okay. Where to?"
"Somewhere muggle. Away from all magic. The tube?"
Siria shrugged in acquiescence and followed Remy back onto the main street. Harriet whined into her shoulder and poked her again, then poked her stomach.
"Foo?"
"Soon, Harriet. We just need to walk a bit first."
She frowned up at Siria, dark eyebrows almost touching as they furrowed.
"Foo!"
She wriggled in Siria's hold, feet kicking out to try and touch the pavement.
"Remy?" Siria called ahead, clutching onto Harriet with both arms. Remy stopped next to the Tube sign and turned. "Think we might need to stop for food."
"Can't she wait?"
Harriet's face crumpled, lips wobbling.
"FOO!"
Siria winced, patting Harriet's hair in a desperate attempt to settle her. She released a wail. Siria ignored Remy and turned to her left, walking straight through the entrance to a cafe and plonking herself down in the seat furthest from the windows. Seconds later Remy appeared in the door as well and with a sigh, joined the queue.
Siria bobbed Harriet on her knee. She kept crying. She pushed her hair forward but Harriet swiped it away and cried louder. A muggle tending to his own child in a pushchair sent Siria a sympathetic glance.
Remy sat down opposite and pushed a small glass of milk across the table, then set about cutting up an apple. Siria lifted the milk up to Harriet. Harriet shoved one hand out and sent it crashing to the floor.
"Harriet!"
Remy ran one hand through her too-short hair and passed over a slice of apple as a barista hurried over to clear it up.
"Sorry," Remy muttered to the boy.
Siria offered the apple to Harriet. She stuck out her tongue to try it then nibbled on the end. Her tears began to dry as she took a big bite.
"Thank Merlin for that."
Harriet opened her mouth and dropped the chewed apple and saliva onto Siria's knee.
"Seriously? What do you eat? We asked for food, we gave you food!" Siria exclaimed.
This time the father on the next table frowned over with concern. Siria shut her mouth, doing her best to ignore Harriet pressing the apple into her jeans with one pudgy hand. She sent a pleading gaze across the table at Remy, but her friend looked just as bewildered.
"You were with them more than me, didn't they tell you what she ate? Didn't you see what she ate?"
"You think I paid attention to what a 1-year-old was eating when Liam cooked me a fry up? Hey - yeah, you. Can we grab some of that chocolate cake?"
The barista nodded and seconds later placed a huge slice of chocolate cake with butter icing on their table.
"Is that really good for her?" Remy asked dubiously.
"Don't cake if she eats it. Harriet? Cake?" Siria tore off a small piece from the end and held it up in front of Harriet's face. "You like this, I know you do. You stole mine at your birthday party, remember?"
She leaned forward and opened her mouth to bite into it, biting Siria's fingers at the same time. She chewed, swallowed, burped, then reached for the plate on the table. Siria leaned back in relief and pulled it closer so Harriet could grab a fistful of her own.
"Siria... we don't know how to look after a baby," Remy murmured. "We can't just wander around London hoping the Ministry don't find us before we get to the Order. We could on our own, but not with her. We need to go to HQ straight after this."
"Where is it now?"
Remy frowned. "You don't know?"
"No, I've been off the radar for a while. Trying to protect..." Siria trailed off as she remembered the task set for her. She had failed.
"Well I don't know."
"What?"
"Why would I know? The Order shut me out months ago, same as you."
Siria put two fingers to her forehead and pressed in where she could feel a headache building.
"So what now?"
"Well we know where one member of the Order is."
"We do?"
"Dumbledore. She'll be at Hogwarts - she won't have wanted to leave her students for a moment."
Siria sat up straighter, her thoughts ticking along. "Dumbledore has a pensieve."
A smile ghosted across Remy's lips. "That'll prove it. It won't just be your word against hers..." She hesitated, then spoke more firmly with a hard glint in her green eyes. "That will prove that Petra is the traitor."