Chapter 5

Three months had passed since Harry and the other kids had gone back to Hogwarts. Christmas was approaching fast and Sirius couldn't be happier. For him, this meant more company and seeing Harry again. Now that the winter holidays were approaching, many of the Order members were stopping by more frequently.

"Sirius," Molly's voice rang out from kitchen.

"Do you need something, Molly?" Sirius called back.

Molly entered the drawing room where Sirius was currently sitting in an armchair looking out the window. He turned in his seat to look at her.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've decided it would be safer to have the children come here for Christmas rather than at the Burrow," Molly told him.

Sirius stood, "That's fantastic." His heart was lifted considerably.

"I'm glad you're so keen to the idea," Molly paused. "It's going to be crowded again."

"I like having people around," Sirius' eyes shifted to the floor. "This house feels so empty with just me and Kreacher."

Molly gave him a rare soft smile. She nodded to him and exited the room.

Sirius sighed, "It will be nice to fill this dark house with good people again" Sirius sat in his armchair again and resumed looking out the window.

There was a knock at the front door. Finally, they had learned not to ring that damn doorbell. Sirius got up and made his way down the dark hallway. He reached the doorway and slowly pulled back the door. Simone stood on the front step looking worried and disheveled.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at St. Mungo's?" Sirius asked confused as he swung the door open wider.

"I was sent home early." She said in a weak voice.

"What happened?" Sirius asked.

Simone stepped into the hallway and Sirius closed the door before leading her into the drawing room. Simone's head was down and he couldn't see her face. He gently sat her in an armchair before crouching down in front of her. He placed a hand on her knee. She looked up slightly and he saw the dark circles under her eyes. She was pale and her voice was raspy; she looked as if she hadn't slept in days.

"Simone, what happened?" Sirius asked with more demand.

"It's my sister, Corinne," Simone chocked out.

Sirius thought the worst. Corinne's body must have turned up somewhere. Simone's shoulders shook as she tried to hold back tears.

"She's missing," Simone said in a tight voice. "No has seen her for nearly two weeks and my good for nothing brother-in-law didn't both to tell me until two days ago."

Sirius rubbed his thumb comfortingly on her knee. He stayed quiet as the woman before him sobbed, her face hidden in her hands.

"I don't know what to do," She choked out. "She's all I have left of my family. No one knows where she went or who took her. My nieces don't understand why she's gone and it's not like we can tell them anything without scaring them."

"Simone," Sirius said quietly. She looked up. "I don't think there's much you can do, except hope for the best."

Simone looked pained when he told her this. She shook her head and pushed his hand off her knee. She brought her hands to her face and shook her head. Sirius could see her shoulders shaking. Sirius wasn't sure what to do. Watching others cry always put him on edge. He stayed quiet, trying to think of something to say.

"Do you believe in karma?" She asked suddenly.

Sirius opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He closed it again and stood up.

"Did I miss something?" He asked.

"It's just- I'm not entirely sure she was taken by death eaters," Simone said quietly looking up at him, her cheeks stained with tears. "Remember that past I told you I was running from?" Sirius nodded, remembering their first conversation at Grimmauld Place. "I'm worried it's caught up with me."

Sirius shook his head, still not understanding. "Simone, what did you do that could be so bad to have your sister taken?"

Simone dropped her head into her hands again. "You'd be surprised."

That caught Sirius off guard, "Well, now you have to tell me."

"I'm not sure you'd like me much anymore," she sobbed into her hands. "It was a long time ago, but I still regret it every day."

"Simone, please," Sirius begged.

Her shoulders rose as she took a deep breath before lifting her face again. "The first time I came here, you asked if I was married."

Sirius felt his stomach drop. There was no way she lied, he wouldn't believe that.

"The truth is, I was once," she said quietly. "We married barely a year after I left Hogwarts. Things were good at first, I mean as good as things could be with You-Know-Who controlling damn near everything."

Sirius moved to sit in the armchair to her right. If she wasn't married anymore, he was curious as to how it ended.

"How long were you married?" Sirius asked.

She shook her head, "Not long. Only five years. It ended when he died."

"I'm sorry," Sirius said. "Was he killed by death eaters?"

"No," Simone said.

"Did he make a bad deal?" Sirius asked trying to find any other answer.

Simone's eyes were welling with tears again and when she told him no again, no words actually came out.

"I killed him," she whispered. She broke down then, sobbing into her hands once more.

"Well, there has to be a reason," Sirius said feeling his heart rate increase. "Why would they take your sister?"

"B-b-because she helped me g-g-get rid of his b-b-body," she choked out between sobs. "Th-the only p-people who know are m-my sister and, I-I think R-Remus suspects. We r-ran into each other sh-shortly after."

To say he was shocked was an understatement. He had grown to know this woman over the past few months and yet, he felt he really didn't know her at all. Simone stood suddenly and took a couple of steps forward.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I-I should go. This w-was a mistake." She walked quickly toward the front hallway to leave.

"Simone, wait!" Sirius called getting out of the chair.

She stopped half way down the hall, her body casting long shadows in the dim light. She turned her head to look at him, but when Sirius didn't say anything, she turned and continued walking to the door. "I'm sorry," she said again before slamming the door on the way out and Sirius hung his head. He wished he could run after her, but he would risk being seen. Unfortunately the door was loud enough to wake his mother's portrait.

"What was that?" Molly asked entering the drawing room. "Was someone here?"

"Yes," Sirius said softly. "Simone was here."

"Oh, how is she?" Molly asked.

Sirius lifted his head and turned to look at the red haired woman who stood behind him. Molly's eyes widened when she saw Sirius' face.

"Her sister has gone missing," Sirius said brushing past her and out of the room. He stomped up the stairs and pulled hard on the curtains around the portrait. His mother was screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Shut up you old hag!" Sirius roared back before finally getting the curtains closed.

He sulked up to his bedroom. Buckbeak looked up at his as he entered the room. Sirius didn't even glance at the creature as she slumped onto his bed face first. "I don't believe this."

-xxxxx-

With a week until Christmas, the kids came home from Hogwarts. Sirius was the first to greet Harry as they entered Grimauld Place.

"Sirius," Harry smiled as he hugged his godfather.

"Hello, Harry," Sirius laughed. "It's good to see you again."

"It's great to see you," Harry responded as they walked to the kitchen. Molly had been preparing a feast most of the day so it would be ready when the children arrived.

"I've heard about the club you've started back at school," Sirius said giving his godson a look.

Harry chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, well Umbridge hasn't been doing anything to help us prepare for O.W.L.s," Harry said glancing at Hermione.

"I think it's a fantastic idea!" Sirius said beaming at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Harry's been doing a marvelous job," Hermione smiled at her friend. "That Umbridge woman is foul."

"The ministry really has put a stranglehold on the school," Tonks said from her chair at the table. "More death eaters are popping up inside the ministry. Fudge has completely lost his mind; he won't trust anyone."

"It's happening faster than last time," Sirius said offhandedly.

"What's happening faster?" Hermione asked.

"The infiltration of the ministry," Sirius told her. "It won't be long before it's being run by death eaters."

"You're forgetting, Sirius," Tonks said. "As long as Dumbledore is around nothing too drastic will happen."

"It doesn't matter," Mad Eye said hobbling into the kitchen. "Dumbledore couldn't do anything to stop it last time."

Sirius looked around the room. Most of the Weasley children had gone upstairs to settle down from the long train ride. He was glad Harry was here, but the two people he wanted here with him were missing—Remus and Simone. He hadn't seen Remus for quite some time, and it was as if Simone vanished. No one in the Order even mentioned her name. Sirius wondered if she was cutting herself off from everyone.

"Dinner's ready!" Molly called as she began bringing platters of food to the dining table.

"It looks fabulous, Molly!" Tonks exclaimed seeing the magnificent array of food.

"Thank you, Tonks," Molly beamed. "Now, everyone eat up."

Without having to be told twice, they all tucked in.

-xxxxx-

A week later, Christmas came. Snow had been falling for the past two nights and the ground outside was covered in soft white flakes. Sirius was woken up by the sounds of quiet speaking in the hallway. Deciding that he didn't want to sleep anymore, Sirius got up from his bed. He patted Buckbeak on the head before exiting the room.

Fred and George were talking quietly as they walked down the hallway to the staircase.

"Oh, good morning, Sirius," one of the twins greeted.

"Happy Christmas boys," He said.

They two smiled Cheshire cat grins and the three of them made their way down the stairs. Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and Ron were already down stairs and sitting around the Christmas tree.

"Happy Christmas!" They called.

"Happy Christmas," Sirius smiled at all of them.

Soon, Molly and Arthur had come downstairs. Bill came down shortly after and wished them all a Happy Christmas. When everyone was settled around the tree in the drawing room, Molly stepped out to start some water for tea.

The kids started to open their presents. Sirius smiled watching how excited they were. He wished he could go back to those times when he, Remus, and James sat in each other's company on Christmas morning to open presents.

As the morning went on, the house seemed cozy. It surprised Sirius that this house could ever feel cozy to him, but he was surrounded by people he cared about.

By the early afternoon there was a knock at the door. Molly answered it and Christmas greetings could be heard. Sirius went to the hallway to see who it was. Tonks and Remus had arrived, along with, to his surprise, Simone. The three entered the house and Remus went to greet his friend.

"Happy Christmas, Sirius," He said hugging his friend.

"Happy Christmas, Remus," Sirius said truly happy that he was there.

Remus, Tonks, and Molly moved into the interior of the house. Simone stood in front of Sirius. It seemed she couldn't look him in the eyes.

"Happy Christmas," She whispered. "I'm sorry."

"No," Sirius said softly. "You have no reason to apologize. We all have a past. I've been thinking. I don't care about anything you told me. You don't even need to explain yourself if you don't want to.

She looked at him and smiled.

"Thank you," she said before pressing her lips to his. "But I think you deserve an explanation after I unloaded on you like that."

"When the time is right," Sirius smiled at her. "I'll listen to whatever you have to say."

Simone wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her lips to his. Sirius returned the embrace and felt the tension leave her body as she relaxed into the kiss.

Sirius kept his lips pressed to hers as he deepened the kiss. Simone made a soft humming noise in response. They broke away for a moment for air, but went right back to kissing furiously.

They didn't hear Ginny walk past. A moment later a wolf whistle rang out in the hallway. Sirius pulled away from Simone and turned around to see Fred and George smirking.

"Well, well, Sirius," George said.

"Aren't you enjoying your Christmas," Fred finished.

"Yes, I am, very much so," Sirius laughed back. "Now, hurry off."

Fred and George laughed, but left as they were told. Simone looked at Sirius, her eyes dark with lust. Sirius knew just how she was feeling; he felt it, too.

"I guess we'll have to continue this later," Sirius whispered in her ear.

Simone shivered and smirked at him. "You bet your arse we'll be continuing this."