Sorry for the delay, I've just experienced gruesome days of never ending tests and internal assessments. Ib students might understand me. Hope you like it and please keep on reviewing.

CHAPTER 19

After changing into jeans and a t-shirt and removing her make up Sophie apparated into the burrow, The moment she stepped into the threshold a warning sensation invaded her, and what she was about to hear wouldn't soothe her either.

"She shouldn't be here! She should not hear what she is about to! Just think about what it will do to her! Poor child" Said Molly

"She has the right to know Molly" said now Sirius

"She is just a child!"

"No she is not! She is of age and she is a member of the order just like you, me, and every one else in this room"

She opened the door not being able to bare the intrigue any longer. She looked up to find every single member of the order sitting at the living room, each one of them wore a dim face. This is not good, she thought. There was a vacant spot next to George, so she took it.

Why wouldn't anyone meet my eye? Do they know about Snape and me? No, that couldn't be such big of a deal… could it? As if being summoned by Sophie's line of thought, Snape entered the room in his usual black robes. He looked at her in a way that only the two of them recognized. He took a sit in front of her.

There was a tense silence and Sophie could sense swift glances to her person every now and then, not only from the usual gawkers, but from almost every person in the room. And those glances weren't good; she sensed pity and sorrow.

She tried to meet the eye of her godfather, but he wouldn't indulge her, now she knew something was definitely wrong.

To her pleasure Kingsley, who was second in command, broke the awkward silence.

"I believe most of you know why we are here" he addressed everyone but Sophie. "I think you should take a look at this" His voice was now a little tender and less formal. He was handing Sophie a scrap from the daily prophet.

"Muggle high school burned during daytime, fifty muggles dead and over a hundred severely injured. Fire assumed to be caused by death eaters"

She scanned the page trying to find the name of the school, and how it was related to her. Woodrow high school she read and tears almost flooded her eyes due to the memories. Woodrow high school had been the one Sophie had attended when she had been younger. She hadn't kept in touch with more than two or three people so as to avoid this from happening. Was having ever met her that dangerous? Even when she barely spoke to anyone else after four years? Except for…

"Aria" She whispered in such a low voice but yes with so much pain. "I…I have to go, I have to see if she is okay" Her eyes were teary.

"I think that is what he wants, we can't let you do that" Said Kingsley.

"Fifty people died, innocent people, and it is all because of me, because I went to that god damned school." She was now standing in front of him her tone hurt but imposing, just like her posture. She didn't look like a seventeen-year-old girl anymore, she looked like a woman. "Please, please just let me see if she is alive."

"She could take polyjuice potion, and she wouldn't be recognized" Suggested Hermione. Sophie smiled at her.

"There is no time for doing that, and a stinging hex isn't an option either" Said Dumbledore while emerging from the kitchen door. "Can you think of another way Sophie?" He said suggestively.

How did he know? She wondered at how much he knew. "Actually I can" Every eye was on her now. She lowered her gaze at the fox charm on her bracelet, and Remus widened his eyes as he took the hint.

"I don't believe it" Said Remus

"Well, it's true" Said Sophie smiling weakly

"Would anyone explain what is going on?" Said Ron.

"I believe that what they are saying is that Sophie here, is an animagus" Sirius was now smiling at her. Apparently he had taken the hint as well.

"No way" Ron whispered.

"Way" she smiled at him.

"Are you registered?" Asked Arthur.

"No, I'm not, my parents thought it was a good way in which I could disappear if I had to"

"Good, then I don't see why you shouldn't be able to go. Sirius will go with you as he isn't registered either" Dumbledore ordered. "While you are there you might want to cast a protective spell over the school just in case."

Sirius nodded at her and then at the door and was by her side in a matter of seconds.

"Ready when you are" He whispered.

She smiled at him and then walked towards the door.

Sophie caught sight of Severus, he wore an ugly frown and his lips were tight, when he met her eyes she saw that he felt sorry for what had happened, but wasn't pleased in the least by the fact that Sirius was accompanying her.

"I know an alley just around the house, we apparate and can transform there" Her voice was hollow and filled with sorrow.

She was about to cry when Sirius put an arm on her shoulder making Sophie face him.

"Don't do this to yourself" He said calmly "It isn't your fault Sophie."

"Thank you" she said, even though she didn't agree, but she wouldn't fight about it now.

The dark alley brought memories to her. She running with Aria dressed up like princesses and fairies when they were five, Aria's parents giving them hot cocoa and cookies after a snow fight. Them gossiping when they were fourteen about Clint Covlet, who Aria fancied. Aria's angel like singing voice flooded into her head. Realizing that it wasn't a memory the white fox leapt from the ally towards the bricked house. The black dog close behind her.

Sophie knew her way into the back yard by heart so she strutted there, where she knew the voice was coming from. As she entered she smiled at the sight of a healthy looking Aria. Her ebony hair flowing with the wind and her eyes glistening, making her look like the little girl Sophie remembered. Stopping the song Aria's eyes seemed transfixed with hers. Unwillingly Sophie begun walking towards Aria.

"Hey girl, come here" Said Aria while kneeling and panting for Sophie to get closer, which she did. "It's funny you remind me of a friend of mine" She said while scratching behind her ears. Sophie liked her cheek.

As she stroke Sophie's head she realized that Aria's left arm had a bandage. As she begun sniffing Aria untied the knot the bandage had. "Oh it's nothing, it's just a burn, I was lucky" She gave the white fox a sad smile, which the fox's eyes returned. Knowing that it would heal her due to the magic in her transformation Sophie begun licking the burnt arm, making the swelling and the red color vanish from it.

"Well thank you" She said kindly.

"Aria honey, dinner is ready" Mrs. Bronte called from the inside of the house.

"I must go" She gave Sophie a final caress and left.

Immediately Sophie ran with Sirius to the alley.

As she shifted her clothes reappeared. It was a charm her mother had taught her, so as to avoid unwanted gawks. Sirius didn't seem very happy about it.

"How did she recognize me?" She asked bewildered, no wizards were recognized in their animagus form, less by a muggle.

"Your eyes, they remain the same, peculiar if you ask me" He said behind her. "Shall we cast the spells?" Sophie nodded and so they did. After protecting the house they did the same with what was left of the school.

She wished for a second that there were spells they could cast on muggles so as to protect them as well without having unwanted sequels. If anything should ever happen to her or her parents she would hate herself forever, for she knew it would be her fault. Already conscious that fifty people had already died because of her was tormenting her mind.

Knowing that they were on their own they had transformed inside the school. Their patronus were left guarding guarding the entry. As they examined the damage Sophie's eyes begun watering. The boards where shattered along side some of the walls and desks. The white walls she remembered were now charcoal, and the grass in the garden was nothing more than straw now, the families of the kids who had died had put the pictures of their kids with candles and flowers, making the coldness and sorrow of the atmosphere contrast with the red and white flowers illuminated by the yellow candle light. The pictures shocked them both, not only had they attacked the kids around Sophie's age but five six and seven year old children had been killed as well. Taken aback her legs surrendered and she fell on her knees. Sirius kneeled besides her, placing his arms around her yet knowing not what to say.

"First my parents, then they, all this people dead because of me" Before Sirius could speak she cut him off "please don't deny it, you know it's true"

The sorrow in her eyes broke his heart, he couldn't stand it.

"Look at me" He took her face in his hands making her look at him. "You have to take that stupid idea out of your head right now" he cleaned a few of her tears away "You are not to blame for any of this, it was the death eaters, it was Voldemort, it was not you, okay? They kill for their goals and pleasures, they are sick twisted people, you have nothing to do with that. Trust me you don't want anyone's death upon your shoulders" The last part he said with a deeper hurt.

"Thank you" She said with a sad smile. She wondered how could the man who had just told her that been the man who had taunted the man she was sure she loved. "We should go" She said suddenly aware of the fact that their faces were inches away from each other and his hands on top of hers.

"Yeah, we should" He said suddenly disappointed, yet standing up. "Hold on tight" he smiled and offered his arm for her so as to apparate.