It had occurred to me as I stood in Dumbledore's office that Sirius was definitely close to Hogwarts. I remembered when we were in school that the boys used to know of all the secret passages in the school and during the full moon they would illegal transform into animals to spend time with Remus. One of these secret passages led to the Shrieking Shack—and I had the sudden sneaking suspicion that this may be where Sirius was hiding.

That evening, instead of going home, I went into the forest that set the Shrieking Shack away from Hogsmeade. I sat on a rock in the clearing on the top of the hill that over looked the shack, where Gabriel had his episode just after Christmas. I was debating how to get into the house unnoticed, and when the best time would be to go in. I hoped that I would sit long enough to see a black dog leaving the house—I hoped Sirius would leave his hide out to find food. I sat for hours, waiting; after about four hours, when it was well into the night, I was starting to think I may have gotten wrong. This may not have been Sirius' hide out at all. Perhaps he was hiding somewhere in Hogsmeade. I stood up and made my way down the hill, and very carefully jumped the fence that separated the "haunted" property from the dark forest. I scanned the snow covered ground looking for evidence of a dog or wolf on the property—there were too many animal tracks though. When I reached the house I walked around to the back of it, out of sight from the forest. I had to find a way to get into the house without making any noise. If Sirius were inside he would probably hear any movement I made, especially if he were in his dog form.

I noticed that there was broken window on the back porch. I stepped close to it, being very carefully with my steps. I didn't want the wood to creak under my weight; I didn't want my breath to fog up the window as I leaned close to it. It appeared to lead into a dark sitting room with torn up furniture. There was no way for me to get in through the window with out breaking the rest of the glass however.

There was sudden movement and the hissing of an animal. I jumped back as a fat orange tabby cat jumped up onto the windowsill from the inside of the house. It clawed towards me, trying to attack me and hissed loudly as if trying to scare me off—or warn someone. I sighed with frustration and stood up straight, fixing my cloak. The cat continued to hiss and spit at me as it was perched in the window.

"I know you," I said pointing at the cat. I recognized the cat from somewhere, I just wasn't sure where. There was the loud crashing of wood and when I turned I saw a black dog jumping up from the snow covered ground where it had fallen as it jumped over the wooden fence. His back legs must have caught the fence—which was very unlike Sirius—and caused him to fall. I turned, and jumped off the back of the porch to pursue Sirius, but the cat jumped after me onto my back. Its claws sunk deep into my skin, causing me to scream in pain and annoyance. I tripped in the snow and as I fell the cat released me to land on its feet. I pulled my wand from my boot quickly and stunned the cat—the wretch was helping Sirius. I rolled over in the snow and saw Sirius racing up the hill into the forest. I cursed under my breath and Apparated from where I lay.

Apparation from the lying position was not the brightest idea. I crashed into a tree and bush as I appeared up the hill—which was painful. The only good thing about it was I appeared right in front of Sirius and he crashed into me. The wind was knocked out of me and I cried out as the branches scratched my skin. When Sirius' body hit me he transformed back into a human. He jumped on top of me, pinning me down into the snow and dirt.

"Sirius!" I gasped with fury as his body pressed against me hotly. He held my arms over my head as his hands squeezed mine tightly.

"What are you doing!" he snapped at me.

"Following your dumb ass! Will you please get off of me?"

"You're crazy," he said. "I'm not going to let you up."

I swung my legs around as he straddled me at the waist, trying to escape him. I bucked my hips and knocked him off of me, rolling him onto his back and in turn straddling him. I punched him across the face and then pinned him down.

"I can play rough too, Sirius," I snapped.

"I know," he smirked. "I remember."

I rolled my eyes and let my guard down for a moment too long. Sirius bucked his hips, much like I just had. He flipped me off of him and grabbed a dagger from my boot. He placed it against my stomach as he knelt over me. I froze, instantly. I didn't think Sirius would stab me, but I didn't want to tempt him. He was still under the impression that I thought he was guilty of betraying and murdering the Potters.

"Why'd you break into Gryffindor Tower this weekend, Sirius?" I asked with a soft breath. He studied me for a few moments as his midnight blue eyes glared. Those eyes burned a hole in my heart; as I looked at them I could only thing of my beautiful daughter and how she bore those eyes. How Sirius could think that Carrigan was Gabriel's daughter and not his own was beyond me; but perhaps he hadn't seen her up close; perhaps he hadn't seen the same sparkle in her eye that was in his right now as he looked at me.

"I was looking for something," he whispered. I rolled my eyes.

"You're innocent," I said after a soft breath. "You wouldn't have a reason for going after Harry or Ron Weasley for that matter. Why were you in Hogwarts if you're innocent?"

Sirius suddenly glared at me. "Why do you think that?"

"Because Divinity sent Gabriel a vision—"

"You mean your husband believes I'm innocent?"

"He's not my husband," I retorted sharply. I moved my leg around and knocked Sirius' arm away from my body. The dagger dropped a few feet away. I then kicked him on the head, knocking him into the snow face first. He groaned and sat back, moving away from me.

"Alright," Sirius said rubbing his chin. "Say you believe that I am innocent, what does that mean?"

I sat up, sighing and throwing my hair out of my face. "That we have a lot to figure out and fast—according to Divinity whoever betrayed Lily and James is still alive. But I'm assuming you killed Peter because he was their secret keeper—"

"I didn't kill anyone," Sirius said shaking his head. "Not even Peter, despite how much I may have wanted to."

I could only stare at Sirius for a few moments. How did he not kill Peter? He was responsible for blowing up a Muggle street corner, killing twelve Muggles and Peter.

"Peter blew up the street corner," Sirius said scornfully as he stood up. He came to me and extended his hand to me. I hesitated for a moment before I took it and allowed him to help me up. I dusted the snow and dirt off of me and Sirius looked me over. I frowned deeply and gave him a nasty glare.

"To fake his own death?" I asked as I bent down and picked up the dagger Sirius had pulled from my boot.

"Yes," Sirius responded slowly. "And to let me take the fall for everything else."

I replaced the dagger against my leg and stood up straight, putting my hands on my hips as I looked at Sirius. He looked horrible, skinny and weak. Yet his eyes shinned with a familiar energy that showed just how alive he was—he liked the fight we had just gotten into; he craved adventure and surprise. That energy was something I had always loved, but my own desire for adventure seemed to expand farther then Sirius' when we were together. He constantly worried if I was safe when I went out to hunt or do my job—his worrying was something that dragged me down, restricted and contained me; perhaps it was something that broke us apart.

"You look like hell," I whispered.

Sirius smiled. "Well I haven't been living in the best of places, Cadence. I don't have many options as a wanted fugitive."

I frowned and nodded. "You need to eat. I'll go get you some food and meet you back at your little hide out down the hill. Then we can speak about Peter and your innocence."

Sirius looked at me with very serious eyes. I could see that he was studying me wondering if I was going to get back up to get Gabriel and then come arrest him.

"You don't have to trust me—"

"If I don't trust you then I won't be here when you get back," he retorted.

"Well I'll see if you trust me then," I said giving him a nasty glare. "I suppose I don't have to go get you food. We can just go back and talk."

"Alright," he rolled his eyes. "Food would be nice."

I nodded. "I thought so. I'll be back in a few moments."

I Apparated before another would could be said and appeared in the small dark kitchen of my country home. I sighed as I tracked snow across the hard wood floors, making my way to the pantry to find a picnic basket. I pulled it out and placed a towel on the inside to line the wicker, then I quickly filled it with bread, meat, cheese and some fruit and vegetables. I wrapped another towel around the food and bit my bottom lip as I thought of anything else he might need. I quickly made my way upstairs to the bathroom at the end of the hall and found myself searching under the counter for the extra stash of Gabriel's toiletries. I found a new toothbrush and razor in a container under the counter. Collecting those two things and a bar of soap, I made my way back down to the kitchen. I picked up the basket of food and placed the toiletries on top, then I Apparated.

I appeared in the bedroom of the Shrieking Shack, and was surprised to see that this was where Sirius appeared to be living. The bed had been stripped; the blankets, sheets and pillows were on the hardwood floor. The orange tabby was curled up on the pillows. As soon as it noticed me it began to hiss and jumped up ready to attack.

"Relax kitty," Sirius appeared from a doorway near by. He was only wearing his pants when he emerged. "Go away, get out of here! Get!"

The tabby hissed at both of us and trotted out of the room, shaking its tail as it walked out.

"Sorry," he said. "The cat has taken a fancy to me. I'm not sure why."

"I think that is one of Harry's friend's cat," I said softly placing the basket of food on the bed. I couldn't help but look Sirius over as he was shirtless. He was so skinny I could see his rib cage. His tattooed skin was stretched across his bones. He pushed his shaggy curly black hair out of his face and looked me over. I turned away and picked up the soap, tooth brush and razor. I held them up to him.

"I thought you might like these also," I whispered extending them to him. He smiled and took them.

"Thank you. I'll be back in a moment," he said as he grinned. He turned and disappeared back into the bathroom. Within a few moments I could hear the water running and I felt my body shiver. Seeing Sirius half naked before me, and knowing that he was fully naked beyond the bathroom door caused me to remember all of our time together—the old feelings we had; the way he used to make me feel…the way he still made me felt; like I was an idiot school girl ready to take off her panties at the mere sight of him.

Sirius emerged within twenty minutes, washed but not shaven. I frowned slightly at him as he grinned. He was still half naked. I stared at his tattoos, admiring them; remembering how I used to trace them as we lie in bed together after a wonderful night of making love. On his chest was a dove, over his heart. I frowned slightly knowing that the dove represented me because when I started at the ministry my code name was Avery. "Thank you," he said rubbing his beard, which he had trimmed. "You don't realize what a luxury a toothbrush is until you don't have it."

"I know," I said. "I was in Azkaban once too, Sirius."

"Not for twelve years," he said shortly as he unwrapped the basket of food. He began to eat almost instantly, growing very quiet, and obviously very hungry. I sat down on the bed and he looked me over.

"What is the matter?" he asked as his mouth was full of bread. I rolled my eyes at him and ran my hand through my hair.

"Why were you in Hogwarts?" I asked.

"That is what is bothering you the most?"

"Yes," I nodded. "If you're innocent then you would have no reason for attack Harry or Ron Weasley."

"Well," Sirius said once he swallowed the bread. "Peter took the form of a rat didn't he?"

"Yes," I nodded. I had forgotten that Peter was an unregistered Animagus.

"Well the Weasley's have had an unnaturally long living pet rat, haven't they?" Sirius said as he went across the room to a pile of newspapers that sat in the corner by the fire place. He kicked through the stake and swooped down, picking up a paper. He brought it back to the bed as I picked up a piece of fruit. I began to eat the apple slowly as Sirius extended the paper to me. I took it, looking at the picture of the Weasley family that was on the front page because they had won a lottery prize that allowed them to travel to Egypt. I stared at the family picture confused.

"Sirius, have you truly gone mentally?" I stared up at him.

"No," he said sorely sitting down next to me. He pointed sharply at the paper. "There, on the boy's shoulder is a rat. Tell me, Cadence, how many toes does that rat have?"

I squinted at the picture of the Weasley family and found myself staring at Ronald Weasley, who had his pet rat sitting on his shoulder. The rat only had four toes on one of its paws. I clapped my hand to my mouth and looked up at Sirius.

"Peter cut off his thumb once he blew up the street, then turned into the little rat that he is and disappeared," Sirius nodded, then ate some of the turkey I had placed in the basket.

"Then he is the follower of Voldemort that Divinity warned me about," I said.

"She warned you?"

I sighed and shrugged. "She told me not to find you because I would interfere with the series of events that are about to play out. She seemed to think that if I interfere I would cause Peter to return to my Father."

Sirius nodded his head as he continued to eat, nearly finishing the entire basket of food I had brought him. I looked back at the paper and frowned deeply at the rat on Ron Weasley's shoulder. I had been wrong about everything; I had raised Carrigan to believe her Father was a mass murdering monster, and really he was just a giant jerk who left me.

"When did you ask him to be their secret keeper?" I asked very softly. I dropped the paper onto the floor and looked at Sirius, pulling my hair out of my face. Sirius looked at me with sad eyes.

"That same night, when they went into hiding," he responded. He stood up and began to pace around the room, kicking the newspaper I had thrown down on the floor. "I convinced them in the corridor that I was too obvious of a choice. I didn't want to risk their safety—they knew I would die for them, but I would be no match for Voldemort's powers of Legilimency. Even if I didn't want to give them away, I still could. I thought that Peter wouldn't be an obvious choice, that he'd be the safer choice. I was wrong."

I stood up and went to him. Holding his arm and stopping him from pacing. "It is not your fault," I whispered.

"But it is," he sighed. "I am the one who made them change secret-keepers."

"Sirius, you can't blame yourself," I said. "He would have found them somehow."

"You don't know that!" he yelled. "I went there as soon as we heard—I tried to save Harry, but Hagrid already had him. I should have done more!"

"There was nothing you could do!" I yelled back holding him still and looking him in the eye. "There was nothing either of us could do."

Sirius pulled out of my grasp and shook his head. "What do we do now?"

"We find Pettigrew," I nodded my head once with a glare. Sirius nodded his head slowly as he came back to me.

"How did you find me?" he whispered.

"A gut feeling," I shrugged. "No one else knows how you all came here to be with Remus. I figured you had to be hiding somewhere close to Hogwarts."

Sirius nodded. "I thought it was only a matter of time before you found me. If any Auror would find me it would be you Cadence."

"Well, the Ministry thinks I know you best," I said with a small smile.

Sirius was close to me again, standing right in front of me. He touched my cheek and looked me in the eye with fearful eyes, pained eyes. I recognized the stare from when we were young, still in school. After I had been kidnapped and returned to Hogwarts, Sirius often looked at me with those fearful-pained eyes. He was afraid of losing me. He was afraid of losing me now when he didn't even have me back yet.

I frowned and looked down at the ground as he leaned close to my face and lifted my chin. Sirius' lips delicately touched mine, kissing me softly as if he were afraid of how I may react to his kiss. I didn't blame him for being scared, for all he knew I would blow something up if he kissed me. Against my better judgment, I kissed him in return, because I stilled loved him. Sirius Black was innocent, and he still loved me despite everything he thought I had with Gabriel. He was kissing me with those soft tender kisses and his newly brushed minty-fresh breath. Those kisses reminded me of our past, when we were happy, when Lily and James were still alive; when we were fighting a war side by side, not afraid of what we might lose because in the end defeating my Father was worth that risk. Sirius' kisses transported me to the good-old-days of adventure and excitement; fear and pain; they reminded me of what was the most important time in my life.

I pulled away slowly, as reality started to over take me, letting his lips linger on mine for a few moments. His kisses only reminded me of the past, and just after the happy loving moments when we were together, were the moments when we fought, we screamed, and we hated each other. Dread and betrayal haunted our happy moments because of the relationship I had with Gabriel; because I had refused Sirius when he asked me to marry him; because he thought I was screwing Gabriel.

"Sirius," I whispered his name with a broken heart. "I don't love you anymore," I lied. "I stopped loving you when I thought you were responsible for my best friends' murder."

Sirius frowned deeply as his midnight blue eyes stared at me, broken and close to tears. "I have never stopped loving you," he whispered still close to my face. He leaned his forehead against mine. "Despite everything that has happened, I still love you."

I sighed and pulled away, moving to the bedroom window so I could stare out at the depressing grounds behind the house instead of having to stare at Sirius. He came up behind me and touched my arms.

"Sirius," I whispered turning to him. "Let's just catch Peter and get it all over with."

His eyes suddenly turned dark and glared at me, but he nodded. "Fine," he said. "We can do it your way. I understand you have a life to get back to."

I frowned and bit my bottom lip as he turned away. He thought that Gabriel and I were together, if not married, and that Carrigan was our daughter. He thought I had replaced him with Gabriel; everything he had ever wanted with me, marriage and a family, I had never wanted and now he thought that I just hadn't wanted those things with him. For a brief moment, Sirius and I were going to be fine, we were going to work together to find Peter and bring him to justice and our past wasn't going to get in the way; but now, our past was going to get in the way. Now, Sirius wasn't so forgiving of me moving on and he was not going to let me forget it.