The stars burned brightly over 12 Grimmauld Place. It was rare to actually see the stars these days with the Dementors out and about. Not that you saw the stars all that often in London anyway on a normal basis. But anyway the stars were shining that night and it was a rare occurrence. Sirius was standing out on the roof with Buckbeak, who was stretched out happily on his side. He felt Sirius' sorrow and anxiety, but these nights were so rare that he was enjoying it. The agitated man had been pacing for awhile watching the skies, perhaps hoping to see an owl coming.

Sirius Black was a simple man. There wasn't a lot he wanted out of life. He had most of what he wanted and needed. What he didn't have he couldn't have for the most part. He couldn't have James and lily back and he couldn't have his Xenia back. Those aches never went away. They had been so young and naïve. That pain had been so exquisite, so shattering. If he hadn't had Erin…if he hadn't known the danger she and Harry were in from Voldemort and Wormtail…the Aurors never would have taken him alive. No one would willingly brave Azkaban without reason unless they were already insane. It had certainly left Sirius and Bellatrix quite unhinged. Sirius grew saner the more he was with Remus, Tonks, and Erin. He was slipping again though without his baby girl to ground him. He was free now, both in the wizard and Muggle worlds. Erin would have been so proud. Freedom did not see an increase of leaving Grimmauld Place though.

He heard the door open to the roof and Kreacher's little body slipped through the opening. Sirius had no desire to kick the pathetic House Elf or yell at him at all seeing as he was so distraught without Erin around. "Is my Mistress returned?" He asked Sirius.

"No, Kreacher, she is not returned." He braced himself for the heartbreaking sob from the little thing as he returned into the depths of the house. It was disconcerting have Kreacher like this. He was keeping the house up and cooking because his Mistress wasn't there and she wouldn't like coming back to the house in disarray.

It was hard on all of them with Erin gone. She had brought joy to his life, to all their lives. He was keeping up with Harry telling him everything he was doing and anything else he knew. It was becoming more of a diary entry or a list rather than a letter, but he knew Harry appreciated it.

He had been questioned thoroughly by Auror's and Muggle policeman about that night and still couldn't figure it out. Someone would (or should) have seen something. Fred and George had been sitting on the stairs with Ginny and Luna at the time. The children had come to his home and the Weasley twins and Mrs. Longbottom had shown up after hearing what was going on. When Mrs. Longbottom was filled in she had never looked prouder of her grandson. She had rushed out of her home so fast when she heard Neville was in danger that she was only half dressed, something even Neville wasn't accustom to. She had thrown a robe on over her nightgown, her hair was still tied up in rags, and she wasn't one bit self-conscious. She had listened to Sirius and the others tell her what was going on looking just as regal as when she was dressed in her regular clothing. She had nodded looking proud and certain. "Just like your parents." She said to Neville. "I have no doubt you will be just as brave and stalwart as they when the time comes." It was the first time that Neville had felt that his grandmother was proud of him. She had spent the time waiting for news from the Ministry talking to Luna who she felt was charming.

Sirius had been over and over the events of the night and just couldn't figure it out. There was something missing…something. There had to be, you just couldn't disappear into…

Sirius suddenly beat his fist against the brick surrounding the roof. "Andromeda…" he whispered before careening through the doorway and down the stairs to Erin's room. He threw back a heavy curtain on the wall seeing the door. It had been so long he had forgotten. Andromeda used to come here to get away from her family and Sirius his. It was their secret place: A room that connected both Black Manors, but was at neither. And now one Black Manor was now called Malfoy Manor. How had they figured it out? Andromeda wouldn't have told…

"Remus!" Sirius yelled sounding almost insane again. "Remus!"

"What?!" The man asked coming into the room sounding slightly perturbed. "Really, Sirius, you don't have to—what is that?"

"When we were young Andromeda and I would use the doors in both Black Manors to meet and get away from our families. I forgot about it until now. The Malfoy's must have taken her!"

"Sirius, they couldn't have gotten in here, settle down."

"They didn't have to! Not if she was already in the room! She's probably known about that door for months, since we came here! All she had to do was figure out the password!"

"I'm afraid to ask."

"Toujours pur!"

The door that had been impossible to even turn the door knob creaked open and Sirius was on his knees and through before Remus could stop him. He sighed. "I'm getting too old for this." He muttered before getting down on all fours to crawl through, his joints and back groaning in protest. He pulled himself through the small space to another door and into the room which was spotless.

"It's been used recently." Sirius told him. The fire was even lit and he moved around picking up a ring. It was a dragon holding a moonstone in its claws. Remus wasn't sure Sirius was even right about this until the other door opened and a blonde girl came through.

"Miss Monson?" Remus asked grabbing Sirius before he could attack.

"Professor Lupin," she said in that thick accent. "I knew you would come. There is not much time."

"Time until?" Sirius demanded. "Where is my daughter?"

"She is at Malfoy Manor. Draco took her. It would have meant his life had he not." She explained. "He did not wish to do this thing, please do not judge him harshly. He knows it was wrong and wants to help her. She is being held here without any…knowing of who she is. Worm tail keeps her. Soon Voldemort will try for his son and it will be too late."

"What can we do?" Remus asked her.

They could not go through the door to Malfoy Manor just like Kaeli could not go to Black Manor or she would have before to tell them where Erin was. Sirius was all for storming Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire, but Dumbledore knew they did not have the manpower for that. It would have been futile. Sirius and Remus kept quiet about what they knew only because they had to. Sirius was forbidden to tell Harry. He was certainly not happy about that, but had no choice.

When Dumbledore brought Harry to Grimmauld Place it was his birthday. Family and friends came to celebrate, but it was a muted affair. There was a pile of presents for Erin as well, which punctuated the fact she wasn't there.

Harry was sitting in the library watching the fire when Ginny came in. "You were quiet at dinner."

He nodded. "I'm sorry, I know everyone was trying to make this day happy, but it's not going to be until I have her back."

"I understand. Those few months without Donovan were the hardest of my life."

"How are things going to work for your schooling now?"

"We're working it out so I can go until Christmas break if everything works out." She put her hand to her tummy. She was just about four months along now. That was one of the reasons for their marriage and why it had been hurried. "After that I'll be keeping up my studies at home and if things go well return after Easter break. Donovan bought us a house in Hogsmeade so he can be close by. Donovan has three house elves that are ecstatic about the baby."

"I didn't know he had House Elves."

"They're attached to the Lyancomp Estate. He asked me to take that name with him."

"What is the Lyancomp Estate?" "

"Oh, it's fascinating. The Lyancomp family are the keepers of Lyanesse. The family name means 'from the valley of Lyanesse'."

"Lyanesse, like from Arthurian legend?"

"Yes, Camelot and Lyanesse and Avalon…well, I guess Muggles believe the locations were down in the south around where we live, but in reality they are in the North. Hogwarts is Camelot and the Forbidden Forest is really the Forest of Broceliande. Lyanesse sunk beneath the waves—"

"Ginny, I don't want you to think I'm not interested, I am, but wouldn't Hermione want to know about this?"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she already knows."

"Okay," he nodded. "Continue."

"Lyanesse sunk beneath the waves according to legend and it did. The entire city is near the Inner Hebrides. For hundreds of years the Lyancomp family has been the guardians of Lyanesse. Donovan wants to live there along with family and friends someday."

"So, if Hogwarts is in Western Scotland and Lyanesse is in the Inner Hebrides, not too far apart…where is Avalon?"

"Portree, on the Isle of Skye," she told him. "Louisa McCormack's family are the Guardians of Avalon. She would have been a Lady of the Lake, a prestigious organization of witches, if it was still around. There's been talk of reinstating it of late."

"That's a bit of a coincidence."

Ginny nodded. "If Voldemort falls, we could see the beginning of a new Golden Age of Wizardry, as it was in the days of Merlin."

"So, why is the castle called Hogwarts?"

"It was built on the remains of Camelot…or you could say it was built up from Camelot. It was partially destroyed by a Dark Lord hundreds of years before the idea of Hogwarts was conceived."

"This isn't in Hogwarts: A History, is it?" He didn't remember if it is was, not that he had ever read that book in detail before.

"It is, but most just don't care."

"The knights of Camelot…" Harry mused.

"Wizards," Ginny said nodding. "You think a Muggle could slay a dragon and Dark Wizards? Nope, they were all wizards with Merlin being like Dumbledore, the Headmaster or Prime Minister type deal."

"And Arthur?"

"Him too. He was the last king in Britain that was a wizard. He's actually the reason we don't. I don't know all the reasons, maybe it was just too much responsibility or too much temptation for one person. It was a good time for us, the wizarding world, just a lot of trials."

"It would be nice…" Harry said. "Ginny, do you know that Erin's being considered for an American Wizarding University?"

"No!" Ginny said wide-eyed. "What is she going to with a University education?"

"Start a University in Britain."

"Lyanesse…" she whispered. "It would be perfect for a university! The town is already there as well as the castle."

"It would." Harry agreed. "We would just need teachers."

"What the pre-requisites to go to the University?"

"Pure blood and top of the class."

She nodded thinking about it. "So, Hermione can't go…"

"No, but she was really excited for Erin and wants to help her so that others that aren't Pure Blood can go to a University. The Ministry, from what I gather, has wanted to do this for awhile. Erin and McGonagall were already planning for the University and what classes would be taught, majors and minors offered just like a Muggle University."

"I'm sure Erin would love that."

"She will…" Harry nodded. "Just as soon as she gets back to us," He wouldn't think otherwise. She was going to come home soon. He knew it.