a/n: the italized words are mostly Renee's thoughts, just reminding. -winks-

enjoy reading! XD

Chapter twenty three:

The unexpected guest

It was already afternoon when Renee woke up from the nap. She stretched happily as the girl remembered she was finally on her original room. She let her hair down from the loose bun that she had left while asleep, leaving loose curls on her hair.

"Dang it" Renee cursed under her breath as she can't control of her hair again.

She signed leaving her hair as it is and headed downstairs.

"Young mistress forgot to eat" Toby had his small skinny hands and his hips that had really reminded her of Isabel when she didn't finished her food on her younger days.

"Sorry sorry" Renee mumbled and sat on her chair as he started to serve food. Mum must be asked him to make sure I eat on time…insufferable mother.

After eating Renee went upstairs and changed the pair of shorts to a pair of pants and grabbed a coat and a book. Just like the old times.

"I'll be back before dinner" She called before heading outside. She went straight on the park, humming her favorite muggle song. Renee found her favorite spot empty and sat there, signing contentedly at the comfortable feeling she was having.

For a moment she forgets she was a witch as Renee watched the children playing on the playground. How many times did I wish that my life would be as innocent as them? She smiled and opened her book, somehow Renee finally find herself reading a romance novel even though what happened the last month. It was still a soft spot for her, but she had already moved on that moment. Renee was now more focused on the things how to persuade Snape again, though it really finds it ridiculous.

It was as if she didn't left her home, she was living like a muggle again. Renee left the park and headed toward their backyard as it begins to get dark. The place was not that big, but enough to have a swing and few plants on it. Isabel was still not around, though Renee was not really alarmed on it, she was usually like that.

She lifted her head as a weird sound caught her attention. Renee stopped reading and tried to listen again. Was that a whimper? She stood up and clutched her wand on her hand, just to make sure. It was another whimper…Renee followed the sound and lead her on the bushes. She wiped the bushes away, still alert whatever creature she might saw.

It was an injured dog.

Renee signed on relief that it didn't turned out to be some creature that Hagrid teaches.

"I'm not on the wizard world right now, of course I won't see things like that now" She snorted to herself as she stared on the poor dog. Pity washed through her as she found traces of blood behind the bushes like the dog had dragged himself to get there, the dog was full of bruises, with gushing wound on his left leg.

"Poor dog" Renee mumbled under her breath. He whimpered back and his black eyes pierce onto Renee, pleading to be rescued.

Afraid that Renee might injured the dog if she moved him, she run through the door and get the first aid kit box, and some water.

The dog was still on its position when she came back. Renee flinched on the cold fur as she touched the dog. How long has been the dog here?

Renee cleaned his wounds and bandaged it the muggle way. The dog whimpered again as Renee carefully lifted him and placed it on the balcony; where warm blankets are already waiting.

"it's the only thing I could do for now, I don't know if my trance was already back this time, and we were not allowed to use magic outside school" Renee apologized on the dog, though it was ridiculous talking to the dog, let alone talking about magic.

Why do I always find myself talking to animals?

Surprisingly the dog looked at her and whined, like he had understood what Renee had said. The air was getting chiller, and Renee clutched her jacket around her. The dog needs to be warmed, but I don't think it would be wise to bring him inside…Mum will be furious.

"I guess I'll just worry about that when she comes home" Renee said aloud as she lifted the dog again and took him inside.

The house was warm, thanks to the fireplace and Toby's warming charm.

"Toby" Renee called and the house elf appeared in front of me. His eyes narrowed on the site of dog.

"Could you get place blankets on the living room? And prepare some food for the dog." He didn't have to tell twice, he disappeared on a pop and Renee headed straight on the living room.

Toby appeared again with a pile of blanket and pillows around him and placed it on the floor.

"Could you do some diagnosis charm on him? I'm not sure if I they put my trance back again" Renee asked on the house elf. He lifted his hands on the black dog and blue rays appeared on the animal like an x-ray.

"He has broken two ribs and a leg young mistress. And lost a lot of blood" he declared. Renee looked at the dog sympathetically, who would abuse this poor dog?

"Look for the dog Toby, I'll look if we had some potions that could help him" she stood up and headed on the basement.

The basement was the only place on the house that has all of our magical equipments, from books to cauldrons. It was the place where we had our lessons before. Renee went straight on the cupboards and look into the phials. She noticed that they had enormous stock of healing potions that could cover them for two months. I should ask Mum about this.

She took phials of blood replenishing potion, skele-grow, and strengthening potion. Thinking these should be enough; she went upstairs and kneeled beside the dog. Toby had healed some of the bruises already on her relief, he really knows about healing spells. The house elf appeared with a bowl of milk on his hands.

"Help me so I could administer the potions on him" Renee said as she took the head of the dog on her hands and the dog leaned back her hands.

"You have to drink these, it will heal your bones back" Renee said to the dog as she placed the phial on his mouth. The dog gargled on the taste, so Renee and Toby inclined the dog's head to side so he won't aspirate the fluid.

The dog slept on fatigue while Renee continued to monitor him. I really don't know anything about treating dogs or any animals. Toby assists her on monitoring the dog by casting diagnosing charm.

"The dog was already fine young mistress. The dog just needs some rest" Renee signed on relief.

"That's good" said Renee as she can finally smile on relief and gazed at the sleeping animal on the living room.

It was the next day when the dog already woke up. He looked at Renee intently as she gave him a bowl of food on its side. His broken bones and wounds were already healed by now, thanks to the potions and Toby's unexpected healing spells.

"You're asleep for a whole day. I assume you must be hungry now" I felt foolish talking to the dog, yet I still do as I pet his head. He slowly stands up and smells the bowl on the floor. He looked at her again and Renee smiled encouraging him and he began to eat.

"I mixed some strengthening potion on the food to make you better, not that you understand what potion means" Renee shrugged. He looked at her and gave a little nod before resuming eating.

"You're no ordinary dog. It's like you understand me" Renee commented on the dog as it lay again on the blankets, exhausted. She sat comfortably on the couch and turned the television on; maybe a movie could make me relax today.

It was a quite evening. Renee sat on the soft bed, crossed legged with books and parchments around her. Soft music was on the background, making the evening more comforting as any night could be.

Her mind drifted on the dog she rescued yesterday. He was already cured, bruises were all gone and his bones were already cured because of the potion; yet he sleeps all day. The dog was very weird in every way. He doesn't want any dog food Renee bought for him was a first. He was a picky eater that he chooses fried chicken Toby prepared for lunch instead of the meaty flavor dog food she bought on the grocery. She knew that dogs were supposedly carnivores; Renee just thought that he wasn't used on the said food and let the issue aside. He was an intelligent dog that he could understand anything that she could say.

Very weird

Unless…

There was a loud thud coming from downstairs. Renee jumped out of bed and picked the wand on the dresser. It was already midnight, and Toby was already asleep on his quarters.

Thud

Renee slowly opened the door of the bedroom and tiptoed on the all the way downstairs…clutching the wand on her hand. The house was dark, and only dimly lighted by the light outside. Is it a burglar? There is no way a burglar would get past to mum's wards.

Thud

Is it? What if it was more than a burglar? What if it's a death eater? Chill rang through her bones.

Thud

Her hand clutches the wand harder while the hand other wanders on the wall looking for the light switch. Finally her fingers found the switch and the lights flick open. Renee let her eyes adjust on the sudden light on the room.

Instead of spotting a burglar, she found Isabel sitting on the couch, her head leaning on the edge of the couch. She looked so battered; her eyes were closed and could see the visible black circle on her eyes.

"Mum" Isabel's eyes flung open with her voice as Renee lowered her wand in response.

"Did I wake you up?" even her voice sound so tired.

"I'm doing my homework" Renee said and sat across her. She glanced on the sleeping dog on the floor.

"Err…I found him outside, he's injured so…" Isabel raised her eyebrows, surprised.

"Do you know who it was?" Those made Renee stop from babbling.

"It's a dog mum…what are y—"that made her stop and realized and eyed the sleeping dog on the floor.

It's an animagus, why didn't I see it before?

"Do you know who it was?" Renee followed Isabel as she put a diagnosing charm on the dog.

"Of course, he wouldn't be inside the house if I didn't know him" she said as a matter of fact, her eyes fixed on the blue rays her wand producing.

"We've given him skele-grow, blood replenishing, and strengthening potion…and Toby healed all the minor bruises" Renee informed her. She nodded on return, still eyes fixed on the dog.

"That's good, he still needs some sleep before he could transform back" Isabel signed in relief. They had been frantically looking for him on the woods after the ambush, yet they didn't found him. It was just that yesterday evening when Severus's patronus reached the headmaster and told that her daughter had been tending a dog inside the house, very typical of her, Isabel thought. After a few hours when the patronus arrived, Toby apperate on the Hospital wing she was staying and reported that Sirius Black was on the house, resting.

"Who is that dog? Is he your acquaintance?" Isabel's trail of thoughts were cut and looked at her daughter and signed.

"He is Sirius Black"

"Sirius Black, the one who escape from Azkaban?" Renee hissed and looked at the dog on disbelief.

Isabel didn't reply on return. Instead, she shook the dog err…Sirius gently.

"Black, wake up black" Sirius made a stir, but didn't wake up.

"Sirius, if you don't wake up this instant…I'll make sure you will regret it for the rest of your life" Isabel's harsh words made Sirius open his eyes. He tried to get up, but stumbled and fell on the blankets.

"Can you transform now? I need to know the details" Renee tried to reason up on her, telling he couldn't transform on his weak estate. Sirius closed his eyes…and after seconds he changed into his human form.

He was the same as Renee first saw him on the fireplace. He has curly hair, but without the beard now. He lay still on the blankets and glanced at her side. Isabel helped him to stand up on his feet.

"Thanks for helping me" Renee jumped from his voice and shrugged.

"Err…I guess don't mention it" she said tried to hide her embarrassment on her face.

Renee followed the two towards the guest room. Sirius falls on the bed tiredly and Isabel sat on the chair and motioned her to seat beside her.

"So you guys knew each other?" she asked, looking at Isabel and Sirius back and forth.

"Yes. He was also part of the order now"

"Oh" that was all she could say. I really don't know much about the order anyway.

"Sirius, we need to know what happen the other day" her voice and face seems so serious.

"Do I need to get out or…?" Renee looked at them, thinking that she might be hindrance to them right now.

"No, you stay. You will surely hear this sooner or later. You see we've been partnered hunting Esclair and Kaydeem from the time you told about the dreams" Renee tensed as the names were mentioned.

I've already forgotten about those two fugitives.

"We managed to make a plan, from your dream vision. We first locate the girls who will be caught and put them to protection custody"

"We used the polyjuice potion and asked a member of the order to pretend one of the girls. We hide on the woods, waiting for their attack as they tried to catch her" Sirius spoke, with his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Kaydeem saw my true appearance, so I had to kill him on the spot. What happened between you and Esclair?" chill rang to her spine as Renee looked at her mother.

How could she be perfectly calm as she told about killing?

"I followed the git. But before I could capture him, someone hex me from behind" he muttered, followed by a curse from his mouth.

"They weren't ordered by the dark lord, they were not even on the inner circle. Whoever hexed you must be the one who ordered them to kidnap girls…" Isabel was deep in thought.

"So they were not worth the plan?" Renee asked. Mum and Sirius looked at her.

"Yes. Not worth it. Albus told us to capture them so we could interrogate them. But they knew nothing, they are just death eaters wannabe" Isabel signed and hanged her head, tired of what has happened.

"We need to know who the master mind of kidnapping was" Sirius spoke.

"Why are they kidnapping girls anyway?" the two adults looked at each other before they glanced at her.

"They were looking for you" Isabel signed and looked at the other way. Renee was stunned from what she had heard.

Death eaters were haunting me?

"Why?" Renee choked, panic was on her eyes. Why would a normal… (Err not so normal) Hogwart's student like me would get their interest?

"Because you're my daughter" Isabel looked at her warily. No, she was still hiding something from me. I know those were not the reasons. I could feel it.

"Why would they look for me, just because I'm your daughter?" getting into circles and riddles were not always my type. Renee was getting pissed already.

"It's because—"Isabel stood up and went to the window. Sirius and Renee followed her with their eyes.

"The dark lord wants all first children of the inner circle join the dark side" Renee stood up abruptly, making the chair fall on the floor.

"What? That means…" Renee couldn't believe her ears. No, my ears must have heard wrong. Her back was still facing at them, but she could hear Isabel signed in resignation.

"She was on the inner circle. She was our first spy to the dark lord" Sirius was the one who spoke. Renee looked at the man on the bed on disbelief. She was always calm and seems so collected…she couldn't even hurt a fly! (Well she did killed someone the other day…), how could she be a spy?

"How long?" she finally asked.

"Longer than you can imagine" she said.

Somehow, I already anticipate all along that she was not doing ordinary for the order.

After those recent revelations, Renee exited the room quietly and went straight to her room…not even bidding goodnight to the two adults. It was a shock for her. The entire normalcy she was hoping for wasn't even going to be true. Renee shook her head on disbelief and drifted on a fitful sleep.

A/N: Tsk tsk she still doesn't know about everything! Poor girl…

Review?