Chapter 8: A Tender Hug and Dementors on the Run

A/n Alright, if I have the age right, Xiamara aka the Simi, was given to Appostalos/Acheron at 3000 years old making her 3 years of age. The Simi, (baby demon) if I remember the translation right from the book would then be 14 so I have her pegged as a good older sister for Harry, Sirius as the godfather obviously, and Remus as the uncle. Where do you think Ash and Talon should fit? Warning, this chapter contains jealousy because of Talon losing Sunshine and an unborn child.

"So why did my dear mother pick you to come to this world?" Ash asked curiously.

"She didn't want to break up any families if you can believe it," Talon replied bitterly as he followed Ash down the street. "She told me that she was genuinely sorry I lost Sunshine and she wanted to keep me away from Artemis in case she found out you gave me my powers back without taking my soul. She told me I would find someone here in this other world."

Talon scoffed at the suggestion of more than one soul mate for a dark-hunter, but said nothing else as he continued to walk. Ash looked at Talon in shock. His own mother had cared enough about one of his men that she sent him here to help him heal his soul? Appolymi was the goddess of destruction. Maybe she just hated Artemis more than Ash realized. Yeah. Ash would go with that one.

"I did it because you will need him in the coming fight Appostalos," said the faint voice of his mother in his head. "Dark forces are rising that affect the boy child."

"He has a name matera," Ash thought back. "What forces might these be?"

"Ask the prisoner and the werewolf. They have lived through times like them before."

Talon cleared his throat and pointed to the cookie cutter house in front of them. It matched exactly the house on either side of it, down to the neatly trimmed and watered garden. Ash breathed in deeply and extended his limited powers.

"Everyone's asleep, good," he said. "Did you bring a blanket with you?"

Talon nodded and pulled a thick fuzzy blanket from his backpack as Ash tapped the door with his wand. The door clicked open and the two men slowly walked into the house. Talon was just about to suggest splitting up when Ash held a finger to his lips. He took the blanket from Talon and unlocked a padlocked cupboard door which was situated under the stairs. Both men knelt down and peered into the tiny space, spotting Harry asleep on a tiny mattress, clutching a blue baby blanket to himself even though it barely covered him.

"You take him out and I'll wrap him up," Ash suggested to Talon, "Sound fair?"

Talon nodded reluctantly and carefully plucked Harry and his blanket out of the cupboard. He rocked the child gently, hugging him close as his eyes welled up. He began to hum a soft Celtic lullaby as Ash unfolded the fuzzy blanket. Soon Harry was snug as a bug in a rug in Ash's arms.

Talon refused to let go at first, but Ash gently, oh so carefully pried Harry from the Celt's arms. They both stood up and turned to leave the house. Talon dried his eyes and resisted the urge to slam the door as they left the house, which looked again to be made from a mold. As he walked down the street, he hissed venomous words at Ash.

"You've just got to have them all don't you?" he asked snidely. "Are we all your children then? It's not enough you let the bitch goddess control us but you debase yourself to get our souls back and yet you still treat us like young ones who need protecting. It's like that time in Alaska when you found out Artemis had stolen one of your daggers and almost killed Simi."

"You're spewing nonsense," said Ash in a low growl, holding Harry protectively. "I treat you as equals, as men and women who should know how to do their jobs properly. It's not my fault Artemis meddles where she doesn't belong. I wasn't able to get there in time if this is about your wife."

"Right because the bitch goddess was making you do penance for taking another soul from her," said Talon acidly.

"I did all I could," Ash raged quietly. I sent Simi to recover the body before the damons could cremate it. She also saved the humans from being damon food."

"Better they die than her," moaned Talon.

"Deep down you don't mean that," Ash said softly, handing Harry to the Celt so he could unlock his door.

Talon cooed over the boy until he had to hand him to Remus who's eyes were filled with unshed tears. The werewolf's arms were outstretched and waiting to hug Harry close to him, lips kissing all over the three-year-old's face. Talon knew he couldn't deny Harry's uncle anything, but he felt like denying Ash everything right now. He poured himself some hot chocolate and laced it with whiskey, sitting down on Ash's recliner before the other man could get there. Watching Remus, Talon felt a painful squeezing in his heart. He wanted to rip it out of his chest and stop living. He gulped his hot chocolate in three large swallows and watched as simi burst through the door carrying an emaciated man with lank black hair over her shoulder. That must be the prisoner.

Simi soared over the north sea, having snacked on birds along the way to it. As she soared, she would dive in occasionally to eat a seal or two. She lost count after the fourth. Soon she reached the terrible island in the middle and watched the black cloaked figures milling around the outside of the prison. For fun, she tried to flame broil one. To her surprise it didn't work, but it turned and fled from her. Chronte demons had very strong fire abilities.

"Maybe the Simi just makes all the soul demons go away, then kills all the bad prisoners and saves the good one. The Simi likes that idea."

In the end, Simi just ended up killing the prisoners with the dark mark tattoos. She thought they had bad charisma. She knew which one should be Sirius Black, but he looked so thin and starved. When he saw her, he turned into a dog and tried to hide. Simi giggled and turned back from her dragon form into a human woman, minus the horns and wings, pretending to be Zia.

"Don't be scared dog man," she said in her sing-songy voice. "The Simi knows you innocent. Akri said so. Akri a wise man. Your werewolf friend Mr. Lupin waiting for you. Come on now. The Simi doesn't have all day. You are lucky she is full or she might eat you."

After a very long-winded conversation, Simi managed to get Sirius to come with her. She melted the bars of his cell and picked him up as though he weighed nothing. Her horns and wings re-appeared and she waved good-bye to the guards and unmarked prisoners. Tomorrow they would no doubt think they'd dreamed the whole thing. They would think they'd dreamed it except for the part about the missing dementors and Sirius Black.

A/N Relationship ideas, got any? I do remember the review of Ash with Remus and I'm thinking maybe, but I'd need a good staircase on which to build it. I kind of see him with a girl. Same goes with Talon. I'm thinking a Remus and Sirius relationship for this fic but that's just an idea. I also think Simi needs a friend. She's still a baby really. Talon needs a wand or staff any ideas? I'm looking for a co-writer for any stories please read and review.