A/n: Underlined text means that it is in sign language.Enjoy and Review.

Chapter 12: a Quiet Adventure

Kiba awoke the next morning to the sound of tapping on his window. He turned his head to look and saw a dark feathered owl which tapped on the glass with a letter in its beak. Kiba got up and opened to window to let the owl in and closed it again. He proceeded to retrieve the letter and opened it, it was a letter from Mr. Lupin

'Dear Kiba,

I hope you had a great year at Hogwarts, and i hope you made friends in your house. I've heard some rumours about Harry his friends doing something incredible and i wondered if you could tell me more.

Sadly, i also have to inform you, that i won't be able to take you to Diagon Alley this year too get you started for the Second Year. I've asked Dumbledore to find a replacement to assist you at the proper time.

Until we met again,

Remus J. Lupin'

Kiba quickly grabbed some parchment and a Quill to send a letter back. He told Remus that he was in Gryffindor with Harry, Ron and Harry, that they were good friends with Hagrid and that they had stopped You-Know-Who from finding and using the Philosophers Stone. Of course Kiba left out the big details which included Quirrell death, and their near death experience. He gave the letter to the Owl and opened the window, it took a few hops towards the window and then swung it's wings and flew off into the distance.

He picked up his watch from his desk and checked the time. 'Lucy's probably up and preparing breakfast, might as well go down and help her' Kiba headed downstairs and heard Lucy silently humming as she prepared the different bowls of cereal and cut up some bread. "Good morning, Sister Crawford" Kiba said politely

"Good morning, Kiba" she replied "gosh, you're up early for someone who was home late yesterday" they both chuckled and then Lucy handed him a glass bowl which was usually filled with a few Bananas, Apples and Pears.

"say Lucy, did madam return yesterday?" Kiba asked. His question obviously startled her as she nearly cut her fingers.

"uhmm, No. No, she didn't" She replied hastily, "don't worry she'll be back…" Lucy went back to cutting the bread and only a bit later Kiba was sitting at his regular table with Jacob, enjoying a nice slice of bread with cheese. Kiba was having a nice conversation with him, well Jacob wasn't talking but Kiba had learned to read sign language and was able to respond normally.

"do you know where Madam Helaway went?" Kiba asked in the hope that the silent boy knew anything

"Madam?" he responded "i thought she went to get you yesterday"

"No, i came back via bus" Kiba replied "Sister Crawford said she has a family Emergency, and wanted to pick me up on her way back… but that never happened" Jacob pulled a confused face

"i heard her say that she was off to get you"

'What? Why would Lucy lie?' Kiba thought, he took a look around the room and quickly finished his plate. He brought it to Lucy in the kitchen "is it okay if i go check on Faye?" he asked "she hasn't come down for breakfast yet"

"oh dear, i thought she'd have told you" Lucy said kneeling down and placing a hand on Kiba's shoulder "she's on a vacation with the Kenway's, she'll be back in a few weeks." Kiba's heart jumped, he thought at first that she'd been adopted without letting him know.

'i ought to get an Owl next time I'm in Diagon Alley' "alright, I'll be in the living room then" like he liked to do Kiba jumped onto the old, slightly torn couch to read the newspaper. Well not really read, but to see if there was anything interesting. But there was no newspaper, the coffeetable was empty. He got up and ran to the door to check if it was still on the ground there, but no. He looked around him with a puzzled look and then his eyes fell onto Madam's office. He peered through the window that was next to the door ave could barely see through the blinds, and there it was on the desk… the Newspaper. Kiba grabbed the handle and tried to open the door, but like always it was locked. 'why would she put the Newspaper there? She usually leaves it on the coffeetable after she's read it'

They day passed rather slowly but Kiba spend some time with Jacob in the garden, and even voiced his opinion on certain children in the orphanage. "Jacob, do you know where the Newspaper is?" Kiba asked the boy as they returned inside, he nodded and pointed at the office. Kiba wanted to speak and then saw Lucy in a living room chair so he instead began using his still very bad sign language. "i need to get in" Kiba motioned

"really, why?"

"she's hiding something from me," Kiba replied "she knows i look at the Newspaper every morning"

"I might be able to help you, i can pick a lock… on my good days" Jacob said with a smile. Kiba was confused and showed this with his expression "i was raised by my father for a long time and he thought me, but when the police came i was put here"

"was your dad a criminal?" Jacob nodded and looked at his feet "Sorry, bad topic. We'll meet by the office after Crawford did her check round" Jacob nodded again, this time with now enthusiasm and smiled. Kiba returned to his room and dropped onto his bed. He sighed heavily and waited for the day to pass.

Night came and Lucy had done her checks, Kiba quietly slipped down the stairs and saw Jacob already fiddling with the lock. He nodded as Kiba approached but didn't stop what he was doing and not much later the lock clicked and Kiba swung the door open. "well done Jacob," he whispered "let me know if anybody is coming" Kiba quickly entered the office and picked up the Newspaper, the Newspaper was already opened to page three avid Kiba saw a horrific picture along with a haunting headline.

'Car crash in Ilford kills two' it read, Kiba's eyes wandered towards the picture and then he recognized something. A familiar Car. A familiar License plate. "it can't be…" his eyes quickly darted across the text below and he gasped. Jacob was looking at him with a puzzled look so he read the text to him. "Yesterday Evening a young couple, who have yet to be identified, had a horrific car crash with a Woman who had been identified as Marie S. Helaway" Kiba read. Jacob's expression turned from interested to shocked. "while the young couple died near instantly, Mrs. Helaway miraculously survived and was taken to the hospital. It is currently unknown who, or what caused the crash… I can't believe it," Kiba dropped the Newspaper and steadied himself with his hands on the edge of the desk.

Kiba closed his eyes and sighed, trying to remember where exactly the hospital was. He opened his eyes again as spotted a familiar handwriting on an Envelope. It was Faye's, but it was addressed time the orphanage… but it was older, it was at least a month old. He spotted another one underneath it, the date on this one told Kiba it was one from before Christmas. He wanted take out the papers and read them but Jacob knocked on the door to get his attention. Kiba quickly put the Envelopes back in order and together with Jacob dashed up the stairs back to their beds before they were caught.

The next morning came and Kiba knew he had an opportunity to sneak out, it was Monday so Lucy would go out shopping. During that time Kiba planned to sneak out and head for the hospital. Jacob had seen him pack his bag and decided to come along too, it took some time before the two were able to sneak away undetected by the other children but eventually they made it out of the orphanage and across the road. Kiba had his 8 inch wand hidden in his pocket for emergency reasons and checked to make sure he did one last time. "which way?" Jacob asked. Kiba didn't respond, instead he just began walking… he didn't know where the hospital was or what it looked like, but he was sure they would find out somehow… they had to.

The two boys wandered aimlessly, asking person after person for directions, which never lead them anywhere. One man didn't even look at them and instead just pushed some money into Kiba's hands and wandered off. The sun travelled across the sky and was slowly disappearing beneath the horizon but they hadn't found the hospital. "Kiba, I'm hungry"

"alright, i see a store over there. let's see if we can buy anything" Kiba replied, they entered the store and picked up done candy, two apples and a bother of water. They had walked so long avid did far that neither remembered the way home. They left the store and proceeded down the small streets, Kiba was biting into his Apple and Jacob wad happily munching on some sweets when a man suddenly approached them.

"hey boys, you look lost," the man said in a kind tone, although his clothes might suggest that he was homeless. He was dressed in all black along with a long black leather coat which had brown stains all over it. His brown hair was a mess, his skin was dirty and a beard was forming on his face. In fact Kiba remembered seeing this particular man around the orphanage a few times. "need some help?" he asked. His head suddenly jerked toy the right slightly and he stuck his tongue out and quickly retracted it making a slight snarling noise.

"we're looking for the hospital" Kiba replied trying not too look at the man who repeatedly stuck his tongue out. The man turned and pointed at a building a little down the street.

"Right there, be safe kid" the man got back up straight and hurried off.

"weird guy" Jacob said with a shrug, but at least he had led them to the hospital. The two boys quickly made their way to the door and entered the building. The hospital was nice and clean, It smelled fresh yet dreadful at the same time. But Kiba had no intention of sightseeing like Jacob, he headed towards the receptionists.

"Excuse me?" he said softly

"Yes- Hello, how can i help you young one?" the receptionist replied kindly with a smile. She walked around her desk to face Kiba properly.

"I'm looking for a Woman," Kiba said

"your mom?" the receptionist asked softly

"No, my mother is dead. I'm looking for Madam Helaway"

"Oh…" the receptionist said, she got behind her desk again and flipped through some files. "you do know that visiting hours are over, right?"

"yes, but you see… we are Orphans from Leverton's and she is our Madam, we were worried so we decided to visit" Kiba said trying to sound and look sad, Jacob played along perfectly and the receptionist gave in and led us to a room further into the hospital.

"i have to warn you; she's very weak, but the doctors expect her to make a full recovery" she said before she opened the door to the room. And there she was, Madam Helaway, in a bed breathing slowly. Her head turned and her eyes widened at the sight she had before her.

"Kiba?!" she said weakly. Kiba quickly walked over to her and grabbed her bony old hand, "why are you here?"

"Jacob and I came to visit you after we found out what happened" Kiba replied.

He didn't understand, but somehow, seeing Madam like this made him sad. even though he never cared much for her he felt tears well up in his eyes but he surpressed them with all his might. Madam Helaway was hooked up to a few pipes and other machines that Kiba didn't recognize, but somehow this reminded him of… something.

"Kiba," Helaway whispered "I'm sorry that Fa… Fa-" she began coughing violently and a nurse came running into the room, she told the boys to leave the room and they reluctantly obeyed. They asked the nurse for directions and eventually found their way home.

"do you think Sister Crawford will be mad?" Jacob asked after tapping on Kiba's shoulder.

"probably…" Kiba replied. Of course she was going to be mad, they had been gone the entire day, and she didn't know where they went. They entered the garden through the creaky wooden gate and before they even reached the door it shot open. Lucy stood inside and didn't even speak as she led them inside.

"What were you thinking? Where were you?!" she asked Kiba since Jacob didn't speak "Kiba? And how did you get the candy?"

"a man gave us some money," Kiba replied silently, he looked at his knees and didn't dare look at Lucy. He knew he'd done wrong, but he didn't think of the consequences beforehand.

"Alright," Lucy sighed "and where were you?" she asked softer then before

"The hospital…" Kiba replied, from the corner of his eye he saw Lucy turn shocked "we wanted to visit Madam Helaway…"

"we snuck into the office yesterday, and read what happened on the Newspaper" Jacob said, while Kiba translated to Lucy.

"to bed…" Lucy said with a heavy breath "Now!"

The boys didn't hesitate, the got up and ran up the creaky wooden stairs and into their rooms. 'how'd it go?' Hotaru asked excitedly, Kiba shook his head and just dropped into his bed. He didn't even bother to undress he fell asleep as soon as Hotaru snuggled into him.

'I'm such an idiot… and i dragged Jacob into it'

"Muggles… how dare you associate with them" the voice which Kiba had become accustomed to said

"No, not you! Go away! Get out of my head!"

"oh Kiba, your blood is pure but your judgement clouded" the man spoke "you should go, explore the magic world""shut up! I'm not running away! I disappointed Lucy today…" 'and i won't, ever again…'

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