Friday 30th July 1982

Azkaban, 15:00

Sirius watched lazily from the corner of his cell that, in his opinion, was the most comfortable. Of course, he was talking A load of rubbish because this was a cold, stone cell that was dingy and dark and none of the corners were particularly good. That didn't mean that some weren't better than others because they were. Obviously, the two at the back were better than the ones near the cell door because they were further away from the Dementors. Marginally so but that was something, no matter how small. He was going to take what he could get even if it was imagined. And technically, when he was a dog, it wasn't imagined because that definitely did make him feel better. Especially when he could actually transform in a dog again. That illness or whatever he had really drained his strength and the food provided in here didn't exactly lend itself to building you back up again. Hence the staying in the back corners.

He didn't normally do much, it wasn't like there was anything to do except count bricks and cracks, but today was one of the few days that there was actually something to do. Granted it was only watching the corridor between his cell and the opposite but it was something. Something more than watching a Dementor patrol anyway. Another reason not to be a dog today. If something was going to happen that he could see that meant there was the chance of him being seen. Even if it was just by another prisoner, he didn't want anyone seeing a dog here. If they did, someone might hear them talk about it. It was an extremely slim chance but there was no way he was going to take that risk.

He could put up with feeling a bit more awful than usual for ten minutes or so. That's how long it usually took for them to drag a prisoner down past here, get them all locked up nice a good and then return. He idly wondered if this one would be crying and screaming as they were dragged down or would they be shocked. Maybe try and be stoic? Prisoners sometimes tried that. But maybe not when they were being dragged the whole way down here. Everyone knew that the lower down you were placed the worse it was. Sirius shivered. He could attest to that.

And how did he know that something was happening when Dementors weren't exactly the best conversationalists? Because he could read them. At least he liked to think so. Sort of. He was pretty sure that they didn't experience emotions like humans did but they did have some. If you could call them emotions. If something didn't have a brain (as far as he could understand) could they even have emotions? Because this? The way that they were acting right now? He would say that they were excited. Eager even.

That could only mean one thing. A fresh soul, so to speak. Sirius shuddered at the thought. That was still a disgusting thought to him. Which was a good thing, right? It meant that he still cared. Still caring was a good thing.

He wasn't even sure that he should feel sorry for whoever was coming down because whoever was coming all the way down here had to be bad. Some of the worst of the worst, right? He chuckled darkly at that. Right. The worst of the worst were down here. He shook his head; he knew that he shouldn't be thinking like that. It wasn't good to give into that type of despair.

He needed to focus on something else. Dementors! That's what he should focus on. Disturbingly, thinking of them was better than spiralling into his own thoughts.

It was a bit disturbing, in hindsight the way The way they were acting. How did they even know? How did they communicate? Did he even want to know? Knowing more about how Dementors worked seemed wrong to him. That and he really didn't want to know. He felt like it would give him nightmares and he had more than enough of those in those few hours of sleep he managed to catch every day.

The ones in front of him shifted slightly and, though he was pretty sure that he was imagining it, there was a little bit of relief. Well, it wasn't really relief because the damn thing was still there bit even a slight movement away from him was something.

Then he heard the clank of chains. That noise still made his heart jump even though he should be expecting it by now. Prisoners were always transported in chains and magic suppressing cuffs. It went with the whole make them feel as helpless as possible thing. Then the doors swung open and the helplessness that was normally present turned to low level despair (Yes, he could tell the difference). That's what happened when more Dementors than usual were present.

The guy didn't bother looking around as he was dragged past. In fact, he looked a bit shell-shocked with the whole thing which was more than understandable. Sirius wondered if he saw him. Huh. Mulciber. That was Mulciber, right? He was almost tempted to go to the doors of his cell to get a better look but that was stupid for two reasons. One, that would involve him willingly getting closer to Dementors which really wasn't a good idea and two, even though Dementors were slow by the time be got to his cell door they would have passed and he'd just see the back of the guy. And see? He was already out of sight.

Sirius idly wondered if it was Junior or Senior. The Mulcibers weren't exactly smart enough to think of different names for each other. Did he really care? He supposed the only good thing, if you could count it as a good thing, was that he was brought further down than his cell. So, it was a worse cell.

The normal cold settled into his bones again and he shivered. Sirius couldn't even imagine an even worse cell.

Wednesday 4th July 1982

Banbridge's Office, 10:30

It had been decided that it would be Remus who went to Banbridge to ask for an update. He was deemed the least scary (compared to Severus), the least impatient (compared to Dora), no official familial connection (like Dora and Marlene) and actually had time (unlike Chryssie who they literally hadn't seen properly in two weeks). This was fine, Remus didn't mind. He actually liked being useful and doing something for a change. Even if it was for something so simple and quick as asking for an update. It was still something that had to be done. And it got him out of the house, something that hadn't happened in a few days. Yes, he was between jobs. Again. He didn't like to talk about it. Especially since this one wasn't even about his unexplained absences; the company had gone under! The universe had an annoying sense of humour. It wasn't even funny. But it meant that he was free so here he was.

When he entered the office, he didn't see the man at his desk like he expected him to. Because that's where you would be if you were expecting a client to come it, right? Apparently not because he was flitting here, there and everywhere and his office didn't even have that much space. Had he just opened and closed that drawer three separate times? Was he looking for something? Had Remus interrupted something?

He coughed pointedly to get his attention when it became apparent that the man wasn't going to see him.

Banbridge looked up briefly and then returned to shuffling through files.

"Ah, Remus. Did we have an appointment? I'm sorry but I have a lot going on right now so I must have for-"

"We didn't have an appointment," Remus interrupted. "I just wanted to see if you were free for an update but it's obvious, you're not so can I make an appointment?"

He wasn't about to put more pressure on the man who was starting to look a bit manic.

"Appointment. Yes, an appointment please." Banbridge actually paused for a moment, an ink splotch now inexplicably on his cheek. "Three days from Now? I'll be free then for two hours and I'm sure you'll have a lot of questions."

"Sounds good," Remus agreed hurriedly.

He didn't think Banbridge heard him as he went straight back to looking for whatever it was, he needed. Remus decoded he didn't need to stand on ceremony and just left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Thursday 12th August 1982

Marauder Flat, 10:00

"Well, what do we do now?" Marlene asked impatiently, trying to wrestle Cassie (unsuccessfully) into her coat.

"Mama, no coat!"

"It's raining outside, you need a coat!" She said before looking up to everyone. "Well?"

"No coat!"

Sometimes she wished that you could just apparate with a toddler but it really wasn't advised unless you could get them to stay still and restrained, neither of which she knew she could do successfully and she did not want to splinch either of them so walking it was.

"I still think we need to think this through more," Chryssie said, frowning.

"I say we just go and visit them. We don't need anyone's permission, we're family," Marlene said hotly.

"Pretty sure that we can't just appear unannounced family or not. And technically, we aren't family." Severus pointed out.

"I wasn't about to go apparate into their living room! I'm not that rude!"

"Good to know," Chryssie said sarcastically.

Marlene decided that it was a better use of energy to throw Cassie's coat at her friend rather than continue to struggle to put it on her daughter.

"Bye, bye coat!"

Even Cassie's cute wave couldn't get rid of the tension in the room.

"And what do you mean. We aren't family?" Marlene asked, whirling around to Severus. "Of course, we are!"

"Not blood," he said patiently.

"Chryssie Is!" She said triumphantly. "So, we're sorted on that front."

"Unfortunately."

"What do you mean unfortunately? You're related to them so you have a right to see them."

"Just because you're related to someone doesn't mean you have a right to see them. They won't want me there."

"But Harry and Rylli will!"

"Who are toddlers and will hardly be able to talk."

"Which is why we need to be there!"

Severus coughed to get their attention. Impressively, it worked and they all stopped bickering.

"Aren't we forgetting something?" They looked at him blankly and he made an impatient noise. "Does any of us know where the Dursleys live?"

They all looked at each other like one of them would just go and blurt out he address. When that didn't happen, they all turned to Chryssie.

"Why do you think I would know?" She asked defensively.

"Hello, you're her sister," Dora pointed out.

"Hello, she doesn't talk to me." Chryssie rolled her eyes and then muttered, "and I don't want to talk to her."

Irrationally, Marlene felt annoyed. What she wouldn't give to be able to talk to one of her siblings right now. But she couldn't. She couldn't. She couldn't. She couldn't. Because they were... no, she wasn't going to think of that. She still couldn't think that word. And Chryssie was in a whole different situation to her. There were more pressing things to take care of anyway.

"You're going to have to if we're going to see them," she said out loud, more irritably than she probably needed to.

"You mean we can't just sneak them out of the house in the dead of night?" She shot back. "Of course, I know I'm going to have to talk to her!"

"We still need to know where they live to talk to them," Severus tried to bring them back on track.

"Well, I don't know!" Chryssie all but shouted.

"I didn't say you did!"

Why did this conversation always end up in an argument these days?

"Know who probably does?" Remus said with a groan.

"Dumbledore," they all chorused.

Tuesday 17th August 1982

Remus and Dora's Flat, 08:00

A scratching noise came from the window, right on time. It was nice when things followed a routine, a schedule. Especially when so much of everything else didn't. Yes, she'd had an extremely hectic week, couldn't you tell?

The scratching came again, except more impatiently.

"Paper's here!" Dora called.

Yes, she was technically closer to the window but she couldn't exactly leave the stove. She was scrambling eggs and she did not want to take her eyes off them or else they'd burn. These were the only thing she could make in the pan consistently without burning, she was not going to ruin that over the paper delivery.

It wasn't like the paper was going to tell them anything else that they didn't already know. The perks of being am Auror. Well, she supposed that 'The Prophet' was starting to include social news again but she really wasn't interested in that sort of thing. It was all pureblood antics and celebrity news. Not really her thing. Unless it was about the Weird Sisters. That was different.

"Coming!" Remus said, bringing a very wild haired looking Teddy into the kitchen.

Every morning, without fail, Teddy woke up with the messiest hair imaginable. Remus always said that he looked like a Potter. At least his hair could be brushed neat, Dora was thankful for that. It looked like her actually woken up happy as well, they'd had a grumpy few mornings which meant that the whole morning rush was a lot more unpleasant. She wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse that Teddy's abilities had settled enough so that they now consistently changed with his emotions. Well, at least they got some warning on how the morning was going to go and today it looked like it was going to go well.

Remus quickly deposited Teddy in his high chair and went over to the window. The owl was paid and he set the newspaper at his place at the table, ready to be read when he was having his cup of tea. It was his little morning routine. She may tease him about it but she understood, other parts of his day had no routine - he might have a job and he might not, he might start in the morning and he might not, she might have a shift or it might be in the evening - so he liked to have a routine where he could. And the newspaper was a part of that. She wasn't about to disrupt it. She could still tease him about it though, he always took it with good humour, normally shooting back with at least he had a routine and knew where everything was every morning. Look, her shoes definitely had a walking jinx on them, why else could they never be found every morning?

She proudly dished up the eggs to all three of them. Proudly because she managed to do so without tripping or spilling the eggs or both so yes, she had a right to be proud.

"Thank you," Remus said, kissing her cheek and pouring out tea for her. She would grab a coffee in the niggle world on the way to the office but it was nice to start the day with a cup of tea. Something she had picked up from Remus and he was far too smug about it. Now where was the salt? Scrambled eggs always needed a bit of salt.

A choking noise came from Remus and Dora looked up in alarm, fork just about to spear her scrambled egg. Instead, she missed and they both winced as it made that awful scratching noise along her plate.

"Sorry," she apologised quickly and scanned him up and down, it didn't look like he was hurt... "What's wrong?"

He didn't say anything, just shook his head and flung the paper across the table, narrowly missing the jug of pumpkin juice which wobbled to and fro dangerous but Dora didn't care about that. She didn't care about that at all because right there, on the third page of the Prophet (where Remus had folded it over after having read the front page article) was an equally worthy title.

'INQUIRY REQUESTED ON THE IMPRISONMENT OF SIRIUS BLACK'