Don't Forget

The Great Hall was filled with live bats and floating pumpkins for the Halloween feast. The sky was dark and clear with sparkling stars. Andi was sitting between Fred and Kendra, laughing and smiling.

"Andi, can I sit here?" Misty asked, from behind her.

Andi and Kendra exchanged glances. Kendra shrugged.

"I suppose so," Andi said, coolly.

Misty squeezed between Kendra and Andi, causing Andi to bump into Fred. He made a face at her, then grinned. She smiled back.

"I won't be here long," Misty said, she lowered her voice, "I just wanted to say that I'm very, very sorry for what I said. I know I already apologized...but I still feel bad. I know I hurt your feelings and it was wrong of me to use something against you that you confided in me with."

Andi looked impressed, "Wow, Misty..."

"Well, I just hate us staying in the dorms together and not speaking... I considered you to be my friend," Misty half-smiled.

"Alright, I accept," Andi sighed, "Its really is stupid to be roommates and not talk. Besides, I know you were just mad after I said that you were like Alice and Queenie. You're not."

Misty smiled, "Well, thanks for understanding." She stood back up and marched back to her original seat.

"What was all that?" Fred asked.

"Thanks for nosing into my conversation," Andi rolled her eyes. "Awhile back Misty said something really nasty to me and I just forgave her. It's fine now."

Fred shrugged.

"She really did sound sorry," Kendra added.

"I swear, with all of you listening to my conversations all the time..."

"You know you were going to tell us later anyway," Ginny said, from the other side of Kendra. The three of them laughed.

After a wonderful feast, the Gryffindors filed up to Gryffindor Tower full and sleepy. To their surprise, the portrait of the Fat Lady was slashed and the surrounding paintings were in a panic.

"What's going on here?" Percy demanded, marching up the steps, chest puffed out.

"Someone go and get Dumbledore!" Andi exclaimed.

A scared-looking Neville Longbottom rushed from the crowd,

"What happened?" Kendra muttered.

"Maybe it's another troll," an older student exclaimed.

"Oh, don't be stupid," another said back.

"Move out of the way," Filch growled, Mrs. Norris slinking along behind him.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"The Fat Lady's gone," Ginny said.

"Move!" Percy exclaimed, "The Headmaster is here! MOVE!"

Dumbledore inspected the shredded portrait. "Filch, we must search every portrait in the castle."

"That won't be needed," Peeves said, bobbing happily up and down at the sight of chaos and disorder.

"Why not, Peeves?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Oh, she's ashamed, Professorhead, Disgruntled and a wreck," Peeves tried to hide the amusement in his voice.

"Can you tell me why, Peeves?"

"Oh, she wouldn't let him in," Peeves said. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

Screams of terror and muttering erupted. Kendra was shaking, Drew wasn't looking quite as tough, Colin was on the verge of fainting, and Ginny was wide-eyed.

"Everyone, please, calm down. The heads of House must be informed. All students will report the Great Hall immediately," Dumbledore said calmly.

"You heard!" Percy bellowed. "Come on!"

Without any hesitation, the Gryffindors raced to the Great Hall. It was equipped with hundreds of sleeping bags. "Everyone in a sleeping bag!" Percy called.

"How'd he get in!"

"Made himself invisible," Lindsay Smith said.

"Disguised himself, probably," her best friend, Elizabeth Manson said.

"Maybe he flew in," Dean Thomas suggested.

"Honestly," Hermione said, "am I the only one who bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?"

"Probably," Ron said. "Why?"

"Because! Hogwarts is protected by more than walls."

Andi slid into her own sleeping bag, wondering herself how he managed it. She turned to her side to face Fred, who grinned at her.

"Aren't you worried?" Andi asked.

"Lights are going out now!" Percy yelled. "No more talking!"

"Not with ole Perce on the case," Fred said.

Andi giggled, "Goodnight."

"Night," Fred smiled in return.

The Fat Lady was replaced by a nutty knight called Sir Cadogan. The theories on how Sirius Black entered the castle got more ridiculous as the days proceeded. Estelle knew though. Of course he entered as a dog. But why? Why would Sirius ever enter the castle and attempt to enter Gryffindor Tower? Was he completely mad?

The night Sirius had gotten in, Remus had been transformed. She was needed to search the school, then later monitor the Great Hall. She overheard Snape and Dumbledore discussing Sirius. Snape was convinced that either she or Remus had helped him to enter the castle.

Estelle had never been good at hiding her feelings. The worried expression on her face stayed throughout the following afternoon. Snape sneered at her. He was taking Remus' teaching position for the day as Remus wasn't fully recovered from the previous night. She had originally planned to visit him, but her thoughts lead her elsewhere.

Outside, she looked around before turning into a grey cat with eyes the precise crystal blue that hers were. Keesa roamed the ground once again.

Slinking across the grounds, she met Hermione's cat Crookshanks. The bushy ginger cat was not buying that Keesa was really a cat. It swished it's bottle-brush tail and streaked across the grounds. On the last minuter, Keesa decided to follow him.

The sun was almost entirely sunken beneath the horizon. A bright orange glow filled the west sky. The waning moon was already visible in the dark blue and purple side of the sky, stars sparkling barely as darkness fell, faster and faster.

Inside the forest, it was nearly pitch-black. By now, the grey cat had lost sight of the orange. She didn't care much, knowing the forest like the back of her hand. She hoped over roots and avoided rocks. In the distance, a figure taller than her sat with a tail thumping the ground. Cautiously, Keesa approached recognizing this dog.

Quickly, Estelle changed back into herself. There, less than a foot away was Sirius. It had to be. It was, because the dog was too forming into a person. She gasped.

For more than a minute, they stood there, staring at each other, wondering if it was just some sort of dream. Estelle whispered, "Sirius..."

"Estelle... is that really you?" Sirius said in a very, raspy voice. He took a step forward, shadows engulfing him again. He was hardly recognizable.

"Are you absolutely insane?" she hissed.

"I must be," he stepped forward, until they were within arms reach of one another.

She let out a small sob and threw her arms around him. "I thought that I was never going to see you again, but...you're here right now and what on Earth do you think you're doing here? Why are you here? Oh, Sirius."

"So, I take it you believe me to be innocent?" he said, quietly.

"Of course!" she cried, "But Sirius..." she took a step back, "what happened? I don't understand--"

He inhaled, "It's too much to explain. We can't stay out here, you know. I've got to get back to being Padfoot. I can't be seen."

"You got yourself caught!" Estelle half-sobbed, "Peeves told on you!"

"What are you doing here?" he asked, ignoring her comment.

"I teach here," she said.

"Do you really?" he smiled, "That's wonderful. Astronomy?"

"Of course," she shook her head. "Sirius, you've got to get out of here! I don't want to see you get put back in Azkaban! I wish we could...just sit here and talk...forever, but...this is ridiculous! You're a wanted man! Dementors are swarming all over this place looking for you. What are you doing here?"

"When I went to Godric's Hollow...it was..." Sirius shook his head, "When I couldn't keep Harry with me, I went after Wormtail. Wormtail betrayed James and Lily...he was the Secret Keeper, not me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I just...I just didn't."

"Well..." Estelle grabbed his hands, "there's something I never got to tell you either."

"Is it what you were trying to tell me when I left?" he managed to laugh a little.

"Believe it or not, it is," Estelle swallowed. "Okay, I...how do I even--I was pregnant."

Sirius stared at her, without saying a word.

"Which means, you and I have a daughter."

"I...I left you alone with a child--our child. I...I'm so sorry," he had tears in his eyes. "Estelle, my God...if I had known I just...I would've acted more rationally... I just...I have daughter?"

Estelle smiled, nodding, "She's wonderful, just wonderful. Looks just like you."

"What's her name?"

"Andromeda Lily."

Sirius smiled and pulled Estelle into hug. "I'm so sorry I--"

"I should've told you much earlier... I was just scared."

"I don't even know what to say. Things are different now."

"No, no they aren't," Estelle shook her head. "You've got to leave! Don't you understand--"

"You can't tell me my daughter and god son are here and that I can't meet them--"

"Well, in case you had forgotten, everyone thinks you're a mass murderer!"

A twig snapped in the distance.

"You've got to leave," Estelle whispered.

"I won't," Sirius said.

The bark of Hagrid's dog Fang sounded.

Quickly, Sirius turned into a dog himself and scampered off deeper into the woods.

"Sirius..." Estelle whispered, tears back in her eyes.

"Estelle?"

She jumped out of her skin. Hagrid was standing feet away. "Oh, Hagrid...It's just you."

"What do you think yer doin' out here nearly midnight?" Hagrid asked.

"I was talking to the Centaur and I got a bit...distracted."

"Well, I suggest you get back ter the castle," Hagrid said. "Been hearin some sort o' big dog or wolf aroun' at night."

"Right," Estelle said. "I'll just...be leaving."

"It was awful, just awful," Andi exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "I...I thought maybe it was just Snape trying to down-grade your teaching or...something, but it was much deeper than than, Moony...When he gave the same assignment to every class..."

Remus sighed, "Listen to me, it's going to be alright."

"But he was trying to...get your secret out," she said quietly.

"Snape is...well, he doesn't like me very much. It's going to be fine though. I'll just tell everyone the essays are not due."

Andi nodded, still tearful.

Slytherin withdrew from the upcoming Quidditch match against Gryffindor due to Draco Malfoy's 'injury'. Andi knew for a fact that he had agged the Hippogryph on, because she'd pet Buckbeak a thousand time by listening to Hagrid's instruction. It was ridiculous how long Malfoy had been dragging this out. Plus, the lawsuit against Hagrid.

Instead, Gryffindor was playing Hufflepuff. The stormy weather didn't clear up for the game. Andi was in the sand with her mother, watching.

"You know, I'm not supposed to pick sides, but Gryffindor is doing exceptionally well," Estelle said.

Andi smiled.

Estelle averted her eyes to the stand on the opposite side of the stands. On the top row sat a shaggy black dog, watching as intently as anyone else. She gasped, quietly, then smiled to herself.

A dark figure swooped overhead. Suddenly, it was much colder than before. More hooded, black figures appeared. The dementors were not supposed to be there.

Suddenly, they were surrounding Harry. Then, he was falling...falling...falling...

Dumbledore had stopped Harry from fatally crashing to the ground. It was the angriest Estelle had seen him in a very long time. She was standing around Harry's hospital bed with Andi, Ron, Hermione and the Quidditch team.

"He looks a but peaky," Ron said.

"He fell over one hundred feet!" Fred said.

"Let's pitch you off the Astronomy Tower and see what you look like," George said.

"Probably a right sight better than he normally does," Harry smiled, blinking his eyes opened. He sat up.

"Oh, no," Estelle said, "lie back down."

"I'm fine," Harry said. "What happened?"

"Hufflepuff won," Angelina Johnson said.

Harry looked upset, "Where's Wood?"

"Likely in the showers trying to drown himself," Fred said.

"Cedric Diggory caught the Snitch while you were falling," George added grimly.

"He wanted to call it off and have a rematch," Estelle said. "He didn't know you'd fallen."

"Some of you are going to have to get out!" Madam Pomfrey fussed.

The Quidditch team filed out, along with Andi, not wanting to hear Harry's reaction when he found out that his broom had been destroyed by the Whomping Willow.

"Nasty things, dementors," Fred murmured.

Andi thought that if something was able to suck the happiness out of Fred Weasley, it had to be awful. She thought of Sirius Black spending twelve years with them. She couldn't blame him for wanting out...

Although, she could blame him for what he'd done. She had no sympathy for him, but she couldn't blame him for getting out...

"Andi," Harry said, "I was wondering if...you think Professor Lupin would be willing to give me extra lessons on how to ward off Dementors?"

"Probably," Andi said. "Just have a word with him, and if he's hesitant, tell me and I'll back you up." She smiled.

"Thanks," Harry half-smiled.

"A Patronus Charm," Fred said, joining the conversation, "I've never heard of anyone doing that before N.E.W.T. level."

"That's what sends a dementor away?" Andi asked.

Fred nodded. "I can't do it. Well, I've never actually tried, but I've never been taught."

"I wish I could," Andi said.

"I'm off," Harry said. "I'll see you."

"Bye, Harry," Andi said.

"Good luck," Fred said. "He might be able to do it. I've heard he's brilliant at Defense Against the Dark Arts. Anyway, what's up?"

Andi shrugged. "What are you doing acting normal during break?"

"Ah, I'm tired," Fred said. "Too much damn homework. 'Preparing' us for O.W.L.s Rubbish."

"You have to get an education, you prat," Andi teased.

"I suppose," Fred smiled, "George and I are going to open a joke shop. We don't need O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s."

"Since when?"

"Don't tell anyone, it's confidential," he winked at her.

Andi couldn't help grinning.

Snow began to fall soon, covering the grounds. Andi much preferred sun and warmth, but Hogwarts was very pretty covered in snow. During the Hogsmeade weekend, she, Kendra and Ginny were sitting in the Great Hall having tea with Elizabeth Manson and Lindsay Smith.

"They've hidden Loony Lovegood's shoes again," Elizabeth said. "She doesn't seem to mind, but mow that it's getting cold..."

"She never does anything to anyone," Andi said. "Why--"

"Well, she is...very odd," Misty added.

"You've got that right," Alice Borgin said.

"Don't you have something better to do than eavesdrop?" Andi snapped.

She and Queenie giggled and joined the rest of the Slytherins at their house table.

"And people wonder why we can't have inner-house unity," Andi murmured.

"It's just the Slytherins," Elizabeth exclaimed. "The majority of them anyway. They think just because we're not sorted in their crummy house that we're all half-bloods. As a matter of fact, I'm pureblood--back generations. My whole family--Not that it matters. It just gets on my nerves, you know?"

Andi shrugged, "I guess. I just don't know what the big deal is anyway. My grandparents are muggles."

"That's something to be proud of!" Queenie called.

Andi rolled her eyes.

Ginny and Andi sat by the fire while Kendra played a game of Exploding Snap against Drew to get him to shut up, with Colin and Anthony, along with a number of first years spectating. Hermione's cat Crookshanks was curled up in Ginny's lap, purring.

"I hate that blood status is such a high topic of conversation around here," Andi sighed. "I mean, who cares?"

"You-Know-Who's lot," Ginny replied.

"But Voldemort is gone, it's time to move on," Andi said. "Stupid."

"Tell that to Sirius Black."

"Another thing I'm tired of hearing about," Andi groaned.

Harry came in through the portrait hole, followed my Ron and Hermione.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione said. "Be reasonable."

"Andi, can we talk," Harry said, looking very serious and like he'd been to Hogsmeade.

"Sure," Andi said eyebrows furrowed.

She followed him back out the portrait hole, into the corridor.

"How did you get to Hogsmeade?" Andi asked.

"Nevermind that," Harry said. "How much do you know about Sirius Black?"

"Oh, not him again," Andi shook her head. "Harry, what you've got to--"

"You knew!"

"Knew what?"

"Sirius Black was my dad's best friend. He betrayed my parents. He sold them to Voldemort. They went into hiding and Black was the Secret Keeper. Then, their friend Peter Pettigrew went after Black, got himself and twelve muggles killed. Black was laughing when the Ministry got there." Harry inhaled. "He was in the same year as your mum!"

Andi looked blankly at Harry, tears in her eyes, "Harry, I only knew he told Voldemort where your parents were. I didn't know all of that!"

"Yeah...sorry, it's just," Harry rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm so bloody angry. If I find Black, I'm gonna kill him."

"Harry!" she grabbed both his arms, "Please, don't go looking for Black!"

"I won't," Harry said. "Not really..."