𝘋𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘜𝘙 𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚 𝘛𝘐𝘌𝘋/𝘵𝘰𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 (English version)

Chapter 14

Christmas holidays had started shortly after, and Sarah had not left her room since the trip to Hogsmeade. Despite Hermione and Ginny's efforts to cheer her up, nothing could make her feel better. In her mind, she replayed that conversation over and over, and a sense of shame, fear, anxiety, and anger was overwhelming her little by little.
She had refused to read her parents' letters, asking her about the first semester in the new school. She didn't want to hear from them; in fact, she didn't want to hear from anyone.
In a second, she had discovered something so important and serious that all her certainties collapsed in an instant. She felt betrayed by her family and by Dumbledore, who knew her secret. She felt guilty, even though she shouldn't, with Harry. Knowing that her father had made it easier for Voldemort was heartbreaking for her. She hadn't spoken to him out of shame.
She had so many things on her mind at that time, and none of them were making her feel any better.

Christmas had arrived, and a few days before, Sarah received an owl from Professor Lupin.
In the small parchment, the professor asked the girl to come to his office for an urgent meeting. Sarah couldn't possibly refuse that invitation, after all, he was her teacher. She left her room after days and walked quickly towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Lupin opened the door, smiling at her and motioning her to sit on a chair in front of his desk.
Of course, a cup of tea and some chocolate were already waiting for her.
"I've heard you haven't been leaving your room for a while, and that seemed very strange to me. I even saw Hermione looking visibly sad today, and even Tom Riddle asking about you... You must be liked by many people, I imagine" Lupin said.
Sarah blushed at the mention of Tom's name. Had he asked about her? She had been thinking for days about when he would find out the truth. Would he hate her? Probably.
She sighed before answering" I miss my parents, that's all."
But Lupin didn't believe her for even a second. "Then why didn't you go home?"
Sarah looked at him, feeling as though all the anger and frustration were about to explode right then and there. She took a deep breath
"They won't be in Naples, and I preferred to avoid too many problems."
The professor placed the hot cup on the table, observing the girl's face.
"You've been my student for months now, Sarah, and allow me to say that you've never been very good at lying," he laughed, bringing a piece of his favorite chocolate to his mouth.
The Gryffindor girl looked at him, her cheeks flushed, on the verge of exploding.
"M-me? Professor, I simply prefer to stay here for this Christmas. I've never experienced this holiday in this place. I'm not going out simply because I don't feel like it!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, exasperated.
Lupin understood that perhaps he needed to adopt a different tactic with her, as he was pushing too hard, risking getting the opposite of what he wanted.
"You are in a safe place, with someone who promises not to speak to anyone. You can trust me, Sarah."
Those words felt like a comfort she hadn't received in a long time, and they were enough to make her break down in a desperate cry. She was crying for the first time since discovering the truth.
"I don't know what happened, or at least I do know, but it seems so crazy that sometimes I find it hard to believe myself," but she didn't stop "I'm not Sarah! Oh God, yes, I'm Sarah, but not the one you know!" She brought her hands to her face, it was clear how confused she was at that moment.
"I'm not the daughter of my parents, but of a crazy criminal who is wanted everywhere! I feel guilty, Harry lost his parents because of him, and I'm the only thing left of Sirius! Not to mention that my mother is no longer here, and she must have suffered alone while her daughter understood nothing because she was too young! How can I talk to people when I know for sure they don't know the real ME!"

She said it all without stopping, and the professor looked at her, genuinely struck, offering her some chocolate and inviting her to sit again to calm down.
"Sarah, before saying anything else, I just want you to know that I already knew who you were from the moment I arrived." Sarah was about to say something, but Remus was quicker.
"I knew Sirius better than you can imagine. He, James Potter, and I were inseparable. Really, the four of us experienced many things together, and they will always be a part of me. I still remember when you were born, Marlene was over the moon, and Sirius was so clumsy he nearly dropped you from his arms," he laughed, recalling the day.
"But don't think they didn't love you. They loved you madly, so much that your mother gave her life for you that night." Lupin walked over to the large window of the classroom. "And Sirius loved you too. Now, he's at large, probably looking for you, looking for YOU. And he'll do anything to be able to talk to you, at least once, Sarah."
He turned to look at the girl
"Promise me you won't go looking for Black."
Sarah was taken aback, it was too big a request.
She grabbed her bag and smiled at the professor. "You know my father, you also know me. You know that I will go looking for Sirius Black, professor, now for a reason even more important than before."