The Corpse That Lived.

Chapter 3

(Votes and comments are highly appreciated!!!)

"Where am I?" Dahlia demanded. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sirius," Sirius answered calmly. "This is my house."

"I don't know you! What am I doing here?"

"You're safe," Sirius promised her once more, but it did nothing to soothe the frantic child.

"What did you do to me? Why am I here? What do you want?" Dahlia asked and started to scramble out of the bed. She was still weak from her ordeal and nearly fell over when her feet hit the floor, but she grasped for the blankets and kept herself upright, too panicked to care about anything except escape.

Sirius was suddenly glad he had spelled all the doors and windows shut last night in a moment of paranoia. He didn't want to sit next to the child all night, afraid he might frighten her but he was also worried Dahlia would wake up and attempt to get out, just as she was doing now.

"You should sit," Sirius told her. "You've been through quite a lot. You must be feeling tired."

"Tell me what I'm doing here!"

Sirius wisely decided to back up, giving his goddaughter space so she would not feel so threatened. He was quite certain he didn't want to know why Dahlia was so frightened, but he would give her whatever she needed to feel comfortable here.

"My name is Sirius," he reminded him once more. "Sirius Black. You're at my home in London. Do you recall anything that happened last night?"

Dahlia didn't answer, staring defiantly back at him. She was still holding tight to the blankets to keep herself standing, her knuckles turning white with the force of her grip, but her resolve did not waver. It seemed so very Potter, and yet it was heartbreaking. The poor girl could hardly stand, but she was clearly terrified what would happen to him if she did not.

"Nothing will happen to you here," Sirius promised. "You've no need to be afraid. I can tell you everything, but you ought to sit down. You've been very ill," he tried to coax the girl.

"I'm not sitting until you tell me who you are and what you want!" Dahlia shouted, then began to cough. Her knees quaked and she gasped for breath, and it was all Sirius could do to hold himself back. He wanted to scoop his girl up and put him back in the bed where he belonged, but Dahlia seemed very near to breaking. From the scars and bruises he had uncovered last night, he suspected the touch of an adult was not soothing or comforting to Dahlia. It was something to be feared...not trusted.

"All right. I suppose that's fair," Sirius agreed when Dahlia managed to stop coughing. "I found you in Caledonian Park on Friday night. This is Sunday afternoon. You were very cold, and I brought you here to warm you up. Do you remember any of that?"

Dahlia was trembling with fear, but she slowly began to nod. "The cold. And the rain. And then someone...you?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yes, Da-" Sirius abruptly stopped himself, realising that he shouldn't know Dahlia's name. He didn't even know if she went by Dahlia and it was best not to startle her too much when he was still very far from earning the girl's trust. "You were very sick from the cold, and then you came down with a cough and fever yesterday. I've given you pot- medicine," he corrected quickly, "and you ought to feel better with some more rest and hot meals."

"I want to leave now," Dahlia announced, barely taking the time for his words to sink in.

"You aren't well yet," Sirius countered.

"You can't keep me here! You can't make me stay!"

"You need to stay and recover," he tried again. "You could have died. It's far too cold for you to leave. You have no where to go, do you?"