Lumos

Chapter 33

Next day after Harry took some food from the lunch table and I got some from the kitchen to take to my uncle, we made our way to Hogsmeade. This path was different than normal because we've never been this way before and because Aunt Aviana was with us. At the stile on the end of the lane was my favorite dog. Aunt Avi got all choked up and ran over to pet the dog, he just rolled over in her lap and wagged his tail rapidly.

"Hi uncle." I whispered, rubbing his head when he reluctantly got up, off of my aunt's lap.

He wagged his tail for a bit then turned away. We were climbing a steep mountain for about half an hour before we found the narrow opening to a medium sized cave. Buckbeak was there, lying on the ground next to a rather untidy uncle Sirius. His hair was long and dirty and he was still wearing the same robes from when he escaped Azkaban.

Aunt Aviana ran into his open arms again, crying her eyes out. He took her face in his hands softly, pressing kisses all over her face. Suddenly he looked our way as he cradled my aunt in his arms.

"Chicken!" he said hoarsely, sniffing the air.

Harry and I gave him the bags of food and let him eat for a few minutes.

"Thanks, I've been living off rats mostly. Can't steal too much food from Hogsmeade; I'd draw too much attention to myself." he told us, making my aunt gag.

"Thanks for sharing." she complained.

"What're you doing here, Sirius?" Harry and I asked at once.

"I would like to know the same thing." aunt Aviana said.

"Fulfilling my duty as godfather, uncle and fiancé. Don't worry about it, I'm pretending to be a lovable stray. I needed to see you love, it's been a very long time and I've missed you so." He said with a grin, caressing my aunts cheek as she turned crimson.

She looked at him with such love and longing that it felt like we shouldn't be watching them. All of a sudden he grew very serious, I'm guessing our expressions weren't the ones of happiness that he expected. I don't think he realizes how much we worry about him.

"Ok, I want to be on the spot. Your last letter Harry . . . well, let's just say things are getting fishier. I've been stealing the paper every time someone throws one out and by the looks of things, I'm not the only one who's getting worried." He said.

"What if they catch you? What if you're seen?" I asked angrily.

"You five, Dumbledore and Oliver are the only people alive who know that I'm an Animagus, well and Lupin of course." He said.

After that we talked about a little of everything; Crouch, his house-elf, the World Cup, Harry's wand, Ludo Bagman, among many other things. Uncle Sirius doesn't treat us like we're children, he tells us things, informs us in a way that our parents never will.

We spoke a little about my situation but it's honestly not something that I'm prepared to talk about. I don't know what to do about it yet and hearing my uncle talk about my mother with such anger is very disconcerting. Not that she's my favorite person in the world but she's still my mother.

The next few days proved to be interesting. Ron warned Mione about that Skeeter woman but she didn't take him seriously. After the article against Mione playing with the champion's hearts ran she started receiving hate mail. It had gotten so bad that someone sent her undiluted bubotuber pus, very dangerous if left unattended. She ran off to the Hospital wing with large yellow boils sprouting all over her hands.

She missed most of our classes that day, getting back in time only for a rather fun Care of Magical Creatures class. The mail kept coming for a week and I was starting to grow worried by her lack of worry. Added to that I had not seen my boyfriend for over a week, he seemed to be very "busy" lately.