Sirina Rose Potter

Chapter Thirty-Two*

Ch.32
>>> EDITED TO REMOVE HEATED KISSING <<<

I managed to slip away from my body guards long enough to escape the common room. Remembering the path Lee took me through, I went there. Checking around to be sure nobody was coming, I slipped behind the statue and into the tunnel.  I walked the long dark path with my want illuminated in front of me. I crept through the doorway from the cellar to Honeydukes, then walked casually around the shop.

I saw my tall and muscular redhead, and made my way to him. Wrapping my arms around his waist, he quickly turned and looked down at me. "Hello, love." He whispered.

"Darling Charles." I answered back.

He took my hand and led me to a hidden part of the shop, where he bent to my height and kissed me lightly on the lips. "I've missed you..." He whispered.

"I've missed you too... So much..." Then kissed him again.

"These are for you..." He held out a box of peppermint toads. I raised an eyebrow and he laughed. "My stock seemed to vanish while you were over. I had a hunch you liked them."

"I do, thank you." I took them and tossed them into my bag, then kissed him quickly on the cheek. "Now about this–"

"Well there you are!" Tonks voice snapped from behind me, Charlie quickly released my hand. "It's nearly 6 in the evening. Remus wanted to go looking, I insisted on going myself. Of course Molly was pleased... Anyway... Let's go." She rolled her eyes, nodding toward the exit.

"Charlie, what..." I look up at him.

"We actually have a uh meeting today..." He pressed his lips together. "You see... We heard about Dumbledore and..."

"We can do this on the way, let's go." Tonks begins walking toward the door, glancing at us to follow. Sighing, I follow her out, Charlie by my side.

"Anyway... Remus asked if Tonks or I could think of a believable excuse to get you to Hogsmeade, of course I could..." He pauses and lowers his voice, "as true as my letter was, it was a cover story."

"Keep up, lovebirds, come on!" Tonks calls behind her.

I let out a sharp breath. Narrowing my eyes at the back of her head. She was really being bothersome.

"Wh-what?" Charlie stuttered out. She ignored him. I ignored the both of them.

"Where are we going?"

"Shrieking shack." Charlie answered with a sigh. "All my years of believing it was haunted... When really it was just a werewolf hideout..." He shook his head, I laughed.

"You didn't really believe it was haunted?"

"But of course I did! Everyone does!" He widened his eyes at me. "Siri, it's an abandoned house, in the middle of nothing. Why else would it be there?!"

I shrugged, fighting off a fit of laughter. "I assumed it was once the home of a professor, or getaway for the headmaster."

"This," he stated, "is why you're the smart one."

"Oh, only this?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh hush.." He shoved me a little, and I shoved him back. Tonks made some mushy noise. We stopped.

After a bit of silence, I looked up at Charlie, as Tonks was too ahead of us to talk to. "Is Sirius here?"

"Yes, love." He laughed, "we all came, in convenience to you."

"All?" I repeated.

"Except for Snape. We're not sure right now..." He sighs. "Personally, I don't think he'd hurt any of us, and I'm sure as hell he'd like Hogwarts to go back to normal... But it's important you're here."