Sarabi rolled over and promptly fell out of bed. She laid on her stomach on the floor and moaned. She hadn�t had a good night sleep since that day at the Ministry of Magic. She was still in Egypt when the owl came. It carried a letter from Dumbledore and she only read the first line before she took off barely saying a word to her class or to the headmaster at the Maji School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The line simply read �Sirius and your godson need you.� It had been fifteen years since she saw either one. As she laid on the floor staring with unseeing eyes under her bed, she remembered the last time she saw her godson.

She was standing in the house and holding the baby close to her. Voldemort had disappeared into the night. She arrived in time to see him strike out and be defeated by the infant now in her arms. She slowly rocked back and forth, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the body of her friend and the baby�s mother. Lily. She never had a chance against Voldemort, neither did James, who laid on the parlor floor sharing the same fate as his wife. A loud noise echoed through the now still night and Sarabi was vaguely aware of it. It wasn�t until a large hand rested on her shoulder did she turns her eyes away from Lily.
�Sar?�
�I didn�t get here in time Hagrid.� Sarabi sniffed. �I couldn�t...couldn�t...� Hagrid pulled Sarabi closer to him and softly patted her on the back.
�It�ll be all right now Sar. He�s gone.� Hagrid said softly and Sarabi shook her head against his large chest.
�Not for good I�m afraid.� She whispered then took a step back and looked at the half-giant in front of her. �Why are you here Hagrid?�
Hagrid swallowed his eyes going momentarily to the baby in her arms then back to her. �Dumbledore has asked me to come get �arry.� He said shifting a bit. Sarabi just stood there and blinked.
�I don�t understand.� She finally said.
�He means to give him to Lily�s sister....� Hagrid began to explain but Sarabi�s eyes went wide and she gasped.
�PETUNIA?� She screamed making the baby look up at her wide-eyed. �He means to give him to her? A muggle? She hates our kind! And she�s married to a man who is nothing more than a...a....� Sarabi struggled to find the right word to described Petunia�s husband Vernon. Hagrid looked down to his feet then back up at her. �Where�s Dumbledore?� She demanded.
�I reckon he�s at his office...� Sarabi apparated out of the house before Hagrid could finish his sentence taking the baby with her.

Dumbledore looked up from his desk at the sound of a loud pop. Sarabi strode up to him looking furious.
�Petunia. You mean to give MY godson to that woman!� She spat at him and Dumbledore slowly stood.
�Sarabi.� Dumbledore said then looked at the baby in her arms. �He will be safe there.�
�Safe? He wouldn�t be safe with me, is that it?� Sarabi said very loudly waking a few of the portraits in the office.
�He is not safe in our world Sarabi. You know this.� Dumbledore said calmly and Sarabi looked around the office, her eyes finally coming to rest on a globe.
�Egypt. I could take him to Egypt. He wouldn�t even have to know about the wizarding world until he�s 11.� She said frantically. Dumbledore smiled at her warmly.
�Do you really believe you could keep such a secret from him Sarabi? You�ve known nothing but the wizarding world. And Petunia needs to seal the charm. � Sarabi had a fresh batch of tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at the baby.
�I promised Lily and James.� Sarabi whispered smoothing the hair on the baby�s head and smiling a bit when it refused to stay down. Dumbledore�s eyes went sad as he came around his desk to stand beside her.
�I know you did. And you can still keep your promise Sarabi.� Dumbledore said softly.
�I can�t loose him Albus. Not after losing Lily and James.� She said and he nodded.
�You will not loose him my dear. He will always be there whenever you wish to see him.� Dumbledore said looking at her through his spectacles. Sarabi slowly nodded knowing full well what he meant.
�It won�t be the same.� She whispered and Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder.
�I know.� He said softly smiling down at the baby. �You had better take him to Hagrid. He has a job to do as do you.� To this Sarabi looked at him with questioning eyes. There was silence and she blinked and again nodded. With a loud pop she left Dumbledore�s office and reappeared at the house. She found Hagrid kneeling by James in the parlor sniffling loudly.
�Hagrid.� She said softly and Hagrid quickly stood and turned to look at her. He wiped a large arm across his face and looked down at the baby.
�You�ve talked to Dumbledore then?� He asked trying to get his voice back. Sarabi just nodded and walked over to him. She looked down at the baby and tried to smile.
�Be good.� She whispered. �I promise I won�t keep my distance, know that I will always love you. Always.� She softly kissed the baby�s forehead and reluctantly handed him over to Hagrid. �Take good care of my godson Hagrid.� She said and Hagrid nodded. He carefully placed the baby in a fold of his large shirt and looked up to Sarabi, but she was no where to be seen.

Sarabi blinked coming back to the present. She groggily pushed herself off the floor and grabbed the bedside clock and looked at it. With a sigh she sat on the edge of her bed rubbing her temples. She�ll feel better once she had her godson. For years she had only been able to look at him from afar and it wasn�t until recently that she had left for Egypt. Five years she spent there not being able to return to Britain until Dumbledore�s letter. She remembered hearing that Sirius had escaped Azkaban and that made her smile.
Before she allowed her brain to lapse into the last time she saw him she stood and made her way to the bathroom. Moments later she re-entered her bedroom and went to the wardrobe and threw it open. She pulled black robes out of it and threw them on. She had spoken to Dumbledore the minute she arrived in London and he assured her that she could see her godson at where he stayed with Sirius at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. She also got filled into what had happened around the end of term. She listened carefully as Dumbledore explained about the Triwizard Cup and the events surrounding it. She then was indited into the Order of the Phoenix and told that they met at Grimmauld Place. With a curt nod she had left.

Now standing in her parent�s house that hadn�t been lived in for quite a few years but was kept in order by the house-elves, she sighed and walked out of her room. It was midday and it would take her the rest of the day to get to Grimmauld. Dumbledore warned her about using magic to get there, that no attention was to be drawn to the area, so she grabbed her Firebolt and headed for the door. She took out her wand and muttered a few words and tapped it over her head. Instantly a cold feeling over took her and with a small shiver she mounted her broom and took off for the sky.

It was night and everyone gathered around the table in the basement kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Everyone, including Harry were in high spirits since finding out that Harry got off on the charges put against him when he used magic to save himself and his cousin Dudley from Dementors. Harry laughed at a joke told by Fred and George then staired into his plate a moment.
�You all right Harry?� Sirius, his godfather, asked and Harry smiled and nodded. He kept thinking about someone he saw at the Ministry of Magic. He only saw her briefly, but he could have sworn he had seen the woman before, but where he couldn�t remember. Her eyes stood out to him the most. Almond eyes, full of love and carrying and Harry couldn�t help but feel those feelings were directed to him. He wanted to ask someone about her, but didn�t know where to start. So he kept it to himself and rejoined the group laughing and talking around him. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and the portrait of Mrs. Black began screaming once again. Mad Eye went to get the door. Harry strained his ears, as did Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George to hear who it was, but with Mrs. Black screaming and all the people talking it was impossible to hear a thing. Suddenly Mrs. Black stopped screaming and it sounded like she was talking in a normal voice for once. Mad Eye returned to the kitchen, followed by someone in a black traveling cloak with the hood pulled up over their head. Everyone had stopped talking as soon as the person had entered the room. Everyone just stared at the person. Molly had stopped half way to the table with a pitcher of Butterbeer and was looking at the person as well. The person slowly raised their hands and took a hold of the edges of the hood and drew it back. Molly gasped along with some others, including Harry. Molly dropped the pitcher and it smashed to the floor as she ran to the woman and took her up in an enormous hug. The woman smiled widely as she returned Molly�s hug. Everyone except Tonks stood up and walked over to her.
�Who is that?� Ginny asked quietly and Sirius moved to get up.
�She�s Harry�s Godmother.� he replied and walked over to stand behind her leaving Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George to stare at Harry.
�You never mentioned you had a godmother Harry!� Hermione exclaimed and Harry shrugged.
�I..I didn�t know.� Harry remarked and just watched as one by one the adults took her up in a hug.
�Remus!� She said pulling him into a hug. �How is my favorite werewolf?� Remus blushed slightly as he pulled back.
�I�m doing just fine.� He replied with a smile. The woman�s face became serious and she looked him in the eye.
�Remus. You must Tell me, where is my other favorite canine?� She held Remus by the shoulders and he smiled then glanced over her shoulder then back to her. Slowly the woman turned around and faced Sirius. She reached out and touched his cheek, for a moment Harry thought he was frozen in place until he reached up and touched her hand.
�Sirius.� She said warmly then took a step closer to him. She placed her forehead against his then began to laugh softly as she gave him a hug. Sirius seemed to melt into her as she whispered something into his ear. She pulled back still smiling at him then turned and looked at the table.
�My goodness Molly!� She exclaimed looking from Fred to George to Ron then to Ginny. �All four are yours as well?� She looked over at Molly and Arthur and they both beamed with pride. �Let�s see with Charlie and Bill and Per-� there was a sharp intake of breath, but the woman ignored it but didn�t finish Percy�s name either. �That makes seven. Seven children. Two of them twins!� She laughed a musical laugh and Harry found he quite enjoyed the sound and with a glance to Ron, who was blushing up to his ears, he knew so did he. The woman�s eyes fell on Tonks as she stood and walked over to her.
�I�m Tonks. It�s a pleasure to finally meet you.� Tonks said shaking the woman�s hand. Her eyes fell on Harry and Harry stared at her. She was a few inches shorter than Sirius, her dark almost black curly hair barely touched her shoulders and flowed in soft easy waves around her head. And the eyes, those almond eyes showed a hint of green with blue. She walked to him and suddenly it hit Harry where he had seen the woman previously.
�You were there today, at the, at the Ministry of Magic, just as I got out of...� Harry said and the woman smiling nodded.
�I was going to make sure Cornelius was fair to you Harry. Wouldn�t have been right if you were expelled from Hogwarts so soon.� She said and Harry�s mind whirled a bit and he smiled.
�You�re also in a picture with my parents..� Harry whispered and she slightly cocked her head to the side and glanced over her shoulder to Sirius.
�I�m in many of them, along with Sirius and Remus here...and of course Peter.� Her voice got a bit deeper and venomous when she said Peter�s name and Harry knew why. Peter had been an old friend of his parents� along with Sirius and Remus. He was his parents secret keeper and then turned around and sold them out to Voldemort. He was the reason his parents were dead. Harry went to ask her something else but her attention was on Hermione.
�I�m...� Hermione started but the woman smiled and nodded.
�Hermione Granger. Yes, I know. Along with Ron, Ginny, Fred and George.� She said and Hermione smiled. Ron gasped and just stared at her.
�And you�re Egyptian.� Hermione said then turned to Ron. �Egyptians are very perceptive Ron, they can know loads of information before you can tell it to them.� The woman nodded at this then sneaked a look at Remus.
�Very true Hermione. Very true. Although, I must confess, being Egyptian has nothing to do with why I know all your names.� Everyone looked at her as she stuck her hands into the pockets of her robes. �Being Harry�s godmother does though.� at this she reached up and tugged her ear softly. �I�ve been checking in on you from time to time Harry. Both at Hogwarts and at Privet Drive. How is your darling Auntie Petunia?� She said this with such flatness that it made Harry smile. �Still loving our kind is she? I bet she�s just riveted in knowing you�ve become just like her sister.� The woman had sarcasm dripping off her words which only made Harry smile even brighter.
�Alright Sarabi, everyone knows how you feel about Petunia by now.� Mad Eye said softly, but with a hint of a smile. Sarabi smiled over her shoulder at him then looked back to Harry and sat down in Sirius� empty chair.
�Is it true you really inflated Marge?� Sarabi asked in a low quick voice and Harry slowly nodded. Sarabi laughed and leaned her head on her left hand still looking at him. �I bet Petunia had a little deja vu on that one huh?� At this Harry, along with the other children leaned in close to her. �What?� Harry asked smiling. Sarabi opened her mouth but Mad Eye placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look with his good eye. His magical one was spinning wildly.
�Let�s just leave it at your godmother wasn�t completely a saint throughout her schooling at Hogwarts shall we?� He said and Sarabi smiled then sat up right and looked around her.
�I was, for your information, the model student all six years at Hogwarts.� Sarabi said with airs. Harry and the others laughed a bit and Molly grunted with her hands on her hips.
�Compared to the other five you hung out with, you were sometimes the most tame.� Molly said and both Sirius and Remus voiced their protests.
�Tame? Sarabi Vosloo? She came up with half the stunts!� Sirius said and Remus snapped his fingers.
�Or who�s idea was it to jinx all the stairs at Hogwarts to belch whenever someone stepped on them?� At this Sirius laughed.
�Oh yeah! I remember that! None of the teachers for the life of them could figure out how to turn them back to normal and for almost a month there was nothing but belching throughout the entire school! And it wasn�t just her idea, she�s the one who performed the jinx.� To this Sarabi snorted softly.
�I wouldn�t have had to if someone would have paid a little closer attention in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, instead of dozing off.� Sarabi said stiffly but her eyes shone with laughter as she looked at Harry.
�You�ll have to teach us that one!� Fred said enthusiastically but Molly stepped in quickly.
�Oh no you don�t!� She said looking at Sarabi before she could even answer. �I will not have my children learning how to jinx anything to belch!� She demanded and Sarabi smiled.
�Of course not Molly. I would never dream of it.� Sarabi said then winked at Fred and George. �However, you cannot stop me from teaching Harry here how to do it, and if he just happens to teach Fred and George or Ron...� Sarabi trailed off with a smile and teasing eyes. Molly rolled her eyes and gave her a look. Hermione was half listening to the conversation and now turned and looked at Sarabi.
�Wait a minute. You said you only spent six years at Hogwarts.� Hermione said and Sarabi smiled.
�Nothing gets by you does it?� She asked softly but nodded. �Yes, I spent only six years at Hogwarts instead of the traditional seven.�
�What happened to the seventh year?� Ginny asked quietly.
�Nothing really. I just didn�t start at Hogwarts until my second year in school. Before that I was in Egypt with my parents and great grandmother who was dying, and went to Maji School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Which is where I�ve been for the last five years teaching.� Sarabi paused then explained. �Every Vosloo in wizard history has attended Hogwarts. My parents, their parents, their parents, and so forth. It is customary for the family of the student in question to move to the Vosloo home here in London for the seven years the child attends Hogwarts. The student can then decide whether or not to stay in London, return to Egypt or go elsewhere.� Hermione nodded.
�I thought I recognized your last name.� She said and both Harry and Ron rolled their eyes.
�Well, shall we get on with dinner?� Molly said suddenly and looked at Sarabi �Hungry Sar?� Sarabi smiled but it faded when she looked to Arthur.
�Well that depends Molly. Are you cooking or is Arthur?� To this Molly laughed and Arthur gave Sarabi a look. The Weasley children were softly giggling glancing at their father then to Sarabi. �So Harry, you�re a Seeker for Gryffindor humm?� Sarabi said giving him a smile and Harry nodded enthusiastically.
�He�s only the best seeker Gryffindor has seen since his dad.� Ron said with a big smile. Sarabi nodded slowly.
�You use to be a chaser.� Hermione stated matter of factly to Sarabi who smiled but nodded.
�Yes, I still have the scar from when someone,� as she said this she looked over to Sirius. �decided to jinx the quaffle to explode whenever the opposing team went to make a goal. It would fix itself quickly enough that you almost aren�t certain it happened, but the problem was, it didn�t just explode for the opposing team, it exploded for ours as well and not just when someone went to make a goal either.� Sarabi gave Sirius a pointed look. Sirius looked at his feet for a moment then smiled.
�That�s why we left the jinxes to you Sar.� He said with a small smile.
�McGonagall was furious with us for weeks!� Sarabi said softly as Molly placed a bowl in front of her. Sirius drew up another chair and sat between her and Hermione. The conversation flourished all through dinner and Harry kept looking from Sirius to Sarabi then back again with a smile on his face.
Everyone seemed to be caught up in old times talking about what happened when all of them went to Hogwarts, and who did what. Sarabi�s memory was sharp and she could recall any little detail. Soon though, much sooner than Harry wanted, Mrs. Weasley announced that it was time the children got to bed. There were moans all around the table but they all stood and started to shuffle towards the stairs. Sarabi stood and followed Harry out into the hall. She began to laugh as she watched them all tip toe past Mrs. Black�s portrait and they all turned to her suddenly shushing her.
�Oh I wouldn�t worry about Mrs. Black while I�m here.� Sarabi said giving the curtains a pointed look. �She�s not going to raise a fuss, now are you?� She asked the curtains and there was a muffled �No� from them. Sarabi smiled as they ascended the stairs then she snorted when she saw the house-elves on the wall. �Gah! I can�t believe those things are still there!� She said then shivered slightly. The children all went towards their rooms, and Sarabi looking around her walked in with Ron and Harry. �I remember this place like it was yesterday.� She whispered and Ron looked at her.
�You�ve been here before then?� He asked and Sarabi smiled and nodded.
�I was the only friend of Sirius� that Mrs. Black actually approved of. Being that I�m pure-blood, much more pure than her family, and she hoped I�d rub off on Sirius or something. Which I did, just not what she had in mind. Not that she ever found out or anything.� Harry smiled as Sarabi turned around looking at the room. Harry sat on his bed and looked at her then glanced at Ron and asked the question burning in his mind.
�If you�re my godmother, why don�t I live with you?� Sarabi looked at Harry and blinked. She opened her mouth, then closed it.
�Dumbledore had his reasons.� She said with a slight sigh and looked at the floor. �Not that I didn�t want you. In fact I was quite furious to learn that Albus wasn�t going to let you live with me. But, he did have his reasons.� Sarabi looked at Harry then smiled. �But, I don�t see why you couldn�t now. As long as Albus Dumbledore doesn�t have a problem with it.� Sarabi laughed softly but rolled her eyes at the same time. She stood there staring at Harry with a smile.
�I know. I have my mother�s eyes...� Harry started and Sarabi laughed.
�And you�re father�s hair.� She said pointing at the untamed mess of black hair on Harry�s head. He smiled and Ron laughed softly. �And you,� she said to Ron, �are a Weasley no question about it. I knew it from the moment I saw you.� To this Ron blinked and looked at her. Then over to Harry.
�You knew?� He asked and Sarabi nodded.
�I was at your parents wedding, and I know Charlie, Bill and Percy. They all have the tell tale red hair. As you have noticed I am sure.� Sarabi told him and Ron blushed. With a soft sigh and a broad smile she looked from Harry to Ron. �Well, goodnight then, I�ll see you both in the morning. Apparently Molly has it in her head to clean this poor place up.� Here Sarabi paused and looked around with a wrinkled nose. �I wonder what ever happened to Kretcher.� She said and Ron snorted.
�Oh he�s still here.� Ron said sourly. Sarabi raised an eyebrow and looked at Ron then a mischievous smile crossed her face.
�Really.� She said her eyes dancing and Harry and Ron exchanged glances. �I wonder if he remembers me at all.� She said then with a warm smile to them both she turned and left them to get some sleep. Ron stared at the door for a moment then looked at Harry.
�I think I�m going to like her.� He said cheerfully and Harry nodded with a laugh.
�You and me both.� He said then changed into his pajamas and crawled into bed.

Sarabi bounced down the stairs and gave the portrait a look when the curtains ripped open. Mrs. Black gave her a smile and the curtains closed again without a word from her. As soon as Sarabi reentered the kitchen questions flew at her from all sides.
�Where have you been?�
�Do you know what�s been going on?�
�Have you talked with Albus?�
�Why didn�t you come back sooner?�
�You are apart of the Order now aren�t you?� Sarabi held up her hands before anything else could be said and the kitchen went quiet. She stood there and looked at each and every face then took a deep breath.
�I�ve been in Egypt of course, Albus has filled me in completely with what has been going on which means that I have talked with him, and I couldn�t get back here like I would have liked to because I needed to find a replacement to teach my subject at the school. And yes. I am apart of the Order.� She said slowly and clearly, answering each and every question.
�What do you teach?� Mad Eye asked to which Sarabi just smiled.
�Defense Against the Dark Arts of course. What else?� She said as if it should be common knowledge then looked at Remus. �I hear you�ve had your turn at the subject.� She said to which Remus nodded with a almost sad smile.
�Yes.� He said simply.
�You�ve been checking up on Harry regularly then?� Molly asked helping herself to another glass of butterbeer. Sarabi nodded.
�Of course.� She said and Molly gave her a look that Sarabi suddenly remembered well.
�And you didn�t think that some of your old friends would like a visit as well?� She said and Sarabi sighed.
�I....well I.....I don�t know Molly. Things really haven�t been too good for me the past five years as I am sure you can imagine. Heck, the past fifteen if you really want to get technical!� Sarabi sank back into the chair she had been sitting in previously and Sirius patted her hand.
�Tell me about it.� He told her darkly and her eyes rested on him. She didn�t say anything to him, instead her eyes moved to the table.
�Well, I�m here now and to stay.� She said sternly. Everyone nodded and Sirius stood suddenly.
�I think I�ll retire now.�He said not looking at anyone then quickly left the kitchen. Sarabi sat there a moment then glanced up at Remus and cocked her head standing.
�Excuse me.� She said then followed Sirius out the kitchen.
�Poor things.� Molly said quietly then stood clearing off the table. Remus jumped up and started to pick things up.
�Let me help you Molly.� he said glad to have something to do after the awkward silence.

Sarabi didn�t catch up to Sirius until after he shut the door to his mother�s old bedroom. She didn�t bother to knock but walked right in, shutting the door behind her. Sirius glanced at her then went to Buckbeak and began to pet him. Sarabi glanced at the Hippogriff then around the room.
�I don�t think I�ve ever been in this room.� She said softly.
�I was my mother�s.� Sirius replied and Sarabi looked at him a moment.
�I heard about your escape.� She whispered softly. �I don�t think there is a witch or wizard who doesn�t know about it.� Her eyes dropped to the floor. �I was actually wondering when you would.� She looked back at Sirius who stood there staring at Buckbeak his jaw working but he said nothing. �I wanted to visit but....� Sirius turned and looked at her.
�Fourteen years Sarabi.� He said and she blinked. �Fourteen years I spent in that place, thinking Peter was dead. And then I saw him. Saw him as the rat he is on the front page of the Daily Prophet. Saw him with a wizarding family as happy as could be!� Sarabi swallowed and looked around the room.
�There was nothing I could have done....� She started but Sirius laughed.
�Fourteen years I spent wondering what you thought. Wondering if you believed me or everything that you had been told.� Sirius stepped closer to her but Sarabi didn�t move. �You could never imagine what I went through there.� He turned away from her a strode towards the window.
�Oh, and I suppose it was a picnic for me out here?� She said a little more accusingly than she had meant. Sirius snorted and glanced at her over his shoulder.
�At least you were out here.� He said and Sarabi nodded.
�Yes. Out here. Out here watching as the wizarding world rejoiced that Lord Voldemort was dead. No one listening to me when I said he wasn�t. Out here where everyday I dealt with the guilt of not getting to Lily and James before he did.� Sirius turned slightly and looked at her but she didn�t noticed. � I knew Sirius! I knew what happened! I found Peter and he told me what he had done. I had time to get to them before he did, and perhaps stop him. But I didn�t.� Sarabi stopped talking now looking squarely at the hippogriff who blinked at her with wide eyes.
�You don�t know that.� Sirius said after a pause. She looked at him like he was crazy and then snorted.
�I knew Voldemort feared me. Feared everything that had to do with Egyptians.� Sarabi retorted and Sirius turned his back to the window.
�He could have killed you as well.� Sirius said and Sarabi shrugged.
�We�ll never know if he could have or not. All we do know that it was Lily�s love for Harry that protected Harry then and still even now.�
�You know I never got a trial?� Sirius asked quietly and Sarabi nodded.
�Yeah, I know. Raised hell about it as well, but Crouch was never the listening kind.� She said crossing her arms in front of her, but still not looking at Sirius.
�Why did you leave Britain?� Sirius asked and Sarabi swallowed hard.
�I couldn�t stay around any more. I couldn�t just stand in the background and watch that woman raise Harry like he was some burden of some sort. You know her and that husband of hers tell everyone that Harry goes to a school called �St Brutus�s Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys�?� Here Sarabi snorted, her arms still across her chest glaring at the floor like it was all its fault. She glanced up at Sirius for a moment and caught him looking away from her then dug her toe into the molding carpet. �I never believed you did what they said.� Sarabi said looking squarely at Sirius. His eyes met hers and held. �Not for a moment. I don�t blame you either for making James and Lily pick Peter as their secret keeper. It was a smart move on your part. We all agreed to that.� Sarabi paused and her eyes got stormy. �Although, once I get my hands on Peter, rat or human, not even Lord Voldemort is going to be able to save him.� Sirius laughed and walked over to her. Sarabi looked at him thoughtfully then smiled. �Although, I may end up in Azkaban for all the illegal curses I plan to use.� Sirius shook his head and looked at her.
�I think the Ministry of Magic will overlook it, just this once.� He said and Sarabi made a face.
�How did you escape anyhow?� She asked looking at him carefully. Sirius smiled and Buckbeak chose that moment to make a noise diverting Sarabi�s attention to him for a moment and when she looked back at Sirius she blinked. He was no longer standing in front of her and with a glance to the floor found out why. A smile slowly crossed her face as she knelt down and looked at the black shaggy dog now sitting at her feet. �You have got to be kidding.� She said with laughter in her voice. The dog wagged it�s tail and began to communicate to Sarabi as all animals do.
�When I saw Peter in that picture it was if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn�t destroy it...It wasn�t a happy feeling...it was an obsession...but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog....It�s so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused...I was thin, very thin...thin enough to slip through the bars...I swam as a dog back to the mainland...I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog...lived in the forest, except for Quidditch matches.� Sirius told her as a dog. Sarabi raised an eyebrow and looked at him and smiled.
�I always thought you were a dog.� She said and stood. Sirius transformed back into a man and gave her a look.
�There�s a joke I haven�t heard in a while.� He said flatly but smiled none the less. �But one that I�ve missed.�
�I�m sure you have Padfoot.� Sarabi said looking round to Buckbeak. He was making clipping sounds with his beak trying to get Sarabi�s attention, she walked over to him and began to softly stroke his feathers. �Tell me about Harry.� She said and looked over her shoulder at Sirius who smiled.

Sarabi opened her eyes the next morning and stared at the ceiling. She couldn�t believe it. First time in ages she hadn�t had a dream or nightmare about Lily and James or Sirius or Harry. She groggerly sat up and blinked around the dim and dusty room. She had stayed at Grimmauld Place last night, secretly fearing that if she had left, somehow it might not be there when she returned. Which of course she knew was foolish. Grimmauld Place had been there for years, it wasn�t about to disappear. Come apart perhaps, she thought as she put her bare feet on the rotting floor and listened to it creak under her weight, but not disappear. She quickly got dressed and slid down the banister to the main floor, then wished she hadn�t when she took one look at the back of her robes.
�You know Mrs. Black,� she said looking into a mirror at herself her eyes glancing to the curtained painting behind her, �that house-elf of yours hasn�t been doing his duty around here.� The curtains slowly pulled back and Sarabi�s eyes met Mrs. Black�s in the mirror.
�He has done his best what with that filth in my house.� Mrs. Black said in a calm tone and Sarabi turned and looked at her.
�Filth? Whatever could you be talking about?� Sarabi asked.
�The vile by-products of dirt and half-breeds that are in the home of my fathers!� Mrs. Black replied slightly raising her voice. Sarabi gave her a look then remembered that the Black family never liked any who were not pure blood. Sarabi just stood there staring at Mrs. Black until she spoke again. �And that...that..blood traitor, abomination, shame of my flesh!� She looked like she was about to get all worked up again and Sarabi was about to turn to goto the kitchen when Mrs. Black muttered something under her breath. �And that scarred child...� Sarabi swung back around and glared at the painting.
�What about Harry?� She demanded and Mrs. Black sneered.
�He�s a mudblood.� She said simply and Sarabi pressed her lips together.
�No, he�s not.� She told the hag simply but Mrs. Black snorted.
�Parents may have been wizards, but grandparents...� She started and in a instant Sarabi was standing not two inches from the portrait.
�If that be the case, then you Mrs. Black are a mudblood as well. If you look back in anyone�s family there had to be one somewhere. Unlike my family. Egyptians have always been wizards and witches.� Sarabi watched as Mrs. Black raised her chin and gave Sarabi a nasty look. Sarabi turned and headed for the basement stairs but stopped and looked back at Mrs. Black. �If you know what�s good for you Mrs. Black, I suggest never saying anything bad about Harry or Sirius ever again. Especially around me.� Sarabi ruffled Mrs. Black�s feathers big time and she opened her mouth and screamed.
�YOU DARE THREATEN ME? IN MY OWN HOME!� Sarabi laughed and yelled above Mrs. Black.
�WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? YOU�RE DEAD AND JUST A PAINTING, I HOWEVER AM NOT DEAD AND CAN DO A LOT.� At this Sarabi opened her right hand and Mrs. Black�s eyes went wide with fear. Sitting in the palm of Sarabi�s hand was fire. It licked her fingers but didn�t burn her and she smiled at Mrs. Black �What are you going to do?� Sarabi asked but Mrs. Black didn�t say a word. �Perhaps I should tell you then. You�re going to keep your mouth shut while people are around no matter what their lineage is. Just remember that to my parents, you were worst then anything you could ever imagine. My parents rather have mudbloods in their home than you. They would rather have werewolves and traitors and half-breeds and mutants in their home before they�d ever want you there.� Sarabi�s voice rose a bit and she wasn�t aware of the small crowd that had gathered at the top of the stairs and a bit down them. �So, whatever you�ve got to say about anyone who walks through that door, take a good look at yourself before you open that mouth of yours.� Sarabi stood there and Mrs. Black, still with her chin raised slammed the curtains closed over her painting. Sarabi closed her hand and sighed. �God I thought that woman was horrible when she was alive!� Sarabi said rubbing her temple.
�Alright you lot! Get down here and eat your breakfast!� Mrs. Weasley�s voice floated up to them from the kitchen and there was a scuffing of feet.
�She got worst after she died.� Sirius said and Sarabi turned and looked at the group then smiled.
�Can�t you just take it down?� She asked through her smile as she walked up to him. He shook his head and sighed.
�We think she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of the canvas.� Sirius said as Sarabi walked by.
�Then burn the damn thing.� Sarabi said getting a first class scolding look from Molly. �Sorry.� She said as she walked by her. Sarabi sat next to Harry at the table and gave him a warm smile. �Morning Harry, sleep well?�She asked him and he nodded and smiled at her. Molly placed the food on the table and everyone began to eat. When everyone was done Molly smiled brightly then announced.
�I thought that today we all could clean out the drawing room. There�s something trapped in the desk in there, it keeps rattling and shaking, probably just a boggart, but I thought that we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out. But the curtains in there are full of doxies as well.� No one said anything to this for a moment then Sirius sighed.
�Whatever you like Molly.� He said indifferently. Sarabi barely heard any of this for she was racking her mind trying to remember who Alastor was then it hit her. Mad Eye of course! About that time Molly was tugging on her robes trying to get her attention.
�I�m sorry what?� Sarabi asked looking at her and Molly sighed.
�I said we could wait for Alastor or perhaps you would like to give the boggart a go?�Molly asked and Sarabi smiled.
�Sure. Why not. Be nice to know what I�m afraid of these days.� Sarabi answered.
�Good.� Molly said and a few minutes later Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and Sarabi all stood in the drawing room. The desk shuttered and jumped and Sarabi looked at it �Better save that for last Sar.� Molly suggested giving it a look. �Just in case it isn�t a boggart.� Sarabi looked at her and blinked.
�You failed to mention that part.� Sarabi said giving Molly a look. Molly patted Sarabi�s arm and started toward the moss-green velvet curtains that were buzzing as though it was swarming with invisible bees. Sarabi looked around the long high-ceilinged room. She shuttered slightly and turned when something touched her elbow. �This place hasn�t changed a bit.� She whispered to Sirius who only made a face of disgust. �The walls are still olive-green and covered with tapestries. Although, they look a lot better all covered with dirt.� Sirius barked out a laugh and looked over at Sarabi.
�You really hated this place didn�t you?� Sirius asked softly. Sarabi slowly nodded looking around.
�I mostly hated your mother. Your father just ignored me most of the time.� Sarabi said watching Molly hand each of the kids some cloth to tie around their noses and mouths and a bottle of black spray.
�Then why did you come around?� Sirius asked pretending to be interested in the happenings around him. Sarabi looked at him and laughed softly.
�Because of you Padfoot. Someone had to come rescue you when in the rare occasion you did get stuck here for a bit.� Sarabi said. Sirius looked back at her and just looked at her.
�Okay, cover your faces and take the spray, it�s Doxycide. I�ve never seen an infestation this bad � what that house-elf�s been doing for the last ten years...�
�Kreacher�s really old, he probably couldn�t manage....� Hermione started but Sirius snorted loudly and everyone turned and looked at him.
�You�d be surprised what Kreacher can manage when he wants to, Hermione.� He said and just then there was a loud, clanging bell that sounded from downstairs, followed at once by the cacophony of screams and wails that was Mrs. Black. �I keep telling them not to ring the doorbell!� said Sirius exasperatedly.
�You get the door, I�ll get your mother.� Sarabi said with a smile and the boys had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing out loud. The look on Sarabi�s face was one of mild excitement, but most of all it was a look of mischievous intent. The twins had that look themselves from time to time and both Sirius and Sarabi hurried out the door and down the hall. Mrs. Black stopped screaming suddenly in mid scream which made everyone in the drawing room, including Molly laugh slightly. Which only intensified when Sarabi walked back into the room with a half smile rubbing the palm of her right hand against her robes. Molly turned and bent over and checked the page on doxies in Gilderoy Lockhart�s Guide to Household Pests, which was lying open on the sofa. Sarabi took one look at the book and snorted. Molly turned and looked at her questionably.
�I can�t believe you�re reading that Molly. Really. Never thought you would fall for that kind of charm.� Sarabi said crossing her arms slightly in front of her.
�I don�t know what you mean Sarabi, the book is most helpful...� Molly said looking back to the page.
�But the man who wrote it is a prat.� Sarabi said and all the boys smiled. Hermione, Ginny and Molly gave Sarabi a disapproving look.. Sarabi looked at each of them then sighed. �Right, you lot, you need to be careful, because doxies bite and their teeth are poisonous. I�ve got a bottle of antidote here, but I�d rather nobody needed it.�Sarabi instructed and Molly smiled.
�I almost forgot you were a natural with thing like this.� Molly told her and positioned herself squarely in front of the curtains, and beckoned them all forward.
�When I say the word, start spraying immediately,� Molly said. �They�ll come flying out at us, I expect, but it says on the sprays one good squirt will paralyze them. When they�re immobilized, just throw them in this bucket.� She stepped carefully out of their line of fire and raised her own spray. She then glanced over at Sarabi who took a seat in one of the large armchairs and had her wand out and her legs lazily thrown over an arm of the chair. Molly smiled and looked back at the curtains. �All right � squirt!�

They had only been spraying for only a few seconds when a fully grown doxy came soaring out of a fold in the material, right at Harry. Shiny beetlelike wings whirring, tiny needle-sharp teeth bared, its fairylike body covered with thick black hair and its four tiny fists clenched with fury. Harry caught it full in the face with a blast of Doxycide; it froze in midair and fell, with a surprisingly loud thunk, onto the worn carpet below. Harry picked it up and threw it in the bucket, then took a look around. Sarabi was pointing her wand at a few doxies that managed to get by the kids and Molly and with a word they all fell one by one to the floor making nice little clouds of dust rise when they hit it. When there was a brake in doxies flying toward her she�d make all the ones on the floor rise and rush to the bucket.
�Paralyzious.� Sarabi said to a large doxie and it fell from the air and hit the floor.
�Fred, what are you doing?� Molly said sharply. �Spray that at once and throw it away!�

After most of the morning was gone and they had pretty much de-doxyed the curtains Molly finally removed her protective scarf, and sank into a sagging armchair across from Sarabi. The curtains were no longer buzzing; they hung limp and damp from the intensive spraying; unconscious doxies lay crammed in the bucket at the foot of them beside a bowl of their black eggs, at which Crookshanks, Hermione�s cat, was now sniffing and Fred and George were shooting covetous looks.
�I think we�ll tackle those after lunch.� Molly said pointing to the dusty glass-fronted cabinets standing on either side of the mantelpiece. They were crammed with an odd assortment of objects: a selection of rusty daggers, claws, a coiled snakeskin, a number of tarnished silver boxes inscribed with languages none of the kids could understand and least pleasant of all, an ornate crystal bottle with a large opal set into the stopper, full of what looked to be blood.
The clanging doorbell rang again and Molly sighed and pushed herself out of the chair.
�Stay here.� She said firmly. �I�ll bring some sandwiches.� She left closing the door carefully behind her, as soon as it snapped shut everyone ran to the windows and looked out. Sarabi laughed softly from her chair.
�Who is it?� Sarabi asked and Harry looked over his shoulder at her.
�Mundungus!� He said. Sarabi stood and walked over to look out the window as well.
�What�s he brought all those cauldrons for?� Hermione asked.
�Probably looking for a safe place to keep them.� Sarabi said and turned away from the window.
�Isn�t that what he was doing the night he was supposed to be tailing me? Picking up dodgy cauldrons?� Harry said.
�Yeah, you�re right!� said Fred, as the front door opened; Mundungus heaved his cauldrons through it and disappeared from view. �Blimey, Mum won�t like that....�
Fred and George crossed to the door and stood beside it, listening closely. �Mundungus is talking to Sirius and Kingsley,� Fred muttered, frowning with concentration. �Can�t hear properly....d�you reckon we can risk the Extendable Ears?�
�Extendable what?� Sarabi asked making both Fred and George jump.
�Ears...so we can hear...� Fred began but Sarabi held up a hand.
�I think I get it.� She said with a smile.
�Might be worth it,� said George. �I could sneak upstairs and get a pair...� But at that precise moment there was an explosion of sound from down the hall, that rendered Extendable Ears quite unnecessary. All of them could hear exactly what Molly was shouting at the top of her voice.
�WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!�
�I love hearing Mum shouting at someone else.� said Fred with a satisfied smile on his face as he opened the door an inch or so to allow Molly�s voice to permeate the room better. �It makes such a nice change.�
�Tell me about it.� Sarabi said with a laugh.
�� COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE, AS IF WE HAVEN�T GOT ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT YOU DRAGGING STOLEN CAULDRONS INTO THE HOUSE....�
�The idiots are letting her get into her stride,� Sarabi said now kneeling by the door with Fred and George on either side of her. �You�ve got to head her off early, otherwise she builds up a head of steam and goes on for hours.�
�And she�s been dying to have a go at Mundungus ever since he sneaked off when he was supposed to be following you, Harry ---- And there goes Sirius� mum again....� George said.
�Oh for the love of...� Sarabi said standing and quickly walking out of the room and down the hall. Mrs. Black�s screams intensified and Molly�s was lost. George made to shut the door to drown the noise, but before he could do so, a house-elf edged into the room.

Except for the filthy rag tied like a loincloth around its middle, it was completely naked. It looked very old. Its skin seemed to be several times too big for it and though it was bald like all house-elves, there was a quantity of white hair growing out of its large, batlike ears. Its eyes were bloodshot and watery gray, and its fleshy nose was large and rather snoutlike.

The elf took no notice of any of the kids in the room, acting as though it could not see them, it shuffled hunchbacked, slowly and doggedly, toward the far end of the room, muttering under its breath all the while in a hoarse, deep voice like a bullfrog�s �.....Smells like a drain and a criminal to boot, but she�s no better, nasty old blood traitor with her brats messing up my Mistress�s house, oh my poor Mistress, if she knew, if she knew the scum they�ve let in her house, what would she say to old Kreacher, oh the shame of it, Mudbloods and werewolves and traitors and thieves, poor old Kreacher, what can he do....�
�Hello Kreacher,� said Fred very loudly, closing the door with a snap. The house-elf froze in his tracks, stopped muttering and then gave a very pronounced and very unconvincing start of surprise.
�Kreacher did not see Young Master,� he said , turning around and bowing to Fred. Still facing the carpet he added, perfectly audibly. �Nasty little brat of a blood traitor it is.�
�Sorry?� said George. �Didn�t catch that last bit.�
�Kreacher said nothing,� said the elf with a second bow to George, adding in a clear undertone, �and there�s its twin, unnatural little beasts they are.�
Harry didn�t know whether to laugh or not. The elf straightened up, eyeing them all very malevolently, and apparently convinced that they could not hear him as he continued to mutter.
�....and there�s the mudblood, standing there bold as brass, oh if my Mistress knew, oh how she�d cry, and there�s a new boy. Kreacher doesn�t know his name, what is he doing here, Kreacher doesn�t know....�
�This is Harry Kreacher,� said Hermione tentatively. �Harry Potter.� Kreacher�s pale eyes widened and he muttered faster and more furiously than ever.
�The mudblood is talking to Kreacher as though she is my friend, if Kreacher�s Mistress saw him in such company, oh what would she say...�
�Don�t call her a mudblood!� Ron, Ginny, and Sarabi having come back from dealing with Mrs. Black all said at once.
�It doesn�t matter,� Hermione whispered, �he�s not in his right mind, he doesn�t know what he�s....�
�Don�t kid yourself, Hermione, he knows exactly what he�s saying.� Sarabi said as the twins eyed Kreacher with great dislike. Kreacher�s eyes fell on Sarabi and again they widened and he threw himself on the floor at Sarabi�s feet.
�Egyptian Mistress! You�ve returned!� His nose was pressed against the floor so hard that it was hard to hear what he was saying. �Oh my Mistress would be so happy to see you once again! She always liked you, always hoped you�d keep her traitorous son in line..� a soft blush touched Sarabi�s cheeks as she pulled the hem of her robes from Keacher�s grasp and backed away from him.
�Stand up Kreacher. Hermione was introducing you to my godson Harry Potter.� Sarabi said sternly and Kreacher stood and looked at Harry.
�Is it true? Is it Harry Potter? Kreacher can see the scar, it must be true, that�s the boy who stopped the Dark Lord, Kreacher wonders how he did it....�
�Don�t we all, Kreacher?� said Fred.
�What do you want anyway?� George asked.
Kreacher�s huge eyes darted onto George. �Kreacher is cleaning.�he said evasively. Sarabi snorted and Kreacher looked at her.
�A likely story,� said a voice from behind Sarabi. Sirius had come back; he was glowering at the elf from the doorway. The noise in the hall had abated; perhaps Molly and Mundungus had moved their argument down into the kitchen. At the sight of Sirius, Kreacher flung himself into a ridiculously low bow, like he had done for Sarabi, flattening his snoutlike nose on the floor once again.
�Stand up straight,� said Sirius impatiently. �Now, what are you up to?�
�Kreacher is cleaning,� the elf repeated. �Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black....�
�...and it�s getting blacker every day, it�s filthy.� said Sirius.
�Master always liked his little joke,� said Kreacher, bowing again, and continuing in an undertone, �Master was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother�s heart...�
�My mother didn�t have a heart, Kreacher,� Sirius snapped. �She kept herself alive out of pure spite.�
Kreacher bowed again and said, �Whatever Master says,� then muttered furiously, �Master is not fit to wipe slime from his mother�s boots, oh my poor Mistress, what would she say if she saw Kreacher serving him, how she hated him, what a disappointment he was...�
�Your Mistress is dead Kreacher,� Sarabi said looking at him with a wrinkled nose. �Sirius is your master now because he is a Black. So unless you want me to kill you and toss your body to Buckbeak instead of having your head mounted on the wall, you had better do as he says.� Kreacher bowed low to Sarabi.
�Lovely Mistress is always kind to Master,� then in an undertone that made Sarabi roll her eyes and look at Sirius. �Although Kreacher has no clue why, she�s such a sweet and loving thing, while master is a cruel and ungrateful...�
�I asked you what you were up to,� said Sirius coldly. �Every time you show up pretending to be cleaning, you sneak something off to your room so we can�t throw it out.�
�Kreacher would never move anything from its proper place in Master�s house.� said the elf, then muttered very fast, �Mistress would never forgive Kreacher if they tapestry was thrown out, seven centuries it�s been in the family, Kreacher must save it, Kreacher will not let Master and the blood traitors and the brats destroy it....�
�I thought it might be that,� said Sirius, casting a disdainful look at the opposite wall. �She�ll have put another Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of it, I don�t doubt, but if I can get rid of it I certainly will. Now go away, Kreacher.�

It seemed that Kreacher did not dare disobey a direct order; nevertheless, the look he gave Sirius as he shuffled out past him was redolent of deepest loathing and he muttered all the way out of the room.
�....comes back from Azkaban ordering Kreacher around, oh my poor Mistress, what would she say if she saw the house now, scum living in it, her treasures thrown out, she swore he was no son of hers and he�s back, they say he�s a murderer too....�
�Keep muttering and I will be a murderer!� said Sirius irritably, and he slammed the door shut on the elf.
�Sirius, he�s not right in the head,� Hermione said pleadingly, �I don�t think he realizes we can hear him.�
�He�s been alone too long,� said Sirius, �taking mad orders from my mother�s portrait and talking to himself, but he was always a foul little....�
�If you just set him free,� Hermione said hopefully, �maybe...�
�We can�t set him free, he knows too much about the Order,� Sirius said curtly �And anyway, the shock would kill him. You suggest to him that he leaves this house, see how he takes it.� Sirius walked across the room, where the tapestry Kreacher had been trying to protect hung the length of the wall. Sarabi and the others followed. The tapestry looked immensely old; it was faded and looked as though doxies had gnawed it in places; nevertheless, the golden thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough to show them a sprawling family tree dating back (as far as anyone could tell) to the Middle Ages. Large words at the very top of the tapestry read:

That afternoon they were still in the drawing room cleaning out the glass cabinets. Many of the objects seemed very reluctant to leave their dusty shelves. Sirius sustained a bad bite from a sliver snuffbox; within seconds, his bitten hand had developed an unpleasant crusty covering like a tough brown glove.
�It�s okay,� he said, examining the hand with interest before tapping it lightly with his wand and restoring its skin to normal, �must be Wartcap powder in there.� He threw the box aside into the sack where they were depositing the debris from the cabinets; Harry saw George wrap his own hand carefully in cloth moments later and sneak the box into his already doxy-filled pocket.

Sarabi found an unpleasant-looking pair of tweezers, which scuttled up her arm like a spider when she picked it up, and attempted to puncture her skin; Sirius seized it and smashed it with a heavy book entitled Nature�s Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy. There was a musical box the emitted a faintly sinister, tinkling tune when wound, and they all found themselves becoming curiously weak and sleepy until Ginny and Sarabi had the sense to slam the lid shut; also a heavy locket that none of them could open, a number of ancient seals and, in a dusty box, an Order of Merlin, First Class, that had been awarded to Sirius� grandfather for �Services to the Ministry.�
�It means he gave them a load of gold.� Sirius said contemptuously, throwing the medal into the rubbish sack.

Several times, Kreacher sidled into the room and attempted to smuggle things away under his loincloth, muttering horrible curses every time they caught him at it. When Sarabi had to freeze him and Sirius then wrested a large golden ring bearing the Black crest from his grip Kreacher actually burst into furious tears when Sarabi unfroze him and he left the room sobbing under his breath and calling Sirius names none of them ever heard before.
�Funny how he curses Sirius, but not Sarabi when she�s the one who froze him.� Ron said watching the house-elf shaking his head.
�Sarabi is too pure blood for Kreacher to hate.� Sirius said scowling at the door then looked down at the ring. �It was my father�s,� he threw the ring into the sack. �Kreacher wasn�t quite as devoted to him as to my mother, but I still caught him snogging a pair of my father�s old trousers last week.� He looked around with a sigh and noticed Sarabi standing in front of the locked desk with her wand out. He stood quickly and walked over to her. �We ought to let Mad-Eye have a shifty at it before we let it out � knowing my mother it could be something much worse than a boggart.� Sarabi looked at him then back to the desk and lowered her wand.
�I suppose you�re right.� She said softly, frowning at the desk. �It wouldn�t hurt at least.�

The drawing room took three days to completely decontaminate; finally the only undesirable things left in it were the tapestry of the Black family tree, which resisted all their attempts to remove it from the wall, including Sarabi�s fire, which baffled her and Kreacher had made a noise when it didn�t work. A glance from Sirius and Kreacher quickly left the room, and the rattling writing desk; Moody had not dropped by headquarters yet, so they could not be sure what was inside it.

They moved from the drawing room to a dining room on the ground floor where they found spiders large as saucers lurking in the dresser (Ron left the room hurriedly to make a cup of tea and did not return for an hour and a half). The china, which bore the Black crest and motto, was all thrown unceremoniously into a sack by Sirius, and the same fate met a set of old photographs in tarnished silver frames, all of whose occupants squealed shrilly as the glass covering them smashed. Hermione pulled a medium sized picture in a fancy silver frame from the back of a drawer and looked at it for a moment then before she threw it in the sack took another look at it.
�It�s Sarabi!� She exclaimed and everyone gathered around her and looked down at the picture. Indeed a teenage Sarabi looked back at them her left hand was out of the picture as if she was trying to pull something into it with her. Sure enough moments later a teenage Sirius was pulled into the picture with her. And they were quickly joined by two more boys and a girl.
�I can�t believe that picture is still around.� Sarabi said with a smile then pointed at the girl and one of the boys. �That�s your parents Harry.� She said and Harry slowly nodded. He recognized them as soon as they came into the picture. �And that�s Remus.� She said pointing to the other boy. The teenage Sarabi waved at them and winked and the teenage Sirius whispered in her ear and she began to laugh. Remus leaned against James and playfully punched Sirius in the shoulder. Lily rolled her eyes and threw James a look, to which he held up his hands in defense then pointed at Sirius. �That was taken in our 6th year. Right before you ran off Sirius.� Sarabi said watching the teenagers with remembrance and smiled. �I�m surprised it�s here.� Sirius made a face and looked at the picture.
�It has you in it. Mother always like you.� Sirius said then turned away.
�What do you want to do with it?� Hermione asked and Sirius looked back at her.
�Whatever you want.� He said indifferently. Sarabi leaned towards Hermione.
�Give to Harry.� She whispered in her ear and Hermione smiled and handed the picture over. Harry blinked and looked at Sarabi.
�But...don�t you want it?� He asked her and she smiled.
�I�ve got one just like it at home. Along with about a million others.� She said and Harry looked at her for a moment with a look of confusion. �Unlike Sirius� parents, my parents loved everyone, pure-blood or not. So there are plenty of pictures of the five of us together, some with Peter as well, although my parents weren�t to keen on him.�

After an hour Harry sat down and sighed. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at Ron. �I don�t care what Snape calls it, we�re not cleaning, we�re waging war on this house!� Ron smiled and slumped down beside Harry.
�It�s putting up a very good fight, specially with Kreacher aiding and abetting!� Ron said.

The house-elf kept appearing wherever they were congregated, his muttering becoming more and more offensive as he attempted to remove anything he could from the rubbish sacks. Sirius went as far as to threaten him with clothes, but Kreacher fixed him with a watery stare and said �Master must do as Master wishes,� before turning away and muttering very loudly, �but Master will not turn Kreacher away, no, because Kreacher knows what they are up to, oh yes, he is plotting against the Dark Lord, yes, with these mudbloods and traitors and scum....� At which Sirius, ignoring Hermione�s protests, seized Kreacher by the back of his loincloth and threw him bodily from the room. Sarabi suppressed a laugh into her robes and Hermione turned and gave her a look making Sararbi�s laugh turn into a cough.