✯ CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX ✯

August 31st, 1993.

"DAD? CAN I go to Diagon Alley today?" Estella asked as she ate her breakfast late one morning. It was the final day of the summer holidays, and Hermione had sent an owl asking if she wanted to go shopping with her.

Remus, who was sitting opposite her reading the newspaper with a hot cup of coffee, looked up. "Why? We got all of your stuff the other week."

"I know, but I realised yesterday I ran out of parchment," Estella explained. "Plus, Hermione owled me wondering if I wanted to go shopping with her. We literally haven't seen eachother all summer, Dad."

"You'll see her tomorrow," stated Remus, his eyes now back on the newspaper.

"I know, but we'd like to do something fun before returning to school. I mean, I know we can go to Hogsmeade this year, but the first visit could be months away --"

At hearing these words, the Lupin man cut his goddaughter off, placing his newspaper down on the table. "You won't be going to Hogsmeade this year, Stell."

"What?" Estella's eyes went wide. "But Dad, that's not fair! All third years go to Hogsmeade, I can't be the only one who doesn't. Why can't I go?"

Remus sighed, running a hand through his sandy hair. "I'm sorry sweetheart, but I think you know why. It's not safe. I have a feeling Hogsmeade might be his go to place as of tomorrow."

Estella groaned, but decided it was best not to argue. Perhaps she could try again when it came to the first trip and he would change his mind, if there was no reports of her Father being seen around that area or if finally he'd been caught. The first trip to Hogsmeade normally didn't happen until around two months after term started -- there was every chance.

She looked at the newspaper now lying on the table in front of them. "Any updates...you know, about him?"

Her godfather shook his head. "Nothing. Still no sightings or anything," he sighed, "you would think by now they would be a little bit closer to finding him, it's been basically a month, but no, the hunt is still going on. The reward for if you do find him seems to be going up everyday."

Estella let out a sharp breath. "You have no idea where he could be, Dad?"

"Sweetheart, you know the answer to that already," said Remus. "He could be anywhere. I shouldn't even be discussing this with you, you're thirteen and all you do is worry, you deserve to just live life like a normal teenager."

Estella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well it's hard to do that when your father is a well known mass marauder and on the loose, isn't it?"

"Oh Stell..." Remus sighed, "I'm sorry, Cub."

"It's not your fault, Dad. Just the way life is I guess. Neither of us can control that."

"I love you very much, Estella Lily. I promise I won't ever let him hurt you."

"I know. I love you."

"Now," Remus stood from the table, picking up his empty mug and Estella's finished plate and leaving them at the sink to be washed, "as for Diagon Alley, I'm going to let you go, so long as you are home by three and don't wander of alone anywhere. Use floo to get there and back. Promise me you'll be careful?"

"I'll be careful, don't worry," Estella assured him, "but three? Merlin Dad, I know you've never been one for letting me stay out late, but I could swear when I was younger it used to be six."

Remus shook his head at her attitude, knowing she was only having a laugh. "Normally it would be six, you're right, but I'm perfectly aware that you haven't packed, so it's gonna have to be three this time I'm afraid. Plus, I want us both to have an early night. You haven't been getting up until ten recently. If that happens tomorrow, we'll miss the train."

"Early night as in three o'clock?" Estella joked.

"Very funny, Stell. Now go get ready if you want to have any time with Hermione at all."

⚝──⭒─⭑─⭒──⚝

Estella stepped into Diagon Alley, where it had never been so busy, but she expected that was because it was the last day before school. She looked around, hoping to catch Hermione's bushy hair somewhere among the crowds, when she heard someone calling out her name.

"Stella!"

"'Mione!"

Estella ran to her friend, embracing her in a hug. She then looked to her side and noticed that she wasn't alone, a certain red head was there with her.

"Oh, I didn't know Ron was coming."

"Neither did I," said Hermione. "He kinda just appeared."

"Honestly, you'd think you two didn't like me with the way you speak about me," Ron rolled his eyes. "But nevermind. How was your summer, Estella?"

"Pretty boring," Estella replied. "I've kinda just been at home with Dad for most of it. He's gotten extra protective with all the stuff that's been in the news lately. What about yours? I saw in the paper that you went to Egypt."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, it was brilliant. We learned a lot about tombs, and the curses that ancient Egyptian wizards put on them. In the last one there was skeletons of muggles who had snuck in and grown extra heads -- it was so bad Mum didn't let Ginny go in."

"I love the magic history Egypt has," Hermione mused, listening to their redheaded friend. "It's one place I want to visit before I die."

"You went to France though, right?" asked Estella. "Did you learn anything there?"

"I did, a bit. I actually found out some stuff which helped me write that essay for History of Magic. It's kind of now two rolls of parchment longer than Professor Binns asked for, though."

Estella chuckled. "I'm sure he won't mind. Mine is two rolls short."

"Stella!"

She quickly changed the subject. "So, anyway, where are we going first?"

"Harry's somewhere in Diagon Alley," said Ron, "we were going to try and find him."

Estella raised a brow. "Harry's in Diagon Alley?"

"Yes. He has been for a good few weeks now. Apparently he blew up his Aunt."

"He WHAT?" Estella laughed. "He blew up his aunt?"

"I don't know. It's just what Dad told me." Ron looked through a crowd of people and pointed. "Hang on, is that him there?"

Hermione and Estella turned to where Ron was looking. Right enough, Harry Potter was standing looking like a lost lamb in the middle of a big crowd. The trio began walking over to him.

"Harry! HARRY!"

"Hermione? Ron? Estella?"

"Finally," said Ron, grinning at his best friend. "Me and Hermione have been looking everywhere for you. Estella just arrived. When we found out you weren't still in the Leaky Cauldron, we thought maybe you would've been shopping for school stuff, but when we checked all the places you would go for that you weren't there."

"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad," said Ron simply.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry, while Ron and Estella roared with laughter. "I just -- lost control. "

"It's not funny, you two," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!" He paused. "Estella, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Oh," Estella suddenly remembered that she had something to tell her friends, which until this moment she had completely forgotten about. "Well, my Dad's actually the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, so I guess I'll get on the train with him."

"Your dad's the new defence against the dark arts professor?" Ron asked, his jaw dropping. "I would hate if one of my parents worked at my school. Doesn't it bother you?"

Estella shook her head. "I'm honestly just glad he has a job....He's been struggling to find one for the last little while."

She decided not to elaborate on that last statement.

"Well, as long as he's nothing like last two I'm sure he'll be fine," said Harry. "Now, where do you guys actually want to go?"

"I got my school stuff a few weeks ago. Just need some extra Parchment, so wherever Ron and Hermione want to go really," said Estella, shrugging.

"We got our stuff too before you came, actually," Hermione explained, holding up a bulging bag which Estella hadn't even noticed she had with her. "You should have seen the assistant in Flourish and Botts when we asked for that book of monsters that's on our school list. She nearly cried."

Harry didn't seem to be listening.

"What's all in that, Hermione?" he asked, pointing at what Estella now noticed was three bulging bags, not just one.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I," said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies --"

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered and Estella stared at her friend with pure concern. Hermione ignored them.

"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present. "

"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol --"

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers. " He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him. "

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"And I don't have an owl," Estella reminded her friend. "Though I suppose it's easier for me because I can just use my dad's one. If we go to the pet shop I might have a look at them, though I don't think I'll buy one."

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, who must have known everything about diagon alley with the amount of time he'd spent there. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione and Estella can look at the owls."

So they crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.

There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, Estella, and Hermione waited, examining the cages.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails. Estella had a look at the owls, deciding almost immediately she didn't want one.

The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt. "

"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took.

Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.

"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother. "

"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.

"Er --" The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.

"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these --"

She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs. "

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," said Ron. "How much -- OUCH!"

Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed.

"What was that thing?" said Estella to no one in particular, staring out of the window watching Ron chase his rat along the street.

"A cat, believe or not," replied the witch, who was now picking up some bottles which had been knocked over during the encounter. "He's been here for years. It's getting to the point now where we might have to have him put down if no one takes him soon."

Hermione's ears perked up at this. "How much do you want for him?"

"'Mione," Estella gasped. "You can't possibly be --"

She was interuppted. "Nothing. You can have him for free -- I'm serious, just don't try and bring him back or anything."

"I'll take him!"

"HERMIONE!"

Once again, her words weren't acknowledged.

"And how much was that rat tonic?" Hermione now asked the witch. "My friend seems to have forgotten it, so I suppose I better bring it out to him."

After paying for the rat tonic, Hermione picked up her new pet and together her and Estella left the small shop. Harry and Ron were waiting outside for them, and the look on the redheads face when he saw what was in Hermiones arms was absolutely priceless.

"You bought that thing?" he asked, his mouth hanging open.

"I told her not to," Estella whispered in his ear, "she wouldn't listen though, and she got him for free."

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione.

It was obvious by the looks on their faces that neither Harry or Ron agreed with this, however she could totally understand why.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.

"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him. They were going to have to put him down!"

"Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.

They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.

"Harry! Estella!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you both?"

Estella noticed that he seemed to be looking more at her as he asked this question, but she knew why. Him and Mrs Weasley knew who her real Father was.

"I'm fine, thanks," said Harry, sitting down.

Estella smiled. "Yeah, I'm good too."

Mr. Weasley put down his paper, which showed the now familiar picture of Sirius Black looking up at them.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" asked Harry.

"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. He watched Estella very carefully as he spoke. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far. "

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money --"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, You mark my words."

Estella sighed, leaning back in what must have been a very old chair. "It doesn't look like anyone's ever going to catch him. I mean, what, he escaped a month ago? He's literally the first one to ever escape Azkaban, that in itself is enough proof of how powerful he is. I personally have no hope that he'll ever be found."

There was a silence. Mr Weasley was looking at Estella in a way that she had never seen him look at anyone before; it was almost like he pitied her, as though he wanted to pull her into a hug. Oh how she hated being pitied, it made her feel weak and as though she had a hard life. She didn't have a hard life -- Yes, maybe her father was a notorious out of control murder who was currently running free from prison -- but beyond that her life was absolutely fine. She didn't even need the pity.

"Oh, Estella," Mr Weasley eventually said. "I'm sure you're wrong, Black can't hide from the world forever. Even the Muggles have been warned to look out for him, someone eventually is going to spot him somewhere."

"Yeah, well they should probably hurry up. Because it's taking them a damn long time, isn't it?"

Hermione was looking at her friend with concern; of course there was no way she could understand what Estella was going through right now, so the confusion of why she was getting so sensitive about the subject was obviously evident on her face.

"Stell, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, 'Mione." She looked at the time. "I actually think I'm going to head home. My Dad wants me home by three, and I know that's still half an hour away, but it's better to be late than early, right? I'll see you all tomorrow."

The young girl walked away without another word. She wasn't in the right state of mind to be with them right now, not with the conversation currently happening that she knew was likely to continue. She could've used the floo system in the Leaky Cauldron, but she honestly hadn't wanted to, so she decided to walk and find somewhere else to do it. That was until, a great big black dog walked right into her.

"Ouch!" The thing was so huge it knocked her to