Sirius rolled his eyes and grinned "Not one of my stronger point, granted... but you should have seen it before I found this lovely rug" he joked.

"You alright?" Cash asked "No problems with the Roma, or with Dimitri..."

Sirius shook his head and smiled, "None... at least none that Dimitri and I couldn’t handle. .... Hey Cash? Is everyone in your clan so kind?" Sirius asked sincerely "It seems that every MacLeod I’ve met has been truly and deeply concerned for the people surrounding them"

Cash smiled deeply at Sirius "That’s because we only stay where the people we love are. And you, Sirius Black, are more clan to us than you know." He told Sirius as he hugged him "Besides, your going to be my in-law soon... right?"

Sirius grinned widely "I sincerely hope so, but I can’t even ask her now.... I can’t give her my name. I can’t even provide for her or Harry.." Sirius grimaced as he thought about it "I have a vault full of money, a large home to raise a family in, and businesses to support my great-grand children... and I can’t touch any of it. I have no rights, no name... nothing."

Cash placed his arm around Sirius’s shoulder. "You said something about Peter..... He can clear your name. Who is he and where can I find him?"

Sirius gave Cash a lop-sided grin "Now if I knew where he was...do you honestly think I’d be hanging out here?" Sirius sighed "He’s the one who betrayed James and Lily.... then set me up to take the blame, I’m still guilty as far as the law is concerned. And since they believe I killed Peter, only bringing him back will convince them to finally give me a trial. Maybe then I can finally clear my name...."

Cash clenched his jaw. The thought of imprisoning someone without even a trial, with no chance to defend or explain themselves simply went against him. "Do you have anything of his? Anything that would have his scent?" Sirius shook his head no, he had nothing "That makes it more difficult... I will gladly call a blood hunt for this man, but I need something for my clan to track."

Sirius’s eyes nearly popped out of his head "A blood-hunt?! Cash... wait I remember Cat telling me about those, but I thought you could only call them when family was harmed?"

Cash looked deeply into Sirius’s eyes "My family is being hurt." he told him matter-of-factly "Or did you think I didn’t see you and Cat last night. You watched over her all night and well into this evening. I was hiding in the shadows tonight when you spoke with her. Her heart is breaking, and its all because she can’t be with you." Cash explained "Whether she will ever admit that to you or herself.... I know what she’s thinking, and feeling. She’s my childe, my descendant" he shook his head "I cannot stand idly be and watch her hurt like this."

Cash walked over to Sirius’s bed and sat down next to him "There’s something else Sirius.... My Clan is getting anxious and desperate... you do realize she’s the last of Deirdre’s daughters... the only one left to carry on the blood line?"

"She can’t wait for me... can she?" Sirius asked as he felt his heart sinking.

"She would... but the Clan will not." Cash told him "That is why I want you to stop playing games.. Tell her Sirius, tell her now." Cash held up his hand to stop Sirius’s argument "The Ministry’s laws mean nothing to my Clan. They will judge you as they would anyone else. You may have to give up what you have here. But I would hope Cat and Harry would more than make up for that."

Sirius smiled sadly, "More than I could ever hope for is more like it. Cash, do you have any idea what it would mean to me? To be able to marry Cat, have Harry as our son, to live without always looking over my shoulder."

Cash gave Sirius a playful knock on his shoulder "Hey mate... as long as you throw in having a few more children you have my backing." Cash started laughing when he saw Sirius’s smile "I see that won’t be a problem. ...... Go to her Sirius, I know you can’t go as a man, but deep inside her. She knows you’re the one sending that dog, it comforts her to know you care. And it gives me peace of mind to know that there is someone here who’s looking out for her, especially now."

Sirius closed his eyes and smiled softly "Do you really believe that? Do you think she’s forgiven me?"

"I don’t know what you did Sirius, and right now... I really don’t want to." Cash sighed as he stood up Clan Tremere was on its way, and he needed to prepare "Whatever happened is between you and her. And to answer your question, I honestly think if you sincerely apologize and try to make things right she would rush right back into your arms. ....... Or at the very least hesitate before running into someone else’s" he added as he walked out of the room.

Sirius sighed deeply, Cash was right he had to talk to her, he had to ask her to forgive him, to give him another chance. He looked at the picture Cash had *borrowed* from Cat a few days before, he and Cat were holding onto each other and they were so happy. He knew deep in his heart that something had died in him the day Cat left, he hadn’t realized how much until he saw her again. Sirius paced the room for a few more minutes before he decided to take Cash’s advise. Being with her as a dog was better than not being with her at all. ........

Cat laid on her bed staring at the ceiling, waiting for the potion to finally take effect. Try as she might she could not quiet her mind long enough to fall asleep. Everything that had happened kept playing through her mind, and the thought of Clan Tremere, most especially Gustavas, was frightening her terribly. She found herself wishing someone had staid with her, she had hoped Remus, Severus or Sirius would have managed to sneak in and stay with her for a little while. She just needed someone to hold her, someone to tell her it was all going to be alright.

As if on cue, she heard the hospital doors creak open in the darkness. She sat up and stared into the darkness, watching for movement. She smiled as she heard the clicking of nails on the stone floor, "Snuffles?" she whispered "come here boy." she said as she reached out with her hand. Her body relaxed as soon as she felt his soft furry muzzle in her hand. Scooting over to one side of the bed, Cat tapped next to her. "Come on boy.... I can’t sleep either, maybe we can keep each other company for a while." She sighed as the dog jumped up next to her and laid by her side "you know its bad when even the potions don’t help" she scratched Snuffles behind his ears as he whined softly "First Severus, then Clan Tremere... and always Sirius" she left out another deep sigh. "I just don’t know what I’m going to do Snuffles. I don’t know how we’re all going to survive".

Snuffles licked at her hand as he nuzzled against her, he listened to her confess her fears and her worried about everything. Her fears over Harry’s safety, her concern that Remus still hadn’t come back, even her growing fondness for Severus. But most of all, he listen to her talk about Sirius, how much she had missed him, how much he had hurt her...... how much she still cared about him. Snuffles whined softly as she confided her heart to him, part of him felt terribly guilty for deceiving her like this, but the guilt was silenced by the thrilling realization that he still had a real chance at happiness with her. He felt his heart ache when Cat cuddled against him, holding him like a large teddy bear. He was sorely tempted to transform right there, but he feared her reaction, she had already told Snuffles how much pain she had suffered due to his thoughtlessness, he knew he had to be very careful when he explained everything to her.

Sirius’s mind whirled as he began thinking of everything she needed to know, and where to begin? With the beginning maybe, explain to her why he had gone with Esmeralda, or maybe tell her about Azkaban, or Peter. Even under the best circumstances, it wasn’t going to be easy. Snuffles was drawn from his train of thought by the silence, looking at her he smiled tenderly. She had finally fallen asleep, the sound of her breathing was unexplainably comforting to Sirius who quickly fell asleep himself. .......

Through out the night, Cash prepared for the coming of Clan Tremere, he had dealt with them before, and it had never gone well. He remembered his last run in with Gustavas, it had only been through luck and sheer force of will that any of his beloved Gangrels had managed to survive. As Cash spoke to Raul and Mohrg, his thoughts were inevitably drawn to Cat, he needed for her to be safe, and the safest place for her was with Harry and Sirius, in Fernglennis, Caledonia.

"You seem distracted tonight my brother" Raul said as he waited for Cash to answer a question about the Tremere "Cash.... ?? CASH" Raul yelled, snapping Cash from his thoughts. "What else is bothering you? I know Tremere’s reputation, but this is not the only thing disturbing you tonight."

Cash ran his hand through his already messy hair "True, .... it’s Angel. I’m worried about her and Harry. They shouldn’t be here. They should be at home, where its safe for them."

Mohrg looked intently at Cash for a moment "You do not believe they are safe here? I thought you trusted Albus Dumbledore?"

"I do trust him. As does Magnus, but this is not Clan, not like ours. They do not have the same respect for their leaders as we do. His power is great, but not absolute." Cash sighed "I know he, Remus, Sirius and several others will do anything to keep Angel and Harry safe. But still, they are my clannad. And Angel must have children, she must have a daughter if my clan is to survive." Cash looked over at Raul "I should check on them again."

Raul rolled his eyes, "I never thought I would see you become a mother hen, you who always tell me to trust the instincts of the childer."

"I trust her instinct just fine. Right now its her body I don’t trust, I remember both her and Tris going through these visions. She would be hard pressed to stand on her own at the moment. Much less defend herself or her son." Cash answered, trying not to sound overly concerned.

Mohrg placed his hand on Cash’s forearm "I thought you asked the wizard Sirius to watch over her? Do you doubt his ability to protect her?" He asked, all the while waiting for Cash to withdrawal from his touch.

Cash smiled as he clapped Mohrg on the shoulder "I did, and he is. But she’s my clannad, not his...... at least not yet."

Mohrg smiled with relief and gratitude at Cash’s acceptance of him, most others shunned his clan. "Not yet? You are hoping for a union between them?"

Raul laughed loudly, "Hoping... he’s insisting... you would think he was a matchmaker in his former life." Rolling his eye dramatically Raul continued "Cash, do us all a favour, go check on Angel and Sirius and Harry.. All of them. Then, when you feel comfortable, come back and let us get some work done."

Cash gave Raul a crooked smile "Am I really that bad?" He looked at Raul and Mohrg, "Never mind... I already know the answer." he said as he walked towards the door "I’ll be back in a little, start without me... you know the basic drill. Detect, Defend, Destroy."

Cash raced through the halls heading towards the hospital, he would be so glad when Angel was out of there, he just couldn’t stand the place, even the smell of it made him uncomfortable. Quietly opening the doors, he peered into the darkness, and smiled. There on the small hospital bed was his dear little Angel and her Sirius. Cash chuckled as he watched them, it reminded him of how she had held onto her Sabrina, her little stuffed calico. It had taken her years to finally put it away, though he had no doubt she still had it hidden somewhere special, waiting to pass it on to her child, just as it had been passed to her.........

"Professor Dumbledore. ... please speak with her, she’s becoming a pest" Poppy told Albus "She is absolutely insistent that she be allowed to leave."

Albus smiled as his eyes twinkled behind his half moon glasses "Is she know? She must be feeling much better today." he said, watching as Madame Pomfrey huffed over to Cat’s bed. "Well now Kitty, Madame Pomfrey tells me you want to leave. Do you really think your well enough for that?"

"Well or not, it doesn’t matter." Cat said as Poppy clucked her tongue. Turning towards Poppy, Cat explained very clearly why she needed to leave "If you think for one moment that little demon seed Malfoy didn’t run straight to the owlery to tell his wretched father what happened......." Cat shook her head "It’s too dangerous for me to stay here, I’m a sitting target, and heaven forbid, so is any student who happens to be in here with me." Cat said, looking pointedly to the three members of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team who had managed to land their way into the hospital. "Besides its been nearly two whole days. I miss my students, and I’m worried about Remus, he hasn’t been to see me since the night Severus carried me here. That’s not like him." She said imploringly as she looked at Albus with large puppy eyes.

Albus chuckled as he looked at Poppy "She does this to her father all the time, I’m told it works." he teased "Is there any reason why she must stay here?"

"You mean besides being weak, tired and fragile?" Poppy snapped.

Cat sighed heavily "Poppy I am not fragile, I would be dead by now if I were fragile. Weak and tired... I’ll give ya that. But I would rest better in my own bed."

Poppy shot Cat a look "You could rest fine here if that dog would let you alone." she turned to Albus "I don’t care if he’s yours or anyone else’s, he does NOT belong in here. Do you know what he did last night? ..... Do you?"

Albus shook his head as he tried to hide his smile, he could only imagine what Sirius had done this time.

"He was laying in bed with her... as if he were a doll or a teddy bear. He growled at me when I tried to make him leave. That beast is a danger to everyone" Poppy said tersely.

Cat bristled as she listened to Poppy "That *beast* protects me, he growled at you because you came near me. He didn’t bite you or chase you. He just didn’t want anyone to touch me." she explained "And just to make sure he won’t bother you again, I will be spending the rest of my recovery in my *own* room." She said as she stood somewhat unsteadily on her feet.

After several minutes of arguing followed by promises of not over doing anything, getting enough sleep and eating properly. Poppy finally relented and allowed Cat to leave the hospital wing. Albus smiled widely at Cat as they walked out together. "You do intend to keep your promises I trust" he said sternly "I will never hear the end of it if you end up back here, you do realize this?"

Cat grinned widely "Yes Albus, I know. And I have every intention of resting, I am actually very tired. I just want to see Harry first so he doesn’t worry. He should be in DADA now.. Right?"

Albus paused for a moment "Yes... I believe he is, and I also believe Professor Lupin is back teaching today as well." He smiled when he saw her eyes light up.

"Is Remus alright? Its not like him to be gone for so long.... even with the change" she whispered. "Do you think he’ll want to see me?"

Albus shook his head as he laughed, "My dear, I am most positive he would want to see you. You were one of the first things he asked about when he returned."

Cat stopped for a moment and put her hand on Albus’s arm "Alby... what happened, I thought Severus was making wolfsbane potion for him. I thought that was supposed to prevent him from going through this."

Albus sighed, he wondered how long it would take her to ask "It is, but unfortunately, it is still a very new treatment, and a great deal is not known about it. For some reason, it did not work quite so well this time. Severus has been studying it non-stop since he realized that it failed."

Cat smiled proudly "Well if there is anyone who can figure it out, it’s Sev. He is extremely clever, not to mention determined" she said

"And apparently has lovely taste in jewellery as well" Albus responded, looking at Cat’s bracelet "At least I assume that’s who it is from." Dumbledore smirked as Cat blushed slightly, he nodded and headed off towards his office. "Good afternoon Kitty.. Please remember your promise."