Harry smiled back at Remus “I would love to, I want to at least say good bye to the others before I leave. But do you think you can talk Sirius into it? You know how protective he is of me. Especially now that mum’s gone.”

Remus sat back in his chair and winked at Harry as Sirius entered the room. “So, is it as bad as he thought?” Remus asked as Sirius sat down heavily on the cot.

“We have no idea, he can’t raise anyone in the Ministry, not even an elf. Its like the place was deserted or something.” Sirius replied. “I wonder if Cash has any leads on our other problem. I don’t like this waiting around business, not at all.”

“Why don’t you go find Cash, I can stay with Harry. Its not like anything will happen to him while he’s with me. Or have you lost faith in your old friend?”

“As if” Sirius grinned. “You and Cash are the only two I would trust with Harry’s life outside of Cat.” Sirius turned to Harry “That alright with you Harry? I won’t be gone long, I just want to find Cash and see what he knows.”

“Not at all, Remus and I will be fine.” Harry replied, “after all, he’s taught me to defend against dementors, curses and redcaps, I’m sure we can manage this.”

“Keep it up smarty pants” Sirius grinned as he tussled Harry’s hair on his way out of the room. “I’ll be right back, I promise.” Sirius tried to brush of the uneasy feeling that was creeping up on him. Something just didn’t seem right, first the shield of silence around the school, then Olia’s death, now an emergency owl and absolutely no response from the Ministry. Transforming into Snuffles, he bolted down the hall, calling out mentally for Cash as he went, and hoping the blood bonding that they had performed earlier would work….

Remus peered over his shoulder waiting for Sirius’s footsteps to fade away. Turning back to Harry, he grinned mischievously, “So, are you ready Harry? I think we can get you were you need to go before Sirius comes back.”

Jumping at the chance to say good bye to his friends, Harry quickly rose from the cot and walked over to Remus “You bet, but are you sure Sirius won’t be too angry with you? I don’t want anyone getting into trouble because of me.”

“Don’t worry about it Harry. Besides, I’ve already talked to your friends, they’re going to meet us by the entrance to the dungeon, since Snape is gone, its not likely that anyone else will be down there patrolling. So as long as Sirius doesn’t catch us…well what he doesn’t know won’t hurt me, right?”

“Right” Harry agreed as he followed Remus down the stairs and towards the dungeon.

“Sirius, I’m over here” Cash yelled out as he heard Sirius’s thoughts “Damn I really wish that stupid spell would just disperse, this is getting old fast. You shouldn’t have to be this near to me for us to hear each other. And what are you doing down here anyway? Where is Harry?”

Reverting back into his human form Sirius explained “He’s in Albus’s office, with a chaperone” he grinned “I wanted to let you know about an emergency owl Albus received. It appears the Ministry has been attacked, we can’t raise anyone at all.”

“That sounds a little too convenient to for my comfort” Cash agreed “Let’s give this place a quick look over and get back to Harry.” …..

Remus and Harry quickly made their way towards the dungeon, artfully avoiding the few students and teacher who had stayed at Hogwarts over the holidays. When they finally reached the entrance to the dungeons, Remus looked perplexed “Where are they? It didn’t take us that long to get down here, they couldn’t have gotten tired of waiting for us already.”

“You don’t think anything’s happened to them, do you? I know Cash and the others are really worried about this Gustavas fellow. Cash insists he will kill anyone that he can, just because he likes to hurt people.”

“Don’t worry Harry, I’m sure its nothing like that.” Remus paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “Maybe we should try the potions classroom, maybe they misunderstood me in the great hall, it was rather loud this morning.”

Harry shrugged his shoulders, although he couldn’t imagine Hermione getting a simple thing like meeting at the entrance of the dungeons confused like that. As they made their way towards Snape’s classroom, a thought suddenly crossed Harry’s mind. “Remus? You said it was loud in the great hall this morning?”

“Yes Harry, why?” Remus replied as he stood against the wall and looked at Harry.

“It seems odd that it would be loud when most of the students have left for the holidays. Is there something you aren’t telling me Remus?” Harry asked, as his stomach suddenly began to quiver. “Is there something your not telling…. Remus!!!! Behind you!!!” Harry screamed as a dark form materialized next to Remus.

Remus quickly pulled out his wand, but the creature’s tentacles had already wrapped themselves around the professor’s arms and legs. “Run Harry, … Run” Remus screamed as the creature seemed to divide itself in half, creating an exact double of itself that was now moving quickly towards Harry. …….

Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket as he turn to run up the stairs, he had to find help, they had to rescue Remus from that creature. Harry turned back to see the pitchy, gelatinous creature closing in on him, even as he heard Remus’s muffled screams echoing through the hall. With tears stinging his eyes, Harry turned to face the monster, he was unwilling to let his friend go without a fight. As Harry raised his wand to attack the creature, he heard a bone chilling slurping sound as several tentacle-like appendages shot out of the monster and wrapped themselves around Harry’s arm and wand.

Harry screamed out in pain and anger as the tentacles made contact with his flesh, it felt as if someone had poured acid on his skin, and he could already see rivulets of blood trickling down his arm, staining his tee shirt a dark red. Harry struggled desperately against the monsters grip, he refused to give up, not now, not when he finally had a chance at having a real family, a real home. He was only a few days away from meeting the family that had been denied to him his entire life, he couldn’t die now, he just couldn’t.

He strained against the pull of the creature as it retracted its tentacles bringing Harry closer and closer to its bulbous form. As Harry was pulled towards the monster, he was able to see the corridor were he had left Remus. Any hope Harry had had of Remus being able to come to his aid quickly faded as he saw the limp form of his DaDA professor being wrapped in the body of the creature. “Please, let him be alive” Harry pleaded silently as the creature pulled his foot inside of its sticky body, enveloping it in a glue-like substance that was impossible to break free of.

Harry felt his head swimming as the monster pulled more and more of his body inside of itself. He watched as his young life flashed before his eyes, the pain he had suffered at the hands of the Dursley’s, his first day at Hogwarts, his friendship with Hermione and Ron, the moment he realized Sirius was trying to protect him, not kill him, the day Dumbledore introduced him to Cat, the way he felt when she asked him to be her son, the way Ginny had kissed him at the ball. Harry shook his head, trying to clear it, he had to call Cash, he had to concentrate he kept telling himself as he slowly faded into oblivion…..

"Do you really think she'll leave Snape behind?" Sirius asked Cash "I mean, after everything they've ... you know, ... considering the.."

Cash sighed deeply "Just say it Sirius, we're both adults, remember?" Looking over at Sirius, Cash softened his stance as he realized how hard it was for Sirius to even imagine Angel with the Slytherin, much less be forced to say it. Placing a friendly hand on his shoulder, Cash said softly "They shared a weekend of passion. Granted not the best possible way to begin a new relationship with you, but I'm sure the memory will be quickly banished from both of your minds."

Sirius nodded as he changed the conversation, "Do you think there will be snow?" Sirius asked "Christmas is always better with snow. It will be nice to be inside a warm house and see snow outside."

Cash cringed as a flash of Sirius’s memories surfaced, he was cringing in a dark cave, trying to keep warm as a cold wet snow fell, chilling his fur, leaving only the thought of Harry enjoying his presents to keep him warm. Cash shook off the image as he tried to smile at Sirius "If its not, you can always ask Angel to sing up some snow. The kids usually do... they love to sleigh ride, and have you seen this new thing, I think they called it snowboarding." Cash rolled his eyes "And I thought skiing was a creative form of self abuse, this is closer to suicide than anything I've ever seen, no wonder the kids love it."

Sirius laughed as he shook his head "Snow boarding huh? I'll make sure to keep my eyes open for that. And I didn't know Cat was a weather witch too?"

"A what?" Cash asked, knitting his brow

"Someone who can control the weather with magic. It's very advanced, I had no idea she could do anything like that."

"I'm sure she doesn't either" Cash smirked "You know her, if no one tells her she can’t do it, she simply assumes she can......and does." They walked in silence for a few moments, until Cash became concerned over Sirius's sudden change in mood. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Sirius startled at the sound of Cash's voice. "No, nothing. I was just thinking of what it would be like to sit with Cat in front of the fire. We could snuggle together under the same blanket, maybe have some cocoa. I miss the way she felt when I held her in my arms, the way her hair would tickle my nose, the way the curves of her body would fit perfectly against mine."

Cash smiled at the besotted look on Sirius's face. "Gheez, you really have it bad, don't you?" he watched as Sirius grinned happily back at him "That's the spirit my friend. And I have a feeling she would be very happy to spend an evening like that with you. Just do me a favour?" He waited until he had Sirius's full attention "Don't forget, the clan wants children. I expect to see some descendants by this time next year. Do I make myself clear Sirius Black?"

Sirius grinned and saluted Cash "Yes sir, completely sir." he responded, imitating a muggle soldier "Any particular sex, sir?"

Cash smirked at the wizard "Hey, I don't care how you make them," he teased "just make sure you do it right. You don't need a reminder course or anything, do you?"

Sirius glared at the vampyre "Thank you, NO" he replied "I'm certain it will come back to me"

"Eventually" Cash whispered loudly as he picked up his pace, chuckling as the wizard growled softly at him "By the way, how is Harry taking to his confinement? I'm trusting Albus is keeping him in line while you're gone."

"Actually, Dumbledore left to find out what happened at the Ministry. Although I wish he wouldn't have left until Cat came back, it makes me nervous not to have anyone here."

Cash froze "So who is with Harry?"

"Remus of course" Sirius smiled "who else would I trust with Harry's life."

"What was that about Remus?" a friendly voice sang out as Remus Lupin waved to his friends. "and why are you both looking at me like that?"