Dear Sirius...

Part 11

A couple weeks passed, the sickness went away on day two. Such a huge misjudgment on my part. I should’ve known better but everyone makes mistakes. I should know that more than anyone.

I walk about the house, doing normal household things. I'm trying to keep my stress level and everything to a minimum.

I never realized how some of the wallpaper in the sitting room was coming off. I should probably get Kreacher onto fixing that. Maybe then the house won't seem so lonely for instead I'll be annoyed by the elf.

Someone knocks on my door, probably Remus. I haven't seen him since he went to visit Dumbledore, but he has written a few times. I send him some spare change once in a while. Not like it's hurting my pocket, I've got loads.

I open the door to see Dumbledore standing on the steps. My eyes widened in surprise. He never leaves Hogwarts, so why on earth would he come visit me?

"May I come in?" He asks.

I open the door wider and stand to the side. Still in complete shock that Dumbledore has made his way to my house. Did something happen to Remus?

"Please tell me Remus is okay?" I burst out. 

I don’t know what I would do if Remus wasn’t alright. What if it’s my fault that he is hurt? I don’t believe that there was a full moon during his days in Scotland. Maybe it’s not a full moon, maybe Peter found him and attacked him.

“Layla,” Dumbledore says, “he is alright.”

I let out a relief sigh. That’s the best news I’ve heard for a long time.

I lead Dumbledore into the kitchen and put on a pot of tea. Making sure that this batch will be great. I turn towards Dumbledore, he stares at some of the fading wallpaper.

“Must be hard to live in this house without someone with you,” he said.
I stare at him. What’s he getting on about?

“Sorry,” I say, “is there a reason you’re here?”

He turns to me, eyes wide with thought. “Just checking in,” he says. “Lupin told me that you haven’t been the best. Chasing some sort of imagination.”

Great, now he wants to tell me to let it go. Why can’t people just deal with the fact that Sirius didn’t do it? I lived with him. I love him. I think I would know more about this situation than most people.

The pot on the stove whistles, signalling that the water is warm enough. I quickly put it into some cups and bring one over to Dumbledoor. He took it with a head nod and quick smile.

We sit in an awkward silence sipping our tea. I’m used to this. Having to sit in his office after one of our pranks, thinking we were going to get expelled but stuck with detention instead. Has a lot of thoughts going through his head all day that don’t fully make sense half the time.

“I should get going now,” he said after he finished his tea. I stand up and take the empty tea cup from him, taking it to the sink to be washed later.

“It was nice seeing you,” I said awkwardly.

He walks towards the door but stops. He turns to look at the cabinet that I stashed the files in. I try not to think about it too much. I don’t know if he knows anything about the crime I committed, but I don’t want to give him any ideas for it.

His eyes meet mine, a glimmer of hope sparkled in them. “If you ever need anything,” he starts, “Hogwarts will always welcome you home.”

I look away. There are too many memories at Hogwarts that it would probably hurt to go back, but I have to learn to get over these emotions to help Sirius.

“I’d look back at those files,” he said this time walking towards the door.

I stand frozen in the kitchen, watching him open and close the door. How did he know about the files? I never thought about them besides trying to ignore them. If the Ministry knew they were gone, someone would’ve been here to take me already.

I turn to look at the cabinet. Nothing could be out of place to show something hiding in there. I walk over and open the cabinet, the files stare back at me in a mess. It is worth one more shot.