Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

---…---

October 31, 1981

Sirius lay down a small handful of flowers and a marble gravestone.

Korimi Valkov

Beloved sister and friend

December 28, 1960-June 3, 1978

Three years. It felt like so much longer. James and Lily had gotten married almost two years ago and their son, Harry, was a year old. Remus and Vickie broke up shortly after leaving Hogwarts; Remus thought Vickie deserved better than a poor werewolf. Sirius shook his head. Remus was always thinking of others before himself. It was hard to believe he might be a death eater.

"Here again?" Yuriy's familiar deep voice came behind him.

Sirius smiled. "Can't help it. Every time I go on a date, or get a new girlfriend I have to come by."

Yuriy nodded understandably. "She'd smack you if she was here right now, you realize that?"

Giving a small laugh, he replied, "Yeah. I know, but I can't help it."

The stood in silence for a few moments before Sirius spoke up again. "You know…I never found out how she got through that window."

Yuriy gave an amused laugh. "Come to think of it, neither do I. I assume Malcev must have thrown her through it."

"I guess we'll know for sure," he said.

Another silence fell between them.

Glancing behind him, Yuriy grinned. "I saw that new bike of yours. It's nice."

Sirius grinned back. "Yeah. Just got her last month."

"How are Lily and James?"

"I'm about to visit them. There have been rumors of Voldemort being more persistent in trying to find them than he previously was."

Yuriy nodded. "Yeah, I heard about that."

Casting one last glance at the grave, Sirius said goodbye to Yuriy and headed off to the Potters. He started up his bike before taking off.

When Sirius arrived at his friend's home, he remembered fate was a cruel existence.