Prologue

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This part of Winnie's story is dedicated Tumblerose and to WhatsGoingOn for being two of my most loyal readers. I adore you both.

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"So, Harry is coming tomorrow night?" I asked, sitting on the floor across from Sirius as he tossed several ferrets into Buckbeak's mouth.

"That's the plan," Sirius replied, throwing the final ferret into the Hippogriff's beak before pushing himself up against the wall of his late mother's bedroom that the beast occupied at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

"I wager you're excited," I stated, knowing the answer. I pulled my legs up against my chest, rolling my chin against the top of my kneecap. I flashed him a cheeky grin as I rocked my head back and forth.

"I'd be more excited if I was the one bringing him here," he replied, shooting Buckbeak an unaffected expression as the hippogriff sent his comrade a pout (or as close to a pout as an animal with a beak possibly could). Sirius shook his head to indicate his lack of food and a moment later Buckbeak released a disgruntled huff and curled up into a ball to pretend to sleep.

I'd grown rapidly close to Sirius in the short period of time I'd lived at the Number Twelve. He and I were very much alike. More than our similarities, I also enjoyed the tales from his youth because many of them involved my mother. Sirius had been my mum's first… well, everything really. He had been her first kiss, first sort of boyfriend, first mistake as Sirius stated. My mum had had three male suitors in her life: Sirius, my dad and Gideon. I never pressed him for information about my parents because I knew some things were for Sirius to keep in the back of his memory alone. I merely waited for him to recall a happy story to tell me when he felt the moment was right.

"I know what you're thinking," I said, hugging my knee even tighter, "and you can stop it right now."

"What am I thinking then, little Mick?" he smirked, humoring me.

"You think that because you are stuck inside that you are useless to the Order," I replied. "You are a complete git for thinking something so stupid."

"Am I now?"

"Yes," I insisted. "You offered the Headquarters. Without the Number Twelve then the Order would cease to exist, remember that."

"I will remember that while I rot away in my childhood home that I already did everything to escape once," he said, looking longingly out the small solitary window behind me. "I feel like I haunt this place, like I'm trapped here. At least you can leave."

"Where do I have to go, Sirius?" I inquired. "Everyone I care about is right here."

"Well, that boyfriend of yours for one," he said, sending me a confused expression.

"Right, him," I said, looking away.

"Ah, trouble in paradise?" asked Sirius, more anxious to change the subject than anything.

"Haven't you read the papers, my handsome flea-bitten friend?" I grinned, holding up my left hand and wiggling my fingers. "We're engaged."

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A/N:Winnie and Oliver engaged? WHAT? NO? This can't be, can it? Help me get 50+ reviews, and you'll get your answer ASAP. I'm bad, I know ;) && like I said, shout outs for the last chapter of Star Crossed and this prologue will return in Chapter One!

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