Soon, the Christmas break officially started and we were shortly joined by Hermione.

Everyone seemed to be in a better mood after Mr. Weasley was fully cured, specially Sirius who was enjoying the company after being locked up for so long in Grimmauld Place alone.

But the house seemed unrecognizable now that it was clean and a merry mood had filled up the place as we ran around all day, decorating it for Christmas.

"So, Lexi," Hermione started as we were putting the ornaments on the tree with Ginny. "Harry and Ron told me that you'd said Mr. Weasley would be staying at the hospital until after Christmas. Is that true?"

"Yeah," I said hesitantly, wondering where she was going with this.

"Well... don't you think it's rather odd that he is back so early?"

"No, it's not odd at all," I shook my head fervently. "I let Dumbledore know and he sent people at the ministry after Mr. Weasley and they saved him before the snake could cause too much damage. And therefore there was no need for him to stay that long at the hospital."

Hermione then pursed her lips together thoughtfully, looking down with a frown.

"What?" I mused.

"That changes things though, doesn't it?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Oh, but don't you see?" she said feverishly. "This is why Dumbledore doesn't want you to change anything! This is the butterfly effect!"

"The what?" Ginny frowned, looking puzzled.

"It means that a small change can lead to large differences in a later state," she explained. "What if that's what's happening?"

"But what if it doesn't change anything? I mean, it's a possibility," I countered. "And more of that, what if it does change, but it leads to something better?"

     When Hermione still looked anxious and unsure, I went on,

"Look," I started with a sign. "Dumbledore said it himself that there was specific moment that I was sent to change. He knows I have to do this. He just doesn't want me to change anything else until the moment comes. So even Dumbledore knows that things are bound to change with me here, whether he likes it or not. Maybe it's all for the best."

"I really hope so, Lexi," Hermione smiled. "I really do."

***

After we were done with the Christmas tree, we joined the rest who were busy decorating the main hall.

We all laughed as Sirius was singing Christmas carols at the top of his lungs and we joined in with him and sang until we went down for dinner.

After we were done eating, Mrs. Weasley kept us downstairs to help clean out the kitchen.

     But finding the opportunity perfect, I snuck out of the kitchen and went upstairs, where I knew Sirius was resting alone in the parlor.

This was my opportunity to talk to Sirius alone, and this time, I wasn't going to back down until I'd gotten a straight answer from him.

I walked inside the the parlor and saw him sitting on the couch with his back to me, so I gently knocked on the door, getting his attention.

"Hey, Lexi," he smiled at me from over his shoulder as I walked in.

"Can I join you?" I asked and he nodded brightly, gesturing at the empty seat beside him and so I sat down.

But before I could say anything, he asked, "Everything alright with the Weasley boy?"

"The Weasley boy?" I repeated with a raised brow, laughing.

"Well, you tell me if he gives you a hard time again," he said with a warning tone as he grinned.

I chuckled. "I will."

"Ah," Sirius sighed, leaning back. "I miss the teenage dramas."

"Really?" I grinned. "So... you had someone back then?"

"Yeah," he smiled, glancing down at Crookshanks who was sleeping on his lap, pouring. "There was someone..."

"What happened?"

Sirius frowned for a few seconds, thinking. "With the Order and the war going on... you hardly have time for anything else. Besides, I... well, I really did make a mistake that night, going after Pettigrew... I ruined everything..."

I watched him grimace at the thought and so decided not to say anything for some while.

But after a minute or two, knowing that I could get no better opportunity than this to bring up my mother, I cleared my throat to get his attention once more.

"Look, Sirius," I started awkwardly. "I really need to talk to you. There are so many things I want to know, and I'm pretty sure you have the answer to them."

"Wh-what is it?" He raised a brow, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"This necklace you gave me," I said, showing it to him. "It belonged to my mother, didn't it?"

He jerked so quickly in his seat that Crookshanks fell off his lap and hissed at him, and so Sirius gave the cat an apologetic look before turning on me again.

I saw the color drain from Sirius's face as he went pale, staring down at the necklace.

"You — you recognized it?" he asked, gulping.

"So it does belong to her!" I exclaimed, looking down at it, muttering to myself, "I knew it."

"Lexi—"

"You knew my mother, didn't you!?" I asked, watching him warily.

There was a small pause as we stared at each other, until he finally said —

"Yes."

I felt the breath hatch in my lungs and my lips went dry, my heartbeat picking up.

"That's actually the reason I gave you the necklace," he said and my head shot up at that, giving him a questioning look.

"What do you mean?"

"I needed to make sure that you really were her daughter," he explained. "I had to make sure that her name being Lisa Goldman wasn't just a coincidence. But I still have so many unanswered questions."

"Well, so do I!" I retorted. "Was she the one who sent me back? How did you know her? What else is there that you know about me? Why can't you just tell me?"

Sirius sat there staring down at his hands for long seconds in silence before finally saying,

    "I will tell you some day, Lexi. I will. But I need make sure I'm not mistaken first. I mean... now that you've recognized this necklace, it clears things up a bit more. But I need to be a hundred percent sure before I bring that burden on you."

"A hundred percent sure about what?"

"There are things that I can only guess — things about you, and who you are — but they don't make any sense!" Sirius huffed angrily, looking away and now muttering mostly to himself, "It just doesn't make sense... I can't be your... I just can't be..."