NIKITA RAN INSIDE THE LEAKY Cauldron, still wearing her pajamas. The pub had yet to open a six am, like most stores in Diagon Alley they were still setting up, giving her full run.

She had finally got it, a frame big enough for the letter Sirius had sent her. Missy had told her it was silly to frame a letter, but Nikita remained insistent that she wanted to save up for one by doing chores.

And now she had it, in her hands, surrounded by sea shells and painted blue. She imagined it would like nice with the yellowing parchment she had upstairs, like the sky.

When she walked inside, she was surprised to see Tom sitting down sombrely, a stack of papers in front of him. Missy sat beside him, rubbing her hand over his, she too looking both scared and sad. Nikita's smile slipped off her lips, wondering what had them so upset. Surely it wasn't something she'd done?

"T-Tom?" She mumbled, approaching the softer of the two.

The old man looked up and attempted a gap toothed smile that looked more like a grimace.

"What is it?" Nikita's heart pounded uncomfortably in her chest, did Azkaban want her back? "What's wrong? Tom!"

He didn't respond, instead he just picked up one of the sheets of paper in front of him and handed it to her. Nik didn't even attempt to read the words, the picture on the front was self explanatory enough.



"Siri's finally free,"

Those words, from Nikita's frail body, scared Missy and Tom more then the poster ever could.

***

Nikita's hair always seemed insistent on making her life harder. The proof was clear as she pushed it into a pony tail.

It was lumpy and had strands sticking out, but at this point she had truly given up. Her arms ached as she dropped them in defeat and scowled. She adjusted her black tank top that was paired with baggy muggle jeans. Tom had found them out from some of his daughters old stuff he kept boxed up.

They were too big for Nik's body, as she was made of angles with no curves. Thankfully, Missy had found a belt that wouldn't make her look too ridiculous.

Nik grabbed a pomegranate from the bowl on her dresser, above it hung Sirius' letter. Since Missy and Tom had delivered the news that he was free a tension had settled in the air. It was obvious that they disliked the way she had reacted, and she struggled for a way to explain herself.

How was she supposed to tell them she considered Sirius as a father? How was she supposed explain that, while everybody else in Azkaban were absolutely insane, Sirius wasn't it?

She threw the fruit at a seemingly empty corner, and Heka destroyed it. The bats wings now reached the full length of Nikita, but as she held her hands out he still snuggled into her like a new born baby.

"I think this is gonna be a good year," She whispered to it thoughtfully.

Heka looked at her flatly, as if to say, 'What do you know?'

"I just have a good feeling!" She hastily defended herself, "There's no need for sass!"

The bat just stared at her, like the non-human he was.

"I don't need this today," She grabbed a set of keys from the dresser and trotted down stairs. It was her job to unlock the doors every morning at eight am while Missy cleaned and Tom set up the table and bar.

She froze on the bottom step, before her sat none other then Harry Potter, eating a bowl of cereal and talking to Tom. Heka peered over her arm at the boy, most likely recognising him. If Nikita didn't know better she could've swore the bat rolled it's eye's.

The poor bat had been subject to many discussions about the boy.

"There she is!" Tom's voice broke her out of her trance, he gestured her over before turning to Harry, "Didn't I tell you I 'ad another lodger about yer age?"

Harry nodded and looked at Nikita curiously, as well as the large bat in her arms. "Hey Nik,"

"Morning Tom," She sat down in front of him, "Hi Harry, why are you here?"

"Erm... I blew up my aunt?"

She blinked, "Well... that's a unique answer?"

"How's your bat?"

"Sassy,"

"What do you mean?"

"This bloody thing judges me," She huffed, taking Harry by surprise. "I am allowed to have good feelings, though Heka seems to disagrees."

"What do you have a good feeling about?" Harry asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"This year," She shrugged, "I dunno, I guess I thrive when a mass murderer is on the loose,"

Harry thought for a moment, noting how much Nik seemed to of changed last they spoke. "I guesss you do."

***

Nikita arrived back at the compartment down the end of the hall, where Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ron were sitting.

Merlin she hated her bowls.

When she pushed open the door she was greeted by a rather peculiar sight.

The group were all standing on the benches, doubled over with fearful expressions. There also seemes to be a middle aged man snoring away in the corner. Nik blinked. "Why are you all standing on benches?" She questioned, "Are you playing a game?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah, we're playing, 'We saw a bloody big spider and don't know where it went',"

Nik scrambled onto the nearest bench, holding onto to Harry for support. Though the boy himself seemed rather amused at his friend's reaction. "They're not that scary,"

"They have eight legs!" Ron exclaimed.

"And beady little eye's!" Nik chimed in  agreement.

Hermione sighed, though she too was standing. "Nik- you have a pet bat!"

"Whose side are you on!?"

They train began to slow to a stop with a small 'screech' sound, relief flooded Ron's expression.

"Thank Merlin, I can't wait to get out of here,"

He moved to step off of the bench but was yanked back Hermione, "We can't be there yet! It's too soon,"

That's when Nik felt.

That familar creeping sensation down the back of her spine. She saw the glass window begin to frost up and the lights flickered.

No longer scared of a silly spider, Nikita sat down, shaking her head with fearful eye's, she prayed to every god she knew, including her name sake, that she was wrong.

"Nik?" Hermione asked tentatively, "Nikita, what is it?"

A black cloaked figure appeared at the door, and Nikita finally unlodged the lump in her throat.

"Dementors,"

***

A/N

Sorry about the major wait.

Happy late birthday to LadySheWhoHesitates who's birthday was on September 2nd!