Learning to Love

Chapter 2

Sirius Black, the man wrongly convicted of murdering Peter Pettigrew, was just going to pour himself his second cup of coffee when he glanced up and saw something rise then fall, not unlike someone breathing.

Placing the coffee mug back on to the counter he took hold of his wand and tugged the back door open. Stepping out into the garden he looked around and saw the thing move again just by the side of the rubbish bins.

Moving cautiously up to the bins he saw a small girl of around nine years old with a blood stained t-shirt stuck to her back.

"Oh shit!" cursed Sirius, as he crouched down next to the girl.

The girl stirred slightly, but did not wake, and as Sirius brushed her chestnut brown hair out of her face he found a bruise fading on her cheek.

"Hey, come on little girl, wake up." coaxed Sirius, but the young girl did not move.

Sighing, Sirius pushed his wand into his back pocket, and then very carefully picked up the little girl, who on reflex whimpered and tensed at the touch.

Sirius carried the extremely light girl back into the house, straight through to the living room. Remus Lupin glanced up from the book he was reading, and, upon seeing what Sirius was holding asked,

"Who is that Sirius?"

"I don't know. I just found her outside." answered Sirius.

Shifting the girl so her back was exposed, Remus asked, "What on earth did that to her?!"

"I have no idea, Remus. I think you should floo Ginny or Hermione. She won't wake up and I think she needs some medical attention." explained Sirius.

"Okay, go and lie her down on the bed." replied Remus moving over to the fireplace.

Nodding, Sirius carried the unconscious girl into their bedroom, and laying the girl on her side Sirius lifted the back of the girls t-shirt up. What he saw made him feel sick.

There were whip marks vertically and horizontally marring the flesh, leaving it in a mess of blood and bruises. With the marks being deep, there were small amounts of flesh hanging off at the start and finish of each mark.

"Sirius!" called Remus.

Dropping the t-shirt back Sirius walked out of the bedroom to see Hermione and Ginny standing there, each with a worried expression on their face.

"What's wrong?" asked Ginny, anxiously.

"I found a girl in the garden. It looks like she's been whipped across her back." answered Sirius, looking pale.

"Is she in there?" questioned Hermione, trying hard not to throw up.

Nodding Sirius answered, "Yeah, go on in, she needs help."

Both girls signalled agreement and stepped into the bedroom. Sirius sat heavily down on the sofa next to Remus.

"She'll be okay, Sirius." commented Remus.

"It was sick, someone had whipped her back." replied Sirius disgusted, "How can anyone do that to a little girl?"

"I don't know," responded Remus, "But she's in the best hands with Hermione and Ginny,"

Sighing, Sirius retorted, "She's a fucking little girl, how can anyone think of hurting her?"

Just then the bedroom door reopened and Hermione came back out looking like she was going to be sick any moment.

"Is she going to be okay?" asked Sirius, whose voice gave away his concern.

"I think you should both know..." trailed off Hermione unable to finish,

"What?" asked Remus.

"Sirius, Remus, she's been tortured." answered Hermione quickly, "The poor thing has had more Cruciatus curses on her than Harry, and we aren't able to heal the lashes,"

"Why not?" asked Remus anxiously.

Sighing, Hermione replied, "Because the lashes were done the Muggle way, we would have been able to heal them if she had been found as soon as they had been done, but unfortunately they are about a day to two days old."

"Sick! How can anyone do that?" questioned Sirius again.

"I don't know. She'll stay asleep now until tomorrow. We also found this in her clasped hand." explained Hermione handing the locket over to Remus.

Remus opened the locket to see a baby sleeping in a mans arms. The man looked familiar to him, then he realised who it was.

"This is Thomas." said Remus.

"Who's that?" asked Sirius.

"Another werewolf, a Muggle werewolf, I met him after I went to sign the werewolf registry after I left Hogwarts." explained Remus,

"So you're saying that this Thomas did that?" asked Sirius pointing to the door.

Shaking his head Remus replied, "No, he died a few years back."

"So who did that to her?" repeated Sirius.

"That question will get us nowhere." interrupted Hermione, "All we know is that she's been beaten and cursed."

Both Sirius and Remus seemed to pale at Hermione's words - it was a sicking feeling that someone could whip and curse a little girl.

Ginny came out of the bedroom a few minutes later looking rather pale, and Hermione guided the tired looking Ginny to one of the chairs and sat her down.

"Are you okay Gin?" asked Hermione.

"I am," answered Ginny, "But the girl's insides are a mess. All her stomach and abdomen are scared from multiple Crucios. Unfortunately there is a possibility that she may not be able to have children," she elucidated, quietly.

A silence followed Ginny's little explanation. No one dared voice what they were all thinking, and finally she spoke again.

"I think one of us should stay with her until she wakes up tomorrow."

"Which one of you two will be willing to stay then?" asked Sirius.

"I will." volunteered Ginny.

"Will Harry mind you staying here?" asked Hermione.

"No, I'll send him an owl." replied Ginny.

"Okay. I have to go. Owl or floo me if you need me." replied Hermione, standing up.

After saying her goodbyes to everyone Hermione flooed back home. Ginny sent an owl to Harry telling him where she was and that she wouldn't be back till tomorrow, then she spent the rest of the day and night keeping a vigilance over the little girl.

***

The first thing that registered in Keli's waking mind was that she was on a comfy bed and her back was sore.

Trying to turn onto her back she let a small yell escape her as the material rubbed against the lashes. The moment after she had yelled fear ripped through her and she curled up in a foetal position, waiting for a blow that never came.

Ginny had been in a light sleep when she heard a yell. Opening her eyes, she saw the small girl curl up as if afraid.

Getting up slowly Ginny walked over to the bed and placed a comforting hand on the girls shoulder; the little girl instantly tensed up and hid her face in the pillows.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." comforted Ginny.

Keli didn't recognise the voice - it wasn't her mothers and it defiantly was not Ivan's - it sounded nice. Looking up cautiously she saw a women with red hair and brown eyes looking down at her.

"What's your name?" asked Ginny softly.

"K-k-k-Keli." stuttered Keli fearful.

"I'm Ginny, now I need you to keep really still for me so that I can wash your back. Do you think you can do that for me?" asked Ginny, smiling gently.

Nodding, Keli hid her face into the pillows again as Ginny reached for the damp cloth and started to clean around the lashes. Every time she touched Keli's back the girl tensed and shook as cries racked her tiny form.

Ginny couldn't clean the lashes properly if the girl kept moving; she needed something to take Keli's mind of her back for five minutes. Desperately searching for something, an idea came to her.

"Keli, do you like doggies?" asked Ginny, placing the cloth back onto the side.

Looking up, Keli uttered a hesitant "Yes."

"Good. I may just have a little surprise for you, give me a minute." replied Ginny. Getting up, she cast a silencing charm on the room incase Keli started to cry.

Ginny strode over to the door, and opening it, stepped into the dark living room where Sirius had transfigured the sofa into a bed, upon which Remus and Sirius were both fast asleep.

Stepping over the clothes that were strewn over the floor, she crouched down next to Sirius and shouted,

"GET UP!"

Both Remus and Sirius jumped about a six feet into the air while Ginny leaned against the chair laughing so hard that tears where streaming down her face,

"I suppose you think that was funny?" asked Sirius grumpily, whilst Remus lied back down ignoring her.

Catching her breath Ginny answered, "Yep, anyway I need a favour."

"What?" asked Sirius.

"You need to change for me." answered Ginny. By this, she meant she wanted Sirius to change into a dog. Sirius was an Animagus, a wizard who was able to transfigure into a certain animal on demand, a skill which had proven very useful in the past.

"Why?"

"Just do it, and then come into the bedroom." replied Ginny, leaving the room.

"What time is it, Moony?" asked Sirius.

"About eight." mumbled Remus.

Sighing, Sirius got up, pulled on the shirt he was wearing yesterday and then transformed into a big, black, shaggy, bear like dog, not unlike a grim (Sirius wasn't actually a grim, he just looked like one as a dog).

Ambling over to the bedroom door, he nudged the door open and trotted in, and the sight that met him turned his stomach. The little girl was curled up with her face buried in the pillow exposing her raw back. Ginny was trying to clean the little girl's back but couldn't because she was crying.

Looking up at the dog Ginny spoke up.

"Keli, look what's here."

The girl just buried her head further into the pillow and became very still unable to look up. What if it's Ivan? He'll only hurt me, thought Keli terrified, even though she knew Ivan was dead.

"Keli, I have friend named Padfoot who's here to see you." coaxed Ginny.

Padfoot? That's a strange name. Maybe it's not Ivan, reasoned Keli's brain, as she slowly lifted her head up to see a big bear like dog sitting at the side of the bed. Her whole face lit up. It's a doggy - a big doggy, she thought.

"Is it yours?" asked Keli.

"No, but he won't hurt you, will you Padfoot?" asked Ginny.

The dog barked which startled the little girl and she hid her head again in the pillows. Padfoot sensed he'd upset the little girl, and, bouncing up on to the bed, he lay down on his stomach and whined.

Keli looked up again and saw the dog lying next to her, it was then that she knew it wasn't a real dog - it was a person, or more precisely it was a man.

Scared, Keli sat up, startling Ginny, and jumped off the bed. Crawling into a dark corner of the room she buried her face in her knees as she cried.

"Keli?" questioned Ginny.

"It's not a doggy." sobbed Keli, her voice laced with fear.

Ginny didn't miss the fear that was in the young girl's voice, and, realising the young girl had figured out what Sirius was, she showed him out the door.

"He's gone now. Will you come back over here?" asked Ginny.

"O-o-okay." answered Keli sobbing quietly.

Keli climbed back on to the bed where she felt safe and secure and lay back down on her side so Ginny could finish cleaning her back up.

***

Around lunch time Keli was asleep again. Ginny had let her rest in peace and was now sitting in the kitchen with Remus and Sirius having a sandwich.

"Did she tell you much?" asked Remus curiously.

Swallowing the piece of bread she was eating Ginny answered, "Yeah. Her full name is Keli Portland, her mum was called Stephanie, and when I asked her about her dad she said; 'I haven't got a dad, just Ivan'."

"Ivan Portland do you mean?" asked Sirius.

"I assume so. Why?"

"He's a disgraced wizard. About a couple of year's back some Aurors were dispatched to his house, where they found a load of dark artefacts." explained Sirius, "He was questioned and then banned from the wizarding world."

"Did he ever loose his temper?" asked Ginny critically.

"I'm not sure." shrugged Sirius.

They had not long finished lunch when the fire sprang into life in green flames and Harry stepped out of it.

"Harry!" exclaimed Ginny jumping up and going over to her husband.

"Hey, I only just got your owl." replied Harry,

"Well, what are doing here then?" asked Ginny.

"I came to see if I could help. Do you need anything?" questioned Harry, looking over to his godfather and Remus.

"Nice of you to offer Harry, but she is still scared of men," explained Ginny,

"I can go over to your mum's. I'm sure that she would like to help." suggested Harry.

Ginny smiled and answered, "Please do, that would be a great help."

Nodding Harry grabbed another handful of floo powder and then left in exactly the same way he came.

***

Keli didn't know how long she'd been asleep. All she knew was that she was cold, in pain and desperate for the toilet, but she didn't know where she was or whose house she was in.

I guess I'll have to ask that Ginny person when she comes back in, thought Keli. Then the idea of asking for something scared her, I can't ask her, she'll hurt me. I shouldn't even be thinking about asking for something.

The chill finally got to Keli and she laid there, teeth chattering. After shivering for five minutes Keli hoisted herself up, pulled back the covers and crawled under them. Immediately, warmth and pain went through her. The warmth was from a warming spell placed on the blankets; the pain was from the fact the covers had rubbed her cuts, causing her to cry out loud.

***

Ginny and Sirius were out in the garden. Sirius was showing Ginny where he had found Keli, and Remus was sitting waiting for Molly to turn up, when he heard someone crying.

Getting up, Remus walked over to the open bedroom door and his heart broke as he saw the little girl crying in to the pillows.

Walking into the room, Remus crouched beside the bed and asked softly, "Keli? Are you okay?"

Startled Keli looked up and answered quickly, "Yes."

What startled Remus the most was that the little girl had fear in her eyes and he hadn't even attempted to comfort the girl. Secondly, he noticed that she had amber eyes just like his wolfs eyes.

"Why don't you try to go back to sleep?" suggested Remus.

"I can't." whispered Keli curling back up.

Sighing Remus got up and walked out. Ginny and Sirius were just coming back in when Remus walked past them and out into the garden.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Ginny.

"I don't know. Go and see to Keli, I'll talk to Remus." suggested Sirius.

Ginny nodded and headed off into the bedroom and back to the little girl. Sirius turned and strode back out into the garden to find Remus sitting on a chair staring into space.

"What's wrong?" asked Sirius crouching next to him.

"Nothing." replied Remus.

"I've known you long enough to know when something is wrong." stated Sirius seriously.

Sighing, Remus explained, "Keli's is scared of me. Not just me. Of everyone."

"Yeah, but you can't expect her to trust us straight away, can you?" asked Sirius. Remus looked away as Sirius continued, "But that not what's eating at you is it?"

Shaking his head, Remus answered, "No,"

"It's hurting you to see someone as young as Keli to be so defenceless and scared." Sirius said.

Sirius pulled Remus into a hug, it had affected them both. The other night they had talked well past one in the morning about the effects that Keli's arrival in the house had had on them. It sickened them both that someone would beat a helpless child.

The back door opened and Molly Weasley came out into the garden. Sirius and Remus broke apart.

"You two are needed inside." instructed Molly.

"Why, what's happened!?" asked Sirius, alarmed.

"Ginny will tell you." answered Molly, moving back indoors.

Sirius helped Remus up and they moved inside to where Molly and Ginny were sitting, both of them looking pale and slightly sick. Remus and Sirius sat down facing Molly and Ginny.

"What's wrong?" asked Remus.

"I don't know how to say this." replied Ginny uncomfortably.

"Ginny dear, you have got to tell them." coaxed Molly.

Taking a deep breath Ginny answered, "Okay. Keli has been raped."

Looking disbelieving Sirius asked, "What? When? How? Why?"

"She was raped about three years ago. As to how, what do you think? Why? Because someone is a sick bastard." explained Ginny heatedly, her volume increasing as she spoke.

"Shit!" exclaimed Sirius, "That is fucking sick."

"Sirius! Don't curse so loudly. You'll wake her up," chided Molly.

"Sorry Molly. Will she be okay?" asked Sirius.

"After time she'll be okay, but she needs you two to care for her and to let her know not every man is like the one who hurt her." answered Molly.

In that split second Remus and Sirius both nodded and took on the task of caring and loving Keli, and getting her to realise that life isn't as terrible as she thought.

"Okay, we'll look after her." Sirius said, and Remus managed a weak nod in agreement.

"Good, now don't push her into talking, and let her ask questions. She won't leave your bedroom." explained Molly, reciting everything Ginny had told her.

"Why?" asked Sirius, confused.

"She says she feels safe there. Well, we'd better be off." said Molly, standing up, "Floo or owl us if you have any trouble."

Molly and Ginny left five minutes later, leaving Sirius and Remus to prepare dinner.