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summer 1972
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Arriving home was the beginning of a miserable summer. The silence that came with her parents was unbearable, he knew they wouldn't be home for long, they never were. Her father would always be away on business trips, while Aimee's mother stayed home usually to keep a close eye on her.

She would often take advantage of this, using the time to sneak around her father office. This often worked for her benefit, as she would always know her mother's plans. However, this involved breaking into her father's study, while her mother was busy, she waited for her mother to head downstairs.

Aimee crept down the corridor, glancing down the staircase, checking that her mother wasn't monitoring her. She carefully opened the door to her father's study, she closed the quietly behind her. She rummaged through some of the files, not seeing anything regarding his recent business trips.

She slumped in her father's chair, glancing around the room, 'there had to have been something in here' she thought. Her eyes fell to a crumpled letter that had been thrown in the bin beside her father's desk, the letter was addressed to her mother not her father.

Mrs Elizabeth Burke,

I'm pleased to hear from you, though it has been 12 months since you last contacted me. I sincerely hope that you haven't any doubts regarding the task at hand. The news of your daughter has me intrigued. To what do you wish to offer me with your information?

I am most anxious to meet young Aimee Burke, and what talent she can offer to my cause.

D.L.

"D.L?" Aimee questioned

'Why was a letter addressed to mother in father's office?' she read over the letter again to try and work out what her mother could possibly be up to. 'Did father know what mother was doing and hid the letter from her?'

"Aimee!" her mother shouted, she threw the letter back into the bin hoping her father wouldn't notice it being moved, she hurtled out of the study, racing to the landing.

"You have a visitor," Aimee creased her brows, walking downstairs, wondering who it could be. It couldn't be D.L? Surely her mother wouldn't invite that person to their home.

"Hi, Aimee,"

"Reg," she wrapped her arms around him, he hugged her back "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I don't get to see you often so I thought I'd drop by," he told her, she smiled at him.

"Come on, I'll show you around," gesturing for him to follow her,

He gazed around the Burke family home, the interior was drastically different to his home, Grimmauld Place was dark filled with black and green furniture, except Sirius' room he filled his room with red and gold banners and muggle posters. It was the reason no one was allowed in his room.

The Burke's home, was light with many silver old antique furniture, passed down through the Burke family, what things Mrs Burke had inherited didn't fit with Mr Burke's family heirlooms. Though she was very proud of her ancestry, she gifted all her heirlooms to her two brothers.

"This is my favourite room," she said, showing him a big spacious room, with bookcases filled with books of all varieties though her muggles books were kept hidden away in her room.

"Cool a piano, do you play?" he asked, she shook her head

"No, I tried to learn but I'm not good," Aimee told him, he sat down at the piano, playing a small piece for her,

"How'd you learn to play like that?" she asked.

"Grandmother Mel taught me, here I'll show you," he said, she sat with him, he held his hands over hers, playing the piano, he repeated the same piece. Regulus moved his hands, she smiled realising that she was playing the piano, by herself.

"I've never played the piano like this before, can you teach me something else?" she asked, he nodded playing another piece, though this time they were interrupted.

"Regulus, your brother is here to take you home," he creased his brows, Aimee walked him to the front door

"You didn't tell mother, you were leaving," Sirius said, seemingly annoyed with Regulus for leaving the house, without telling anyone.

"Sorry, I didn't think it would matter,"

"Well, it does come on," he secretly hoped that Mrs Burke would ask them to stay for a while. She didn't. Aimee frowned as both boys left her home.

She watched them walk down the street back to Grimmauld Place, though they seemed to dawdle back home. Aimee retreated up to her room. 'Yay, another day of being bored in the house' she thought. Laying flat on her bed staring up at the ceiling. A knock at her door caused her to sit upright, her mother didn't wait before entering her bedroom.

"Do you have a moment?" she asked "I need to talk to you," her mother sat down on the end of her bed, she waited for her to talk. "I don't want you spending time with Sirius Black,"

"What, why I thought you wanted me to be friends with him?" she asked

"Not anymore, I fear he's changing you," she admitted "and I don't want that to happen,"

"Mother, you're being ridiculous Sirius isn't changing me-

"I still don't want you around him," she lifted her hand to cup Aimee's cheek "because my dear, you have changed, even if you don't believe it"

***

Aimee was taking a trip to Diagon Alley with her mother, as Regulus had invited her to help him gather his things for Hogwarts. Though she was apprehensive of seeing Sirius, she had been writing to him, but never once mentioned that her mother didn't want them to be friends anymore.

Elizabeth waited in the living by the fireplace, waiting for her daughter to come downstairs. While the Burke's mainly used portkeys to travel, the last few times had caused Aimee to develop Portkey-sickness, her mother didn't want to risk, her throwing up in the middle of Diagon Alley.

Mrs Burke was a proud lady and didn't like to be shown up in public, even if it was something like a sickness bug, which couldn't be helped. Aimee walked downstairs dressed in her travel robes, she walked to the living room, her mother gestured for her to go first, she took a handful of floo powder.

"Diagon Alley!" she said clearly, as she was engulfed in green flames.

Aimee appeared in the centre of Diagon Alley, she looked around seeing familiar faces of families gathering school supplies for their children. Mrs Burke appeared shortly after her, she held her wand up to herself casting a cleaning charm 'Scourgify,' cleaning her robes down, she then pointed her wand at Aimee cleaning her robes too.

Mrs Burke guided Aimee through the crowds of wizards, hoping to find Walburga quickly, she didn't like to mingle with many of the lower class of wizarding society. Walburga was surprised when Regulus asked to invite Aimee Burke to help him gather his school supplies but then again he didn't get to spend a lot of time with her.

Regulus spotted her, he tapped his mother's arm, gesturing to her and Mrs Burke, Sirius walked behind his mother and brother, he purposely wore a red shirt to annoy his mother. He hurried ahead of Walburga, Regulus following behind him.

"Hi, Aimee want to go to get some ice cream?" Sirius asked, she avoid her mother's gaze, turning to Regulus.

"No, I think I should help Regulus get his things, come on," she said

She gestured for Regulus to follow her to Madam Malkin's to get his robes fitted. Sirius creased his brows, 'she didn't smile at me or hug me like I thought she would' he followed them to Madam Malkin's he was sure he hadn't done anything to offend her, she always seemed fine in her letters.

She sat on a bench in Madam Malkin's while Regulus was being measured for his school robes, Sirius pretended to admire some of the robes in the store. Trying to figure out why she wasn't talking to him, he watched his mother and Mrs Burke outside, they were busy talking and had their backs turned to them. he pulled Aimee up off the bench dragging her into a changing room.

"Why are you acting weird?" he asked

"Weird? I'm not acting any different," she avoided looking at him

"Fine, then look at me," he asked, she slowly lifted her head to look at him, she couldn't lie to him, not when she was looking into his eyes, she sighed.

"It's not me, it's my-

"Regulus, have you seen Aimee?" Mrs Burke said Aimee held her hand over Sirius' mouth,

"They went to the changing rooms," Regulus told her, she pushed Sirius through the curtain into another changing room,

"Aimee, what are you doing?" Mrs Burke asked,

"Trying on a robe I liked," she lied

"Is Sirius with you?"

"Yeah mother, cause I'm going to let him watch me change," Aimee said, "of course, he isn't"

"The attitude is not appreciated, I'll meet you outside," Mrs Burke said, she listened for her mother's footsteps, for the tap of her heels becoming quieter.

"So you want to tell me what that was about?" he asked, poking his head back through the curtain, she considered for a moment if she should tell him.

"Okay, my mother thinks that you are changing me" she used air quotes. "So she doesn't want me to be friends with you,"

"Are you going to listen to her?" she folded her arms across her chest

"I just pushed you into another changing room, and blatantly lied to my mother what do you think?" he nodded his head, he opened his arms, she smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his waist, he chuckled. "What are you laughing at?"

"I didn't actually believe I'd miss one of your hugs," he admitted

"You know I think that's the nicest thing you've said to me," he smiled to himself.

"Don't get used to it," he said, she shook her head as she pulled away from him, he stopped smiling,

"I'll go out first,"

"Right, I guess see you at school," She nodded as she left the changing rooms,

Regulus was just finishing up, he stepped down from the stool, she walked with him out of Madam Malkin's. Sirius followed not too far behind, keeping his distance from Aimee, it wasn't ideal, the only reason he came today was to see her.

'Everything's going to be fine,' he thought to himself, he knew she valued their friendship, there was nothing to worry about, as soon as they were back at Hogwarts everything would go back to normal.