Chapter 2: The Temple of Fire
There was a man sweeping the courtyard not far from where Sirius was standing. Dressed in much the same manner as Sirius, save for a pair of what seemed to be long socks or leg warmers, into which the bottom of his pants were tucked and laced, and slippers that looked nearly identical to the row of slippers at the door, the man was shaved completely bald. He held a broom in his hands (how utterly barbaric! using a broom to sweep instead of fly!) and swished it rhythmically across the stones at his feet, though to what end Sirius could not understand, since he couldn't discern any particular result of the sweeping.
After a moment of standing at the doorway, Sirius decided to step out. The motion attracted the attention of the courtyard-sweeper, who looked up at him and beamed in a grandfatherly fashion; Sirius was reminded of a hairless Albus Dumbledore, when Dumbledore was still trying to be nice. "You're awake!" the man said, his voice somehow seeming as warm as a summer day. "Are you coming out? Put your slippers on. Where are your socks?"
"I couldn't find them," Sirius replied, thoroughly confused. His impression of the man was beginning to slide from Albus Dumbledore to Molly Weasley. More confusing than that was the fact that this man seemed to be acting very familiar with him! Taking a deep breath, Sirius asked, "Do we know each other?"
The bald man laughed lightly, though his forehead creased a little with worry - Sirius felt that he was trying hard to seem nonchalant. "Why, Hei Tianlang! Did you hit your head after meditating at the waterfall? How can you not know your Senior Disciple Li Dongpo? We've only known each other for ten years!"
Sirius frowned. The man's words seemed to strike a chord in him, but he could swear that he had never met the man before. As for knowing him for ten years --- ha! Unless he was the man in the cell opposite Sirius's in Azkaban, there was absolutely no chance that they'd met a decade ago.
But the man --- "Senior Disciple Li Dongpo" --- had seemed so certain that they knew each other. And he certainly didn't look very much like himself at the moment. Perhaps the original owner of this face (apparently someone named Hei Tianlang) had really been a long-time acquaintance of Li's?
"Where are we?" Sirius finally asked, unable to formulate a logical response to Li's last remarks.
Li sighed and shook his head. "We're in the Temple of Fire, the Southern branch of the Five Temples --- as if you didn't know! You've lived here since you were ten, you can't have forgotten?"
"I..."
Taking a deep breath, Sirius decided to be honest, or as honest as he thought this Senior Disciple would be able to handle.
"I actually really don't remember. After I woke up, my memories have been fuzzy. Whether it was a dream, or I don't know what, I have the memories of being thirty-five years old, English, and living somewhere else altogether." He didn't mention anything about war, or magic, or specific people. After all, he wasn't sure where exactly he was; what if these people were Muggles? Look at them sweeping with a broom!
Li Dongpo stared at him for a long moment. Finally he said, "I think you need to talk to The Abbott. Wait a moment." He scurried off with the broom, and came back a few minutes later without the broom but with a pair of long white socks, which he handed Sirius. Sirius put them on the way Li was wearing his, and donned a pair of slippers. Seeing him shod, Li beckoned and said, "Follow me."
-----------
Author's Note: I don't know Chinese, but the translator said "Hei" is "black" and "Tianlan" is the celestial wolf star, which is the Chinese name for Sirius. Li Dongpo is totally a poet's name and I stole it.
— New chapter is coming soon — Write a review
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone