Molly was muttering something to herself about doxycide and then began scrubbing the countertops the same as she had been when they first walked in. Valora raised an eyebrow at Ginny as they walked toward the yard.

"Mum cleans when she's nervous." The young redhead clarified.

"That's it. I can't work like this. Remus, Sirius, on your knees please." She told them.

"Rather like the sound of that." Sirius said saucily.

"Good thing Pete has a camera." Remus said with a wink.

"You three just do whatever it is you need to do. I'll be helping fight the good fight on my end." Valora said, waving her wand and making herself a second cup of tea.

Are you suggesting that I don't think things through, Headmaster?

Her two lives were quickly blurring into one and she felt as though her heart was rebelling against the change. Could she be both women? Could she be Harry’s godmother and Sirius’s best friend as well as Severus’s lover?

“You’re not the same woman anymore.” He said sadly. Valora looked up at him with tears in her golden eyes and waved a finger at him.

“That right there is the saddest part of this whole charade, Padfoot. This is who I’ve always been, you just never wanted to see it.”

Valora’s betrayal of the entire Order still hung heavy on Sirius's mind. He knew he wouldn’t turn her in, he couldn’t sentence her to death like that, but he couldn’t stand by and watch her run to the enemy every chance she got. It wouldn’t be possible. It would kill him.

Valora closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. It was such a nice sound, to remind her that she wasn’t dreaming, that this was entirely real. Suddenly a different sound filled the silence. Both Valora and Severus sat up sharply, and then the noise came again: a tiny rapping on the door.

Valora ran a finger down the side of his face and took a step back. He was reluctant to let her hand go but when they were eventually apart she winked and flashed him her usual mischievous smile, which he returned with his own smirk. Then she apparated into the night.

“Hey Professor Nox.” He said happily as he lugged in a heavy looking suitcase.

“Call me Valora. What’s all this?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. George squeezed her shoulder.

“This, my dear, is Potterwatch.”

Anything else after that was drowned out by Valora’s scream of utter and complete delight. She ran and threw her arms around Remus who actually spun her a little and she gave a congratulatory kiss on his stubbly cheek. Sirius was joining in the love as well catching his friend in a tight hug.

“Moony, you’re a daddy!” Valora said, tears filling her eyes.

Valora and Severus exchanged glances and Valora squeezed his hand a little tighter. They knew what this meant. The battle they had wanted to avoid was here, and they were stuck on opposite sides. Surprisingly, Valora didn’t feel tears stinging her eyes. Instead an icy resolve was settling in her veins. She knew exactly was she was going to do tonight; defend the people she loved regardless of what side they were on.

Soon it became a vicious dance of death, and Valora knew all the steps. Her eyes were dark, her pupils so large that they left only a thin ring of gold around them, her cheeks were flushed and she was growling and hissing like an animal. Instinct had finally taken over and she was content to lose herself to it.

The scene swirled again and for the first time Harry turned to his godmother and spoke.
“When was this?” He asked quietly.
“Sixth year. We were only sixteen, but we knew…we knew.”

“You think this weak, pathetic woman is the source of my undoing?” He asked pompously. Eyes in the crowd bulged as Valora laughed pleasantly, as though she and Riddle were old friends.

“Of course not, but I sure as hell helped.” Valora said smiling.