A/N:Thanks to the amazing life1428 I've managed to sort this update favourite, follow and review. Now, enjoy the sequel to His Two Paths.

P.S. If you're a new reader, I suggest reading His Two Paths before this otherwise you won't understand anything. Cheers!

xoxo

1. Dreams and Reality

Sirius couldn't decide how he felt. Did he feel different? It had been a few weeks since he made the horcrux and already he felt like there was a cloud over his head. His eyes were darker than their usual grey, his voice gruff and curt. He felt darker, colder and he was scared. He'd never been so scared. Sirius could barely recognise himself when he looked in the mirror, he looked in the mirror a lot now. Willing the man he once saw staring back at him to appear. What had he done?

His eyes met Dumbledore's again and he blushed, looking away quickly. Sirius didn't think he would ever be able to look the man in the eye again. A horcrux...

The very instrument that killed Regulus. The very thing that his brother died to destroy, Sirius went and created one of the same. How was that anything like avenging Regulus? Wasn't that the total opposite of avenging his dear brother?

The Order meeting he was currently sitting in took up the largest room of the underground base. It was packed with new initiates who were once old Aurors; they had finally realised just how crooked the whole Auror segment of the Ministry was. Good on them. There were also a few seventh years who had given up on education all together and fled, seeking refuge with those they knew could protect them. The fearless seventh years wanted to join the war.

Sirius was snapped out of his reverie when he heard James tell him to listen. It happened a lot to him now. He couldn't keep his attention on one thing.

'... now Crouch is dead—' Dumbledore said in his loud, ringing voice.

Yes, Crouch was dead, and so of course rumours were spread about him. But whereas the ones spread about Sirius's death were nasty and complete lies, most of Crouch's rumours were probably true. In the last few years of the man's career, he had become everything he was fighting against. Only he was worse.

The man couldn't tell the difference between a scared teenager and a Death Eater in the making. He had always been gruff with Sirius, if not a little cold and hard. But what did Sirius expect? His surname was enough of an indication as to why he was treated so ruthlessly by people like Crouch. The Blacks where known for their prejudiced and pureblood supremacist ways but they themselves were judged without people ever getting to know them.

Even Moody, now a role model and good friend of Sirius's, had treated him a little coldly when they first met. Sirius was trying to become an Auror as quick as he could and Moody had heard enough about Blacks, one pretty Black in particular ... the older man had watched the boy closely for a few weeks before he realised that really, Sirius was a harmless Black. Or rather, he was harmless to people he liked. To the people on his side. To anyone else the infamous Black insanity came out and he was ruthless.

Anyway, Dumbledore was going on about how Crouch's death was a good thing, no matter how tragic it was that their old friend had died. He hadn't been killed by Lord Voldemort's side, but instead he killed himself which was why there were vicious rumours spreading through the tabloids and on the WWN. Voldemort was furious that he had lost the man who could have been useful.

'... could have used Crouch as an asset, he's a brilliant Auror, a quick thinker, he has a strong mind ... Voldemort would have tried to use these things to his own advantage. Also, I'm unsure as to what ...'

Dumbledore could drone on for a while. But everything he said was important. Everything he said made sense and captured the attention of each and every person in the room. 'We need to kill Voldemort if we're to return the Wizarding World of Britain to normal again. We cannot do this with him still here.'

His piercing blue eyes clashed with Sirius's. They shared a deep and dark look with more than a million thoughts behind it; Sirius ran a hand over his bare stomach, swallowing nervously. It was so hot in the room. Dumbledore spoke to him often about whether Sirius felt any different, if he needed any magical assistance. But he knew what the Headmaster was really asking; are you turning dark? 'Sirius is going to try and do that for us.' Dumbledore said, snapping him once again out of his thoughts.

The handsome man almost groaned. All eyes turned to him. James was sitting beside him, holding baby Harry. On the other side of Sirius sat Rose, with SJ in her arms. He was making quiet fussed noises. Sirius looked down and pressed a quick kiss to his son's nose before looking up at everyone again.

'Maybe this time I might do it right.' He said with a big but fake smile on his face. Only the Marauders could tell it was fake. Sirius was a good actor when he wanted to be one.

Dumbledore smiled blandly. 'Yes, maybe you will. But we mustn't set everything on Sirius. We need to take down—'

'All of Voldemort's wingmen. Bellatrix, Lucius Malfoy, the likes ...' Moody interjected. 'We need to weaken him as much as we can.'

'I ... I want to do it, I agree with you Moody. We need to get rid of the things he values most; his head Death Eaters, his claim to immortality; we need to succeed in getting him as weak as possible if I'm to even try and defeat him but ...'

'Pads,' James said from beside him, questioningly.

'But it's going to be hard, Voldemort's fall is going to require every single one of us, working together ...' Suddenly, a very peculiar memory sprung into his mind.

A memory that kept revisiting him.

xo

It was third year. Spring was ending in Hogwarts; girls were parading around in short skirts, boys with their sleeves rolled up and their shirts unbuttoned to reveal their collarbones. In Sirius's case, he abandoned his shirt all together. But he liked the attention; the girls stared at him lustfully and boys glowered at him enviously. His skin was still deep gold from the Easter holiday he took with his family to the Black Chateau in the South of France. His locks were longer, brushing the skin where his neck met his shoulders. His muscles from Quidditch were prominent. He was rather gorgeous.

But it was night time now, the air was a little chilly but the windows were open regardless, sending a very pleasant draft into the dormitory. Moonlight shone into the room, the waning gibbous sweeping relief through the young men; their friend wouldn't have to transform for another few weeks.

Remus's soft breathing filled the room, as did Peter's tossing and turning but Sirius couldn't hear anything from James's bed. Which meant his friend couldn't sleep like him. He decided to do something he hadn't done for quite a while. He threw the covers off of his body and padded over to James's bed, ripping open the curtains.

'Jamie,' Sirius whispered, and he was greeted with stunning hazel eyes. 'Budge over,' he said. James moved over and Sirius slipped into the warm bed. They weren't as small as they had been back in first and second year but their knees didn't bump awkwardly together. It was almost like they were the perfect size.

'Your feet are freezing,' James commented, shying away from Sirius's bare legs.

The handsome teenager grinned. 'Sorry about that. Next time I'll wear socks.' He said, resting his head on James's pillow. Even though these were school pillows, James's one still managed to have the Potter Manor smell Sirius had come to love. It was a comforting, warm smell that reminded him of what a home should be like. What a home should smell like.

Their torsos were bare and their faces were inches from each other's, but they didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable. They were like brothers. They stared into each other's eyes. It was a curious, almost angry stare. Or at least on Sirius's part. He had another brother to think about...

'D'you really think ... d'you think that he deserves your apology?' James asked, running a hand through his incorrigible black hair. He covered his mouth when he yawned and shivered, for a moment envying his friend; he was so cold and Sirius, save his feet, seemed to radiate heat.

'I don't know.' Sirius answered truthfully. 'I ... I still love him, you know?'

James decided to change the subject whilst Sirius thought about what he should do. 'Did you see Evans and Taten today? They were at it again in DADA. Well, Taten was being the aggressive bint she usually is but I was surprised by Evans. She's feisty she is.'

Sirius stretched in the four poster bed, following James and yawning; damning them and their infectious-ness. 'I think I fancy Emanuelle.' He breathed in response. 'She's so gorgeous...'

'Yeah well she likes Moony. You know she despises you ...'

Sirius shook his head, sighing. 'Even Taten told me. She despises my personality, not the way I look. In fact I caught her ogling me today outside near the lake, for at least half an hour. They were all ogling me, now I come to think about it...'

'Oh,' James replied before laughing quietly, 'because there's so much of a difference. Anyone with eyes would like the sight of you ... even Snivellus. Doesn't mean he don't despise you. And it doesn't mean you aren't the world's greatest prick.' Apparently, mentioning Snape ticked Sirius off, because he didn't respond with something witty.

The long nosed bastard reminded Sirius too much of Regulus. He was also part of the problem. James 'aah'ed and Sirius felt his body sag. Ignoring James, Sirius ripped the duvet from his friend and wrapped it firmly around his body. Maybe it would keep the cold from getting in.

Too late.

Sirius's muscles froze with dread. He shivered and felt James's arm wrap around him. Dismissing the fact that they did indeed have a slightly homoerotic relationship, Sirius hugged his friend back. He started laughing. 'If only my girlfriend could see us ...' he said. 'She'd beat you up James, accuse you of turning her boyfriend into a shirt lifter.'

'She's scary, she is.' He replied in a hushed voice. Serena Yaxley was gorgeous but she was not someone to mess with.

'Jimmy ... what do I do?' Sirius said after a long moment, silence filled only with the sound of their breathing, Remus's tender sighs and Peter's tossing and turning.

'Shall I tell you the honest truth? What I would do?' James questioned him, turning to face the roof of his bed after he released Sirius. They both looked up at the moonlight shining on the roof, coming from the gap between the curtains. The moon calmed them surprisingly. It reminded them of Remus and he was such a calming influence.

Sirius nodded and James sighed. 'I'd talk to him. I'd tell him doing stuff like that to Muggleborns, regardless of whether Avery and Snivellus and all those other bastards egged him on, is unacceptable. I'd make sure he remembers that he can never talk to Muggleborns like that or ... or curse them like he did.'

Sirius closed his eyes. He felt like a failure. How could he have done this to his brother? He let Regulus down. He let himself down. 'What if he gets mad at me?'

'Since when is Sirius afraid of anything?' James asked incredulously, turning around to face Sirius. 'You're fearless you are. Your brother ... he needs this. He needs to know that whether the other Slytherins do it, he can't. Not for as long as you're brothers.'

Sirius frowned before cracking a smile, a true smile, or at least it seemed true to James. He could never tell when his friend was acting, he was a good actor. 'Emanuelle's got such a nice body. She's barely fourteen and already her tits are ... wow ...' Sirius laughed.

James tried hard not to let his body slump. As always, whenever things became too much for the great Sirius Black, he withdrew into the cocoon he wrapped himself in. This time, he was accomplishing it by changing the subject. Well, he thought, if Sirius didn't want to talk about it anymore than James would latch onto the subject offered. 'Still think Evans has got a nicer rack than her. It's a bit more ... I don't know, full? Is that the right word?'

Sirius whistled low under his breath. 'Evans would be alright if she didn't always turn as red as her hair. It puts me off. I bet you wouldn't even be able to kiss her without her turning bright pink.'

James gnawed on his lip. Okay, so he was developing a small crush on Evans. Didn't matter though, did it? She was a prude. He'd get over it soon. 'That's true. Yaxley however ...'

'Oi, don't talk about my bird.' Sirius joked, jabbing James in the stomach where he was ridiculously ticklish. 'She's amazing but ... but I want to get away from everything that surrounds my family. How can I when I'm with her?'

'I know.' James told him, patting his friend's hand in a comforting manner.

'How can I get away from my family when the person I care about most out of everyone, especially everyone in my family, is doing bad things and is saying bad things to "Mudbloods"? That word makes me sick.' Sirius's radiant smile slipped off his face. He started clenching his fists and baring his teeth.

James didn't like Regulus, in fact, he despised the handsome thirteen year old. Because Sirius would always hold Regulus higher than James, would always consider Reg to be more of a brother than him. 'You need to talk to him. You need to defeat him. Not physically but emotionally, well physically too if he doesn't get it through his head. You need ... Sirius you need to make sure he knows what he can and can't do, because he can't go 'round treating little kids like that. Does that make sense?' When Sirius shook his head James leapt into an explanation.

'He doesn't respect you like he used to. Because of your parents ... because he's in Slytherin and he's friends with some of your worst enemies. All I mean is that you need to get his respect again. I don't know ... humiliate him like he humiliated you? Yeah. Show him you're not going to let him do shit like that to harmless kids.'

Regulus with the help of a few other older Slytherins, had cursed and teased a few first year Muggleborns. Sirius had stood up for them and for the first time in Hogwarts history, the two Blacks were at it with one another, like two wolves, fighting for dominance (Moony's simile, not Sirius's). Sirius threw threats and Regulus tossed back insults. It was painful to even listen.

'He did humiliate me, didn't he?' Sirius mused aloud, pondering on the events of earlier today. Regulus had been particularly spiteful with his words. Many people watched and listened curiously, many laughed whereas others frowned during the whole affair. It was horrid. Until James split it up, but not before throwing a new horrid words back to Regulus. They hated each other. Wands would have been drawn if the Head Boy hadn't come over.

James really didn't like the boy. 'He did. You gotta somehow ... somehow get it through his head. He can't talk to you like that. He can't do the stuff he was doing. Those poor first years ...' James said quietly, ignoring the sound of a dazed Peter getting up to take a leak.

'If I ever see him do it again, I'll ... you know ...'

James nodded. 'Beat him up? Wow, we sound like gang members. But you do know it's the only way, right?' He asked.

Sirius ran a hand over his face. 'I don't want to hurt him ... I ... – I don't think I'll be able to do it. I know I have to but ... but how does that set me apart from all the people I hate?'

'What d'you mean Sirius? James asked.

'If I ... If I hurt him so he believes what I believe than I'm no different than all those dark wizards killing people for disagreeing with them. I'm no different than my parents.'

And for that, James had no answer. 'Just talk to him Sirius.' He said, yawning for the millionth time. He was tired now. After the series of unfortunate events that played out today, he realised he didn't have any energy. He wanted to sleep.

'We'll see.' Sirius replied. 'Can I stay here for a bit? Your bed is so much comfier.'

James laughed. 'Shirt lifter.' He hissed with a fond smile on his face. 'Okay, okay. But no spooning and don't be here I wake up. I know how you get ... aroused in the morning and I'm really not in the mood to be touched up whilst I'm sleeping.' They laughed together. After arranging the duvet around both of them, James yawned again and turned over so his back was facing his friend, putting a lot of space between them.

'Thanks bro.' Sirius said in a quiet, almost shy voice. He would never know how much the casual use of the word "bro" thrilled James. But he knew how much it made him happy. Sirius decided he wanted four brothers, not one. And maybe ... just maybe he would always have four brothers, not the three he knew he'd be left with if he did indeed ever raise a hand to Regulus.

xo

Sirius woke up, throwing the covers off of himself. He looked around, running a hand through his hair and yawning. It had seemed so real. For a moment he really thought he was fourteen again, sleeping in James's four-poster after a particularly nasty argument with Regulus.

But Sirius wasn't fourteen, he was twenty two. And he wasn't in the Marauders' Hogwarts dormitory; instead he was in Wales in an underground base with a bunch of Aurors and the whole Order. It was however, like in the dream, the middle of summer and he was swelteringly hot.

Sirius looked down at his girlfriend sleeping on the bed with him. Could he even call her a girlfriend? What they had was so delicate and so tender, sliced open with the wounds of past mistakes and problems. Rose had been pregnant when Sirius became the Potters secret keeper. She gave birth on the twenty fourth of November, almost a month after Sirius became secret keeper. That day was in fact the same day Sirius had been caught by over a dozen Death Eaters.

Sirius shivered when he wondered what would have happened if he wasn't visited from a future version of himself. It had happened a few days before the Potters were going to cast the Fidelius Charm. Sirius was going to suggest Peter. On a trip to Diagon Alley, he was approached by an older, sadder Sirius. A version from only a week and a half in the future.

The future Sirius had warned him not to suggest using Peter. Instead, he suggested being the secret keeper himself. And so history and its course had changed. Sirius became secret keeper and vowed for as long as he lived to protect the Potters, to protect his brother and his godson and the woman who had become a sister to him. The family he had always longed for.

Being kept in the Malfoy Manor attic for months, Sirius slowly started to turn mad. He had felt it. Bubbling in his bones. He started to have hallucinations. Many of the Dark Lord's Death Eaters did things to Sirius, such cruel evil things it hurt for him to even think of it.

Then Bellatrix and Lord Voldemort did something so unimaginably evil, Sirius winced just thinking about it – they gave him a mark, the Dark Mark. But it was a special Dark Mark. In order to successfully build a connection with your mind and your mark, you needed to accept the tattoo carved into your skin. But Sirius hadn't accepted it. Instead, he willed it away.

Thus, Sirius created a different sort of connection. One the Dark Lord was not familiar with. Sirius's mark wasn't black. It was white. And it allowed him to see into Voldemort's mind, just like Voldemort could see into his.

After being broken out by James, Remus and surprisingly, Peter, Sirius was taken to Godric's Hollow, where the Fidelius was still in tact. It was there that he saw his son, a few months old, for the first time. His son was called Sirius James; Rose said the boy was named after the only men she had ever fallen in love with.

Sirius remembered the feeling of being lost, confused and pained. He hadn't seen Rose for a year, then when he came to Godric's Hollow to see his ex-girlfriend (she had broken up with him when she was a few weeks pregnant and had then disappeared to Australia for eight months) she had a baby. A baby who looked exactly like him.

Sirius still marvelled at how his son looked so much like him and nothing like his Mother save the lips; save those scarlet, full lips. Then the inevitable happened, they read the letters Dumbledore had left them (the old Headmaster had been captured and imprisoned by Voldemort) telling them they had a job to do. Inside the letter was a vial, a vial containing the memories of a certain house elf.

Sirius had watched the memories, and with the memories came the truth; Regulus had not died at the hands of a Death Eater, but instead he died to bring down Lord Voldemort. And he had only been nineteen. If Sirius had to name his biggest regret, it would be leaving his brother, abandoning him for the Marauders. Sirius regretted never getting to appreciate the brave, strong man Regulus turned into.

The memories also told Sirius about a task he needed to do if he ever wished to defeat Voldemort; he needed to destroy the man's horcruxes. The locket was already gone. They knew that they had another horcrux to destroy, but they weren't sure which one. Then there was the fact that Voldemort had been, before he "killed" Sirius, turning the Ravenclaw diadem into a horcrux.

Yes, Voldemort had killed Sirius. Or so he thought. But Sirius wasn't dead, and he was grateful for the fact that he got to stay alive. Thanks to the Angel of Death. Thanks to God. But Voldemort didn't know that Sirius was alive. He, like the rest of Britain, thought the handsome young man was dead.

A lot had happened in the last year: Sirius had died, Sirius had killed Voldemort, Sirius came back to life but so did the Dark Lord. He had a son he only learnt about in January, he was given the task of killing Voldemort, he had replaced his godson as the Chosen One.

Maybe it was just destiny. Maybe this was the final task of defeating the darkness within Sirius; to kill the epitome of evil.

Whilst he thought hard about all that had transpired in the last year or so, he sunk further and further into a dream. But it wasn't like the dream memory he'd just had of Hogwarts back in third year. This was insight ... insight inside the Dark Lord's mind.

x

The room was large. Everyone was seated around the enormous oak table sitting in the centre of the dining room. At the front was Lord Voldemort, with his newly deformed face; a flat nose, eyes like rubies and skin a pale grey.

He radiated power and wealth. He pulled back his chair and everyone stood up, a few graceful and others hurriedly, scared to annoy him. They waited until their Dark Lord sat down before they took their seats again.

'My Lord,' the Death Eaters uttered in low, hushed voices. They quietened down when Lord Voldemort raised a grey and aged hand to silence them.

'My friends,' he said, smiling. He was happier than he had ever been in his entire life. He killed Sirius Black; he managed to kill SIRIUS BLACK! Now, the only thing left was Harry Potter. That should be easy, Voldemort thought. If he could kill Sirius Black, surely he could get past James and Lily Potter. The only thing or rather, the only person getting in the way was Dumbledore.

But Dumbledore could be sorted out. If Voldemort could defeat him once, surely a second time would be just as easy?

'The Order ... is dead.' Voldemort breathed. Then he split into a wide smile whilst the Death Eaters sitting around him burst into applause and cheers. 'They have been inactive for over a month. Severus has informed me that the teachers of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have been submissive, ever since the riots on the night of Sirius Black's escape from Malfoy Manor.'

There were more laughs and claps. Severus was nodding and smiling at the Dark Lord. 'The teachers have succumbed to the new punishments you had me bring in my Lord. Even McGonagall, a good friend and follower of Dumbledore, does everything I ask.'

'She's still rude to me,' Barty Crouch muttered under his breath. Opposite him sat Bellatrix, and they looked at one another with such admiration (and love on Barty's part) that the young man ducked his head, grinning to himself. He ignored the fact that she was married and eight years older. He was in love.

'It seems for now, Dumbledore is planning.' Voldemort continued. 'His two paths have now become one; they have become a dark path which has only one ending. Whilst the Order is dormant, we shall expand our power. Seize Ireland; spread the Blood Purification Test to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland first. If we have power throughout Britain, then it will make the task of regaining the country that much harder! After we gain full and total control of Britain, we can start on bigger things.'

'My Lord?' no one knew exactly who said those two words, but they were all questioning what he meant by 'bigger things'.

'Well, you don't just think I'll take over Britain and leave it at that?' but at the blank expressions Voldemort was answered with, he started laughing. 'Oh no. There are bigger and better places to gain control over. If Grindelwald can take over almost half of Europe, why can't I?'

Everyone shivered, even Bellatrix and Barty and all the others who agreed wholeheartedly with what Lord Voldemort did. Perhaps it was Severus who shivered hardest. He needed to get word back to Dumbledore; he needed the man to know just what Voldemort's plans were.

The applause started from Severus, and spread throughout the room. There were about thirty of them here, thirty of Voldemort's most precious and most trustworthy Death Eaters. But there were hundreds more. Yes, hundreds. Those who were converting to the Dark Lord, to the Dark Side.

'Did you know in Morocco,' Voldemort started, 'Muggles are treated like royalty by wizards and witches? But werewolves are ostracised by society. They choose Muggles over fellow witch and wizard werewolves. I guess Morocco feel as if they are so open minded, hmm?'

Everyone started laughing. Greyback however clenched his teeth and spat dramatically on the floor. 'Muggles over werewolves? Makes me sick!' but he stopped shouting when the Dark Lord held up his hand patiently.

'I know, Fenrir. And I agree. This is why we need to gain control of other countries too; so we can teach them and show them the right way of life.' There were more claps and the Dark Lord looked around, satisfied and smiling brightly. His smile was frightening. There wasn't a trace left of the handsome man that had once been.

'Onto other news, I have heard from our favourite healer, Madison. You all remember Madison, am I right?' Voldemort asked. There were a few shakes of heads and others nodding passionately. Madison was a faithful Death Eater. She helped the Dark Lord a lot and usually provided him and others with whatever they needed.

'From the Azkaban Fortress, she has collected thirty strong and durable Mudbloods. Madison, with a few of Fenrir's werewolves, and a few of our own Death Eaters, has set up five labs. She brought me good news this morning.'

'What good news, my Lord?' Dolohov asked after a moment.

The Dark Lord smiled after a moment. 'They have already started testing.'

'Testing what?'

'Testing to see whether magic can be extracted from Mudbloods and transferred into someone else. Transferred into me.'

There was silence. Severus didn't know what to say. None of the other Death Eaters knew what to say. They were too scared. In fact, scared was an understatement. They were trembling; Severus was trembling.

As for Lord Voldemort, he ignored the scared Death Eaters, and instead smiled. Things were going well; Black was dead, the Order were dormant and Madison had started testing. The Dark Lord imagined all she could uncover in a month, six months, a year! He was happy.

All was going well, if only it would all stay well.

o

For a second time that night, Sirius jolted awake. Rose started stirring, but he was out of the bed before she woke up. She cuddled up closer to the warmth Sirius's body left behind and sunk deeper into her slumber.

He was still trembling. How could he ... how could he do that? Sirius wanted to cry. Those poor Muggleborns. If they did indeed have their power stripped from them ... the pain they would go through. The agony was enough to kill them. But of course the Dark Lord wouldn't care. What were a few dozen disgusting Mudbloods to him?

Sirius peaked into the small cot his son lay in. He was sure SJ would grow up looking exactly like him. Maybe even better. He certainly inherited Sirius's favourite feature of Rose's face; her lips. Those lips were good. In fact ... good was an understatement. They were incredible. At just about anything.

He reached out and touched the skin of his son's cheek. 'I love you,' Sirius sung under his voice. He started singing to his son, willing the dream he just dreamt to leave his mind. But it was too vivid. Sirius couldn't just let it remain in his mind. He had to let it out. It hurt. It hurt just thinking about Lord Voldemort, about what he could do and what he was going to do.

Sirius picked up his son, almost as though he was using him as a sort of talisman, shielding away the invading pain. It worked. 'I love you. No one ...' Sirius couldn't help himself; he kissed his son's cheek, silky soft, 'no one loves you like I do. When you grow up you're going to be so gorgeous. You already are ...'

Sirius closed the door behind him, turning quickly to check his son's Mother was still asleep. She was. The tunnels were long and winding, and there had to be dozens of rooms and chambers here in the old Auror training camp, now their underground base. But Sirius knew the way to James and Lily's room. When he got there, he put his ear to the door, checking they weren't busy.

When he was greeted with snores only, Sirius opened the door as quietly as he could. Lily had the covers wrapped firmly around her naked body, and she was tucked into James's side. Thanking the heavens that his friend was a light sleeper, Sirius hissed repeatedly under his breath 'Prongs!' and soon woke the man up. James looked up and sighed, rolling his eyes. 'One sec,' he mouthed, manoeuvring around under the sheets awkwardly. Soon, he tugged up his underwear and a pair of trousers, standing up. He ran a hand over his bare chest and nodded for Sirius to leave first.

When the door was closed behind them, Sirius grinned widely at him. 'At least you're getting some. I got off from watching Remus bend over.' He pretended to gag but laughed softly. 'It's not that Rose isn't putting out ... believe me, she's tried. But if I have sex with her ... isn't that like forgiving everything she's done?'

'What d'you mean?' asked James, nodding to one of the Aurors walking past.

'I feel like I haven't made her sweat enough—'

'I think you have,' James said, following his friend and touching the nose of his nephew gently. 'You almost killed her, you shouted at her and humiliated her in front of us repeatedly, and you hacked all her hair off. I think that's more than enough.' They opened the door to one of the many lounges and grinned when they saw it was empty.

They sat together in the corner, where it was coolest and the candlelight was dim. 'I ... what if I ... you know ... can't?' Sirius blushed furiously, looking anywhere but James's face.

James scoffed. 'You can't seriously be doubting your abilities now, can you?'

Sirius frowned. 'James, I haven't had sex since October! What if—'

'She'll understand. Anyone would understand. You've got nothing to be embarrassed about Padfoot. I'm not just saying that. Now, don't tell me you woke me up because you're horny? Otherwise I'll hit you.'

Sirius laughed, burying his face in his son's neck and kissing his skin hungrily. He had that smell ... the same smell Harry had when he was SJ's age, the same smell young Harry still slightly had. It was a captivating, gorgeous smell. One Sirius could never get enough of. He kissed the top of his son's head again and smiled to himself.

'— earth to Sirius, you fucking prat! I'm going to sleep. What did you wake me up for?'

'I had another sort of ... I could see inside him. What he was talking about. It wasn't a memory, it was definitely happening at the time of the dream.'

'Fuck,' James gasped, 'what ... w-what happened?'

'He had about twenty or thirty of his favourite Death Eaters. He was thinking about how happy he was that he managed to kill me. Then he started talking about us, about the Order and how we're inactive. How he has beaten us. How he wants to take over the whole of Britain. But when he accomplishes that, he's going to try what Grindelwald tried. Prongs ... he's going to try and take over the whole of Europe, and if he can, more.'

James was shaking his head, holding the hand of his nephew tight in his own larger one. 'Sirius ... Sirius ...' his hazel eyes were wide. 'If he does? If he manages ...'

For as long as Sirius lived, which thanks to the horcrux no one but Dumbledore knew about, would be a long time, he would try and bring down Voldemort. He had knowledge the other man knew nothing about. He would hunt and hunt until he had nothing left in him. And even then he would carry on.

For a thousand years if he had to!

'"If he manages" means nothing Prongs. It's so much bigger than that. The question is "if he manages, will we still fight?"'

James swallowed like there was something stuck in his throat. He licked his lips. 'Of course.' His hand, almost subconsciously went to touch his pocket. The pocket he always kept the Time Turner in. The Time Turner. The very instrument that could fix everything. The very instrument that could change everything. Maybe with this they could win?

But with this they would definitely die. It was so confusing; it hurt to even think about the Time Turner. So many questions, so many answers and not enough time. 'What if we had a Time Turner?'

Holed up in the coolest, darkest corner of the lounge, sharing a loveseat, James was intelligent enough to feel the atmosphere; feel the tension radiating from his friend's body. His own body sagged. Sirius's stoic manner was enough of an answer; all James's suspicions were true. His friend had been using the Time Turner.

'Where would we get one from?' it wasn't much of a surprise to James when Sirius asked the question with perfect composure; his friend was an incredible actor, especially when he wanted to be.

'The Ministry? I don't know. All I know is a Time Turner could do us some good. Maybe with a Time Turner, we could finally beat Lord Voldemort.' James's voice shook. He hoped Sirius didn't notice. He didn't want Sirius to get suspicious. Suspicious about whether he himself knew about the Time Turner or not. Because that would ruin everything, like the plans James was making.

'They're illegal to use mate. You would be fined more money than either of us rich boys own. You would be locked in Azkaban for your whole life. You do know that, right?' Sirius turned to face him properly, the first time this whole conversation.

'Of course I know that.' James answered. Do you know that?

'Look,' he continued, 'we'll tell Dumbledore everything you saw tomorrow. It would be better. I think the werewolves are coming back tomorrow. With the knowledge they give us and the knowledge you give Dumbledore, he'll know what to do.'

Sirius swallowed and nodded, nudging his friend and smiling. 'Right.' He said. 'Okay.'

'Ooh,' James whispered, leaning closer to take a look at SJ. 'Sirius James is awake.' He said when the boy's gorgeous wide grey eyes opened. Then they both smelt something. And it wasn't a nice smell.

'James, please—'

'He's made from your sperm, why don't you do it—?'

'Rock, paper, scissors!' Sirius shouted, sticking out his fist and clashing it with James's.

'Fuck off!' James cried with a chuckle.

'Gonna turn down a challenge, Jamie? Never pegged you for a loser —'

'You're on then, pretty boy.' James grinned, throwing his head back and laughing. He could never turn down a challenge. And Sirius knew that.

'One,'

'Two,'

'Three!'

'Dammit Padfoot!' James cried, glaring at Sirius's rock and his scissors. 'You're such an arse. Give that little fucker here, then.'

A/N: I tried to lighten the mood with a fun ending whilst easing you all back into the story, it took five rewrites to ease myself back into this! Remember to follow, favourite and review.

Also, don't continue reading this if you haven't read HIS TWO PATHS, seeing as this story is a sequel. So check out the first installment on my profile :)

Cheers guys!