A/N - This is the prize for sarahmichellegellarfan1 for being the 50th reviewer for Resolution. She asked for a scene with Sirius and Catherine looking to the future after the war. She also asked about Buckbeak and Sirius' motorbike in her last review and I managed to sneak those two in as well. This is all fluff and mostly dialogue and takes place during Chapter 2 of Resolution when Sirius and Catherine go to the spa. I hope you like it! :)
Hopes and Dreams
Sirius and Catherine walked hand in hand through the gardens. The stone paths meandered through flowerbeds bursting with color, past fountains and benches, small groves of trees and even a trickling stream. There was a fairy garden and a butterfly garden, a magical herb garden and a honeybee garden. The grounds were the most gorgeous thing Catherine had ever seen.
After they crossed the bridge over the stream, Sirius led Catherine to a porch swing hung between two large apple trees which were heavy with fruit. There was a fountain a few feet away that gurgled and burbled as the water flowed from one section to another. The two sat down and Sirius put his arm around Catherine's shoulder, pushing the swing lightly with his foot.
"It's so beautiful here," she said. "So peaceful." He kissed her temple.
"I'm glad you're enjoying it," he said. She sighed in contentment and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Have you spoken to Hagrid lately?" she asked.
"Yes, just last week, as a matter of fact," Sirius replied.
"How is Buckbeak doing?" she said. They had moved the Hippogriff back to the Forbidden Forest right before the wedding.
"Witherwings is doing very well," Sirius replied with a smirk. "He's quite happy to be back with his old herd. Oh and guess what else?"
"What?" Catherine returned.
"Hagrid still has my motorbike," Sirius said with a grin. Catherine groaned.
"That death trap?" she asked.
"It is not a death trap," Sirius protested. "You've been on it."
"Yes, once," she said. "And if you recall I refused to go up on it ever again."
"Hm, what I recall is you letting me have my way with you on said motorbike once we'd landed," Sirius replied, nipping at her ear.
"Only because I was so terrified from the ride I obviously wasn't thinking clearly," she retorted.
"Oh, you were far from protesting, love," Sirius said waggling his eyebrows. Catherine rolled her eyes and smacked his chest, but her lips twitched into a smile all the same.
"Anyway, I was thinking maybe I'd pick it up from him and store it at the house," he said.
"Don't you dare," Catherine warned.
"Why not?" he asked innocently.
"Because the minute the boys get a look at that thing they're going to want you to take them for a ride on it and I will not have my sons flying on that contraption," she replied. "The girls either," she put in quickly before he could suggest it.
"Oh come on, it's safer than their brooms," he said with a laugh.
"It is not," she insisted with a shiver. She really, really didn't like to fly. Sirius chuckled and pulled her back into his side. They sat in companionable silence for quite some time.
"What are you thinking about?" Catherine finally asked.
"Hm, the future I suppose," he replied.
"Oh?" Catherine said. "And what about the future?" Sirius began to draw lazy circles on her upper arm with his fingertips.
"Oh you know," he said lightly. "After the war is over what we'll do and where we'll go. What the kids will want to do when they finish school. What this little one will be like." He brought his free hand to Catherine's belly. She covered it with her own and smiled.
"I had a thought the other day," he said.
"Should I be worried?" Catherine quipped. Sirius chuckled.
"No, not this time," he said. "It was about the baby's name. Well her middle name at any rate." Catherine turned to give him a quizzical look. "I haven't decided about her first name yet." She nodded. "But I know that Ellie has your name as her middle and Miranda has Jane's and technically Ellie has her other grandmother's name as her first name."
"Don't remind me," Catherine scowled. Sirius squeezed her hand.
"And Rory has his granddad's name as his middle as well, so I was thinking that maybe we should continue that tradition with this one." Catherine's brow furrowed.
"But I've already used my mother's name and mine," she said. "And as much as I love that idea, I'm not giving my daughter Edward as her middle name." Sirius chuckled.
"I meant her other grandmother," he said.
"Her other grandmother?" Catherine repeated in confusion. Then her eyes widened. "Sirius, I," she broke off worrying her lip between her teeth. "Sweetheart I love you, but are you really suggesting we give our daughter the middle name Walburga?"
"Merlin no!" Sirius exclaimed. "Where would you get that idea?"
"You did say her other grandmother," Catherine reminded him, completely confused now.
"Oh right," he said. "No love, I didn't mean my actual mother. I meant, well," he trailed off looking embarrassed.
"Oh, you meant Mrs. Potter," Catherine said realization dawning. Sirius nodded sheepishly. Catherine put her hands to his cheeks and forced him to look at her. "I think that's a lovely idea." He hugged her tightly to him.
"I always considered her my mother," he said. "More than my own at any rate. She would have been a wonderful grandmother." Catherine hugged him back and kissed his cheek. She pulled back from him with a smile.
"So Rosalind then," she said.
"Or Rose," he said. "Mr. Potter used to call her Rose."
"Well it will depend on what we pick for her first name I suppose, but either one is fine with me," Catherine said, giving him a quick kiss.
"Thank you," he said. She settled back into his side and picked up his hand, idly playing with his wedding ring.
"So, tell me what you see our kids doing when they're all grown up," Catherine said. Sirius placed a kiss on top of her head.
"Well, Harry is going to be an Auror," Sirius said. "Although that's a bit of a cheat because he already told me he was." Catherine chuckled. "But he'll marry Ginny Weasley and they'll have a bunch of red-haired, green-eyed babies."
"You're pretty sure about that are you?" Catherine asked wryly.
"It's inevitable," Sirius said.
"How so?" Catherine asked.
"Potter men always marry redheads," he replied.
"Mrs. Potter wasn't a redhead," Catherine pointed out.
"Fine, it was only James," Sirius admitted. "But Harry will follow along, I'm sure of it."
"All right," she said in amusement. "Moving on."
"Rory will probably play professional Quidditch and Miranda will definitely be a mum," Sirius continued. "Healer too, if she decides to work outside the house as well." Catherine smiled. She'd had the same thoughts about her two youngest children.
"What about Ellie?" Catherine asked.
"Well, that one's a bit more of a puzzle," Sirius said. "But definitely something more academic. Not teaching I don't think, but maybe research of some kind. Inventing new spells or potions, finding cures for magical diseases. An Unspeakable maybe?"
"She loves Arithmancy," Catherine put in.
"Ah, there you go," he said. "She'll be the next great Arithmancer, predicting the future so well we won't even need to bother worrying about anything." Catherine chuckled.
"And you and I?" she asked.
"Well, obviously we'll need to follow through on that Quidditch team idea I had," he said, rubbing her belly. She rolled her eyes. "Maybe a little boy next time and then after that I don't mind either way."
"You are going to be the death of me Sirius Black," Catherine said. "You want me to do this twice more?"
"Well, it could be twins next time," he contemplated. "Then you'd only have to do it once more." She punched him in the arm. "Ow!" But he laughed.
"All right then," he said. "What do you see us doing?"
"Hm, I want to travel," she said.
"Travel where?" he asked slipping his arms around her waist so her back leaned against his side.
"Anywhere really," she said. "Besides a trip I took to Italy with Daniel's family, coming to Brazil to find you and our honeymoon to Paris, I really haven't been anywhere. My dad didn't like to fly so we never left the UK for holidays. Daniel was always too busy with work and after he left the money just wasn't there. I'd like to take the children somewhere." Sirius kissed the top of her head.
"We will love," he said. "I promise."
"I'd love to go to the States," she said. "My mum has a cousin there that I've never met, but she's always told us we were welcome anytime. Spain to visit Elena and Sean and despite the company, Italy was beautiful. I loved Venice."
"Well then, first order of business once the war is over is to plan a grand holiday," Sirius said. "Maybe we should just do a full tour of Europe." Catherine laughed.
"That would take months," she said. Sirius shrugged.
"So," he said. "It's not as if we can't afford it." She shook her head.
"Well see," she said. "Your turn now. What else for you and me besides me becoming your personal baby factory?"
"You wound me woman," Sirius said in mock hurt. She just laughed. "All right well, you'll get your Healing certificate and work at St. Mungo's until Poppy retires and then you'll become the Hogwarts matron."
"Oh really?" she said.
"Of course," he said. "You're the happiest on Wednesdays when you come home from working there."
"That's true," she admitted.
"That way you can keep an eye on the younger half of our Quidditch team while they're at school," he continued. Catherine rolled her eyes.
"And what about you Mr. Black?" she teased. "Planning on becoming Head Auror and then taking over the DMLE? Oh, maybe Minister of Magic!"
"Merlin's pants no!" he exclaimed.
"Scrimgeour did it," she said with a shrug.
"I am nothing like Scrimgeour," Sirius said with a sniff.
"That's for sure," Catherine said with a giggle.
"Anyway," Sirius said. "Maybe Head Auror, but I don't want anything to do with all that bureaucratic nonsense."
"Well, if you're not going to make me the next First Lady of Magic, then I think you should come to Hogwarts with me and teach."
"Teach?" he repeated in surprise. "Teach what?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Astronomy," Catherine ticked off on her fingers. "The possibilities are endless."
"Defense is Remus' job," Sirius said. "Albus will lure him back once the war's over, trust me. And Minnie teaches Transfiguration." Catherine nearly choked.
"Does she know you call her Minnie?" she said laughing. Sirius grinned cheekily.
"Of course she does," he said.
"Really?" Catherine said raising a brow. "And how many times have you called her that to her face?" Sirius' grin faded and he mumbled something. "Sorry didn't catch that."
"Twice," he said.
"And what happened?" Catherine asked, biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud.
"She warned me never to call her that again," he said.
"And the second time?" Catherine prodded. Sirius huffed.
"She turned me into a mouse and then chased me around in her cat form," he finally said. Catherine let go a peal of laughter and Sirius glowered at her.
"It's not funny," he insisted. "I was terrified. I mean I knew it was her, but she kept pouncing on me and catching me by the tail. The mouse instincts sort of took over." Catherine laughed until her sides hurt. She could just picture the stern professor, who, she'd discovered, had a rather wicked sense of humor, chasing a terrified Sirius around the room. Sirius was pouting when Catherine finally got control of herself.
"I'm sorry," she said, still trying to catch her breath. "But the image of that is just," she shook her head and started laughing again. Sirius scowled for a moment before the corners of his mouth started to twitch and soon he was grinning widely at his wife.
"I'm sorry," she said again when she had once again recovered.
"Don't be," he said. "Your reaction was worth it." She smiled and he leaned over and kissed her, bringing one hand to the back of her neck and the other to her hip and pulling her closer to him. He deepened the kiss and Catherine moaned into his mouth, her hands sliding up his back to tangle in his hair. When he finally released her, they were both breathing heavily. Sirius pulled her back into his side, her head once again resting on his shoulder.
"So," he said. "Professor Black, eh?" She smiled.
"It does have a nice ring to it, don't you think?" she asked.
"Mm," he hummed in agreement.
"I really don't much care what we do as long as we're together and everyone makes it though this war," she said. Sirius tightened his arm around her and they both sat in silence for a bit, realizing that was quite a tall order, not to mention a rather unrealistic one. Catherine's stomach chose that moment to make its presence known. Sirius chuckled.
"Hungry love?" he asked.
"Apparently, someone is," she replied. He stood from the swing and held a hand out to her to help her up.
"Let's get you some lunch," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. She copied his actions and the two of them walked back toward the restaurant, putting the stress in the in their outside lives on hold for just a bit longer.