The lights of the toy store continued to glow warmly even as the rest of the street went grey, both at Diagon Alley and the new Hogsmeade location. Nearly every toy now boasted defensive spells or concealment charms.
When the Ministry fell, some even left the store holding toys spelled with a backroom portkey charm, unregistered with the Ministry.
Sirius paced in the workshop. "Harry should be here by now." He hadn't been able to get to Harry in the chaos of the disastrous wedding, but he had seen him disapparate with his friends. "Even if they did a few jumps to throw off pursuit - "
"He might not be coming," Remus said quietly from where he sat slumped against the table.
"This is the rendezvous," Sirius insisted, refusing to consider any other possibilities.
Tonks, still going by the name despite her marriage, frowned at Remus. "Harry's tough," she said. "I'm sure he can get through whatever trouble he's in."
"He can," Remus agreed. "He just might not come here when he does."
Sirius stilled. "He told you something?"
"He didn't have to. We've both known all summer that he was planning something, and we both know how reluctant he's been to involve us since the Department of Mysteries."
"I was fine," Sirius growled.
"You nearly weren't. And if you hadn't been, Harry would never have forgiven himself."
"Protecting us isn't his job!"
Remus smiled wearily. "I don't disagree with you. I'm just saying - "
Glass shattered in the front room. All three whipped out their wands.
"Showtime," Sirius whispered grimly.
The eyes of the half-completed toys glowed in response.
Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder exploded from the vents. If there was a crack of disapparation a room over, none of the Death Eaters noticed.
The only light in the darkness was row upon row of suddenly glowing eyes.
" . . . and here on Potterwatch, we're proud to have two new guests here to comment on events in Diagon Alley!"
"Silver? Really? Si-Snuffles came up with that, I assume. Regardless, I am happy to report that the shop remains intact despite three successive attacks, thanks to our defensive system."
"Your terrifying defensive system. I don't think I'll ever look at a teddy bear the same way again."
"Our product descriptions do promise to fight the monsters under the bed," a new voice said.
"And at the door, apparently. Anything else to add, Snuffles?"
"Just one thing. Harry, if you're listening to this, I emknow/em you've got the mirror, and I emknow/em you're ignoring it. emCall me/em. Or I'll let our newest partners test out their latest products in your room."
The Black family home was nigh impregnable, so that was where they rested between missions. Years of work had at last made it inhabitable, although nothing could make Kreacher's cooking more appealing.
Which was why Sirius was in the kitchen frying eggs while Remus set the table when Tonks walked in, uncharacteristically uncertain, and said, "I'm pregnant."
Remus dropped the plate he was holding.
Sirius let out a whoop. "New product tester!"
"Sirius, no," Remus tried to say.
Sirius was too busy beaming to care. "Sirius, yes."
" . . . and we can get Kreacher to dig up the old nursery things - " Sirius paused. "Where is Kreacher?"
"Last time we had to ask that question, it ended badly," Remus said. "Tonks?"
She shook her head. "I haven't seen him either."
Sirius grabbed his wand. "KREACHER!"
Kreacher appeared with a crack.
"Where have you been?" Sirius demanded.
"Master told us to obey the little brat, so Kreacher does, but is Master happy? No, never - "
Sirius blinked. "Harry summoned you? Why?"
Kreacher just kept muttering darkly.
"Kreacher," Sirius warned.
"The brat wanted Master Regulus's locket," Kreacher said reluctantly. "He said he would destroy it, but did he do it? Kreacher doesn't know, Kreacher didn't see, Kreacher was called away by Master - "
"But why?" Tonks asked.
"Answer that," Sirius ordered.
"The brat spoke of horcruxes," Kreacher said. "Four still to find to destroy the Dark Lord. He said this was Master Regulus's mission, and Kreacher wonders if he speaks right - "
"Reggie tried to destroy old snakeface?" Sirius asked incredulously.
He got cold feet and tried to back out . . .
"Kreacher, bring me to Harry. Now."
Harry was in the middle of a tent with Ron and Hermione, arguing what to do over the locket. All three fell silent when they saw Sirius. Harry gulped.
"Hello, Harry," Sirius said with deceptive calm.
Harry's face had gone pale but determined. "Hi, Sirius."
"Kreacher brought some interesting news. I thought maybe you could fill in the rest."
Harry set his jaw. He looked painfully like James on a stubborn streak. "Dumbledore said - "
"I don't give a flying Knut," Sirius interrupted. "Particularly if it involved not telling any other adults what was going on."
"He could probably help, mate," Ron said after a moment of considering silence.
"Kreacher can tell him most of it anyway," Hermione pointed out. "Hello again, Kreacher."
"Filthy little - "
"That's enough, Kreacher," Sirius said pleasantly. "Ready whenever you are, Harry."
Harry gave in.
Three Horcruxes and uncounted Order missions to rescue muggleborns and attack Death Eaters later, the Battle of Hogwarts began.
Wormtail was finally dead. Sirius's satisfaction with this state of affairs was greatly muted by the fact that they'd lost Fred too.
He'd been even younger than James.
This breather in the battle was giving him far too much time to think.
"I had him," Tonks snapped in a shaking voice. "I had him, why would you - "
"There was another one coming in behind you," Remus said. His voice was strained with pain. Sirius wished Madam Pomfrey would hurry up.
"If you lose the eye, I'm calling you Mad-Eye Moony," he warned, striving for lightness. He was still scanning the doorway.
Ron and Hermione were coming in.
Harry wasn't with them.
He took off running. "Where is he?" he shouted. Several heads turned, but he ignored them. He was only focused on two.
Ron's gaze was locked on his brother's body. It was Hermione who answered.
"He went to put Snape's memories in the Penseive. He promised not to do anything stupid - "
Sirius was already gone.
He was too late to do anything but watch for himself and hope for a clue. He emerged cursing Snape, cursing Dumbledore, and cursing his own stupidity.
So that was why Dumbledore hadn't wanted him to know. Couldn't have Sirius trying to stop his precious human sacrifice -
Harry had the cloak. The Map. There was no chance of Sirius finding him if he didn't want to be found. Even his dog form would have little luck in the chaotic scents of the castle.
Sirius pushed himself to his feet and ran, stumbling, out the door. "Harry? Harry! HARRY!"
McGonagall caught him just outside the Great Hall. "Mr. Black, what on earth are you doing?"
Sirius looked at her with wild eyes. "Harry's gone. I have to go after him. I have to - " He stumbled again, and he at last realized that not all the blood on his robes was from Remus.
Some was his own.
That was the last thing he realized for a while.
He woke up in time to stand with the others. To see - to see -
But Harry lived, and Voldemort fell, and Sirius got to cut old Tom's face open before he kicked it. That was something.
"I am not going to let you out of my sight for the next ten years," Sirius told him after the battle before pulling him into a bonecrushing hug. "You took ten years off my life, kid."
"Sorry," Harry said into his robes.
"You don't sound very sorry," he grumbled, but Remus had pulled through, minus one eye, and Tonks was fine, and Harry was here, so maybe it would be alright.
The Marauders reopening saw twin weasels standing proud where once a rat had crouched. One was fiery red. The other was ghostly white.
A younger stag stood beside James's. A lightning bolt marked its head. In similar fashion, a wolf pup had joined Remus's wolf.
A wolf that now had a skull and crossbones eyepatch.
"Really, Sirius?" Remus sighed, but his lips were twitching.
"I like it," Harry said. "What do you think, George?"
"I'm still getting over the novelty of not being blamed for once."
Sirius ignored all of them. "Ready?"
"Ready," the others confirmed and raised their wands.
"We solemnly swear that we're up to no good!"
The lights flickered on. The door swung open.
And on the roof above, the animals almost seemed to smile.