Part 2/2 (Alternate Ending)

Story Notes: So I searched and I searched. But I could not, for the life of me, find my original second half to this story. So until I do, here is the unedited, alternate ending that I originally decided not to use because it is way, way WAY too silly.


Hogwarts was always quiet over the summer when all but the caretakers had gone home. There was a brief window of time between the teachers returning in late August and the first of September when all the students stormed back that Professor Severus Snape found to be the best few days of the year.

It was just his luck that he had to spend much of that time helping Sirius Black.

Snape was in one of the dungeon classrooms. He'd unceremoniously pushed all the desks and chairs to the corners of the room to make space for a large cauldron, currently filled with a vibrant maroon liquid that occasionally sparked or bubbled.

Snape plucked a small jar of lacewing antennae from his shelf.

"Thirty galleons an ounce and I'm wasting them on Black…" he muttered bitterly.

"Severus," Professor McGonagall's voice resonated from the doorway. "Sirius Black has shown up in the entrance hall wanting to collect something from you?"

Snape swore and turned around to face her, his expression frustrated. "I've told him countless times to just wait and I'll send it to him."

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Well, he said he couldn't wait. Poor thing seemed frantic. I almost had to physically stop him from following me down here."

Snape measured out the last of his ingredients and threw them into the cauldron. He began to stir very carefully.

"Well he's got about ten minutes before this'll be done, so he's going to have to be patient."

"Can I just send him down to you?" asked Professor McGonagall. "I have lesson plans to draw up…"

"So do I!" Snape spat. "And no, I've told you before, don't send that imbecile down here. Wait for me to finish and just bring him his damn potion."

"I know you don't like him, Severus, but this is ridiculous. You expect me to run between the two of you like some kind of owl?"

Snape bent down to put out the fire below his cauldron, allowing the potion to cool. "I promised Dumbledore I would help the incompetent idiot with the potion he is incapable of brewing himself, not that I would allow him to sob onto my shoulder!"

He pointed to the row of empty vials on the far counter. Professor McGonagall handed him one and he began to slowly syphon the potion, which was now a bright green, through a small filter and finally into the vial.

"Come now, Severus," Professor McGonagall scolded. "His wife is chronically ill; show some sympathy. I didn't ask, but the way he came busting in here, I suppose she must have taken a turn for the worse."

"Oh yes, she's really sick," Snape said sardonically.

Professor McGonagall's eyes widened in shock. "Severus!" she exclaimed. "Just what are you implying?"

Snape stabbed a cork onto the vial and gave it a good shake.

"Nothing," he said simply. "Just saying he should take her to a hospital if she's that bad off…someplace where they would have medicine ready-made and on-hand."

"You think he's using your potions for himself? That he has some kind of addiction?"

It amused Severus how quickly McGonagall had jumped to that conclusion. He found he was thoroughly enjoying the look of horror on his former teacher's face. Perhaps Sirius Black deserved to have a few rumors circulating about him as payment for inconveniencing Severus's last few days of summer peace.

"Ara's never looked very ill to me…"

Professor McGonagall bit her lip. "Losing James and Lily was so very hard on him," she said quietly. "And so soon after his brother…"

At the mention of Lily's and Regulus's names, Snape's mood soured and he no longer found the situation amusing.

"Here." He offered the completed potion. "Take this."

But Professor McGonagall refused. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I don't believe you. Sirius isn't that kind of person. Severus, you bring that medicine to him and apologize, now."

"Apologize for what?" Snape asked indignantly. "A conversation he never heard?"

"Well…apologize for keeping him waiting, then. Go."

Snape tried to come up with a good retort but could only manage a frustrated sigh. It was like he was a student again. It didn't take long before he caved to the Deputy Headmaster's glare and took the vial from the dungeon and back to the main floor of the castle himself.

Sirius Black was indeed waiting in the entrance hall, pacing back and forth frantically. His eyes lit up when he saw Snape coming.

"Do you have it?" he demanded.

Snape held out the vial and Sirius grabbed it instantly.

Before he let go, Snape narrowed his eyes and said very clearly, "You must think I'm some kind of idiot, Black."

"Huh?" Sirius yanked the vial from Snape's hand and held it protectively close to his chest, as though the potions master might try to snatch it back.

Snape only folded his arms.

"I know what that potion becomes when you heat it back up and add just a few…finishing touches."

Sirius looked panicked.

"But I suppose there's no reason for me to go blabbing what I know to everyone and their dog, Black, so calm down."

Snape watched Sirius take several deep breaths, swallow his pride, and say, "Thank you, Sni—Severus."

"Oh shut up," Snape said bitterly. "I don't care about your affairs, Black, just don't go thinking you've pulled the wool over my eyes."

Sirius nodded numbly. Snape glared at him and said very softly three carefully selected words.

"I will," Sirius promised. "You know I will…"

"Good," said Snape. "Lest your incompetence cost you another loved one."

And with that he swept back to his quarters to try and get one last evening of rest before Hogwarts's eight hundred squalling brats returned.


Sirius sprinted from the school grounds at a breakneck speed, apparating the instant he felt the magical restrictions lift. He opened the door to his apartment.

"Ara?" he called nervously.

His wife came slowly from the other room. "Sirius?" she asked. "Thank god you're back. Merlin, you look like you've run a mile!"

"What are you doing up?" Sirius demanded. "Ara, sit down! I'll have this ready in a minute. Just let me get some things…"

Sirius went to the kitchen and started the potion heating in a saucepan. Then he started frantically rummaging through the spice rack for the three special bottles that held secret potions ingredients instead of the labeled basil, oregano, and pepper.

Ara sat down at the kitchen table and folded her hands. "Sirius," she said calmly. "I'm fine. I told you, we have some time. You didn't have to rush off in a frenzy."

"You thought there was plenty of time last time, too, remember?"

Ara grimaced. "Fair point. My dearest husband is right again."

"Ha, ha. Here, drink this."

Ara wrinkled her nose. "This stuff is so vile…"

"Before you're a screaming mess on the floor, please!" Sirius demanded.

"All right, all right," Ara downed the potion in one gulp, trying to bypass as many taste buds as possible.

"One of these days, I'm not going to take it…"

Sirius whipped around.

"The hell you are!" he yelled. Ara merely shrugged and wandered off.

Sirius didn't follow her. Instead he only sighed and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms.

Ara and Sirius had married young. Days after Regulus's funeral, actually, and Sirius knew his friends had judged him for it. What was it James had said? 'Marrying a woman you just met is not going to save you from this, Sirius. She'll distract you for a while, but when you finally have to reconcile with Regulus's death, it's just going to be twice as hard. Don't do this.'

But Sirius hadn't listened. For the first time in his life, he had ignored James Potter's advice.

Like it mattered now, Sirius thought bitterly. James was dead. So was Lily. And sometimes Sirius wished it had been him instead.

But then who would take care of Ara? He asked himself. If Sirius were dead, who would make her take her medicine? Keep her safe? Make sure no one looked too closely into her past…?

What Snape had said earlier had worried Sirius significantly. He wanted to believe the greasy jerk had just been blowing smoke, but that seemed unlikely. Sirius needed to find another way to get ahold of Ara's potions, and to stay out of Snape's way. If he aggravated the man, then everything he'd worked for these last five years could be completely lost.

"Sirius?" Ara's voice made Sirius start.

"Oh Ara…what do you want?"

Ara shrugged, her long, loose curls shifting on her shoulders. "To say sorry. I know you've been stressed lately. Please don't be angry with me. I appreciate you, I really do."

Sirius smiled softly. "Well I love you, I really do," he said. For a moment, he stared softly into her face, tracing her freckles with his eyes. Then he leaned forward and kissed Ara softly.

Ara took a step back and placed a pale hand to her lips.

"I'm sorry," Sirius said immediately. "I shouldn't have…"

Ara folded her arms over her chest. "Don't be," she said in a small voice. "I liked it."


Ara and Sirius usually slept in separate bedrooms, which was something Sirius had seen his parents do for most of their marriage. That night, however, Ara crept into Sirius's room and lay down beside him.

"I don't have to come under the covers," she said quietly.

"Okay," said Sirius, and he slid over to make room for her.

"Share the pillow with me?" Ara asked and Sirius reluctantly agreed. "Sirius?" Ara asked after a while.

Sirius opened his eyes and found her to be gazing at him, silhouetted by the moonlight coming in from the window. "Yes?" he asked.

"Will you kiss me again?"

"I can't."

"Why not?" Ara pouted. "You used to kiss me all the time."

Sirius's eyes flared. "That was a long time ago," he said sternly.

Ara huffed and rolled onto her back, flinging her arms out to the sides.

"Sirius," she drawled lazily, in a tone Sirius hadn't heard for years. "It's been over a year since He died."

"We don't know that he's really gone."

"He's dead Sirius. As dead as he'll ever get. I want my life back, for what that's worth. And if it only lasts a little while, then at least I had something."

Sirius propped himself up on his arms. "Meaning now you have nothing?" he demanded, rolling over so they were face to face. Ara's small breasts flattened against Sirius's broad chest.

Ara scoffed and refused to tilt her head away from Sirius's, instead she stared straight into his grey eyes. They were so close together that her eyes almost crossed and their noses bumped up against each other.

"I will always be grateful to you, Sirius," Ara said sincerely. "I love you. Why are you fighting me on this? I thought it was always your plan. Hide me away just until the coast was clear."

Sirius's gaze wavered. "No," he said. "You aren't. Going. Anywhere."

Ara shifted uncomfortably, panting slightly. "Sirius," she said, laughing somewhat desperately. "You can't be serious."

Sirius ducked his head into the crook of Ara's neck. "I don't know anymore," he moaned. "But you can't honestly think that you'll be able to just walk out into public!"

"Why not?"

"Because people will figure it out! They'll realize that we…that I…"

"Shut up, Sirius," Ara sighed. "I'm not going anywhere right now. I wouldn't just walk out on you…"

"Promise?" Sirius asked breathlessly.

Ara chuckled. She ran a hand up Sirius's back to tangle in his long hair. "I promise," she said. "You can even kiss me again, if you'd like. Do you want to?"

Sirius nodded into Ara's neck. "And more," he moaned. Ara could feel hot tears against her skin.

"Be gentle, Sirius, okay? I don't want five years' frustration tearing me to pieces."

"Ten years," Sirius said quietly. "Maybe longer."

Ara's eyes widened for a moment, but then her face softened. "Me too, Sirius. Me too."


The gentle weight of someone carefully crawling out of bed woke Sirius in the early hours of the morning. Groggy, he opened one disoriented eye and muttered, "Ara, where are you going? It's barely light out…"

"To Mother," came the soft reply. "To let her know I'm all right."

Sirius sat bolt upright. "No!" he screamed. "Get back here, and…holy fuck what's wrong with you? You took the potion. On time, even!"

A chuckle. "Sirius, I threw that up in the sink last night. I told you I didn't want to take it anymore."

"But I would have noticed you changing back!" Sirius yelled. He jumped out of bed and dashed forward.

A raised eyebrow. "Were you going to chase me out into the street completely starkers?"

Sirius growled and yanked a robe from the closet. "Don't do this," he pleaded. "Nobody can know!"

"Oh what are you so worried about? I seem to recall telling Mother we were married once before and she seemed all for it. Granted she was drunk, but…"

"Don't you shrug at me!" Sirius made a lunging grab but was too slow. "And stop laughing! Regulus!"

Regulus sniggered, hand on the front door. "I'm going out, Sirius," he said firmly. "As myself. And you're more than welcome to come with me. I said I didn't plan on leaving you and I meant that. Now if you don't want me to come back, then I won't, but…"

Sirius shook, remembering the things he'd said the previous night, the things he'd done

"At the very least let me claim my inheritance if you're going to cast me aside now that I refuse to pose as your pretty, foreign wife any longer."

Sirius stuttered.

"Or you could walk out this door with me?" Regulus said, inclining his head and extending a hand. "Everyone will understand, Sirius. Mother will know that you were keeping me safe the only way you knew how, she might even reinstate you, you never know…

"Sirius?"

"…yes?"

"Do you really want me to keep pretending?"

Sirius sighed. "Of course not," he said. "That would be…selfish."

"Then come with me. I'll need you to talk to the Ministry with me anyway, to convince them to bring me legally back to life. I'm sure it's going to be a nightmare of paperwork…"

"Can we do that first?"

"No," Regulus shook his head. "Grimmauld Place first. Then the Ministry. Then…I don't know, I'm thinking maybe food?"

"We were supposed to meet Remus for lunch today…"

"Brilliant," said Regulus, beaming. "Then we'll do just that. Come on, husband.Take my hand."

And Sirius did.

signed/ten