Thank you to mrsmorgan813 and serenite for reviewing the last chapter and thanks to any concrit from the review games :)
8. Preparations
Two Weeks Before
There was a shifting in Grimmauld Place as pieces of furniture and patio chairs were shifted around for the upcoming reunion of the Order members, plus Harry and Ginny's upcoming anniversary. Sirius no longer lived in the house, though he flitted there from time to time, he'd come with Remus to help along in the preparations. He'd been surprised too when he saw Hermione, with Ron, string along patio lights along all the trees. She was such a capable witch and yet she laughed and seemed untroubled by the war, that recently ended, as she helped decorate.
She was tanner and she'd grown her hair out, and there was something indefinably different about her...though he couldn't decide what it was.
He felt distracted by the green checkered dress she wore. It was tight and yet professional and yet...still distracting and god's name, Merlin, he didn't want to be distracted by her. Of all people.
"What do you think of her? Mooney?"
"Think of who?" Remus looked up abruptly from his paper.
"Hermione." Sirius said shortly. "She's done a lot of growing up, hasn't she?"
Sirius was walking in agitation across the room, his hands drilling against his dragon heartstring wand, as if annoyed he couldn't be of more use. Especially when everyone around him was getting more and more capable, including Harry. Harry didn't even really need him anymore.
"She's 20," Remus replied matter of factually. "I suppose she had to grow up at some point."
"Yes, I suppose she did."
"No one can stay young forever," Remus said dryly and his eyes went back to his paper. "Unfortunately, not everybody matures at the same rate..."
"Still," Sirius said. "What do you think really? Her and Ron is that...still something going on?"
Remus suddenly put down his paper altogether, and an edge of scorn entered his voice. "I hope she hasn't caught your eye." Remus looked genuinely troubled.
"Don't be daft," Sirius laughed and he took a large sip of his wine. "Though you're hardly one to criticize, marrying my cousin, your 24 year old wife!"
"Dora's 26 now." Remus reminded him.
"She was 21 or so wasn't she though, when you met her?"
Something like a growl emitted from Remus. "Please don't tell me, you have your eyes on her do you?"
Sirius laughed even louder. "On my cousin? Dora? No, we'd have too much of a laugh to shag. Did I ever tell you she once metamorphmagized as Dumbledore and then tried to come onto me? I thought Dumbledore had lost his mind!" Sirius slapped his friend's knee and a sly grin grew on his face. "I couldn't look Dumbledore in the eye for a whole week without laughing."
Remus began to laugh too. "Yes, my wife is mischievous, not the least of her good traits."
"Your wife," Sirius echoed, his grey eyes suddenly dimmer and more distant if not troubled.
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Okay not sure if this chapter is any good, but do you think I should include how or why sirius came back from the veil or does that not really matter? I could just leave the veil part towards the end, since the whole story is going backwards in time...so yes, the very ending will actually be the first scene chronologically
cheers!
