Making Amends

Chapter 28

Rest of the holidays passed quickly. No one was happy to leave the Fire Manor especially Fred, George, and Harry who consider it the best place to be after Hogwarts. Harry thought this was the happiest Christmas holiday he ever had and now that he had people to call family. His very own, caring, loving little family. Now he had a godmother to fuss over him, a godfather to run along with him and an uncle to support him.

After having their breakfast Remus, Molly, Arthur and the kids flooed to the station 9 ¾. Sirius and Blaze directly Apparated from the Ministry after finishing their shifts. When all of them arrived at the Station they still had 30 mins before the train left. Molly was fussing over Ron, Fred, and George, and Blaze was fussing over Harry, asking him if had packed his socks, all his books, if he had enough quills. "Stop it, Zee, let my boy breath. You've been fussing over him for hours now? You can fuss over me instead.", said Sirius pulling Harry to his side. Harry was walking beside him grinning, when someone walked in front of him and said, "I see you are all set, Potter. Bet that grin of yours won't last longer."

"I see you are more concerned about him, Draco. I suggest it would be better if you mind your own business and stop sticking your nose in everyone else's.", said Blaze keeping a hand on his shoulder. He jerked it away quickly seeing his father walk towards them. "I see you've met your aunt Draco. How are you today, Blaze?", he asked offering his hand, Blaze accepted it a shook his hand firmly, "I'm fine, Lucius. Met your son, I must say he's just like you.", she said. "I'm glad you mentioned. Well, I see you're quite attached to you godson, Black and the wolf.", said Lucius nodding towards Remus. Sirius wanted to rip his head off but, Harry stopped him. Blaze then moved forward and said, "Hold your filthy tongue, Lucius. I will not bear it if you, your son or anyone at all tries to speak nonsense about my family."

"Why are you blaming, father? There is no way you could deny the fact that he is monster or that Potter and his godfather are nothing but criminals.", said Draco answering on behalf of his father. "Draco, I assume your father told you all about me, because if he didn't then let me tell you that I am a greater monster than anyone you've ever met. So, it's better if you back off and don't force me to show who I am. And, Lucius now you get it why I said he is like you because both of you are jerks and bloody cowards. Now get you pathetic faces out of here and make sure that I don't find lingering near my family.", said Blaze before pulling the rest of them away.

"Thank you", whispered Remus keeping a hand on her shoulder. There weren't many people who defended him. Usually, people accused him of being a monster and avoided socializing with him. "Stop being a prat, Moony. You know it very well that three of you are all I have and I will protect you all even if it is the last thing I do. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself and help Harry load his trunk.", she ordered Remus. He gave her a quick hug and moved to help Harry. He felt a wave of warmth sweeping over him, he had never felt happier.

Sirius moved towards Harry and gave him a tight hug followed by Remus then Blaze who kissed his hair, "I won't ask you to behave because there is no fun in doing so but, be safe and keep writing." Harry hugged her and replied, "Don't worry I'll try being safe and having as much fun as I can. And yes Sirius I remember the spell you and Remus taught me but, I'll make sure that it is used on the people who deserve it now, bye.", and with that, he hopped on the train as the second whistle blew and the waved from his compartment until the train turned away.

After the train left Molly and Arthur left for the Burrow and the other three Apparated back to the Fire Manor.

Upon reaching the Manor all three of them headed to the Guest Hall. They decided on resting in the Guest Hall instead of their rooms, now that the Manor was practically empty except them and the house elves. Three camp beds were already arranged in there. Remus directly walked to the one in the middle and Blaze chose the one on the right so, Sirius was very unwillingly stuck on the left. They quickly changed their robes and settled on their beds. Blaze went to her room and brought back the scrapbook which there weren't able to see after that day because of something or the other.

Sirius transformed to Padfoot, jumped on Blaze's lap. She handed Remus the book and started running her finger through his fur. This has his most favorite thing to do, even when they were together he used to spend hours resting his head on her lap and she used to run her fingers through his hair, except that time he used to be in his human form.

"Zee, look at this one it's from James bachelor party.",said Remus pointing to a picture in which James was sitting on Sirius's and Remus's shoulder, "And this one from your Promising Ceremony.", showing a picture in which both Sirius and she were kissing while James, Remus and Peter were pulling Sirius away. Both of them laughed and Padfoot gave a loud bark.

After flipping through several other pictures they decided on getting some sleep so that they function with sane minds.

2 hours later

Blaze was asleep when she heard some noises from the Hallway. She slowly got out of her bed and turned to check on the other two, they were asleep. Then she transformed into her Animagus form and slowly moved out to the Hallway. Someone was sitting by the wall, she spotted a movement. She slowly moved forward to see who it was.

"Zee? Is that you?", asked Sirius turning to face her. She quickly transformed back, "I thought you were asleep.", she said. "Those were the pillows. I woke up thirty minutes ago.", he replied pushing back hair away from his eyes. "But why are you sitting here?", she asked pulling him up, "I was just going through some old pictures.", he replied holding up the scrapbook. "Alright, but button your shirt, please.", she said looking at his tattoo covered chest, "Why? Is it getting hard for you to control yourself? Well, go ahead I'm standing right here.", said Sirius standing against the wall, Blaze rolled her eyes, "Can you just button it up." Sirius gave her lopsided grin and quickly buttoned it up, "It's okay if you lose control once in a while, though. You deserve some fun too.", he said smirking at her.

She started walking to her chamber so that she could change, "I don't want to have any.", she said entering her chamber, Sirius followed her in. She grabbed some clothes from her closet and went to the washroom. Some minutes later she came back dressed in her casual t-shirt and trousers. "I was thinking that we should go out somewhere, like a drink or something. What do you reckon?" asked Sirius sitting on the bed. "I reckon we shouldn't. Well, you can if you want to but not with me.", she answered drying her hair, "Why not? We're done with our duties, the rest of the day is free.", he grumbled. Blaze turned to him, this was the conversation she really wanted to avoid but there were no escape routes left. She had to do this, "Listen, Sirius, I know you want things to go back to how they were. I've heard you and Harry talk about this several times but, it's just not possible. I'd say the both of you are wasting your efforts in a lost cause.", she said sitting beside him.

Sirius felt as if someone had punched him hard in the stomach. He had feared this for ages, "But why not? It's not like you're married to someone or something. And, we're not very old, either. Just 35 that's not too late for all this.", he said. Blaze smiled at him then answered, "It's not that. And, I've always liked you but, it's better if you find someone else for yourself, someone like you, someone who can make you a happy man you were, someone….who..can give you a family and….grow old with you."

"But, you can do all that. You are like me and you just said you've always liked me. Doesn't that settles it all.", he said moving closer to her. She moved away and shook her, "It doesn't, I can do those things but not all of them."

"What do mean by that?", asked Sirius. She closed her eyes very tightly, then said, "I mean that I cannot live with you forever. I won't be able to…because…I'm dying."

"You're what?" asked Sirius not believing a word, "I'm dying. You remember when I came back from that mission some months ago. I was supposed to get a ring, Dumbledore asked me to get a ring. It took two months to find it but, I wasn't supposed to touch it because it was cursed….But, in order to protect it, I wore it. And, as soon as I did inexplicable pain shoot through my body and blood started flowing out every cut I ever had new and old. Then I tried apparating and splinched myself in doing so which made my condition worse. I still managed to call Remus for help but I needed Severus so that he could rid me of the cursed ring. He managed to get it out of my hand but, couldn't manage to stop the curse so he just slowed down its effect on me, apparently his magic wasn't enough to completely finish the curse. So, now my body can only make 30% of the energy, the rest of which I'll have to make up by drinking blood…And I don't want to become a monster by doing so. Therefore, my body is dying and so am I.", she said explaining him. Sirius was standing there in shock as if she'd just slapped him. All this was too much for him to take in. He'd just met after being away for more than a decade and now she was saying that she won't be there with him for long. This wasn't fair, why was he the one who had to suffer all this, first James and Lily left him, then he was thrown into Azkaban for something he never did and now that thing started getting better there he was back to square one again.