Disclaimer: Nothing familiar you see is owned by me. We all know who the real genius behind HP is.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"I'm sure you saw the newspaper article when the Death Eaters escaped." He nodded. "I worked in the department at the same time that Augustus Rookwood was there, spying." He looked at her wide eyed. "He was showing interest in the projects I was working in and someone told him about the prophecy. I was placed under suspension to put him." She smiled. "It was about two months after you were born. I came out of the department at the same time as Sirius, Remus, and James. I told them what I was supposed to that I was suspended because I was close to exhaustion." He looked at her as if asking for an explanation. "I worked odd hours as an Unspeakable. Anyway, it was going okay until Sirius suggested he give me a ride home. I was not a fan of his motorcycle."

Harry let out a laugh then sobered. "Sirius was the man you feel in love with. You were going to stay and leave everything behind for him?"

Artemisia nodded. "Anyway, to make a long story short, he announced that either he move in here with me or I would have Aurors watching me constantly. The next day, he moved in with the help of your parents, Remus, Shawny, and Peter."

"Who's Shawny?"

"She was a Gryffindor in our year. Shawny was an Auror with your father." She smiled remembering the woman. "She was a wonderful person." She shook her head loose from the memories. "That evening, when everyone was finished he proposed to me."

"You and Sirius got married?"

"No, I came back here before…."

"How did it happen?"

Artemisia looked at him stricken, unable to think then slowly the words came to her. "Well, it started as a normal day." She smiled. "At least as normal as my day usually went. I got up and stubbed my toe on Sirius's gym bag." This got laughter from Harry. "It was a common occurrence. Anyway, I went to work, then went to Hogwarts to visit a friend."

He looked at her confused. "Only Snape is close to what your age would have been."

"Yes, I was friends with Severus. I still am." She let out a laugh. "Believe me, Sirius and James absolutely hated it. Anyway, I had lunch with Sev and returned to here." She let out a bit of a laugh. "Remus came over to see a plant that I had told him that I was excited about. After he left, I came in here. I made myself a cup of tea." She bit down on her lip for a moment before continuing. "I was taken by surprise by a few Death Eaters." His eyes widened. "They tried to get me to tell them the prophecy. When it became apparent that I wouldn't tell them anything, they were going to kill me. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but the next moment, I woke up here, only it was now, not then."

Harry was silent after she finished her story. Artemisia watched him for a moment before telling him the one thing she had yet to mention. "Harry?"

"Yeah, Arty."

"Well, you know how Sirius was your godfather?"

He looked at her in question. "What about it?"

"Have you ever wondered if you had a godmother?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I mean if I did wouldn't she have shown up sooner." Harry paused and his eyes widened. "Unless, she couldn't because she's you."

Artemisia nodded. "That's right. I wanted so bad to change what I knew but I didn't have a chance." She reached over and gave him a hug. "I want more than anything to be part of your life."

"I'd like that." He looked at her for a moment. "Why did you want to know if the light that hit Sirius was red or green?"

"Could I get you to answer a few questions about what happened?" She asked instead of answering his question.

"If it will help you with what has you so excited about the colour of the light."

"If I describe a room, could you tell me if it was the one that you were in with Sirius?" He nodded. "The room is dim and rectangular with a pit sunk into the bottom?"

He stared in surprise. "That's right."

"There's a stone pit in the middle that sinks about twenty feet with stone benches running down the sides. At the bottom of the pit is an arch that looks about ready to fall apart. From the arch hangs a tattered black curtain."

"That's right."

"When you're near the arch, you hear a blended mixture of noises, a hum, almost, of whispers, as though someone is trying to speak to you?"

"That's right." He looked amazed. "How did you know that?"

"It was the project I was working on that the heads of the department were worried that Rookwood would use the arch in someway."

"What's important about the colour of the light if he fell into it?"

"Harry, what spell comes in a green light?"

"The killing curse." He answered without hesitation.

"What spell comes in a red light?"

"A stunning spell."

"Was that the spell that Bellatrix used on Sirius?" He nodded and she jumped off her stool.

Artemisia flung her arms around the boy. "Harry, I have to go. Remus is in the parlour with everyone else. Tell him I had to go to the Ministry and do something quickly." She kissed his cheek. "I'll explain later."

When she arrived at the department, Artemisia rushed to Kay's office. She looked up as she swung open the door. "What can I do for you, Arty?"

"Remember what I spoke to you about the other day? About the chance that…." The blonde paused and she nodded in understanding. "Is everything ready?"

"The door will be there and only you can open it."

"I owe you, Kay."

"Just get those papers in and will call it even."

Artemisia practically ran back through the rooms until she entered the entry. Once there the floor spun about her. She waited impatiently for it to stop. She entered the room that had once been her haven and cast a sealing charm on the door. The less people aware of what she was doing, the better. She stumbled as she hurried down the stairs and paused to catch her breath. She pulled herself up onto the dais. The steps up to the arch seemed to be a waste of time and for once, time was important to her.

If she was right, Sirius would have been knocked out from Bellatrix's spell. She hoped that he remained unconscious and unable to wander in the wrong direction. If he moved, Artemisia wasn't sure if she would be able to find him. The furthest that she had gone into the veil has been about three metres.

She paused in front of the arch and reached a hand out to rub gently over the stones. Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the veil. An intense wave of frostiness hit her and she stood still, shivering. What she saw was what a person would see on a seriously foggy night, nothing but greyness. Artemisia took a deep breath and a step forwards, then another. She continued moving cautiously, counting her steps. According to Remus, he had simply fallen. On the sixth step, something grabbed her leg and she stumbled to her knees, letting out a shriek. This had never happened before.

Her hand went to whatever was grasping her ankle and found a hand. She tugged the hand off of her and followed the arm to the body. She pulled her wand from her pocket. "Lumos." Nothing happened. She let out a sigh. She had forgotten something that she had learned on her earlier trips through the veil. Magic had no affect. She heaved a sigh and tugged at the person. She could hear their deep breathing. It had to be him. She was certain that it could only be him. She tugged at his shirt.

He muttered and turned from her. "Five more minutes."

"No, Sirius." Artemisia smiled at the sound of his voice, tears of relief filling her eyes. "It's time to get up or I'll leave without saying goodbye." It was what she used to tease him with.

"Arty?" She felt him sit up. "What's going on? Where are you?"

"Right here." She grabbed his hand. "Let get out of here." The iciness of this place had been what made her cautious in entering it. Now, she had another reason to worry about Sirius. He had been in the veil far longer than she had tried.

"I'm freezing." He muttered as he tried to pull himself to his feet. Artemisia slipped her arms around him to help him keep his balance. He slumped against her.

"Sirius!"

"What?" He asks, groggily.

"I need your help to get us out of here."

"I'm trying, Arty. I just want to sleep a bit longer."

"Sirius, we have to get out of here. It isn't good for you."

"Come on, we can cuddle for a bit."

"Sirius, if it isn't good for you, it isn't good for the baby."

"Baby?" His weight lifted a bit. "But the baby…."

"Not that baby, a different one. I've been pregnant since the Easter holiday. Now, let's get a move on." She tugged him forwards. Her eyes began to grow heavy when the two stumbled and fell over. She grabbed Sirius as they rolled into the room that she had entered the veil from. Artemisia drew a sigh of relief and snuggled next to him. She frowned at how cool he felt. She moved to her feet and pulled out her wand. She levitated him into the room that Kay had ready for them. It was a small room with not much other than a large bed. Artemisia let her spell go and he fell gently on the bed. After piling blankets on top of him, she climbed into the bed beside him and hoped that when she awoke that he would be warmer.

Artemisia let out a yawn as she snuggled into the arms that held her. She opened her eyes slowly to find Sirius smiling at her. "Sirius?" He looked at her in question as she buried her head in his chest. "I was so scared that I lost you."

"What happened, Arty?" She pulled away from him, unsure how to answer. "Where are we?"

"In the Department of Mysteries." She answered quietly.

"Bellatrix?"

"She got away with Voldemort. Everyone thinks you died."

He sat up quickly. "Then how did I get here with you and why haven't you told anyone."

"Relax." She pushed him back down. "I just got you out of the veil."

"That arch? I fell through it?" She nodded. "What is it?"

"Most of the department think it's a veil between life and death."

He looked at her in shock. "Then how did you get me out of it?" His eyes narrowed in anger. "You risked your life trying to save me, what if something went wrong?"

"You would have done the same thing. Besides, everyone is wrong. The veil deals with time. I'm just not sure how. I've gone into it before."

"Bloody hell, Arty. You don't know what's in there. You could have gotten hurt or lost in there and no one would be able to help you."

"Sirius, it's part of my job to do things that others can't or won't." She sighed as she moved to stand up. "I can't just stop taking risks because I don't know what will happen. Everyday is full of dangers we don't see. Our whole lives are nothing more than chance, so why is it wrong that I don't worry about what could happen instead of what will happen if I'm right on a project." She started to pace. "Look at you. You spent weeks in the veil with barely an indication that you were hit with a stunning spell with the force that Bellatrix's hit you. With more research, who knows what good will come of the veil." She paused in her tirade to look at Sirius. His look was full of amusement. Artemisia felt a bit of a flush as she thought of how silly she was being with trying to get her point across. "Don't look at me like that, Sirius Black." She said as he continued to grin. "I can have a little speech about my work. I've seen you at your worst."

"Oh, really?" She raised a brow at him and he moved across the room towards her. "I suppose that you have." He admitted as she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Does that mean you've also seem me at my best?"

"I've seen that too." She smiled at him as he lifted her chin with one hand.

"I love you, Arty." He whispered before his lips touched hers. He licked her lips before she opened for him. Artemisia tightened her grip on his waist as she lean forwards to deepen the kiss. He pulled away from her and looked into her dark green eyes for a while. "So, how do we get out of the Ministry?"

She blinked in surprise, then thought about the plans that she'd made. "You're not going to be happy with this, but it's the only way to keep anyone from seeing you."

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