Author's Note: I had a great time writing this chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. MNF

Chapter 27:

Somebody

April 30, 1986

Kitty Fawley was in the Auror offices for the last time for the next seventeen days. The next day she was getting married, and then she took two weeks off from 'office work.' Amelia would continue to send her information from Yugoslavia even while the happy family was on their 'familymoon' as she was calling it. Sirius and Kitty were taking Harry and Remus with them on their wedding trip to show Harry some of Europe's great cities. When they returned, he would have the Horcrux removed from him. They would have done it sooner, but Brightsword was unavailable, and after speaking with him, Sirius was determined the goblin and his partner, Fairblade, were the people to work with Healer Tinker and her team. She would be at the wedding tomorrow, as Remus had asked her to be his date. They'd gone to out for dinner twice, which made Kitty smile.

Returning from the loo, somewhere she'd been too many times in the course of the afternoon, she found a short woman in an obnoxiously pink blouse and equally awful pink plaid robes in her office, carefully picking over the few files on Kingsley's desk. Ailill wasn't at his post, so this woman had just let herself in.

"Can I help you?" Kitty said in her iciest voice.

"Oh, well, I was looking for a quill to leave Auror Shacklebolt a note with," she said.

" There's a self-inking one right there in the cup on his desk," Kitty said. King did not use traditional quills and ink pots as he tended to knock them over. Most of the time, he wrote in pencil. Kitty was an abomination in the Auror department as she used a Muggle Biro and had a desk full of them. The discovery while in New Zealand turned her away from sloppy quills and wet, drippy ink forever.

"Yes, well, I'm a traditional witch," she said with a tone of superiority that made Kitty want to take her down a few notches. "I prefer a proper quill."

"I see, then I must not be a 'proper witch' since I write with a Muggle style Biro," Kitty bit back. "Tell me the message, and I'll relay it to Auror Shacklebolt."

The pink-clad witch began to panic, which made Kitty need to stifle a bit of a laugh as she sputtered. "Why don't we start with your name."

"Delores Umbridge, executive assistant to Cornelius Fudge, Magical Patrols Office," she said, and Kitty cocked an eyebrow in the same way her fiancé did.

"He needs more than one assistant?" Kitty asked condescendingly.

"Well, no," she snapped back. "I was with Cornelius before his move. I stayed with him. He allowed me to keep my title, although my pay was cut," she said under her breath. "You ruined his chances at becoming Minister for Magic."

"I had nothing to do with his transfer," Kitty said, acknowledging the comment which wasn't meant to be heard. "All he needed to do was arrange a trial. Barty Crouch Jr. shouldn't have been trusted as easily as he was, considering he was a Death Eater. When he was sent to Azkaban, everyone he arrested should have been given a new trial. Cornelius didn't do that, which is why he was reassigned. Now, your message for Auror Shacklebolt, Ms. Umbridge?"

"Tell him to turn his rosters in on time." The vitriol in her voice was disconcerting.

"Fine," Kitty said. "In the future, if our assistant isn't outside, please wait until he returns."

"That half-breed has no business working for the Ministry."

"It's not nice to call someone a half-breed. He is half-human, half-FireElf, and is a highly competent, fully sentient person in his own right, and we are fortunate to have him as our assistant. I know about your thoughts on things like blood status."

"Surely, you must agree with me?" Delores asked, turning a violent shade of red that clashed with her hot-pink top horribly. "Families like ours need to remain pure."

"Ah, you're one of those," Kitty said derisively with a look on her face like she'd tasted something sour. "You've left your message, now please leave." Kitty knew she was being short, but this woman was awful. She wouldn't be surprised to find Fudge was spying on them both, or just her.

"What did she want?" Amelia asked as she strode into Kitty's office.

"Honestly, I think she was snooping for Fudge. She wanted to make sure he filed some paperwork thing about rosters. That's the stuff Ailill handles for him since King is pants at his paperwork," Kitty said. "What brings you here? I'm about to leave for my mani/pedi." Amelia would be assisting Kitty in getting dressed tomorrow, seeing she was the closest girlfriend she had.

"I just wanted to show you some intel," Amelia said. "I think it will make you take a bit of a detour on your familymoon." She handed Kitty a photograph, and Kitty's eyes went wide.

"What does she want?"

"Sanctuary," Amelia said hastily. "Narcissa Malfoy has gone to the Slavic court to beg her relatives there for sanctuary."

"Well, we were toying with going to the courts anyway, just to pay respects after our marriage and let my whatever-great aunt know a new branch of the family was born. Wow. Sirius can always protect them if they want to return to Britain, he's the Black family head."

"However you want to handle it, it's fine," Amelia said. "I just want to know why she's left Lucius. Go. Pamper yourself, and I'll see you around ten tomorrow."

"I won't argue with you," Kitty said before waving a wand over her desk. "There, now only You, King, and Ailill can go through things on or in my desk. Don't drink all my elf-made wine, okay?" Amelia laughed, and the pair left her office.

The next morning, precisely at ten, Amelia arrived to help Kitty get dressed. Remus oversaw Harry, as they didn't plan to put him into his formal robes until about five minutes before he would be needed. He was going to walk with Kitty and Sirius into the circle. Kitty was remarkably calm, which made Amelia concerned.

"Did you overdose on potions or something?" she asked.

"No, I just am not anxious. Sirius is the love of my life, and while there were some detours along the way, we've loved each other since we were kids; long before Hogwarts. Today is just a legal and magical binding of what our hearts have already done. " Kitty said, "This little nudger," holding her now slightly protruding belly, "is all the binding we really need. However, we're doing the wedding before the baby is born so there won't ever be any doubt about them holding the House of Black titles when they're older and Sirius passes them on."

"Well, that's all well and good, but there are only ten-minutes until the photographer wants to take some solo pictures, and then of the three of you, so let's get you into these robes, shall we?" Amelia asked excitedly, and she was rewarded with a brilliant smile from Kitty.

"You know you really are stunning when you smile."

"Thank you," Kitty said with a blush. "I can't do it too much in the Ministry offices though. People will think the ice princess has gone."

"Kitty, only your closest friends would ever believe that. I've seen you at work." The pair laughed, and Amelia took the dress down from where it was hanging on the bathroom door in its protective sleeve. The train was in a separate bag.

The inner gown was created from thousands of purple, lavender, plum, iris, wisteria, and lilac silk roses, stitched by hand and then sewn onto the fine silk mesh bodice. There was a deep plunge in the middle, although none of Kitty's breasts were shown. The back was similar, with an equally deep plunge. The delicate layers of silk created the skirt as well, and when Kitty moved, she looked like an iridescent purple rainbow. The train attached at the wide ribbon waistline and had some of the same roses near the waist, eventually giving way to the Fawley family crest embroidered in its royal blue and gold at the six-foot train's end.

"Should I even ask where this dress came from since we had no luck when we were shopping?"

"The same designer who made my Christmas Ball dress a few years back. I love magical gowns. They fit you perfectly, regardless of your size changing." No one would know Kitty was pregnant, although given who was attending, she was sure everyone knew. The big question would be whether Kitty's parents came or not. They were the only people who had not RSVP'ed. Kitty waved her wand, and in an instant, her hair and makeup were done.

A knock at the door alerted Kitty that her three favorite men had arrived.

"Merlin, Katie…" Sirius said as he entered. "You are stunning."

"Auntie Kitty, you look like a garden!" Harry said.

"You are beautiful, Kitty," Remus said. "Prettiest bride I've ever seen."

"Isn't that the truth," Sirius muttered, still under whatever spell Kitty had cast on him. He leaned over carefully to give her a kiss. He and Harry were dressed in pale grey dress robes with purple ties. Sirius had even gone so far as to wear shoes instead of his usual boots. The scars from the magical attack two weeks previous were so faint if you didn't know they were there. Remus wore a dark blue set of robes with a pale lavender tie.

The pictures were annoying, but over quickly enough. Remus went to Mae Tinker when Cheery announced she had arrived. At precisely eleven o'clock, the trio walked onto the back patio. They were greeted by their friends – The Weasley Family, The Longbottoms, Kingsley, Amelia, Ailill with his wife, Lindsay, Mae Tinker, Remus, and Minerva. The last would be serving as the officiant, although magical weddings didn't generally require a vicar or even a judge. Usually, the elder of the group or eldest family member directed the pair through their handfasting and magic sharing. Paperwork was produced by the Ministry of Magic, which held up in the Muggle world, should such a thing be needed.

Sirius and Kitty went to the center of the ring, while Harry went to stand with Ginny and took her hand. He needed her to calm him down. It wasn't every day your parents adopted you.

"Friends, we are here today to witness three people coming together to create a new family. Ekaterina Aurelia Lovisa Fawley, Sirius Orion Black, and Harry James Potter have come of their own free will, through love, to join in the journey of life as a husband, wife, mother, father, and son. Will you lift your wands and make this circle a sacred space?" In unison, those who had wands made a counterclockwise swirl, and the interior of the circle glowed yellow before the color dissipated.

"May I have the rings?" Minerva asked, and Harry went to Minerva, still holding Ginny's hand, and gave her the two wedding bands in his pocket. "Thank you."

"The circle itself is an infinite thing, it's magic having no beginning and no closure. Love is like a circle, for there is always room for more love in our lives, and to give more love than before. It flourishes and blooms in the light and fights the darkness in our world. Love has no ultimatums, no demands. It cannot be forced or taken away. It is a gift we give away from our souls' depths, and we are given it in the same way.

"The love of family is the most sacred form there is. Parents love their children with an ever-growing fashion. Children love their parents with an understanding which changes as they age. The love of the couple at the center of this family is the most sacred gift that can be given; it is the most magical. The universe smiles at the love Kitty and Sirius have for each other, and it brings us such joy that it is hard not to smile or sing when we witness their joy.

"Kitty and Sirius are halves of a whole. Two souls come together to form one magical being. Their hearts will now beat in unison, and their light will be a beacon in the darkness for anyone near."

Minerva pointed her wand at the rings. "Bless this marriage with gifts from fire – passion stirred with the sun's passing from sunrise to sunrise. May they always communicate with one another in a loving and just way." The rings caught fire while in Minerva's hand, although they did not burn her. The fire was trapped inside the platinum of the bands, however, and they shone brightly.

"Bless this marriage with gifts from the earth. May their home be one of comfort, relaxation, and safety. May they never want for the basics of life; food, shelter, and clothing." A small vine grew from Minerva's palm and left an imprint of a leaf on each of the delicate bands.

"Bless this marriage with gifts from the waters. May they have the zeal of a rushing river, the cleansing of a soft rainstorm and their commitment as deep as the ocean." Water cascaded from Minerva's finger tips, washing the rings and giving them a glint they did not have before.

"Bless this marriage with gifts from the air. May their disagreements pass like a breeze through the trees surrounding their home. May they solve their problems quickly and return to this place of unity when needed." A gentle breeze kicked up, causing the layers of Kitty's skirt to stir, and the rings now had a wind-like swirl on them.

"Sirius, will you face Kitty taking her left hand in yours?" Minerva asked, and Sirius complied, taking the ring from her hand. "Please give Kitty her ring. Do you promise to show Kitty your honor and fidelity? To share her laughter and joy, to support and stand by her in times of difficulty? To dream and hope together with her and spend each day loving her more than the day before?"

"I do," Sirius said, "a thousand times over." The group gave a happy chuckle, and the ring was placed next to the engagement ring, which had caused them so many issues only a few months ago. Magically it fitted itself to the older ring and settled on her hand.

Kitty repeated the ring vows, without the extra emphasis in her answer. Minerva then invited the couple to tip their wands together and share in the marriage vows they had written. Speaking in one voice, Kitty and Sirius said:

As we are joined today, we become part of each other,

Your feelings are mine, too.

Your sorrows are halved, for I share them.

Your joys are greater as I share them with my best friend.

Your magic becomes my magic.

I will never raise my wand in anger at you.

Your heart will always beat with mine.

I promise I will comfort and care for you,

Be your best friend, forever,

I will share the ordinary days and the exceptional ones.

I will make the complicated days simple.

And the darkest days light.

My love for you is unshakable.

From this day forward, I am yours, and you are mine.

Minerva then took their wands, handed them to Remus, and then directed them to hold their left hands together. With a flick of her wand, cords of light sprang from the end and wound around the couple's conjoined hands and wrists.

"This cord of light symbolizes your life, your love, your magic, and the eternal connection you have found with each other. The ties of this ceremony are not formed by light. They are forged by your hearts and your magic. Your vows, spoken and received, act as an unbreakable connection between you. You are now bound as one. Sirius and Kitty, will you seal your binding with a kiss?" It was chaste but passionate. When their lips met, the golden cords faded into their hands, faintly leaving a mark on their skin—an unmovable sign of their union.

"Now, Harry, would you please come forward and join Kitty and Sirius?" Harry let go of Ginny's hand and came to stand between his new parents. When he was in place, Sirius looked down at him and spoke. "I saw your first steps, and know what your first word was – it was 'doggy' by the way – and while I wish your mum and dad were here to take care of you, know that I will always be there for you, as a dad. I will love and protect you forever because you are my pup and the son of my heart."

The trio had tears in their eyes, and Kitty had to gather herself before she spoke. "From the day you were born, I was blessed to know you. You are an amazing and wonderful little boy, and I could not love you more than I do – not even if you had grown in my belly like your little sister or brother. Thank you for letting me love you. I vow to be the mum you need today and every day for the rest of my life."

Minerva stopped the couple from saying the last of their vows because Harry had prepared his own vow unbeknownst to them. He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robes, which made Kitty inwardly cringe. Harry said, "I don't remember my mummy and daddy" he said with a clear and loud voice. "I know they loved me because you've told me every day since I came to live with you. I'm safe here, and I don't wonder what it is like to be cared for by parents, because you love me. I hope my first mum and dad don't get upset, but I want to call you mum and dad because you are. You are my mum and dad, and I love you."

"Oh, Harry," Kitty said, crouching to hug him. "I love you too." Sirius knelt too, embracing his new wife and son.

"We both love you, son." There wasn't a dry face in the crowd, save the Weasley boys, although Ron and Ginny were both happy and proud of their friend, and had a few tears.

Kitty and Sirius stood up, Sirius holding Harry and Kitty wrapping her arm around her boys. The couple said together, "We become the parents of Harry. We promise to help each other and guide each other to be the best parents we can be. We will love you always, and our love will never fade. Forever, we are a family."

Minerva gathered herself enough to speak. "May I present the Fawley-Black family."

To everyone's surprise, the end of Kitty's train, her family crest, began to shift and change. The Fawley crest, a Golden Phoenix with a crown on its head on a background of royal blue, shifted until the Phoenix was on the left side of a heraldic shield of pure white. The crown was now at the top of the shield, a wide band of the royal blue across the middle and a shining silver sword at the bottom. Beneath the shield was the name Fawley-Black, above at set of wings which were spread wide, as if to shelter the more vulnerable beneath. There were many sounds of surprise and wonder as this bit of magical embroidery played out. It was followed by clapping and cheers before the trio was engulfed in hugs and well wishes. When Sirius put Harry down, Ginny ran into his arms and planted a great big kiss on his lips.

"I love you, too, Harry."