12. Farewell, Fair Cruelty
-Twelfth Night
Hope.
It was all Remus could feel right now.
It didn't matter that Severus had revealed to the Slytherins that he was a werewolf, or that Cornelius Fudge was threatening to tell Rita Skeeter about all that had happened. It didn't matter that he was resigning from the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, leaving Hogwarts, this time for good.
Sirius, his friend, the only one who was left, was finally being given his fair trial.
Of course, after the trial was over, he could still be charged guilty, and sent back to Azkaban, and there was always the fear of that happening. Of having your friend back, for just a few nights, and not even properly, and then having him sent back to Azkaban prison, this time, knowing the truth of what played out on that October 31st many years ago.
But it didn't matter. Fairness was finally playing out, and he had Tonks with him.
She, with the support of Gawain Robards, had gotten the Ministry of Magic, as well as the Wizengamot, to reconsider, and because of their efforts, Sirius was now inside a trial room, being investigated.
Remus stood right outside, his hands clenched, trying to take deep breaths to calm himself down. He wasn't angry, and he wasn't scared. It was just the anticipation of something happening, as though you were watching the final of a cricket match in which your favorite team was playing, where it came down to the last ball. In which you needed to hit a six on that last ball.
It was the anticipation of something to come, that there was going to be a result, maybe positive, and maybe not, but either way, something was going to happen.
Tonks had promised to come as soon as she could. She had informed him apologetically that she had a shift to work and some stuff to get done, to which he had replied that it was perfectly okay, and that she should take her time and do her work properly. And she had kissed him and told him that he was the best man in the world after her father, which made his heart soar.
Yet he couldn't help but appreciate the fact that she still put her father first, even over him. Because the fact that her father came first was just another reminder of how devoted and loyal she was, how Hufflepuff she was and how she was the epitome of all its qualities.
He loved her so much it was indescribable.
And maybe one of these days, he would go to meet Andromeda and Ted, catch up with them, talk to them about his relationship with their daughter, and mostly, just thank them for not only bringing her into existence, but for taking such good care of her and helping shape her into the wonderful woman she was.
But there was something else plaguing his mind, something that had to do with the escaped prisoner whose room he was standing outside of. If, at the end of all of this, Sirius was found innocent, that would be life-changing for Remus. There was no other way to put it. His best friend would be back, after so many years rotting in Azkaban.
But he couldn't help but wonder how things were going to fit in. How was Sirius going to adapt to life? There were still going to be people out there, bigoted people who didn't believe that Sirius was innocent, people who would chase him with stones and attempt to kill him or report him back to the Ministry. And what about Sirius himself? How was he going to live again? Where were they going to start? After being locked up in Azkaban for twelve years, what would they talk about? What could they say? What was going to happen with Sirius from now on?
Of course, that was all only if Sirius was found innocent. But Remus knew for a fact that he would take Sirius back, gladly, with open arms, even if it meant helping him adapt to the new and evolving world around him. He would live with him every second of his life if he had to.
As long as Tonks visits, a snide voice in the back of his head said.
Remus didn't want to compare the two. Never did he want to do that. He would die for them both, and he loved them that much. Tonks was the best girlfriend in the world, and Sirius was essentially his brother.
"Remus?"
He turned to see Tonks at the other end of the hallway, her hair a rather dull shade of chestnut brown.
"Dora," he said, walking towards her as she threw herself into his arms.
"How's Sirius?" she whispered, hugging him tightly.
"I don't know," he whispered back, stroking her hair. "He's been in there for half an hour now."
"We have to hope," she said quietly, her lips brushing his chin as she looked up at him. "You believe him, right?"
"Absolutely. And everything makes sense."
"Then we don't have to worry," she replied. "And if everything fits, Remus, we're fine. And Sirius will be free."
He smiled against her hair. "Do you wear it brown for work?"
"Huh?"
He fingered her hair. "Your hair, I mean."
"Sometimes." She grimaced. "When I'm required. Meetings and stuff."
"Are you done for the day?"
"Yeah," she answered. "I finished everything early. There's this guy named Kingsley in the Auror Office who actually offered to cover for me today so I could be down here. I don't know why he did that, but it was sweet of him."
"I knew him," Remus recalled, remembering Kingsley Shacklebolt. "I worked alongside him in the first war. He's a really nice guy."
"Oh, really?" she asked interestedly. "I don't really know him that well. I mainly hang around Gawain and Dawlish."
Remus laughed. "That's okay. You should get to know him, though. He's really nice and trustworthy, and I have a feeling that he's going to share a lot of your opinions about the Ministry."
"That'll be nice," Tonks replied idly. "If Sirius is free, where would he go?"
"He has ancestral property," Remus answered, thinking of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. "In London. Once everyone's signed everything, he's probably going to head back there and lay low for a while. It'll take time for people to realize that he's innocent. And it's a Muggle area outside."
"Would we be allowed to visit?" she asked, her hand finding his hand.
"I don't know," Remus responded truthfully. "We'd have to see based on the verdict."
Her eyes clouded with fear. "Yeah. I really hope he doesn't have to go back to Azkaban. I would really like to meet him."
"Yeah. I mean, you've met him before, but…"
"I know," she said, "but I was a child. I'd like to meet him now that we're both grown up."
"I don't know how grown up he'll be," Remus replied darkly. "Though I'm sure Azkaban will have done something to him."
"Idiotic place," she muttered.
"If we are allowed to visit him, however," he continued, "I would love to take you to meet him. I'm sure the two of you would get along very well."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.
"A little bit of both," he replied, smirking. "You know, during the beginning of the school year, when I first met you, I couldn't help but think how closely you resembled Sirius. At least, the Sirius I knew."
"What was he like?" she asked quietly.
Remus took a moment to answer. "He was everything," he answered truthfully. "He was crazy and unpredictable, and could always make you laugh and cheer you up. He was cheeky, and sarcastic, and moody, and wild, and everything at once. He was a whirlwind of emotions."
She laughed. "And you were best friends with him?"
"I mean, Sirius and James had an immediate liking to me, for whatever reason. And we also shared a dorm. So I guess we just learned about each other and stuff. Besides, we shared a common love and penchant for mischief."
"I kind of see that, though," she mused. "The well-mannered, polite Professor, playing pranks all throughout his childhood."
"That's pretty much me," he summarized.
She laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder.
Alleged notorious mass murderer Sirius Black was being given a trial, the Ministry was being pig-headed as usual, Cornelius Fudge was blowing a fuse about everything in the world, Dumbledore was being maddeningly calm, Lucius Malfoy and Macnair were angry beyond words, and there was one unaccounted hippogriff disappearance.
But he knew that with Tonks by his side, things would be okay.
A/N: And that's a wrap on Prisoners! Please let me know what you think!
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