July 9, 1978

The French Rivera was absolutely marvelous. Sirius had taken Calandra and Alice to wonderful restaurants in the beautiful town of Ramatulle. He led them through magnificent gardens of some of his distant relatives in Bormes. They'd all had a grand time. Calandra had never felt so free in her life. She'd spent the past three days with the two people she loved most in life walking along white sand beaches in St. Tropez; life was nearly perfect.

They were standing at the French Ministry of Magic outside the portkey office. Alice had scheduled a nine o'clock portkey back to Britain and Calandra already missed her. She straightened Alice's collar and squeezed her friend's shoulders.

"Promise you'll be careful." Calandra said.

"I promise!" Alice laughed. "Don't worry! You know I'll take this seriously."

"I know, I know. But you've got a stubborn streak in you. Don't go looking for trouble." Calandra cautioned.

"I won't." Alice promised. "It's just training right now, anyway. I won't have field work for quite some time."

Calandra wrapped her arms around her friend again.

"Write to me, ok? I want to know everything that happens." Calandra said.

"I will." Alice squeezed her and pulled back. "I wish I could stay. It's been wonderful, but I have to be up bright and early tomorrow."

Calandra nodded and let her friend go. Alice turned to Sirius, who pulled her into a warm hug.

"Keep the ministry in line for us Fawcett." He said.

"Thank you so much for inviting me." Alice said. "I can't remember when I've had this much fun."

"My pleasure!" Sirius laughed. "Go back and tell Longbottom about your time in the country of lovers with a dashing young bloke, make him a bit jealous."

Alice laughed and picked up her suitcase. She kissed Calandra on the cheek and walked across the tile to the door. Alice turned back and blew Calandra a kiss.

"I love you!" Calandra called. "Be careful!"

Alice walked through the door and not a moment later a blue light glowed from the sides of the door. Sirius pulled Calandra to face him and enveloped her into a hug. She pulled back and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I don't know why I'm even crying." She laughed. "I'll see her in two weeks."

Sirius smiled and rubbed a hand along her back. She wove her fingers through his and they made their way out of the ministry and back down the cobblestone streets of the little town.

"Thank you." Calandra said sincerely.

"For what?" Sirius asked.

"For everything. I've sorely neglected you these past few days. You haven't said a word of complaint."

"You were happy." He said simply. "I got to watch you laugh with Fawcett and impress you with my French. What could I possibly have to complain about?"

"Ohh, I don't know." Calandra said. "Possibly the fact that I shared a bed with Alice instead of you for almost a full week."

"Ahh, yes. That did put a damper on the holiday, but we can make up for lost time this week. We've got five whole days to ourselves before Prongs and Red join us." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, yes. And what are your plans for seduction, Black?" Calandra said, batting her eyelashes at him.

"Maybe I'll wine and dine you." he said. "Or perhaps I'll whisper sweet nothings in your ear….in French. Or I'll just lay back and let you seduce me."

"Oh really?" She asked with a laugh.

"Sure. You're an independent woman. Maybe you want to do the seducing."

Calandra smirked and pulled a small parcel out of one of the bags she carried. She handed it to him and tapped the lid with her wand. Silver flowing script snaked across the lid of the box. Séduire et Aimer. Sirius read the words and his eyes grew round. He looked up at her with a smile.

"Maybe I do." She said.


July 15, 1978

"Pads!" James Potter's voice carried down the beach.

Calandra looked over to see Sirius jump up run towards James. They met in a tangle of arms and Sirius clapped James on the back. She rose to her feet and went to meet them. Calandra enveloped Lily in a hug as the two men made over each other.

"Well," Lily said, laughing. "I've lost James for the remainder of our holiday, what say we go find ourselves a bit of fun?"

"Of course! We'll do whatever you like!" Calandra said.

"Well, I heard through the grapevine that Bob Dylan is just across the channel tonight." Lily said.

"Who do we have to confund to get tickets?" Calandra said immediately.

"I knew you'd be on board." Lily laughed.

They'd bought tickets off a scalper in Blackbushe and spent the night swaying along to the music that floated on the air. Artists sang and played and Calandra never wanted to leave. She and Lily were still in awe when their portkey whirled them back to France that night. James and Sirius met them outside the French Ministry of Magic and they all had dinner together at a small bistro. As they were getting ready for bed that night Calandra told Sirius all about her day with Lily.

"What about you?" she asked, running a comb through her hair. "What sort of trouble did you and James get into?"

Sirius tossed his shirt into the open suitcase in the corner of the room. He sat at the edge of the bed and smiled at Calandra.

"Prongs required my expertise." He said.

"With what?" Calandra asked, tossing the socks she'd pulled off into the suitcase.

"He needed someone who knew what they were looking at when it comes to expensive jewelry." Sirius said.

"And exactly how many galleons did your expertise wrangle out of his money bag?" Calandra asked.

"Not that many. By pureblood standards the ring's really more of an insult than a gift." Sirius said pulling off his socks.

Calandra rolled her eyes.

"Good thing Prongs doesn't care about all that." Sirius said with a grin. "Good thing I don't either."

"And why is that?" Calandra asked.

"Well." Sirius plucked his toothbrush out of the cup on the sink. "If I cared about all that I couldn't be with you, now could I?"

"I'll have you know; I can trace my lineage back just as far as you can, on one side at least." Calandra punched his arm lightly. "And mine has a lot less inbreeding in it."

Sirius laughed as he brushed his teeth. He spat into the sink and rinsed his mouth.

"Quite right you can, but last night would've been absolutely scandalous to our ancestors. If we were proper purebloods, we wouldn't be here together, now would we? Courtships and whatnot."

He wrapped and arm around her waist and nuzzled into her neck. Calandra smiled and ran a hand along his cheek.

"I'm not, though." Calandra said. "Not a proper pureblood."

"Trust me, love." Sirius said. "I know there's nothing proper about you at all. And, like I said, I don't give a shite about any of it. You could be a muggle and I'd still be pining after you."

Calandra rolled her eyes as he kissed her. She ran her hand through his hair and mussed it up before walking into the bedroom and turning the duvet down on the bed.

"Wait." She said, turning back to Sirius. "You said ring. What kind of ring?"

Sirius just gave her a look.

"No!" Calandra exclaimed with a giggle.

Sirius nodded.

"Ten galleons says he does it before the weekend." Sirius said.

Calandra shook her head.

"Of course, he'll do it before the weekend. Be more specific, Black." She said. "My money is three days. One day to get over his nerves and the next one to plan some stupid romantic gesture."

Sirius stroked his chin.

"Alright then." He said. "I'll rise to it. Two days. He probably already has something planned."

"Damn it." Calandra cursed. "I didn't think of that."

Sirius smiled at her.

"You could go ahead and give me my galleons now, love." He said.

"Nope." Calandra protested. "I'm still holding out. You may have a leg up on me with James, but I still say he's going to try to pull out all the stops."

She dug in the drawer and tossed a pair of pajama pants to him and shrugged on a night shirt. A shriek from the next room over made them both jump and they both looked at the wall in surprised.

"Yes! Of course! Yes!" could barely be heard from where they stood.

Sirius and Calandra shared a grin.

"I guess we were both wrong." She said, wrapping her arms around him.

"Prongs always was a little quick on the draw." Sirius said. "Let's hope his proposal is the only thing that's a bit premature, eh."

Calandra batted his arm and he scooped her up and spun her around. They landed on the bed together laughing when someone knocked on the door. James burst into the room holding Lily's hand.

"She said yes! She said yes!" he declared joyously and jumped on top of Sirius.

Calandra laughed at the tangle of arms and legs on the bed. Lily came over and held out a hand. Calandra pulled herself up and embraced her friend. She kissed James on the cheek and offered her congratulations to the both of them.

"What made you choose the moment, Prongs?" Sirius asked, ruffling James's hair.

James shoved him off.

"I was going to wait until our reservation on the beach. Had candles and music and the whole lot." He smiled. "But when we were together, I just looked at her and thought, sod it. She's perfect. Any moment I pick will be perfect."

He looked over at Lily.

"I just couldn't wait." He said.

They ordered champagne and toasted the betrothed. The four of them stayed up late into the night chatting and joking and just enjoying each other's company. When they finally told one another goodnight, Calandra relaxed against Sirius in their bed.

"You know." She said. "If James would have stuck with his original plan, I would've won the bet."

Sirius chuckled and pulled her close.

"I was still closest." He said.

"By a technicality." Calandra pointed out.

"I still won." Sirius retorted.

Calandra laughed. "You hardly need the galleons, so what exactly did you really win, Black?"

Sirius ran a finger down her jaw and tilted her face up to his.

"Everything." He murmured as he leaned into her.


July 16, 1978

"We're thinking a spring wedding, but maybe we won't be able to hold out that long." James said, enthusiastically. "Then a long honeymoon. Don't know where yet. Somewhere warm, though. No need for extra clothes."

He winked at Lily and she smiled and rolled her eyes at him.

"There'll be great music, and lots of champagne. Oh, and as much bolognese as Guido's can make." James said enthusiastically.

"Wow, Prongs." Sirius poured wine into their glasses. "Do you have your sprogs names picked out, too."

"Of course." James said, unphased by Sirius's teasing. "Marigold if it's a girl. Harry if it's a boy. For the first one, that is. We've got a few options for the next two."

"We have not agreed on Marigold." Lily said. "James just wants it to be a flower. Says it's a new tradition."

"You want three?" Calandra said in surprise.

"I'd like five." James said, cutting into his crepe. "Three's the most I could get her to agree to."

"I'm going to be doing the heavy lifting." Lily laughed.

"I'm not complaining, love." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "Anyway, clear your schedules, you two. It'll be the party of the century."

Sirius smirked and shook his head at his friend. Calandra sat and sipped her wine deep in thought.


July 16, 1078

She walked along the beach in the moonlight with Sirius that night. He shrank their shoes and put them in his pocket, then grabbed her hand as they wound their way through the sand. He pointed out stars to her and she half listened, reminded a bit of an Astronomy lesson years ago.

"Sirius." She said, stopping and turning to him.

He looked down at her.

"Yeah, love."

"I've been thinking." Calandra said. "And I don't know what you see when you look at the future, and I don't expect anything from you, but I need to tell you something."

His brow furrowed and she pressed on.

"I don't want to have children."

He studied her face and she swallowed.

"I mean I would like to have children, but I don't think I ever will. I don't want to pass on what I am. I hate what it means to be me in our world. I can't make another little girl go through that. I can't do it. I need you to know that. I need you to know that now."

He nodded and wrapped one of her curls around his fingers.

"I see you." he said softly. "In my future. Every way I've ever imagined it, you're there. With me."

Calandra reached up and held his hand.

"This may change that." She said, thickly. "And I'll understand if it does."

He started to shake his head and Calandra held up her hand.

"You deserve a family, Sirius. A real family. I can't give you that. I need you to really think about what I'm saying before you tell me what you think Ok?"

She saw heartbreaking tenderness in those beautiful grey eyes as he watched her. He nodded softly and brought her hand up to his lips. They turned back toward the dock in the distance. Calandra held his hand tightly in hers as they walked back, silently. If he decided on a future without her because of this, she'd let him go. She would, but not tonight.

She pointed out Jupiter and rattled off names about her favorite moons and he listened. He took in every word she said, although he'd heard it all before. Calandra got lost in his eyes as he gazed at her.


July 19, 1978

She sat on the beach and watched Sirius and James dive into the waves. Lily had fallen asleep under the umbrella about ten minutes after the two wizards had jumped into the ocean. Calandra pushed her hat back and smiled at the sight before her.

James emerged from the water; lanky legs sticking out from his swimming trunks and hair slicked against his head. He turned around and laughed at Sirius who had popped up out of the water and was shaking sand out of his shorts.

Calandra drank Sirius in. Dark hair plastered to his neck; legs covered in sand. He was tanned from spending so much time in the sun on their holiday and looked more carefree than Calandra had ever seen him. His eyes danced with light and laughter as he ran toward James and swung him up over his shoulders. James clutched his glasses as Sirius tossed him into the waves.

Calandra could see it now; two little boys, one with a mop of messy dark hair, the other with grey eyes and a tiny black ponytail chasing one another on the beach. They'd laugh and toss sand at each other, and their fathers would probably join in. A pretty woman with red hair would warn the messy haired little boy to play nicely and the little boy with gray eyes and dark hair would look to his own mother, waiting for a warning. When she called out to the little boy, she wouldn't worry about being too loud. That woman's voice wouldn't stop strangers on the street. That woman couldn't make magic with nothing but her words, but she could give him a family. That woman in the future who got to watch Sirius playing with the little boy with eyes that matched his own wouldn't be her. And it broke her heart.


July 25, 1978

Calandra unpacked her suitcase. She went through and put her clothes away by hand, without magic. She took her time folding jumpers and sliding them in the drawer, tossing socks in the dresser, and hanging dresses in the closet. She picked through the suitcase, separating Sirius's clothes from her own. He followed her into the bedroom a few moments later, tossing his suitcase on the bed.

"If you used your wand, things would go a lot faster love." He said waving his own over the suitcase.

"You've told me that before, if I recall correctly." Calandra smiled at him and plucked the last pair of trousers from the suitcase.

"Knowing you, I'll probably be telling you that when we're eighty." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Stubborn thing you are."

Calandra's hands paused in folding up the trousers. The words shouldn't have pierced her heart, but they did. She slowly pulled out a drawer, lay the trousers inside, and pushed it back in. She turned back around, and Sirius hoisted her up in the air, hooking her knees around his waist.

"Whoa!" Calandra said with a laugh.

Sirius kissed her and took a step forward until she sat perched on the edge of their bureau. He leaned in closely to her and wrapped his arms around her. Calandra rubbed a hand across his back and hooked her ankles together behind him.

"I meant that." He said, pulling back. "I probably will be telling you that when we're eighty. I hope I am. Merlin, I should be so lucky."

Calandra searched his eyes.

"We don't have to have kids to be a family, Cal." He said softly.

Calandra swallowed and shook her head.

"I mean it." He said. "I'm not taking the piss at this."

He cradled her face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs over her cheeks.

"I'm not with you for some mythical future sprogs you could give me. I'm with you for you. That's all I want."

Calandra felt a tear snake its way down her cheek. Sirius kissed her nose and she smiled.

"You deserve everything, though." She said. "And I can't give you that."

Sirius shook his head.

"You're already more than I deserve." He said.

Calandra bit back an incredulous laugh.

"Life with you will be more than anything I could've dreamed up for myself." He said and chucked her under the chin.

"Besides." He ran his hands down her arms then wrapped one around her waist and slid the other under her thigh. "Just because we won't be having any babies, doesn't mean we won't spend lots of time practicing making them."

He leant in and kissed her as he spun them both around and dropped Calandra on the bed.