Love, Remus has come to realise, looks nothing like he thought it would. It's cups of tea made with just the right amount of milk, someone's favourite meal that makes its way into your regular cookbook, or the smile that creeps up unexpectedly with just a mere glance. Affectionate arguments, practising hexes and jinxes, unconditional support. Remus hasn't felt that sort of love, that romantic kind at least. But he's certainly seen it.

Lily and James had that bond; that kind of fierce, unrelenting love. All consuming, awe inspiring. They worked so effortlessly together, succinct both in battle and in the little chance they had at parenthood. He wonders if that's what he'll see in Sirius and Mary now too. They'd always had passion of course. Both feisty and headstrong. They both cared so deeply, but could also wound as easily. Sirius could be careless where Mary had a ruthless streak. Their relationship had been intense, full of adventures and strange arguments, but he hadn't always been entirely certain if they would stay the course.

Then of course everything fell apart, Sirius went to Azkaban, and up until last month he'd assumed that Mary had, or else eventually would move on.

But as he sits with their daughter he realises he's definitely been thinking along the wrong lines. He'd glanced at Mary once during the trial, only to be blown away by her expression. She'd been staring at Sirius, her feelings etched deeply on her pale and trembling face. A fierce look of utter devotion intermingled with unmistakable fury and grief. It had been so raw he hadn't needed to see Sirius' Pensieve memories of Lily and James' deaths to send him hurtling back to those awful, cold November days in which his entire world changed.

And Sirius? Sirius had looked at her with such painful affection it had almost felt like witnessing an intimate moment between the two of them, even with dozens of people, nosy journalists, a handful of Dementors and the entire Wizengamot between them.

Violet fidgets and fusses in the seat in front of him, and he belatedly realised he's done a rather shoddy job on plaiting her hair. It looks more like a tangled mess of hair and flowers (when had they gotten in there?) But he doesn't think a second attempt would improve much.

"Er, there you go." he pats her awkwardly on the shoulder. She turns around to give him a beaming smile, before running over to where Harry is playing with a rather cute pet rabbit. Remus wonders once more how Mary and Sirius are faring. Has she told him about this yet? How exactly does one tell your recently released boyfriend that he has a four year old daughter?

The pair had been all full of questions when he had first arrived here, at Millys house in Kenmare. Milly was a cheerful but shrewd young witch who Mary had apparently known in her childhood here before she'd headed off to Hogwarts. Milly had been homeschooled for her Wizarding Education, her mother part of the older school of Magical thought that focused more on alchemy and herbology amongst other Magicks. She'd stayed thoroughly out of the war due to her position in Ireland and Remus had to wonder if she even knew about Sirius, let alone what he had been convicted for. However the warding surrounding her house was strong and he was certain it wasn't just for their sake.

Now Milly was at work in her apothecary downstairs, and he was minding the two little ones until he received word from Mary. He was trying not to fret, but he wasn't entirely sure how their conversation would go. Who knew how well Sirius was, really? Would this upset him? Could he handle it?

Remus himself had been overwhelmed enough upon meeting both Harry and Violet, yet he wasn't ever going to be responsible for either of them the way Mary and Sirius were. He felt a pang of guilt. James and Lily had been so important to him, why hadn't he done more for their son? Little Harry, who was so sweet it broke Remus' heart to think of both the young boys past and future. He may be well protected now, but what sort of hubbub would surround him once he went off to Hogwarts?

Would Mary even send the pair to Hogwarts? She'd shown herself to be remarkably cautious so far in her care for the two. Surprisingly careful for a Gryffindor in fact. Still, his mind was having a hard time thinking of the possibility of her and Sirius as two stable co-parents.

In fact, his mind was quite boggled when it came to Sirius in general. The last month had been a whirlwind, transitioning from a confused sort of hatred, to an equally confusing and bittersweet sense of loss and profound grief. He knew deep in his heart that Sirius was innocent. But to see that confirmed in the eye of the law today was nothing short of miraculous.

Now all he was left with was guilt. Why hadn't he considered that Sirius may be innocent himself? Why had it taken Mary's convincing to do so? He'd like to be able to easily dismiss it as a fault of his own cowardice, but he knew it stemmed further than that. As a werewolf, there wasn't a hope that he could have led this charge to get Sirius a trial. Not the way Mary or Minerva had anyways. Not without scrutiny, discussion of dark creatures and that horribly familiar look of fear and disgust once people realised who, or rather what he was. How selfish could he be to let his affliction get in the way of the salvation of his own best friend? The very one who had sacrificed so much for him.

Remus shakes himself from his melancholy thoughts and heads across the second floor sitting room over towards the two children, sitting down across from them. Violet is looking through a large picture book, leaning against Harry as she examines its contents. Harry seems preoccupied with methodically petting the rabbit, a small line between his brow that is so familiar Remus just sits and watches him for a moment.

"Harry?" he asks, making sure to keep his voice gentle. Harry still looks up a little too quickly, and gives Remus a grim sort of smile.

"Hi." he mumbles, still petting the rabbit before him.

"Are you alright Harry?"

A shrug.

Not good. Not good at all. Mary would not be happy if Remus brought back her kids with one of them looking like this. Harry could get a little anxious, he knew that. He still seemed- understandably of course-a little uncertain at times. Mary was usually able to console him with her fierce love, or Violet with her infectious joy.

"Harry, you can talk to me if you want to. Maybe I can help."

Harry looked over again, his green eyes dubious. He stared at Remus for a moment, then at Violet, still happily perusing her book before he looked back down. He picked up a few treats for the rabbit, watching as it scampered closer. Remus was almost certain Harry wasn't going to say anything at all when he spoke up, his voice quiet and oddly even.

"Somethings happening."

"Yes, that's right." Remus agreed, knowing Harry was too clever to attempt to lie to. Harry fidgeted for a moment before replying.

"Where did you and Mary go this morning?"

Remus shouldn't have been too surprised. Harry watched everything adults did around him, his keen little eyes observing the things that weren't always said aloud. But how much to tell them? Mary had been so up and down with her emotions during the week, never letting herself get too optimistic that everything might work out the way it had today. She hadn't wanted to overwhelm the two, or get them excited about something that may not happen. She hadn't said it explicitly, but Remus was certain she had been especially worried about Harry. Big changes could be hard for kids anyways, but with a kid as anxious as Harry it was even more of a risk.

"We had to go to the Ministry of Magic." He'd told them briefly about the Ministry before.

"Why?"

"We had to find out some information about a friend." Remus manages eventually.

"So it wa-wasn't anything I did-"

"Of course not." Remus interrupts immediately, even though of course in a way this has everything to do with Harry, just not in a way he thinks he could clearly communicate. But because Harry still looks horribly uncertain, "Harry, nothing is wrong at all. It's good news, I promise."

"What kind of good news?" he hedges.

"Er, a surprise."

"A surprise?" exclaims Violet, throwing her book down to look directly at Remus. He hadn't even realised she had been listening in to their conversation. He should have expected it considering how protective the younger girl was of Harry.

Their relationship was eerily close. They could be squabbling one moment, but if Violet fell and scraped her knee Harry would be right at her side. If Harry seemed especially anxious, Violet always seemed to know what to do to help calm him down, or distract him at least. At times it was hard to believe they had only known one another for a year and a half. Then again, they were so young that a year and a half was a considerable amount of time by comparison.

"Yeah, a lovely surprise. Later." he assured Violet with a smile. This did not placate her in the slightest.

"What? No! Tell me now, please, please?" she blinked her bright blue eyes endearingly.

Remus had to stifle a laugh in response. She may be barely four, but sometimes her resemblance to Sirius went far beyond appearances. Sirius had always hated being kept out of the loop, especially when one had tried to surprise him with anything. He would annoy the rest of them endlessly with similar puppy-dog eyes until he got what he wanted.

"But then it won't be a surprise, will it?" he asked, his tone mild.

"But- but…" she protested, eventually turning to Harry. "Harry! Tell me, tell me!"

"I don't know either Vi." he assured her. "Will you help me feed Spinoza?"

"Ooh, yay!" she cheered, all previous thought forgotten as Harry handed her a few small carrots, giggling as the rabbit eagerly took them from her.

Harry grinned at Remus, a cheeky sort of grin not unlike his own mothers. Remus smiled back, but Merlin, this day has been full of ghosts. Harry seems a little calmer now, but not completely assured. Seeing such anxiety and uncertainty on such a young child's face so often was discomforting. Remus couldn't help but feel troubled about it. After all he knew all about feeling that way, especially at such a young age.

It's almost an hour later when a gasp of delight from Violet made him look up from his checkers game with Harry. A glowing silver fox was before him, its bushy tail swishing back and forth.

"Moony," Mary's voice came out of the fox, trembling with emotion. "Come home. Please, bring our children home."

"Mammy!" Violet cried, running over only for the fox to vanish as she reached out to touch it. She turned to Remus with an accusing look on her face.

"Are you both ready to go?" Remus asked, hoping the emotion of Marys voice was from a good outcome rather than a negative one. She had said our after all. "I'll just let Milly know we're leaving. Will you put Spinoza back in his crate and tidy up your things please?"

"Okay!" they chorused, although Harry looked less excited than Violet did. Once he returned, with a small box of carefully wrapped, rare herbs tucked in his pocket for Mary he made his way to the Floo where the kids were eagerly waiting. Remus was a bit nervous Flooing alone with two small children, so he hoisted Violet up into one arm and held tightly onto Harrys hand. He barely managed to toss down the green powder and shout Mary's Cottage, before they were whipped away by the green flames.

They stumbled out into the main sitting room, both children coughing slightly. Before he could even brush the ash from her clothes, Violet leaps from his arms, landing deftly on the floor. She rushes out through the open front door, Harry and Remus following along in her wake.

She hadn't made it very far. Once Remus got outside, he could see two figures sitting on a sunny patch of grass under a tree at the far end of the yard. Mary's laugh drifts towards them on the breeze and his heart warmed, they seemed happy.

Violet was only standing a few feet before him, having stopped abruptly in her tracks at the sight of the stranger. Harry seemed to be holding onto his hand tighter than he had a moment before.

"Moony?" Violet asked, turning to look at him. "Who that?"

"Er, the surprise." he wasn't sure what else to say, so he raised his voice to call out. "Mary?"

Mary turned, a smile blooming on her face at the sight of them. She placed a hand on Sirius' arm before hurrying over, leaving him sitting on the grass. Even from this distance Remus could tell Sirius was looking a lot better. Out of the Azkaban rags, his skin cleaner, and hair somewhat tamed. Remus waved at his old friend, whose (still) handsome face broke into a genuine smile.

"Mammy!" Violet greeted happily as her mother neared, her small arms reaching up for a hug. Mary crouched down to greet her, her dark eyes brimming with tears that contrasted with her beaming smile.

"Violet, love, I'm so happy to see you." she kissed her daughter's nose, making her giggle. "I need you to meet someone."

"Who? Who is it mammy?"

"You too Harry," Mary said, turning to hold her arms out to him. Harry flew into her arms, and Mary held him tightly, her hand running gently through his untameable hair. Remus could almost feel the comfort coming off of Mary in waves as she embraced him.

"Why are you crying?" Harry asked softly, leaning back to look at her.

"Oh." Mary paused to wipe her eyes with the edge of her sleeve. "I'm just very happy, that's all."

"You cry when happy?" Violet inquired, peering over at her mother.

"Sometimes sweetheart. Listen guys, do you remember my stories of Moony, Padfoot and Prongs?"

"Yes." they answered together, both of them turning to look at Remus, who found himself surprisingly touched at their automatic association.

"Well you've met Moony of course, and Harry love, you know Prongs is what we called your dad." she had her arms around both children at the same time, and Remus marvelled at how big Mary's heart could be.

"Yes, you told me." Harry said, his little face still etched with concern.

"Well I want you to meet Padfoot. He's their best friend." her voice trembled slightly, and Remus wondered how she had been able to remain so calm. "He was kept away from us for a while, but today we were able to get him back."

"Where he go?" Violet asked, leaning around to stare at Sirius, who was now pacing. Remus' heart ached for his old friend.

"Away." Mary answered simply, and with more grace than Remus could have handled. "But he really wanted to be here though, he wanted to know both of you. He loves both of you."

"But he don't know me." Violet protested, and based on the look on her face Remus could predict a mild tantrum brewing. Violet could be remarkably argumentative, especially when she felt unsure. Harry too, looked unconvinced. Mary looked up Remus uncertainly.

"Well I loved you both before I knew you." he interjects fondly.

"But you're my godfather, you have to like me." Violet argued, her little hands on her hips.

"Yes, well Padfoot is Harry's godfather." Remus replied. Harry twisted around to look at him, surprise colouring his features.

"Me?"

"Yes, I don't know if you remember him Harry. But he loved you very much." he met Mary's eyes for a moment, tilting his head towards Sirius. At her assenting nod, he continued. "Will I take you to meet him?"

"I guess." Harry replied, looking both curious and apprehensive. He took Remus' outstretched hand readily though, and they made their way across the yard. He stopped halfway to whisper. "Moony, what if he doesn't like me anymore?"

"Not possible." Remus replied firmly, Harry blinked in surprise but didn't argue any further.

As they neared Sirius, he stopped pacing, and he had turned to stare at them with an odd look on his face. Remus could only imagine how his friend felt. Harry looked eerily like James (even if his personality was more like Lily's), and the last time Sirius had seen James he - the images from Sirius' memories at his trial came to the forefront of his mind again, and Remus swallows past the lump in his throat.

Sirius did look a lot better, although the horrible sunkenness of his features hadn't quite been wiped away. The surprisingly warm day must have helped though, as he looked far healthier than Remus had expected.

They stopped a few feet away, Harry holding on tightly to Remus' hand. Remus could have sworn he saw Sirius blinking back tears.

"Harry." Sirius said hoarsely. He crouched down, his pale eyes intent on Harry's face. "I'm Sirius, but you may know me as Padfoot."

"Hullo." said Harry, he glances up at Remus before holding a tiny hand out to Sirius to shake.

"It's nice to meet you." he said sincerely, although his eyes were twinkling with amusement at Harry's formal response. "I'm sure you've heard, but you look so much like your dad. Except, of course-"

"My eyes, I know." Harry interrupted, although not rudely. He stared up at Sirius, then mumbled. "Maire said you were my d-dads' best friend."

"Well, yes. But it was more than that. Your dad is-was like a brother to me."

"Oh." Harry's gaze flits back to Violet, who's still standing by Mary, the two of them watching this reunion play out. "Violet is like my sister. Sort of."

"Is she now?" Sirius asked, his voice impossibly soft. He looked over at her and Mary, and his eyes filled with such longing Remus could practically feel it. "So you understand what I mean."

Harry nodded. He still hasn't let go of Remus' hand.

"My pa-the people who were supposed to take care of me," Sirius spoke softly, cautiously, although there was a tension in his shoulders than Remus knew he could never truly empathise with. "They didn't do a very good job. They weren't very nice. So one day your dad's parents came, and they brought me to live with them instead."

"Oh-you.. But, I-" Harry seemed a little lost for words. His eyes flickered around wildly for a moment before he looks down at his shoes, the sun catching on the golden rim of his glasses.

"I think maybe you can understand how that feels too." Sirius suggested gently.

"Sort of." Harry mumbled. Sirius' jaw tightened in response, and Remus squeezed Harry's hand to remind him he was still there.

"Maybe it's good we'll have each other then." said Sirius. "If you'd like that."

"Oh, I-Yes." Harry mumbled, looking up at Sirius, a flicker of a smile on his earnest little face.

"I'm glad to hear that." Sirius barked out a laugh, it's suddenness making Harry giggle in surprise. The smile that lights up Sirius' haunted face is so bright that Remus can't help but smile. Harry was still watching Sirius carefully, and Remus got the feeling that he wasnt completely finished speaking.

"Moony said you were my godfather." Harry said softly, almost questioningly, his eyes wide behind his glasses.

"That's right, I am."

Even though he didn't say anything further, Remus saw the way Sirius' eyes darkened and heard the unsaid I wish I had been a better one as clearly as though he had said it outloud. The guilt etched deep into Sirius' voice had been painfully obvious during his trial. If he kept on like this Remus knew he wasn't the only one who would get irritated. Sirius shouldn't feel that way, Peter was the one who was responsible for all of this pain, this hardship.

"You're not Violet's godfather." Harry continued thoughtfully.

"No, I'm not."

Harry looked up at Remus at the tremble in Sirius' voice. Remus put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder before he turned to lock eyes with Mary.

Mary's journey across the yard to them seemed particularly long, Sirius watching her pending arrival with a desperate expression. By the time she reached them, with an unusually quiet Violet clutched in her arms, Remus' heart ached for Sirius.

Mary placed Violet on the soft grass next to Harry, stepping back to place a hand on Harrys' shoulder as well, the emotion churning in her eyes. Violet quietly appraised Sirius, her small face pursed in concentration. Sirius is still crouching, almost eye level with Violet and drinking in the sight of her, looking lost for words.

"Violet, darling, this is your dad." Unlike earlier, Mary's voice is steady, certain. She flashes a reassuring smile at Sirius, who seems torn between looking at Mary and studying his daughter's features.

For once Violet too seems lost for words, her tiny mouth parted in a little o of surprise. She reaches out a small hand, and Sirius stills as she traces it over his cheekbone. His eyelids flicker shut for a moment, but when he reopens them he stares at Violet as though she's the most wonderful thing he's ever seen.

A gentle breeze brushes over them, bringing along the wafting scent of flowers. Violet's hair dances in the air with it, and she pulls back from Sirius with a shy little giggle. This innocent little sound seems to pull Sirius out of his shock.

"Er, hello." he manages eventually, his voice so quiet it's almost timid.

"Hello!" she says back with a cheerful little smile. Her resemblance to Sirius at his best and brightest is almost painful to witness.

The tears that had threatened to fall when he spoke to Harry have returned, and they slip down Sirius' face as quick and silent as the passing of time.

"Why sad?" Violet asks, peering at Sirius. When he doesn't immediately answer she looks up at her mother. Remus glances over at Mary, and is startled to realise that the tears forming in her eyes mirror his own. There's something undeniably moving about this moment, something he couldn't hope to encapsulate in a number of words of empty platitudes.

In the end it is Harry, his small face somehow full of both loss and joy, who gently nudges Violet. She stumbles forwards and Sirius' arms open automatically to catch her and hold her safely. With barely any hesitation she hugs him back tightly.

Not for the first time, Remus wonders if you can tell who your family are just through the mere act of touch. He remembers one dark night during his first year all too well, when he lay shivering and wracked with pain in the Hospital Wing after a particularly brutal full moon. The next thing he knew, he had been surrounded by the sleepy, stubborn figures of his three roommates. They had curled up around him with barely a word spoken, their unbelievably kind gesture providing him with a comfort he hadn't known he could receive. He had felt safe, it had felt like family, he had felt like he was home.

Watching Violet now, looking as safe and assured as ever in her gently crying father's arms, it feels like watching that same feeling spring forth once more. Love.

"And this is Bridget, Miss O'Sullivan named her because of when she was borned, and she really hates the smell of apple juice. It makes her make funny noises and knock over things. And that's bad. So if she's inside here you can never ever have it. Okay, never?"

With her arms wrapped tightly around the cat, Violet stared at Sirius with such a stoic expression that Remus barely managed to hold back his laughter. Sirius glanced at Mary, whose grinning mouth was barely concealed behind her cup of tea, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Okay.. never." Sirius managed eventually, smiling at his daughter.

Merlin, his daughter. Remus was still trying to process the turn of events this day had taken. Violet had taken the information that Sirius was her dad surprisingly well, not even arguing with her mother once. It was almost as though she had known all along. Sirius had barely let go of her when she had sprung towards the house, excitedly telling him she was going to track down each and every one of the cats to show him. None of them had dared to tell her that Sirius had never been particularly fond of cats.

"And you need to make sure you never leave your shoes near her bed, or else she will tangle your laces. When she did it to Mammy, Mammy yelled and yelled and Harry and I had to go hiding."

"Oh yeah?" Sirius sat back in his seat to twist and look at Mary, amusement colouring his features.

"Oh don't look at me like that," Mary said from her spot beside him. Her feet were tucked up under her, and she was sitting remarkably close to Sirius. There was barely an inch between them, as though neither of them could bear to be parted. "You try repairing that kind of damage with magic, it took me hours."

"If you say so." replied Sirius with a cheeky grin.

"It's true." piped up Harry. Bridget the tabby was currently batting at the laces of his little shoes, and Remus figured it wouldn't be long before Bridget destroyed something of Sirius' too, and then he wouldn't be quite so amused.

"Okay, so now…" Violet trailed off, looking at the cats assembled around her.

"What?" asked Harry, who had noticed her concerned face.

"Where's Miko?" she asked, bending down to peer under the couch. She looked up at Sirius, her face almost anxious as though she thought he would lose interest unless she kept him occupied.

"Er, is one missing?" asked Sirius. Adding a really? Under his breath to Remus when Violet wasn't looking.

"Oh, I know!" Violet said suddenly, standing up. "I'll be right back!" without any word of explanation she rushed from the room, disappearing through the front door, the sunlight streaming back in as it flung open behind her.

"Oh. Should we help?" Sirius asked anxiously, half rising from his chair.

"Don't worry," Mary said mildly, leaning over to pull Harry into a gentle hug. "I saw one of the cats crawling up the fireplace in my studio. She'll never find Miko there."

It was only when Violet reappeared, covered in ash and soot on every inch of her apart from her blinking blue eyes, a bedraggled meowing cat in her hands that Remus realised what his friends were really in for.

A soft thud and the familiar sound of his bark-like laugh; perhaps a little rougher than he remembered told Remus that Sirius had nearly fallen off the couch from the force of his laughter, his legs tangled with Mary''s.

Violet had beamed like she had just won a prize. Harry too had giggled from his seat beside Remus.

"Violet." Mary sighed, her eyes dimming shut as she sounded both exasperated and proud at the same time. "Was this really necessary?"

"Yes mammy," she argued at once, nodding seriously. "All the cats have to meet him straight away, or else what if they don't like him. Then what would we do?"

"I'm sure we'd survive." Mary said dryly, waving her wand over the girl several times in a complicated upturned flicking motion. "This will have to do until we can get you into the bath later."

"Miko was stuck in the chimney," Violet shrugged, seemingly nonplussed as the soot vanished from her skin and clothes. She turned to Sirius then, her face etched with sudden concern. "You do like cats, right?"

"Of course I do."

Remus wasn't sure if he was more surprised by the lie falling from his friend's lips, or the speed at which Violet had wrapped him around her little finger.

"Yay!" She celebrated. She turned to Harry. "Can you help me please?"

Harry hopped up, taking Miko from her arms and gently brushing off the remaining soot embedded in his multicolored fur. Sirius watched the pair with an incredibly tender expression.

Mary exchanged an amused look with Remus as the two littles ones began steadfastly introducing Sirius to the remaining cats, telling him about each cat's likes and dislikes and little anecdotes about each one. By the time she had finished the majority of the cats had dispersed, apart from one which was currently snoozing on Harry's lap.

"Thank you for telling me about your cats. You knew lots of great stories." Sirius said gently, leaning forward on his elbows so he was closer to Violet, who beamed at his praise. "I'm looking forward to getting to know them as well as both of you."

"I have a question for you guys." Remus said mildly, exchanging a sly look with Sirius once he had both kids attention. "Do you like dogs too?"

Predictably, both of their faces light up.

Remus grins at Sirius before his friend fluidly transforms into a creature he hadn't seen for nearly half a decade, one he presumed he wouldn't see again and yet missed every full moon like a hole in his heart. He nearly got to his feet at the mere sight of his friend's Animagus form, as though something deep inside of him longed to be reconciled.

He looks just as Remus remembered, from the wide puppy-dog eyes, and dark shaggy mane. His padded feet paw at the wooden floor almost anxiously, and there's a soft thump from his tail as it hits the rug behind him.

Padfoot needn't have worried, as both Violet and Harry grin with delight. Violet rushes forward, Harry at her heels and throws her arms around the giant dog exclaiming "Puppy!"

Mary smiles fondly at the trio as the childrens sweet giggles surround them. It doesn't escape Remus' notice that Harry looks remarkably more comfortable and altogether less hesitant around Padfoot than he has been around Sirius. This doesn't surprise him at all, given how shy and awkward Harry had been at the start, yet how at ease he always seemed with animals.

"This is the best surprise I ever gotten." Violet said with glee, and Padfoot pushed his wet snout against her little cheek, making her giggle once more.

As the kids begin trying to get Padfoot to carry out some of the same tricks Madra is so good at-"Paw, no the left one!" and "Ooh, ooh, can he roll over?" or "Fetch!" with a spare stick that seems to have appeared out of nowhere, Remus moves to plop down beside Mary.

"How're you doing?" he asks, keeping his voice soft even if he knows Padfoot will probably catch it anyways.

"Me? Oh." her hands twist the loose fabric of her blue robes, avoiding his eyes. "It's all a bit…" she trails off, uncharacteristically lost for words. She watches Sirius playing with the two children and Remus is reminded of those soft, aching looks they had shared during his horrendous trial.

"Surreal?" he supplied.

"Yeah, definitely surreal. But in a good way."

He definitely understood where she was coming from. As delighted as he had been to see Padfoot again, it only compounds his grief for their other four-legged friend, but he pushes the memory of their fourth companion far, far from his mind. Dwelling on all they have lost won't do him any good, especially not today-considering all they have gained back.

When Sirius transforms back into his human form the three of them are hopelessly intertwined, a mixture of laughter, smiles and messy dark hair.

"Well now that's a little demeaning." Sirius comments as he rejoins them on the couch, watching as the two kids call over Madra to perform some of the same tricks.

"Hey, if the shoe fits." says Mary teasingly, her fingers brushing over his forearm. Sirius grins at her, and for a second it's as though Azkaban had never ravaged his face. His hands reach out to grasp tightly onto hers.

"Mary, I-They're wonderful." he murmurs, his voice full of emotion. When Remus sees Mary's radiant smile he immediately crosses the room to join the two kids, giving his two euphoric friends some space as they curl up next to each other, a thousand unspoken words passing between them.

Quietly Remus leads the children out into the garden, Madra bounding alongside them. He figures his friends could do with a little more privacy.

They amble towards the stream that surrounds the house and as the kids start trying to skip stones across the water Remus can't help but revel in the feel of sunlight soaking up into his bones. Being here has made him feel more healthy and alive than he has in years. Instead of rattling around his parents dilapidated home he's been spending hours in the fresh warm air here, and the smell of Mary's overgrowing garden has become as comforting to him as the smell of a piece of chocolate or a cup of tea.

There's a gentle breeze that rustles the trees and for a moment Remus thinks he'd be happy to live forever in this moment. At peace, and surrounded by his dearest friends and the joy of these two children. Children who he hopes will grow up in a time of peace.

When Mary calls them in for lunch they all gather inside once more, and the children are soon distracted by an imaginary game of silly voices and using their sandwiches and fruit as 'cars' and 'shops'. Remus sits in the adjoining kitchen with his friends, wondering at how it can almost feel as though no time has passed and yet everything is so different.

"You know," Sirius began conversationally as he stirred some sugar into his coffee, pausing to take a long, lingering sniff. "I had an ancestor named Violetta. Absolutely mental, by all accounts. But also a complete genius."

"What?" Mary turned, blinking at him in surprise.

"I had a great-"

"No, no, I heard you." she shook her head, looking down. "Could've bloody mentioned that."

Remus exchanged a confused look with Sirius at her obviously irritated tone.

"Who could've mentioned that?" asked Sirius sharply.

"I-Oh. Well, you could have of course."

Remus isn't entirely certain, but he could have sworn that Mary paused for a brief moment before she answered. It struck him as odd, but he couldn't hazard a guess as to who else she may mean.

"What, tell you the names of all the Blacks throughout history just in case you have our illegitimate child while I'm wrongfully imprisoned?" Sirius retorted dryly, the bitterness still lingering in his voice.

"Well it's not like you don't know them. Weren't you trained like rather maudlin little parrots to recite some book called Wizarding Noble Genealogy off by heart?

"Ugh, don't remind me." Sirius grimaced before taking another sip of his coffee. "That reminds me, any idea what my dear old mother has been upto? I was surprised not to see her there this morning. I thought she'd want to gloat at the mere sight of me in chains. The only one I recognised was my Aunt Druella."

Remus hadn't noticed Sirius' mother there, which was something he was sure he would have been grateful for if his fear hadn't been going into overdrive throughout the entire morning.

Seeing Sirius again, really seeing him-not just those horrible pictures from the wanted posters-had been strange enough before they had shown his memories of that night to the packed chamber of politicians and strangers. He hasn't heard anything about any of the Blacks since Sirius' incarceration, but as they didn't quite run in the same circles he didn't really expect to.

He glances at Mary to realise that she may not be sharing the same relief he did. She has a tight expression on her face, as though she's trying to realise how to navigate forward. He and Sirius seem to realise what that could possibly mean at the same time; Sirius' mug meeting the table with a gentle clunk.

"Mary?"

His voice is filled with such trust, but heavy with the apprehension of her oncoming reply.

"Sirius," she begins softly, her hands reaching for his own. He grips her own with a surprising fierceness. "Your mother passed away."

Something flickers in his friend's grey eyes, but it passes before Remus could have a hope of deciphering it. When Sirius speaks again, his voice is painfully even.

"When?"

"Just before Christmas."

"Right."

There's something hard in Sirius' expression that almost makes him appear a stranger once more. He lets out a breath, before leaning forward to scrub his hands over his face, the sunlight illuminating the tattoos on his fingers.

Remus exchanges a look with Mary, who seems lost for words. She places a hand consolingly on Sirius' back, who flinches for only a second before settling under her touch. As the silence lingers, Remus can hear the sounds of the birds singing and twittering, and the distant rush of the stream that surrounds the house.

"Mary?" Harry asks tentatively from the doorway, watching them carefully from behind his round glasses. Sirius starts, half rising from his chair to look at Harry, every line of his body ready to spring into action.

"I've got it." Remus murmurs, gently nudging Sirius back into his chair. Mary shoots him a grateful look as she draws Sirius into her arms, his thin frame collapsing against her own.

"What's up Harry?" Remus asks softly, following the youngster back into the living room. Here Violet hovers by the blue couch, her guilty eyes staring at a stain on the couch as vivid as her name.

"It was an accident!" Harry blurted before Remus could say anything, his fingers twisting his shirt anxiously.

Remus crouches down next to Violet, Harry slotting in next to her as though keen to equally share the blame. Remus brushes his hand over the blooming juice stain, marveling at how hard it must be to raise kids without magic.

"Of course it was." Remus agreed, smiling at Harry who slumps with relief. "That's the great thing about magic." he pulls his wand from its holster and waves it over the stain, watching as the vibrant purple colour leeches away.

"Thank you!" trills Violet, giving Remus a quick hug before beaming at Harry. "I told you, no one was going to yell."

Harry blushes at this statement and says nothing, reminding Remus just how deep some wounds can remain even when others can't see them. He hopes he can try to ease this transition for him, at least a little.

"Yeah, stains are never worth yelling about." he lowers his voice to an almost whisper. "You know, Sirius can be very messy like this too. So don't worry about anyone yelling."

"Really?" Harry asks, while Violet peers at the door which is now behind Remus, suddenly looking shy at the mention of her father. How strange it must be to have a brand new adult enter your life (again) and not know anything about them. Not know how your world was going to change.

"Oh yeah, wait 'til you see him eat anything, he's messier than Madra." Remus says teasingly. Predictably, both children giggle at the image this creates. They've just settled back into their game, swapping grapes for orange slices and nibbling on their sandwiches when Remus hears footsteps behind him.

He turns, startled to see Sirius slipping out the back door, every line in his body taut with tension. Mary turns to Remus, her hands fisted in her scarf.

"Mary?"

"It's fine." she says dismissively, her eyes on Sirius' retreating figure. "He must be so overwhelmed. I just…" she trails off nervously, glancing up at him from under her dark eyelashes.

"What is it?"

"Can you go with him? Even from a distance? I just don't feel..alright with him alone, upset, disoriented. I can't imagine how he must be feeling, and he doesn't even know the area."

"Of course." Remus agreed. "Are you alright?"

"Me?" she looks momentarily surprised. "Yeah, yeah. I'm the one who told him to go. Really I thought he might have a reaction like this earlier."

"Alright," Remus leans in to kiss her chastely on the forehead before following in Sirius' wake.

He can see the thin frame of his friend heading towards the woods behind the house, and he hurries to catch up. They meander through the trees, and he almost wonders if Sirius has failed to notice his presence until he calls out over his shoulder.

"How long you planning on following me for Moony?"

His voice still has the hollow ring to it that sounds almost painful, but it lacks the coldness he might have expected.

"Well that depends."

"On?"

"On how long you intend to keep walking for."

Sirius snorts in response to this, and Remus supposes he should just feel grateful that he hasn't been told to go away. They continue in silence for another ten minutes, the only sound accompanying them is the crunch of their footsteps and the rhythm of the sounds of the forest around them. It's only when Sirius is about to veer left, which would take him back towards the Muggle village that Remus speaks up.

"Er, I'd go right."

At this, Sirius finally turns around to look at him, his gaze sharp.

"Why?" he demands.

"Well, it leads to the Muggle village, and I doubt you really want to get stuck in a conversation about the weather?"

"Thanks." Sirius mumbles before turning right. He walks quickly, almost desperately, as though if he keeps moving he will not need to reckon with the present. It's only once they reach a clearing, bright and clear with a serene pond surrounded by reeds that he stops, facing the water, almost breathless.

Remus moves next to stand next to him, watching him from the corner of his eye. He almost feels scared to look at him too closely, to see the evidence of the horrors from the past four years. Horrors he cannot even begin to imagine.

"It's peaceful here." he comments idly, trying to gauge Sirius' mood.

"Yes." Sirius agreed, his voice small. "I didn't know it could be like this."

Sirius surveys the clearing, his eyes narrowing in on a tall Yew tree to their left. Without another word he heads towards it, deftly transforming into his Animagus form to spring up the tree, his dark tail swishing after him.

Remus follows him, taking his time to figure out the clearest path to the large bough of the tree that his gangly friend was now perched on. He was nearly there when a human Sirius thrust out his hand, helping to hoist him up beside him; through the leaves and branches.

"Oh, wow." he blurted as he swung his legs around the large, wide branch. From up here you could see the wide expanse of forest that surrounded them, and in the distance Mary's white-washed cottage surrounded by billowing trees and lush greenery. He could even see the smoke from several chimneys in the nearby village, rising into the air before evaporating with the wind. If not for the mountains he imagines he'd be able to see the sea.

"Thanks for coming with me." said Sirius, rubbing his hand over his opposite elbow sheepishly.

"No problem."

"I just.." Sirius scrubbed his thin hands over his face, gazing out at the green fields surrounding them. "Feel so.. Strange. I can't believe I'm here. I never thought this day would come. And I never thought it would be like this."

"Most of it is good though, right?"

"Oh Merlin, yes." Sirius agreed, turning to flash him a reassuring smile. "Wonderful. I could never have imagined that Mary would be living a life like this.. A life so filled with.. Love. It's wonderful, almost perfect. But perhaps a little.."

"Overwhelming?" Remus supplies.

"Yeah! It's so surreal, I don't- I don't even feel like myself, and I just-" he trailed off, looking embarrassed.

Well I think I can solve some of that." Remys said mildly, waving his wand quickly over Sirius' clothes, transforming his shirt to a deep Gryffindor scarlet, and his jeans and shoes to a charcoal black. He looked instantly transformed, his eyes shone brighter and his shoulders seemed to lift as he looked down at himself, grinning.

"Now that's more like it Moony."he says, his voice teasing but Remus can see the emotion building in his friends eyes.

After a while of sitting in silence Remus decides to stop avoiding the erumpent in the room.

"Are you.. Are you upset?" he finished lamely, unsure how to encompass any of the possible dozen emotions Sirius could be feeling.

After a long moment, Sirius finally answered, his voice soft. "No, not exactly. It's not really like she was-" he took a deep breath. "It's not like she was Monty or Fee. They were the ones who were like real parents to me. Walburga never was a mother to me, not really." The light that entered his eyes at the mention of the Potters flickered and disappeared as Sirius said his mothers name.

Remus couldn't say anything to that. It wasn't as though he disagreed in the slightest, but he knew there was nothing he could say now to console him for the Potters' deaths.

They sit together in silence long enough for Remus to feel a slight ache in his bones. But he doesn't dare leave. Eventually Sirius speaks again.

"I'm not mourning her death you know," he says solemnly. "Honestly, I'm not. To be frank, I'm mourning her life. Her twisted, rotten, hateful life. And all the-all the things she did to-"

Sirius glances up at him then, and for a moment he so closely resembles the boy Remus once knew. A scrawny, frightened and defensive twelve year old who had tried desperately to cover up the scars of his homelife. It makes him terribly angry and regretful all at once.

"I know, mate." he says, putting his arm around Sirius in an embrace. "I believe you."

He can feel Sirius shaking as he sits with him, holding him together as Sirius had so closely guarded him all those horrible mornings after his transformations. It was Remus' turn to do what he could, to help protect Sirius now as he hadn't done then.

"Hey, do you remember when Prongs thought his Animagus might be able to swim, and he made us all practice swimming in the Black Lake every single day?" Sirius asks, pulling away and surreptitiously wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"Hahah, oh god, I'd forgotten that! He looked like a right plonker wearing his bright pink swimming trunks under his robes."

"It always cheered us up though, going for a swim." Sirius sighed nostalgically, looking at Remus from the corner of his eye.

"It did-oof!" Remus cut off sharply as he felt the world twist from under him. Really, he should have seen this coming. Sirius had linked arms with him, then pushed off hard from the bough of the tree, sending them hurtling towards the water in tandem.

They land with a splash, bobbing in the water before resurfacing, their clothes soaked and their mouth and eyes full of pond water.

"You absolute git." Remus shoves Sirius, barely resisting the urge to shove him under the water. "Was this really necessary?"

Sirius barks out a laugh, so light it sounds younger, and freer somehow. He grins at Remus behind his wet, dripping hair and begins to paddle in circles around him.

"Well, it had gotten a little I dare say, serious? I thought it might.. Lighten the tension."

"Oh man, still with the serious jokes?"

"Well as long as I'm still called Sirius Black." he sniffed in mock snootiness.

"Tosser."

It felt wonderfully weightless, being in the water. If he closed his eyes he could almost imagine he was back in his Hogwarts days, with the war still a distant fear, and with his best friends unmarked and happy at his side.

"I can't believe I'm here." Sirius echoes his words from earlier. "It just feels so much like… a family."

There's something undeniably nervous about Sirius now. Without even thinking about it, Remus knows exactly what he needs to say. "Mary really does love you."

"You reckon?" Sirius turned to look at him, his eyes shining wide with uncertainty. "I didn't even-I wasn't sure if she-" Sirius lets out a breath. "I meant with the kids, really."

"Well, she really does love those kids. I wouldn't put it past her to do anything to protect them."

"Yeah, I know." Sirius grinned. "In some ways she hasn't changed. She's so good with them." Remus is sure he isn't imagining the hint of pride in Sirius' voice.

"You're right. Lily would be proud." Remus said softly, pushing his sodden sleeves up his arms, and it was only when Sirius flinched that he realised that they had yet to speak of them. Sirius doesn't respond, instead putting his attention into pushing his hair out of his face, his expression downcast.

"Yeah." he manages eventually, staring down at the greenish-blue water. "She would be."

"Sirius, I didn't mean-"

"No, it's fine. I'm just.. Not used to hearing their names really. Not like I used to."

"Oh Padfoot, I'm sorry."

"You've nothing to be sorry for, honestly. It's actually good to hear someone else mention them. I almost felt like she and James had ceased to exist apart from in my memories. And that's the last thing I would want. Y'know? They-mattered. Their lives mattered."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Remus casts a silent floating charm on them both, worrying slightly that Sirius' emotions, so close to the surface, could distract him from remembering to stay upright. "I think about them all the time."

Sirius doesn't answer, but his teeth clench down on his lower lip as though to stop himself from answering. The birdsong overhead seems suddenly melancholic, but the sky remains a clear and brilliant blue.

Sirius leans back, his translucent eyelids dimming shut. Remus fervently wishes that James were here, but for once not for himself. James always knew how to help Sirius, how to coax him out of his dark and stormy moods. James always knew how to help him too, for that matter.

"What if I can't do it?" Sirius asks after a while, his voice small.

"What? Be a father?"

"That, and.." Sirius gestured awkwardly with his hands, glancing over at Remus, something close to a blush coming over his face. "Y'know, Mary.."

"Sirius, you think anyone is born able to do this?"

"Yeah, probably. Prongs and Lily were great at it. It was probably genetic or something. What if I'm like-"

"You're nothing like your parents." Remus says severely, watching Sirius' face slacken with relief. "I know you can do it."

"You know Moony, thats about the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Sirius teased.

"Well I mean it. All you can really do is love them I think, love them with everything you've got and do your best. Trust your instincts. That's what James would have wanted."

"You mean that?" Sirius looks at him, his eyes blooming bright with hope.

"I really do." said Remus sincerely.

And they lean back together to watch the clouds drift across the bright and infinite blue sky, hovering somewhere between the lingering past and the promise of the future.