A Second Chance

by Breanie

What if Sirius didn't spend twelve years in prison, but was given a trial after four years? Follow the story of Sirius Black as he learns what it means to be a father/brother/guardian to his young godson & the story of Harry Potter, a young boy with a loving home who learns about the Marauders from the two men who should have raised him. Slow-burn Hinny. M for sex & violence.

290. Chapter 290

Author's Note:

Reviews and Comments: To Atea1793: Thank you for your opinion. To TJ Law: I mean, anything by the Spice Girls is amazing so I completely agree with you. To gemini614: Thank you! I wanted Tonks to pull him out of his stupor. And yes, Ginny, Theo, Colin, and Luna are fun! To Fairqueen2: Thank you and I know, the grumbles are heard from all. Haha, no, Tonks is definitely not having twins, but having her react in worry like that was fun! And I think Harry is done listening to Bon Jovi much to Zee's relief lol. To minerdude: Thank you. Yes, it will get cleared up, just not immediately. To Accio698: Sorry you feel the story is getting too long and soap-opera-y, but there's still more to come. To Dianne: It is a bit like the pain he felt after Sirius. Ginny has always been his one constant, the one friend he always turned to and to spend his whole summer full of anxiety trying to save her and get her back only to lose her like this, he just crumbled. Thank you! I think looking to see how his parents are seeing his relationship with Ginny says a lot too. They feel for Harry, but also see what Ginny is going through and it's hard for them to be too upset with her over it.

To shivani: Thank you! Writing angsty Harry was kind of hard as I haven't made him too angsty in ASC I don't think. No moping around, but I hope you enjoy this chapter! To Jen: No one has decided to date other people, though everyone seems to think this will happen. Guess you'll have to wait and see. To Guest: Thank you, it was a great song choice! To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thank you! And hey, other side of the country! Hi fellow Canuck! To Chintan: Like always indeed! Despite his happy upbringing, those years with the Dursleys still ingrained some blame in him. I love Zee being all mama bear too. Harry did need the happiness on the godfather news front! To Yusraa Ifthikar: Thank you! That's so lovely to hear and yes, they will be reunited soon-ish! To Gyltig: Thank you! They do need this break so they can be stronger than ever!

To ValGrey02: Remus with the babies is literally the cutest thing ever, I agree. Yes, Harry is a tad dramatic but in his defence, he grew with drama queen Sirius Black. To DeadFish37: I have to throw Colin in every now and again. Harry is being a typical teenager in pain. To Lexi45: Thank you! You will have to wait and see what the break means to both of them. To Maaz1748: Thanks for reviewing! Harry will get there, but right now he needs to wallow in his pain. To Necroknight 303: Thank you! Harry and Ginny will talk and it will happen when they need it to happen. To GodMisha: Thank you! It makes my heart soar as well, but I love taking the time to answer them! It does take an hour or so of my time, but it's worth it! To the Mandalorian terminator: Hello, Australia! Thanks for reading! You skipped ahead to read? I don't understand why people do that, LOL! But I hope you aren't too confused! To Natsirt2610: She will realize it and it will be a slow process for them both. To The Booknerds: They are a little cliché, aren't they? It's what made them so fun! Thanks! To ANewRanger: Thank you! Harry and Tonks are fun to write!

To Seriously Sam: It is a gut punch, but it's what Harry believes, if you love him, you die. Theo is the absolute best friend ever. Theo is offended he was left out of the know, I love how he says "my Blaise" like how dare you! I love writing Luna just being perfectly comfortable in her own skin. Audrey was definitely trying to make Percy jealous on purpose and yes, Percy is that hot LOL. To elin2002: Thank you and yes, me too! To alix33: Me too! Harry needs that mirror working. To Jaquen H'ghar: Thank you, but Hinny will be getting back together soon and yes we will see more Remus/Tonks. To speedyconzalis: It won't be too long, but it's not the next chapter either. To scrappy8: Thank you! To wanderinon: Laugh, gag, and cry for Harry is acceptable LOL. Zee is a bit peeved at Ginny and trying not to be for Harry's behalf and Harry and Ginny will work through it. To Guest: You haven't forgiven me for ripping your heart out, throwing it in a blender, and flushing it down the drain — noted LOL. Thank you and Baby Lupin is definitely a welcome distraction!

To Guest: Er, thanks? But no, Harry loves Ginny. To pix25: Aww, don't say that! Our poor Harry though. To nothatchhavi: It is a good decision for them to take a break and yes she needs her friends to be there for her. Colin is growing up! And ha, I totally believe Theo is that friend who definitely TMI overshares. Remus is literally one of the sexiest men alive and I fall for him every time I write him, no shame. Yup, Tonks can handle Harry's angst! To Ironhidensh: I think so too! Her friends are there to help her with what she needs! To Steelcode: Harry definitely is feeling like Sirius when he broke up with Zee. He knows how important Ginny is to him. To tim2604: Ha! I did wonder if anyone would read the "always" and assume it was Snape related, happy to surprise you! Happy to provide some good references and Puzo is always a great one! Ginny is too overwhelmed to realize what she did right now. To Arctoid32: Haha, thanks? You think I'm absolutely mad? "Like, I'm serial MC killer, and you can't even begin to touch the sheer balls and insanity I have" — er, thanks? I think.

To Nuno Neves: Thank you! Harry and Ginny are both lucky to have amazing people in their lives to give them the support they need. I think the Percy and Audrey moment was both naughty and beautiful too, thank you! To Wolf's scream: Colin is wiser than we give him credit for. To Calamity Ganon: Thank you! Harry did take it the wrong way, but it will be explained. Harry will talk when he's ready, but he needs to wallow. And aww, you're re-reading, thank you! To ITHersey: You're not the first person to say they've never been invested in Percy before and I love it! We definitely all need a Tonks in our life to kick our butt into gear! To evergreenlyn: Thank you! Funny that you were singing a Bon Jovi song, we must be on the same wave length! Thank you for saying "small details are very important and syncing the lyrics with Harry as if he was really playing is what carries your story another level and makes you an amazing writer" — thank you so much! Teenagers do make dumb choices and running after Voldemort is something Harry has thought about, but right now, he's too heartbroken to think straight.

To SaarStralend: Hello ,new reader! Thanks for dropping a review! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! To alondrizdiaz: Ginny will recover, I promise! To Bumlewis: Harry is good with downward spirals! Sexy, kinky Percy is just fun. To Selena: Thank you very much! To SDR2020: Hi, Canuck #8! Thank you very much! Especially for re-reading, that blows my mind that anyone would want to read this more than once! To CorbanD17: Thank you and they will, just be patient. Canadian geese are pretty scary. To potterheaded_hipster: Thank you! I love writing Ginny with her friends. To QuietReader: Aww thanks for saying ASC is better than the original! To AQuickRead91: Theo is, but he's also been single for a long time now lol. Colin is lucky. You'll find out who the godmother is later (much later). To Hpfan127: Thank you! They do love each other and we'll see them learning to trust each other again. To pottermum: Harry does have some good women to look after him and of course Remus! I know, my heart hurts as well. To A_ravenclaw_marauder: Don't jump in and look at sneak peeks when you're behind in the story LOL! You have no one to blame but yourself! To GryffindorHealer: Thank you and no pressure, right? LOL.

To kyciona: Tonks is awesome, I agree. To Gimrrin: Thank you very much! I agree, it wouldn't fit in with the story and Ginny isn't a mean person. To AnaGPotter: Thank you! I'm happy I made the chapter an enjoyable experience! Nah, it's definitely Teddy bear ;) To briana_t: They will talk, I promise! And yes, Colin is going to have some good fantasies now lol. Harry would definitely be so happy to learn he's going to be a godfather! To sweetxsavory: You will have to wait and see! To BadWolfKris: You're welcome for the tears! To Sloopyqueen4: Thank you very much!

To Saz J: So happy you're caught up again! You are my original, original reader from the beginning and I adore you! Percy is definitely a kinky biatch LOL and yes, who does't love a little bit of BDSM in the morning on the tube haha! Happy to provide entertainment on your commute! Yes, check out Colin indeed! To The Go1den Snitch: It's not a Ross and Rachel situation, and I know the break is brutal for everyone! Thanks for reading and I love to hear that you feel like it's an emotional rollercoaster! To Krazyasibe: Welcome back! And I am sorry to hear that! Please remember you are wonderful and do what you enjoy doing. To Spellotape707: Thanks for not reviewing as guest, I like to know who I am speaking to. I like writing Zee as a bit protective and I'm glad that Colin and Blaise bit surprised people! To valeaddictus: Thank you and I agree, living with the Dursleys, Harry wouldn't have been able to have this angsty teenage time. To Mackie919: It is important even though it does break our hearts, I agree. Thank you! To GinIsBetterThanFirewhiskey: Thank you and he does tend to believe he's trouble for all! Ginny does need to heal, especially after the Chamber and years of trauma, she deserves time to think it through and to make sense of it. Yay! Another Canadian! To Walter2401: Thank you, I do love providing feels! To marauders_mowopapr: Glad you felt it was worth the wait! Thank you! Harry is confused and Ginny needs space, but both are hurting! Thank you! I find Luna difficult write so I appreciate that!

My posting schedule: Weekly.

Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

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CHAPTER TWO-HUNDRED AND NINETY:

Harry felt a little less depressed as the days went on. After congratulating Remus and Tonks on the news of his upcoming godchild (who Remus promised was definitely only one baby), he finally started to talk to his family a bit. Zee was very much on his side and claimed that Ginny was mad for breaking up with him and went on a little rant about how dare she break her baby's heart. The flush of warmth that washed over him at hearing her be cross with Ginny on his behalf was something that he couldn't quite explain.

But he tended to agree with Tonks and he told Zee as much. The potion had really done a lot to his girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend, he corrected as his heart clenched at the words. He couldn't imagine how hard she was finding all of this from the fake memories to losing time and he suddenly knew that Ginny would be comparing every part of this to the diary. He wanted to reach out to her, to tell her that he was there to talk, but at the same time he was afraid that she'd turn him away.

Ron and Hermione came over and told him that Ginny was staying with Theo and Harry was a little relieved that she wasn't alone with all of it. Theo had always been a great friend to her. But after a full week of no contact from her, he caved.

He made himself comfortable on his balcony in the egg chair with Lady Godiva's head resting on his knee. The panther had been his constant companion as of late and he adored how dedicated she seemed to be to him. Padfoot came in and out as if not sure whether he should be protecting Harry or the twins and he found it endearing. Hedwig kept perching on his shoulder, rubbing her wing against his cheek before flying off. He felt like the animals were all offering him support that he hadn't realized he needed. He stroked the panther behind the ears and her eyes closed before he picked up the mirror and said her name.

It was only a moment before her face appeared and he swallowed. Godric, she was so beautiful. Her hair was down, tumbling over her shoulders and her eyes were hooded with sleep.

"Ginny," he breathed.

"Harry? What time is it?"

"Eleven. Sorry, I didn't expect you to be asleep."

"It's okay," she said and he could see that she was moving around. "I was outside all day and I guess I just… zonked out."

"Ginny?"

"Harry?"

"I miss you."

Her brown eyes softened. "Harry, I…"

"I know," he whispered. "I know. We're… I know. I just wanted you to know that I miss you and that I get it. It took me a bit to get there, but I get it. I can't imagine how difficult this is for you and how much you must be comparing it to the diary, but it's not the same, Gin. It's not the same and I promise you that you didn't lose time or anything like that."

She closed her eyes. "But it is the same, Harry, I still feel…"

"I know," he said again. "I just wanted you to know that even though we're… I'm still here, if you need to talk or if you have a bad dream or anything. I'm here. Day or night."

Ginny stared at him a moment. "Harry… I know this must be hard for you and the last thing I want to do is hurt you, but… I can't come to you with this right now. It can't be you, do you get that?"

His heart clenched at her words. "I'm saying as a friend, Gin, that's all."

"Not even as that," she whispered. "Harry… I remember that night. I woke on the Astronomy Tower and Rabastan Lestrange was touching me, fondling my breasts like he had the right."

"What?" Harry said, his voice dead silent. "He touched you?"

"My breasts," Ginny corrected. "And it made me feel… dirty and then you…"

"And then I what?" he asked, his eyes flashing in anger at the thought of Lestrange touching her.

Her brown eyes stared into his. "You kissed me."

Harry's brow furrowed. "I don't understand."

"In the orchard," she continued. "My brothers held me in place and you kissed me and it felt… the same."

"The same?"

"As when Lestrange touched me," she whispered.

Harry looked like he'd been slapped.

"I know that you didn't mean it like that," she said, quickly. "I know what you were trying to do, I understand it, but… some part of me still sees it like I did the diary and Tom and… as against my will, Harry."

"Ginny… gods, I would never!"

She nodded. "I know. I know that, Harry. That's what makes this so hard for me. I'm trying to make sense of it all and to understand how I feel and what happened and… it's a lot to process. Right now, I just need to be apart from you and from us and… the last thing I want to do is hurt you, but I just need some time… please don't call me on here again, Harry. I need some time. I'm sorry."

The mirror went blank in his hand and he stared at it in horror.

Did Ginny really feel that he had violated her in some way?

Was that what the kiss felt like to her?

When she'd torn his lip open in her rage, had she been fighting him off for a different reason?

Suddenly he felt ill at the thought.

He dropped the mirror on his bed and made it to the bathroom before he retched. The knock on the door a moment later only had been moaning as Zee came in and knelt next to him.

"Are you all right, sweetie?" she asked, placing her hand on his forehead. "Do you need a potion?"

Harry shook his head and turned into her arms. "Ginny… she… I kissed her when she was under the potion and she says it…"

Zee nodded, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh, sweetie. Ginny knows you would never hurt her. She's going through so much right now. You have to give her the time she needs to make sense of it all."

Her fingers brushed his hair as she kissed his temple.

"How about we go downstairs and watch a good movie and stuff our faces full of ice cream?"

His green eyes met hers. "Really?"

Zee smiled. "Nothing helps with heartbreak sadness more."

She kissed his cheek and helped him to his feet.

"Do we have any treacle tart left?" he asked.

Zee gave him an amused look. "I'm sure there's a piece or two left from the ten I baked."

"With clotted cream?" he asked, hopefully.

"Yes, sweetie," she promised.

He went to the sink to rinse his mouth, feeling a bit better at the thought of eating a huge slice of Zee's treacle tart. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and let out a slow breath as Ginny's words rang through him once more.

Ginny did know him. Ginny knew him better than he knew himself. She wasn't holding a grudge against him, no, she was trying to make sense of it all; to better understand it. He could deal with that, he thought.

Because he just realized there was one thing that Ginny hadn't said.

She'd never officially broken up with him.

She just needed time apart from him and from them. And maybe that was for the best. Maybe it would even keep her safe from Voldemort if he thought Harry didn't care about her anymore.

Suddenly feeling lighter, he followed Zee downstairs and made himself comfortable on the sofa. He would give Ginny as long as she needed. He would let her take this time to figure things out and at the end of it, hopefully he would have figured things out too.

~ ASC ~

When Ginny closed the mirror, her stomach clenched nervously. The look of absolute horror on Harry's face when she compared him kissing her in the orchard to Lestrange groping her breasts was... God, she didn't want him to hate her. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt him, but she just needed time to make sense of things.

She climbed out of bed, looking around the incredible guest suite that Theo had given her. The bedroom with a sitting room and its own ensuite bath was almost the size of the entire Burrow. It was a bit overwhelming. Luna was still sleeping in the bed next to her, having opted to spend the night when Colin went home. They'd been there for the last week and she was grateful Luna stayed with her. She poked her and Luna's eyes slowly opened.

"Is it morning?"

"No," Ginny said. "Come on, let's go see Theo."

Luna only stretched and climbed out of the large bed with no complaint. Ginny led her out of the guest room and down the long hall towards the double set of doors at the end. She opened them slowly before making her way through the sitting room and up the steps to Theo's huge bed. He was sleeping, burrowed under the covers and she smiled at the sight of him.

Ginny pulled back the covers and climbed in next to him as Luna did the same on his other side. Theo turned towards Ginny, getting a face full of her hair and woke with a start.

"Whatsamatta?"

"Your bed is bigger," Luna said, snuggling into his pillow.

Theo looked between Luna on one side of him and Ginny on the other with a grin. "Well, this is a lovely dream for any bloke who isn't me."

Ginny elbowed him and snuggled close. "Harry called me on the mirror."

Theo let her rest her head on his shoulder. "And?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "Seeing him was nice and... I miss him. But at the same time, I'm just confused."

"That's allowed, you know."

She made a sound of agreement as Luna snuggled into Theo's other side, gripping Ginny's hand.

"He's heartbroken and confused, too," Luna told her. "He was an absolute wreck this summer, Ginny. All he did was try to find an antidote for you and then when he finally found if and learned it was going to take over a month to brew... Ron said he took it hard. All he's done is work out and badger Mr Borage about the potion and babysit the twins for Zee."

"He did get drunk with Ron, Neville, and I one night. I saw him naked."

"You what?" Ginny exclaimed in surprise.

"Saw him starkers. Not at all disappointed. And wow, let me tell you, he is definitely hung. You kept that a secret."

"Why was he naked?"

"He was drunk and I convinced him that it would be a good idea to play strip poker. Saw Longbottom, too. He has some nice arms and is looking pretty trim himself. Your brother only made it down to his skivvies, but still, great arse. It was a lovely night."

Ginny smirked. "It's rude to ogle other people's boyfriends, you know."

"Do I look like a saint?" Theo asked her. "He was naked. And those abs, that arse... I can see why you always want to lick the sweat off of him after Quidditch."

"I don't... Merlin, now you're going to be absolutely insufferable."

Luna chuckled. "I thought you said he was already."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"It was a fun night," Theo said, ignoring them. "Woke with a wicked hangover and Zee wouldn't let us have any sobering potion."

"Well, you did bring it upon yourselves."

"Where's the sympathy?" Theo demanded.

"None to be found here," Ginny said, making him snort.

"Well, since you're here and seem to be in a teasing mood, I think it's about time I finally give you your birthday present," Theo said.

Ginny looked intrigued so he jumped out of the bed and into the sitting room before returning with a large rectangular box wrapped in white paper with a red bow. He climbed back into the bed and presented it to her.

"Happy Birthday!"

Ginny stared at the box. "I didn't really do the whole present thing this year."

"We know," Luna told her. "You wouldn't even see us for your birthday."

"I'm sorry," Ginny said.

"I know and we forgive you, but sixteen is a big age for a witch, so open it," Theo insisted.

Ginny grinned at him and carefully opened the bow before lifting the lid from the box. Inside was red tissue that she moved aside before pulling out the silk. It was a deep lavender v-cut spaghetti strap nightie that had almost no back to it and short enough to barely cover the essentials.

"It's gorgeous," she said, holding it up to her chest.

"I bought it from Pansy's new shop. When I bought it, I did think it was partly for Harry as well, but now it's just for you," he said. "There's more."

Ginny carefully folded the nightie before she reached into the box to pull out the matching knickers before finding the red satin bra and knicker set.

"I debated on the red, but the satin will look fantastic on you and that bra will really make your tits look great. Don't you think, Luna?"

Luna nodded, picking up the knickers. "Agreed. It's very sexy."

Ginny blushed. "Theo, you can't be buying me lingerie."

"Sure I can," he said. "Plus, I was trying to get information out of Pansy about the whole Death Eater thing, I had to buy something."

"Trying to get information?" Ginny demanded. "Theo, what were you doing?"

"Getting nowhere," he admitted. "It was a bust. She wasn't talking so I bought these. Oh, and Daphne convinced me that there was a sale on buying three so I might have gotten the same nightgown in a deep blue and wrapped it up for Granger. Your brother let it slip that they're shagging so, I figured he'd appreciate the gesture of the nightgown."

Luna smiled. "Hermione is going to be very surprised by that gift from you."

Theo shrugged. "We can make it a joint gift from the three of us so she has to accept it, then. Act surprised when you get lingerie for Christmas by the way, Luna."

Luna fingered the satin. "I will. I might have to make a stop at her shop before we go back to school."

"Honestly, Pansy's Head Bitch, but she's talented. The store is incredible and her wares are beautiful. It would be easy to spend a fortune in there. Do you like them, Ginny?"

Ginny nodded, her eyes on the gift. "I do. Thank you, Theo."

"You're welcome, chick," he said. "And maybe one day soon you'll be able to model them for that sexy hung man of yours."

Ginny's brown eyes darkened. "Unless after all this he doesn't want to talk to me again. I feel like we both need this little break and yet, I feel like I'm breaking his heart and making him think the worst of me. My head is so jumbled and confused and I just need time to think and yet I want him to hold me and never let go at the same time… is that wrong?"

Luna squeezed Ginny's hand. "Ginny, you need to stop worrying about Harry. Yes, he did take it hard and yes, he did have a horrible summer worrying about you, but now you're back and you take all the time you need."

Ginny closed her eyes. "What if I can't? What if this potion ruined us?"

Theo covered both of their hands with his. "Absolute bollocks. Hinny is life and if you two don't make up, I'll never believe in true love again."

"Theo..."

"No," he said sternly. "You two belong together and I know that you'll get back there one day. No matter how long that takes."

"I don't want to hurt him."

"It's too late for that, chick. This hurt him and he'll deal with it."

"What if he doesn't wait for me? What if he decides that I'm not worth it, that this break isn't worth it and he finds another girl?"

Theo kissed the top of her head. "Then I will kidnap him and torture him with memories of the two of you over and over and over again until he admits that he's a fool and then once he's begged your forgiveness, I will forcibly marry the two of you."

Ginny laughed. "I love you, Theo."

"Yeah, well I love you, too. But you know what I love even more?"

"What?" Luna asked.

"My own bed," he said, giving them pointed looks.

Luna snuggled closer. "You won't even know we're here."

Ginny moved closer as well, tossing her leg over his. "Not even a little."

He grunted. "Of all the times I've gotta be gay..."

Ginny snickered and kissed his cheek. "Night, Theo."

Then with his arms around her and Luna holding her hand, she finally drifted back to sleep, feeling comforted by her friends.

~ ASC ~

Harry spent the rest of the summer in preparation mode. Zee was learning to deal with Mina and Leo mostly alone in preparation for Harry returning to school and her parents moving back to Russia, and he knew that they both had a lot of changes coming. Misha had already been commuting back and forth once a week since June and when he and Sorcha had told them that it was time to go home, Zee had agreed. They'd gone back home officially last night after a good dinner and Harry already felt the loss of not having them next door even though he'd only seen them once since Ginny had been given the antidote.

He worked with Remus on his spellwork and stayed in contact with Kingsley and Tonks about the Order. More articles continued to come out proclaiming him the Chosen One and claiming that he was the wizard to save them all. Harry kept his head down and stayed busy.

He made a trip to Diagon Alley to pick up his school things and ended up having a drink at the Leaky Cauldron with Seamus and Dean. Seamus made him laugh with tales about his sister's wedding, including how he and Dean had almost gotten caught with their pants down in a cupboard during the reception.

"And that's not all," Seamus said. "My sister's already up the duff! It happened at least a month before the wedding, too. My mum's all worried it's going to be quite the scandal. I tried to tell her that it's the nineties and no one cares about that, but she's worried."

Harry grinned. "Uncle Remus and Tonks are expecting as well. They've asked me to be godfather."

"Wow! That's brilliant!" Dean said. "You can be the fun one when they say no."

"Exactly," Harry said.

"Katie and Jason are excited to be parents. I don't think that they planned on it happening this quickly, but there you go," Seamus said.

When Harry asked Dean about his summer, he filled him in on finally meeting his father and how he still wasn't sure if he wanted contact with him.

"Kellan Morgan, that's his name?" Harry asked

Dean nodded. "Yup."

"And you don't know if he's magical?"

"Not a clue," Dean told him. "And I don't know if he liked the fact that Seam and I are a couple."

"Well, to be fair, Seamus is a hard sell for most people."

"Oi!" Seamus exclaimed.

Harry grinned. "Are you going to see him again?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know. How have you been? Any word on Ginny?"

Harry's face fell. "Yeah she... we cured her. She's okay."

"That's great news!" Seamus exclaimed.

"It is," Harry agreed. "But she... she ditched me."

"What?" Dean exclaimed.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, she said that we need to take a break and... yeah."

"Bloody hell. Who the hell ditches Harry Potter?" Dean exclaimed.

"Brocklehurst and Weasley apparently," Seamus snickered.

Harry held up two fingers in response.

"Is it because your cock's so small?" Seamus asked. "Can't properly please the ladies?"

"Piss off," Harry said.

Seamus chortled. "Nah, I've seen that thing in passing. It's probably because it's too big, and it's scared the ladies. I certainly would reconsider letting you stick that thing up my arse. Ow!"

Seamus glowered at his boyfriend who had just elbowed him.

"What? He's hung and he knows it?" Seamus protested. "Besides, I bet it's not even because you're too big, Harry, it's probably because you can't last longer than two seconds."

Harry snorted. "Piss off. Why do I talk to either of you?"

Dean grinned. "You love us. But Seam has a point, you are hung."

Harry's face flushed. "Enough with the cock jokes, please."

Seamus sobered. "Okay, okay. I will only talk about my boyfriend's beautiful black cock from now on." At Dean's look, he smirked. "But honestly, Harry, Ginny ditching you sucks bollocks, but it does mean that you'll have time for my idea."

"What idea?" Harry asked, warily.

"A Hogwarts Defence Unit," Seamus said.

Harry's eyes widened. "A... like, of the students?"

"Exactly that," Dean said. "Seam thought of it; how those Death Eaters infiltrated the castle and how no one really knew that they were there. Trying to find all the teachers and get people to safety, it was a mess! And you had no one to really back you up. If there had been more of us to fight, they wouldn't have gotten to Ginny and you wouldn't have been as seriously hurt."

Harry pondered the idea for a moment. "So, you're proposing we make an army?"

"Of sorts," Seamus said. "Lupin's defence club is teaching us all sorts of good shit and yet we are not utilizing what we've learned. We're just learning it. Let's take those who want to be part of it, maybe sixth and seventh years only for now, and defend it. We can have a signal or something and set up guards for night patrols."

Harry stared at them, liking the idea more and more. It would be a great idea, not to mention it would help keep his mind off of Ginny. "We could coordinate it with the Defence Department, a signal of some kind to let them know if we need back-up."

Seamus grinned. "Exactly."

Harry took a drink of his pint, unaware of the woman sitting two tables over with a quill in her hand writing furiously. "I think it sounds brilliant. Let's do it."

Dean high-fived Seamus and they clinked their pints together. It looked like their final year was going to be quite interesting.

~ ASC ~

When Dean and Seamus left Harry, they walked companionably through Diagon Alley towards Dean's flat. Seamus elbowed him just as they stepped into the Muggle London end to round the block across to the flat.

"You've been rather quiet since we left the pub. Want to talk about it?"

Dean shook his head. "Nothing to say. Just… thinking."

"I kept his card, you know," Seamus said, holding it out towards his boyfriend.

"I know," Dean said, letting Seamus put in his back pocket.

"No one will think less of you if you go see him."

"I know," Dean repeated.

Seamus took his hand in his and squeezed. "It's okay to think about it, too." He stood on his toes and kissed Dean outside of his door. "I have to head home. Will I see you before we catch the train in three days?"

"Probably not," Dean admitted. "You know how my mum likes to shop and drag me everywhere before I come back to school."

Seamus chuckled. "True. All right. I really love you, yeah?"

"Really love you, too," Dean said, pulling him close for one more kiss before he watched Seamus turn and head off.

He let himself into the flat and found his mother had littered the living room in white sheets, putting an entire canvas against one wall. She had a basket full of balloons and she smiled brightly at him.

"Darling! Just in time!"

Dean gave her an amused look as she rushed over to hug him before handing him a dart. "New art idea?"

"I'm tired of that plain white wall behind the register. I thought it would be fun if we just made a paint splattered bit of colour. Plus, throwing darts at balloons is always fun, isn't it?" Sunshine said.

Dean nodded. Thirty minutes later the large canvas was a mess of paint splatters in every colour under the rainbow. Sunshine was examining it critically before she stood back with a grin.

"I like it."

"Of course you do, it's completely bohemian."

Sunshine's smile widened. "Yes, it is. Now, sit down and tell me what's on your mind, darling."

Dean shrugged. "Nothing."

"It's not nothing," she insisted. "And I won't let you go off to Hogwarts without having talked to me."

He sighed. "I met him."

If Sunshine was surprised at this, she gave nothing away. "And?"

"I don't know."

Sunshine took a seat next to him, slipping an arm through his. "Did you expect to meet him and instantly feel a connection? Just because he's your blood doesn't make him worthy of you."

Dean wasn't sure how he felt about those words. "I don't know if he's a wizard or not."

"Does that matter?" Sunshine asked.

"Well, it could," he admitted. "There's been a lot of rumours about the Ministry digging into bloodlines and if I don't know who my father is in terms of his magical signature…"

"The Ministry isn't really doing that, Dean. It's all been rumours."

Dean wasn't so sure about that. He had a feeling that some of the Death Eaters were more infiltrated into the Ministry of Magic than people wanted to admit. Muggleborn families were being killed more frequently than not and Harry had even mentioned that Hermione had convinced her parents to go on a long trip to keep them safe and out of England.

"He said that he almost died a little while back and that it made him realize how alone he is," Dean told her. "It's what made him reach out, that he doesn't want to die alone."

"And you feel that's selfish," Sunshine said. "That he should reach out for more than that."

"I don't know if he really wants to know me, Mum. I told him Seamus was my boyfriend and he…"

"Did he treat you differently because of that?" Sunshine demanded. "If he so much as hinted that he no longer wanted to know you because you're in love with a man, I will hunt him down and curse his bollocks off!"

Dean grinned. "I love you, Mum."

Sunshine pulled him close and kissed his cheek. "I love you, too. Do I need to face him, Dean? I know you're grown now, taller than me, but no one hurts my baby and lives."

"No, you don't need to face him, Mum," he told her. "But I think I do and I don't think I can return to Hogwarts until I do."

Sunshine kissed his cheek again. "Then you know what you must do, love. If you want me to come with you, I will."

"No," he said, standing up. "I need to do this on my own. And Mum? That's going to look smashing behind the register. Maybe I can take some black and do some fancy calligraphy through it with the shop name, make it more personal?"

Sunshine's smile widened. "You let that creative energy shine, Dean Merrick. Let it shine."

He took the black paint from her, feeling better, and thought that talking to his father again was exactly what he needed. Not because he was his father, but because at this moment, Dean had realized something very important. His mother was all he had ever needed and he wouldn't trade one second with her for a father he didn't know. Sunshine was the best father in the world because she was also his mother.

And no one was more supportive than Sunshine Dusk Thomas.

~ ASC ~

Neville was feeling a bit nervous as he waited for Hannah outside of the Leaky Cauldron. It had been a little over two weeks since they'd gotten back together and he'd treasured every moment of it. They'd gone for walks in Muggle London, out for ice cream, and to dinner a few times, but tonight, she was finally coming home with him to meet his family.

And he was a little terrified.

Augusta Longbottom could be a very intimidating woman and he was starting to second guess his decision on whether bringing Hannah to meet her was a wise one or not. His great-uncle Algie was hardly anyone he worried about as the man honestly only cared about fishing, dinner, and tending to his roses. He was intrigued by Neville's greenhouses, but he considered all plants outside of roses to be only mildly interesting. Neville thought it was strange.

He ran his sweaty palms over the side of his khakis and his lips curved when Hannah came out. She was dressed in an ankle length skirt in a light green with a v-neck white tee shirt over top. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders and she was worrying her lip nervously as she held a round container in her hands.

"You can't be nervous," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "I'm nervous enough for the both of us."

Hannah's fingers locked around his wrist. "You can't be nervous! It's your grandmother!"

"Yes, and she'll probably embarrass me," he said.

Hannah's lips curved. "Will she have baby photos?"

"No. Those were all destroyed in a terrible, terrible fire."

She laughed when his arm came around her waist. "Do I look okay? I changed into the skirt because I was worried that my jeans were too underdressed, but now I'm worried I might be overdressed and I want to make a good impression and —"

"—You're perfect," he said, capturing her lips for a soft kiss. "It's just dinner. It won't be fancy."

Hannah nodded. "Okay."

"What's in the container?"

"Oh," Hannah said, biting her lip again. "I—I didn't want to show up without anything so I made some caramel apple tarts as a hostess gift. I hope that's all right? I remember that you said your grandmother loves apple desserts."

"She'll love it," he assured her. "Are you ready?"

When she nodded, Neville smiled, taking her hands in his as he Apparated them both to the Apparition area just outside of Cumbria. He held her hand as he led her up the path to the house and her eyes widened at the sight of the large off-white second story home trimmed in red brick. The arched entrance was warm and inviting as she walked up a path of beautiful flowers.

"It's huge," she whispered.

He grinned. "Well, that's what every bloke wants to hear."

She elbowed him and he chuckled.

"Sorry, I've known Seamus too long and it just slipped out."

Neville led her into the front hall and out into the back garden where his grandmother was sitting on the patio under the large gazebo. He led Hannah inside and smiled.

"You're late," Augusta snapped.

Neville rolled his eyes. "She was working, Gran. Sometimes you can't get out right on time."

Augusta's eyes landed on Hannah. "And you'd be Ava Abbott's granddaughter?"

"Yes," Hannah squeaked.

"You have the look of her," Augusta said. "But your father's smile. Sit down."

Hannah did as Neville sat next to her.

"Neville! Push the girl's chair in, did I not teach you any manners?"

Neville blushed, but did as his grandmother asked before he sat down again.

"Algie's out fishing again. Late as always. The man never could think to look at a clock. We'll have to start without him. Tea?"

Hannah nodded and watched the older woman pour her a cup of tea. She accepted it with a thanks before she cleared her throat. "You have a beautiful home."

"Thank you. It's been in my family for centuries. There were no sons, so when I married my husband, he took the Longbottom name so that we could keep it. He was a Greengrass, you know? Second son. His family disowned him for taking my name, but he didn't care one lick. We were very happy here."

"The gardens are lovely," Hannah said.

"Mmm, that's all Neville. The young man has a green thumb unlike any I've seen before," Augusta said, making Neville blush. "Neville tells me that you like to bake."

"Yes, Lady Cumbria."

"Mrs Longbottom is fine," Augusta interrupted. "I don't have a need for all of those formalities."

Hannah blushed.

"Tell me about your baking."

"My — my baking?"

"Yes, what do you like to bake?"

"Erm, well, everything." At Augusta's impatient look, she continued. "I… I like to bake cakes and pies, tarts and biscuits, anything sweet really. I love to decorate them to make them look life-like and beautiful. It gives me joy."

"Why spend so much time decorating and perfecting the look of something people are only going to eat and destroy?"

"Because… when they look at it, they see the beauty and then when they eat it, they taste it and… it makes me happy."

Augusta's lips curved. "Smart witch giving a diplomatic answer."

Hannah blushed. "I, erm… I baked some caramel apple tarts for dessert." She opened the lid of the container she was still clutching on her lap to reveal two dozen perfect tarts in golden perfection with a sweet drizzle of caramel over the top.

"Well, you certainly are right, Neville. She does create works of art. Do they taste as good as they look?"

"Better, Gran," Neville said, beaming as Hannah's cheeks flushed. "Much better."

Augusta reached in and carefully plucked a tart out, with her eyes on Hannah, she took a small bite and her eyes closed. "Good Godric, that's sinful."

Hannah's smile widened. "Thank you, Mrs Longbottom."

Augusta finished her tart with a smile. "Where did you learn to bake like that?"

"My nana," she said.

"I've tasted Ava's baking, my girl, and never once was anything as good as that. You have a gift."

Hannah blushed. "Thank you, Mrs Longbottom."

"She wants to open her own little bakery one day," Neville said. "I think she'd be brilliant at it."

"That goes without saying," Augusta said. "I know a few people in real estate, if you work up a business plan, I can help you find the perfect location."

Hannah's eyes widened. "You — oh, no, I could never ask you to —"

"— You're not asking," Augusta interrupted. "I'm offering. Now, tell me, is Tom treating you good at the Leaky? Because I know his mother and if I hear even one bad word about him as a boss, I will make sure that he's set straight."

The smile that broke out across Hannah's face made Neville grin. "Oh no, Mrs Longbottom, he's very kind."

Augusta looked pleased by this. "Good. Now, tell me something else about you."

It was another hour before Algie showed up. He charmed Hannah with a story about a fish he caught that he threw back. Dinner had her laughing at his great-uncle's horrible jokes and by the time his grandmother brought out the photo albums, he was only a little embarrassed.

"Oh my goodness, look at your little chubby legs," Hannah squealed as she stared at the photo of him on his first birthday.

"Oh, he was quite the chubby little baby. Lost it all by the time he was two, but packed it back on a few years later," Augusta said. "Like his father. Once he got his growth spurt, the baby fat just melted away. Look here, that's his grandfather. He has the look of him, doesn't he?"

Hannah smiled and nodded.

By nine, great-uncle Algie was yawning and bid them goodnight. Augusta urged them into the living room for a night cap. When she finished her drink, she stood.

"I'm off to bed for the night as well. It was lovely to meet you, dear."

"Thank you for having me, Mrs Longbottom," Hannah said.

Augusta smiled. "You're welcome anytime. You treat my boy right and this will always be a place that you can call home."

Augusta pecked Neville's cheek when he stood to see her out and when Neville turned to look at Hannah, she had tears in her eyes.

"Hannah, what's wrong?" he asked, hurrying towards her. "I know Gran can be a bit much sometimes, but she means well and—"

"No," Hannah said, hugging him. "She's wonderful, Neville."

Neville was still confused as he held her close. "Then why are you crying?"

Hannah smiled as his thumb brushed her tears away. "Because I never knew families could be like this. Mandy's mum is the same, you know? She's always making sure I'm eating more and complimenting me and… I just thought that was because Mandy told her to, but this… she liked me."

"Of course she liked you," Neville said. "You're incredible."

"She said that I was always welcome here."

"And you are," he said. "I love you, Hannah."

Hannah's eyes widened to saucers.

"I told myself that I should wait. I told myself that I should give you more time to adjust to us but… I love you and I want you to know that."

"I love you, too," she whispered.

Neville tilted his forehead against hers. "Do you really mean that?"

She nodded, tears in her eyes. "Never in my whole life has anyone made me feel as special as you do. Never in my whole life has anyone made me feel proud of my own accomplishments. You make me feel like I can do anything, Neville. You make me feel like I can finally be… me."

He captured her lips in his for a long kiss. "I love everything about you, Hannah Abbott."

Hannah smiled, her hands on his arms. "Kiss me again."

And he did.

~ ASC ~

Zee stepped slowly out of the nursery, eyes on the cots of her sleeping babies, as she carefully let out a breath of relief. She'd known having twins was going to be a handful, but no one could quite prepare one for how much. Having her parents around as long as she had was a blessing, but she was secretly glad they had gone back to Russia as well. She needed to learn how to do this alone, to really do it without anyone there to help her.

The nights were the hardest. She couldn't count the number of times she'd finally managed to get Leo back to sleep only to have Mina wake crying or vice versa. And nothing prepared her for two screaming babies who both needed love and attention. She spent a lot of nights half sleeping in the rocking chair in the nursery with a baby on each arm.

Some nights she even cried with them, holding them close and begging them to please let her sleep. On those nights she sometimes swore she felt a presence in the room and when calmness washed over her, she often wondered if Sirius was there, guiding her.

They were going to be eight months old tomorrow and it amazed her. Where had the time gone? Now, they were wiggling and moving around, almost crawling which delighted her. She'd stopped breastfeeding in the last month, which she was thankful for and yet missed the intimacy of it at the same time.

Harry had been a great help this summer, watching them whenever she asked. He helped her in the night and she was proud to see how much of an expert he'd become on the nappy changing front. Though he still pawned them off on her when a particularly foul smelling one hit his nose. She knew that he was going to make an amazing godfather to Remus and Tonks' child and a little part of her wondered how much of Sirius he would bring into his job.

Now that Harry would be returning to Hogwarts, Zee was starting to get the itch to return to work as well. Rolf had gone back to Canada and was working in Ottawa with some of the magizoologists there. She wasn't sure where he was on the geese front, but she looked forward to hearing more stories about the creatures he worked with there. North America had some interesting animals that one didn't always get to see in England. Rolf had written that he had a meeting with the Care of Magical Creatures professor from Kanata, the Canadian school of magic near the Northern Lights. It was rumoured to be guarded by polar bears. Kanata's gothic castle was made entirely out of ice and it was said to be the most breathtaking reflection of colours that mirrored across the icy surface. Zee had always wanted to see it for herself.

Oliphant continued to send her outlines for new projects and she was excited to add to the menagerie and take the next steps in making the DRCMC a new environment with a different approach to helping and working with magical creatures the way they should be.

Harry had been better since their movie night. He'd been less melancholic and actually eating meals with her. This morning he'd taken Mina and Leo the moment they'd woke and brought them downstairs to snuggle and play, letting her sleep in until eight this morning. When he'd said that he was taking a nap after she woke up, she hadn't even questioned it. She knew that he'd only slept no more than three hours the night before. The thought of him returning to Hogwarts tomorrow made her tear up a bit.

It would be the first time she would be truly alone with Mina and Leo since they were born. Zee knew that she could handle it. She knew that she could do it, but it sometimes overwhelmed her that she was responsible for these two tiny amazing humans that she'd created. She shook her thoughts from her head and went downstairs. She headed out to the garden and out into the work shed, feeling restless.

Zee's eyes roamed over the motorbikes, each covered in a sheet. Sirius' naughty pictures still lined the walls and she couldn't help but smile at the photo near his tool box. She was sitting on the bike she'd bought him for Christmas, hands on the bars of the '96 BMW K1100RS as he sat behind her, arms around her waist. Photo Sirius kept grinning before a hand would creep up and cover a breast. Photo Zee gave him a look and he'd kiss her cheek. There was another one of him leaning against the Ducati, shirtless in black denim, his dark hair falling just so, and sunglasses on his head. Photo Sirius was polishing the bike and his head would turn slowly, that sexy slow smile erupting on his face in just that way that made her squirm.

Merlin, she missed him.

She twisted the engagement ring on her finger as she walked around the work shed. It smelt like oil and leather and she swore a little bit like him. Coming in here was oddly painful, but yet she loved it. She ran her hand over the Bonneville as the memory washed over her.

Zee was walking around in the fresh air, taking a moment to breathe from the painting and house repairs that she'd been working on. Lady Godiva was walking in front of her, sniffing the grass and prowling. Then suddenly, the panther had lifted her large head and taken off.

"Lady G!" she shouted.

But the panther was gone, running at full speed. Zee had booked it after her, praying that she hadn't decided to attack someone when a flash of magic lit up ahead and she saw her panther collapse on the stone drive of what she assumed was a neighbouring property.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?" she bellowed.

The man standing before her had dark hair that seemed to be perfectly tousled and just as tad too long. His grey eyes were wide in surprise with a tint of anger, and the black stubble that covered his jaw and neck was enough to give her a hit of sudden desire. She loved a man with stubble.

"What did I do to her?" Sirius exclaimed. "A fucking panther just tried to pounce on me!"

"Take it off!" she demanded, trying not to ogle the tanned muscled chest covered in tattoos. "Undo it, NOW!"

Sirius rolled his eyes, cocking his hip and making her eyes unintentionally drop to the black denim that cupped his arse as if they'd been made for him.

"Is she going to attack me again? Because otherwise I'd rather not. I happen to like my bits just the way they are."

At the word 'bits,' her eyes raked over him again, thankful she was wearing her rainbow sunglasses so that he couldn't see how she was blatantly checking him out. From what she could see, he had more than a 'bit' under that denim. She adjusted her large hat, puckering her lips in anger that the sight of this man had aroused her as much as he had just as much as the fact that her panther was stunned.

"She won't hurt you unless I order her to do so, take it off or I'll show you exactly what bits she can bite off and tear to pieces!"

Sirius snorted, but he did as she asked and quickly waved his wand as he muttered the counter curse. The sleek panther jumped back to its feet quickly, growling menacingly in Sirius' direction.

"Looks real gentle. Who the fuck has a panther as a pet? Obviously you must be brainless as well as stupid," he said.

"Excuse me?" she exclaimed, her hand on the panther's head. He may be the hottest man she'd seen in possibly her whole life, but being an arsehole knocked at least ten points off that metre. "She is my familiar and I'm not brainless, you conceited knob!" She stroked the panther's head. "I'm so sorry, Lady G, did the bully hurt you?" she asked tenderly as the panther's head nuzzled her waist.

Sirius rolled his eyes and marched down his drive, sticking his wand in the back pocket of his jeans. The closer he moved, the more she noticed the defined abs, the sexy v lines at his hips and her breath hitched as Lady Godiva let out another loud growl. He stopped suddenly, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Okay, look, I'm not going to hurt your damn cat or you. But, she did just try to attack me first — and on my property might I add!"

Zee pushed her sunglasses up her nose. The jean cut off skirt she wore over her brown four inch heeled cowboy boots made her legs look amazing, so she shifted just enough to watch his eyes drop to them. Her shirt was a paint flecked black tee shirt that was tied at the waist on the left side and her wrists were covered in jangly bracelets.

"She didn't. She was just getting a lay of the land and she smelt a human and bolted. It's not my fault that you're outside half naked and sweaty and she caught your scent!"

"First of all, it's hot out here and it's my own damn yard, if I want to be completely starkers no one has any say in the matter. Second, did you just claim that I was 'smelly?'"

Since he'd moved closer and she was suddenly overcome with the scent of leather and earth, she flushed. "Lady G caught your scent, how you take that is up to you. But she doesn't hurt people. Go on, hold your hand out to her, let her lick you and see that you're safe. She won't hurt you unless she thinks that you mean her harm."

Sirius hesitated. She could see the hesitation in his eyes, but he must have decided something because he extended his hand and sighed when the panther looked at it carefully, sniffing it. Then Lady Godiva was gently licking his palm before nuzzling his hand with her head. He scratched her behind her ears and she purred in contentment.

"All right, I see your point. She's beautiful. What did you call her before, Lady G?"

"Her name is Lady Godiva," Zee said, a smile tugging her ruby lips. The fact that he appreciated her cat, made her interest peak more. "I've had her since she was just a cub. I rescued her from these atrocious Muggles who were hunting her and her pack in Kenya. Her parents were killed and she was the only cub that I could find. I kept her safe and she decided to stay with me."

"Why Godiva?"

"I'm sorry?"

Sirius smirked at her, his hands in his pockets. "Why Godiva?"

"Because I always admired her bravery; standing up for what she wanted and doing the only thing that she could do at the time to make her stand. No one would listen to her and she had no power and no ability to use weapons. She wasn't a witch with powers to sway them so, she set out on a horse, completely nude, and she got the attention she wanted. She made her mark. I found Lady Godiva in Kenya, hiding from the Muggles who had shot and killed her family, when I rescued her and confronted the Muggles, she jumped from my arms and stood in front of me, growling at them, almost daring them to fight her to get to me. I thought that she was making her stand, a cub with no power of her own, but she was trying. So, I named her Godiva."

He smiled, looking incredibly sexy when he did so. "I like it. Lady G, very regal."

"Thanks." She continued to pet her cat, her gaze glancing back to the cottage behind him. It was pushed to the back, a blurred warding in front that told her it was well guarded. "I bought the house next door. Lady G and I just moved in yesterday and we're still getting the lay of the land. I decided to go for a walk, see how far away my neighbours were. She got away from me and I apologize for that. I know that having a panther running full blast at you is not exactly something you expect to see in Devon."

"No harm," he told her, extending his hand. "But obviously lucky that I'm not a Muggle as they might have reacted slightly differently upon seeing a panther in Devon. I'm Sirius, by the way."

"Zee," she said, shaking his offered hand with a smile. "And I'm glad to see that you're a wizard or the whole pet panther thing might have definitely warranted a different reaction."

He laughed and tucked his loose hair behind his ear. "It might have. Well, Zee, I have a Golden Retriever and a black German Shepherd that occasionally run around here so I'd appreciate it if you keep your eye out for them. We've recently been a bit lonely. Our boy just left for Hogwarts."

Zee smiled at him. "You have a son?"

Sirius nodded, his hands in his pockets again. "Harry, he's eleven. I miss him something fierce."

The love in his voice made her heart race. She loved seeing men devoted to their kids. "I bet he's having a great time."

"Oh, I know he is, but still. I miss having him underfoot," he turned at the sound of Marauder barking from the house and smiled at her. "Do you want a drink or something?"

Zee smiled at him, her hat falling off when she bent to scratch her knee, and her long brown curls cascaded down her back. She attempted to fix it, oblivious to Sirius staring at it in amazement.

"Thanks, but I should head back. Lots of unpacking to do. It was nice to meet you, Sirius. I'm sure that I'll see you around."

She turned to head back to her new home, unable to resist sneaking a look back at her sexy neighbour and wondered what the chances were that he didn't have an equally sexy wife inside.

She would be lying to herself if she hadn't admitted she'd thought about him. Her eyes had fallen on him on the walks she took with Lady Godiva, ogling him from a distance and then shaming herself about it. The man was too good looking for his own good. The moment she'd seen the beautiful blonde holding the babies, a part of her had known it made sense that he wasn't single. But still, she found herself stopping by, looking for an excuse to talk to him. Telling herself that she was a horrible person as he was a happily married man and she had no right to want him.

The sight of the dog changed her mind.

Marauder, the beautiful Golden Retriever, bounded straight to her and licked her hand before he rolled over, exposing his belly for her to rub and she instantly fell in love.

"You have no shame," Sirius said in disgust as the dog's tongue lolled out and he stared at Zee in glee. "I see that you've met Marauder."

"I have and he's a good boy, aren't you?" Marauder licked her hand again as she rubbed him. "You said that you had a second dog, didn't you?"

Sirius nodded. "Only sometimes. His name is Padfoot. He's a black German Shepherd, a little scruffy looking, but he's very friendly, maybe even more so than Marauder."

She smiled, standing up and wiping her hands on the sides of her blue jeans. "Padfoot and Marauder, those are adorable names."

"Thanks. So, just popping in to say hi or can I help you with something, Zee?" he asked, wiping his hands clean on a nearby rag before slipping them into the pockets of his well worn blue jeans. She was disappointed to see that he was wearing a shirt today.

Zee smiled, admiring his fine form before she shook her head. She was about to tell him that she was just walking by when her eyes focused on the bike behind him. Unable to stop herself, her eyes widened. The only thing that stopped her more than an adorable dog was a sexy motorbike.

"We were just going for a walk and I heard the music. I thought I'd say hi. That is a gorgeous bike."

Sirius grinned, turning to admire it. "Thanks. I love it. I've had it since I was seventeen."

"Is that a '69 or a '70 Triumph?"

Sirius' eyebrow rose in appreciation as he glanced back at where his own motorbike was parked. "A woman who knows her machines, I'm impressed. It's a 1970 Triumph Bonneville."

Zee moved closer, her eyes taking in the chrome and the black leather seat. "She's beautiful. You've taken excellent care of her."

"I've done my best. I've completely rebuilt her twice now. She has all new everything and she runs like a dream."

Zee pointed to the red and blue levers on the left side, intrigued. "I've never seen these on a Triumph before? Did you add extra features?"

"I did. I may have illegally tweaked her a bit. Promise not to turn me in?"

Zee's smile widened. "Depends on what she does."

"She can fly and I can make her invisible, but that charm doesn't last very long so one has to be careful," he said. "I know tampering with Muggle products and adding magic to Muggle anything is technically against the law, but I have a friend who works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office and because it's for my own personal use and I'm not looking to sell it back to the Muggles with said extra magically enhanced features, technically I'm fine — it's like a giant loop hole."

Zee crossed her arms across her chest and grinned mischievously up at him. Suddenly she didn't care that he was married. She wanted to ride that bike and decided that she was going to be his new best friend.

"I'll make you a deal." Sirius' eyebrow rose at her words and she grinned. "I won't report you if you take me for a ride on that gorgeous bike and that ride must include taking me flying. I've never ridden a flying motorbike before."

Sirius grinned widely, tucking his loose hair behind his ear. "Let a beautiful woman ride my… bike. That sounds like a better deal for me."

She chuckled at that, desire shooting her through her at his obvious pause. She could deal with the flirting, she liked flirting. But if he tried to make a move when she knew he was married, she had no qualms about dropping him flat. She hated cheaters. She turned her eyes on Lady Godiva who was cleaning her paws.

"I have a weakness for motorbikes. Especially a 1970 Triumph."

"Do you have your own?"

She slipped her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. "My papa had a 1937 BSA M20 when I was growing up. My grandfather fought in the Second World War, he was a Muggle, and it was his bike. He kept it when the war was over. He wasn't supposed to, but he snuck it home and kept it up. He passed it onto my father — my papa loved that bike. He used to take me for rides on it when I was young and he taught me to drive it."

"Excuse me while I drool a little. A '37? Shit, that is one gorgeous motorbike! Does he still have it?" Sirius asked, his interest peaked.

"No, it's mine now. My mama is angry that he gave it to me. She says that it's not suitable for a young lady to be driving it around." Zee said, rolling her eyes.

"I'd love to see that," Sirius told her honestly. "A '37! I've always wanted to drive one of those."

Zee grinned at him, her dark brown eyes twinkling at him. "I love to ride it; the wind in my hair, the speed of it… I took it with me when I was in Australia last year — rode it everywhere I went. The power of it; the feel of it between my thighs was just so incredible. It was the absolute best. It's one of the best feelings by far, almost as good as sex."

Sirius nodded, licking his lips and his eyes moved over her rather provocatively. "Almost being the key word there… I would love to drive it one day. Maybe we can do a little trade off — a ride for a ride?"

Zee tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "I think that could most definitely be arranged."

She looked over at Lady Godiva who was resting in the sun as Marauder attempted to get her to play with him. Her panther was blissfully ignoring him. Marauder seemed to get the hint because he plopped down next to her, his eyes sad.

"Your dog is heartbroken that Lady G won't play."

Sirius smiled, glancing over at Marauder. "He misses our boy. We both do, but poor Marauder has been feeling his abandonment a bit more I think," he said.

Zee nodded, her gaze moving to the engine he was currently working on next to the broken bike. "I just wanted to say hi when I heard the Clash playing, but I was distracted by your bike and — I'm sorry, is that piece of junk propped up behind you, parts of a Ducati?"

Sirius grinned widely at her. "The engine's over here, I'm rebuilding her. Pulled it from a junkyard, as you can see by the state of her."

Zee bent down to examine the engine and the broken bike next to it, trying not to drool over the machine. "Let me see, five-speed and a wet clutch… this is a scrambler. I'm guessing a 450 — so a 1974 or '75 Ducati?"

"Damn, woman, you do know your shit," he said with a grin. He knelt next to her. "That is exactly what this bike is, a '75. I'm refinishing her as you can see, she's a complete mess. But once she works, she should be running 130 km per hour with a horse power of 27 and a rpm of 8500. Right now however, she barely runs at all."

Zee grinned widely at him. "It looks like you're taking good care of her."

"I am. I've also got some other broken girls in the shed. A 1954 Adler MB250, a 1929 Motosacoche M414, and a 1968 BMW R50/2, but I haven't touched those three yet," he told her with a grin.

Zee smiled. "Sexy. The Triumph is great though, seriously, you did an amazing job on her. When she flies, how much faster does she go?"

"I've had her up to 175 in the air. It's amazing up there, almost like gliding," he told her. "And incredibly beautiful to be up there, gliding through the clouds."

"I bet," she said with a smile, standing up and sticking her hands in the back pocket of her jeans again.

Yup, he was definitely flirting with her. She had to put a stop to it before it went too far, even if it meant she would never get the chance to straddle the gorgeous bike behind her.

"Anyway, I'd honestly really love to go for a ride, that is if your wife won't mind?"

"My — what?"

"Your wife?" Zee repeated, carefully. "You said that you had a son after meeting the woman with the babies the other day… was she not your wife —?"

Sirius laughed, grinning at her. "No, love, I'm not married. I've never been married. Harry is my godson, but I've raised him as my own since his parents died. He lives with me permanently. It's just the two of us."

"Oh," she said, relief and desire coursing through her in equal measure. "I didn't… I'm sorry."

He grinned at her. "Come on inside. I'll get you a drink and we can discuss this ride trade off," he said, leading her around the house, through the privacy wards, and through the front door, leaving their two pets to sit in the sun.

Zee followed him into the living room, her eyes on his arse as he walked in front of her. Coming inside was probably a bad idea, she told herself. When she caught sight of the photographs hanging on the walls, around the fireplace, and on the tables, she sighed. Almost all of them had Sirius in them with an adorable little boy with messy black hair, bright green eyes, and glasses. Many of them were just of the boy and a few were clearly of Sirius when he was younger with three other boys.

He really was a loving father, she thought. She had a weakness for men with big hearts. Yes, she definitely needed to leave. She was just about to tell him that she had work to do at home when he bent over to reach into the ice box and the sight of those strong thighs in the denim made her bite her bottom lip. Oh, he was definitely sexy and she was pretty sure he knew it, too.

Sirius stood up and handed her a bottle of Dragon Scale, his eyes twinkling at her. "Beer okay?"

Zee accepted it with a smile. "Its perfect, thanks." She opened the top and drank deeply, trying to quench the sudden thirst she felt for something that was definitely not the beer. She took another drink before she figured she might as well be straight with him before she started drooling on him.

"I'm ridiculously glad to know that you're not married."

Sirius' eyebrow rose and he smirked at her as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Oh, really?"

She nodded, her dark eyes on him as lust ran through her. That cocky smirk of his was made to charm anyone out of their knickers and he knew it. "Really."

Sirius sat his beer on the counter and took a step towards her. "So, if I were to do this," he began, placing his hands on her hips and tugging her up against him. "You wouldn't protest?"

Her breath hitched at the feel of his hard body pressed against hers, confirming every suspicion she had about his bits in one move. Hating that he had control of the situation, she merely lifted an eyebrow.

"My husband might."

"Your —" he sputtered and then he saw her quick grin. "You're messing with me," he said, on a strangled laugh.

"I am," she said, standing on her toes and slipping her arms around his neck. "So… about that ride?"

Sirius grinned at her, bending his head and gently placing his lips on the pulse in her throat, feeling the steady rhythm there. "I'm thinking about a completely different kind of ride at the moment, Zee."

Zee pressed herself closer to him, her heart racing. Gods, she didn't even know him, she thought. She didn't even know his last name or who he was or anything about him but she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything or anyone in her life. She squeezed her thighs together to stop the tingle as she slid her hand down his chest and under the tee shirt. The feel of his muscles and hot skin was enough to make her lick her lips.

Oh she was definitely thinking of a different kind of ride.

"So am I."

Then his lips were crushed against hers and he was kissing her deeply and thoroughly, bruising her mouth as his hand fisted in her curls, the other hand sliding up her back, touching soft skin.

She moaned against his mouth and he softened the kiss, his lips meeting hers over and over and it was only when he made a growling noise in his throat that he caught himself and pulled away.

"Well, I didn't expect that," he told her honestly, his lips on her neck again.

Zee tossed her head back, giving him more access to her neck. Neither had she but now that she'd kissed him, she knew that there was no going back.

"I just knew that you would be a great snog."

He chuckled against her neck, his fingers gently brushing her stomach beneath her shirt. "I can be a lot of things, Zee."

Zee kissed his neck, her tongue lapping at him in soft waves that sent a shudder through her whole body. She pulled away, smiling at him, and the look in his eyes told her he was waiting for her to decide. She didn't hesitate. She gripped the bottom of his tee shirt and pulled it up and over his head, tossing it aside. Her hands slid up his well defined abs, over his chiselled chest and she leaned forward to kiss his breast, her tongue flicking his nipple; he groaned.

Then his hands were tearing through her buttons, the blouse slipping from her shoulders and falling to the ground. His fingers worked at her jeans, slipping them down her legs and she kicked them off, laughing when he tugged her boots off and tossed them away.

His mouth sucked her collarbone, the swell of her breast, deep bruising kisses that she knew would leave marks, but she didn't care. She'd never wanted anyone more in her entire life. It couldn't be normal, she thought. No one had instant chemistry like this. It was a myth. It was only because she hadn't had a good shag in months and her body was just looking for release. But when she let her tongue glide over his skin, her mouth moving over his abs and he groaned, she knew that it was going to be incredible.

Her small hand slid under the waistline of his jeans and found him. He felt better than she'd imagined and she wanted him inside of her more than she wanted to take her next breath. Sirius eagerly helped her unzip his jeans and tug them down. He lifted her onto the kitchen counter, her legs wrapping around his waist, his jeans down at his ankles and he slipped his hand between her legs, moaning at the wet heat that greeted him. She felt like she should be embarrassed by how wet she was, but when he tore her knickers in half in an attempt to touch her, she decided that she really didn't have time for it. The feel of his finger slipping into her felt too good and her head fell back as a moan of ecstasy escaped her lips.

His lips met hers over and over as a second finger slipped inside and then a third. She moaned against him, right on the edge before his hand was gone. Then she felt the thick length of him inside of her and her teeth scraped his shoulder as she groaned his name, her hips meeting his desperately as he pumped himself deeper and deeper with every thrust.

His fingers found her again and she went over the edge, crying out in pleasure only moments before he followed, his face buried in her neck and his legs shaking from the pressure and the pleasure of it.

He slid her down to the kitchen floor, and cradled her to his side, their breathing heavy. Sirius' hand slid up her vest to touch her breast through her bra.

"Next time we'll get all of our clothes off," he said, kissing her lips.

Zee merely raised an eyebrow at him. Her heart was still pounding and a little thrill ran through her at the thought that he wanted to do this again. "Oh, do you think we'll do this again?"

Sirius chuckled, sucking on her earlobe. "Oh, baby, this is definitely happening again."

Zee smiled, moving to straddle him. "You know, when I came over here, this isn't what I imagined happening."

"No?" he asked, grinning widely. "I imagined it after you left the other day. But in my fantasy you were completely naked and covered in whipped cream."

She laughed and kissed him. Whipped cream… she wouldn't mind licking that off him either. "That could possibly be arranged."

Sirius growled and shimmied her lower. She was surprised to find him so eager and hard for her all over again. He thrusted up into her and she watched in pleasure as his eyes crossed and her head fell back as she rode him. She set the pace, riding him slowly, and when they both broke, he nibbled on her neck.

"So, Zee, I'm really glad that you moved in next door. Mrs Morrison never let me shag her on the kitchen floor or on the kitchen counter for that matter," he said, making her laugh.

She tugged off her vest, unhooking her bra and treating him to her large bouncy breasts, which he immediately moved to suckle.

"Mr Morrison didn't want to share, eh?"

Sirius chuckled against her breast, his teeth nipping her gently; she gasped. "No, he didn't. Fuck, your tits are gorgeous!"

Zee smirked at him, sighing as he kissed her breasts. "I really do want to ride that bike, Sirius."

He grinned against her, kissing her collarbone and then his grey eyes met hers. "Let's go then."

She laughed when he tugged her to her feet. She was still breathless and she slid her hands around his waist. "Right this very minute, huh?"

He bent his head and kissed her lips gently. "Yeah, let's go."

Zee grinned up at him, standing on her toes to suck on his bottom lip. "Mmhm, tomorrow," she told him, kissing him again and letting her hand wander down his chest and between his legs. "I think at the moment I'd rather finish my beer and see what else we can get up too."

Sirius smirked at her as she stroked him. "Deal."

Then he took her lips in his again before she dropped to her knees and showed him exactly what she had in mind.

Zee ran a hand through her hair, suddenly feeling incredibly hot and bothered. Merlin, sex with Sirius had always been amazing. It had always been the most incredible thing. That instant chemistry, that connection… She was randy now and annoyed with herself for letting herself get so caught up in the memory.

She moved over to the Bonneville, stroking her hand over the seat. She missed riding. She hadn't been on a bike since before Mina and Leo were born and the sudden desire to go for a ride now, surprised her. Zee pulled the bike out of the shed as Harry came outside, his hands in his pockets.

"Zee?"

"I'm going to take her for a ride, Harry. Do you mind keeping an eye on Mina and Leo for an hour or so?"

Harry looked surprised by this before he nodded. "You haven't ridden in a while. Are you sure that you can handle her?"

Zee revved the engine, a huge smile on her face. "Trust me, Harry, I can handle her."

And when she zoomed off, the wind in her hair and a thrill in her heart. She thought that some things would always make her think of him and those were the things she would never want to change.

~ ASC ~

Ginny felt better.

After spending over a week at Theo's and then coming home to spend time with Charlie and Aydin, she felt more like herself. She spent time with her mum and made sure to spend a few evenings with her father to try to be normal again or as normal as things could go. She remembered everything that happened under the potion like it was a fog that she'd been trapped in. A deep fog that she could see and hear, yet not quite pass through. It was partly because of those memories that she was keeping Harry at bay.

He had kissed her; forced a kiss on her really and she felt... still felt on some level, violated by that. And what made it worse, was that her brothers had held her while he did it. It was a sense of deep betrayal and shame that washed through her that she couldn't quite explain away.

And she hadn't figured out how to forgive any of them for it. George and Percy had already apologized, but Charlie had flat out told her that he refused to.

"I won't apologize for doing everything that I could think of to get you back, Ginny. I won't. Do you think that I liked forcing you to take that potion? Do you think that I liked tricking you into getting your blood? Do you think that I liked holding you down so that Harry could get close enough to see if he could break through to you? I hated it. I hated every bloody second of it. But I would do every single thing again to get you back," he declared.

His words had struck a chord with her and despite his refusal to apologize, she'd found herself forgiving him. She'd hugged him tight, tearing up a little when he left last night with Aydin to return to Romania. George and Percy were heartfelt with their apologies and she knew that they felt the same as Charlie, but she still felt betrayed by them. Fred and Ron were more sheepish about everything, but ultimately, it seemed that her brothers all swore that they had her best interest at heart.

Everyone had her best interest at heart which somehow made it harder for her to accept.

When Bill and Fleur returned from their honeymoon, the first thing Bill did was pull her into his arms and tell her how sorry he was. His voice was still a bit scratchy, but he stuttered a lot less as he told her that the potion had been destroying her soul with darkness.

It always seemed to come back down to her soul.

"Ginny," Ron said later that night as they sat on the roof under the stars. "It's not the same as the diary, you weren't possessed."

"It felt similar," she admitted. "I was possessed by this darkness that wanted me to kill Harry, that wanted me to hate all of you. The more you tried to protect me, the more it wanted me to turn against you. It was like Tom was in my head again."

"He wasn't," he assured her. "And maybe now by holding back from us, by telling Harry that you need a break… you're letting him win."

Ginny snuck a look over at him. "That's not fair."

"What you're doing isn't fair to Harry. You broke his heart, Ginny."

Ginny stared at her brother. It seemed that all of her brothers were on Harry's side in this and it both pleased and infuriated her. "I love him. I know I love him. I miss him. I just… I need time to myself right now, Ron. After everything I just… I need that. Is it wrong of me to think of myself first?"

"No," Ron admitted. "It's not. I just don't want you to push him too far and regret it. I had to convince him not to end things with you as it was. The bloke was blaming himself, convinced that you would never have been targeted if it wasn't for him."

"With the potion? Well, that's probably true, but I could have been targeted for something worse, just for being a pureblood," Ginny told him.

"That's what I said," Ron agreed. "I told him that you would never allow him to ditch you over something stupid like him blaming himself for it or thinking he was undeserving of you. Then you went and ditched him. Honestly, it's kind of ironic."

Ginny sighed. "I just need time, Ron. Please. I don't mean to hurt him, I just… I just need some time."

But it seemed like the more time she asked for, the more confused she felt by it all.

Now it was the last day of summer. The train was going to take them back to Hogwarts tomorrow and she felt no more sure of herself than she had when she woke up cured from the bloodlust potion. Long talks with her mum helped, but she was still processing things. Too many things. Molly told her that love sometimes could be tricky and that she and Arthur had their moments where things were tough.

"There's nothing wrong with stepping back and taking some time, Ginny. I think it will be good for both of you. That young man loves you more than anything and that's clear as day."

"I love him, too," Ginny whispered. "I can't… I don't want anyone else but him, Mum."

Molly smiled. "Give yourself the time you need and when you're ready, you'll know. Harry's a good man, he'll respect that."

"Even if it breaks his heart?"

Molly kissed her temple. "Even then."

Now Ginny sat in the garden, half listening to the wireless drifting out from the house. Molly was cooking up a feast before they went back to school. It was going to be a big night. She could hear the dramatic music as Witch Weekly's Voted Most Beautiful Upcoming Star of the Year Hollis Sterling began to cry. Ginny couldn't see the drama from her spot in the garden, but she knew Sterling's tears made her character of Maybel Macintosh look even more beautiful as she discovered she was adopted on today's episode of Hidden Passions only moments before the scene changed. Ginny could hear Nash begging Katherine to talk to him when an announcement broke through.

"We interrupt this program for —"

"No! Not when Nash was just about to tell Katherine that Harmony gave him a love potion and that's why he cheated!" Molly groaned from inside, making Ginny chuckle.

Her mum was always very invested in the show.

"— an explosion has gone off inside of the Ministry of Magic disrupting the Wizengamot session," the announcer said, making Ginny freeze in place outside. "There's been significant damage to almost all levels of the Ministry. The reports are claiming there are multiple injuries inside and a report of an unknown number of casualties. Fire brigades and healers are on scene to assist Aurors. Please stay tuned for more updates."

Ginny jumped to her feet and ran into the house to find her mother standing up from the chair she'd been knitting in, eyes on the wireless as if waiting desperately for more news.

"Mum?"

Molly didn't speak. Instead her hands trembled as she held a hand out for her daughter and Ginny immediately ran into her arms.

"Mum, we don't know what happened. Everyone could be okay," Ginny said, trying to keep her voice strong.

Molly merely held Ginny tighter as they stood there and waited for news.

---

End Author's Notes:

Thanks to GryffindorHealer for help with my Canadian magic school — so fun to invent a magical Canadian world!

Seriously Sam and I decided to create a wireless soap opera called Hidden Passions because we both loved the soap opera Passions that used to be on about a decade ago. We had fun inventing our own little fictional world in Arcane Falls — thanks to Sam for her help and guidance! Look for more on Hidden Passions in Sam's upcoming story Legerdemain — the first chapter will be posted next weekend!

PS — I know another cliffy… who's at the Ministry? Well, so many people…

I love you all and please review!