Title: It All Begins Here
"You know what goes on there?!" Severus yelled. "Albus!"
The headmaster sighed and stroked Fawkes. The poor phoenix had returned early from a mission due to his need to die and be reborn. "I've know for quite some time. Poppy saw several marks on him last year after that Quidditch match."
"And you've done nothing?"
"What am I supposed to do, Severus? Neither Sirius nor yourself is capable of raising the boy. Sirius is on the run from the Ministry, and you are very anti-social. Can you honestly see yourself with this child?"
Severus shook his head. "No. But he cannot be allowed to stay in that Muggle pit! Lily would…"
"I doubt Lily is in a position to worry about such things, Severus."
The Potions Master glared at his headmaster. "Albus, you are on dangerous ground."
"Severus, sit down and listen to me for once." Albus motioned to a comfy chair next to his fireplace. "While the Dursley's show no inclination of supporting and nurturing Harry, they have known of the fact that no one can take him from them. In Vernon's mind, he truly thinks he can weed out the magic in the boy by beating him. Petunia simply wishes her sister and that 'damn husband of hers' never existed. This is their way of destroying Lily and James."
"This is not to be allowed, Albus."
"I know." The older man pulled out parchment from his desk. "That's why I've been trying to petition the Muggle courts for permission to move Harry somewhere else. The only problem lies in guardianship. As I've found, this matter must be settled in the Muggle way. Sirius is seen as a criminal in both worlds. Remus would never be granted custody or guardian- status here in the Magical world. It has been a problem that has plagued me for months now."
"He only requires a guardian?"
"Yes. I've been searching out Rose Black to try and serve in this capacity. But there will still be those within the Ministry that would fight that for the very same reasons they would fight to keep him from your custody."
"Would they accept me as a temporary solution?"
"I have 'put out feelers' as the Muggles often say. Cornelius Fudge has shown no ill will on the subject which serves to assure me that something in not quite right in the Ministry."
"You think Fudge is a Death Eater?"
"No. I believe that he is being compensated by certain people to look the other way on particular matters."
"You think Lucius is paying him." Severus responded.
"Him or Avery. I'm not sure which as of yet."
"It would be a temporary solution, Albus. He need never know."
Albus nodded. "That is an option, Severus. But what if I cannot locate Rose for several months? Summer holidays will be upon us in less than four months. Remus has written an owl to Rose, but that doesn't guarantee that she'll return to England or even read it. What then, Severus?"
"I would care for the boy."
"You? Minerva would have a stroke."
Severus smiled, "She's overprotective of her bloody Gryffindors."
Albus chuckled, "I agree."
"It's the only way. I will not let that boy go back there."
"Then I shall speak with our contacts today. Good day, Severus."
Severus stood up and walked slowly up the stairs. He frowned as he thought about what Black would do when he heard about this. "He'll kill me."
"Who will?"
Severus looked up to see Remus Lupin standing in front of him. "Lupin."
"Who'll kill you?"
"Black. Who else?"
"Oh, maybe half of the Wizarding world? You're not exactly well- liked, Severus."
"The honesty… it's thrilling, Lupin."
Remus shrugged, "I thought so."
"What are you doing here?" Severus began walking down the hallway hoping to escape the overly pleasant werewolf. "And I don't really want to know."
"Of course you don't. I wouldn't know what to do if you really cared."
Severus stopped and faced Remus. "Sarcasm is the recourse of a weak mind, Lupin."
"I didn't start this. You did." Remus smiled, "Besides, I thought you wanted to know why I was here?"
"Over my dead body."
"Sirius could arrange that, you know."
"Funny, Lupin."
"I thought so. Anyway, I'm here to visit with Harry. I thought I would try to explain myself in person."
Severus grimaced, "In other words, your pet pooch forced you to come and make nice with his godson."
"Exactly." Remus nodded. "And Sirius is hardly my 'pet pooch.'"
"Whatever you say, Lupin."
"I hardly keep him on a leash."
"What you do in the privacy of your bedroom is your own business."
Remus blushed before retorting. "Damn. And I thought you'd want to be included next time."
"Go to hell."
"It's been charming as always, Severus."
Severus grunted in reply and continued down the hallway. "Stupid."
******
The owl landed on the front porch and waited patiently for the door to open. He was one of Hogwarts' best post owls, and he knew how important it was to make a good impression. So he sat and preened his feathers for a moment before tapping on the door with his beak. He could hear footsteps behind the door as someone came closer. The door opened slowly.
He looked up and blinked excitedly at the woman towering above him.
"What do we have here?"
He hopped up and down for a few seconds before flying onto her shoulder. It would make it easier for her to read his letter.
The woman stepped back into the house and closed the door. On her way toward the small kitchen, she hummed a tune. "So, where did you come from?"
She brushed back her shoulder-length black hair and untied the small letter from the owl's leg. He then bowed politely before flying onto the counter and waiting for her to produce some water and food. The phoenix that had first traveled with this letter had begun to die during his journey and had returned home to be reborn. As a result, the headmaster at Hogwarts had assigned him to deliver this letter. He drank some water and let his chest puff out in pride. He had done a good job.
"Thank you." The woman sat down and began to read the letter. "Dearest Rose, It's been a while since we last talked. Or rather, it's been a while since I even knew you were alive. I wish this was simply a letter between friends, but it's not. I have some certain issues that may need your attention and… Well, someone would have told me as soon as I started this letter that I tend to lie.
"It seems no one can escape it; the Marauders, Albus, even Harry. A friend recently pointed out that I lie by omission. I certainly did at Hogwarts, and it appears to be a recurring problem for me. I want to tell you that I just feel the need to speak to you again. And that is the truth. But what I wouldn't be telling you is that the Ministry has split into two camps.
"It all started almost two years ago with the TriWizard Tournament. The competition itself went off without a hitch until the Third Task. In the last few seconds, two of Hogwarts' finest vanished by Portkey. Minutes later they returned. One was dead; the other emotionally scarred.
"The one survivor told us of a resurrected Dark Lord. Voldemort has returned, Rose. And he brings a period of fear and disbelief. Fudge refuses to see that he has come back to life. Albus believes it whole-heartedly. It is in this that our dilemma begins.
"Albus has asked a friend and myself to gather together the last remnants of the Order of the Phoenix. He needs help in battling Voldemort. But this time, we are lucky. We have Fletcher back with us. And Arabella is coming to London soon. I've even heard that some of the more advanced students are becoming involved; students such as Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Justin Finch-Fletchly, and Virginia Weasley to name a few.
"And now, to the bones of my letter. I need you to come back, Rose. We need you. I know it hurt you when Lily and James died. And I know that people were not kind to you and your mother about... well, about what happened. I, myself, was not kind to you. And I apologize.
"But before you come back, I need to know one thing. What I said to you, all those years ago, do you agree with me? Do you believe me? Did Sirius do this horrible thing? I have had my doubts. And Albus may become angry with me for wording it this way, especially now. But please, did he do this? Did he kill them? Remus J. Lupin."
The woman let the letter drop from her hand. She stared into the fire that was blazing in her fireplace. She couldn't go back… not if Lupin still believed that Sirius deserved to be Askaban. But Lupin had said that he had doubts about the drivel that the Ministry had put out over the years about her brother. She looked over at the small owl perched on her sink.
"I guess it's time to pack, hm?"
******
Sirius frowned. "Where did you hide the damn thing?" He picked his way through Remus' closet while trying not to upset too many articles of clothing. "You told me it would be here in your house." He pushed aside some boxes in his search to find the small box containing Anna Lupin's personal effects.
A loud crash from the hallway grabbed his attention though it was just as shocking to hear the foul language that accompanied it. "Bloody hell! Stupid bastard! Bugger me!"
"Moony! I can't find it!"
"Can you find a broom? What the hell is going on here?" Remus Lupin glared at his friend. "And what the hell are you doing in my closet!?"
"Looking for that box you told me about."
Remus thought for a moment. "Oh." He stepped back as Sirius stood up. His eyes caught Sirius' eye for a moment before he forced himself to look away. "It's in her old room."
Sirius followed his best friend to another bedroom in the house. Anna… well, Mrs. Lupin had kept a room in her son's house for during his monthly transformations. Before she died, she would come and stay with her son after the full moon to help him get his strength back. Sirius was glad that someone had kept careful watch for Moony while he had been in prison.
"It's here." Remus handed Sirius the wooden box. "Under the top compartment. I…" he paused. "I couldn't wear it."
Sirius opened the box and lifted out a false top inside the box. Underneath was a gold chain with a silver band on it. He handed the false top to Remus and picked up the chain. He still remembered the moment the Ministry had taken it away from him. He had begged… pleaded… whined for its safe return. But who in their right mind would give a murderer back a piece of jewelry that had belonged to his victim. "Moony, look."
Remus looked at the ring and felt tears in his eyes. He didn't often think of James, but it was hard not to now. He felt the grief coming off of Sirius in waves. "Padfoot… Sirius…"
"I know." Sirius set the box down carefully. "Did Anna put it in here?"
"I asked her to keep it for me. I was worried I might lose it."
"I loved your mother, Remus." Sirius looked his friend in the eye. He hung the chain around his neck and tucked the ring under his shirt. "But you know that. We all loved her."
Remus simply smiled. He started to turn away and flinched when Sirius touched his arm.
"Moony, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Remus looked down at his hands.
"You've been acting strangely for a while now."
Remus pulled away slightly and looked at Sirius. "Nothing is wrong. I… I've been thinking. That's all."
"About what?"
"About… oh, bugger! About us."
Sirius took a breath. His face flushed slightly. "Us? Moony, I know I'm dense and all, but you're attracted to me?"
Remus groaned and nodded.
Sirius' mouth dissolved into a tight line. His eyes were unreadable.
"I'm sorry, Sirius. I did…" he was interrupted as Sirius kissed him lightly.
The dark haired man pulled back and blinked cautiously. "Well, it's about bloody time."
"You know what goes on there?!" Severus yelled. "Albus!"
The headmaster sighed and stroked Fawkes. The poor phoenix had returned early from a mission due to his need to die and be reborn. "I've know for quite some time. Poppy saw several marks on him last year after that Quidditch match."
"And you've done nothing?"
"What am I supposed to do, Severus? Neither Sirius nor yourself is capable of raising the boy. Sirius is on the run from the Ministry, and you are very anti-social. Can you honestly see yourself with this child?"
Severus shook his head. "No. But he cannot be allowed to stay in that Muggle pit! Lily would…"
"I doubt Lily is in a position to worry about such things, Severus."
The Potions Master glared at his headmaster. "Albus, you are on dangerous ground."
"Severus, sit down and listen to me for once." Albus motioned to a comfy chair next to his fireplace. "While the Dursley's show no inclination of supporting and nurturing Harry, they have known of the fact that no one can take him from them. In Vernon's mind, he truly thinks he can weed out the magic in the boy by beating him. Petunia simply wishes her sister and that 'damn husband of hers' never existed. This is their way of destroying Lily and James."
"This is not to be allowed, Albus."
"I know." The older man pulled out parchment from his desk. "That's why I've been trying to petition the Muggle courts for permission to move Harry somewhere else. The only problem lies in guardianship. As I've found, this matter must be settled in the Muggle way. Sirius is seen as a criminal in both worlds. Remus would never be granted custody or guardian- status here in the Magical world. It has been a problem that has plagued me for months now."
"He only requires a guardian?"
"Yes. I've been searching out Rose Black to try and serve in this capacity. But there will still be those within the Ministry that would fight that for the very same reasons they would fight to keep him from your custody."
"Would they accept me as a temporary solution?"
"I have 'put out feelers' as the Muggles often say. Cornelius Fudge has shown no ill will on the subject which serves to assure me that something in not quite right in the Ministry."
"You think Fudge is a Death Eater?"
"No. I believe that he is being compensated by certain people to look the other way on particular matters."
"You think Lucius is paying him." Severus responded.
"Him or Avery. I'm not sure which as of yet."
"It would be a temporary solution, Albus. He need never know."
Albus nodded. "That is an option, Severus. But what if I cannot locate Rose for several months? Summer holidays will be upon us in less than four months. Remus has written an owl to Rose, but that doesn't guarantee that she'll return to England or even read it. What then, Severus?"
"I would care for the boy."
"You? Minerva would have a stroke."
Severus smiled, "She's overprotective of her bloody Gryffindors."
Albus chuckled, "I agree."
"It's the only way. I will not let that boy go back there."
"Then I shall speak with our contacts today. Good day, Severus."
Severus stood up and walked slowly up the stairs. He frowned as he thought about what Black would do when he heard about this. "He'll kill me."
"Who will?"
Severus looked up to see Remus Lupin standing in front of him. "Lupin."
"Who'll kill you?"
"Black. Who else?"
"Oh, maybe half of the Wizarding world? You're not exactly well- liked, Severus."
"The honesty… it's thrilling, Lupin."
Remus shrugged, "I thought so."
"What are you doing here?" Severus began walking down the hallway hoping to escape the overly pleasant werewolf. "And I don't really want to know."
"Of course you don't. I wouldn't know what to do if you really cared."
Severus stopped and faced Remus. "Sarcasm is the recourse of a weak mind, Lupin."
"I didn't start this. You did." Remus smiled, "Besides, I thought you wanted to know why I was here?"
"Over my dead body."
"Sirius could arrange that, you know."
"Funny, Lupin."
"I thought so. Anyway, I'm here to visit with Harry. I thought I would try to explain myself in person."
Severus grimaced, "In other words, your pet pooch forced you to come and make nice with his godson."
"Exactly." Remus nodded. "And Sirius is hardly my 'pet pooch.'"
"Whatever you say, Lupin."
"I hardly keep him on a leash."
"What you do in the privacy of your bedroom is your own business."
Remus blushed before retorting. "Damn. And I thought you'd want to be included next time."
"Go to hell."
"It's been charming as always, Severus."
Severus grunted in reply and continued down the hallway. "Stupid."
******
The owl landed on the front porch and waited patiently for the door to open. He was one of Hogwarts' best post owls, and he knew how important it was to make a good impression. So he sat and preened his feathers for a moment before tapping on the door with his beak. He could hear footsteps behind the door as someone came closer. The door opened slowly.
He looked up and blinked excitedly at the woman towering above him.
"What do we have here?"
He hopped up and down for a few seconds before flying onto her shoulder. It would make it easier for her to read his letter.
The woman stepped back into the house and closed the door. On her way toward the small kitchen, she hummed a tune. "So, where did you come from?"
She brushed back her shoulder-length black hair and untied the small letter from the owl's leg. He then bowed politely before flying onto the counter and waiting for her to produce some water and food. The phoenix that had first traveled with this letter had begun to die during his journey and had returned home to be reborn. As a result, the headmaster at Hogwarts had assigned him to deliver this letter. He drank some water and let his chest puff out in pride. He had done a good job.
"Thank you." The woman sat down and began to read the letter. "Dearest Rose, It's been a while since we last talked. Or rather, it's been a while since I even knew you were alive. I wish this was simply a letter between friends, but it's not. I have some certain issues that may need your attention and… Well, someone would have told me as soon as I started this letter that I tend to lie.
"It seems no one can escape it; the Marauders, Albus, even Harry. A friend recently pointed out that I lie by omission. I certainly did at Hogwarts, and it appears to be a recurring problem for me. I want to tell you that I just feel the need to speak to you again. And that is the truth. But what I wouldn't be telling you is that the Ministry has split into two camps.
"It all started almost two years ago with the TriWizard Tournament. The competition itself went off without a hitch until the Third Task. In the last few seconds, two of Hogwarts' finest vanished by Portkey. Minutes later they returned. One was dead; the other emotionally scarred.
"The one survivor told us of a resurrected Dark Lord. Voldemort has returned, Rose. And he brings a period of fear and disbelief. Fudge refuses to see that he has come back to life. Albus believes it whole-heartedly. It is in this that our dilemma begins.
"Albus has asked a friend and myself to gather together the last remnants of the Order of the Phoenix. He needs help in battling Voldemort. But this time, we are lucky. We have Fletcher back with us. And Arabella is coming to London soon. I've even heard that some of the more advanced students are becoming involved; students such as Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Justin Finch-Fletchly, and Virginia Weasley to name a few.
"And now, to the bones of my letter. I need you to come back, Rose. We need you. I know it hurt you when Lily and James died. And I know that people were not kind to you and your mother about... well, about what happened. I, myself, was not kind to you. And I apologize.
"But before you come back, I need to know one thing. What I said to you, all those years ago, do you agree with me? Do you believe me? Did Sirius do this horrible thing? I have had my doubts. And Albus may become angry with me for wording it this way, especially now. But please, did he do this? Did he kill them? Remus J. Lupin."
The woman let the letter drop from her hand. She stared into the fire that was blazing in her fireplace. She couldn't go back… not if Lupin still believed that Sirius deserved to be Askaban. But Lupin had said that he had doubts about the drivel that the Ministry had put out over the years about her brother. She looked over at the small owl perched on her sink.
"I guess it's time to pack, hm?"
******
Sirius frowned. "Where did you hide the damn thing?" He picked his way through Remus' closet while trying not to upset too many articles of clothing. "You told me it would be here in your house." He pushed aside some boxes in his search to find the small box containing Anna Lupin's personal effects.
A loud crash from the hallway grabbed his attention though it was just as shocking to hear the foul language that accompanied it. "Bloody hell! Stupid bastard! Bugger me!"
"Moony! I can't find it!"
"Can you find a broom? What the hell is going on here?" Remus Lupin glared at his friend. "And what the hell are you doing in my closet!?"
"Looking for that box you told me about."
Remus thought for a moment. "Oh." He stepped back as Sirius stood up. His eyes caught Sirius' eye for a moment before he forced himself to look away. "It's in her old room."
Sirius followed his best friend to another bedroom in the house. Anna… well, Mrs. Lupin had kept a room in her son's house for during his monthly transformations. Before she died, she would come and stay with her son after the full moon to help him get his strength back. Sirius was glad that someone had kept careful watch for Moony while he had been in prison.
"It's here." Remus handed Sirius the wooden box. "Under the top compartment. I…" he paused. "I couldn't wear it."
Sirius opened the box and lifted out a false top inside the box. Underneath was a gold chain with a silver band on it. He handed the false top to Remus and picked up the chain. He still remembered the moment the Ministry had taken it away from him. He had begged… pleaded… whined for its safe return. But who in their right mind would give a murderer back a piece of jewelry that had belonged to his victim. "Moony, look."
Remus looked at the ring and felt tears in his eyes. He didn't often think of James, but it was hard not to now. He felt the grief coming off of Sirius in waves. "Padfoot… Sirius…"
"I know." Sirius set the box down carefully. "Did Anna put it in here?"
"I asked her to keep it for me. I was worried I might lose it."
"I loved your mother, Remus." Sirius looked his friend in the eye. He hung the chain around his neck and tucked the ring under his shirt. "But you know that. We all loved her."
Remus simply smiled. He started to turn away and flinched when Sirius touched his arm.
"Moony, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Remus looked down at his hands.
"You've been acting strangely for a while now."
Remus pulled away slightly and looked at Sirius. "Nothing is wrong. I… I've been thinking. That's all."
"About what?"
"About… oh, bugger! About us."
Sirius took a breath. His face flushed slightly. "Us? Moony, I know I'm dense and all, but you're attracted to me?"
Remus groaned and nodded.
Sirius' mouth dissolved into a tight line. His eyes were unreadable.
"I'm sorry, Sirius. I did…" he was interrupted as Sirius kissed him lightly.
The dark haired man pulled back and blinked cautiously. "Well, it's about bloody time."
