Disclaimer: the characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling. Mikayla is
mine.
Holiday
Chapter 1
There were 2 weeks left until classes were over for the year. "Thank the Gods" Mikayla whined to herself. The year had been a difficult one for all of them, students and staff alike. Voldemort's rise to power last year had been hard on all of them. Defending the school, Harry and the entire Muggle society was taking its toll. Tempers were short, nerves raw and emotions high. Everyone seemed to be looking forward to summer. The Chosen Four, as Dumbledore liked to call them, were at each other's throats. Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Mikayla Dumbledore were the only four in the wizarding world with enough power to defeat the Dark Lord, besides Harry Potter of course. They were supposed to be the four most powerful wizards, and witch in the resistance against Voldemort, but lately they had became a bunch of bickering children. Lupin had been brought back to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, infuriating Snape. Dumbledore had somehow managed to clear Sirius Black's name over the summer and he was now teaching Arithmancy at Hogwarts. Snape was, as always, the unshakable Potions Master. Mikayla Dumbledore had been sent to live in America shortly after the fall of Voldemort. The deaths of Lily and James Potter and numerous other friends was too much for her. Her father insisted she get as far away as possible. But last summer she had been called back, to help in the war. Because she had lived as a Muggle most of her time in the US, she now taught Muggles Studies at her childhood home, Hogwarts.
The day's classes had ended and everyone gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. The meal started out peaceful enough, but quickly went downhill. Lupin and Black were discussing an article in the Daily Profit, about a wizard who enchanted a Muggle garden hose to attack his Muggle neighbors for being too nosy. "That sounds like something Snape would do" Remus chuckled completely out of character. "Nah, Snape would just scare them to death with his evil glare! Oooo!" Sirius faked a shiver "Oh you mean the 'sneer of death'" Remus tried to imitate Snape's sneer. Sirius spit his tea all over Professor Sprout. "That's pretty good Lupin, but you're much better at baring your teeth in that wolfish way you have!" Snape snapped. "Will you three shut the hell up?" Mikayla hissed loud enough to get a raised eyebrow from her father. Why did he insist they all sit together! "Oh, sorry, did we disturb the precious white witch?" Sirius stuck his tongue out at her. "That was adorable Sirius, you have less control over that thing than Snuffles does" her sneer was matching Snape's. Snape was quite impressed. "You just wish I'd use it on you" Sirius raised his eyebrows up and down Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly, irritation beginning to cloud his sparkling blue eyes. "Please, I'm trying to eat here" Mikayla caught her father's gaze and quickly looked down at her plate. It didn't matter that she was 37 years old, she still knew when to back down. "Look Moony, she's pouting. Are you afraid Daddy will spank you? I'm sure Snape would volunteer that punishment for you." Sirius grinned until the bread hit him in the head. "That was brilliant " Snape growled as he tapped his knife against the table. "Bite me!" she snapped at him. The students were now watching the staff table with great interest. "Do you mean that literally Mikayla, didn't know you liked the rough stuff." She actually growled at Remus for the comment. "Wouldn't you like to know."? She had that hiss down pat. "Look out Moony, her claws are out" Sirius ducked as another bit of bread flew in his direction. "So, my claws are sharper than hers." This time Remus got hit right between the eyes. "I thought you were above their idiocy Mikayla, I see I was wrong." Snape frowned, then let out a loud screech as his goblet over turned into his lap. "Oops, so sorry, how clumsy of me." Mikayla played innocent. Howls of laughter came from Snape's opposite side. Mikayla would normally have laughed along with them but was too tired and angry to care. "Why you little bitch," Snape barked as he flung the water on his lap back at her. "Ah ah ah, that's Ms. Bitch to you" Waving her finger in front of his nose. She almost laughed but bit her lip to stop it. "That's not exactly the way Snapey wants you to wet on his lap Kayli." Sirius whispered, knowing better than to make the comment loud enough for Dumbledore to hear. "Maybe you should ask her to lick it up for you." He elbowed Snape The dish of chocolate soufflé in front of him flew up and smashed into Sirius' face covering him with the gooey paste. Mikayla laughed out loud this time as Remus gasped in shock. "Now, THAT was brilliant" Snape said as he whipped his head back and glared at Mikayla. "Oh really, I can do better than that." She flung her hand into the air and a turret of soup covered Remus. Snape applauded. Before anyone knew what had happened, food was flying from every direction. McGonagall was screeching little spells to keep from being hit and yelling for them to stop. The students loved it! Harry and Ron were now standing and telling Sirius and Remus when to duck. Hermione and Pavarti were giving directions to Mikayla, as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle kept bowls and plates coming for Snape to plaster all over the others. Dumbledore was shaking his head and slowly rose out of his chair. "ENOUGH!" He shouted and the entire room was silent. He walked to the end of the table where everything had started and glared at his four brilliant wizards. "Now that you have ruined everyone's dinner, go clean yourselves up and be in my office in one hour!" His voice was gravelly with anger.
Chapter 2 The four of then sat in Dumbledore's office in silence. The three men, terrified they'd be fired, or worse, glanced back and forth at each other. Mikayla knew he couldn't fire her as his daughter, but was sure she'd be sent back to the US. Dumbledore just paced a trail in front of his desk. "I understand the stress of the school year and guarding Hogwarts against the war has been very trying for all of you. I also understand your need to let off a little steam once in a while, it's necessary, I know. But, your actions this evening was appalling! To behave like spoiled brats in front of all of our students is completely unacceptable. I'll not have you making a mockery of MY school, do you all understand?" They all nodded their understanding. "I must say though, the soufflé to the face was extremely brilliant Severus!" The twinkle returned to his eye. They all laughed now, as much in relief as the humor of the situation. "Now, since the students will be leaving the school in two weeks for the summer, I believe it would do you all a world of good to take a little holiday." They all seemed stunned by the suggestion. "We can't take a vacation now, what if something happens while we're gone?" Snape was the first to speak. "It's really not wise for any of us to go away right now Father." Mikayla looked at him with confusion. "Yes, I realize much is happening now and you are all needed in the resistance, I cannot have you killing each other now can I? You each deserve a much needed rest." He cupped his daughter's face in his hand. "There is just one stipulation, you must all stay together." They all started talking at the same time, but Dumbledore raised his hand to silence them. "I have made arrangements for the four of you to spend one month at a very secluded Muggle resort. I prefer it to be non-magic, it's less of a risk." "You expect me to spend a month with these degenerates? You've got to be joking?" Snape fumed "I assure you Severus, I am not joking. I want you all to learn to work and live together peacefully. As amusing as your petty bickering is, it has gotten out of hand. I want you to get to know each other, become friend, if possible, but at least learn to respect one another." "So what are we supposed to do at this Muggle resort, play tennis, golf?" Remus looked more amused than bothered by the idea, "There is much for you to do there. Yes, tennis and golf are options. From the brochure I have you will be able to lounge by the sea with drinks that have little umbrella's in them. Sounds perfectly marvelous to me." His face took on an innocent façade. "There will be no arguments about it, you will leave as soon as Remus is rested after the next full moon and return the day before the next." His amusement was starting to show. "Now, I believe you all have classes tomorrow, I bid you goodnight." He dismissed them like the children they had acted like.
Chapter 3
The rest of the school term flew by and the end of the year feast was upon them. The students were gleefully chatting, laughing and thoroughly enjoying themselves. The staff table was just as animated, except for the end of the table where the "Fab 4", Sirius' term for them, was sitting. They looked sullen and sober. Tomorrow was the full moon and they only had 2 more days until the "vacation from hell", as Snape not so affectionately called it. Snape had tried several times over the past 2 weeks to talk some sense into Dumbledore, to no avail. Mikayla had tried also, but she could never refuse anything he wished. Sirius brooded and mumbled about being a slave to Dumbledore, of course giving the old man a good laugh. Remus didn't seem to care one-way or the other, the full moon was on his mind. "I expect you are all packed and ready?" Dumbledore said from the head of the table, they all mumbled and nodded. "Good, you leave first thing Monday morning, all of your arrangements have been made." The feast was over and Mikayla and Snape retired to their respective rooms hoping to stay away from each other as much as possible. Remus and Sirius left the grounds heading for Hogsmeade. "This is going to be the worst summer we've ever had. I think I'd rather spend it in Azkaban." Sirius blurted out. Remus knew he didn't mean it and was just being dramatic. "It might not be that bad Padfoot, it could be worse." Remus seemed to almost like the idea. "Worse? How can it be worse?" Sirius snapped at him "Well, we could be stuck with just Snape, at least we'll have Kayli with us, like old times." Remus looked hopefully at Sirius "Oh yeah right, old times, I'd rather not relive some of those old times, thank you very much. Besides, she seems to take Snape's side in everything lately." Padfoot huffed "Sirius" he grabbed the taller man's arm "You have treated her like dirt since the day she came back, what do you expect her to do? She thinks you hate her." "I think I do too," Sirius sounded like a little boy. "I have good reason to treat her the way I do and you know it." "No, you don't! She doesn't deserve to be tortured over that Sirius. You both made mistakes, we all did." Remus tried not to show the irritation in his voice. "I can't forget Moony, she hurt me." Sirius' toned changed to that of a heartbroken young man. "I'd have given her everything." "Everything but you. You'll never grow up Padfoot, you'll never settle down, she would have spent her life waiting for you, alone and lonely, while you did God knows what." They took a booth at the back of the Three Broomsticks. "If things were different and you could bring yourself to forgive and forget, would you want her back now? Would you want to go back to exactly the way you were, with her, all those years ago?" Sirius thought for a moment "No, I guess not, I don't want to be tied to anyone, not even Harry really. He'll be an adult in a couple of years, it's not like I'll be strapped to his side forever. You're right on that point Moony, I wouldn't have made her happy." "Well, now that you come to that revelation, I need a beer!" Remus grinned
Albus Dumbledore heard a knock at the door to his private chambers. "Come in" He turned to see his beloved daughter grace his doorstep. "If you've come to try to back out of this holiday, give up, it won't work." She could see the twinkle in his eyes. "No, I've resigned myself to the next month of punishment." She whined just enough to get his sympathy. "It's not punishment Mikayla. We are nothing without he four of you and I had to find a way for you all to get along. If this doesn't work, I'll allow you to rub my nose in it until my dying day." His smile was too much for her, she smiled back and scratched his beard. "It's not going to be easy, Remus and Sirius seem to hate me now and Snape has never liked me. There's so much history there, too much. We may not come back alive." She smiled but he could see the worry in her eyes. "You're all adults my dear, I know you'll figure it out." He looked at her closely "Are you going to tell him the truth?" "I don't know, if it comes up I will, but I'm not sure I can broach the subject myself. It's too painful to think about, how can I talk about it." A single tear slid down her face, she forced the rest of them back. "I've kept this secret for 15 years, I can't bare the thought of him hurting as badly as I do." Another tear, damn it, why couldn't she stop them. "I understand Mikayla, I wish I had handled things differently back then, made it easier for you. You should have had your friends with you, you should never have had to handle it alone. I am so sorry I failed you." His smile was gone. "You didn't fail me, it wouldn't have turned out any better if they were there. Sirius couldn't be there, remember, he was in prison. Remus would have wanted to help, but I'd never allow him to suffer any more pain than he already has, does. You did what was best, I know that. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful loving father even if you are an old coot." She tickled his side then fell into his waiting arms, the rest of the tears came.
She left her father's rooms and walked out on to the front steps of Hogwarts. It was warm and clear, the sky filled with stars. She sat on the front steps, just staring into space, thinking about her conversation with her father. "Pondering the state of the universe Mikayla?" Snape's silky voice startled her back to reality. "Just my universe." Her gaze never left the stars. "Well, that's quite a lot considering the world revolves around you." Snape said softly. Mikayla just laughed, it wasn't worth arguing about. It was scary to think they all thought of her that way, when all see saw in herself was a frightened child lost in a world much too large for her. He sat down next her "Are you spending the full moon with Lupin?" He said it without any contempt in his voice and she turned to look at him. "No, my days of howling at them moon are gone." She felt another piece of her heart break away. "I was never any good at it anyway." "Oh come now, the great Lioness must have roared along with the howls more than a few times?" Snape sounded more himself. "That was many years ago. Things change. I don't even know if I can transform anymore, I haven't done it in so long." She didn't really care if she could or not. "Seems a pity to waste such a talent." They were both gazing at the sky now. "Just 2 more days until hell, are you ready?" "Oh yes, I can't wait, being insulted, humiliated and embarrassed for a month, just the way I wanted to spend my summer. Would it be more fun to spend the summer with Voldemort?" She really didn't mean to say it, it just came out, but he didn't flinch. "I've been wondering that myself." They both laughed, then said goodnight.
Chapter 4
They apparated to a forest outside of the resort and walked to the gates. After checking the guest registry they were taken to a large cabin beside the ocean. It had three bedrooms, a large living, dining area, and a fully stocked kitchen. The décor was all done in light pastel colors with seashells and palm trees. "So who's sharing a room?" Remus asked. "We could each take a room and let Mikayla choose a different one each night, that way we'll all be happy!" Sirius grinned at her, but his eyes showed more. "Stop it Sirius" Remus grunted. "You and I will share, Mikayla and Snape can have their own rooms, come on." He headed toward the largest of the three rooms. "Oh but Moony, you know she'd love to take care of all of us, that's what she's good at." Before he even had it completely out of his mouth, Mikayla tackled him and knocked him to the floor. "If you ever speak to me or about me as if I'm a whore again, I'll make you wish you'd never laid eyes on me." She had her knee in his chest and both hands full of his hair. "I already do!" He spat at her. "Good, then I'll just have to kill you and put you out of my misery." She ground her knee harder into his chest. Remus moved to pull her off but she waved her hand to stop him. "Let him go Mikayla, you don't need to do this." Remus tried to move again but it felt like she put a wall up in front of him. Snape finally grabbed her from behind and put her on her feet. Her eyes burned into Sirius who now stood in front of her. He backed out of the room.
They each went to unpack and settle in. When Mikayla came out of her room, Snape was sitting in a chair in front of the glass doors, reading, Remus was on the couch reading and Sirius was no where to be seen. "Do you suppose we have to actually stay in constant company with each other or can we wander about on our own."? She said as she played with the curtain cord. "Don't know, you'll have to try to escape and see what happens." It was Sirius behind her. She walked out the front door and slammed it hard behind her. They each waited to see if she would bounce back like a rubber band, she didn't. She walked down to the beach and took her shoes off, the sand was warm and soft under her feet. For a secluded resort there were a lot of people about and she sat down on the sand and watched them. Muggles were fascinating to Mikayla, she loved them. She watched a young couple on a blanket next to her, obviously on their honeymoon. She smiled at them and they smiled back, and then were again lost in each other. She wandered around the gift shop and bought a little seashell necklace on a string. When she reached the cottage again she sat on the patio and enjoyed the sunshine. Two girls in the cottage next to theirs waved to her and asked her if she'd like to get a drink with them, she accepted. They told her their names were Ashley and Beth, they were Americans and she felt completely at ease with them. At the cabana bar they sipped Margarita's and giggled at the men on the beach. "So, are you here with anyone or out for some solitude?" Ashley asked her. "I'm here with 3 of my colleagues, we're supposed to be on a mission to get to know each other better. So far we haven't had much luck, but we just got here this morning." Mikayla wasn't sure how much she should tell them so she stuck to the basics. "Three men and myself cooped up in that little cottage may end up in our demise." She was shocked when a giggled came from her own lips. "Well, we'll be here for the month, so if you want to get away, come on over." Beth smiled warmly at her. "Thanks, I might take you up on that." Mikayla returned her smile. "Do you ladies mind if I join you?" Mikayla rolled her eyes at the sight of Remus standing there. "Ladies, this is one of my housemates, Remus Lupin, this is Ashley and Beth." She waved her hand for him to sit. "Nice to meet you ladies." Remus took the seat next to Mikayla. "So what do you, you work together right?" Beth seemed very interested in Remus. He looked at Mikayla hoping to figure out what she had told them. "Well, we're all teachers at a private school, I teach a defense class." He was sure it sounded stupid, but it was the best he could do. "I teach history, Sirius and Severus, our other 2 mates, teach Math and Science. I'm sure you'll meet them before the months out." Mikayla sipped her drink and saw Sirius coming toward them out of the corner of her eye. "I think I should go get showered before dinner, thank you for the drink, I'll buy next time." She was gone before he reached the table.
Chapter 5
That's exactly how the first week went, she avoided Sirius as much as she could and remained completely silent the rest of the time. Remus tried his best to get them all into conversation but was usually met with glares from the others. Snape spent most of his time reading or walking the beach alone. Mikayla spent a lot of time in her room or with the girls next door. Sirius and Remus spent time together but even that seemed tense. On the first evening of their second week together, everything got worse. Mikayla had spent most of the day on the beach with Ashley and Beth and when she returned, the cottage seemed to be vibrating with tension. All three men were in foul moods and she got the worst of it. "Oh, so you decided to grace us with your presence this evening Mikayla, we're honored." This was the first really nasty comment Snape had made to her since they arrived and Mikayla was taken aback by it. "Well, I can leave if you'd like me to." She retorted. "Sure, run away again that's your style isn't it?" Sirius growled at her. "Yes, I guess it is, it's better than sitting around feeling sorry for myself." She hissed. "Yes, when things get tough turn your back on it. Must be wonderful to be so far above everyone, careful you might get a nose bleed." He was standing behind her now, she could feel him breathing. "And it must be wonderful to be so perfect that you can judge everyone else." She wasn't backing down from this one. "Tell me, how did it feel to know you ran away and left Remus to deal with losing everyone he loved at once, did you care, did you ever think what it might have done to him?" He grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "I didn't run away, I had no choice. You weren't there you don't know what happened." Her voice cracked. She was so afraid this would come up and now she had to deal with it. "That's right, I wasn't there, I was in prison for a murder I didn't commit. But did you give a damn about that, I wouldn't know that either, you ran away and never bothered to come see me when I begged you to." Sirius clenched his fists to keep from shaking. "You know I cared Sirius, I had no choice. My father wouldn't allow me to see you, he was afraid of what would happen if I went to Azkaban." She was the one shaking. "Oh no, we wouldn't want you to see the horrors of Azkaban first hand now would we, you're too good for that." He spit at her. "That's not right, it wasn't because of that. I didn't dessert you, I never wanted to leave you, but I had no choice." Her voice was almost a shriek. "Then tell me, what terrible thing kept you from visiting me, kept you from staying with Remus when he needed you? Tell me why you'd tell me you loved me then leave without a word. Was it all a lie, what we had, the years of friendship we all shared, were you just pretending?" A little vein in his head popped out from restraining his anger. She took a step back and looked at Remus, who seemed as angry as Sirius, then to Snape. He almost had a look of sympathy on his face. The tears were burning her eyes, but she fought them back and tried to calm her voice. "I never lied to you Sirius, I loved you, I loved all of you. You were the first and only friends I had ever had. You have to remember how scared I was when we started at Hogwarts. Everyone thought it was perfectly natural for me, I was born there, but it wasn't. I'd spent my whole life isolated from the other children. I wasn't old enough to be part of them. I had to watch in secret, wish I could be part of it, feeling so alone. But you and Remus and James" a sob broke her voice, "and Lily, you made me feel like I belonged. "We know all this, get to why you left." Sirius glared at her, but Snape pushed him back. "Give her chance" he turned to Mikayla "I'll leave if you'd rather I didn't hear this." "No, stay it's time everyone knew the truth." She turned back to face Sirius. "Do you remember the day James and Lily died?" Sirius grabbed her face. "Of course I remember, I'll never forget" he gritted his teeth. "I meant before they died, earlier in the day when I asked you to meet me at the Leaky Caldron? Do you remember that? I told you I had something to tell you? We never got to meet." He just nodded. "Do you think I don't know what our relationship was? That I really believed it was true love? It was physical, that's it, we consummated an ancient lurking passion. I loved you, that wasn't a lie, ever, but I was no more in love with you than you were with me, am I right?" He nodded again. "We never got to talk and I didn't get to tell you." Her tears now flowed freely. "Tell me what dammit?" Sirius barked "That I was pregnant, I was carrying your child." There she said it, now she wished she could just die. "My child? But how, why didn't you, where is the child." The shock radiated around the room, each of them looked stunned. "I wanted you to know, but so much happened so fast, and when you went to Azkaban, father thought it would hurt the child and wouldn't allow me to go, I begged him to let me, but he wouldn't. I begged him to let me see Remus, to tell him so he could tell you, but he wouldn't allow that either. He was just afraid of what would happen to me. He knew you were innocent, I knew you were innocent, but the rest of the world didn't and he was afraid I'd be hurt because I carried your child." She was gasping for breath and Snape brought her a glass of water and tried to sit her down, but she just backed away. "So he sent you away, out of shame that you carried my child?" Sirius' tears flowed as hard as her own. "No, he wasn't ashamed, he wanted to prove your innocence so the child could have his father. He was never ashamed of you Sirius, never." She had backed herself into a corner and fell to her knees. "I didn't go to America for almost a year after that. I stayed hidden away until the night I went into labor. It was horrible, I cried and begged for you and Remus, for Lily and James." "Where is my child Mikayla" Sirius stepped toward her, but Remus stopped him. "I labored for almost two days but he just wouldn't come. Madam Pomfrey wanted to send me to St. Mungo's but I refused. They had to break my pelvic bone to get him out, but it was too late. I waited, to hear him cry, to see his little arms and legs moving, but it never came. He was still and silent when Poppy handed him to me. He was so beautiful! Chubby little cheeks and a mass of black hair. I wished I could have seen his eyes, I know they were blue like yours." Her voice was hoarse from crying and screaming her pain at them. Remus wanted to hold her and ease her pain, but knew this kind of pain couldn't be eased. Snape had moved to the back of the room, leaning against a wall, looking like he was going to be sick. "Poppy said he wasn't strong enough to with stand the labor, I think he just couldn't stand to see his mother's grief. Old Professor Vineze said it was for the best, a murders son would be shunned, my slap mark stayed on her face for days. That night was the first time I'd ever seen my father cry. They put me on a suicide watch for months after that, I couldn't even go to the loo alone. I'd lost everyone I loved, except Remus and I vowed to never let him know about my pain. He's endured enough, you both have." She looked Sirius in the eyes for the first time, the pain she saw broke her heart. "I'm sorry Siri, I should have told you, but I didn't want to make you suffer anymore. Father sent me away, to heal my broken heart, but it just made it worse. Your son is buried at the foot of my mother's grave, there's no headstone for him, just a little rock with his initials, J. A. B." her tears had stopped but the look in her eyes was frightening. "J. A. B.?" Sirius asked her softly "Yes, Jonas Alexander Black after your father and my grandfather." She whispered, her voice gone now. Sirius ran out the front door, Remus followed. Snape slowly bent down, not wanting to startle Mikayla and gently picked her up and carried her to bed. He gave her a sleeping potion, removed her shoes and covered her with a blanket. Her eyes flickered open for a moment. "Thank you" and she slept.
Chapter 6 The tension in the cottage seemed to ease after that night, Sirius didn't talk much but at least he wasn't being nasty anymore. Remus stayed close to him, in case his friend needed him. Snape seemed to have warmed to Mikayla, they walked on the beach and talked. She found him very charming and he thought she was enchanting. On the first night of the third week, they all sat together on the ocean deck watching the band play. No one talked much, just watched and listened. "We've done enough of this silent routine, it's time to get to know each other." Mikayla announced, then walked over to the bar. When she returned she had a bottle of Jose Cuervo, limes and a saltshaker. "Time open up a bit" She grinned sheepishly at them. "I like your thinking" Sirius grinned back and Mikayla felt the world lift off her shoulders. "I'll let you have your fun then" Snape said as he rose to leave. "Oh no you don't we're in this together, remember? Now sit, you can go first." Her smile lit up the night sky. "Very well" Snape took a shot of tequila and downed it, no lime, no salt. His face made them all laugh. "You really should have used the lime Sev, it's much better." Remus said as if he were talking to an old friend. "Then you do did" Snape pushed the bottle toward him. Remus took it, salt first, Tequila, lime, his face wasn't any better. Snape actually laughed out loud. Sirius was next, he of course took the shot like a pro. "What's all the fuss about?" He shrugged. Mikayla did her shot and got the biggest laugh yet, she nearly choked to death on it. After several more around they were all feeling light headed and warm. The tension between them was gone and they chatted like old friends. "Severus, can I ask you something?" She said it almost shyly "Um..Yeah, go ahead." His head swung around a little fast and it made him dizzy. "Why do you hate Harry Potter so much?" "He's an annoying little brat just like his father." When he realized what he'd said he ducked as if something was flying around his head. "He's really a great kid Sev, you should give him a chance." Sirius wasn't the least bit angry at Snape's statement. "I don't need to give him a chance, he's a Potter that's enough for me." Snape again waited for something to hit him. "That's not fair, are you anything like your Father, I'm certainly nothing like mine." Remus looked curious. "Ah, you're absolutely right Remus, we are not like our fathers, but Potter is. He's a troublemaker and he gets away with it because of whom he is. There are plenty of students in the school who do so much better than Potter but are overlooked because of HIM." Snape swayed a bit but righted himself. "He has a point you know, there are some brilliant witches and wizards in Hogwarts who are never noticed. But it seems anything Harry does is immediately blown out of proportion." Mikayla winked at Snape who tried to wink back but his eyes weren't working right. "But that's not Harry's fault, he can't help something that happened when he was a baby. He doesn't ask for all of the attention, it just seems to find him." Sirius sounded so fatherly. "You may be right there Black, but does he have to go looking for trouble all the time. In that aspect, he's just like his father." Snape looked smug. "You just hated James so you want to take it out on Harry!" Sirius' face grew a bit angry. "And that's not right Snape. I never understood why you hated James so much, he saved your damn life and it just made you hate him more. I told you I was to blame for that, but it never seemed to matter. Remus didn't even know it was gonna happen, James only knew because I told Mikayla and Lily and they begged James to stop it. I'm the only one you should hate." Sirius took a deep breath to control himself. "Hate is a very strong word Mr. Black, I don't hate Harry Potter, I didn't HATE James Potter, I just never liked him. You I'm not so sure about!" Snape was brave for a man so out numbered. "Do you a nice bone in your body Snape?" Remus looked exasperated. "Some say I do." The grin on his face made three eyebrows rise. "Pig" Mikayla snapped at him. "Oink oink" He still grinned at her. Sirius fell out of his chair laughing, Remus tried to pull him up but ended up on the floor with him. The laughter spread through the bar. Two big brawly men from the table behind them picked up Padfoot and Moony and put them back in their seats. Mikayla unsteadily stood up and pointed a finger at them. "You two have been cut off, you can't handle your liquor" She swayed a step side ways then landed in Snape's lap. The shock sent them both backward out of the chair. She somehow ended up straddling his chest. "Umm, you could have just asked Mikayla." Snape reached behind her and smacked her rump. She fell over onto the ground, giggling. "Well, it seems you two have at least come to truce." Ashley and Beth stared down at them with amusement. "No, well, yes, but they started it." Mikayla pointed at Remus and Sirius, now howling with laughter. "Us, how did we start it, we may have fallen to the ground but we didn't give each other a face full, eewwww." Sirius moved his chair away from Remus. "It's nice to see you speaking to each other, I guess your mission has been a success." Beth sat next Remus, Ashley next to Sirius. Snape and Mikayla were still on the ground struggling to get up with out touching each other.
"Looks like you two could use a cold shower." Beth tried to stifle a laugh. "Together!" Ashley added. "Shut up" Mikayla snapped as she righted the chair. Snape whispered something about her being chicken and she pulled his hair. Mikayla mumbled something in latin the girls couldn't understand and they all suddenly seemed a little more sober. "Thank you" the three men said together.
They sat for a while just listening to the band when Sirius jumped up and grabbed Ashley's hand, "Let's dance" Before she could answer, he dragged her to the dance floor. Remus politely held out his hand to Beth "May I have this dance?" She accepted. Mikayla and Severus watched for a few moments, then he growled and stood up, holding his hand out to her. She looked stunned, she couldn't believe Severus Snape knew how to dance. She took his hand and he led her to the dance floor. The two couples already on the floor beamed at them and Severus gave them his best glare. Mikayla gave them a look of fear, not knowing what to expect. He took her in his arms and they danced. He was graceful on his feet and whirled her around as if she were floating. I should have known, she thought to herself, he walks with such grace and confidence, of course he can dance. They danced through four more songs and when they stopped, the other two couples were gone. As she walked back to their table, Severus took Mikayla's hand. "How about a walk in the moonlight." And they headed for beach. They walked for a while in silence, she stumbled in the soft sand and grabbed his hand for support and didn't let go. "We have one more week here, I hope you and Sirius can work out your problem's before we leave. The rest of us seem to have." Mikalya waited for his reaction. "I don't think Black and I will ever see eye to eye, I don't want to be friends with someone who tried to kill me." He stopped walking and looked at her. "You seem to think we can all be best friends, that's not going to happen." "I don't expect you to be best friends, I just believe if you knew each other better you'd at least respect each other." She lifted head so she could see into his eyes. They were as black as a starless night sky. "Calling a truce for the good of the cause will be enough." Unable to hold her gaze, he looked down. "That's not good enough!" She frowned. 'It will have to be good enough!" He narrowed his eyes at her, but knew she was not intimidated. She turned and started to walk away from him, but he still held on to her hand. He pulled her back to him, with his other hand he cupped her face and bent to kiss her. His lips barely brushed hers, but it sent shock waves through her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. His tongue met hers and danced around her mouth. He tasted sweet, like honey, and his mouth was soft. He pulled back to look at her, his eyes had softened and cheeks were flushed. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" He said in that sexy silky voice. His hand moved from her face to her shoulder and she shuttered when it slid down her neck. "Since our 5th, that night in the Astronomy Tower, you almost kissed me then." "Well, if truth be told, the first time I thought about it was 3rd year after the Quidditch match when Slytherin beat Griffindor. You smiled at me from the stands, I thought you were so beautiful." "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked softly "I could never get you away from them, they watched your every move." He stepped back. "Maybe it's better this way, we've lived a little, we know what life is about, no silly childhood dreams to get in the way." He could see the sadness in her eyes. "You don't have any dreams Mikayla, nothing you still want from your life?" He was almost afraid of what she'd say. "Just one, well two, I want to fall in love with someone who will love me forever, and" She hesitated. "and have another child?" "Dreams do come true you know, sometimes." He pulled her into his arms again and kissed her. The walked hand in hand back to the cottage. Remus and Sirius were still missing, Mikayla knew exactly where they were. Mikalya took Severus' hand and pulled him toward her bedroom. He followed without a word. She pushed him onto the bed and bent to kiss him, but he stopped her. "Not now, not here, we've waited a lifetime for this, I want to make it perfect for you and I can't do that here." She seemed to understand what he meant. "Then just hold me until I fall asleep." She climbed on to the bed next to him, they kissed and held each other until they fell asleep. A few hours later, Remus and Sirius stood at the door watching them sleep. "As much as I hate to admit it, they are perfect for each other." Sirius said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "She can make him human, he can love her unconditionally, I couldn't do that." "As long as she's happy and he's good to her, I think they will be fine." Remus pulled his friend from the door. "We've had a busy night ourselves, let's get some sleep." They both grinned and went to bed.
Chapter 7
The next few days weren't bad, they all got along but nothing was resolved. Mikayla tried to get them to talk, but they made jokes and small talk. She was determined to make them friends. "Well, if you're going to act like children, I'm going to treat you like children. Not one of you can leave this room until you've made peace with each other." She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "And you think you're big enough to keep us all here?" Sirius' amusement irritated her. "Of course I can." She waved her hands and the room filled with a red glow. They felt nothing but knew they wouldn't be able to move out of the room, they were stuck there. "Now, I'll be back to check on you in two hours, work this out or I'll leave you here all night." She grinned "You can't leave us like this, what if one of has to go t the loo?" Sirius pouted. "You can go to the loo, to the kitchen, but you can't hide in your rooms." She kissed Snape on the head and waved at Remus and Sirius before she left. "Have fun!"
Mikayla walked next door to see Ashley and Beth, the girls were sunning themselves on the patio. "Hey, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you and Severus apart in a couple of days" Ashley smiled "Well, they are being punished right now and can't come out and play." Mikayla winked at the girls. "What did they do now?" Beth asked "I'm forcing them to work out their differences, they can't come out until they do." She took a seat next to Beth. "And they will stay there and do what you tell them, how did you do that?" Ashley sat up. "It's magic" Mikayla winked again. "If they don't do this, God only knows what my father will force us to do for the rest of the summer." "Your father?" Beth turned over to look at her. "Oh, yeah, my father is Headmaster of the school we all teach at, he's the one who sent us here. I, of course am very thankful that he did." Mikayla fluttered her eyelashes at them. "We are too!" Both girls added. "So you've enjoyed my darlings, have you, they are absolutely wonderful aren't they? But I do have one question, is Remus any good in bed?" She had an evil grin. "I know about Sirius, he's oh so yummy, but I've always been curious about Remus." "I can't believe you asked me that?" Beth blushed "Oh what the hell, he's fabulous, like an animal, he actually growls!" She blushed deeper. "I expected him to be so gentle because he's so sweet, but no way." Mikayla laughed and knew exactly why he was such an animal. It was getting close to the full moon. "Well, Remmie has always been full of surprises." "How do you know about Sirius?" Ashley asked with curiosity. "We were together years ago, but some terrible things happened and I moved to the US. I just came back last summer, Sirius was very angry because he thought I deserted him, we barely spoke for the past year without being at each other's throats. About two weeks ago it all came out and I think we're friends again. We've all known each other since we were 11 years old, there's too much between us to completely ruin our friendship." Mikayla leaned back and let the sun warm her face. "I love them all, we've shared so much, good and bad." "Now you've chosen Severus, did you ever think you'd be with him?" the girls moved closer. "Merlin, no!" Mikayla had no idea why they looked at her so funny. "I had a crush on him in school, but I didn't think he noticed me at all. Once we ran into each other in the Astronomy Tower and talked for a while, but that was really it. He's really an interesting man, brilliant, but very self- protective. I know he made some difficult choices after school. I'm looking forward to getting to know him better." There was a loud crash and shouting from the cottage next door. Ashley and Beth both jumped to their feet, but Mikayla remained calm. "No, don't go over there, it might be a dangerous right now, they have a lot to talk about. It'll be fine." The other girls didn't look so sure. There was another crash. "Are you sure they're not gonna kill each other?" Ashley looked panicked "No, I'm not sure of anything, they tried to kill each other before." She sounded serious but amused. "Don't you think you should do something?" Beth said breathlessly. "No, they have another hour." Mikayla sat back and smiled as the shouting got louder.
An hour later Mikayla walked back through the front door of the cottage. The place was a mess, tables and chairs turned over, books and papers everywhere. Snape had a visible black eye and Sirius' lip was split. "Well, how did things go?" Mikayla tried to sound amused, by was terrified. "Great, just great, can't you tell?" Remus snapped at her. He was standing in the kitchen cleaning some scratches on his neck. "Are you all right?" She didn't say it to anyone in particular. "We're all fine Mikayla." Severus came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. "I believe you got your wish." He kissed her neck. "What do you mean 'got my wish'?" She turned to face him. "He means, we've all bared our souls and opened old wounds, we'll all be able to work together now." Sirius was putting ice on his lip. "If you don't know how much we love you now, you never will, we've come to an understanding because of you, because you asked us to, because of our affection for you, and Dumbledore of course." Remus slumped into chair. "So you had to beat each other senseless to achieve this?" She touched Snape's eye, making him flinch. "Yes, you know men have to settle things that way." Sirius grinned at her. "Men or boys?" she smiled at him "Don't egg us on, you have gotten yours yet." Snape pulled away from her as if to tell Sirius to go for it. "Well, I don't think I want to fight with you, but if you insist, I'll be happy to kick your butt." She put up her fists and they all laughed. "Do you think you could take the spell off now so we can go get something to eat? I'm starving." Remus sounded pitiful. "I suppose, if you promise to behave. I believe there are two lovely ladies waiting to see you two outside. You don't move." She pointed to Severus. She waved her hands again and the red glow disappeared. The men breathed a sigh of relief. Sirius and Remus both went in to clean up. "I'm sorry you got hurt," She said innocently. "What men will do for the love of a women."? He pulled her to him and kissed her. "I've discovered something today, that I has suspected for a long time." A grinned crossed his lips. "What might that be?" she tried to look innocent. "I love you." Snape confessed. "Oh, I already knew that." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Get a room." Sirius muttered as he and Remus went to find Ashley and Beth.
Chapter 8 "This is our last night here, what shall we do?" Remus asked the other five people in front of him. The girls had managed to talk him into putting on a pair of shorts and playing volleyball with them earlier, now his usually pale white legs were beat red. "I think we should go have few drinks and dance the night away, maybe we can get the band to play 'Rock Lobster' for you Moony." Sirius winced as he looked at Remus. "Haha, very funny! That does sound good, dinner first?" He playfully tugged at Sirius' hair. "Yes, food, I'm ready!" Mikayla jumped up from her chair. "How can anyone so tiny eat so much?" Ashley asked. "It's magic" Mikayla said with a grin and the three men laughed.
The next morning they all said there goodbyes and the Fab 4 headed for the clearing just beyond the resorts front gate. "Well, it certainly has been an interesting month, don't you think?" Mikayla asked "Interesting, yes." Snape muttered "Very interesting" Sirius added "To say the least" Remus muttered. "Do you think you'll see Ashley and Beth again?" Mikayla had made sure she knew how to contact them so they could stay in touch. "I'm going to spend a few days with Ashley next month." Sirius looked happier than she'd ever seen him. "Beth and I are meeting in London in two weeks." Remus beamed. "What about you two, what are you planning?" "I only have one thing planned" Mikayla grinned shyly. "Yes, just one." Snape's faced turned a little red. "Oh Great Merlin, we won't see them for a month." Sirius said dramatically. They apparated to Hogsmeade. Dumbledore was waiting for them as they walked across Hogwarts lawns. "Well, I see you've all made it back alive. I take it things went well then?" "Just fine Albus, just fine." Remus smiled sweetly. "Great, no problem's at all" Sirius tried to hide his grin by scratching his face. "Very well father, very well indeed." Mikayla didn't bother to hide hers. "Um hm, very well." Snape said as Mikayla whispered something into his ear and turned toward the steps. He dropped his bag. "Excuse me" and ran after her. Remus and Sirius laughed. "What was that all about?" Dumbledore looked sheepish. "Give them a week, then I'm sure they'll tell you." Remus picked up Snape's bag and he and Sirius walked up the steps, leaving Dumbledore to his own imagination.
Holiday
Chapter 1
There were 2 weeks left until classes were over for the year. "Thank the Gods" Mikayla whined to herself. The year had been a difficult one for all of them, students and staff alike. Voldemort's rise to power last year had been hard on all of them. Defending the school, Harry and the entire Muggle society was taking its toll. Tempers were short, nerves raw and emotions high. Everyone seemed to be looking forward to summer. The Chosen Four, as Dumbledore liked to call them, were at each other's throats. Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Mikayla Dumbledore were the only four in the wizarding world with enough power to defeat the Dark Lord, besides Harry Potter of course. They were supposed to be the four most powerful wizards, and witch in the resistance against Voldemort, but lately they had became a bunch of bickering children. Lupin had been brought back to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, infuriating Snape. Dumbledore had somehow managed to clear Sirius Black's name over the summer and he was now teaching Arithmancy at Hogwarts. Snape was, as always, the unshakable Potions Master. Mikayla Dumbledore had been sent to live in America shortly after the fall of Voldemort. The deaths of Lily and James Potter and numerous other friends was too much for her. Her father insisted she get as far away as possible. But last summer she had been called back, to help in the war. Because she had lived as a Muggle most of her time in the US, she now taught Muggles Studies at her childhood home, Hogwarts.
The day's classes had ended and everyone gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. The meal started out peaceful enough, but quickly went downhill. Lupin and Black were discussing an article in the Daily Profit, about a wizard who enchanted a Muggle garden hose to attack his Muggle neighbors for being too nosy. "That sounds like something Snape would do" Remus chuckled completely out of character. "Nah, Snape would just scare them to death with his evil glare! Oooo!" Sirius faked a shiver "Oh you mean the 'sneer of death'" Remus tried to imitate Snape's sneer. Sirius spit his tea all over Professor Sprout. "That's pretty good Lupin, but you're much better at baring your teeth in that wolfish way you have!" Snape snapped. "Will you three shut the hell up?" Mikayla hissed loud enough to get a raised eyebrow from her father. Why did he insist they all sit together! "Oh, sorry, did we disturb the precious white witch?" Sirius stuck his tongue out at her. "That was adorable Sirius, you have less control over that thing than Snuffles does" her sneer was matching Snape's. Snape was quite impressed. "You just wish I'd use it on you" Sirius raised his eyebrows up and down Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly, irritation beginning to cloud his sparkling blue eyes. "Please, I'm trying to eat here" Mikayla caught her father's gaze and quickly looked down at her plate. It didn't matter that she was 37 years old, she still knew when to back down. "Look Moony, she's pouting. Are you afraid Daddy will spank you? I'm sure Snape would volunteer that punishment for you." Sirius grinned until the bread hit him in the head. "That was brilliant " Snape growled as he tapped his knife against the table. "Bite me!" she snapped at him. The students were now watching the staff table with great interest. "Do you mean that literally Mikayla, didn't know you liked the rough stuff." She actually growled at Remus for the comment. "Wouldn't you like to know."? She had that hiss down pat. "Look out Moony, her claws are out" Sirius ducked as another bit of bread flew in his direction. "So, my claws are sharper than hers." This time Remus got hit right between the eyes. "I thought you were above their idiocy Mikayla, I see I was wrong." Snape frowned, then let out a loud screech as his goblet over turned into his lap. "Oops, so sorry, how clumsy of me." Mikayla played innocent. Howls of laughter came from Snape's opposite side. Mikayla would normally have laughed along with them but was too tired and angry to care. "Why you little bitch," Snape barked as he flung the water on his lap back at her. "Ah ah ah, that's Ms. Bitch to you" Waving her finger in front of his nose. She almost laughed but bit her lip to stop it. "That's not exactly the way Snapey wants you to wet on his lap Kayli." Sirius whispered, knowing better than to make the comment loud enough for Dumbledore to hear. "Maybe you should ask her to lick it up for you." He elbowed Snape The dish of chocolate soufflé in front of him flew up and smashed into Sirius' face covering him with the gooey paste. Mikayla laughed out loud this time as Remus gasped in shock. "Now, THAT was brilliant" Snape said as he whipped his head back and glared at Mikayla. "Oh really, I can do better than that." She flung her hand into the air and a turret of soup covered Remus. Snape applauded. Before anyone knew what had happened, food was flying from every direction. McGonagall was screeching little spells to keep from being hit and yelling for them to stop. The students loved it! Harry and Ron were now standing and telling Sirius and Remus when to duck. Hermione and Pavarti were giving directions to Mikayla, as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle kept bowls and plates coming for Snape to plaster all over the others. Dumbledore was shaking his head and slowly rose out of his chair. "ENOUGH!" He shouted and the entire room was silent. He walked to the end of the table where everything had started and glared at his four brilliant wizards. "Now that you have ruined everyone's dinner, go clean yourselves up and be in my office in one hour!" His voice was gravelly with anger.
Chapter 2 The four of then sat in Dumbledore's office in silence. The three men, terrified they'd be fired, or worse, glanced back and forth at each other. Mikayla knew he couldn't fire her as his daughter, but was sure she'd be sent back to the US. Dumbledore just paced a trail in front of his desk. "I understand the stress of the school year and guarding Hogwarts against the war has been very trying for all of you. I also understand your need to let off a little steam once in a while, it's necessary, I know. But, your actions this evening was appalling! To behave like spoiled brats in front of all of our students is completely unacceptable. I'll not have you making a mockery of MY school, do you all understand?" They all nodded their understanding. "I must say though, the soufflé to the face was extremely brilliant Severus!" The twinkle returned to his eye. They all laughed now, as much in relief as the humor of the situation. "Now, since the students will be leaving the school in two weeks for the summer, I believe it would do you all a world of good to take a little holiday." They all seemed stunned by the suggestion. "We can't take a vacation now, what if something happens while we're gone?" Snape was the first to speak. "It's really not wise for any of us to go away right now Father." Mikayla looked at him with confusion. "Yes, I realize much is happening now and you are all needed in the resistance, I cannot have you killing each other now can I? You each deserve a much needed rest." He cupped his daughter's face in his hand. "There is just one stipulation, you must all stay together." They all started talking at the same time, but Dumbledore raised his hand to silence them. "I have made arrangements for the four of you to spend one month at a very secluded Muggle resort. I prefer it to be non-magic, it's less of a risk." "You expect me to spend a month with these degenerates? You've got to be joking?" Snape fumed "I assure you Severus, I am not joking. I want you all to learn to work and live together peacefully. As amusing as your petty bickering is, it has gotten out of hand. I want you to get to know each other, become friend, if possible, but at least learn to respect one another." "So what are we supposed to do at this Muggle resort, play tennis, golf?" Remus looked more amused than bothered by the idea, "There is much for you to do there. Yes, tennis and golf are options. From the brochure I have you will be able to lounge by the sea with drinks that have little umbrella's in them. Sounds perfectly marvelous to me." His face took on an innocent façade. "There will be no arguments about it, you will leave as soon as Remus is rested after the next full moon and return the day before the next." His amusement was starting to show. "Now, I believe you all have classes tomorrow, I bid you goodnight." He dismissed them like the children they had acted like.
Chapter 3
The rest of the school term flew by and the end of the year feast was upon them. The students were gleefully chatting, laughing and thoroughly enjoying themselves. The staff table was just as animated, except for the end of the table where the "Fab 4", Sirius' term for them, was sitting. They looked sullen and sober. Tomorrow was the full moon and they only had 2 more days until the "vacation from hell", as Snape not so affectionately called it. Snape had tried several times over the past 2 weeks to talk some sense into Dumbledore, to no avail. Mikayla had tried also, but she could never refuse anything he wished. Sirius brooded and mumbled about being a slave to Dumbledore, of course giving the old man a good laugh. Remus didn't seem to care one-way or the other, the full moon was on his mind. "I expect you are all packed and ready?" Dumbledore said from the head of the table, they all mumbled and nodded. "Good, you leave first thing Monday morning, all of your arrangements have been made." The feast was over and Mikayla and Snape retired to their respective rooms hoping to stay away from each other as much as possible. Remus and Sirius left the grounds heading for Hogsmeade. "This is going to be the worst summer we've ever had. I think I'd rather spend it in Azkaban." Sirius blurted out. Remus knew he didn't mean it and was just being dramatic. "It might not be that bad Padfoot, it could be worse." Remus seemed to almost like the idea. "Worse? How can it be worse?" Sirius snapped at him "Well, we could be stuck with just Snape, at least we'll have Kayli with us, like old times." Remus looked hopefully at Sirius "Oh yeah right, old times, I'd rather not relive some of those old times, thank you very much. Besides, she seems to take Snape's side in everything lately." Padfoot huffed "Sirius" he grabbed the taller man's arm "You have treated her like dirt since the day she came back, what do you expect her to do? She thinks you hate her." "I think I do too," Sirius sounded like a little boy. "I have good reason to treat her the way I do and you know it." "No, you don't! She doesn't deserve to be tortured over that Sirius. You both made mistakes, we all did." Remus tried not to show the irritation in his voice. "I can't forget Moony, she hurt me." Sirius' toned changed to that of a heartbroken young man. "I'd have given her everything." "Everything but you. You'll never grow up Padfoot, you'll never settle down, she would have spent her life waiting for you, alone and lonely, while you did God knows what." They took a booth at the back of the Three Broomsticks. "If things were different and you could bring yourself to forgive and forget, would you want her back now? Would you want to go back to exactly the way you were, with her, all those years ago?" Sirius thought for a moment "No, I guess not, I don't want to be tied to anyone, not even Harry really. He'll be an adult in a couple of years, it's not like I'll be strapped to his side forever. You're right on that point Moony, I wouldn't have made her happy." "Well, now that you come to that revelation, I need a beer!" Remus grinned
Albus Dumbledore heard a knock at the door to his private chambers. "Come in" He turned to see his beloved daughter grace his doorstep. "If you've come to try to back out of this holiday, give up, it won't work." She could see the twinkle in his eyes. "No, I've resigned myself to the next month of punishment." She whined just enough to get his sympathy. "It's not punishment Mikayla. We are nothing without he four of you and I had to find a way for you all to get along. If this doesn't work, I'll allow you to rub my nose in it until my dying day." His smile was too much for her, she smiled back and scratched his beard. "It's not going to be easy, Remus and Sirius seem to hate me now and Snape has never liked me. There's so much history there, too much. We may not come back alive." She smiled but he could see the worry in her eyes. "You're all adults my dear, I know you'll figure it out." He looked at her closely "Are you going to tell him the truth?" "I don't know, if it comes up I will, but I'm not sure I can broach the subject myself. It's too painful to think about, how can I talk about it." A single tear slid down her face, she forced the rest of them back. "I've kept this secret for 15 years, I can't bare the thought of him hurting as badly as I do." Another tear, damn it, why couldn't she stop them. "I understand Mikayla, I wish I had handled things differently back then, made it easier for you. You should have had your friends with you, you should never have had to handle it alone. I am so sorry I failed you." His smile was gone. "You didn't fail me, it wouldn't have turned out any better if they were there. Sirius couldn't be there, remember, he was in prison. Remus would have wanted to help, but I'd never allow him to suffer any more pain than he already has, does. You did what was best, I know that. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful loving father even if you are an old coot." She tickled his side then fell into his waiting arms, the rest of the tears came.
She left her father's rooms and walked out on to the front steps of Hogwarts. It was warm and clear, the sky filled with stars. She sat on the front steps, just staring into space, thinking about her conversation with her father. "Pondering the state of the universe Mikayla?" Snape's silky voice startled her back to reality. "Just my universe." Her gaze never left the stars. "Well, that's quite a lot considering the world revolves around you." Snape said softly. Mikayla just laughed, it wasn't worth arguing about. It was scary to think they all thought of her that way, when all see saw in herself was a frightened child lost in a world much too large for her. He sat down next her "Are you spending the full moon with Lupin?" He said it without any contempt in his voice and she turned to look at him. "No, my days of howling at them moon are gone." She felt another piece of her heart break away. "I was never any good at it anyway." "Oh come now, the great Lioness must have roared along with the howls more than a few times?" Snape sounded more himself. "That was many years ago. Things change. I don't even know if I can transform anymore, I haven't done it in so long." She didn't really care if she could or not. "Seems a pity to waste such a talent." They were both gazing at the sky now. "Just 2 more days until hell, are you ready?" "Oh yes, I can't wait, being insulted, humiliated and embarrassed for a month, just the way I wanted to spend my summer. Would it be more fun to spend the summer with Voldemort?" She really didn't mean to say it, it just came out, but he didn't flinch. "I've been wondering that myself." They both laughed, then said goodnight.
Chapter 4
They apparated to a forest outside of the resort and walked to the gates. After checking the guest registry they were taken to a large cabin beside the ocean. It had three bedrooms, a large living, dining area, and a fully stocked kitchen. The décor was all done in light pastel colors with seashells and palm trees. "So who's sharing a room?" Remus asked. "We could each take a room and let Mikayla choose a different one each night, that way we'll all be happy!" Sirius grinned at her, but his eyes showed more. "Stop it Sirius" Remus grunted. "You and I will share, Mikayla and Snape can have their own rooms, come on." He headed toward the largest of the three rooms. "Oh but Moony, you know she'd love to take care of all of us, that's what she's good at." Before he even had it completely out of his mouth, Mikayla tackled him and knocked him to the floor. "If you ever speak to me or about me as if I'm a whore again, I'll make you wish you'd never laid eyes on me." She had her knee in his chest and both hands full of his hair. "I already do!" He spat at her. "Good, then I'll just have to kill you and put you out of my misery." She ground her knee harder into his chest. Remus moved to pull her off but she waved her hand to stop him. "Let him go Mikayla, you don't need to do this." Remus tried to move again but it felt like she put a wall up in front of him. Snape finally grabbed her from behind and put her on her feet. Her eyes burned into Sirius who now stood in front of her. He backed out of the room.
They each went to unpack and settle in. When Mikayla came out of her room, Snape was sitting in a chair in front of the glass doors, reading, Remus was on the couch reading and Sirius was no where to be seen. "Do you suppose we have to actually stay in constant company with each other or can we wander about on our own."? She said as she played with the curtain cord. "Don't know, you'll have to try to escape and see what happens." It was Sirius behind her. She walked out the front door and slammed it hard behind her. They each waited to see if she would bounce back like a rubber band, she didn't. She walked down to the beach and took her shoes off, the sand was warm and soft under her feet. For a secluded resort there were a lot of people about and she sat down on the sand and watched them. Muggles were fascinating to Mikayla, she loved them. She watched a young couple on a blanket next to her, obviously on their honeymoon. She smiled at them and they smiled back, and then were again lost in each other. She wandered around the gift shop and bought a little seashell necklace on a string. When she reached the cottage again she sat on the patio and enjoyed the sunshine. Two girls in the cottage next to theirs waved to her and asked her if she'd like to get a drink with them, she accepted. They told her their names were Ashley and Beth, they were Americans and she felt completely at ease with them. At the cabana bar they sipped Margarita's and giggled at the men on the beach. "So, are you here with anyone or out for some solitude?" Ashley asked her. "I'm here with 3 of my colleagues, we're supposed to be on a mission to get to know each other better. So far we haven't had much luck, but we just got here this morning." Mikayla wasn't sure how much she should tell them so she stuck to the basics. "Three men and myself cooped up in that little cottage may end up in our demise." She was shocked when a giggled came from her own lips. "Well, we'll be here for the month, so if you want to get away, come on over." Beth smiled warmly at her. "Thanks, I might take you up on that." Mikayla returned her smile. "Do you ladies mind if I join you?" Mikayla rolled her eyes at the sight of Remus standing there. "Ladies, this is one of my housemates, Remus Lupin, this is Ashley and Beth." She waved her hand for him to sit. "Nice to meet you ladies." Remus took the seat next to Mikayla. "So what do you, you work together right?" Beth seemed very interested in Remus. He looked at Mikayla hoping to figure out what she had told them. "Well, we're all teachers at a private school, I teach a defense class." He was sure it sounded stupid, but it was the best he could do. "I teach history, Sirius and Severus, our other 2 mates, teach Math and Science. I'm sure you'll meet them before the months out." Mikayla sipped her drink and saw Sirius coming toward them out of the corner of her eye. "I think I should go get showered before dinner, thank you for the drink, I'll buy next time." She was gone before he reached the table.
Chapter 5
That's exactly how the first week went, she avoided Sirius as much as she could and remained completely silent the rest of the time. Remus tried his best to get them all into conversation but was usually met with glares from the others. Snape spent most of his time reading or walking the beach alone. Mikayla spent a lot of time in her room or with the girls next door. Sirius and Remus spent time together but even that seemed tense. On the first evening of their second week together, everything got worse. Mikayla had spent most of the day on the beach with Ashley and Beth and when she returned, the cottage seemed to be vibrating with tension. All three men were in foul moods and she got the worst of it. "Oh, so you decided to grace us with your presence this evening Mikayla, we're honored." This was the first really nasty comment Snape had made to her since they arrived and Mikayla was taken aback by it. "Well, I can leave if you'd like me to." She retorted. "Sure, run away again that's your style isn't it?" Sirius growled at her. "Yes, I guess it is, it's better than sitting around feeling sorry for myself." She hissed. "Yes, when things get tough turn your back on it. Must be wonderful to be so far above everyone, careful you might get a nose bleed." He was standing behind her now, she could feel him breathing. "And it must be wonderful to be so perfect that you can judge everyone else." She wasn't backing down from this one. "Tell me, how did it feel to know you ran away and left Remus to deal with losing everyone he loved at once, did you care, did you ever think what it might have done to him?" He grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "I didn't run away, I had no choice. You weren't there you don't know what happened." Her voice cracked. She was so afraid this would come up and now she had to deal with it. "That's right, I wasn't there, I was in prison for a murder I didn't commit. But did you give a damn about that, I wouldn't know that either, you ran away and never bothered to come see me when I begged you to." Sirius clenched his fists to keep from shaking. "You know I cared Sirius, I had no choice. My father wouldn't allow me to see you, he was afraid of what would happen if I went to Azkaban." She was the one shaking. "Oh no, we wouldn't want you to see the horrors of Azkaban first hand now would we, you're too good for that." He spit at her. "That's not right, it wasn't because of that. I didn't dessert you, I never wanted to leave you, but I had no choice." Her voice was almost a shriek. "Then tell me, what terrible thing kept you from visiting me, kept you from staying with Remus when he needed you? Tell me why you'd tell me you loved me then leave without a word. Was it all a lie, what we had, the years of friendship we all shared, were you just pretending?" A little vein in his head popped out from restraining his anger. She took a step back and looked at Remus, who seemed as angry as Sirius, then to Snape. He almost had a look of sympathy on his face. The tears were burning her eyes, but she fought them back and tried to calm her voice. "I never lied to you Sirius, I loved you, I loved all of you. You were the first and only friends I had ever had. You have to remember how scared I was when we started at Hogwarts. Everyone thought it was perfectly natural for me, I was born there, but it wasn't. I'd spent my whole life isolated from the other children. I wasn't old enough to be part of them. I had to watch in secret, wish I could be part of it, feeling so alone. But you and Remus and James" a sob broke her voice, "and Lily, you made me feel like I belonged. "We know all this, get to why you left." Sirius glared at her, but Snape pushed him back. "Give her chance" he turned to Mikayla "I'll leave if you'd rather I didn't hear this." "No, stay it's time everyone knew the truth." She turned back to face Sirius. "Do you remember the day James and Lily died?" Sirius grabbed her face. "Of course I remember, I'll never forget" he gritted his teeth. "I meant before they died, earlier in the day when I asked you to meet me at the Leaky Caldron? Do you remember that? I told you I had something to tell you? We never got to meet." He just nodded. "Do you think I don't know what our relationship was? That I really believed it was true love? It was physical, that's it, we consummated an ancient lurking passion. I loved you, that wasn't a lie, ever, but I was no more in love with you than you were with me, am I right?" He nodded again. "We never got to talk and I didn't get to tell you." Her tears now flowed freely. "Tell me what dammit?" Sirius barked "That I was pregnant, I was carrying your child." There she said it, now she wished she could just die. "My child? But how, why didn't you, where is the child." The shock radiated around the room, each of them looked stunned. "I wanted you to know, but so much happened so fast, and when you went to Azkaban, father thought it would hurt the child and wouldn't allow me to go, I begged him to let me, but he wouldn't. I begged him to let me see Remus, to tell him so he could tell you, but he wouldn't allow that either. He was just afraid of what would happen to me. He knew you were innocent, I knew you were innocent, but the rest of the world didn't and he was afraid I'd be hurt because I carried your child." She was gasping for breath and Snape brought her a glass of water and tried to sit her down, but she just backed away. "So he sent you away, out of shame that you carried my child?" Sirius' tears flowed as hard as her own. "No, he wasn't ashamed, he wanted to prove your innocence so the child could have his father. He was never ashamed of you Sirius, never." She had backed herself into a corner and fell to her knees. "I didn't go to America for almost a year after that. I stayed hidden away until the night I went into labor. It was horrible, I cried and begged for you and Remus, for Lily and James." "Where is my child Mikayla" Sirius stepped toward her, but Remus stopped him. "I labored for almost two days but he just wouldn't come. Madam Pomfrey wanted to send me to St. Mungo's but I refused. They had to break my pelvic bone to get him out, but it was too late. I waited, to hear him cry, to see his little arms and legs moving, but it never came. He was still and silent when Poppy handed him to me. He was so beautiful! Chubby little cheeks and a mass of black hair. I wished I could have seen his eyes, I know they were blue like yours." Her voice was hoarse from crying and screaming her pain at them. Remus wanted to hold her and ease her pain, but knew this kind of pain couldn't be eased. Snape had moved to the back of the room, leaning against a wall, looking like he was going to be sick. "Poppy said he wasn't strong enough to with stand the labor, I think he just couldn't stand to see his mother's grief. Old Professor Vineze said it was for the best, a murders son would be shunned, my slap mark stayed on her face for days. That night was the first time I'd ever seen my father cry. They put me on a suicide watch for months after that, I couldn't even go to the loo alone. I'd lost everyone I loved, except Remus and I vowed to never let him know about my pain. He's endured enough, you both have." She looked Sirius in the eyes for the first time, the pain she saw broke her heart. "I'm sorry Siri, I should have told you, but I didn't want to make you suffer anymore. Father sent me away, to heal my broken heart, but it just made it worse. Your son is buried at the foot of my mother's grave, there's no headstone for him, just a little rock with his initials, J. A. B." her tears had stopped but the look in her eyes was frightening. "J. A. B.?" Sirius asked her softly "Yes, Jonas Alexander Black after your father and my grandfather." She whispered, her voice gone now. Sirius ran out the front door, Remus followed. Snape slowly bent down, not wanting to startle Mikayla and gently picked her up and carried her to bed. He gave her a sleeping potion, removed her shoes and covered her with a blanket. Her eyes flickered open for a moment. "Thank you" and she slept.
Chapter 6 The tension in the cottage seemed to ease after that night, Sirius didn't talk much but at least he wasn't being nasty anymore. Remus stayed close to him, in case his friend needed him. Snape seemed to have warmed to Mikayla, they walked on the beach and talked. She found him very charming and he thought she was enchanting. On the first night of the third week, they all sat together on the ocean deck watching the band play. No one talked much, just watched and listened. "We've done enough of this silent routine, it's time to get to know each other." Mikayla announced, then walked over to the bar. When she returned she had a bottle of Jose Cuervo, limes and a saltshaker. "Time open up a bit" She grinned sheepishly at them. "I like your thinking" Sirius grinned back and Mikayla felt the world lift off her shoulders. "I'll let you have your fun then" Snape said as he rose to leave. "Oh no you don't we're in this together, remember? Now sit, you can go first." Her smile lit up the night sky. "Very well" Snape took a shot of tequila and downed it, no lime, no salt. His face made them all laugh. "You really should have used the lime Sev, it's much better." Remus said as if he were talking to an old friend. "Then you do did" Snape pushed the bottle toward him. Remus took it, salt first, Tequila, lime, his face wasn't any better. Snape actually laughed out loud. Sirius was next, he of course took the shot like a pro. "What's all the fuss about?" He shrugged. Mikayla did her shot and got the biggest laugh yet, she nearly choked to death on it. After several more around they were all feeling light headed and warm. The tension between them was gone and they chatted like old friends. "Severus, can I ask you something?" She said it almost shyly "Um..Yeah, go ahead." His head swung around a little fast and it made him dizzy. "Why do you hate Harry Potter so much?" "He's an annoying little brat just like his father." When he realized what he'd said he ducked as if something was flying around his head. "He's really a great kid Sev, you should give him a chance." Sirius wasn't the least bit angry at Snape's statement. "I don't need to give him a chance, he's a Potter that's enough for me." Snape again waited for something to hit him. "That's not fair, are you anything like your Father, I'm certainly nothing like mine." Remus looked curious. "Ah, you're absolutely right Remus, we are not like our fathers, but Potter is. He's a troublemaker and he gets away with it because of whom he is. There are plenty of students in the school who do so much better than Potter but are overlooked because of HIM." Snape swayed a bit but righted himself. "He has a point you know, there are some brilliant witches and wizards in Hogwarts who are never noticed. But it seems anything Harry does is immediately blown out of proportion." Mikayla winked at Snape who tried to wink back but his eyes weren't working right. "But that's not Harry's fault, he can't help something that happened when he was a baby. He doesn't ask for all of the attention, it just seems to find him." Sirius sounded so fatherly. "You may be right there Black, but does he have to go looking for trouble all the time. In that aspect, he's just like his father." Snape looked smug. "You just hated James so you want to take it out on Harry!" Sirius' face grew a bit angry. "And that's not right Snape. I never understood why you hated James so much, he saved your damn life and it just made you hate him more. I told you I was to blame for that, but it never seemed to matter. Remus didn't even know it was gonna happen, James only knew because I told Mikayla and Lily and they begged James to stop it. I'm the only one you should hate." Sirius took a deep breath to control himself. "Hate is a very strong word Mr. Black, I don't hate Harry Potter, I didn't HATE James Potter, I just never liked him. You I'm not so sure about!" Snape was brave for a man so out numbered. "Do you a nice bone in your body Snape?" Remus looked exasperated. "Some say I do." The grin on his face made three eyebrows rise. "Pig" Mikayla snapped at him. "Oink oink" He still grinned at her. Sirius fell out of his chair laughing, Remus tried to pull him up but ended up on the floor with him. The laughter spread through the bar. Two big brawly men from the table behind them picked up Padfoot and Moony and put them back in their seats. Mikayla unsteadily stood up and pointed a finger at them. "You two have been cut off, you can't handle your liquor" She swayed a step side ways then landed in Snape's lap. The shock sent them both backward out of the chair. She somehow ended up straddling his chest. "Umm, you could have just asked Mikayla." Snape reached behind her and smacked her rump. She fell over onto the ground, giggling. "Well, it seems you two have at least come to truce." Ashley and Beth stared down at them with amusement. "No, well, yes, but they started it." Mikayla pointed at Remus and Sirius, now howling with laughter. "Us, how did we start it, we may have fallen to the ground but we didn't give each other a face full, eewwww." Sirius moved his chair away from Remus. "It's nice to see you speaking to each other, I guess your mission has been a success." Beth sat next Remus, Ashley next to Sirius. Snape and Mikayla were still on the ground struggling to get up with out touching each other.
"Looks like you two could use a cold shower." Beth tried to stifle a laugh. "Together!" Ashley added. "Shut up" Mikayla snapped as she righted the chair. Snape whispered something about her being chicken and she pulled his hair. Mikayla mumbled something in latin the girls couldn't understand and they all suddenly seemed a little more sober. "Thank you" the three men said together.
They sat for a while just listening to the band when Sirius jumped up and grabbed Ashley's hand, "Let's dance" Before she could answer, he dragged her to the dance floor. Remus politely held out his hand to Beth "May I have this dance?" She accepted. Mikayla and Severus watched for a few moments, then he growled and stood up, holding his hand out to her. She looked stunned, she couldn't believe Severus Snape knew how to dance. She took his hand and he led her to the dance floor. The two couples already on the floor beamed at them and Severus gave them his best glare. Mikayla gave them a look of fear, not knowing what to expect. He took her in his arms and they danced. He was graceful on his feet and whirled her around as if she were floating. I should have known, she thought to herself, he walks with such grace and confidence, of course he can dance. They danced through four more songs and when they stopped, the other two couples were gone. As she walked back to their table, Severus took Mikayla's hand. "How about a walk in the moonlight." And they headed for beach. They walked for a while in silence, she stumbled in the soft sand and grabbed his hand for support and didn't let go. "We have one more week here, I hope you and Sirius can work out your problem's before we leave. The rest of us seem to have." Mikalya waited for his reaction. "I don't think Black and I will ever see eye to eye, I don't want to be friends with someone who tried to kill me." He stopped walking and looked at her. "You seem to think we can all be best friends, that's not going to happen." "I don't expect you to be best friends, I just believe if you knew each other better you'd at least respect each other." She lifted head so she could see into his eyes. They were as black as a starless night sky. "Calling a truce for the good of the cause will be enough." Unable to hold her gaze, he looked down. "That's not good enough!" She frowned. 'It will have to be good enough!" He narrowed his eyes at her, but knew she was not intimidated. She turned and started to walk away from him, but he still held on to her hand. He pulled her back to him, with his other hand he cupped her face and bent to kiss her. His lips barely brushed hers, but it sent shock waves through her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. His tongue met hers and danced around her mouth. He tasted sweet, like honey, and his mouth was soft. He pulled back to look at her, his eyes had softened and cheeks were flushed. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" He said in that sexy silky voice. His hand moved from her face to her shoulder and she shuttered when it slid down her neck. "Since our 5th, that night in the Astronomy Tower, you almost kissed me then." "Well, if truth be told, the first time I thought about it was 3rd year after the Quidditch match when Slytherin beat Griffindor. You smiled at me from the stands, I thought you were so beautiful." "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked softly "I could never get you away from them, they watched your every move." He stepped back. "Maybe it's better this way, we've lived a little, we know what life is about, no silly childhood dreams to get in the way." He could see the sadness in her eyes. "You don't have any dreams Mikayla, nothing you still want from your life?" He was almost afraid of what she'd say. "Just one, well two, I want to fall in love with someone who will love me forever, and" She hesitated. "and have another child?" "Dreams do come true you know, sometimes." He pulled her into his arms again and kissed her. The walked hand in hand back to the cottage. Remus and Sirius were still missing, Mikayla knew exactly where they were. Mikalya took Severus' hand and pulled him toward her bedroom. He followed without a word. She pushed him onto the bed and bent to kiss him, but he stopped her. "Not now, not here, we've waited a lifetime for this, I want to make it perfect for you and I can't do that here." She seemed to understand what he meant. "Then just hold me until I fall asleep." She climbed on to the bed next to him, they kissed and held each other until they fell asleep. A few hours later, Remus and Sirius stood at the door watching them sleep. "As much as I hate to admit it, they are perfect for each other." Sirius said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "She can make him human, he can love her unconditionally, I couldn't do that." "As long as she's happy and he's good to her, I think they will be fine." Remus pulled his friend from the door. "We've had a busy night ourselves, let's get some sleep." They both grinned and went to bed.
Chapter 7
The next few days weren't bad, they all got along but nothing was resolved. Mikayla tried to get them to talk, but they made jokes and small talk. She was determined to make them friends. "Well, if you're going to act like children, I'm going to treat you like children. Not one of you can leave this room until you've made peace with each other." She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "And you think you're big enough to keep us all here?" Sirius' amusement irritated her. "Of course I can." She waved her hands and the room filled with a red glow. They felt nothing but knew they wouldn't be able to move out of the room, they were stuck there. "Now, I'll be back to check on you in two hours, work this out or I'll leave you here all night." She grinned "You can't leave us like this, what if one of has to go t the loo?" Sirius pouted. "You can go to the loo, to the kitchen, but you can't hide in your rooms." She kissed Snape on the head and waved at Remus and Sirius before she left. "Have fun!"
Mikayla walked next door to see Ashley and Beth, the girls were sunning themselves on the patio. "Hey, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you and Severus apart in a couple of days" Ashley smiled "Well, they are being punished right now and can't come out and play." Mikayla winked at the girls. "What did they do now?" Beth asked "I'm forcing them to work out their differences, they can't come out until they do." She took a seat next to Beth. "And they will stay there and do what you tell them, how did you do that?" Ashley sat up. "It's magic" Mikayla winked again. "If they don't do this, God only knows what my father will force us to do for the rest of the summer." "Your father?" Beth turned over to look at her. "Oh, yeah, my father is Headmaster of the school we all teach at, he's the one who sent us here. I, of course am very thankful that he did." Mikayla fluttered her eyelashes at them. "We are too!" Both girls added. "So you've enjoyed my darlings, have you, they are absolutely wonderful aren't they? But I do have one question, is Remus any good in bed?" She had an evil grin. "I know about Sirius, he's oh so yummy, but I've always been curious about Remus." "I can't believe you asked me that?" Beth blushed "Oh what the hell, he's fabulous, like an animal, he actually growls!" She blushed deeper. "I expected him to be so gentle because he's so sweet, but no way." Mikayla laughed and knew exactly why he was such an animal. It was getting close to the full moon. "Well, Remmie has always been full of surprises." "How do you know about Sirius?" Ashley asked with curiosity. "We were together years ago, but some terrible things happened and I moved to the US. I just came back last summer, Sirius was very angry because he thought I deserted him, we barely spoke for the past year without being at each other's throats. About two weeks ago it all came out and I think we're friends again. We've all known each other since we were 11 years old, there's too much between us to completely ruin our friendship." Mikayla leaned back and let the sun warm her face. "I love them all, we've shared so much, good and bad." "Now you've chosen Severus, did you ever think you'd be with him?" the girls moved closer. "Merlin, no!" Mikayla had no idea why they looked at her so funny. "I had a crush on him in school, but I didn't think he noticed me at all. Once we ran into each other in the Astronomy Tower and talked for a while, but that was really it. He's really an interesting man, brilliant, but very self- protective. I know he made some difficult choices after school. I'm looking forward to getting to know him better." There was a loud crash and shouting from the cottage next door. Ashley and Beth both jumped to their feet, but Mikayla remained calm. "No, don't go over there, it might be a dangerous right now, they have a lot to talk about. It'll be fine." The other girls didn't look so sure. There was another crash. "Are you sure they're not gonna kill each other?" Ashley looked panicked "No, I'm not sure of anything, they tried to kill each other before." She sounded serious but amused. "Don't you think you should do something?" Beth said breathlessly. "No, they have another hour." Mikayla sat back and smiled as the shouting got louder.
An hour later Mikayla walked back through the front door of the cottage. The place was a mess, tables and chairs turned over, books and papers everywhere. Snape had a visible black eye and Sirius' lip was split. "Well, how did things go?" Mikayla tried to sound amused, by was terrified. "Great, just great, can't you tell?" Remus snapped at her. He was standing in the kitchen cleaning some scratches on his neck. "Are you all right?" She didn't say it to anyone in particular. "We're all fine Mikayla." Severus came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. "I believe you got your wish." He kissed her neck. "What do you mean 'got my wish'?" She turned to face him. "He means, we've all bared our souls and opened old wounds, we'll all be able to work together now." Sirius was putting ice on his lip. "If you don't know how much we love you now, you never will, we've come to an understanding because of you, because you asked us to, because of our affection for you, and Dumbledore of course." Remus slumped into chair. "So you had to beat each other senseless to achieve this?" She touched Snape's eye, making him flinch. "Yes, you know men have to settle things that way." Sirius grinned at her. "Men or boys?" she smiled at him "Don't egg us on, you have gotten yours yet." Snape pulled away from her as if to tell Sirius to go for it. "Well, I don't think I want to fight with you, but if you insist, I'll be happy to kick your butt." She put up her fists and they all laughed. "Do you think you could take the spell off now so we can go get something to eat? I'm starving." Remus sounded pitiful. "I suppose, if you promise to behave. I believe there are two lovely ladies waiting to see you two outside. You don't move." She pointed to Severus. She waved her hands again and the red glow disappeared. The men breathed a sigh of relief. Sirius and Remus both went in to clean up. "I'm sorry you got hurt," She said innocently. "What men will do for the love of a women."? He pulled her to him and kissed her. "I've discovered something today, that I has suspected for a long time." A grinned crossed his lips. "What might that be?" she tried to look innocent. "I love you." Snape confessed. "Oh, I already knew that." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Get a room." Sirius muttered as he and Remus went to find Ashley and Beth.
Chapter 8 "This is our last night here, what shall we do?" Remus asked the other five people in front of him. The girls had managed to talk him into putting on a pair of shorts and playing volleyball with them earlier, now his usually pale white legs were beat red. "I think we should go have few drinks and dance the night away, maybe we can get the band to play 'Rock Lobster' for you Moony." Sirius winced as he looked at Remus. "Haha, very funny! That does sound good, dinner first?" He playfully tugged at Sirius' hair. "Yes, food, I'm ready!" Mikayla jumped up from her chair. "How can anyone so tiny eat so much?" Ashley asked. "It's magic" Mikayla said with a grin and the three men laughed.
The next morning they all said there goodbyes and the Fab 4 headed for the clearing just beyond the resorts front gate. "Well, it certainly has been an interesting month, don't you think?" Mikayla asked "Interesting, yes." Snape muttered "Very interesting" Sirius added "To say the least" Remus muttered. "Do you think you'll see Ashley and Beth again?" Mikayla had made sure she knew how to contact them so they could stay in touch. "I'm going to spend a few days with Ashley next month." Sirius looked happier than she'd ever seen him. "Beth and I are meeting in London in two weeks." Remus beamed. "What about you two, what are you planning?" "I only have one thing planned" Mikayla grinned shyly. "Yes, just one." Snape's faced turned a little red. "Oh Great Merlin, we won't see them for a month." Sirius said dramatically. They apparated to Hogsmeade. Dumbledore was waiting for them as they walked across Hogwarts lawns. "Well, I see you've all made it back alive. I take it things went well then?" "Just fine Albus, just fine." Remus smiled sweetly. "Great, no problem's at all" Sirius tried to hide his grin by scratching his face. "Very well father, very well indeed." Mikayla didn't bother to hide hers. "Um hm, very well." Snape said as Mikayla whispered something into his ear and turned toward the steps. He dropped his bag. "Excuse me" and ran after her. Remus and Sirius laughed. "What was that all about?" Dumbledore looked sheepish. "Give them a week, then I'm sure they'll tell you." Remus picked up Snape's bag and he and Sirius walked up the steps, leaving Dumbledore to his own imagination.