NOTE: This is the final chapter, so please read and review to your hearts content. I won't mind.
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LEAVING HOGWARTS
None of the seventh years realized how hard it would be to leave Hogwarts for good. They were becoming gloomy and slightly irritant toward others. Especially Harry who had to go back to the Dursley's for a few more weeks. "It won't be that bad." Sirius tried to reassure him. "I have to set up a few things, first. As soon as everything's ready I'll send for you." Harry nodded, though disappointed as he drug his trunk to the Entrance Hall.
He noticed Professor Bronte standing in the Entrance Hall, counting her trunks in which laid every single one of the books she had had in her office and classroom. (Which would be almost a thousand books, collectively.) He nudged Sirius who turned to see what Harry was looking at. Harry saw Sirius give a little smirk as he looked at her. It was a smile like Harry had never seen on his godfather's face; it was the face of a man in love.
"Go talk to her." Harry said, shoving his godfather toward her. Sirius gulped hard as he slowly approached Professor Bronte.
"Nikolett?" He asked, slightly nervous. She looked up at him with a puzzled look.
"Hello, Sirius." She said, quietly.
"You look very beautiful." He said, admiring her emerald-green robes. She gave him a small smile.
"Thank you."
"So, where are you headed?"
"Father's. Then, I might go to the States… I have some family there." She said.
"That's good." Sirius turned on the balls of his feet to look at Harry who was looking a him with an angry stare. He let out a heavy sigh, then he just exploded. "I heard everything that you told Harry… okay, well not everything, but enough to know that you still love me and I was wondering if it was too impulsive to say that I still love you." He said, very quickly.
She gave him a puzzled look as she tried to understand what he had just said. "Y-You still love me?" She asked. He gave her his most handsome smile.
"Yes!"
"But, what about…"
"I know you were angry at me and I do regret calling you stupid."
"And I'm sorry I put that curse on you."
"It's okay. It wasn't that bad… At least I don't think it was that bad." She scratched his head slightly, not really remembering much after she had placed that curse on him. "Are you sure you want to go back to your father's? I mean, we could just give it another try, couldn't we?" She gave him a meek smile.
"I'm sorry, Sirius. I can't." She then walked back up the stairs to grab the last trunk from her office. Sirius stood there in awe. Harry hurried over to him.
"What happened?"
"She said she couldn't give us another chance." Harry started to go after her, but Sirius stopped him. "Wait here. I'll go." Sirius then hurried up the staircase to Nikolett's office. When he reached it, he didn't bother to knock. He just burst in. "I don't understand." He blurted out.
"What?" She asked, puzzled.
"You said how much you loved me! I heard you say that to Harry!"
"I wasn't lying. I do still love you." She said.
"Then, what's the problem?"
"Sirius, we've both changed. We're different than we used to be. We were young and naïve when we decided to get married. I didn't know who you really were, back then and you didn't know me either."
"I know you! You're Nikolett Bronte… You're half-witch, half-vampire… You care more than anything for the people you love and would do anything to protect them… And I know that you love me."
"That's not the half of it, Sirius. There is more to me that you know." She bewitched her trunk to follow her as she began to leave.
"It's something about your father, isn't it? This has something to do with him!" He said, following her. She stopped as she and the truck had exited the room.
"And what if it does?" She asked. He let out a long sigh.
"I know what this is about… Your mother told me all about it." Her eyes went wide. She hadn't expected that to exit his mouth.
"Why would she tell you?"
"She felt she needed to… Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because, I didn't know what you'd do."
"Well, for one, I'd tell him that he can't do that to you. You gave our heart to someone and I accepted it; I still do. He can't deny you love."
"Well, he has. There's nothing either of us can do." Sirius' brain was running at high speed as she began to head down the corridor. A solution finally same to him and he ran to catch up with her.
"There is something you could do… Marry me." She quickly stopped and turned to look at him.
"What? M-Marry you? That's not exactly a solution. That'll just add more to the problem."
"But—" He began, but she cut him off by putting a finger to his lips.
"Sirius, don't worry about me. Harry needs you more than I do." He tried to speak again, but she didn't give him the chance. She gave a small smile as she continued. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Nothing my father plans for me will ever stop that." She gently caressed his cheek. "I do love you, but I realize now that we have our own lives to live. You have Harry, now, and I have what's waiting for me on my return."
"I don't want you to have to go through all of it alone." He said. She gave him a beautiful smile.
"You don't have to protect me." She said as she ran her hand through his hair; something she had always loved to do. "I'll be fine." She then began to passionately kiss him, which surprised him at first. "Harry needs you, now. You worry about him." She said as she pulled away. Sirius' eyes now looked clouded and distant. He just nodded his head and walked, stiffly, back to his godson. When he approached Harry, life seemed to race through him again.
"So, what happened? What did she say?" Harry asked. Sirius gave him a confused look.
"Who?" He asked.
"Professor Bronte?"
"Oh. Yes, Harry, she is very nice, indeed… Come on, before we miss the train." Harry looked puzzled for a moment before he realized that Sirius had picked up his trunk and began to exit the school. He glanced back at Professor Bronte who just winked at him, before he ran after his godfather.
Nikolett stood in the corridor, hugging herself as if she was cold, but she was just holding back the tears that were threatening to flow. She had just done the hardest thing that she ever thought she could do. "You make me very proud, Nikolett." She heard Dumbledore say from behind her. She turned slightly to look at him.
"I didn't think it would be this hard."
"Yes, I know. But, you did the right thing." She gave him a teary-eyed look.
"I hope you're right."
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King's Cross was busy with people as they arrived at the train station the next day. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley greeted everyone with open arms. Mrs. Weasley hugged Ron and Ginny tightly as they ran over to her. She gave Harry and Hermione one as well, though a little bit tighter. Mrs. Weasley even gave Sirius a hug, since she was happy to see him alive and well. "I never thought I'd be this happy to see you again." She said to him as she turned back to the children.
Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley, who were standing nearby, stared at Sirius as he hugged Hermione and Ginny tightly and even gave Ron a one-armed hug. He looked familiar to them, but they just couldn't figure out where they'd seen him before. They watched closely as Harry approached Sirius. "Don't worry. It's only for a few weeks which will go much faster than you might think."
"You don't know what it's like, there, though. It'll seem like forever."
"I'll try and hurry things along, but I can't promise everything." Harry gave a huge smile and hugged his godfather tightly. Uncle Vernon cleared his throat very loudly to get Harry's attention. "Be good." Sirius warned.
"I'll try." Harry then carried his trunk and Hedwig's cage over to Uncle Vernon. Sirius slowly approached Uncle Vernon with a straight face. He knew that this day would come. He just didn't think this soon.
"You must be Vernon and Petunia." He said, giving a small smile.
"And who the devil are you?" Uncle Vernon asked.
"This is Sirius… You know, my godfather." Harry said, smiling at the sight of terror on their faces.
"Godfather?" Dudley squeaked.
"The escaped murderer?" Petunia asked, lowering her voice.
"He's been let off the hook. The man who framed him confessed and now he's free!" Harry said. Sirius just nodded as he hugged Harry once again and told him, once more to behave while at the Dursely's. "I promise." Harry said as he left his godfather's side and followed his aunt uncle, and cousin out of the train station to once again, return to Privet Drive.
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I know it's a kind of sucky ending for right now, but it makes way for a sequel, doesn't it? And don't worry, I've already started on the sequel... actually I'm almost finished with it, except for some loose ends that need tied.
But, I want to thank all of those who read and reviewed this, because I had fun writing it. It gave me something to do in between classes. :)
Thanks again!!!
Wolflver2003
