March 1990 – Chapter 7 – Forever is not forever when...
It was more than a week before Khadja could arrange to go visit Azkaban with Minister Dante and Remus.
Khadja was pale and her eyes were sunk in from lack of eating and lack of sleep. Her eye sockets were puffy from all her shed tears.
Remus kept her close as the Dementors parted for the Minister as the boat touched the shore.
Dante lead the way to where Sirius was.
Khadja cried out as she saw him sitting against the wall with his head resting against the brick. Remus let her go as she rushed to his side.
She wrapped her arms about him. "Sirius." She whispered like a moan as she held him. He opened his eyes and wrapped his arms about her as she murmured to him and touched his face and hair as though they has not seen each other in years. She fussed over his features and he let her not minding because to him just hearing her voice was enough for him.
Remus stood back with Dante watching the pair.
Sirius kissed her deeply his hands holding her and caressing as though he was making sure she was not a dream.
Dante then nodded to Remus to follow as the door was shut on the pair allowing then some privacy to talk or do what they wished.
"Sir?" Remus asked
"The marriage will be dissolved between them. As a prisoner here for the rest of his life he can not have ties to a partner or lover."
"But wizarding marriages are..."
"Forever?" Dante asked. "Yes unless one of them is a full time prisoner here for the rest of their lives. This saves the other partner the pain of watching their loved one fade into madness because of the Dementors. Khadja is young and could remarry."
Remus's face twisted. "She may rather die Minister. She loves Sirius as few women love men."
"It is the law Lupin. I have no control over it. He will divorce her from both the Muggle ceremony and the Wizarding one a week from today."
"I wish I could marry her to keep her safe and loved." Lupin sighed angry at the pain she was feeling. It was eating away at him not to see her happy. "But she is a witch and I am not allowed to marry witches. I am a half-human."
"Aye, but you forget you could marry her Lupin if she would have you. She is muggle born witch." Dante said gently
Remus combed his fingers through his hair. It was a nervous habit he had developed. "But...I...she..." Remus sighed. He looked back as Khadja kissed Sirius. She was on top of him and rolled off of his body, but though they had been quiet, there was no doubt what they had done. "I will ask Sirius." He sighed knowing how much love they had for each other. The act they had just done was to seal them together. Urgent and loving he knew by how they were panting.
"He has no choice." Dante said
"If he does not wish it I will not." Remus growled. "I do not betray my friends."
"Though clearly Sirius does."
Remus looked at him coldly and walked in. "Sirius. How are you?"
"It is a nice vacation." Sirius said smiling as he stroked his wife's hair as she rested against his chest.
Remus rolled his eyes. "Khadja we have to leave in a few moments. I need to talk to Sirius in private."
She looked unable to let go for a moment and then nodded. She rose and walked out.
Sirius watched her go. "She is in so much pain. I am so sorry. I did not mean for this."
"Sirius." Remus whispered. "You know what is to happen? Hear me old friend. They are going to make your marriage to Khadja void."
"WHAT?!" Sirius looked up at him. "But it is forever..."
"Not with you here. They do not want you looking forward to anything. More than that they do not want the spouse to suffer which I agree with."
"Well I do as well."
"Sirius." He lifted a hand to his chin. "I swear to you I will guard her with my life."
"Do you love her?"
"As a sister. You know that."
"More?"
"No...I..." Sirius arched an eyebrow at his old friend. "A little." Remus admitted softly.
"Swear to me she will be well and well looked after."
"Given." Remus promised.
"Good. She will be in your care. Moony, I love you both and I would do well to see her smile again." He took a deep breath. "If they do this...she will be disliked by some. More pain I did not wish to give her. Would you marry her?"
"I did not know I could. Dante says I can. If you give your blessing, I will for the both of you."
"Promise me she will be unharmed by Voldemort and the loyalists." He sighed. "And love her. It is all I ask." He looked up at her talking to Dante.
"I swear." Remus looked at him. "Why did you betray Lily and James and spy for Voldemort?"
Sirius closed his eyes. His pain was clearly written on his face. "I can not tell you."
"Very well. Your wife will be well cared for, loved, and want for nothing."
"Thank you." Sirius embraced him. "Go I will see you again soon."
He waved to Khadja. "I love you." He told her as the door shut.
Remus led Kahdja away to the boats. He was quiet the trip back to shore.
He had much to think on.
It was more than a week before Khadja could arrange to go visit Azkaban with Minister Dante and Remus.
Khadja was pale and her eyes were sunk in from lack of eating and lack of sleep. Her eye sockets were puffy from all her shed tears.
Remus kept her close as the Dementors parted for the Minister as the boat touched the shore.
Dante lead the way to where Sirius was.
Khadja cried out as she saw him sitting against the wall with his head resting against the brick. Remus let her go as she rushed to his side.
She wrapped her arms about him. "Sirius." She whispered like a moan as she held him. He opened his eyes and wrapped his arms about her as she murmured to him and touched his face and hair as though they has not seen each other in years. She fussed over his features and he let her not minding because to him just hearing her voice was enough for him.
Remus stood back with Dante watching the pair.
Sirius kissed her deeply his hands holding her and caressing as though he was making sure she was not a dream.
Dante then nodded to Remus to follow as the door was shut on the pair allowing then some privacy to talk or do what they wished.
"Sir?" Remus asked
"The marriage will be dissolved between them. As a prisoner here for the rest of his life he can not have ties to a partner or lover."
"But wizarding marriages are..."
"Forever?" Dante asked. "Yes unless one of them is a full time prisoner here for the rest of their lives. This saves the other partner the pain of watching their loved one fade into madness because of the Dementors. Khadja is young and could remarry."
Remus's face twisted. "She may rather die Minister. She loves Sirius as few women love men."
"It is the law Lupin. I have no control over it. He will divorce her from both the Muggle ceremony and the Wizarding one a week from today."
"I wish I could marry her to keep her safe and loved." Lupin sighed angry at the pain she was feeling. It was eating away at him not to see her happy. "But she is a witch and I am not allowed to marry witches. I am a half-human."
"Aye, but you forget you could marry her Lupin if she would have you. She is muggle born witch." Dante said gently
Remus combed his fingers through his hair. It was a nervous habit he had developed. "But...I...she..." Remus sighed. He looked back as Khadja kissed Sirius. She was on top of him and rolled off of his body, but though they had been quiet, there was no doubt what they had done. "I will ask Sirius." He sighed knowing how much love they had for each other. The act they had just done was to seal them together. Urgent and loving he knew by how they were panting.
"He has no choice." Dante said
"If he does not wish it I will not." Remus growled. "I do not betray my friends."
"Though clearly Sirius does."
Remus looked at him coldly and walked in. "Sirius. How are you?"
"It is a nice vacation." Sirius said smiling as he stroked his wife's hair as she rested against his chest.
Remus rolled his eyes. "Khadja we have to leave in a few moments. I need to talk to Sirius in private."
She looked unable to let go for a moment and then nodded. She rose and walked out.
Sirius watched her go. "She is in so much pain. I am so sorry. I did not mean for this."
"Sirius." Remus whispered. "You know what is to happen? Hear me old friend. They are going to make your marriage to Khadja void."
"WHAT?!" Sirius looked up at him. "But it is forever..."
"Not with you here. They do not want you looking forward to anything. More than that they do not want the spouse to suffer which I agree with."
"Well I do as well."
"Sirius." He lifted a hand to his chin. "I swear to you I will guard her with my life."
"Do you love her?"
"As a sister. You know that."
"More?"
"No...I..." Sirius arched an eyebrow at his old friend. "A little." Remus admitted softly.
"Swear to me she will be well and well looked after."
"Given." Remus promised.
"Good. She will be in your care. Moony, I love you both and I would do well to see her smile again." He took a deep breath. "If they do this...she will be disliked by some. More pain I did not wish to give her. Would you marry her?"
"I did not know I could. Dante says I can. If you give your blessing, I will for the both of you."
"Promise me she will be unharmed by Voldemort and the loyalists." He sighed. "And love her. It is all I ask." He looked up at her talking to Dante.
"I swear." Remus looked at him. "Why did you betray Lily and James and spy for Voldemort?"
Sirius closed his eyes. His pain was clearly written on his face. "I can not tell you."
"Very well. Your wife will be well cared for, loved, and want for nothing."
"Thank you." Sirius embraced him. "Go I will see you again soon."
He waved to Khadja. "I love you." He told her as the door shut.
Remus led Kahdja away to the boats. He was quiet the trip back to shore.
He had much to think on.