HARRY POTTER AND THE BREATH OF LIFE

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other known character from the Harry Potter series. I do own the plot and a few characters.

Chapter 34 – Love Is All That Matters

" I slept with Remus."

            That answer had made Sirius lose his balance and he almost fell. Iris covered her face with her hands.

" You what? When, why?" He asked perplexed. That was unexpected.

" I slept with Remus the day you slept with that other woman." She answered without remorse.

 Sirius got up and looked at her like she was something disgusting. He shook his head violently and gave long steps back. He only stopped when his back touched the wall. He placed his hands on the sides of his head and stopped shaking it. Then he cleared his throat and spoke, his voice trembling.

" I need time to think. Please leave me alone. I need to think."

 Iris got up and without looking back she left back to Hogwarts. She was sure she had done nothing wrong. She and Sirius weren't together at the time. But maybe at the time Sirius hadn't read the note so he thought that she cheated on him. But then again he had cheated on her before. The difference was that he didn't know what he was doing and she had been totally aware. Once she reached her office she sat on the floor and cried. A lot.

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December arrived and with it snow. The lake was frozen and Iris watched from her office as the students skated on it. In the last days she had only left the office to teach and sometimes to eat. Remus's notes continued to arrive. He, however, was nowhere in sight. After almost a month he hadn't show up. Neither did Sirius. She was beginning to worry. Maybe Sirius didn't love her as much as he said he did. With that thought Iris started crying again. It was something she did a lot these days. She cried and cried until no more tears left her. She had been lucky enough that Harry was too concerned with his Quidditch matches to come and talk to her. Soon however the holidays would begin and he would come to talk. Iris had no idea of what to say to him. She liked her godson but she felt that he wouldn't understand. He would never feel what she felt, a mixture of love and longing. She had gone through so much just to bring him back and with the blink of an eye it was all lost. She was lost.

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            Christmas brought nothing new. Iris received a box of chocolates from Remus (who had not show up to give them to her personally) and a beautiful set of earrings and a necklace from Harry, Ron, Hermoine and Ginny. She had bought them candy and some Zonko's toys. The thing that changed her day arrived halfway during the day. A box appeared on her desk when she came from the bathroom. She looked around but found no one. Then she opened the box. There was no note. Inside the box was another one, much smaller. She opened that as well and saw what was in it. It was a ring that she recognized immediately. It was her grandfather's ring. The one that was connected to her grandmother's. Sirius's ring. Iris took a deep breath and picked the ring. Then she placed it on her finger. A warm feeling passed through her. She knew that on his finger was now visible the ring she had lost on the other world. They were connected again. If he took his off hers would disappear. She waited but nothing happened. He didn't take it off. She sighed but didn't feel comfortable. Sooner or later he could take it off. She hoped with all her might that he didn't.

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            Two months. January was halfway and Iris had no news from neither Sirius nor Remus. She knew they were all right. Remus's notes continued to appear on her desk in the morning and her ring was still in her finger. And according to Harry he was alive. That's right, she started to talk to Harry. After the holidays, at the end of a class he went to her.

" Are you all right? You look a bit sick." He said.

" I'm fine. I just… I don't know. I haven't been waking up very good. I feel nauseous. I'm sure it's nothing." She explained.

" Look, Iris…hum…I already know about you, Sirius and Professor Lupin. Sirius told me. And I want to say I know that this doesn't concern me and I just hope that you guys get along again."

" I have the same hope. I just don't understand why they refuse to talk to me. Both of them."

" Maybe they want you to talk to them. Maybe they want you to make the first move." Harry suggested.

" I don't know. Maybe."

" I have to go, I have a class. You'll go to the game tomorrow, right?" Harry asked concerned.

" It's against who?"

" Slytherin."

" Count me in." Iris announced.   

" Great. See you tomorrow."

 Iris watched as Harry left. Maybe he was right. Maybe Remus was expecting her to make the first move. She kept that though but didn't make the first move. It was two weeks before anything happened and any moves were made.

            January was coming to a close and Iris was feeling worse every day. She had problems with concentration and every morning was a battle to get out of bed. And when she got out of bed she went straight to the bathroom where every piece of her dinner was thrown down the pipe. She convinced herself that it was some sort of flu and that sooner or later she would be fine. Luckily it was a weekend. She was lying in bed when she heard the fireplace. Someone had entered her office. She quickly got out of bed and entered her office. He was leaning on her desk fixing his notes.

" Who's alive always shows up." she said.

 Remus straightened up and looked at her.

" Hello, Iris." He said uncomfortably.

" Hello, Remus. How are you?"

" I'm all right. You?"

" I could be better, but nothing to worry about. You realize you can't escape, right?" she asked with her arms crossed.

" I guess. This means you want to talk?"
" Duh! I've wanted to talk ever since it happened. You are the one who's been avoiding it."
Remus didn't say anything. She understood he was uncomfortable about the whole subject.

" Look, Remus. We need to talk. Otherwise this will haunts us for the rest of our lives." She said.
" You're right. Let's talk." He said and sat down in her desk chair.

" Sirius already knows. He practically took my head off. Luckily it was a full moon. Ever since he has been avoiding me as well." Remus told her.

" I know Sirius knows. I told him."

" Thanks. You know I actually enjoy losing my best friend. It's not like it's the first time." He said sarcastically.

" It's not like it's my fault. Not entirely."

" Then whose fault is it? Jack the Ripper?"

" Ah. Ah. Ah. So funny. He has no reasons to get pissed off. We weren't together at the time. He cheated on me, not the other way around."
" Tell that to him. You are acting like you don't know him. He's never going to accept the fact that you didn't do anything wrong."
" We didn't do anything wrong. And maybe you are right. I don't know Sirius anymore. He's not the same Sirius I knew. I just have to deal with that." She said knowingly.

" I don't think I know him either. I never saw him like this." Remus said sadly.

" Now I want to know why you didn't talk to me."
" I… I was being stupid. I was scared of something but I don't know what."

" You can tell me the truth, Remus. I can take it." she said smiling.

" What are you talking about?"

" Oh, come on. You were thinking of Sarah, weren't you?" she asked, her smile still present.

 Remus shifted in his seat.

" How did you know that?"
" I'm a witch. And I knew you would never sleep with me. It would be the last thing you would do. Sleep with your best friend's girlfriend."

" You're good. Then I guess I don't have to say it."

 They both started laughing. Iris started to feel better. They were friends again. But the happiness wouldn't last long. While they were laughing the fireplace cracked again. Iris looked around and saw him leaving the fireplace. His eyes went from Iris to Remus and back again. Iris's smile faded but Remus hadn't seen him.

" So. I see you are having fun together." Sirius said coldly.

" Sirius." Iris and Remus said at the same time.

" Surprise."

" What are you doing here?" Iris asked getting up.

" I came to talk to you but apparently you are busy. And enjoying yourself."

" Sirius, don't be stupid. Remus and I were just talking."
" I'm stupid? Oh, forgive me. It was certainly not my intention to disrupt your joyful conversation. Maybe I should leave."
" Sirius, stop. You don't know what you are talking about." Remus said.

" Oh. I'm stupid and I don't know what I'm talking about. Well, I guess I'm extra here. Why don't the both of you continue your nice talk and then, who knows, maybe repeat the lovely experience you two went through?" Sirius shouted.

" What are you talking about?" Remus asked.

" Don't play innocent with me, Moony. You know exactly what I'm talking about. And I don't mind. Iris and I aren't together anymore so that pretty much leaves the field open for you."

" I can't believe what you are saying. Iris is right, you are an idiot."
" I'm glad you agree with her. That makes you even better for each other."

" You know what? Maybe she should have left you to rot behind that veil. You don't know how to appreciate what you got."

" Boys?" Iris interrupted, breathing hard.

 The two men, however, seemed not to notice.

" Well, then you can appreciate what I'm giving you."

" You have nothing to give me. She is not yours to give."

" Sirius. Remus. I'm not feeling good." She tried again.

 But they still weren't listening.

" In that case I have no other choice but to just leave. She can decide who she wants." Sirius continued.
" Now you're making sense." Remus shouted.
" You so want her to chose you."
" Well, maybe she'll be better off with me anyway."

" You wish. She knows me. She chose me at Hogwarts and she will chose me again."
" Not if you continue to act like a bastard. I think she would prefer Snape over you."

 Sirius was shocked by that affirmation. But when he reached for his wand someone two feet from him fell to the floor. Both he and Remus saw Iris hit the ground hard. Sirius immediately made his way to her and tried to wake her.

" Iris, are you all right? Talk to me." He said while hitting her gently in the face.

" She fainted. Let's take her to Poppy." Remus suggested.

 Sirius nodded and quickly got her up. Then, slowly, they made their way to the Hospital Wing. Luckily everyone was outside and they only found Mrs. Norris on their way down. After lying her down on a bed Madam Pomfrey made they leave the room and wait outside.

            Sirius was so worried that he didn't even want to hide. He paced the hall in front of the Hospital Wing for hours before Remus got enough of it.

" Sirius, just stop that. You are going to make a hole in the floor if you keep that up."

" I can't be still. She's been in there for hours. That can't be good."

" Relax. If something was wrong we would know by now."

 They waited a bit longer before Professor McGonagall appeared.

" Professor Dumbledore told me you two were here. What happened?" she asked.

" Iris fainted, Minerva. We still don't know what's wrong." Remus explained.

 Professor McGonagall looked at Sirius before entering the Wing. She stayed there for about half an hour before appearing again.

" You can come in now. She's sleeping." She told them.

 Sirius entered first, followed closely by Remus. Iris was lying in the same bed and was sleeping peacefully. Sirius sat down in a bed beside hers and rubbed his forehead. Remus stood in front of her bed looking at her. Before either could ask what was wrong with her Harry entered the room followed by Dumbledore. Harry made his way to Sirius.

" Are you all right?" he asked his godfather.

" Yeah. I'll be fine as soon as Poppy tells us what wrong with Iris."

" Well, she's actually fine. She fainted due to high blood pressure. And because she's… I don't know to whom I should say this." Madam Pomfrey said and turned to Dumbledore.

" I believe it is Sirius who should know what you have to say." Dumbledore told her.

" Very well. Mr. Black, Iris is pregnant."

 Sirius got up as quickly as an arrow. He looked at her in shock.

" How long?" he asked.

" Two months. More or less."

 He turned to Remus. Remus turned to him. Suddenly they both realized something. Either of them could be the father.

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            Iris woke up two hours later. Harry and Hermione were sitting on the bed to her left and Ginny and Ron were on her right.

" Hello there." She said to the kids.

" Hello. How are you feeling?" Harry asked.

" I'm all right. Why am I here?"

" You fainted. Sirius brought you here." Harry explained.

" Where is he?"
" He's outside talking to Professor Dumbledore."

" Why did I faint?"
" Madam Pomfrey said it was high blood pressure." Harry told her.

" High blood pressure? And what else?"
" Nothing."
" Harry, don't lie to me. I know there's something else. And one of you is going to tell me." She threatened.

" She said you were pregnant. There, I said it." Ginny announced.

" Pregnant? How long?"
" Two months." Harry said.

 The same realization that had passed through Sirius and Remus came to her as well. Who was the father?

" Well, that explains my disease."

 Everyone stood in silence. After a while Madam Pomfrey told the kids to leave and Sirius got in.

" Hi." He said sitting down in the bed near her.

" Hi."
" I don't know what to do. I'm not even sure that it's mine. Are you?"

" No. I don't know either. But I'm glad you are here, talking to me." She said, tears wanting to appear.

" Look, Iris. I came to your office today because I can't stand it anymore. I miss you like hell and I wanted to say that I want us to be together again."
" I want it too. Badly. I miss you."

 Sirius got up and approached Iris's bed. Then he leaned to give her a soft kiss.

" I'm sorry. I was an idiot. I shouldn't have done what I did. You didn't cheat on me and I shove you off. I cheated on you and you forgave me. I was the weak one."
" It's all right. It's all over now." She said smiling.

" I love and I'll love this child even if it's not mine. All I want is you to be mine."

" I love you too Sirius Black. And love is all that matters."

 They kissed again but this time a more passionate kiss. Remus was watching and smiled. Everything was as it was supposed to be.

            HEY, chapter is done. Took me long enough. Thankfully my muses are back. I love them and I didn't need to fire them. Hurray. Hopefully my next chapter won't take this long.

            A big, no make that huge, thank you to all my reviewers. Snuffles2984 take your time. No hurries.

            To all who are interested: I'm currently writing and posting a story at www.fictionpress.com.  I wouldn't mind if you went and take a look. It's called "Of Knights and Wizards Part I" by KnardSM (my nick) I was going to put the link here but it doesn't show. Anyone interested in the story (apparently it is hard to find) send me an e-mail asking for the link. My mail is srmst@clix.pt.

            Cheers.