AN: Wow! Tada! I'm back!!! Are you happy? Excited? Nervous? Sorry, it took me so long, lack of inspiration or something. This story wasn't my favourite, but… I like it. So…

Oh, I almost forgot: Review, please. And don't wait as long as I did to upload. 

3. News

'Enervate!' said Ginny loudly as she pointed Sirius' chest with her wand. She had just given him a teaspoon of Veritaserum and was impatient to hear the information she was curious, straight from his unconscious and unaware mind. Of course, the spell worked immediately and Healer Houston, who was standing behind a glass wall and watching Ginny's work cursed loudly. She couldn't help treating such a treatment with fear. And disgust. But she knew there was no discussion with that Weasley girl, considering she was once again trying to heal the world.

She was concerned about the condition of that Black frozen and unfrozen guy, even though he looked quite well (apart from the fact that one: he was unconscious and not moving; two: Houston had read a little bit about the latest history and was sure he was killed). It seemed that Ginny was the only one who could reveal the secret of this mysterious resurrection. And, Houston had to admit it reluctantly, Ginny looked really sexy and attractive when she was doing her usual DADA job. She looked powerful, had everything under control and that green, tight shirt worked her good. Holly smiled, Allen, her assistant, must have seen it too, and he was almost high, trying to hide the saliva that was coming slowly out of his lips. Holly was a little bit jealous, she was used to men falling at her feet, but Allen was incredibly immune to that. One of the causes could be a rough and convincing talk that the head of Communications Dep., who happened to be Holly' husband, gave Allen last year about how he hates when people stare passionately at his wife. Holly smiled at the memory, yes, Henry, a tall, well built man, could be very convincing.

'Don't flood me the room' she warned him and Allen had to find something else to look at, he chose the prescriptions.

Although they couldn't see it, Ginny was a little bit nervous when awoken him. She was worried that the potion could kill him, she was worried that he had his mind cleared and would not remember who he was. But most of all she was scared that this wouldn't be Sirius Black at all.

Sirius, or the man who was looking just like him, opened his eyes. Widely, like a zombie, but Ginny noticed he had still his coal-black eyes. Eyes straight form hell that could lead you to heaven (stop, Ginger, she cursed herself, don't ever think about that!!!). Ginger sighed and the fact wasn't unnoticed by Holly the healer, who was more and more convinced about Ginny's feelings, too passionate and too confused to be feelings of someone who considered herself to be only a friend.

Ginny bit her lower lip and spoke. Her voice was melodious, but firm and self-confident:

'Tell me your name!' she simply ordered. Sirius was motionless, his eyes wide open, looking into nowhere. After a short pause his dry lips moved and a trembling, but still masculine and deep, really deep voice answered:

'Sirius Black'.

Ginny sighed once more. It was him! She only had to check few other things: make 100 sure and find out, how and why?

'Your nickname?'

'Padfoot.' She smiled. She loved him being Padfoot.

'Born??'

'April, 2nd, 1961.'

'Tell me the last thing you remember.'

'I was fighting against my cousin Bellatrix, I laughed and then she hit me with some kind of a stunning spell, nothing special, but she must have had a reinforced wand, 'cos it was strong, too strong. Then I fell through that veil, I was falling and falling and…'

'Enough!' that was Holly, entering the room. 'You know enough Gin, now it's time for me to take care of him. If you interview him longer, he'll be dead and all of your fantasies will be buried in the Institute Park.'

'Sleep' said Ginny and Sirius closed his eyes. He looked as if nothing had happened, still motionless.

'Are you satisfied, Ginger?' attacked her the healer, checking Sirius' pulse and general condition on the control board. 'He's alive, but one more question and I wouldn't be so sure!'

'Yeah, as if I couldn't tell by myself that something was happening and, my dear, NOTHING wrong was happening and now we have to wait Merlin knows how long to learn more, because I begin to doubt whether you can awaken him!!' Ginny shouted and bright ed blushed appeared on her cheeks. She hated that.

'You look pretty when you blush, but don't get angry the same moment 'cos it causes wrinkles. And, please, understand me, I only want him to be safe, just for you. You, on the other hand, would like to make him exhausted, before even taking his clothes off him!' Holly put her most wicked smile on, blinking and licking her lips the same time. It lasted a second and then she had to laugh loudly at the confused and livid and even more red sight of Ginny's face.

'You're disgusting with those your dirty American thoughts, Houston' she said when she caught her breath. 'I'm leaving for Hogwarts, I have to inform Dumbledore. Heal him!' she ordered pointing at Sirius. Then she smiled, because she just remembered something, 'He's already naked' she pointed once again at the body, under a hospital sheet. 'Don't forget that, sweetheart!'

Ginny smiled sweetly and evilly, just as she could with her ironic attitude to everything, even to sex. Holly laughed once more, Ginny wasn't to be beaten. She simply won every argument.

Hogwarts

'Professor, are you there?' Ginny's head asked form the flames in Albus Dumbledore's fireplace. She was sitting uncomfortably on the floor, in front of a very small fireplace in her rented room in Hogsmead, trying to find the headmaster. She chose to rent a room in Hogdmead instead of London, 'cos even though it's smaller than the capital, it is possible to be there anonymously, while in London lived thousands of people who knew her and who wouldn't let her come and leave just like that. When she left hospital ward, she directed quickly to the Communications Dep., from where she could easily and informally leave for England. Henry, whom she had asked for that favour, mocked a little, commented her looks, but very promptly switched on the Floo Net that lead overseas and a second later Ginny found herself at Miles' Dirty Inn in Hogsmead.

Dumbledore lifted his head and looked into the flames. Flabbergasted.

'Ginny?? Ginny' he smiled broadly. 'It's so nice to see you? Are you in London? Harry's just been here, I can…'

'Yes, no…' she was a little confused. She would really prefer it if her trip stayed a secret. 'Can I come in, it's extremely uncomfortable here and I have to talk to you.'

Dumbledore might have felt anxious, though he didn't show it and with a generous move of his hand he invited Weasley in. Moment later she was standing in his office.

Albus was pouring tea to cups. Ginny was sitting in an armchair, biting her lip and wondering how to begin.

'You look great, Ginny, you're not getting older at all. But you should get some rest, I think. That's why you're here? Visiting your mother?' Albus asked. The question made Ginny had to focus on the aim of her visit, she had to quit that regretful thinking about how wonderful she had felt at Hogwarts and that such feelings are not to be regained.

'Nope. I have some serious job right now and I came here only to tell you something.'

'Hmm…' he said and investigated Ginny's eyes for a while. She had to turn her head away. It wasn't that Dumbledore made her feel uneasy. She only knew he would guess her troubles in a while. 'Something about your work? Ginny' he laughed silently. 'I have thought you considered yourself to be the best in what you do.'

'Well,' she looked in his eyes proudly 'even I sometimes have to take care of other things.'

'So, what news are you bringing me? I hope they're not bad, but you look really serious. What's wrong?'

'Serious…' Ginny repeated and chuckled voicelessly. 'Remember, Professor, news don't have to be tragic to be bad.'

'Yes, I know. So, nobody's died. That's good. So, what's wrong? Please, give up that play and speak as sensibly as you used to.'

Ginny looked into the eyes of her Professor. He was getting older, but he hadn't lost his sense of humour. And, what's more important, he was now probably the only one who could stand her in her complicated mood, which lasted at least five years.

'Remember the veil in the Ministry?'

'The one in the Dep. Of Mysteries? Of course, it's in perfect state.'

'A similar veil appeared in my Institute in the States' she gave him a photo of it, the curtain was moving maliciously. 'These are the things that appeared through it. And this' she gave him last two pictures, 'is a man who also appeared.'

Dumbledore wanted to say something about that men may appear, especially through such portals, but the last picture showed the face of the man who arrived. It was definitely Sirius Black. He dropped the pictures and whispered:

'Sweetest Jesus…'

'That's Sirius Black, Professor.'

'I do see it's Sirius Black, but what the hell is he doing there?'

'Well, as far as I'm concerned, his dead body had never been found, so it could be anywhere. The problem is not why he is THERE, but HOW he got there. And why.'

'You have your thinking, Ginny. Maybe something felt that he should be buried at last.'

'BURIED??' Ginny screeched. 'Buried? Professor, I failed to mention one more thing. He's perfectly alive.'

Dumbledore looked seriously concerned. Ginny took advantage of his sudden dumbness, ignoring his shocked eyes and oddly open mouth, to describe the whole story, since the moment she found him, to the latest revelation of Veritaserum. She showed him the tape from the interrogation and by the time she finished, it was almost night.

(teachers, especially Prof. McGonagall, and all the students at school were completely stunned by Dumbledore's absence at dinner, but all of them pretended that they had noticed nothing. In fact, it was nothing special, it happened every thirty or forty years, so not to worry)

They haven't ascertained anything special. Dumbledore was to be informed as soon as Sirius regained consciousness. He promised to prepare his family (wondering, what sort of family? Hmm, Harry?) and friends to his return and to arrange the legal matters, like the cancellation of testimony of death and obtaining some proof of identity for him. Ginny was to prepare scientific proofs of Sirius being Sirius and medical report that he's not dead. And she had to take care of him (read: hide him) till Albus arranged all of that. To Ginny's concern, he wouldn't be able to complete the task before summer.

It meant that Ginny was to spend at least three months with Sirius under her roof. Providing, he survived that caring treatment of Houston. Providing, he wanted to stay with her.

Ginny wasn't anxious because she had to spend time with him. Quite the contrary, she'd love to do it. There was another concern: she had to hide Sirius' presence from her dearest and nearest. Even though she spent most of the time abroad, even though she decided to live her own, maybe not entirely joyful, but her own life, Harry was still her best friend, she had good contact with her parents and siblings, she enjoyed the company of Harry's and Ron's wives: Luna and Hermione Granger. And though they argued very often, she would never ever lie to them. Now she simply had to.

Holly's Ward

few days later

Holly was sitting at her desk, drinking her noon coffee, when she noticed Ginny's pale but happy face through the window in the door.

'Holy shit, Granger! Your Highness mercifully decided to show up? What I owe it too?'

'Hello, Holly' Ginny simply ignored those insults. 'How is he?'

'Who? Allen Holzmann? Oh, of course not. You wanted to inquire about the condition of your dearest friend who was brought here unconscious two weeks ago and who caused your insomnia and whom you haven't visited since about a week!?'

'Five days' answered unmoved Ginny and sipped coffee from Holly's cup. 'I have to remind you that other people can't sit day by day at the same desk, drink coffee, do nothing and get reasonable salary for that. Other people have to work.'

'Get your own coffee' smiled Holly. 'this one is a part of my lazy job.'

They looked at one another and laughed. They repeated such conversations daily and were never bored. They both were intelligent, Ginny had her logical reason, Holly incredible medical intuition and they enjoyed colourful insults and properly dosed irony.

'he's almost conscious, Ginger.'

'why: "almost"'

'He would be conscious if I hadn't given him sleeping potion' said Houston quickly and with similar promptness she moved away from the range of Ginny's hands.

'WHAT?????' shouted Ginny trying to catch Holly's robes. Holly was wise enough to anticipate being beaten.

'Oh, I'm just leaving for you the most interesting job, honey. He opened his eyes and asked "where am I?". I told him he was in hospital. And, believe me I could see him asking, what day it is or something similar. Maybe he's not a murderer, but he looks like a madman and I'm not gonna tell him it's 2012.'

Ginny looked puzzled and completely lost: what the hell was that zany woman talking about? She put a face as if she was asking and Holly needed no more encouragement to continue:

'Well, imagine you black out and then open your eyes and then some nice woman, or man, you fanatic, tells you it's 2027. I would definitely bang him. Her. Him. You can get in there, the drug should be vanishing in a minute or so. But, remember my child, don't run to me afterwards all bruised and wounded.' She added as if she was a grandmother or something.

Ginny shook her head and went into Sirius' room. She sat on a chair next to the bed and waited. Sirius was sleeping. He wasn't motionless, he was breathing loudly and moving his fingers. Moment later his eyes began to blink and he stared, unaware of everything, at Ginny. She tried to smile encouragingly but that was impossible because she was still biting her lip. She suddenly found dryness in her mouth and had to clear her throat before speaking, but he outdid her in that. Sirius coughed and spoke:

'Where… Where am I? What time it is? Who are you? I know you?'

'Calm down and lie still, Mr Black, it's for your own good' grr.. tragic beginning, but what else could she say?'

'I'm lying still' he answered offensively. 'If you want to be sure, give me another dose of that sleeping drug.'

'Hey!' she said compromisingly. 'I don't want you to be unconscious. We've gotta talk.'

'Hmm…' he was perplexed. 'OK, then, what am I doing here.'

'So you're no longer interested in: where, when, and who I am' she answered playfully and continued to keep within limits his astonishment. 'I wanted to ask ya the same question: what are you doing here?'

'May I be the first to ask?' she nodded and he kept watching her intensively, trying to recall. It wasn't one of his former lovers, was it? 'Who are you, you look familiar…'

'It's because we met before, Sirius' Ginny smiled sweetly and tied her shoulder length hair with her hands. 'I used to have longer and brighter hair and I used to be a child. I'm Virginia… Ginny, Ginny Weasley…'

She saw a flash of recognition deep in his eyes. That beautiful, dark red-haired, twenty-something old woman was Ginny, Harry's friend from school, daughter of Molly and Arthur? Has she taken some illegal mixture causing ageing? How? Why? What? Impossible…

He was watching her in awe mixed with fascination, not replying. Ginny took her chance to continue. She didn't think that keeping him safe from all the horrible for him news was wrong. That couldn't do him good. She decided that the best thing was to inform him there and now about the whole situation.

'You probably think I'm 30 and you're right, 'cos it's 2012. You appeared a fortnight ago in this Institute in the USA. I work here, by the way, and I was the one who found you. Fifteen years ago, during the fight in the Ministry you fell through a veil and were acknowledged dead. The war finished two years later. Oh, you were cleared then and allowed a memorial board in 'Individuals To Remember' section of national cemetery. Sorry, I informed you so roughly, but I wouldn't stand all those "take a deep breath" and "this may seem strange but". Now you know and we can think.'

They were silent for a longer while. Sirius was absorbed by that ton of information and Ginny suddenly felt uneasy by his concern and thoughtful look. And by her uncontrolled, rapid speech. She should have planned that differently. Well, she had planned that differently. So why the hell it went wrong? Why couldn't she stand his curious questions, his eyes demanding the truth.

Sirius smiled weakly and sat more comfortably on the bed. He would prefer to be left alone, but she stayed and this was good, too.

'So we won the war…' he began after another pause.

'Yes, Harry killed Voldemort on the 22nd of May, 1999,' Ginny felt she began one more prompt and crazy speech, but she couldn't help it. She was gossiping like a pretentious bimbo, giggling silly occasionally and never taking a deep breath. Now, Sirius must have considered her ridiculous. 'At night, with a sword. We persuaded him not to use his wand, I… we considered it to be too clear, pure to be wasted on such shit. And he did it perfect, I mean, he ended up with his shirt all covered with Voldemort's blood, but what is important is that it worked. From a perspective it looked that your death was precious, I mean, you died for Harry and because of that he was safe and could stay longer in your house. I guess that's why I developed my interest in Ancient Arts. And what's more crucial, during every contact with your relative, especially with Bellatrix, he gained power, strength and protection. For instance he could do Harry no harm, when Lestrange was close, well, nobody could, so Bellatrix was useless to Voldemort. It was fun to see her defeated face, Sirius. Really fun.'

'So it worked out, huh?' he asked smiling at her.

'Perfectly… Though, the Order was sadder without you. They all were so serious all the time afterwards.'

'So you imply I'm not serious.'

'I wouldn't dare to' Ginny laughed. 'Though you were grounded, you stayed active and after your death, they began to talk and think and look serious, not to act. It was unnerving. That's what we liked… what we like about you, you act, not waste your time on foolish deliberations.' Sirius laughed at that correct summarising. Ginny took a longer look at him and asked, at last reasonably and calmly.

'You're not dead. We all thought you were, Sirius'

'I though that too' he laughed. 'When she hit me and I felt I was falling I knew I was dying. That's my last though. Then I saw that blonde doc., making me falling asleep.'

'That was healer Houston. She's an evil person.'

'That evil person's just showed you a middle finger from behind that glass wall.' He said, taking his gaze away from Ginny, but only for that little while he needed to notice Holly.

'That's what I'm talking about. No privacy, the room is bugged.'

'So, Ginny' he said, looking seriously again, 'I'm lagged 15 years behind. A lot to make up for.'

'It's to be done, I think. It may take some time, but it's definitely possible.'

'When can we start. I really feel well, now. When can we go to England?' he began to move up and Ginny had to stop him with her hands and push on his pillows. He looked thin and miserable, but that was definitely a man. And Ginny's hands felt it instantly. They began to sweat and tremble and Ginny had to take them away from Sirius as soon as he lay down and hide them nervously under her legs. She wasn't used to being nervous while with opposite sex, last time she felt uneasy was when she first met Harry. That whole situation was being stupid and even stupider were the things she had to explain to him.

'Don't move. It's Holly's ward and she would hang me on the first lamp if I allowed you to move. Believe me. I'll make sure you leave the hospital as soon as possible. When this happens, you'll have to stay with me for a while. I've got a comfortable house, so don't be scared. You're supposed to be dead, so we have to arrange your comeback properly. I told Dumbledore about you and he will think of something.'

'So, I can't go to London, see them all, see Harry… That's gloomy news, Ginny.'

'No, it will be gloomy for Fred and George who erected a monument for you and will have to damage it when you'll be officially alive.'

'They built me a monument?' he looked puzzled. Ginny laughed, relaxed at last. She stood up and offered him her hand. Sirius shook it and then held a while.

'A small one. And ridiculous. And you would benefit if you didn't see it.' They both laughed. 'Now, I've gotta go, so behave politely or Houston will write about mental diseases or being an alien in medical report.'

Ginny walked towards the door, when he called her.

'See you, Ginny.'

She turned back, smiled and blinked, 'See you, Padfoot.'

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AN: Well? Isn't it a good job? Write any comments you like (I prefer those sweet ones). See ya!