4: I still have my clothes on.

'Really, Ginny. It's a house!' Sirius complimented Ginny's mansion when he first saw it. Ginny was a little embarrassed, but laughed, because if Sirius was in his dog form he would wag his tail out of his/it's mind. He whistled loudly and they entered.

A week after his coming to life, Sirius was allowed to leave the hospital. Holly, of course made Ginny a scene, and made her promise that she will be able to visit her most precious patient ever. She even asked Sirius if she could use this expression as a title of her memoirs if he became famous. After that speech Ginny left the ward immediately, guiding Sirius to the underground car-park where her old but dependable Beetle VW was parked as soon as possible. They couldn't apparate at her house, because Sirius wasn't allowed to use his wand, yet. It would look thoroughly suspiciously if somebody found out that a wand that does not exist is being used. Ginny decided to register it on her first trip to NY ("You mean tomorrow?" asked Sirius, she said it was impossible, but promised to lend him one of hers).

How did he look? Goooood… (a sigh, ladies, please; men: envy expression). He had his hair cut, they were short now, and nonchalantly leaning over his forehead. Ginny bought him some Muggle clothes and a pair of black corduroy pants, brown jumper and marines' jacket suited him. He was extremely happy, as a child, when he saw a pair of classic Dr Martens' shoes. He was ecstatic he was alive. Ginny couldn't remember whether she had ever seen him in such a good mood before.

Sirius was, still, concerned about that 15-year gap in his life, but he decided that things could have gone worse. He could have been irreversibly dead.

Ginny's house was a small (but spacious, if you know what I mean), beige house with dark roof and lots of plants around. It had a pool, a garage, a place for brooms, several bedrooms and elegant, but homey fireplace, with low armchair that made all those conversations comfortable and a WIN-screen with keyboard and fashionable quill to write on it.

Ginny showed Sirius the house and he couldn't help being amazed at her taste, sense of design and ability to unite them comfortably. She showed him his room (pastel-green walls, dark, mahogany 4-poster bed with black, velvet curtains, classic furniture (filled with clothes, books, magazines) and huge windows through which he could see the mountains).

'It's Harry's wedding day' Ginny was showing Sirius some of the family pictures she had on her voluntary emigration. Sirius watched photos, trying to remember every detail, he wanted to regain wasted (on being dead, by the way) years 'his wife Luna, one of our schoolmates. They seem to understand each other, on some inaccessible for anyone else levels. It's his eldest son, James, it's his first picture, look at his hair, unbelievably black, Black.'

'And Harry's… Lily's eyes. It's confusing, whose eyes are those?'

'Jamie's. He's 12 now, about to finish his first year at Hogwarts. And that's his second son, Harry wanted a girl so he could name her "Lily", but you can't always get what you want and he had Sirius junior.'

'You're kidding' he looked at her, proud and joyful. Son of his godson. Sirius.

'Yes, he named him Lucius.' She returned the gaze and laughed. They were sitting very close, on a soft, comfortable sofa full of cushions. You can't watch pictures divided by a table, and that's why they were half-lying, sharing the photos, discussing, commenting. Sometimes their hands touched, sometimes Ginny had a desire to lay her head on his chest. Sometimes Sirius wanted to ask her why wasn't she in England, sharing all those happy feelings and situations with her closest friends, but preferred to stay in the USA with him. He couldn't help thinking she must have been waiting (unaware of that, of course) for him.

But why would such a beautiful, smart young lady like to wait and be for him?

But how could such a brave, handsome guy feel for her something more than only friendship – an agreeable relationship between a girl and a man.

Ginny tried to escape those silly thoughts and began talking about her friends. She described Harry's successful work as an Auror, Fred & George's international shop, Ron's publishing house and Mione's organisation that fought (peacefully) for equality of magical creatures. She told about her father, and the Ministry in general. She summarised the war, described how Charlie died, how Lupin found the love of his life during his work for the order…

'Her name is Spark and she's warm and joyful and bright minded. He seems happy.'

She told him that Moody left for a comfortable and safe bed in Caribbean, and that Tonks began teaching DADA at Hogwarts.

'And she's pretty good. She right now destroys only 75 of touched equipment. She's been teaching for seven years now, so the curse is over…'

Ginny showed him also some pictures from her travel around the world, her research. She talked about her work briefly and when it got dark outside, Sirius was ensured he had luck to meet the most fascinating woman in his life.

Because Ginny's life had really been fascinating (so far). Her desire for retrieving the beauty of Ancient Arts for the world was burning and, when she found out that it will be impossible to live off dealing with it in England, she decided to leave. American Wizardry Scientific Institute offered her a grant to study this matter all over the world and, when her fieldwork was done, she went, in exchange of that, to work as DADA specialist in the Institute's Headquarters.

'It's a sad thing, that nobody really cares about the Ancient. Neither there, nor here. I mean, Americans simply love to kidnap young scientists from UK, they can afterwards talk how generous and caring about culture they are. The work that I want to do is of no value to them, but I can complete it as long as I fulfil my other duties as well. In England I would felt successful if I became a librarian.'

She talked about the pure magic that was still used, uncontaminated by our civilization, for example in Sahara countries, in Siberia, Andes, Polynesian Islands.

'I have half of the house filled with gathered there information and completely no time to finish a little part of it, 'cause I'm needed to take care of stinking bins or mysterious spots on windows. God!'

----------

'I'm bored', groaned Sirius and turned around on his deckchair to expose his back to the sun. He spotted Ginny, who was laughing and preparing to go out. Where the fuck she wanted to go (out)? 'What you think you're doing?' he asked suspiciously.

'Laughing' she answered and combed her hair.

'You haven't thought I'm totally unobservant, have you?'

'Harry told me that being bored was the only thing you were doing at school. And Remus confirmed that, so…'

'School was boring' Sirius sat a little bit offended and then grinned wickedly. 'And I was doing other things, too. Where do you think you're going?'

'Out.' Answered Ginny simply.

'And you haven't asked me if I think you look properly?'

'Even if I was going on a date, you would be probably the last person I would ask for opinion about my looks. Remember, you've missed 15 years of fashion.'

'But I learn quickly, you could trust my taste. So what is it if it's now a date' he looked relieved but Ginny couldn't find out, why. She was a little confused and anxious, but answered.

'I have a meeting with Dumbledore, I'll give him the documentation and we will talk about your return. Albus promised to bring someone from the Ministry, a guy responsible for the registration of wizards. You need a new license.'

'I'm gonna cross my fingers.'

'Try hard.'

Dumbledore's office

Anthony Thobes, an official responsible for registrations of witches and wizards, granting them licenses, renewing them etc., left as soon as he was given all the reports that Ginny gathered on Sirius. He had a positive attitude towards his case, but warned Dumbledore and Ginny not to wait for rapid results.

'The procedure of renewing licenses and, what's more crucial, cancellation of death's judgment takes a lot of time. I'll open a secret lawsuit tomorrow, but the General Jury is not to be gathered before the end on June, I'm afraid. Till then we have to keep it a secret.'

When he left, Albus wanted to calm Ginny down, but it wa hard because he was relieved himself. He, too, supposed they all needed time. Sirius needed time to catch up with the world, he needed time to prepare Black's friends to the news, world needed time to arrange his comeback. It was not bad…

'Not bad?!?!' cried Ginny, getting up and walking around the circular room. 'For whom it's not bad.'

'Ginny, I was stunned by the news and you now there are not many things that can astonish me. Others are not so well prepared to such strange news. They'd suffered the loss of him and had overcome. It was difficult, but they learned how to live without him around and they're used to it…'

'But why haven't you thought that Sirius isn't used to living without them…'

---------

'What's the matter Ginger?' asked Sirius when Ginny stormed into the house.

'Please, stay the one who does not irritate the hell out of me.'

'What's the problem?' he asked looking concerned. 'Something went wrong?'

'Everything is wrong! Sorry, babe, I tried, but if you want to live your life, you have to find another defender,' she opened the fridge and took a beer. Sirius did the same and followed her to the couch where she explained everything to him. Sirius took it better than she had expected, though he put a good face on a bad business, because he didn't want Ginny to get more depressed.

'It's gonna be fine,' he tried to comfort her by holding her and stroking her arms while she cried (we don't have to remind that Ginny found such situation humiliating, well, anyhow, she used to). 'It can benefit in hilarious situations, for example if I keep doing nothing, lying and eating all day, I'll soon be overweight and I have never been fat in my life!'

'Hmm,' Ginny sobbed, but giggled. 'I'll have to find you some work.'

'I've got it' Ginny ran towards Sirius, took his hand and led him somewhere.

'The work?' he wasn't satisfied. 'No, please, what? I can't do more housework, I hate it. And I don't want to put together quills. Ginny, Ginny, what…'

He didn't finish, because Ginny opened an innocently looking door and showed him her Ancient Library. Well, she was right when she told that it took half of the house. It was absolutely huge. Like a gymnasium. High bookshelves, large desk, tons of spare writing materials.

'Ohh, you don't want me to clean here, do you.'

'Stop groaning and get a grip, man. No, though I wouldn't mind if you did some cleaning. Look' she was a little timid and unsure if her idea was right, but what the hell. 'You have always been good at DADA, so maybe you would like to take care of the Ancient defence methods. I'll never be able to analyse all of that stuff and, well, you know that I try to write about the healing part. Just, I don't know if you like the idea, but… I'll leave the door open.'

Sirius was extremely surprised. Positively, of course. He had never been a library guy, but time had passed and maybe he was ready now to create something by himself, to find forgotten things. Oh, he was exhilarated. He hugged Ginny and transformed into his dog form to demonstrate his happiness. Ginny shouted as he licked her hand and ran away.

"Huh!" thought Sirius the dog, "we wanna play". He followed her to the garden.

"Ups" thought Ginny the fugitive "have I just encouraged him to play?"

Padfoot followed her around the pool and Ginny got trapped near the deckchairs. She tried to jump over them but fell, pushed by Sirius and landed on the grass, with Sirius in the human form on top of her, causing terrible noise.

'Ouch!' she giggled as he tickled her a bit. She looked in Sirius' playful eyes. 'If you think that's the best way to seduce women, I have to put you right: they will be a little bit shocked and probably unwilling to take their lingerie off.'

'You take it quite well…'

'Really? I still have my clothes on.'

'Allow me a little more time' He grinned and Ginny couldn't help…'

'Ginny!!!' that was a strange voice and it belonged to an elderly woman, staying on a ladder in her garden, looking over Ginny's wall. 'What was that noise?'

Ginny and Sirius immediately stood up and smoothened their clothes.

'Good afternoon, Mrs Perelski. How are you?'

'Hmm…' was the lady's answer. 'Who's that guy?'

'That's my fiancée. He's just returned from Europe.' Ginny's a good liar.

'You're getting married' the strict-looking lady smiled with content. 'When' she asked softly.

'In the summer. Good bye.' Ginny smiled and waved her hand. The lady disappeared. 'It shouldn't have happened, but the magical screen that made the garden invisible must have suffered during our yesterday's brooming. I'll have to repair it,' she kept talking, but Sirius wasn't listening. He was grinning foolishly and grabbed Ginny's hand as she directed to the house.

'I'm so glad you informed me we're engaged' he laughed and tried to kiss her. Ginny ran backwards.

'be serious. I had to beseech her so she wouldn't call some moral organisations. Fiancée was bearable.'

She went home. A little disappointed by her reply. Sirius, though she couldn't know it, felt that too.

Sirius was watching some (magical) tapes on DADA in Africa on Ginny's WIN, when on the screen appeared a red box with "HARRY" written on it. It was a message from Harry on "write and talk" programme, devised to help people to communicate without flames. Or owls.

Sirius, of course and Ginny would have been proud (if it hadn't concerned her private messages), firstly clicked the box and then thought.

When he clicked, a window appeared on the WIN-screen with few lines from Harry.

H: Are you there, Redhead? Hello?

Sirius was caught by remorse, wasn't this a message for Ginny, only. But he opened it (without thinking, but Ginny liked that, you know, first kill then ask) and refusing to answer would be impolite. And, the crucial thing, he could talk to Harry. Hmm, Harry, he had known a boy and now was going to have a chat with a grown man, head of a family. Good Lord…

G: I'm here, but in London's what… about 11 am why aren't you working.

Sirius tried not to make mistakes, it was funny for him to write with a quill on a keyboard and then to read the results on the screen. He was at first afraid that it would repeat his handwriting, but the device was cleverer: every single letter appeared in the most anonymous BusinessWitch font.

H: Nothing to do. Sittin' in my office, mailing friends and so on

G: Lucky you.

H: You should relax. Come back. Rest. You know what's coming up, don't you

G: Sure I know (lied Sirius). I'll come, I promise…

H: In the summer, huh

G: I'm afraid so…

H: Such talking is sad

G: and confusing. You don't know what to say. And we don't see each other.

H: Yeah… Oh, Luna began cursing you about choosing Sirius' name again. You should keep taking those anti-curse pills . She thinks it's his destiny to be disobedient and naughty.

G: It surely is.

H: Don't be so happy right now, his unbelievable, for example during…

'Sirius, who are you talking to?' it was real Ginny, getting home late and noticing Sirius definitely talking on "w&t". before he could hide it, she saw: 'Harry? What were you talking to Harry ab…' she ran quickly through the conversation and smiled. Then she took the quill and politely ('well, good for me, dead tired. Sleep') finished the contact. Sirius was uncomforted.

'Why couldn't I talk to him.'

'I don't want you to lie to him. It's enough I have to lie.'

'I was definitely following your lie-line. And,' he grinned, 'why haven't you tell me, you chose the name?'

'I liked you. And please, if you want me keep this feeling, bring me beer.'

Sirius stroke her hair playfully and directed to the kitchen. Ginny watched him, smiling. She liked him, true. She likes him now, too.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

AN: I don't have to remind you to review, please. Do you like it, still? Thanks. See you!