Sirius was awoken about ten by a far too cheerful Tonks levitating a tray of breakfast for him. She breezed into his bedroom and told him in a remarkable impression of Molly Weasley that if he slept any later he would have trouble sleeping the coming night. His moans of protest were stopped by the welcome smell of the coffee she was bringing so instead of reaching for his wand and hexing her for disturbing is needed slumber he meekly thanked her and reached hungrily for the tray. His cousin excused herself to take a second tray to Remus and returned a few minutes later to perch on his bed and steal a piece of his toast.
"What time did you get to sleep last night?" she asked between bites.
"It wasn't too bad," said Sirius. "About six hours ago. It took a long time for the blue blotches to disappear and then it was really difficult to get him dry. Drying charms are for when you've been caught in the rain, not for going swimming in your clothes."
"Remus too embarrassed to strip him?" asked Tonks with a wink. "He's such a gentleman that one, its not like David would have a clue what he did to him. I expect he'll be out for several more hours at least."
"Actually no," said Sirius, not at all worried about ruining Tonks's favourable impression of his friend. "Remus was very keen on stripping him. Wrestled with his pyjamas for quite a while, but unfortunately it appears David spells his clothes so that only he can remove them."
A flicker of something crossed Tonks face before she said, "Well it probably helped. It would have kept the heat near his skin. So old Snapey turning up and then poisoning him. What was that all about?"
"Remus called him," said Sirius his eyes fixed on the toast he was buttering. "Then dear Snivelus decided David was trying to spit out one of his precious potions because he didn't like the flavour and forced it down his throat, held his nose and everything. The moment he let go David called him a bastard and told him why he didn't want it."
"Dumbledore firecalled this morning," said Tonks watching Sirius carefully for a reaction. "I told him I thought Remus had probably called Snape but that I didn't know why he had been needed - which is true I don't know what originally happened." Sirius was looking at her nonchalantly. "But I do know that Remus did not call Snape. There wasn't enough time between Remus leaving the celebrations and Snape arriving since he would have had to leave Hogwarts to apparate. David doesn't have any form of communications device on him so he didn't either. What? I'm an auror; it's second nature for me to be observant about these things and follow them up even when I'm half pissed. So are you going to tell me what was actually going on? The meeting must have been prearranged, yet I don't understand why they would half kill David only to work furiously to save him, the whole St Mungo's thing is odd and Dumbledore obviously thinks something fishy is going on. Not to mention what David did to your Mum's portrait. He didn't even use a wand; he could be making a fortune in the arts business yet he's teaching school kids DADA. So spill Cousin."
"Why do you need to know Tonks?" ask Sirius at length after deciding denying her reasoning would be pointless.
"Like I said, I'm an auror; it's in my nature to want to get to the bottom of things. I covered for you with Dumbledore so you owe me."
"What do you know about dark prisoners?"
"They don't exist," said Tonks firmly. "I went on a tour of Azkaban as part of my training. They're a myth used by…" Sirius was shaking his head sadly. "Surely you don't believe he was a dark prisoner?"
"Firstly, I spent years in Azkaban and you hear things from the wardens so I am pretty sure they exist. Secondly Snape is a legimense and he believes David. Thirdly the way David behaves supports it."
"The pyjamas and social unease."
"Exactly. But it is vital that you don't tell anyone. Dark prisoners aren't released and David wasn't; he escaped."
"You know as an auror it's my duty to arrest him if he's an escapee," said Tonks, but she was smiling.
"Yes, but you said it yourself dark prisoners don't exist so he can't have escaped," said Sirius returning the grin.
"You still haven't explained what happened last night."
"David is close to Snape. He had some kind of nightmare or flashback or something and Snape must have a monitoring charm of some sort on him. Remus would have heard David screaming as soon as he left the room which was why he was there. Then as you know Snape poisoned him and I ended up spending the night being pickling him in a hot bath. But being serious, we're trying to get David to trust wizards again, which after what's happened to him is a slow process, so it's vital you keep anything 'odd' you notice to yourself."
"You have my silence," Tonks assured him, "but I may well do some research into Azkaban to see if there are any other dark prisoners who shouldn't exist. Oh, I almost forgot the message I was supposed to give you. Dumbledore said that Snape would be here about one-thirty."
"There is something you could help us with," said Sirius. "We need some polyjuice potion."
"Why?"
"David's under a secrecy vow about how he ended up as a dark prisoner. We think we have worked out who he gave it to and we are hoping that if we polyjuice someone for that person we can release the vow. Then we will be able to publicise what happened to him and prevent it from happening to anyone else."
"I assume there must be a reason why Severus can't supply it, but anyway between ourselves, it wouldn't work. Nice idea, but it's been tried before. If there was a way to break secrecy vows the aurors would know. Finding out whom it was given to is a good start but all you can do is force that person to remove it. If you believe it was done to cover up a crime then you can request the aurors examine the pair and use the imperious curse to force a retraction. That's the best that I can suggest."
"Given the cover up we suspect, going to the aurors officially is not an option. I think we'll have to resort to underhand trickery."
David woke up feeling extremely stiff and sore. The room he was in was completely unfamiliar and it took him a few moments to remember where he was, and then what had happened the previous night. "Well I'm still alive which is something," he thought as he gazed around the room. The walls were covered with quidditch posters and the curtains and bedspread were in Gryffindor colours. It reminded him greatly of the den James had suggesting that his adoptive father's childhood bedroom was probably similar. Either Sirius was entering his second childhood, or he had gone to some trouble for David's visit. David propped himself up gingerly on an elbow and looked around for his belongings but there was no sign of them. "Bugger," he cursed out loud. That meant his father had probably found the source of the ferngrass. If he had told Sirius of his discovery David would be for it. His eyes lighted on the note on the bedside table. He had got to the part reminding him that his scar was visible but he was not to attempt to heal it on an empty stomach when the door opened.
Sirius walked in with David's bag. "How're you feeling?" he asked.
"Sore," said David truthfully searching Sirius's face for an indication that he was angry about the antianimamourus potion, "but also in awe of the fact that I'm alive but not in a holding cell."
Sirius's expression was neutral. "We're lucky the twins have a lab set up in the attic. Severus was able to make the antidote. Everyone dangerous is out of the house so you can join us downstairs. We've kept some lunch for you." David swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up slowly. Sirius offered him his bag. "Will you be okay or do you need any help dressing?" Before he had finished the question David's pyjamas had been replaced by jeans and a t-shirt. "Obviously not, wish I could do that."
David smirked. "Being a zia has its advantages," he said as he clicked his fingers and a jumper appeared over the t-shirt.
"But not enough to keep you on your own two feet," said Sirius dryly as David stumbled into him as he tried to walk to the door. He stubbornly refused Sirius's offered support and made his own way slowly down to the kitchen before half collapsing into a chair at the table, not really taking in who else was present as he concentrated on stilling the tremors in his limbs. A plate of sandwiches was pushed towards him and David murmured his thanks before eating greedily if a bit clumsily as his fingers struggled to obey his commands.
"How are you feeling Harry?" asked Tonks. David's eyes went wide as he spun his head round towards her choking slightly on his food. "It's okay," she assured him, "I don't plan on telling anyone who you are."
"It's David," he insisted.
"Keeping secrets when you live with an auror who also happens to be your cousin is difficult," said Sirius apologetically. "Tonks knew something was going on and when Severus arrived she let him legimense her to see how much she knew and it turned out she had it mostly worked out. We thought it was include her in the secret and ask for her help than let her work the rest out on her own."
"Everything?"
"That you are Harry, but not the details."
"And you're willing to help me?"
"What happened to you was wrong in so many ways. You should have been given a fair trial. As a child you should never have been sent to Azkaban even if you were guilty. That nobody tried to find the Dursleys and that Dumbledore was part of the conspiracy makes it worse. I am curious though how nobody realised you were a metamorphmagus at school."
"Probably because I didn't know myself. I managed to grow my hair once, when Aunt Petunia half shaved it off. She never gave me a hair cut after that incident and having been punished for growing it back I did not like to mention that it never again needed to be cut. It was just another freakish thing about me which I knew not to talk about. I just thought all wizards were able to have their hair the length they wanted by magic." He regarded Tonks thoughtfully and requested permission to enter her mind himself. She gave it, slightly surprised that he had the ability, and he gently probed her thoughts. "Sirius I think you should introduces us properly," said David once he had finished.
"Nymphadora Tonks, may I present your second cousin David Roger Severus Godric Antirrhinum, Lord Crimson." Sirius paused and then added conspiratorially, "Known to his close friends as Sooty."
Tonks seemed more worried by the idea that David was called Sooty than the notion that he was one of the most powerful magically and politically, members of wizarding Britain. She wondered aloud on the manner of their relationship, since she had never heard that she was related to the Crimson House.
"We share Bolder great grandparents," explained David. "It's the Bolder heritage which has given both of us metamorphmagus abilities. I know Sirius grew up hearing about how a Bolder zia married into the Black family but I do not know whether you were aware you had zia relations."
"I remember meeting Great Uncle Douglas when I was little. He taught me my first metamorphosis. It was only after he died that I found out he was Lord Bolder though."
"He was my grandfather; I am his only living male descendant but am not descended from him maternally I cannot rule the Bolder House. Most of the Bolder holdings reverted to the monarchy, but I did inherit the more personal items. I do not want the Lestranges or Malfoys to get their hands on them, but perhaps you and your father would like to pick some things out?"
Tonks seemed a bit doubtful, but Sirius encouraged her saying that he had sorted through most of the items himself and some of them would come in very handy for an auror and would be no loss to David since he had the corresponding Crimson ones.
"We should discuss David's vision," said Severus returning them to business.
"Um right," said David. "Voldemort's got a temporary body, like he did before, so it won't be long before he comes back. They mentioned Christmas so it's possible that they are planning on his resurrection then. Last night was about loyalty and the need to serve him well. Peter Pettigrew was tortured and then killed because he let Severus destroy Voldemort's body."
Severus nodded. "It was Pettigrew who called me to tend the Dark Lord. He would have realised being associated with the Dark Lord loosing his body yet again was a death sentence. I imagine he's been on the run ever since."
"They found him," said David. He shivered with the memory. "Nobody deserves what they did to him. Father you've got to be really careful. Now that they've caught Pettigrew they know for sure what you did and that you did not take responsibility as a ruse to keep you out of Azkaban. They'll renew their efforts to catch you."
"The only places other than Hogwarts I plan on going are here and Lions' Den. I can floo between so I should never be exposed. I just have to persuade Albus that I shouldn't supervise Hogsmead visits."
"I think Crimson needs to send a message to Albus anyway. If the Death Eaters plan on resurrecting Voldemort they will need the blood of an enemy and that probably means abducting a member of the Order. He needs to alert them. We can include the death of Peter and the danger you're in too."
"What about the horcruxes? Have you managed to locate them Sirius?" asked Severus.
"I've found three of the items you described," Sirius said, "but I can't find Slytherin's locket. The three I've got are safe and I'm waiting on you to present them to Albus or destroy them."
"I'll include that in Crimson's message."
"Dumbledore is very interested in both David and Lord Crimson," said Tonks. "He has Kingsley and me quietly investigating both of them. If you send this message his interest will probably increase."
"I don't think we can avoid that," said Remus. "None of the rest of us has reason to have the information. It is plausible that since Crimson would be targeted if Voldemort returned that he is keeping an eye on what's happening."
"Agreed," said David as he finished off his last sandwich. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm getting a bit fed up with these tremors. I need to do some healing." He stood up and staggered towards the doorway.
"Use the sitting room," Sirius called after him. "You'll never make it up the stairs. I'll fetch your potion for you."
David entered the sitting room and lay down on the carpet. Core healing was easiest when the body was relaxed so the patient was normally horizontal. Small injuries could be healed without that but for a system wide problem, like the nerve problems from the cruciatus curse which were causing his tremors, a relaxed body was essential.
David opened his eyes having restored his body to its pre-vision health and sat up slowly so as not to get dizzy. His father was standing over him and handed him his green restorative potion. David thanked him, sniffed it to make sure he would not be poisoned again and downed it before standing up himself.
"Sit," ordered his father pointing to a chair. The furniture had been rearranged so that there were three chairs in a triangle, with two facing the third. David sat down and found himself facing his father and godfather. Neither looked pleased and he realised that the lecture he had been expecting since he woke up was about to happen. They were sitting down and appeared ready to talk about it instead of tying him up and hexing him so he supposed that was a good sign.
Both older wizards stared at their charge for a long time. David's life with the Dursleys had conditioned him not to squirm or speak when his guardians were displeased so in the end it was his father who spoke first. "I would like to apologise for poisoning you," he said. David was completely nonplussed by this approach. His father was obviously angry with him, yet he was the one apologising. "It is standard medical procedure to inform a patient what the potions he is drinking are or if he is unconscious to check his bloodstream for possible reactions but I did neither. I forced you despite your protests to drink something you knew would harm you and I ask your forgiveness."
"You didn't mean me harm," said David wondering where this was going. "I think you just forgot that I know my potions."
"You're right," agreed his father sighing. "Seeing you last night with a lightning bolt cut into your forehead, despite your red hair I found it difficult to remember that you were not the self-centred arrogant brat I used to teach who disliked the taste of my potions. I am used to being obeyed and I thought you were just being awkward."
"Those of us who know who you are find it difficult at times to remember that you are an adult, particularly when you do something idiotic like taking antianimamourus potion," said Sirius.
"How many days did you take it?" asked Severus.
"Ten. I had seven doses to go. Though I'll have to start from scratch now won't I since I can't take any ferngrass for at least forty-eight hours."
"That, and I've disposed of the sludge down the drain," agreed Severus.
"I assume you know how serious the penalty for breaking the bond could be? Explain why you did it," ordered Sirius.
David looked between them pleadingly. "I can explain, but I can't explain to Sirius; you won't understand after what happened to you."
"You know about Elsa," said Sirius softly. David nodded. "You know about Elsa and yet you still took the potion? What the hell were you thinking?" He was shouting now. "What's so wrong about Remus that you would do that to him? If it had been Fudge or that giggling idiot Lockhart, or even Snape here, forgetting the fact that it would be incestuous, I might be able to understand but Remus? What is it about him that you hate so much?"
David had sunk back into his chair as if trying to increase the distance between himself and his irate godfather as said wizard yelled at him. "Is his age the problem?" asked Severus. Sirius shot him a surprised look. "For muggles spouses with twenty years between them are frowned upon, but wizards have a much longer lifespan, as a zia you may well reach your bicentenary."
"I knew that and there's nothing wrong with him," said David miserably. "That is the whole problem. I have to release him from the bond. He's completely out of my league; I can't give him what he deserves."
Sirius looked about to laugh, but was controlled himself after a glare from Severus. "David," said Sirius as if he was explaining how to add two and two, "you're one of the most powerful wizards in the country, the queen herself took tea and cakes with you on your last birthday and you were featured in the Witch Weekly 'Eligible Bachelor' column even though no witch would stand a chance with a zia. Their artist's impression of what you look like was hilarious but I digress. Added to this you own a substantial amount of the country. Explain the 'out of my league' comment for me?"
"Since when did you care about social position or wealth?" snarled David. "I thought you left your family because they couldn't see past such pureblood attitudes."
"Fine," said Severus amused. "Shall we move on to the more intangible list? Tell anyone that I complemented the 'boy-who-lived' and I'll poison you for real." He gave the other two a mock glare. "You're a true Gryffindor," he said with fake distaste, "brave, noble and annoyingly inclined to defend the weak. Aside from the clichés you have risked your life for others on several occasions, despite everything you've been through you refuse to become a dark lord and rule the world or take out your righteous anger by torturing a few muggles. You are kind, for the most part courteous, patient, hardworking and highly intelligent."
"Don't forget great at chess and good with animals," said Sirius smirking.
"Stop," protested David. "You're making things worse. Whatever else I am, I am broken. I'm paranoid. I'm uncomfortable in crowds. I get claustrophobic. I find it difficult to be near people and physical contact almost impossible. I have panic attacks and lash out when I feel threatened or had you forgotten that I threw Remus into a wall during the summer?"
"I think you're afraid," said Sirius. "You've only had yourself to rely on most of your life and you're scared of letting anyone get close to you. I know you've performed the mind ritual with Severus but you refuse to let him choose what he sees. You talk to us about destroying Voldemort and the trivialities of everyday life but never about your own hopes, dreams and fears." David was not meeting his eye, but neither was he rising to the bait so Sirius upped the ante. "You're afraid of what we'll think of you if you let us know who you truly are. You say over and over that you want people to like you; not the Crimson Lord nor the boy-who-lived and yet you hide behind those titles afraid to let them know you. In Remus you have the offer of a soul-mate, someone who will know you better than you know yourself, but you're too much of a coward to accept what he's offering you." Sirius could see David's eyes smouldering in anger as he threw his last barb. "Godric must be ashamed of a descendant and protégé such as you. You're no Gryffindor." He spat the last word keeping his expression the image of disgust and hoped that he had judged the prodding David required correctly.
"Don't call me a coward Sirius!" David exploded at him. "I faced dementors both with a wand and unarmed in order to save your life. I've faced Voldemort five times. You may have lasted longer in Azkaban than I did but that does not give you the right to call me a coward."
"Prove him wrong," said Severus. "Explain to Lupin what you did and why, and if at the end he still wants you then acknowledge the bond."
"What are you waiting for?" asked Sirius. "He's in the library. Unless you haven't got the guts…" David glared at him and stalked out of the room.
"I should return to Hogwarts," said Severus after David had left.
"You should, but wouldn't you like to hear their conversation? Tonks has some of the extendable ears that the twins have invented. They're very handy for eavesdropping."
"You could say it is our duty as concerned guardians to chaperone such a conversation lest it become violent or too romantic," reasoned Severus.
"We're of one mind," said Sirius. He pulled a face. "I never thought I'd say that to you. You're a greasy git not a fellow conspirator."
"Whatever you say Black, I love you too," said Severus as they left the room. Sirius banged his head against the wall of the corridor several times.
"I think I preferred it when I hated you," he moaned.
Remus had not been warned about the nature of the conversation that David was going to have with him although he knew that Sirius and Severus had been planning on talking to him about some potion he had been taking which had caused the drama of the night before. He had come to the conclusion that David had been doping himself on something, given how angry the two men had seemed with him, but Sirius had suggested that it would be best for him to keep out of their discussion unless he wanted David to start seeing him as a parental figure. So Remus had retreated to the library to keep out of their way. He curled up on the sofa with his bare feet tucked under him and a large tome propped up on his lap. He read very little, his thoughts drifting frequently to the conversation occurring elsewhere in the house. When David came in and asked to talk to him Remus readied himself to be sympathetic but not to condone his actions. It was after all quite understandable that someone who had been through what David had been through would turn to illicit potions, but with his position at Hogwarts he had to be stopped. As it was the turn of the conversation took him by surprise.
David began by asking Remus to let him say his piece without interruption because what he wanted to say was difficult and he did not know whether he could finish if he stopped. Remus had agreed so when David explained about the antianimamourus potion and why he had taken it and tried to persuade him that it would be a good idea for him to continue to take it, Remus just sat in front of him with a neutral expression. He had known and come to love David long before he knew David was Harry. Once the revelation had been made he had backed off to give the young man space thinking he would need time to come to see Remus as a prospective lover rather than a former teacher. He felt his distancing could have subconsciously fuelled David's belief that he would be happier without the soul-bond.
When David had finally finished presenting his reasons for wanting to break the soul-bond Remus spoke. There was one point he needed to clarify since he had his own issues about self-worth, though it appeared not as many as David. "Has my lycanthropy been a factor in this at any level?" he asked and watched David intently as he replied.
"No," David said firmly. "I have told you before that the lycanthropy is a non-issue with me. I can't claim to be completely human either."
Remus regarded him thoughtfully for a while. "What if I don't want to get rid of the bond?" He cut off David's protests. "It should be a joint decision shouldn't it? Since it affects both of us?"
"I think that's what Sirius was trying to make me see when he manipulated me into confronting you," admitted David.
"I think it would be foolish to destroy the bond," said Remus evenly. "You said last night that Voldemort was still casting the cruciatus curse when I woke you up. If I hadn't you could have sustained permanent damage. We had a silencing charm up to stop us disturbing you; I only knew that something was wrong because of the bond. Even if Severus had arrived in time we would not have heard the doorbell so he would not have been able to help you. Think about what could have happened without the bond."
"I can't let you keep the bond just in case I'm in trouble."
"There's no 'let' about it," said Remus firmly. "Besides it's a mutual benefit. Being bonded to a zia I get a very powerful wizard alerted if I'm ever in trouble."
"But you deserve the chance to have relationships with people maybe even have a family some day if you want, biological or not. You love teaching and I can't take both that and the chance of raising your own family away from you. I will have to assume more duties after I've officially 'left school' next summer and if you became Sire Crimson you'd not have the time to hold a regular job as well. And I have already explained that I have a celibate lifestyle."
"When you say that, you say it resignedly. You haven't embraced celibacy it has been forced upon you," said Remus gently. "If the events when you were fourteen hadn't happened, if you had not gone to Azkaban nor spent years in the realms of the dead would you still have become a celibate?"
"Why is not important, the fact remains that that is how I am."
"Do you think you will always be like that?"
"I hope not," said David. "I didn't realise it was part of me until I apparated Charlie from Romania to the Burrow and found I could hardly bear to touch him while I did so. Then when Molly was trying to set me up with a 'nice young witch or wizard' I knew I couldn't cope with that, but I hoped I just needed to get more comfortable with people. When I threw you into the wall and broke some of your bones I realised that I would be living a celibate lifestyle for a while. Being in close proximity to Albus doesn't help matters. My hope is that over time I will get more comfortable with people and one day I will feel able to attempt to be intimate with someone but I can't let you wait around for something that could never happen."
"I told you before; there is no 'let' about it. Think about whom you are and what you have accomplished. Think about how well we work together and how well we get on in the free time we spend together." He went into professor mode. "It's a common misnomer that the soul-bond causes people to fall in love with each other. In reality it indicates that two people are well suited to supporting each other through life and helps them do so by alerting each when the other particularly needs them. As you know, in the case of the zias, a soul-bond is required for offspring to be produced. The bond can manifest a sense of closeness and understanding and a need to be near the other person as well as a physical attraction for that person, but it can't force someone to be in love. There is no magic that can do that, so called 'love potions' create lust and dependence not love. But I love you David, and I think you are so keen to release the bond because you love me. Am I right?"
David did not answer right away. He considered what Remus had said carefully before replying, "I don't know. I haven't much experience with love, but I do want what's best for you regardless of what happens to me, the same as I did for Sirius when I made my Wilfred's choice. Is it enough?"
"Do you feel that way about Draco Malfoy or a random person you meet in the street?" asked Remus. David shook his head. "Then it is enough," Remus assured him. "Will you formally acknowledge the bond? Do you understand what will happen if we do?"
"I can't persuade you to break it instead?"
"No."
"But you don't mind about the celibacy thing?"
"I do mind, but," Remus considered his words carefully, "I share your hope that it isn't permanent and I will not force you into intimacy that you are uncomfortable with."
David stood up and walked over to the sofa, he crossed his arms just above the wrists and held his hands out to Remus who looked a bit surprised but stood up and took them, left in left and right in right so David's arms crossed but Remus's did not. "I acknowledge and claim you as my soul's other half," they said in unison. Instead of releasing David's hands immediately Remus pulled the younger man forward and into a hug before kissing him lightly on the cheek.
"A kiss is traditional," Remus said as he released his soul-mate, "and I am extremely grateful you didn't break my bones this time."
"We should probably go and inform the rest of the household," said David.
"No need," snorted Remus. "Tonks had some extendable ears earlier; I expect she and Sirius were eavesdropping all along. I'm not sure about Severus though he and Sirius called a truce last night but I can't quite imagine him using a Weasley invention."
"Moony you're underestimating my powers of corruption," said Sirius as he threw the door open. "Although I give you nine out of ten for deduction about the extendables."
"Only nine Padfoot?"
"You were unsure about Severus, come on in Sevvie-baby…" Sirius did not get to complete his request as he was hit by a well placed tickling hex and the need to laugh and catch his breath became more urgent.
"Well Black," said Severus in full intimidating potions master mode, "what have you learnt?" He countered the hex to allow his adversary to reply.
"That if I'm going to call you by your nickname I need to make sure you're not in earshot when I do so," said Sirius cheekily.
Severus glowered at him for old time's sake before turning to Remus and welcoming him into the family. "You should call me 'Father' now," he mused, "but seeing as you're only two months younger than me I think it would confuse people."
"Is that the Crimson promise ring?" asked Tonks snatching Remus hand and turning it around so that he could get a good look at the gold ring on his left middle finger. Remus looked questioningly at the two members of the Crimson House who both nodded.
"When you acknowledged the bond I suddenly realised that since Harry was my heir the Black rings might appear," said Sirius, "and they are silver, but since you didn't seem to be in pain I guessed the Crimson ones took precedence."
"That and the fact that I didn't know I was your heir," said David, "so when we declared the bond I was welcoming Remus into the Crimson House not the Black family."
"Well all that remains is for the two of you to decide whether Remus and Crimson or Remus and David are soul-mates before you return to Hogwarts. Then David can sit down and draft his letter to Her Majesty to inform her that he has found his soul-mate and ask for leave to present Remus, before we adjourn to Lions' Den to find the books detailing the zia engagement and marriage rituals."
"The ring won't shift," said David pulling at the new gold ring on his finger. "If I can't get it off there isn't much point in disguises anymore."
"Remus can remove it for you," Severus assured him. "But since it solidifies the bond I suggest you wear it on a chain round your neck. That's what Roger and I did."