Disclaimer: Yada, yada, blah, blah, SNORK! … Just seeing if you were paying attention :)
DEATHLY IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE: This one was not my fault! One of my beta-readers readily admits to being the one who messed up here! I got this chapter to her months ago and it took her forever to get it back to me. She says that she's very sorry and begs all of you for forgiveness. She was thinking about writing a note herself, but that got too complicated.
Wow, this fic is so AU now. I hope that everyone will keep reading despite how completely wrong it is.
No, I will not stop writing this puppy until it's finished. That promise remains. And I've actually been writing much faster now. My muse has been in overdrive lately. So new chapters (as in more than one new chapter) are already being beta-ed, and shouldn't take long to post (provided that my betas don't die on me again – and yes, it is that important for them to beta otherwise the story would be full of glaring errors that make my brain hurt).
I've been thrilled with all the wonderful reviews you guys leave and continually thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so supportive. You guys make this worth writing, and for that I can't thank you enough. I only hope that I haven't lost some of you due to how long these past few updates have taken.
Now, onto review responses (yes, you get them this time because I had the time and wanted to talk back to all of you lovely people – the story broke 100 reviews with only 3 chapters, which means you guys rock and I am indebted to you forever!). If I didn't respond to your review than I blame my computer for sucking and apologize very much. Just know that I love you all and I love you even more when you share your thoughts about the story with me. -
vamperfly: Here's your chocolate:) And a chapter! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story! And the next update will come much faster.
SchnugsAllAround: Hey LonelySilverWolf! Yes, the chocolate Moony's make my eyes go wide too:) I hope you don't choke on kisses over this update! But they will come faster now, so you will have less reason to choke. Yeah, poor Ivy. She's clueless sometimes. It is unfortunately one of her built-in character flaws that even annoys me when I'm writing her (and boy does she get a talking to from me after this chapter… silly girl that she is). I'm glad you like Draco, and I hope you'll like him in this chapter too. And I'm ecstatic that you're liking Sirius and Guinevere because I have way too much fun writing them. Now, read and enjoy!
Sirius-Ella: Yes, Guinevere needs some cracking. But don't worry, Sirius is just the one to do it. It will just take some time… and some important back story, of course ;) I'm glad that you like the chapter, and I apologize so much that this one took so long, but as I explained in the author's note, this time it wasn't my fault, and now the chapters will come a lot faster! Now, go have fun with this chapter!
LadyLupinLover: I hope you find this update soon! I'm sorry it took so long, but you still get a chocolate Moony:) I'm glad you're liking Sirius and Gwen, as I love them. Yeah, Sirius is definitely the one I would have accused too. Unfortunately, Wilcott sticks around much longer than I even want him there. He's kind of important in that terrible way. Silly Ivy and her character flaws. Well, I promised that she would never be a Mary Sue, and her cluelessness is one the things that prevents that… she just doesn't get it sometimes – but we still love her! You will see Charlie again. You will also see Draco again (sorry!). But I was good – it didn't take two years like you predicted ;) Now, read and tell me if the chapter is to your liking!
MackenzieW: Yay, fellow college-goer! See, you know the deal. And yes, Clayton is definitely ew gross… yucky Clayton… Hope you like this chapter!
Brielle Lupin: Sorry it took so long! I always feel bad when you have to wait, I really do:) But new chapters will come faster now! And sorry about making you have to look up imperceptibly… it's funny when you use one word a lot and don't notice it. And I'm glad you liked the cuteness of the closing scene. I hope you like this chapter :)
Rotae: I'm so flattered that you think I write Remus well:) And of course, I'm glad you like my OCs, as I work very hard to make them real characters, and not silly Mary Sues. Now, go read, and I hope you enjoy!
LOTRMoonyFanatic: I'm sorry this chapter took so long! College is a big change, but new chapters are coming much faster now, I promise. I'm so glad that you like Sirius and Gwen, because of course, I love them and writing them. They're so much fun. And I'm happy that you like little Charlie too:) Yeah, Clayton definitely supposed to make you squirm. He's icky… And smut is always happy giggle But here's the next chapter – read and enjoy! (and let me know how you like it, of course)
Padfootluvr21: nope, as I promised, I will never give up on this story, it's too ingrained in my being and needs to be written or it will drive me crazy. And now the chapters will come faster, which will hopefully make everyone happy:) Be on the lookout for Remus' self-control giving him more problems. He's fun like that:) And I'm you're liking Sirius, Gwen and Charlie. I love the three of them, so it's nice to hear that people like them too. And don't worry, Charlie will meet Remus eventually. Thanks so much for your lovely review, and I hope you like this chapter!
Jess Pallas: Thank you so much! I'm so glad that you're enjoying everything. Yes, bless the jealous Remus. He's a silly boy. And Clayton is definitely not worth being jealous of, you're right. And Charlie is very sad, but you will see more of him! I hope you like the next chapter:) Read and enjoy!
HarrypotterFreak1234: I consider myself very cursed, and apologize profusely. But as I said in the author's note this time, quicker updates are coming! Yay! You're very perceptive about Clayton, but I can't tell you what his real deal is… you sneaky reader, you ;) Unfortunately, no Ginny/Draco going on here. It was going to be Harry/Ginny even before book 6 came out. But hopefully you'll like where all that goes:) Now, do your homework, don't get in trouble on my behalf! But still read and I hope you like!
sgurierly donought: I know, I'm sorry about the wait. And I have been writing much faster, this time it was my beta who failed me (as mentioned in this chapters author's note). Quicker updates are coming! I'm glad you like Remus and Ivy as their special to me, of course Read and enjoy!
Chii: So you're the one who's been trying to steal my brain! I knew it! ARG! But really, I'm so flattered beyond belief:) And I'm glad you think that I write Remus realistic, I always want to make sure that people think that. And I'm glad that you're liking Sirius and Gwen, because I love those two. They're silly and fun. There will past sections in this story, don't worry. As for the action, it comes later in this story, but don't worry, it's definitely going to be some intense stuff. All planned out already. It makes me sad just thinking about it. Have I got you curious enough now? ;) Now read and have fun!
BookCrazee68: Here's your update! Sorry it took so long looks very sheepish But they won't take this long anymore. I'm so glad that you liked the singing! There will be more, just for you! Keep reading Sirius and Gwen – they get more interesting… And I'm glad you love Remus and Ivy, as that was my intention all along. And Charlie will meet Remus, never fear. Now, read your brand new chapter!
Titou Moony: Yeah, that office scene was fun to write… ;) Glad that you like the cuteness between Remus and Ivy. They are my precious babies in a weird way. Now, read and enjoy!
Daughtermoon: I apologize so much for the wait, but as you can see from the author's note, now everything will go much faster now. And I'm glad that you still like the story – I'm a firm believer that you can like both slash and het. I read both a lot. It's just fun to see the different ways that the characters can interact. So keep reading! I hope you like this chapter and keep reviewing :)
sol: Thank you so much! I don't think I can take so much flattery And, of course, I'm glad you like the office scene (though I hope that no one at the office thought something strange was going on – silly people at work, not understanding that reading fanfic during the day makes everything much more interesting). I had a lot of fun writing that bit ;) I'm sorry the chapter took so long, but I hope you'll enjoy it!
BlueFeather11: Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I always look forward to hearing what you have to say about a chapter. College is good and fun, and hopefully will be this year too. And updates will be faster! I promise! I happy that you enjoyed Sirius singing. He will be singing in upcoming chapters too, just as a forewarning. And I'm glad that you like the way Jealous-Remus is written, as his jealous twin is important in the story ;) And any time people tell me that they enjoy Remus and Ivy I feel that this story was worth writing, so thank you for that. Now, read and enjoy!
elbows n knees: Oooo! Good question! I haven't brought that up yet, have I? Shame on me! Thanks for reminding me, though:) I hope you like the next chapter!
Taym G: I'm always so impressed that people reread Echoes. It's flattering and amazing to me at the same time. As for your theory – you're right that Clayton has something else going on, but I'm not gonna say what. Better to keep you guessing – that's the way JKR does it, so I better take a cue from her here ;) (And I promise that I didn't let my schoolwork suffer, and chapters will come faster now) Now read and let me know what you think of Clayton the further it goes along – I want to see if you'll figure it out!
Jen: Thank you so much, I'm so glad that you love it. I hope this next chapter lives up to your expectations :)
Moni: I'm so happy that you're enjoying the story. As for Remus-Clayton-Ivy situations… stay tuned for another startling update! ;)
Radiant: Wow, I'm so glad that you've found the story and are enjoying it and the sequel. As for your feelings on Sirius and Guinevere – you are absolutely right in every way. And don't worry, I have no intention of letting them stop arguing and messing with each other; after all, that's part of what makes them so great together. They will fight forever, the only difference as time goes on is that they will start to love every minute of it ;) I hope you enjoy this chapter (it's nice and long just like the rest), and I'm so glad that you reviewed to tell me what you think!
Amber Magic: Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad that it keeps getting better! And I love Remus too, so I'm happy that you love him. Why are people named Clayton always evil? Hehe, well, I decided that I wanted a soap opera name for him, and that was the slimiest one that I felt worked for the character. So there you go ;) JSC would be hilarious for singing! I want to write an entire fic just for them doing that now. Remus should be Jesus, and Sirius should be Pilate, and Ivy would have to be Mary Magdalene, of course. And Snape should be King Herod. Just because it would be completely ridiculous and so funny that I'd wet my pants. clears throat Anyway… now go read and enjoy!
deathbycookie15: I'm glad that you liked the section with Sirius and Charlie. It was very important to me that it came out right in that section, and judging from what you said, it looks like you got just the right things out of it. Yes, Sirius is a sweetie (but shh! Don't spread it around, he doesn't want anyone to know!). I hope you like this chapter as well!
abesapien: Thank you so much! I'm glad that you've found both of the stories and are enjoying them! Now read on, and I hope you continue to like it!
TheMysteriousPhoenix: Thanks so much! I'm glad that you now have a penname, and I'm impressed and much too flattered by the fact that you have read Echoes more than once:) Yay, Jekyll and Hyde medley! I love that show so much, it's silly. As for Guinevere, you're right about there being more to her, and it will begin to unravel as the story goes on. I hope you like were it goes. Clayton is definitely a character that you should love to hate, and I'm glad that you find Harry the Bartender as hilarious as I do. It just needed to happen. Sorry, the chapter took so long, but they will come faster now, I promise. Now read and let me know if this chapter lives up to you expectations (if you're not up to your ears in college work, of course – I know how that goes)!
Now, onto chapter four!
Chapter Four – Hostility, Silliness, and Siblings
Sirius couldn't understand why Remus was so upset. It just wasn't like him.
He and Harry had decided to drop by since it was the first Saturday of the school year, and they though that Remus and Ivy might enjoy having some friends around. They had been met with an unexpected scene. Ivy was nowhere to be found and Remus was pacing back and forth in his office like a caged tiger.
Harry had gone off to look around, though Sirius had a sneaking suspicion that he wanted to find a certain Weasley, so that left him with the restless werewolf.
"What do you think?"
Sirius then realized that Remus had been talking to him for a good five minutes and he had managed to miss most of what was said. He had an idea of what was going on, though, and he took that moment to voice his opinion.
"I think you're overreacting."
"How can you say that?" Remus huffed. "The man is a complete snake, Sirius! I don't know how I'm going to stand an entire year of him in this castle. Especially with how close he'll be to Ivy all the time…"
"Oh, come off it, Remus," Sirius laughed. "How could you possibly be worried about Ivy? She would never do anything to make you upset, and she certainly isn't in danger of falling for that idiot-"
"I know, Sirius. I'm not worried about her, I'm worried about what he'll do."
Sirius put up a hand to stop the next tirade. "I need to understand. What exactly is he doing, Remus?"
Remus took a deep breath and looked him dead in the eye. "He's hitting on my wife."
Sirius burst out laughing.
"Sirius, I'm not joking."
Sirius tried to compose himself, but it was just too difficult. "Oh, Remus, out of all the possible things you could have said, that was the last-"
Remus couldn't take it any longer. He grabbed Sirius by the arm and dragged him out of the office.
"Remus, what are you doing?" Sirius exclaimed, trying to wrench himself free of the werewolf's firm grip.
"Just come with me and you'll see."
He let go of Sirius, but Sirius followed, now insatiably curious to know what had made his ever-rational friend so edgy. They rounded many corners in the castle before going outside to one of the greenhouses used for Herbology class. Remus pointed at something inside the glasses structure and Sirius's eyes followed.
Inside, he saw Ivy with a man he didn't know. He assumed this was the Texan that Remus had been ranting about. Sirius immediately noticed that the man was strikingly handsome, even in a way that he could appreciate. Ivy was showing him around the greenhouse, pointing out different plants and herbs that were used in classes. The man followed close behind her, leaning over her shoulder when she showed him something specific. Sirius could hear some of what was said inside.
"I would advise you not to touch that one, Clayton. It's very beautiful, but it's also very dangerous. One of the most poisonous flowers in Europe, actually."
The young man looked amazed, but Sirius did not find the expression particularly sincere. "You mean you let your students handle these? You must place a lotta faith in them."
"Well, I should think so. That's the only way this school can be run efficiently. I have to trust the students. When you trust them you'll find that they can handle a lot more responsibility than you think they can."
Clayton flashed his winning smile. "You're just full a wisdom, aren't you? Must be the Dumbledore side, right?"
Ivy laughed lightly, her mind beginning to travel someplace else. "Oh, my mother had a wisdom that was all her own too. She was very special."
"Of course. I didn't mean to suggest that she wasn't. You'll have ta tell me 'bout your family sometime. Must have been a wonderful group a people to be raised by. Nice, normal upbringing."
Ivy laughed again, this time breaking out of her haze. "My childhood was many things, Clayton, but normal was not one of them." She cleared her throat quietly and looked back at the greenery. "Now, where was I?"
"You were talkin' 'bout that beautiful…" Clayton trailed off for a moment, looking at Ivy distractedly. "I'm sorry, but you have a leaf in your hair, I hope you don't mind if I…"
Ivy shook her head as Clayton painstakingly removed the leaf from her hair as gently as he could, combing out strands with his fingers as he did so. When he had finally managed his task, he held the leaf an inch from her nose. "There we are. Got 'em."
"Thank you." Ivy smiled and motioned for Clayton to continue following.
Sirius looked back at Remus after a moment. His friend had his eyes narrowed at the other male in the greenhouse, and Sirius could tell by the look of the muscles in his face and neck that his jaw was clenched tightly. Remus then noticed on his periphery that Sirius was no longer watching, and turned his gaze on him.
"Well?" he asked sharply.
Sirius looked back to the greenhouse with bewilderment and after a long shrug, came out with his verdict. "He is… definitely hitting on your wife."
"You see?" Remus hissed loudly. Sirius had the presence of mind to drag Remus out of sight and earshot of the greenhouse before allowing him to continue. "I'm not making it up! And he's been around her all week. My students think I've gone completely bezerk, they can't understand why I'm so on edge this year. And he's going to be here all year! I don't know what to do."
A thought occurred to Sirius. "Remus, how has this been affecting you?"
Remus looked at him incredulously. "I would think that would be pretty obvious, Sirius!"
Sirius shook his head at Remus, indicating that his friend didn't understand. "No, I don't mean your agitation, I mean… your instincts."
Remus stiffened immediately, as he always had at the mentioning of that other part of himself. The part that needed constant surveillance and control. "I've been..." he struggled to find the right word, "…testy."
Sirius gave him a look that told Remus he wasn't buying it. The werewolf sat down on the low stone wall that encircled the courtyard they stood in. "Why do you need to know, Padfoot?"
At the plead of his old nickname, Sirius raised an eyebrow. Remus had always been very specific about the use of their Marauder names, even when they were younger. He only used them on two occasions: when he was in a jesting and easy-going mood or when he needed them. Badly.
Sirius sat down next to him carefully, his face showing how ready he was to listen. How many times had they sat just like this? "Tell me, Remus."
Remus sighed, running a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck. The action made him look suddenly younger, his earlier, more apprehensive body language returning and reminding Sirius of a lost young man, who was always insecure about something.
"The sight of him, the sound of his voice," Remus began slowly, "It unhinges me."
Sirius realized the gravity of how Remus had worded that simple statement. "How?"
"I can't relax when he's nearby. My instincts snap to the front of my mind as if I have to be aware of every move he makes, even though I don't understand why. His voice sounds like nails scraping down a chalkboard in my ears. And when he's near Ivy…"
Sirius felt bad for what he was about to ask, but he knew it was important to say it. "Remus, you don't think you'd ever…" However, he couldn't finish the question for the life of him.
Remus understood. "Of course not, Sirius. I'd never harm him, you know how careful I am about how I handle myself. But I do find myself acting more aggressive around him. And it's branching into other aspects of my personality. Ivy's certainly noticed, but she doesn't know what's causing it."
The smallest of smiles was tugging at the corners of Sirius's mouth, but he kept himself in check. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Remus rolled his eyes, praying that Sirius would have enough heart not to use this against him at that particular moment. "I've gotten a bit forceful… very forceful. Severus walked in on us last week in her office."
"Her office?" Sirius exclaimed. He wanted so badly to tease his friend, but the fact that Remus was sharing the information meant that it must have been bothering him a great deal, so he didn't push it. "Snape must've been a bit shocked."
Remus pressed his lips together and raised his eyebrows for a moment. "To say the least."
The same question kept worrying Sirius, though. "But Ivy's okay with it? She's not upset, doesn't get scared of the aggressiveness factor?"
Remus gave a short laugh. "No…. No, she seems to find it intriguing. Very intriguing."
Sirius nodded. But there was something in his eyes that Remus didn't like. "I would never hurt her, Sirius. You know that, don't you?"
Sirius almost winced at the question. Of course he knew that. But the brain comes up with images of its own, regardless of how good an acquaintance, how close a friend, how intimate a lover. And Sirius hated that small, weak part of his brain that suggested to him that Remus was even minutely capable of that kind of violence toward someone he loved so dearly. He truly hated himself for that.
Looking back up at his friend with clear eyes, he said, "I know you would never hurt her. Of course, I do."
Remus took a breath at the assurance and then started in again. "It's just hard because I can't tell her. She thinks he's wonderful and that he'll be a big help." His shoulders slumped in defeat. "What am I going to do?"
Sirius sighed and made a conscious decision to take control of the situation. "Well, for starters, you're not going to overreact to anything that happens. You're going to be calm about this whole thing, and you're going to handle everything this bloke throws at you with your normal amount of eloquence and gentility."
"But Sirius, that's not going to work. Not when I have the solemn urge to rip out his throat every time I see him."
Sirius grinned. "Haven't you learned anything about how to manipulate people in all the time you spent with me and James?"
"No, actually, I was spending most of my time trying to keep you two out of detention."
Sirius waved a hand, brushing the side remark away. "If you show him how he makes you feel, he'll know he has a hold on you. That's the worse thing you can do. Just smile and look like you are as oblivious to the whole thing as Ivy is. He won't know what to do with that."
Remus shook his head and passed a hand over his eyes. "If you say so."
Sirius nodded. "I do. Now, let's go catch up with those two again."
Remus blinked and straightened up. "Why?"
Sirius's eyes sparkled with unabashed mirth. "Because I think Mr. Wilcott should be introduced to Ivy's big brother."
Remus wasn't quite sure whether or not he should be worried, and he didn't really have the strength to argue, so he followed Sirius back toward the greenhouses. Ivy and Clayton were just leaving the greenhouse, laughing at some amusing thing that one or the other had said. Sirius didn't wait to judge what would be the best moment to drop in, he simply rushed to Ivy and swept her up in a hug, twirling her around so that her feet dangled in midair.
Ivy giggled, immediately knowing it was who it was. Remus smiled, glad to see his wife and best friend laughing and playing, and feeling a certain amount of safety in having the two of them close by. He almost winced as he realized what a primal impulse that was on his part, and knowing full well who had triggered it. He then watched as the look on Clayton's face fell considerably, now that he had to vie for Ivy's attention.
Sirius placed a hand at Ivy's back, took her right hand in his left, and dipped her dramatically. Ivy shrieked a bit, not expecting it, but she still laughed, amused at Sirius's constant unpredictability. "How's my dear Little Sister?" he asked jovially.
"She's fine, Sirius," Ivy assured him. She caught Clayton's confused look out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, Clayton, allow me to introduce-"
"Sirius Black." Sirius had stepped in for Ivy and offered his hand to the man in front of him. When Clayton accepted his hand, Sirius squeezed tightly on his fingers, enjoying the way the man pressed his lips together in discomfort from the shot of dull pain.
But the Texan recovered remarkably quickly. "Clayton Lee Wilcott is the name, Mr. Black…. Now, wait a minute – you aren't that convict fella from Azkaban, are ya?" He seemed to revel in the way that Sirius winced at the mention of the prison. "My God, I had no idea that y'all were such good friends!" He turned to Ivy, still flashing his blue ribbon smile. "How'd you ever become friends with the likes a him?"
It sounded like a question asked in jest rather than insidiousness, and so Ivy had no trouble offering an answer. "We all went to school together here."
"That right? Well, hot damn, missy! You sure do keep some interesting company."
Ivy smiled good-naturedly while Remus and Sirius glared. Sirius quickly turned the look off when Clayton rounded on him, and Remus ducked his head so Ivy wouldn't notice his piercing stare. "Now, you just gotta tell me about that Azkaban place. Is it really as bad as they say? How did you survive that for so many years?"
Everything he said was meant to sound like an innocent inquiry, but Sirius knew within seconds that Remus's suspicions about the bubbly Texan were not unfounded at all. This man had known who Sirius was the instant he approached, and he certainly knew about Azkaban. He just wanted to jab at the "convict's" barely healed wounds. Sirius wasn't in the mood to play.
"Oh, you know," Sirius began coolly, "I survived by drinking the blood of rodents and cutting open their stomachs, allowing the placement of their inner organs to tell me the future. And I bribed the guards constantly. With sex. They called me Femme Fatale Black back there. I was the prison favorite."
Clayton looked floored for a brief moment, but then Sirius cracked an unfeeling grin, and Clayton returned the look with ease.
"You gotta go easy on me with tall tales like that, Mr. Black! I'm just a country boy; my ways are simple and I haven't seen a lot in my lifetime. I'm a man of the land."
"Hm… simple, yes," Sirius drawled, keeping his expression genial so that Ivy wouldn't sense the underlying conflict and get worried. "Well, it's been nice meeting you, Mr. Wilcott, but I'm afraid that I have to cut your time with this fabulous headmistress short, as I did come all the way from Hogsmeade to see her."
Clayton looked like he wanted to protest, but he held his tongue, looking instead to Ivy for the true verdict.
"You'll have to excuse me, Clayton. We can pick this up another time."
Clayton deflated slightly, but he kept his smile in place. "Of course, Ivy. I can't wait to continue." With those words and a wink, he departed for another area of the castle.
Remus felt filthy after being in that man's presence, but he decided that a bath wasn't what he needed to shake off the feeling of dirt and grime. Instead, he stepped over to Ivy and caught her bottom lip between his own. Ivy's lips parted unconsciously, and Remus took full advantage of her blunder.
"How are you?" he finally managed to ask, many long moments later.
"Fine," she breathed, at a loss to explain why every man in the general vicinity felt the need to touch her today. Must be the weather or something…. I hope Severus doesn't show up…
"I missed you," he said softly, taking Ivy's hands in his own and pinning them to her lower back as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "And I've had to handle Sirius all this time with you being gone."
"Hm…" Ivy hummed seductively, tilting her head up and beckoning Remus's lips back with her eyes. "I'm so sorry, that must've been terrible…"
Sirius cleared his throat obnoxiously. "I'm still here, you know, I can hear you talking about me. However, if you want me to leave, I can, I suppose."
Remus forced himself to really think about the fact that Sirius was still there, something which he had been willing to overlook in the past minute. It wasn't like him to be so unconcerned about Sirius seeing him and Ivy being… intimate in any way. He needed to spend some real time thinking about how he was going to deal with this shift in his person. If it was so easy for him to make mistakes like that, then he would have to increase the control he kept on himself. Ivy was bound to notice, but he had no choice. He couldn't allow Clayton's presence to undermine his life.
Remus stepped back from Ivy, releasing her hands. Ivy didn't seem upset, but she tipped her head quizzically at him. "No, of course we don't want you to leave, Sirius."
Ivy turned to him. "Did anyone else come with you?"
Sirius smiled. "Yeah, Harry's here."
"What's he doing wandering around?" Ivy asked, a twinkle in her eye.
"Don't know, you'd have to ask him. I told him he had to be back to have lunch with us."
Ivy elbowed him. "Oh, Sirius, you didn't have to do that. He doesn't have to eat lunch with us if he doesn't want to. I'm sure it makes him feel awkward-"
"Oh, that's ridiculous!" Sirius retorted. "We're family, the lot of us. He doesn't feel awkward, I'd be able to tell. He's just a little shy is all. You'd be too if everyone always wanted you to talk about yourself."
"Point taken," Ivy relented, as she began heading upstairs with the two men in tow. "How's work coming, then?"
Sirius sighed, putting a hand to the back of his neck and rubbing. "Oh, slowly. Guinevere really hates me. I mean, she hates me. I'm not used to being so profoundly hated by someone that I spend so much time with."
"She'll come around," Ivy suggested hopefully.
"Maybe. If I started giving her sedatives and erased her memory."
"Come on now," Ivy laughed, "Isn't there anything you like about the job?"
Sirius nodded instantly. "Yeah, I really like talking to these people. We had a case with a werewolf bite recently. I actually want Remus to meet him."
Sirius turned his gaze upon his friend, who shook his head enthusiastically. "Absolutely. Just tell me when."
Sirius smiled. "Good. He really needs the support. He doesn't know what to do about this whole thing and he's really scared. He's only seven years old and he's a muggle."
Ivy's eyes shot to Remus, knowing how this was going to affect him. Remus winced and pressed his lips together. "Seven… damn. Being a muggle makes this so much worse for him too. I don't know what I would have done if I had been a muggle. The Werewolf Registry really takes advantage of the muggles as well."
"I thought maybe you could go with him the first time to make sure that no one pulls anything funny on him. I know how they can be."
"Yeah, I know. I'd be happy to go with him."
Sirius felt much lighter all of a sudden, knowing that Charlie would get a friend. "I'll give you all the details later. You'll like the kid. He's a lot like you."
Remus smiled and continued following Sirius upstairs.
Harry had only gone along because he felt that Sirius needed the company. After all, it certainly didn't do him any good to be hanging around the castle like those older kids he had always seen hanging around the public schools near the Dursleys. The ones who had no life after school, so they could only stay near their old stomping grounds. Harry certainly wasn't that kind of person.
He'd just gone because he knew that Sirius could use the company. Of course, Sirius did have friends, but Harry knew that his godfather liked having him around. They had so much lost time that they needed to catch up on.
And then there was the fact that Ron had asked him to visit Ginny. Harry thought that was a good idea. Most of her friends had been older than her, and Harry was sure that she missed them. So he had been wandering the castle for the past half hour, trying to find her. He'd checked the Gryffindor common room, the library, the owlery, and the dining hall, but she was no where to be found. He gave up and decided to take a walk outside.
That was where he found her. She was sitting under a tree in one of the numerous courtyards with a pile of books, her robe providing a blanket underneath her as it was far too hot to be wearing it. Harry walked around the tree so that he could approach her from behind. When he got close enough, he tried to make out a few of the words in the book that she was reading.
But as the blood splattered out over the table it became clear that the curse over the hallowed ground had not been lifted…
"That doesn't look like school reading," he quipped as he crouched down beside her.
The redhead jolted slightly at the closeness of the voice, then whipped around to face him. "Harry?"
When she had indeed confirmed who the voice belonged to, she shrieked and threw her arms around him, knocking Harry back into the tree. "Oh, I'm so glad you came to visit! I've missed you all so much around here. I've got no one to bail me out of class when I'm having a bad day."
Harry tried to regain his composure at the unexpected rush of affection. "You're having bad days already?"
Ginny rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Snape is worse than ever this year. I think he's upset that he doesn't have you and Ron to torture anymore."
Harry smiled. "Yeah, that sounds like Snape. I guess some things will never change."
She nodded. "But being Ivy's assistant has been fun so far."
"You're assistant to the headmistress of one of the finest schools of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, and you're having… fun?"
Ginny giggled at his confusion. "Yeah, she's really great to spend time with. You should talk to her more often. And Remus too. You know, they both love you like family."
Harry shrugged uncomfortably. "I know. It's just strange for me. I'm not used to the idea of family yet. Just Sirius. And he's something to handle all on his own."
She laughed, but still managed to address his deflection. "You've always had family, Harry. My family has been yours since the day you and Ron met."
"I know. And it means more than you can imagine, believe me. I'm just not good at figuring out all of that. Who I should be close to, and all that stuff. It took me so long to figure out where I belonged."
Ginny's eyes shone with sympathy, which made Harry more uncomfortable than the conversation itself. He changed the subject. "So, what's that book you were reading?"
She picked the book up from the grass where it had fallen. "Oh no, you made me lose my page!"
"I did?" Harry exclaimed. "You're the one who jumped on top of me!"
"Well, you shouldn't have snuck up on me!"
"That had nothing to do with you dropping the book!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!" he shouted one final time before grabbing Ginny by the waist and beginning to tickle her into submission. She gasped and screamed and squirmed, but she made no real move to get away. The whole scene was a flurry of limbs and laughter and youth. One simple moment in time where nothing really existed at all, except for that buckling feeling in your sides.
"Harry!"
"What?"
"Stop it!"
"Why?"
"Because I can't breathe!"
"Sure you can, or you wouldn't be talking!"
That made her laugh harder and she collapsed into chest.
And suddenly, Harry felt like a weight had been lifted. He had never been free to do things like this in his childhood. The Dursleys considered such behavior to be lowly, and he'd had no real friends before Hogwarts. But this young woman, his best friend's little sister, had always had the power to bring out that side of him, that side that had never been nourished. And he didn't know how to tell her that.
He finally let her go, watching as she leaned back against the tree to catch her breath. Her cheeks had turned pink and her hairline was damp from the struggle. And in that instant, Harry could tell that she had nothing else on her mind. No worries about tomorrow, no fear of possibilities, no philosophizing on why life worked the way it did. He envied her. She would have to teach that to him some time.
"So…" she heaved, still fighting to find air, "what really brought you out here?"
"I came with Sirius," he explained nonchalantly. She leaned forward, and Harry began to pick bits of tree bark from her hair, which had latched on while she had leaned against the trunk. She smiled as he did this, watching his hands thread through the tangled mass around her head.
"My God, I think I just might vomit."
Harry stopped cold. He knew that voice.
And soon a head of white blonde hair emerged to go with it. Draco sneered at the two under the tree and looked down on them with maddening superiority.
"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry snarled.
"Or what, Potter?" he drawled. "I'm the one who works here. You shouldn't really be on this campus, after all. Unless you have some official business here?"
Harry scowled. This was the last person he had wanted to see. The young Malfoy's presence made his skin crawl.
Draco smiled and let his eyes graze over the sight of him and Ginny. "I thought not."
"Nothing I do is any of your business, Malfoy." Harry didn't believe what everyone had said about Malfoy's troubles. He still knew malicious intent when it was aimed right at him, and he wasn't going to put up with it. He wasn't an underage wizard any longer.
"Perhaps I should make it my business, Potter," he scoffed. "After all, you were in the process of defiling a student, were you not? It really seemed that you were about three seconds short of ripping her clothes off. If any of your former professors knew that, I'm sure they'd be most unhappy."
He felt Ginny's hand on his arm, a silent diffuser to his rising temper. But unfortunately, Harry was not in the mood to play games. Not anymore, not with this snake. It didn't matter who Draco had helped in the war. Malfoy had always been on his own personal side, out to help himself. And then and there, the thought of that made Harry furious.
He launched forward, grabbing Draco by the throat, while his other hand took his wand from his pocket and pointed it right between the towhead's eyes.
But Draco wasn't afraid. Nor was he angry.
"Do it."
Harry blinked. What did he say?
"Do it, Potter. Bloody coward that you are. Go on."
Draco's eyes were not haughty anymore. They were pleading. And Harry realized that there was something about this man that he didn't know.
"Harry – " came Ginny's hesitant voice.
He lowered his wand and let go of Malfoy's neck. "It's all right," he told her. He reached out to help her up, and gathered a few of her books for her. Placing a hand on her back, he silently started leading her away.
Draco stood there and watched them. Still livid, as always.
When they reached the edge of the courtyard, Ginny whispered, "What was that all about?"
Harry shook his head, angry with his own lack of answers. "I wish I knew." He suddenly remembered a promise. "I'm supposed to meet Sirius and all of them for lunch. Want to come?"
She looked apprehensive, but Harry blinked beseechingly. "Okay."
As they left, Harry could hear Draco's voice. The young man didn't have to shout for his parting words to be heard.
"Bloody coward."
Friday again. Sirius stood outside Guinevere's door, waiting to summon up the strength it took to knock on the door. Work had been fairly peaceable the past day or so, and he knew that meant that it was about time for him to screw up again. In her eyes, at least.
Maybe I could tell her that I knocked but no one answered. I could probably knock quietly enough to make that true…
Taking a final deep breath, he drew up his fingers and rapped swiftly on the door.
A few moments later, the door opened, but Guinevere was not on the other side. Instead, it was a man around Sirius' age. He was tall, but thin-framed, with dark thick hair and sea green eyes. Sirius eyed the man suspiciously. Why wouldn't Guinevere have told him that she had a date?
"Come on in," the man said in a friendly manner. "We've been expecting you."
"Really?" Sirius drawled.
"Yeah." The man paused. "You are Sirius Black, aren't you?"
This left Sirius even more puzzled. "Yes, I am."
"Well, then get in here!"
Sirius stepped inside while the other shouted, "Gwen, he's here!"
Sirius heard a sizzling sound from the kitchen that sounded like someone getting burned, a brief curse, and the clack of shoes. Guinevere appeared, in her apron once more, looking very apologetic.
"I'm sorry to spring this on you, but he just dropped in earlier today. He has a habit of coming by without letting me know. Thinks it's cute surprising me, or something. I hope you don't mind if he joins us for dinner."
Sirius backed toward the door. "Look, if I'm interrupting something, I'd just as soon not be in the way."
"Interrupting?" Guinevere looked confused. She turned on the other man. "Wait, you did introduce yourself, didn't you?"
The other man smiled. "No, I actually sort of forgot that."
Guinevere hissed out through her teeth in annoyance. "Of course not." With the wooden serving spoon in her hand, she gestured back and forth between the two of them as she made the introduction herself.
"Bruce, this is Sirius Black, my new partner at work. Sirius, this is Bruce Carnahan, my brother."
Bruce held out his hand to Sirius. "Twin brother," he clarified.
Sirius took the man's hand, now feeling rather silly for his earlier assumption. True, he had only recently learned that Guinevere had siblings, but the two had the same hair and build, and though their eyes were different colors, they were the same shape. But wait…
"Twins?" Sirius questioned. "Where did you go to school?"
Bruce's chest puffed out a little. "Buxton's Private Academy For Boys."
Sirius blinked quizzically. "I don't – "
"Sirius," Guinevere began, "Bruce is a muggle. Our father was a wizard and our mother was a muggle. I got all the abilities."
"Wish she'd handed some over to me," Bruce said jokingly. "I hated the fact that she got to go to a wizarding school while I was forced to study algebra."
Sirius smiled. "That wasn't very fair of her," he agreed.
Guinevere seemed relieved at Sirius's reaction. She stepped back toward the kitchen. "Well, you two talk about something that amuses you. I have to finish dinner."
As she disappeared, Bruce's eyes turned back to Sirius with kind interest. "So you're her new partner."
Sirius was a little nervous about where this conversation could go, especially when he didn't know what Guinevere had told her brother about him. "Yeah, I'm the new experiment."
"So how's that going for you?"
Sirius paused.
Bruce laughed. "Don't worry about what you tell me, I'm not the blabbing type. And as a close member of the family, I know what a pain in the arse she can be."
Sirius cracked a smile. "Yes, she can be that."
Bruce folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall. "I admit, I was shocked when she told me that you were partners. I remember the stories she would come home with about that horrible boy in that other house who made her life a living hell."
"Sure she wasn't talking about Severus Snape?" Sirius inquired jokingly.
"Nah, couldn't be," Bruce retorted assuredly. "I've met that Snape character before, and he doesn't fit the description. One of the things that Gwen always hated the most about that horrible boy from school, was that she claimed that he was too good-looking to be kind. Snape's not the kind of person who strikes me as devilishly handsome. Not to mention the fact that your name isn't exactly a forgettable one."
Sirius chuckled, though part of him was offended at how Guinevere described him to her family. He did allow himself to remember though, that he had been a right twat at times when he was younger. Perhaps her description wasn't entirely unwarranted.
"I had also heard from her about when you were thrown in prison, so I was a little shocked when she suddenly told me that you were out and working with her. I had been – "
He stopped when he realized that the flinch that had passed across Sirius' face at the mention of the word 'prison' had turned into a glazed-over sheet that hid his face and the affecting storm in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned the prison thing. I keep forgetting that the wizarding prison is so much worse than the muggle ones. It must've been terrible, being in there and knowing that you were innocent."
Sirius' voice came like the whisper of a monotone wind. "Actually, knowing I was innocent was all that kept me sane."
Bruce was clearly upset with himself for letting the conversation go downhill the way it had, and he struggled to bring back the spark that he had seen in the man's eyes when he had opened the door. "But I was glad to hear she was working with you."
That turned the man's head. "You were?"
"Absolutely. My sister gets off thinking that she is a damn queen most of the time. There's no one to challenge her judgment. Her last partner just followed her around and filled out paperwork. She's used to everything being her way. It's really time for someone to show her that she isn't the knowledge goddess that she thinks she is."
Sirius grinned, and Bruce saw the spark come back to light his eyes. "Yes, she does rather need to be pulled down a notch or so in that department, doesn't she?"
Whatever could be said about him by his sister, Bruce could see that the man had magnetism. That must have driven Gwen crazy. She did not like men who demanded respect just by entering a room. His sister was impressed by actions, not charisma.
"Perhaps you could give me an idea of what she's been doing these past years," Sirius suggested. "No one has bothered to tell me what she has spent all of her time doing. Least of all her."
Sirius noticed the way that Bruce's face dimmed at the mention of Guinevere's recent history, but at that moment, Guinevere came back into the room and motioned both of them into the kitchen.
"I know you've been talking about me, you know. Why don't you try and whisper for a change? Anyway, dinner is ready. Go in and sit down."
The two men had the grace to look bashful as they made their way into the kitchen. The small table had been set for three this time, a cramped but comfortable fit. Already set at the table were plates containing some sort of meat, green beans, and garlic bread. The smells were thrilling.
While Sirius was placing his napkin in his lap, he looked up at Bruce. "You know, I've only eaten here once and I have to say that your sister is one of the best cooks I've ever known."
"She is fantastic, isn't she? That's part of the reason that I stop by, really. Whenever I need a good meal, I always know that my sister will be willing to open the kitchen for me. She's like our mother in that way – nothing that can't be solved with a good meal and good company."
"Well, she's got the meal part covered at least," he ribbed. A thought popped into Sirius's head. "So what are you doing here? I take it that you don't live nearby."
Guinevere bustled back into the kitchen and started putting pots and pans into the sink, getting her cleanup work halfway done before they started eating. Bruce glanced over his shoulder briefly to look before turning back to Sirius. "I do now. I'm a farm hand, I take work where I can get it. And my new place of employment happens to be at a farm pretty close to here. So I'll probably be around for a year or so."
Sirius felt an odd kind of relief at those words. He liked Bruce already. He seemed like a very normal, reasonable man. And with him there perhaps Guinevere wouldn't be so harsh on Sirius. "So I guess I'll be seeing a lot of you then."
Bruce grinned. "Yeah, I'm bound to pop up here and there. I promise I won't make a nuisance of myself, though."
"Oh, I'm not worried. It'd be nice having another man around."
He could hear Guinevere's eyes roll even though her back was to him. "Oh, yes, that's exactly what we need around here, more men."
The corners of Sirius' mouth turned up slightly and Bruce returned the look. "You know, Bruce, please feel free to stop by downstairs anytime. My place isn't quite as… crowded."
"Why thank – "
Guinevere cut Bruce off before he had the chance to finish. "You must have a death wish, Sirius Black, coming into my home and having the nerve to insult my housekeeping."
Sirius got a very nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach until he looked up and caught Guinevere's eye. She wasn't angry, in fact, the impish gleam in her eye was almost… attractive, but Sirius was too shocked by the fact that he wasn't really being scolded to linger on that fact.
"Guinevere… did you just try to make… a joke?" Sirius inquired good-naturedly.
"Me?" Guinevere breathed. "Joke? I don't know what you're talking about…"
She picked up a dishtowel carefully and snapped Bruce in the back of the head with it.
"Oi, woman!" he cursed, spinning around and trying to snatch the towel from the clumsy vantage point of his chair. "That was uncalled for!"
Guinevere held the towel high out of her brother's reach. "Well, if you two are planning on forming the testosterone brigade, I need to find ways of defending myself."
"Guinevere, I must warn you," Sirius said teasingly, "you're on the verge of becoming a real person to me."
Guinevere's eyes flashed playfully. "Oh dear! I mustn't let that happen, or I will never complete my master plan of making you slave to my every whim!"
Sirius without thinking gave her a once over and winked at her. "That isn't very hard to get me to do, darling, providing that I have proper motivation." He picked up his wine glass from the table and took a large gulp, his eyes still locked with hers.
Guinevere's cheeks reddened slightly and she turned around to tend her dishes silently. The glint in her eyes had faded and her shoulders tensed.
Sirius realized his mistake after he had already gone and made it. James had called it the S.F.S.D.C. - Sirius' Five Second Delay of Conscience. Meaning that Sirius' conscience, which was supposed to alert him when he was about to do something incredibly stupid, normally kicked in five seconds after he had already made a fool of himself or made a situation very uncomfortable.
Sirius found himself wishing that he could trade in his conscience for a new and improved version at that moment.
Fantastic job, Black. You can't do that with her, you know you can't do that with her. This isn't just any woman, this is Guinevere Carnahan's kitchen you're sitting in. She won't know that this is just you screwing around. Most woman think it's cute, Lily and Ivy always laughed it off, but you just put yourself back at square one with this lass. And the evening had been going so well. Bloody brilliant, you are.
Guinevere was having a small crisis of her own as she tried to appear like she had something to do before she sat down to her meal. She was used to seeing Sirius like that. But he had never done that to her. She had always seen him do it to other women.
Who does he think I am? One of those silly teenage idiots that doted on his every word? He can't do that to me! He should know that he can't do that to me. Even if he is joking –
There in laid the problem with her anger.
I was joking too. This was probably just him joking back. I'm overreacting. I just need to calm down and not take things so literally with him.
And no matter how much she would never admit it to a living soul, it also felt so secretly good to have someone like Sirius Black look at you that way. Even if he didn't mean it.
Bruce sensed the tension in the room very easily, and realized that it was up to him to make the evening go smoothly. It was clear that his sister and her new partner were not yet used to each other and still second guessing everything they said and did in each other' s presence. Which was a shame because Bruce knew that Sirius was exactly what Guinevere needed. Especially at this point in her life and after all she had been through…
"Well, this looks delicious, Gwen," he stated loudly, snapping the other two out of their reveries. "Let's dive in here, I'm starving."
"Right," Guinevere mumbled. "Sorry, I'll sit down now."
She took her seat and the three began to eat in silence.
After a moment, Sirius realized that Guinevere was cutting at an odd angle with her knife and grimacing ever so slightly. Without saying a word, he reached over, grabbed her hand at the back and turned it over. The skin was red and raw and blistered across a large chunk of her palm. He felt Guinevere's alarm at his touch, the way she almost jerked away, but he ran his forefinger softly across the back of her hand to calm the instinct out of her. Her muscles relaxed and she allowed him access to her scalded flesh.
Bruce began to choke on his food. "Bloody hell, Guinevere! Why didn't you tell us about that, it looks terrible! You should go to a hospital!"
Guinevere waved her free hand at him to brush aside his panic. "Oh, it's really not that bad, Bruce. I have some salve in the bathroom that will clear this up in a day or so. Wizarding medicine is different. I've had worse too – you know how clumsy I am."
Sirius was staring intently at the burn. Without looking up, he called to Bruce. "I came in here with a jacket; didn't have a chance to drop it off downstairs when I got back here. I dropped it on the couch. My wand should be in the right hand pocket. Could you get it for me?"
Bruce said, "Sure," and immediately left the table.
Sirius finally looked back up at Guinevere's face. He caught the way she winced as he carefully turned her hand over to see how far the burn had climbed on the sides. Her fingers were shaking a little and he couldn't tell whether it was from the burn or his touch making her nervous.
She met his eyes and stared questioningly. Sirius clucked his tongue lightly in response, the fingers of his other hand brushing at the edges of the burn to sooth. "You really got yourself this time."
She shrugged. "Nothing I haven't done before. I'm really so maladroit most of the time. Can't seem to fix that."
Sirius raised his eyebrows amusedly. "Maladroit?"
Guinevere gave him a small smile. "It means awkward, all thumbs, clumsy, gauche, ham-fisted et cetera…"
"I will never allow you to edit anything I write, Guinevere."
"Fair enough."
Suddenly she jumped a bit in her chair and shouted, "Ack!" Sirius realized that he hadn't been paying enough attention to where his fingers had gone and he had touched a sensitive part of the burn.
"Damn, I'm sorry," Sirius hissed, pulling her hand toward him and blowing cool air on it. "Now I've gone all maladroit too, you see? You're contagious."
Guinevere sniggered as much as she was able and glanced up almost shyly. Bruce returned with Sirius' wand and handed it to him. Sirius thanked him and pointed his wand over the burn. He whispered a few words and it faded right before their eyes.
Bruce was considerably impressed. "How'd you do that? That's incredible!"
Guinevere flexed her hand, pulling out of Sirius' grip as soon as she could. "I never could remember those burn-healing charms. Thanks."
"Not a problem. Burn-healing charms were required learning in the Black Household."
"Why's that?" Bruce asked, returning to his dinner.
Sirius pursed his lips for a moment, staring down at his plate. "Because my parents did not believe in taking care of their children when they got hurt. They felt that it built character for a child to handle it himself when he scraped his knees or fell down the stairs. Or curiously stuck his finger over an open flame. My brother did that many times, the first time he was only three. I had to learn the charm for him because he was too young to know and the burns would have healed badly."
Guinevere's mouth dropped open. Sirius had never talked about his family at school. She had learned of the reputation of the Black house, but she had always assumed that Sirius was not in Slytherin House simply because he had too much of the Gryffindor bravado. She had never known what his parents were like.
"Your mum and dad did that?" Bruce said, horrified. "I mean, no offense mate, but they sound like terrible parents."
"None taken," Sirius answered sardonically. "They were."
The meal thankfully went along fine, and the conversation lightened up rather swiftly. Bruce and Sirius joked back and forth and complimented Guinevere on her fabulous meal. Sirius explained Quidditch to Bruce, who in turn told him about football.
"I know it doesn't seem anywhere near as interesting as your game, but it's fun to watch. After all, you won't see legwork like that while your players are riding on brooms."
"It actually sounds very interesting. I'll have to catch it some time."
Bruce suddenly perked up. "I have a great idea! I have two tickets to a game three weeks from now. Guinevere was going to go with me, but since you've never been to one, why don't you take my ticket and you two can go?"
Guinevere and Sirius simultaneously broke into excuses as to why that didn't need to happen, but Bruce stopped them both.
"Come on, you guys would have fun, I know you would! And this is a perfect opportunity for you to spend time together, which you clearly need to do, seeing as how you're partners now. Just do it, you'll have a blast."
Sirius glanced at Guinevere to gauge her feelings on the matter. She gave an overdramatic shrug to show that she gave up. Sirius looked back at Bruce. "All right, I'll go. But it better be as much fun as you say it will be."
Bruce smiled, feeling that he had truly accomplished something that night. Though he wasn't quite sure what it was.
Later on, Sirius finally stood up from the table. "Well, I should really get going."
Guinevere took his plate and was about to walk to the sink, but Bruce intercepted it. "I've got the dishes." She opened her mouth to protest, but Bruce didn't listen. "You made the meal, it's the least I can do. Just see him to the door, I've got everything here."
Guinevere looked at her brother strangely. It was not like him to be helpful when company was around. But she followed Sirius out of the kitchen all the same. When they got the door, she noticed something.
"I was wearing my apron all through dinner!"
Sirius grinned, picking up his jacket from the couch. "Yeah, I was wondering when you'd notice that."
"Why didn't you say something?" she exclaimed, slapping him in the arm.
Her show of violence did not phase Sirius in the least. "I don't know, I thought it was rather endearing." He paused. "Mainly because you didn't know it was there," he clarified. "I'm not attracted to all women who wear aprons or anything."
Again Guinevere had a moment of wondering what he truly meant by that. Everything he said confused her, and she hated that feeling of helplessness.
So she shoved him toward the door.
"Fine, then you will kindly get out of my house!"
"All right, all right! Don't get so defensive! I promise the next time that you are wearing such antifeminist draperies when they are not required, I will notify you at once."
Guinevere sighed in vexation. "You could drive one to drink, Sirius Black."
His grin became even more lopsided, giving her an instant glimpse of that overconfident boy from her youth. And for the first time, it was not an image she hated.
"I know, isn't it impressive?"
"Out!"
"All right! See you on Monday!"
Guinevere shut the door firmly behind him and spun around, leaning her back against it. She lifted up her healed palm, still feeling the leftover tingle of magic spreading through her nerves. Guinevere had always noticed that whenever magic was performed on one by another person, the magic always left some sort of impression of that person. After Sirius' little stunt, she could almost feel his uncrushable vivacity spreading through her veins, making her happy and light for no reason at all, yet wary for feeling that close to him through his simple healing spell.
Bruce came in and caught her staring at her hand. "He's quite a fellow."
Guinevere lowered the hand immediately, feigning confusion. "Who?"
"You know who," he tossed back in a scolding tone.
"Just because we're twins, Bruce, doesn't mean I'm supposed to known what you're thinking."
"Black, you daft cow! Who else would I be talking about?"
Guinevere snorted. "Of course, who else indeed. Yes, he's quite a fellow. And if I didn't think that someone might miss him, I'd hex him into the next world."
"Oh, you don't hate him as much as you think you do."
"Which makes me hate him more, so I really do."
Bruce rolled his eyes. "You need help."
"Perhaps."
"He's perfect for you."
Guinevere laughed so hard that her lungs pressed painfully into her ribs. "The man who can have any and every woman he wants is the perfect man for me? Please, the man is little more than eye candy to someone as focused and down-to-earth as me."
"He's smart Guinevere. And he's got a great sense of humor."
"Ha! Great sense of humor. Says you!"
"Please, he's – "
"You don't know what I put up with from him at school, Bruce! Don't tell me who he is, or what he's like!"
"You don't have to close off like this just because – "
"We're not having this conversation again."
Bruce sighed. "Fine. But I shouldn't have to tell you that this opportunity has been dropped into your lap, and you should at least consider it."
"Oh, go away and leave me alone. Sirius Black is most certainly not my salvation. And neither are you, when you come in here saying stupid things like that."
Bruce frowned. "All right. I'll come by on Sunday to visit again."
Guinevere sighed. "Sounds good."
Bruce could not figure out why his sister was so against Sirius Black. Well, that wasn't entirely true, but he didn't understand what in Guinevere's personality or her upbringing made her hang onto things the way she did. What he did know was that if she didn't stop soon, she would be alone and unhappy for the rest of her life.
And truly she didn't deserve that.
… Watch the red sun rise…
Because if it had been any other color than red, his eyes would have burnt out of their sockets. The world was only something that he had done wrong. Because he woke up and he was still there.
Please let me die today.
James and Lily's lifeless bodies when he'd found them in Godric Hollow that night. Lily's thin frame twisted in ways that shouldn't have been possible and James' fists still clenched tight. Harry's toys littering the ground around him. But the boy was nowhere in sight.
I'll kill him. I'll kill that coward with my bare hands and smile as his life drains away in my grip. And no one would blame me for it. They wouldn't shed one tear.
Remus transforming. The scream that escaped his lips as his bones cracked and changed. The wolf's lonely howl. His tear-streaked face in the morning, his trembling body.
He deserves better. So much better… I would do anything to save him from it. And now there's no one to be with him when it happens.
Ivy's face at the trial. The confusion, the anger, the betrayal. The fear that comes with learning that someone you know and trust and love has never told you the truth.
I can't tell you what has happened. You wouldn't believe me. You have no reason to. His cover up was flawless. I just wish I could tell you that I love you, and I want you to take care of yourself.
Regulus, a Death Eater. The Dark Mark burned into his pale, young, perfect flesh.
Why, Brother? Why?
I'm innocent. They can't bring me down completely. I'm not lost. I'm innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent.
And they're coming back to rob me of that.
Sirius' own scream woke him in the dark. The sheets were tangled around his legs and he felt cold from the sweat running down his back and shoulders. Pooling in beads on his stomach.
He'd never get rid of these nightmares.
He brought a hand to his forehead to be certain that he was still real. That it hadn't been some trick and he was really still back there in his cell. Cell number 3926. His home for thirteen years.
He focused on every happy, recent memory he could conjure to prove that he was truly there. Remus and Ivy dancing at their wedding. He and Harry celebrating the young man's first job. Ron and Hermione telling everyone that they were getting married.
Every time he had the nightmare, he had to do this. Otherwise it was just some cruel prison torture and he had never really broken out at all. No one knew he was innocent. Harry still didn't know who he was. Voldemort was out there waiting to strike.
Why did he have to suffer through this?
Living through it was bad enough. It nearly killed him. But to have to relive that life so many nights? What had he done to deserve that?
He knew it was really because he was unwilling to face it when he was awake. But he couldn't do that. It was simply too much to ask. He couldn't function trying to handle all of that during the day. Having those flashes in waking hours.
So he would have to bear them at night for the rest of his life.
He reached for the glass of water that was never far away from his bed. He always woke from the dream parched, as if it soaked all of the nutrients from his body. He was continually amazed that he woke up from it at all.
But he was Alive.
And that was all that mattered.
So he set his head back down on the pillow and went to sleep, knowing that the dream would trouble him no more tonight.
And there we are! I hope it was enjoyable for all. I would like to point out that the Harry/Ginny scene was written before Book 6 came out. Because I'm clairvoyant like that ;) (actually the next three chapters were all written before Book 6 came out – I've been writing like crazy) Yay, for Book 6 doing smart things with Harry and Ginny! See you guys next chapter (hopefully within 2-3 weeks – keep checking back)! There will be flashback and with singing next time!