The disclaimer is in the first chapter. But I'll add one more thing. Any recognizable cultural reference, such as the Simpsons, or the care bears or Disney Characters are properties of Disney. I just play with the cultural references.
Praise the Higher Power, for making it to another chapter.
A hug to my Mom and Son, for their patience, even when I'm going overboard with my craziness.
A ton of thanks to Marc the Unruly, Noppoh, and SlytherinSal.
This story is rated M+18 for mature language and themes.
Please leave your trolls at home and cared for or they will be ignored and die of starvation and neglect here.
Reviews are welcome!
Enjoy.
Chapter 8. Mrs. Simmons and her kindred knights.
~~Parseltongue Speech~~
Remus J Lupin smiled as he traced his last death eater in exile and petrified the bastard only to have him placed into his bottomless bag. It all happened within seconds and just as he made his capture he disappeared into the night.
Once he was back in his car, he moved to his living quarters in a well-placed home trunk in his back seat. The wolf traveled around the globe as a bounty hunter and, so far, his retrieval of missing pieces of fecal matter, a.k.a death eaters around the world, had been met with a level of success.
He went into the next Gringotts' branch via Port-Key and asked the teller, "Good evening, I'm here to make a deposit to the vault of Prongs; am I too late for the service?"
To the Goblin in charge, Bernard, this sounded like music. "Ah, Messer Moony, it's good to see that you are still active, riding the world of the scum. Please, let us get into a proper room and check the goods. If I am convinced of the quality behind the item, I will submit a request for another draft to be placed in your account."
"Excellent," said Remus, and smiled to himself. He sounded so much like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons.
Once the 'doormat' was reversed into a petrified Karkaroff, the drop of blood required taken, and then the wizard returned to a doormat shape, the goblin brought the vellum and confirmed the identity of the death eater. The doormat got placed into the Potter's vault, and the goblin wrote adrift to the amount of 15,000 galleons and passed it onto the bounty hunter. Remus nodded, the paper turned golden, and he knew the amount was in his vault.
After he returned to his car, Remus drove and parked his vehicle inside a building and placed a Notice-me-not and Muffliato on it. As the hunter was getting ready to go to bed, he heard his mirror make the sound of an incoming call.
"Good morning Remus, sorry to bother you at this time of day," said Mary Simmons.
"Dear old Mary, you don't bother me. Your husband, on the other hand, can't stop being a bother, but in his case is clinical," said Remus.
"Hey, I resent that! Put a shirt on and stop flirting with my wife."
Mary started giggling. The entire scene brought back memories,
Flashback.
25th of December 1981.
Casa Potter (Undisclosed Location) Spain.
10 AM.
It was a long way from the Alps, that's the only thing the young werewolf came to realize as he woke up in a beautiful bedroom full of light. On top of his nightstand a hangover cure bottle stood, and a new set of fresh clothes and men's toiletry were in the bathroom.
He might as well not question the gifts. After ingesting the hangover potion, he took a long hot bath, shaved, and got ready for the morning. He brushed his teeth and went in search of the kitchen, which was suffused with heavenly aromas of breakfast.
It was then that he found a beautiful woman playing with a baby that smelled too much like his nephew Harry.
The woman looked up and there Remus stood, taken away by her loving gaze, a gaze that shifted from golden to emerald, causing Remus to recognize those eyes and the magic behind them.
"Lily? Oh my God, how can this be?" he said as he broken-heartedly lost strength in his legs and fell on his knees.
His fall drew the attention of the toddler, who babbled, "Mooey?"
"Harry?"
The beautiful ash-blond woman smiled gently and added, "Yes Harry, that is Moony, and he too is right. I am Lily, but I'm being hosted by Mary. Please rise, Remus, and let's have breakfast. Sirius, you've been playing in the dirt; I can smell you. I'm sure Remus can smell you too, go take a shower, if you please?"
"Spoilsport, I wanted to surprise Moony."
"Paddy, the last time you surprised me we were in the fifth year in Hogwarts. Now listen to the pretty lady and go take a shower."
"Hey, for your information, the pretty lady is called Mary, and she accepted being my girl, so no drooling, that is my right."
"Sweet Paddy, remember, dear Mary might find you attractive, but you are starting to annoy me. Hurry up so we can start the conversation, with you in it," said Lily/Mary.
"Yes dear," answered Sirius.
"I'll be damned, Sirius is actually cooperating. How did that happen?" asked Moony.
"Um, it's kind of a long story," said Lily.
After a while, Sirius came back from his shower and changed clothes. He found Remus crying his heart out, trying to make sense of the story and the magic behind it all.
"So, you are telling me that Harry just gave up? That he preferred a Dementor's kiss and that his untimely death created a curse that had the body of the teen returning to the cupboard under the stairs and drove the Dursleys' insane? That the Dursley's fled and crashed, but before moving away, the bastards put up a false wall to hide the body, and then you found it when you purchased the home? And your plea, along with Lily's plea, made it possible for you to be here and Harry too?"
"Yes, that is correct. Besides coming back, Lily made me the Regent of the Potters' and because of that, I could remove the tracking charms, magical blocks, and the cursed scar left in place by Albus Dumbledore," said Mary.
"I'll kill that bastard! He swore to me that Harry was safe. Just last week, he said that Harry was with his aunt Petunia and Vernon and that he was flourishing with all the love and attention he was receiving. That meddling old fool lied to me," said an indignant Remus.
Mary nodded and added as an afterthought, "And, if he lied to you about this, imagine all the other little lies he must be telling the magical world? The man must be stopped, but the word of a Squib, a Werewolf, and a fugitive mean very little in the current political climate. Before too long, everybody is going to go back and pretend the pureblood movement, the death eaters and the Dark Lord Voldemort are a thing of the past. As long as everybody is keen on denying reality, the place will be fertile ground for another Dark Lord, or a Light Lord, or the return of Voldemort, yes."
Lily's gaze returned briefly, and she nodded. "I've seen what happened, Remus, and it's not a happy ending. Before his fifteenth birthday, they took Harry hostage and Voldemort got a body back. He saw a classmate die, and his heart just gave up because of it. I want to skin Dumbledore alive, but I know all the traitors' names that went back to Voldemort's ranks, and killed, raped and tortured, before the royal armed forces came in along with MI6 and magical assault teams from over the world and annihilated Voldemorts' reign. By then, too many lives were lost and Magic started bleeding away from this place. Fortunately, the solution came in the presentation of an elderly lady, holding onto Harry's broken body and pleading for justice and love for this forgotten child. Mary accepted me, and I have a wonderful memory and a list of all the death eaters that need to be taken down. This is the part where you come in, but before that..."
Lily/Mary slapped Remus upside his head, "Don't you ever trust that lying old goat Dumbledore again, even if he tells you water is wet, got it?"
"Ouch, I'm sorry Lily, I promise," said a contrite Remus.
Harry began laughing, and Remus said, "He still laughs, Mary, uh, Lily, he still laughs, and that's all that matters."
Mary nodded as she dried her tears. "You're right."
"Although, I have a question?" said Remus.
"What?" asked Mary,
"Wouldn't you like to have me as your boyfriend, instead? I drool less," added Remus.
"Hey, hands-off! She chose me, and she has impeccable taste," added Sirius with a mouth full of chocolate pudding.
"Plus, he's very good with children," added Mary,
"Yeah, he still behaves like one," said Remus as he shook his head while Harry and Sirius started playing with food and painting the table.
"And besides making me laugh, I know that my life changed from the moment our magic touched. So, as cute as you are, Mr. Crazy, funny and sexy, beat you to it. I'm sorry, but hey, I somehow gathered that it does not mean you to be alone Remus," said Mary.
"I'll take your word for it," added Remus.
End of the flashback.
Present time.
2nd September 1991.
Undisclosed location. Car/Home trunk of Remus Lupin. Bulgaria.
2 AM.
After Mary sobered up and Remus put a shirt on, Mary said, "We have the rat."
"Seriously?" asked Remus.
"Remy, my friend, he is now in stump form and busy listening to the goblin yodeling experience. So as soon as you are able, get your mangy butt back to Wales, and we'll start working on the next part of the operation: moving Bathi and her nephew, and getting Rita Skeeter the opportunity to bury the long-bearded goat alive, 'capisce' (understood)?" asked Sirius.
"I'll see you guys at noon," said Remus.
"We'll be waiting. Good night Remus," said Mary.
"Good night," said Remus.
The mirror went back to its normal reflection and then Mary turned to Sirius, and said, "As soon as Remus is ready, we must tell Gussie, Alice, and Frank that the next phase of the revolution is near. We need to file the blood feuds within the Ministry and get the Prophecy Orb from the DOM. Lucius Malfoy still has the diary, and the diadem is hidden in Hogwarts. Tom Riddle's wraith is in the castle and it must be contained. We need the inside man to fulfill his promise.
"I hate this; I don't want to talk to the inside man. He basically wants Moony, and myself killed," added a contrite Sirius.
"Yes, of course, he wants you both dead, but he still has a life debt to the house of Potter and, in the meantime, he will have to keep his 'loving' feelings to himself. Now, Luz?"
"Mistress called?" answered the well-kept house-elf.
"Yes, I need you to take this note to Professor S. Wait for his answer and then come back," instructed Mary.
The house-elf nodded and disappeared, and Mary received an incoming call on her mirror.
"Good morning, Mrs. Simmons," said a healthy and peaceful-looking Severus T. Snape, and then his gaze dropped and his most nasal voice added in contempt, "Black."
"Why are you not wearing a shirt? Mary, I hate seeing this bat, but him without a shirt is just torture. I need to cleanse my eyes with vinegar now, excuse me," said Sirius and he left.
Mary sniggered and shook her head, then added, "Good morning, Professor Snape. I must apologize for the inconvenience of disturbing your sleep, given that later today the school term begins, but the need is dire. Could you meet with us next weekend via elf express in Potter Glen?"
Severus nodded, and said, "Yes. I must say, Andy, is looking nothing like his so-called, unauthorized biography books. He looks healthy, and I also noticed you have been careful in keeping slight glamours on him. However, it was a surprise to see the hat laughing itself silly after landing on Andy's head, but nothing as refreshing as witnessing Dumbledore's confusion on not getting Harry Potter. Thank you for that; I will cherish the moment to my dying day. Could I ask you a question, though?"
Mary nodded and Severus smiled, "Why did you ask the hat for Ronald Weasley to be sorted into Hufflepuff?"
"That boy was part of the reason my son originally lost hope. The child was not loyal, so I decided that the best place for his loyalty to develop was Hufflepuff. Do you disagree? Because, otherwise, placing him in Slytherin could have been disastrous, don't you think?" said Mary.
"I shudder just thinking of the idea that your son could have been so brokenhearted that he preferred a Dementor than to keep on living. According to Lily, five years after Harry's disappearance and the RAF making his move on the MOM, the Weasley's were hunted almost to extinction. No one lamented the loss of Harry and Hermione more than that boy, that, and Dumbledore not having enough balls to end the senseless killings before too long. Young Mr. Weasley learned too late what being loyal meant," sighed Severus. "Hufflepuff was the best place. Slytherin is the devil in comparison, according to the child."
"Severus, how's the arm?" asked Mary.
"Funny enough, only Mad-Eye noticed my new limb. He asked me where I got the replacement after my ' unknown terrible' accident," said Severus. Mary smiled without teeth and Severus continued,
"I told him it was a wild magic ceremony to remove my arm, channeled by the Native Americans. They made the limb replacement in a Gringotts medical facility in America. My magic centers the piece and rehabilitation is long and arduous, but the result is a fully functional limb, and no more Death Eater tattoo or its influence."
"So, Alastor is in America, chasing the same treatment?" asked Mary.
"That he is. The current tattoo on my limb is henna-based; I have to retouch it every day," added Severus.
"Well, I'm glad you have a choice now," said Mary.
"All thanks to you Mary," said Severus.
"Right, again, apologies for the interruption, and we'll meet next weekend in Potters' Glen. Good night Sev," said Lily/Mary with her emerald gaze, as the mirror ended the call.
As the image of Lily's eyes faded into nothing, Severus Snape inspected his reflection in the mirror and smiled at a perfect set of teeth. He looked a lot better, and that made him happy because now he could fill his Darth Vader Halloween costume. The girls at the Star Wars Conventions loved his exotic face and baritone voice. He even got pinched on his rear by the gorgeous model in the Twi'lek dancer costume at the last Comic-Con. That was one of his recent, favorite memories, along with the fading emerald eyes, that promised forgiveness and said his name quietly.
He went into meditation and rested. The time for justice was near. Oh, he would enjoy every second. Tom and Albus played him for a fool for several years. Now things would change, when Lily's wrath and Mary's care confronted the world and reminded everyone to never mess with the magic of a mother's love.
Severus could hardly believe this magic could exist, but when everything has gone to hell, and the fates decide to rewrite the stars to make a change, really, anything is possible. He still remembered feeling like an empty shell. Walking like a ghost, forsaken by good and evil, and then, one day, three years ago, his world turned upside down.
Flashback.
5th August 1988.
Spinner's End
Cokeworth
UK
10 AM.
Severus noticed the motorhome parking outside his childhood home and wondered if people in fact were that stupid to call attention to themselves in a sump as this part of town was. Thinking that it might be a set of American tourists, he stepped away from the window, that was, until he heard a woman's voice.
"This place is depressing," said the woman.
"Oh Darling, remember, Grimmauld is just as depressing, the difference being that this place feels warm and inviting," said a voice that stirred Severus' memory like a kick in the balls.
"Mom, did you live near this place, or was that part of the story made up?" asked a boy.
"Severus and I met in a park that is halfway from both his home and the Evans' place." The voice had changed to a sweet voice that he longed to hear again, even in dreams.
A couple of younger voices said in stereo, "Mom, there is a man behind the window."
"Is there? I thought he would be back in Hogwarts, but I guess even Hogwarts personnel take vacations. Paddy, please take the kids inside the motorhome; Andy come with me," said the woman in a different tone of voice.
The woman and child walked up to his door, and just as she was about to knock, Severus opened and a boy with emerald eyes looked up, while a woman with a similar shade of eyes observed him. The potions master was about to rudely ask all of them to leave, but he came to a halt as the woman curved her eyebrow and said, "Good morning Sev. It's so nice to see that you're still alive and just as miserable as the last time we talked, and busy trying to impersonate Tobias Snape with that sour welcome sneer."
"What, who, how do you know my father?" asked Severus.
"We have a long conversation overdue. Now, I want you to meet Andrew James Simmons, my son, however, he was born Harry James Potter." The woman smiled gently and said to the boy, "Andy, this is Severus T. Snape, my best friend while growing up."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Snape, I'm Andy," said Harry(Andy) while extending his hand.
Severus was gobsmacked, but he nodded and extended his hand. He shook Andy's hand and said to the newcomers, "I'm at a loss, have we met before?" Mary smiled and said, "Yes, I was once Lily Evans, and now I share my essence with Mary Simmons, the lady standing in front of you. And before you think, I'm an impostor, I have a gift for you."
Lily/Mary brought her hand out and opened her palm to reveal a flower, a small daisy, that opened and closed just like an eye, blinking. Andy said, "Mom, that's beautiful!"
Severus promptly fainted. Seconds later, Sirius Black was standing next to Mary and said, "Wow, you give the git a flower and he faints. I should have asked for that gift idea back at Hogwarts, Lils. It might have prevented a lot of bad blood between us. I mean, the flower is just like garlic to the dungeon bat isn't it?"
"Seriously Sirius, you're two seconds from being smacked upside the head. Shut up and let's take him to the van. I really need to speak to him. He is crucial for us to win this war."
"Okay fine, no need to get physical. Damn he's heavy," said Sirius.
Lily/Mary sighed and made a gesture with her hand. The shape of Severus shifted to a wine glass, and she gave the glass to Luz to place it in the guestroom.
Severus woke up and noticed he was inside a beautiful room. No, it wasn't Malfoy manor; it was somewhere loving and inviting. He was clean and shaved, and then he realized something happened to his left arm, because currently, from his elbow to his fingertips, the arm was encased in gold. Wait, no, it was an amber shield, and the casing was warding the magic from the dark brand. It didn't hurt him but in fact, neutralized the influence of the dark magic.
He stood in wonder, contemplating how something like this could be possible when a woman appeared at the door of his room. Severus realized that the powerful lady no longer had Lily's eyes, but amber ones, and just as Lily said, she had an aura of peace. She said, "You've been asleep for a while. Hi, I'm Mary Simmons and my story sounds more absurd every time I tell it. I know, Professor Snape, that you are a skilled legilimens, so I'm going to pass on my knowledge and reason for being here that way. Afterward, I will answer all of your additional questions."
Two hours later, Severus regained his mind and, after taking a calming potion, returned to where Mary was sitting. He said, "I believe you. Now, how can I help you, Mrs. Simmons?"
Mary smiled and said, "Just be a friend, Mr. Snape, a friend to all of us, and trust me, things will change and shift in your favor; For starters, did you know that the dark mark can be removed?"
"Really?" asked a gobsmacked Severus.
"Yes, but the treatment might just kill you, or the limb affected with the tainted protean charm might need to be chopped off. Yes, I know you need that arm to stir potions, but I wouldn't be proposing the solution unless I had a one-hundred percent chance of delivering results."
"I'm still listening Mrs. Simmons," added Severus.
"The goblins have a medical facility and a way to manipulate time in between one second to the next. The combination of those two factors will provide you the chance to be like the wolf that cuts his paw to be free from the bear trap he has fallen in. Think about it, will you? Whatever you choose, I will respect it."
"Thank you, Mrs. Simmons. No wonder Lily chose you as her vessel; you are a brilliant woman and unique human being."
"Nah, I was just unable to keep my tears in the face of injustice. Fortunately, my plea got an answer, but it also came with a load of responsibility. Lily wanted to see you and let you know that she too felt your heartbreak on that terrible Halloween night back in 1981. Rest now. Let those tears on your face cleanse your soul and, when you are ready, let my house-elf Luz know. Good evening, Mr. Snape."
"Severus, please call me Severus, Mrs. Simmons."
"Severus, thank you, please call me Mary, good night."
"Good night."
End of flashback.
Severus blinked back and realized he was ready, and that was enough, for now.
Meanwhile, back at Potters' Glen. The Blacks were talking after a busy evening.
"Did I ever tell you how awesome it is to have you speaking Parseltongue?"
"Nope, say it again though," said a smiling Mary.
"You're a squib, despite that, you can see magical creatures and speak to them. It's like that movie, Dr. Doolittle. I have my version of the sexy animal doctor, I mean, you keep on surprising me at every turn."
Mary smiled and said, "Ever since I was just a toddler, I could perceive things differently to the rest of the surrounding people. I did not know what many of the sounds were, but I've never been opposed to reptiles. I don't go in search of them, but I find them very interesting. Four years ago wasn't an exception. That, and Lily's magic helped me realize I had more gifts than I originally thought."
Flashback.
15th of July 1987
Hogsmeade
Scotland UK
1 am.
"Remind me again, why are we stopping here?" asked Sirius Black.
"Sirius, there is a muffled cry, and it's coming from the forest, now listen?"
The cry sounded again, "~~Please, please someone open the hatch. I need to come out and hunt those creatures. I need to safeguard the castle and forest. Please help, anyone?!~~"
Andy woke up and said, "Mom, there is a sound; someone is trying to get out and help someone over there." Andy pointed to a dense part of the forbidden forest.
"I knew it, you can hear it too Andy?" asked Mary to the child who was rubbing his eyes and yawning.
"Yeah, the cry from the trees is scary."
"Okay, for the sake of saving that thing in the forest, let's find the hatch," said Mary.
"Mistress, please be careful. These parts are dangerous and that creature inside the hatch seems huge," said Luz.
Lily's green eyes shone and she added, "Luz, Sirius, there are no accidents. I know what that creature is, and if they made it to be a guardian and not a monster, this needs to be done. Worry not for Mary and me, Luz, take Sirius and Harry back to the van in case this goes to hell, understood?"
Sirius protested, but Lily said, "Sirius, Mary is the one that made the journey based on faith. Please have faith in us, and let Mary do her thing."
"Fine, but I'm accepting this only under protest."
Sirius and Harry held back while Mary walked to the place the sound came from and she spoke, scaring the crap out of Sirius and making Harry open his eyes in amazement.
"~~Guardian of the Castle, I will set you free and I will help you with your task. I must, however, ask you to please not attack me or my family.~~"
The reply came a moment later. "~~Your scent is not familiar, but I don't sense any malice in your magic. You're a speaker, however, you are not the only one who understands me. Very well, I will not attack you or your family, but please, let me fulfill my duties.~~"
"~~Granted,~~" said Mary, and Lily's magic liberated the hatch from which a gargantuan serpent emerged and, without stopping to say thank you, the king of Snakes slid like fluid mercury in search of its foe.
Sirius, Luz, and Harry were speechless at the gigantic serpent, but what blew their mind was that Mary sprinted behind the titan serpent and ran to the middle of the forest, as though she was an Olympic champion.
Sirius transformed to his dog form, and Luz took Andy's hand as the frightening shrieks of acromantula echoed in the woods as they were approached by the mythical foe locked within the Hogwarts castle for centuries.
The following fight scared Sirius to the bone, as his wife burned, maimed, and turned everything around her into ashes with her control over Fiendfyre. The basilisk began eating the spiders as popcorn, and a Unicorn foal cried until it felt a boy near her.
"Calm down, my mother is taking care of those ugly spiders, you're safe," said Harry as he detached the foal from its silk cocoon casing, and then the mother, who was suffering from the venom from the acromantula.
Sirius wondered why the Headmaster did not blink an eye at the fire or mayhem, since he knew the old coot could hardly stay away from a scuffle between magical beings, particularly the ones with two legs and two arms and a head. He prayed for help with these spiders, and it was then that he stumbled over a fallen piece of cloth, which in turn complained at his foot stepping over it. "Sirius Black, get off me, and help the millennial guard Betsy," said the Hogwarts Sorting Hat.
"You're kidding, the snake is a she, and her name it's Betsy?" said Sirius.
"Ah Dad, could you help Luz, she is being chased by the enormous spider to your left?" said Andy.
"Oh, no you frigging don't. Potter elves come forward. Jules, you protect Andy, the rest of you, follow me; let's help my wife the Regent Potter. Charge!"
Well, the fight didn't last long. Jules and Luz stunned Hagrid as he rushed through the woods in order to save his beasties, and the rest of the house-elves burned the spider's nest as they took an example from their mistress. Mary turned around and found the foal and unicorn mother and gently began healing them. Once the mare was done, the house-elf Luz said,
"Mistress, the Mother says thank you, and to please take her blood to heal those who are in need."
"Thank you. I do have several elves that were hurt. Do you feel ready to return to the forest?"
The mother and her young moved quietly and disappeared. Only then a second voice said,
"Betsy, my dear, are you feeling better?" asked the Sorting Hat.
Mary heard the giant snake reply, "~~Alastair, dear friend, I'm exhausted but, for the first time in a thousand years, full! I think I will hibernate and digest for a decade. I'm just sorry that the half-giant suffered again because of my appearance. Those eight-legged creatures had mean bites, and I even chipped a fang. Warrior woman, be careful with that piece of fang. The venom is more acidic than the spiders. Only the dragon's skin is resistant to the poison. I am glad that we crossed paths. Your mate and his army fought bravely, probably Gryffindors all of you. Oh, no, don't turn around, my gaze is deadly. Last time a poor girl was killed in a bathroom in the castle, except for Alastair, no one can look at me.~~"
Mary stepped up and took the Sorting Hat. She placed it on her head and covered her eyes, then asked the cloth, "Please, Mr. Hat, tell me where the guardian is hurting. She fought just as bravely?"
She took the unicorn blood and rubbed gently, causing the wounds on the reptile to close at the tiny amounts being rubbed as the hat instructed her to continue.
Sirius believed he was close to laying an egg. His beautiful Mary turned out to be far more crazy and gifted than he believed or imagined. He observed her dispensing aid to the colossal snake and then turned around to ask her wounded elves to close their eyes and let Betsy go to sleep, plus tending the magical aides the same way as the enormous snake. Opposed to those elves that remained unhurt, to clean the mess and put the fire out, returning the woods to a similar state before the battle.
Once all the damage got contained, and the woods were almost back to the original state, Mary said to the hat, "Where is Albus Dumbledore?"
"He had an ICW meeting and he will be back next Monday the 20th. He'll probably go visit Gellert in Nurmergard before his return. Now, what do you intend to tell Hagrid?" asked Alastair.
"I don't know, but we cannot leave him laying on the ground," said Mary.
"If you want to, I could lock his memory, like in a dream. I don't believe he would trust you," said Alastair.
"You know, that sounds like a good idea," replied Mary.
"I have my moments. It's the least I could do. Betsy and I used to have a way to converse with each other, that is until Dumbledore took residence in Hogwarts as a Transfiguration teacher. Now, with Betsy out of her captivity, I will connect with her, here in the forest. I know for a fact that there are still another two acromantula nests, and she will be more than happy to keep control over their numbers."
Mary took the hat off, since the Basilisk had been long gone, and placed it on Hagrid's slumbering head. After a moment, the hat said, "It's done, now, if you don't mind, Mr. Black, kindly return the sword of Gryffindor?"
"Huh, oh yes, of course!" Sirius cleansed the blade and placed it back inside the hat.
"I have one last question for you, Mr. Hat?" said Mary.
"Go on," said the Hat.
"Could you teach me how to alter people's minds just like you did Hagrid?"
The hat nodded, which made Harry laugh.
"Of course, and don't think I did not notice from our previous conversation that you don't trust the youngest boy of the Weasley children. I too will see, when the time is right, if I can sort him into a better house than the gold and crimson," added the hat privately, as Mary placed it again on her head.
After the hat's lesson on legilimens, they returned Hagrid to his hut via elf express, and Alastair the sorting Hat retired with a happy, "By your leave Lady Mary."
Sirius thanked the elves and asked for them to continue with their errands, but not before promising splendid gifts on Christmas. He ordered everyone away, including Andy, and once alone, he took a hold of Mary, held her against his chest, and began trembling. He whispered into her ear, "That was the stupidest and bravest thing I ever witnessed. Please don't scare me like that again." Then he began crying just like a baby, to which Mary replied,
"Okay, I promise that the only whooping aloud on a Wednesday will be just in the movies, deal?" asked Mary,
"What? Yes, okay," said Sirius, and then two seconds later he began laughing, it was a Wednesday after all. He took her in his arms, and said, "Now I'm horny, and it's all your fault. Come, wife, we have to settle this before morning breaks, and you remember, you have little tykes you have to care for."
"Oh my, aftermath sex, okay."
End of flashback.
"I love you, my beautiful, scary, and loving Mary," said Sirius.
"And I love you my wonderful loving, sexy and possessive mate," said Mary and closed the early morning with a kiss.
The Blacks would rise to the challenge again, but in the meantime, they would make sure that love manifested too. Everything else could wait.
-oo0oo-
