Disclaimer: It's JK Rowlings... I'm jealous, but its all hers. I am just glad we get to play in the wonderland she created!

Author's note: The italics are thoughts... keep up, the roller coaster ride just started...

Return to the Memories August 2008

As hoped for, when the Portkey released them, Sirius was still laying flat on his wife. She stunned him immediately upon arrival in her home. She had first thought to take him to Texas, but on second thought, found that hiding him in plain sight was the better choice. Her children would be looking for them. She had sealed the house against everyone; invoked the Fidelias Charm, with herself as Secret Keeper, before she left. She knew there was a possibility that she would not be able to bring him into the home. The alternate plan was to bring him to the gates and levitate him; luckily that was not necessary.

She pushed him off of her, rolling the dead weight across the bed. Looking at his battered form, she knew he would need to be seen by a healer before they could do much. She stood on shaking legs; called the house elf and had food and coffee brought to the room. She watched him for a few moments; collecting her thoughts. Her headache was beginning as always happened when she used magic; but there was little choice at the point. She hoped Remus would be there soon, as she needed to get something for the aching behind her temples.

A full half hour after they arrived, she heard Remus' voice. He came into the room. Looking at the form on the bed, he crossed to her as she stood to almost fall in his arms. "Baby, are you okay?"

"No, I...stunned him as soon as I got here; hoped you'd be nice enough to enervate him. I don't think I can… my head feels like it's going to implode. He needs a visit from the healer, Remus. His body looks horrible. Perhaps it is just as it was when he fell through. Maybe that'll mean no time has passed for him. He'll still think he is in the Department of Mysteries." He nodded his understanding, relishing as he always did when he held her. He kissed her forehead gently.

She pulled out of his arms and walked near the bed. Reaching in his robes, she removed Sirius' wand. Remus could see her pain as she looked at her husband. The heart break would not lessen her headache. "Now?" She nodded again.

"Enervate." He flicked his wand

The world seemed to stop for a moment when his eyes opened. They were hazy and unfocused. He turned his head from side to side trying to shake the fog from his vision. Finally, it cleared. He saw… her. "Rowan?" He wanted to reach for her, but his arms wouldn't work properly as his body ached.

"Siri, lie still for a minute; Remy is getting Poppy," as the words left her mouth, the healer and Albus Dumbledore entered the room.

Poppy, as her usual form, bustled in, looked at, cleaned and healed the wounds. Gave him a potion for the concussion, and just before leaving, leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "Welcome back, Padfoot, we've missed you." She then slipped a mint into his mouth. Turning she added, "This is for you Rowan; I assumed you would have a headache," handing her the potion and left the room.

Albus and Remus stood just out of sight of their friend Sirius Black. Silent tears falling from the smoldering brown eyes as they watched the reunion. They were not there to intrude, but keep whatever peace was possible. Rowan took her potion, one hand on the corner poster of the bed, as she closed her eyes to let it work. Sirius began to sit up as the fog cleared from his mind. Seeing her, he reached slowly, studying her as he touched his wife for the first time in so very long. He looked at her face, clearly in pain, while waiting for the potion to take effect. Her head was held high. 'So very Rowan' he thought. He let her find her peace for a moment without words.

Her eyes fell to the hand that held hers. She followed that arm back up to the broad shoulders and long haired face of the man she had never truly stopped loving. "Siri?" He pulled her gently as he lay back on the bed. Holding her close, she lay next to him. No other words were spoken as he held her. Albus made a mental note to give Poppy a raise for the mint and potions that would give her patients clear heads right before making them sleep. Albus and Remus slipped from the room as the couple fell into a deep sleep. Remus made sure her glamours were in place and at full strength as he felt the tears slip from his eyes once again over his two lovers lost.

They slept; waking long enough to use the loo and return to bed. They were not awake at the same time however, one would watch the other sleep as they ate or took a drink of whatever the house elf had brought in regularly, neither realizing that the food and drink contained sleeping draughts. Each returned to the bed shared by the couple, holding the other as the healing sleep continued. Sirius slept well for the first time since Lily and James had been killed; sleep without nightmares, holding one he loved close.

Poppy visited them on a regular basis. Albus checked on them no less than twice a day to restore her glamours, but Remus kept his distance, not wanting to see his lovers entertwined without him.

Remus, Albus, and Poppy took the time to discuss the healing that had been done while they were away. The counseling had helped her mental state, but her magic now seemed to be waning. Neither was sure if the headaches were the cause, or if the magic caused the headaches.

Almost four days later, Rowan woke long enough to want to take a shower. The elves had used their magic to keep them clean, but she still feeling a bit gritty, she pulled out of his arms, and left the bedroom. Entering the bathroom, she closed the door behind her. Taking her hair down from the now useless bun it had been in for so long, the ponytail holder was tangled in so much hair, she had to cut the tight band out. She let her thick dark brown hair fall almost to her waist. She wondered vaguely if she would ever get the grey hair she felt she earned over the past few years.

She showered, washing her body and her hair, silently thanking God above that the spell Remus used to shave her legs and other parts of her body lasted a year at a time. She began the meticulous task of combing her hair; although the magic comb helped more than she wanted to admit though. When she finally finished she realized just how long it really was. 'He's never seen it like this.' As she brushed her teeth, she looked in the mirror; wiping the steam from it in order to look at herself. The toothbrush fell into the sink with a clatter at what she saw. The dark circles, to which she had grown so used to seeing, were gone. Her face was tight and her eyes…. they had a light in them again. She thought perhaps it was a glamour, but when she touched her eyes, the bags were no longer felt.

Remus loved her without the glamours that she wore so often, but long ago, she grew used to seeing her reflection of a woman who was older than her years. Her skin, usually a dull white, now had color. It had to be more than a shower; more than magic. Pulling out of her thoughts, she reached for her clothes which hung on the back of the door, and dressed in silence.

She pulled her still wet hair out of the deep red tank top she now wore, letting the wetness flow down her back. The waistband of her black silk pajama bottoms grew wet as well from the hair. She decided to go ahead and put the top on as well when she looked at the scars down her arms, knowing there were more across her now hidden chest, stomach, and back. They wouldn't matter though. She only knew one thing…the change in her body and soul was him…and it would last until he knew everything.

A small pop from behind was heard as a house elf appeared. "Can you restore just the glamours to cover the scars?" The elf nodded, worked her magic and disappeared.

Sirius watched her as she walked away from him; watched as the love of his life closed the door, but made no move to join her. He rose and left the room to his own private shower. As he closed the door, undressed and walked directly for the shower. After washing his body, beard, and long hair, he stood with the water washing over him. His mind was going over the fight at the ministry.

Silent thoughts flowing even as the water rushed to the drain around him. 'What could have happened that would make her come back to me? It had been her, he was sure of it. He had watched her sleep. Merlin, she's beautiful. Even more now than when I was smart enough to marry her. Her hair though, had she cut it? He really hadn't thought of it before. It was up in some kind of bun thing. How could it still be when they had slept for so long. How long had they slept anyway?' He wasn't tired anymore. It felt as though he had come home again.

Coming out of his silent revelry, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he walked to the sink, reached for the toothbrush, and began brushing his teeth. The mirror was steamed though, as he wiped it, he looked to his reflection. 'I need to shave.' He realized he didn't have his wand so the only other option was to do it the old fashioned way. With that thought, he finished brushing his teeth and opened a drawer. Grabbing the scissors and razor, he began what he liked to call the self mutilation of men everywhere.

He finished some time later. When he at last washed his face again, he felt younger than his thirty seven years. His face, once so gaunt, had a healthier appearance; the color was just good. He smiled, amazed to find his teeth weren't too bad, but he decided to brush them again, just to be sure. He looked at his hair, loving every sloppy wet curl as it cascaded over his shoulders. He decided not to cut it. Smiling, he thought that it was probably longer than Rowan's now.

And with a raised eyebrow, he practiced his flirt in the mirror. Laughing out loud, he turned, grabbed the clothes which hung on the back of the door, and dressed, unable to contain the happiness that flooded through him.

They returned at almost the exact same time. Both fully awake and recharged from the almost eighty hours of sleep. Their eyes met. She could see the desire, but knew that they could not go there; not yet. "Welcome home Siri." 'God, he's gorgeous.' He was standing in a pair of fitted dark blue silk pajamas.

"Hello Rowan." 'She's still perfect…' He didn't walk closer to her; not quite sure she was real. "Are you really here?" She nodded, turning away to get a cup of coffee, when she realized she couldn't say anything.

She heard him gasp and turned quickly to meet his gaze. "Your hair is so long." She nodded again. He loved everything about her. He was trying so hard to start a casual conversation with her, but she knew everything she had to tell him, and none of it was casual. She didn't know how to do this now that he was here again. "Rowan, talk to me. Let me hear your voice." He walked toward her. He reached to touch her.

He was too close. Her mind wouldn't work. His lips… so close… she closed her eyes as her mouth opened. "Siri…" she said, moving away from him to a seat by the window. He followed her, sitting across from her in the great wing backed chair, "there is… a lot we need to talk about. But in order to know where to start, I need to know what the last thing you remember."

He told her of the fight in the Department of Mysteries, and of waking up in her arms. "That's it?" He nodded, reaching for a cup of tea. "Oh boy… Then this is not going to be easy… at all… now Sirius, please, don't get upset. Okay?" He nodded. "That was over three years ago." He sat back, mid reach, and looked at her.

"Three years?"

"Just over three, actually, during the fight in the Ministry, you fell into the veil. Harry and the others brought you out, but… I… brought you here before they could talk to you."

"Why?"

"Because we have a lot to talk about and… the kids are really angry with me as it is, and I had nothing to lose, but now I don't know where to start..."

"The beginning is usually the best place…" He seemed to be trying to collect himself, and she continued as he reached again for a cup of tea.

"Yes, but which beginning?" She asked, "Why don't you go first?"

He snorted, "I think you want to talk more than I do."

"No, really, Remus has told me part of it. But I would like you to fill in the parts like you getting to the Ministry."

He looked at her for a few minutes before he started to talk. When he finished his explanations, she was on her third cup of coffee. She nodded at exactly the right times, and even though Remus had told her everything last year, it was good to hear his version. Finally he stopped talking and asked the question he wanted to know most, "Why are you here?"

She was almost startled by the question. "I told you that Harry and the others had the veil release you and I brought you here." She was clearly playing for time. He knew her too well to be put off however.

"Rowan, either you answer the question or I kiss you. I, for one, hope you choose to not answer." He gave her the practiced waggle of his eyebrows and broke into a grin. "I think maybe you should tell me about… why you came back to England."

"I would, but honestly… it isn't the right time. I am going to get you to Harry and the others. They are so pissed off at me for taking you out of the Ministry. Just remember, whatever they tell you is probably true. That being said, let's get dressed and I can get you to them." She turned to leave him to pull on her jeans.

He watched her for a moment, just a bit disappointed at the sudden end of the conversation, "But, I don't want to leave here yet."

She turned around, "I will be here if, after you hear them out, you want to come back."

"Will you go with me?"

"Only as far as Professor Dumbledore and Remus, but no I won't face the kids. When I say they are angry at me, I am not exaggerating."

"Then you'll need me to mediate," she snorted, "let me talk to Albus, I'll set something up," he moved in closer to her; she stepped away, "trust me Rowan…" she nodded without conviction.

An hour later, they were sitting in the headmaster's office, trying to figure out what to do next. Sirius was told of his daughter's relationship with Draco as well as the facts relating to Lucius and Narcissa's relationship with the group. They had expected the Malfoy's to be there and did not want to add fuel to the fire when Sirius realized that they were at the initial meeting as well.