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

Author's (that's me!) Note: Please notice that Rowan did NOT tell Sirius of her abductions. He doesn't know!

NC-17 -- A Rescue and Revelation

The day after the party was one of recovery for the young sorcerers. Each had stayed up late to talk to the important dignitaries of the Wizarding World, soliciting continued support for their efforts and such. When at nearly three o'clock in the morning, everyone had either left or turned in for the morning; the eight had sat up talking about the successes of the party. It was almost dawn when they left one another to sleep for the morning.

The afternoon of November 1st, 2008 brought a strange hum from Harry's ring. He woke to the tingling up his arm as he came out of a dream of strong arms wrapped around him, of his body being speared by something hard and the hiss of a low voice in his ear. He relished in the dream even as it faded from the light of day.

The hum from his ring intensified. He sat up, looked around, and found the source. His ring was getting almost an attitude regarding his inaction. He looked at it and then hurried to check on the parchment for imminent danger for a child. There was revealed to be just one name on the parchment, CANNON CENTAUR - FORBIDDEN FOREST, HOGWART'S. He scribbled a note for Ginny, dressed quickly and flooed to Hagrid's hut.

Hagrid was still asleep from the night before; glad it was a Saturday. Harry woke him from a distance, not knowing if he would be one that woke swinging or not. Hagrid grunted when he heard Harry's voice calling to him. He rolled over to look at the messy hair of one of his closest friends without realizing that Harry was almost in a panic. Finally sitting up, he looked to his young friend. "Ar' righ' th'r 'Arry?"

"The parchment that shows a child in danger has shown a Centaur foal in the Forbidden Forrest, I need your help to get to him and figure out what has happened." Hagrid stared blankly at him for a moment, "NOW, HAGRID! I NEED TO GET TO HIM." That was enough to get him in gear. He was up and dressed before Harry could get Fang's leash on him, which he gave up. Hagrid, Hagrid's crossbow, Harry, and Fang left the hut to find Cannon Centaur who was in such trouble that he had called for Harry's help.

Harry looked to the huge man standing next to him as they entered the Centaur home of Bain. "Sir, I have been told that there is a Centaur foal that is in need of my help, his name is Cannon. Do you know him?"

"Sir is a term for humans, Harry Potter. Cannon left yesterday and has not been seen since. How is it that you have come to know of him?" Harry related the shortened version of his arrival. "We will assist you in your quest to save one of our own then." Bain called to the other Centaurs for assistance.

The search was joined by Ginny, Ron, and Hermione a short time later. They assured Harry that Mason, Madison, and Draco were on their way as well. She also noted that they had sent messages for Remus, Sirius and Rowan as well. Dumbledore apparated next to Harry seconds later. The teams were divided, Mason joining Albus in the search.

Sirius arrived at the same time Remus did, telling Mason that his mother had a horrible headache and he would need to leave them as soon as possible. Remus bit his tongue to prevent the questions from tumbling out of his mouth. As luck would have it, the mission was one of utmost urgency and needed their full attention.

The search took almost an hour. On the very edge of the cliff overlooking the lake, they found the foal. Cannon had fallen down a steep ridge and was injured. Draco apparated next to the fallen centaur, assessed him with limited knowledge of Centaur anatomy. He left the foal to return to the now assembled group. "If I don't miss my guess, at least one leg is broken; he has a head wound and at least one broken rib that is sticking out of the skin. I don't know enough about Centaurs to tell you anymore."

A beautiful palomino female centaur named Casey was introduced by Bain as one of the herd's healers. "But I can't get to him without assistance." Looking at her, it was decided that they would levitate her to the fallen foal; Harry apparated to him as an end point for the others to see. Hermione and Ron, working in unison, levitated Casey to land near Harry.

Once a thorough examination was completed, the foal was secured to the largest plank of solid wood Harry had ever conjured, and levitated back to solid ground. Once there, Ginny, Hermione, Madison, and Draco followed the healer and the foal back to the Herd's healing hut. Harry apparated to the herd's area with Sirius close behind; soon they told them that Cannon would be okay.

Once that declaration was made, Sirius said his goodbyes and returned to Rowan. Remus watched him go and decided that he would join them later, whether he was welcome or not.

Cannon's stark red hair made Hermione of the children she would some day have with her fiancé, and was pleased when she was able to help with potions and spells to repair the damage of the fall.

Harry consulted Bain regarding Cannon's parents. "He is alone in the herd. His parents were two of those Centaurs killed fighting the human war. We have each taken care of him as is customary in our herd."

"Do you think, perhaps, that he ran away?"

Bain sighed, "Yes, Harry Potter, I do believe he was running away in an attempt to escape the life here."

"Would you allow him to come live at the Riddle House? I know he would be the only one of his kind, but perhaps, he could find some healing when he learns that he was not the only child to have lost parents in the war. We have almost 300 human children currently. Most of them are there because their parents were killed in the war too."

Bain reflected on the idea for a bit. "Casey will need to accompany him, should he decide to go. We have other healers here, but if she were willing to go, perhaps it would be best." They shook hands at the agreement, leaving Ron in shock.

EXPLORATION

Sirius returned to Rowan as soon as possible. He took a quick shower and laid down with her, pulling her into his arms to rest once again as he touched her arm as he spooned behind her. That's how Remus found them: asleep. He was not aware of the hours of explanations that had ensued, her headache, of Sirius' departure to the Forbidden Forest, or of his discoveries of her scars. He took his seat where Sirius had sat earlier, set the vial of Headache remedy on the table and waited for them to wake up; assuming she would tell him all she knew, but that he would still have questions.

He didn't have to wait long until he heard a whimper. Looking to the sleeping woman, he watched as the whimper turned into a sob, and then the begging started. The fear and panic rising with each moment of the nightmare that took over. He had seen this too many times to hesitate to help her. Standing, he walked to the far side of the bed.

Sirius' eyes opened and met his as she fought Sirius' hold on her. "Padfoot -- let her go." Remus told him, and he did.

She fought the covers; Remus pulled them off. He waited as she scrambled away, pushing herself into the headboard. Remus crawled in on the other side of her.

She pulled her knees up and made herself as small as possible; shaking as she held her knees close to her body, sobbing out the name that shocked both men: "…Siri…" The word was barely audible through the fear. She was still asleep. She rocked side to side… uttering the words over and over… 'Remy...Don't leave me…. Siri….'

Sirius reached to hold one hand, following Remus' lead as he calmly held the other one. Sirius sat beside her, his back against the headboard. He let Remus take the lead and copied his actions carefully.

But this time, Sirius Black was determined not to lose her a third time to this man. Instead, he released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, easing her into him; pulling her away from Remus. He spoke in her ear; quieting her fears; telling her of his love and forgiveness; promising her that he would never leave her again.

The tears flowed down Remus' cheeks as he heard the words from his friend. The pledge, which she was so confident she would never hear, had now been made. Her fears abated as she slowly left the dream to draw closer to his words. When her eyes opened; she reached to the one who spoke to her, her husband; drawing him into a passionate kiss.

Remus smiled a sad smile, knowing that they were now together and he would never be part of it. He rose, put out the candles, and cast a quick charm to close the window curtains; leaving the couple in the dark to talk to the only one who understood: Albus.

The couple spoke very little. She loved him, she always had. Through the kisses and tears, she begged him to forgive her, and he did. He begged her forgiveness and received it. The evening of passion that ensued was unlike any other in their memory. Complete and unbridled, they took their time rediscovering one another.

As their kisses led to the touches, she pulled his shirt over his head. He lay her on her back and softly opened her top. Kissing each centimeter of skin as it was revealed. She shivered in his touch, her hands in his hair, urging him downward. He took his time, resisting the pressure of her push, to suck and nibble on the rings in her nipples.

She gasped at the sensation that went straight to her clit. She could feel the pressure of her 'sweet spot' as Remy had called it so many times. The pulse of the blood in her body as Sirius' hand finally made its way across her navel to the waist of her pants.

His fingers felt sure as they searched. The grin on his face as he found no hair. The hitch in his breath when she opened her still clothed legs for access and he felt the labia rings on each side. He looked into her eyes for a moment, before pulling his hand out.

She groaned at the loss of contact. He made short work of removing her pants, however, as he was eager to see what he had felt. As she opened her legs once again, his eyes were riveted to the way the candlelight reflected of the series of hoops. She watched as he licked his lips.

With a smile, she reached both hands down and gently pulled apart the wet lips to show the prize: Her clit was pierced. She raised her hips to make it move a bit and groaned at the feelings.

He gently brushed his hand across to more mewling sounds from her. He stood for a moment as she continued to move her hips. He undressed quickly, his eyes never leaving the slickened skin and rings. When he lay flat on the bed, his head between her thighs, he began to lick slowly from her dark hole to the wet one. Relishing in the taste of his beloved. His forearms resting on her thighs, too intent on the taste to feel the brands beneath the strongest glamour.

She wrapped her hands in his hair once again as she felt his tongue. She thought of the barbell she had not replaced in her tongue in the past few days and grinned at the thought of returning this favor to him...later...much later... after she... began... to have... her... "Oh Siri... please don't stop... please... oh, oh, oh, oh... yes!" As her orgasm exploded around his tongue and he dipped it deeper to taste her.

She pulled his hair to bring him to her. He languished in taste and smell that enveloped his senses. Loving every second and drip of her. He kissed his way up her body until he lay flat on her. His elbows firmly on the bed he looked into her eyes.

"Kiss me..." and he did, sharing the taste of her. She was enthralled with the way he shared it. His kisses passionate and complete. His cock hard against her wet lips, she raised her hips and spread her knees. "Please Siri... inside...please..." Her sentence incomplete as he kissed her.

He pushed forward, breaching her, entering her, pushing and pulling until he was seated deep within. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he started to thrust harder. Her panting and mewling sending his hormones through the roof. His pace increased, his whispers in her ear... "I love you Ro..." over and over he told her of his love as she panted through her third orgasm.

Her muscles clamped around him as he yelled her name into her shoulder, completing their first time. Continuing small whispers until they were both spent, they fell asleep once again.

Morning came with the sun shining brightly into the room. He looked at her sleeping face. When she opened her eyes, she smiled at him. "Tell me this is not a dream…" He smiled, shook his head no, and he kissed her lightly on the forehead. His hands touched her again.

She pulled the sheet over her naked body; it was fine to spend the night with them both naked, but in the light of day, she could not bear to be seen. Blushing, she ducked her head and pulled away from him. Pulling the sheet with her, she wrapped it tightly around her body and walked from the room.

Her stomach growled when she walked into her bathroom, closed the door and stood shaking. She held the sheet wrapped around as much of her body as she could cover with it. It went around her several times and draped down the back falling on the floor.

He lay there for only a moment before following her. She looked up when the door opened. Staring wide eyes, she looked into the eyes of the man she loved. "What? Can I not have a few minutes of privacy?"

"After the night we had? Privacy? Rowan, love, come on, what's this all about?"

She turned away from him. He moved closer to her. He could see her trembling as he touched her arms with his hands, pulling her against his body. He breathed in the scent of her hair. He could feel her body tense as she felt him. "Please…" she muttered.

"Please what Rowan? Anything, tell me." He begged her as he gently pulled at the sheet wrapped around her.

"Please don't do this." She stood rigid with panic; she was weak from the headache and not eating for so long. Her breathing quickened. He was going to see her. "…no…"

"I love you. Don't what?"

"I…can't… you don't understand…" She gripped the last layer of sheet.

He pulled just a bit harder and her protection fell. The light shining in the large window made her feel like she was standing in a spotlight. Her breasts heaved with hidden sobs as she raised her hands to cover her face. Her hair, having long since fallen out of the pony tail, covered most of her torso and back, but her body blushed at the embarrassment, making the scars white against the red. He walked around her, looking at her from every angle. The gold rings reflecting the bright sunlight.

He moved her hair from the front to the back to see her breasts clearly. She felt like a doll being purchased. When he moved her hair to the front and touched the lines on her back, she shivered. He saw the gold ring at the base of her neck and flipped it once. Her breath drew in harder sobs as she felt his touch, his judgment of what she had no control over and what she had not yet admitted to him.

He looked at her for a moment longer, walked away from her to turn the taps on in the bathtub. He released himself in the loo as she stood with her face in her hands.

When the tub finished filling, he turned back to the naked woman who was still crying, ashamed, softly into her hands. He walked back to her, taking her hands away from her face, and led her to the tub. He eased in first and silently begged her to join him. She did, without looking at his face, and sat between his legs. He pulled her body against him, grunted for a moment, pushed her forward, adjusted himself, and pulled her back again. She smiled a bit as she lay against him. The water was warm and the bubbles perfect.

"You don't have to be ashamed of scars." He whispered in her ear just as she had started to relax. He felt her tense again. "You didn't bother to notice that I have a fair few myself. The fights I've been in between being an Auror and all the time I spent as a Padfoot." He felt her nod against his chest. His fingers lightly grazing her arms as she relaxed against him again. "Now that I've have seen all of your scars, I… actually am impressed."

"Impressed?"

"You survived them."

"Oh."

"Ro, listen to me," he spoke in her ear with a soft tone, tenderly pulling her hair to one side of her face, "I spent a lot of years away from the world, locked in a small cell, plotting revenge. I thought of you often; wondered what you and the kids were doing without me. Even the small amount of time I spent with them and you only made me want to be with you more. But now that I see you here, I know that it was no easier for you than it was for me. I don't hate you; never did. I didn't handle things well, and for that I am so very sorry. But, when I see the physical scars on your body, I don't see any weakness, only strength and determination. You are the strongest person I know." And from that short speech, they relaxed; no longer was she nervous about being naked in the light with him.

"I'm actually insane too. Just wait, the kids will tell you."

"They can tell me anything they want, but I promise, right now, that as long as you will let me, know that I will spend the rest of my life with you. Merlin, but I love you," he kissed her ear as her heart felt lighter than it had in years. "Besides, I happen to find the piercing extremely erotic. The way the rings felt when I was inside of you... Merlin, Ro... What made you do it?"

"It wasn't my choice, exactly... it was...well, it was just one of those things..." She knew she should tell him about her time with Voldemort, but she just didn't have it in her. She finished as she heard his sharp intake of breath. "There is also three more that are not in."

"Uhm, where do those go?" He asked, feeling the blood swiftly leave his brain to his groin.

She felt his cock harden between them. "There is my tongue, which has a barbell that goes through it... and... uhm... two others that go...at...the corners of my mouth...to hold a bit." Her words were slow and careful, as though she expected him to be disgusted with her admission.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Her head leaning back against his shoulder. She could feel him regaining control of his breathing, slowly. She also felt the hardness slip away from his cock in his silence.

It was several moments before he spoke. Choosing his words carefully, "Rowan, love, just the thought of a barbell in the tongue... oh God above, I would love to feel that across my cock and balls...I mean the bit part, I am not too sure about, if you want, we can see if I do like it."

She could feel him grin. She silently wondered if he had any other kinks that she didn't know about. She relaxed a bit in his arms and allowed her heart to open. When the bath ended, she leaned forward and allowed him to stand first. She lay in the tub until the water was gone. He stood, in all his glory, and waited for her. Taking a deep breath, she stood, stepped out of the tub, and sat on the edge.

He watched as she kept her thighs close together. "There is something else you haven't seen. Get your wand and use a 'finite' on me." He retrieved a wand and cast the charm to end her glamour. He lowered his wand when nothing changed.

"Ro? Why did I do that?" She took a deep breath and opened her thighs to reveal her branded dark mark. She fingered the edges of the horrific scar. The one that made the others seem smooth and insignificant.

"Its a long story, and I am not going to go into it right now, but this was a final gift of sorts from someone and it was a way of marking me without magic. Albus put a special charm on me to keep the glamour active. Other than Remus, a few healers, and Albus, no one knows it's there but me." She looked into his eyes. "The kids don't have a clue."

He knelt between her thighs. Her skin still wet from the bath. He looked closely at the distorted mark, the raised snake that went across to the other thigh. He traced it with his finger as her hands moved to the top of her thigh. She shuddered with the feeling of his touch. "I hate to admit this, but I find it incredibly sexy." He stated.

When he stood, she was eye level with just how much of a turn-on it seemed to be to him.

They spent the rest of the day laughing about their friends in school. She brought him up to speed on the kids' antics throughout the last year in Texas. It was a happy time and she had a lot to laugh about. While eating ice cream, she told him about the dances and games.

Later, as she lay in his arms, she thought again that if she could have Remus too, she would feel finally complete. Only after he had his fill of her once again, did she suggest they leave. He agreed. But left her sleeping once again to talk to his children.