Author's note: I do not own anything Harry Potter, JK Rowling does.

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TRIGGER WARNING: Self harm and mental health issues. There is another trigger warning right before the section with this content.

Aster was peacefully reading her book on sixth-year level Charms in the living room of Grimmauld Place when the front door exploded, letting a cacophony of raucous laughter and good cheer in that could only spell Isolt and Sirius' success in the Wizengamot.

"Aaaaaster! Where are youuuuu!?" came Sirius' sing-song voice.

Sighing to herself, Aster placed her bookmark in her book, before standing up and calling out to her godfather.

"In the living room, Pads! How'd it go?"

Sirius and Isolt stumbled into the living room, Sirius more so than Isolt.

"'S'went well, pup. We're both clear and we're both on the Wizengamot! Plus, we have an extra lil surprise for you!" Sirius smirked, and poked his head back into the hallway. "You can come in now!"

Aster looked over at Isolt with pure confusion etched onto her face. "What is going on, Isolt?"

"Ah, don't worry about it, kiddo. You'll see in a moment." Isolt nodded at Sirius, and walked back up to her room.

Aster watched Isolt walk off, frowning at the sad look she had seen in Isolt's eyes, but before she could call out to her, Sirius led a woman by the hand into the living room.

"Aster, this is Marlene McKinnon. We uh, used to date back at Hogwarts." Sirius said, while nervously running his hand over his neck.

Marlene chuckled, lightly slapping Sirius' shoulder. "Now now, Siri, no need to mess with the lil miss here." Turning to Aster, Marlene continued, "Hello, I'm Marlene McKinnon. Padfoot here has a tendency to put his foot in his mouth, doesn't he?"

Laughing, Aster nodded her head. "Yeah, he does that. I'm Aster Potter, nice to meet you!"

"What a lovely name! What were you up to?"

"Oh, Isolt and I agreed to study a lot this summer, so I was just finishing up the sixth-year charms theory!"

"Oh! What year are you going into?" Marlene asked. Aster and Sirius could see a hint of surprise on Marlene's face.

"I'm going into sixth year! I've been studying all break! It's actually nice to have something to do, something that I want to do! Plus, I kinda forgot how bloody cool magic is, and some of these ideas are just wicked!" Aster hurriedly picked up her Charms book, eager to show Sirius and Marlene the spell she was just reading about.

"So it says here that when casting a spell verbally, some of the magic energy has to go into the incantation, otherwise you're just saying nonsense. But! If you can get to the point where you don't need to say the incantation, when you can cast non-verbally, all that extra energy can now be used to put more power in the spell, or you can keep it for your magical reserves! I've always wondered why non-verbal was better than verbal spells, but all I've gotten from the professors was 'You learn that later'! C'mon, this is exciting!"

It was obvious to both Sirius and Marlene that Aster was very much into her studies, as they sat down on a nearby couch to listen to Aster continue her lecture on the benefits of non-verbal magic versus verbal magic.

"… which is why magical duels are such a back and for-" Aster stopped mid-sentence, before quickly scratching down something on the parchment she had been using to take notes, before the two older wixen returned home.

Sirius looked at Marlene, who had her eyebrow raised, and back at Aster, who was still writing something down.

"Uh, pup? You good?"

"Yeah, yeah I am. Just made a connection and didn't wanna forget it."

"You going to elaborate?" Sirius prodded.

"Hm, yeah, actually I do. Thanks for letting me ramble! But uh, my thought was if one could get to the point in non-verbal spells, it would be in the wixen's best interest to call out the wrong incantation every so often. If your opponent is expecting an Incendio, but you actually cast a cutting curse, the power they put into shielding will be different. Or, if they dodge what they expect is an Incendio, but get a wide effect cutting curse, they won't have dodged enough!"

"Remind me to tell Isolt to tone down your studies. You and Lils would have been a nightmare in a library." Sirius laughed.

"Pads, don't antagonize her. Aster, you keep on studying. Don't want to end up like the mutt here, do we?" Marlene chimed in.

"Infested with fleas? Merlin no." Aster and Marlene laughed. Sirius just pouted.

"I do not have fleas…"

"Whatever you say dear. Hey Aster, do you know where Isolt went? I thought she was with us, but I guess she must've left the room?"

"Uh, yeah, I think she went to her room when Sirius was bringing you in."

"Huh. Wonder why she retired to her room?" Sirius pondered.

Aster frowned once more, remembering that look in Isolt's eyes, before Marlene responded to her godfather's question, "Well, she must have a good reason. Aster, just so there's no confusion, Sirius and I have decided to rekindle our romance. Is that okay with you?" Marlene asked, a hint of trepidation in her voice.

Aster looked at the two of them, seeing the affection in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. "Yeah, that's okay with me. Although, I should be asking if you know what you're getting yourself into. You know he sleeps in his dog form more often than not, yeah? Might I suggest a dog house in the back yard? Maybe even a dog bed?" Aster laughed as she saw Sirius' face get more and more red as she went on.

Marlene; however, just laughed. "Oh, don't you worry kid, I'm well aware of how to keep this mutt in line." Sirius had the good sense to gulp audibly at this, before he too burst out into laughter. Aster was enjoying spending time in such good company, especially with how worried she had been about both Isolt and Sirius' trials.

"I'm going to go check in on Isolt. Please don't get too busy while I'm gone." Aster winked at Sirius, who just held his hands up defensively.

"Look kid, no promises." He winked back, causing Aster to groan. Marlene and Sirius both chuckled, and Aster could hear them laughing as she walked up the stairs and down a hall to Isolt's room.

Knocking gingerly on the door, she could feel a fading thrum of magic on the door. 'Weird. Whatever spell or ward this is, it's getting weaker. Maybe she's letting me in?' thought Aster, as she twisted the door handle, before pushing open the door.

~ Trigger Warning: Self Harm, Depression, Mental Health ~

~ Ten minutes earlier, Isolt's room, Grimmauld Place ~

Isolt put her holly wand back in its holster as she finished placing the warning and locking wards on the door.

'Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Another reminder of everything I've lost, of everyone I failed. I don't deserve to be here, alive, when I got everyone I loved killed.'

Isolt sat on the floor, next to her bed, and dropped the glamours on her arms. The white lines that crisscrossed with others of varying shades of pink and red were a reminder of every perceived failure that Isolt had endured. Each one a monument to a life lost, a life she felt she could've saved. A life that had ended because it had associated with her. Isolt could feel the guilt in her chest rise up, threatening to spew forth from her mouth. Stamping it down, Isolt sighed, tears dropping in a steady rhythm.

Taking her holly wand back out, Isolt began running it over her arms, hissing in pain, enjoying the sensation of the cuts she was making and the blood pouring forth from her arms.

'They deserve so much better than me. I charge in, with false bravado, and get people hurt or killed. Maybe the Dursley's were right. Maybe I am a freakish curse, destined to die alone.'

With this thought, Isolt pressed her wand harder into the skin on the underside of her arm, relishing in the control and pain it gave her. What Isolt didn't notice was how deep she had cut, or was continuing to cut, and so, lost in her thoughts and her own self-hatred, she didn't notice her vision start to darken at the edges, with what vision she did have shrinking as the seconds ticked by.

Glancing down, her eyes still full of tears, barely able to focus on her arms, Isolt sluggishly noticed how light her head felt, and how comfortable the red-stained floor looked. With a weak voice, Isolt muttered a singular "Fuck", as she collapsed onto her side, the blood pooling from her eviscerated arms onto the wooden floor she was sat on.

As Isolt slipped into unconsciousness, she didn't hear the sound of her door opening, nor did she hear the sound of Aster's frantic yells. All Isolt felt was consciousness slip from her, and the tug of a small smile gracing her face.

'I'm coming, everyone. Please don't hate me when I get there.'

~ End trigger warning ~

When Isolt opened her eyes, she was greeted with a white room that looked entirely too clean.

Isolt managed to muster the energy to mumble, "I swear Dumbledore, if you manipulate me into going back again, I'll throw you on the damn tracks myself."

What Isolt was not prepared for was a snort coming from her right. Turning, she saw her younger self, Aster, on a chair just a couple feet away, with a book spread open in her lap. In the next seat over sat Sirius, though he was asleep it seemed, if his snores were anything to go by.

"You're awake! Oh, thank Merlin, Isolt. We were so worried about you!" Aster nearly threw the book to the side as she jumped out of the chair, but before the book could fall, the young wixen caught it and gently placed it on the nightstand next to her.

"Kid, what's going on?" Isolt growled, in half-annoyance and half-anger, though neither were directed at Aster.

"Well, um, you see, I went to check on you, and I felt the wards you placed on your door get weaker. I was able to get in your room, and um," Aster gestured vaguely at Isolt's arms, clearly too uncomfortable to finish her sentence.

"Well fuck. Sorry to put you through that, kiddo. That wasn't my intention." Isolt said, rather sheepishly.

"I, um, I know. But Isolt, you nearly died. For Merlin's sake, you were face down in a pool of your own blood." Isolt could tell that Aster was nervous, by how meek and withdrawn Aster was currently.

Isolt sighed, gingerly looking her younger self in the eyes. "Look, Aster, I really didn't mean to put you through anything. I guess I just lost track. But I'm fine now, so please don't worry. Do you know when the docs will let me out?"

"They said you'd ask that." Aster hmphed, before adding, "And they said that would depend on an evaluation from a mind healer."

"Well fuck."

"Yeah, figured you'd say that. Ms. Potter, would you and Mr. Black please leave the room? I need to have a private conversation with Ms. Peverell." Came the voice of a wixen dressed entirely in white. Their hair was kept short, but definitely dyed, unless cobalt blue was a natural hair color now.

"Of course, Healer Johnson. Hey Sirius, wake up!" called Aster, who sprayed the sleeping man with a small burst of an Aguamenti.

"Who-wha-what's going on?!" came the rather groggy voice of Sirius.

"C'mon, Healer Johnson wants to talk to Isolt. Let's go get you a coffee." Aster replied, dragging Sirius out of the room with her, who was mumbling something about ungrateful teenage wixen not letting old men getting their beauty sleep.

Once the door was closed, the Healer turned to the door and turned a latch, and Isolt could feel the privacy wards erect around the door and the room.

"Ms. Peverell, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Healer Johnson, and I am the Healer in charge of your recovery. We've given you some Blood Replenishing potions, as well as a Dreamless Sleep. Tell me, how do you feel right now?"

"Ugh, great combo of flavors those two potions are. I do feel better, not as groggy as I'd expect from losing so much blood, and I don't really remember much after I, uh, passed out."

"Uh-huh, and what about your mind?"

"I'm fine."

"I can assure you, Ms. Peverell, that you are not fine. Now, I am not a Mind Healer, but we do have plenty on staff. I will be requiring you to utilize their services until we can determine that you are no longer an immediate danger to yourself and/or others."

"So, what, I'm on house arrest?"

"If that's how you'd like to view it, then yes. Oh, and I should mention a vital piece of information. All of our records are confidential, meaning no one, absolutely no one, can waltz in here and inquire about the status of one of the patients, unless the patient or patients have given their express permission for them to do so."

"Well at least that's good. Guess I won't have to worry about this making it into the Daily Prophet somehow." Isolt shrugged. "But fine, send a mind healer in. I'd rather not be here for longer than necessary."

Healer Johnson just looked at her, staring her up and down, before he finally relented. "Okay, Ms. Peverell, and if you ever need anything, feel free to reach out to us. To someone. You gave your family quite a fright, and they've been absolutely worried about you. They care about you a lot, it seems." And with that, Healer Johnson undid the latch and walked back out of her room, leaving Isolt alone once again.

'They shouldn't really care about me, after everything I've done, but I can't help but feel a small part of me is grateful that they care.'

Isolt let her thoughts wander for a few moments, before someone knocked on the door. "Ms. Peverell, may I come in?" came an unidentifiable voice.

"Uh, yeah, I'm as decent as these damn hospital gowns can make one be."

Isolt watched the door open, and in walked another healer, indicated as such by their white robes similar to Healer Johnson's.

"Um, hi Ms. Peverell, my name is Healer Blakesly, but everyone just calls me Blake. I'm the mind healer assigned to you. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Isolt just stared at the wixen for a moment, before nodding her head no.

"Ah, wonderful. Now, to start, what's your favorite color?"

"Uh, what?"

"Oh, don't tell me you don't have one, Ms. Peverell? Surely you have one." Blakesly chuckled.

"It, er, just seems a weird question to ask. But if you must know, it's green."

"Because of your eyes?"

"No. Because of nature, of forests and meadows, of grass and ferns. It's a color of life, a soothing color."

"Ah, that makes sense. And a sentiment I echo. And what's your favorite ice cream flavor?"

"Uh, mint chocolate chip. Why are you asking these questions? I thought you would've been asking me about 'why do you feel the need to cut?' or some tripe like that?" Isolt answered, a hint of irritation coloring her voice.

"A fine flavor! Though I'm more partial to rum raisin. I just figured that we could start by getting to know each other." Blakesly replied, with a warm smile on their face.

"So you're not going to ask me about what's going on up here?" Isolt pointed a finger at her head.

"Well yeah, I will. I can certainly skip to that if that's what you're more comfortable with. But first, if you'll allow me, I'd like to do a preliminary scan?"

Isolt hesitated for a moment, before slowly nodding back at the healer.

Blakesly, for all their nonchalant approach just moments ago, resumed an air of professionalism, casting diagnostic spells Isolt had never even heard of. A few moments later, Blakesly sat back down, looking over the parchment that had filled out as the healer performed their scans. Isolt hated the waiting, and was about to make known her displeasure when the healer spoke up.

"Ms. Peverell, thank you for letting me perform the scans. We can go over your results more in detail if you wish, but I will preface it by saying that I do recommend you meet with a mind healer once a week, at least for the next couple of months. You can request me, or if you'd prefer, a different mind healer if that'd be more comfortable for you. And yes, these results will also be confidential."

"Must I meet with anyone? I'd rather not."

"Well, you do have the right to refuse medical treatment, but we at St. Mungo's definitely recommend it. Personally, I recommend it too, seeing these results, but again, we can't force you to."

"And if I wanted to check out right now?"

"Well, again, I'd advise against that, but I am not going to force you to stay here. Would you like to consult with your family before making any decisions?"

"No! I've imposed on them enough. Give me a moment to think. Can you come back in a few minutes?"

"Most certainly." Healer Blakesly made to get up, but before they could open the door, Isolt called out to them.

"Healer Blakesly, might I ask you to return this book to Aster? She left it in here when she left." Isolt lay in her bed, offering Aster's book to the healer.

"Of course, it would be my honor." Healer Blakesly looked at the cover of Aster's book. "Standard Rune Arrays: Elder Futhark to Egyptian Hieroglyphics. Huh, didn't peg the young wixen as a budding Runes Master." Blakesly and Isolt shared a chuckle, before Blakesly left the room, promising to return in a few minutes.

'I'd rather not have someone else poking around in my fucked up head, but if I don't go through with this, Sirius and Aster are going to hound me about this for as long as I'm here.'

Isolt glanced about her room, just now noticing how the far corner of the room had a counter that had several vases of different kinds of flowers, of various colors and sizes.

'Merlin damnit. I'm really gonna go through with this, huh. Well, at least it'll keep them off my back.'

Before too long had passed, Healer Blakesly rapped at the door, "Ms. Peverell, it's Blake, may I come in?"

"Yeah, you may."

Isolt watched as the door opened, and Healer Blakesly stepped in, hurriedly closing the door behind them.

"Sorry, your family really want to come in, but I told them they can't until I speak to you."

"Thank you, I appreciate that. And, uh, Blake, I'll go to the mind healer meetings, but I want you as my mind healer. You already have my scans, and I'd rather not have another person poking around my mind too much."

"Wonderful! I recommend weekly one-hour sessions, is that alright with you?"

"Perfect. Sunday afternoons would work best for me, if that's alright?"

"Absolutely! I'll go ahead and schedule you in for this upcoming Sunday at 2 p.m. Just come in a few minutes before and check in at the front desk, and they'll sort you out."

"Thank you, Healer Blakesly. Am I free to go now?"

"Yup! Your scans from earlier indicate you're at a healthy amount of blood again, and we've healed up your wounds, so you're good to go! Let me go grab your things."

Sighing, Isolt ran a hand through her hair. Meeting the healer's eyes before they left, Isolt replied, "Thanks again, Healer Blakesly. Would you let my family in on your way out?"

"Of course, I'll be back in a jif." If Isolt wasn't mistaken, there was a real, genuine, warm smile on the healer's face as they looked at her.

'Huh, not used to that from strangers.'

Before she could get too lost in her thoughts, a ball of black hair rushed towards her and held tightly on to Isolt.

"Isolt are – are you okay? I've been so worried! Please, please, please don't do that again." Aster pleaded, tears making their presence known on the young wixen's face.

'And there's my guilt again, fucking hell. Better not let Aster take the guilt for this, she's had a hard time as it is.'

"Shh, Aster, shh. It's okay." Isolt ran her hands through Aster's messy black hair, which was now down to her shoulders. "Thank you so much, both of you. Please don't blame yourself for this. You've both been so wonderful to me. I'm really sorry for putting you through this, I really didn't want to worry you guys."

Sirius chimed in, evidently now awake now that he had his coffee. "Isolt, respectfully, shut up. Of course we're going to worry about you, we love and care for you. You're an amazing person, who happens to be going through some shit. We'll be by your side, every step of the way, just like you've been by ours for the last few weeks."

"I agree with Pads, Isolt. We love you, you're, Sirius close your ears, fucking awesome! You taught me Legilimency in like, twenty minutes. You cleared Sirius' name, got him on the Wizengamot, stopped a Death Eater attack, got your own name cleared, got me, Sirius, and you our inheritances, and have supported both of us in everything that we do, or want to do. You help make our lives better." Aster was panting as she finished her speech, and was clinging onto Isolt even harder than before.

Chuckling, Isolt pushed Aster away slightly, "C'mon kid, you're breaking my ribs here. Thank you both, really. I have a long way to go, but I did agree to go through with seeing a mind healer once a week, starting Sunday. Healer Blakesly is bringing me my stuff right now."

As if saying their name summoned them, Healer Blakesly knocked on the door again. "Ms. Peverell, I have your items, may I come in?"

"Of course!" came Isolt's reply. "May I ask that you two step out for a moment? I need to get dressed."

"Absolutely, come on Aster, let's give the lady some privacy." Sirius answered. Pulling the young wixen from Isolt, Sirius guided Aster out of the room, letting in Healer Blakesly as they left.

"Ah, such lovely people. Anyway, here's your stuff! Anything else you need?"

"Uh, nope. Thanks, Blake. I'm good to go once I'm changed, yeah?"

"Absolutely! See ya Sunday!" and with that, the healer left the room, letting Isolt have the privacy to change.

It took her a few moments to change, but once she was finished, Isolt walked out into the hallway, spotting Aster and Sirius a few feet down, each reading a book.

"You guys ready to go?" Isolt called out, her heart warming a bit when they snapped their heads in her direction.

"Yup!" came the reply from Sirius and Aster, and so the trio left, and as a celebratory treat for Isolt's release from the hospital, they went to Florean's ice cream parlor, and then went back to Grimmauld Place.

Once they entered the halls of Grimmauld Place, Aster and Sirius dragged Isolt into the dining room, where Kreacher had prepared dinner for the trio, and Aster made sure to engage both her godfather and her future self in conversations about magical theory, runic arrays, and even asked a few questions about potioneering

As the conversation wound down, Isolt turned to the two, with a sincere look in her eyes, and a waver in her voice, "Thank you both, so much. I'm really sorry to have worried you."

Taking her hand, Sirius was the first to reply. "Hey, none of that. We're a family, a strange one for sure, but a family nonetheless. I think I speak for both Aster and I when I say that we love and care for you – and not just because you've done so much for us. You're a caring and wonderful person, and though you may notice, you brighten every room you enter."

Isolt could cry, in fact, she was fighting back tears at Sirius' heartfelt admission, but the emotions weren't done yet, as Aster took Isolt's other hand, and spoke up as Sirius finished.

"Isolt, you're my big sister, you've looked out for me, you've cared for me, all without any expectation of anything in return. You've given me the freedom to choose what I want and what I want to do, and to not be just some puppet for Dumbledore and Voldemort. You've saved my life, and you're such a wonderful person that you don't even know that you've done so multiple times. We love you so much, and we both consider you part of our family: Uncle Sirius, Big Sis Isolt, and me. As long as we've got each other, we can do anything."

'And there's the tears.' Thought Isolt, as she bowed her head at her younger self's – no, her younger sister's proclamation. "You really think of me as your sister?" she asked, her words wracked with hope and tears.

"Of course! I've always wanted a sibling, and though it wasn't how I thought I'd ever get one, I'm very glad to have you."

"Th- thanks kid." Isolt choked out a few more tears, before looking over at Sirius. "You really willing to be our uncle?"

"Look kids, both of you. I've made my fair share of mistakes. Going after Pettigrew instead of either of you the chief amongst them. I spent twelve years in Azkaban for that. I now have a chance to start fulfilling my duty as your godfather, and if you both would have me as your uncle, I willingly and gladly accept."

Aster and Isolt both surrounded their uncle, crushing him in a hug that lasted for what felt like a lifetime.

Once the two kids sat back down, Sirius continued, "We all have a long way to go in healing, and it won't be easy, but we're a family, now and forever. We help each other when the going gets tough, we celebrate when we have reason to, and," Sirius checked the time on the clock on the wall, "We go to bed when its bedtime. C'mon, let's go get some rest."

Isolt slept better than night than any other night she had spent in this new timeline. Aster didn't have any nightmares for the first time in a long while. And Sirius, well, Sirius now felt like he could cast a hundred Patronus charms right now.