A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters
Word Count: 4796
Warning: Mentions murder, death
Ginny nearly screamed when the doorbell rang. She put the dish cloth down and started walking that direction. She'd only just finished breakfast and was cleaning the dishes before it became even more of a chore. The bell rang again. She nearly growled with frustration. The bloody reporters refused to leave her alone, they'd started calling on her at all hours. This would be the third time they'd arrived before nine. She wondered if putting a stinging hex on the door would be too much of a hassle.
"I'm coming," she called. "What do they think they're going to gain by coming over this early, my pyjamas?" she muttered. She opened the door and her mouth dropped open as her body started to tremble. She tried to speak, but it was as if no air was entering her throat. Her eyes rolled back and she started to crumple to the ground.
"Red!"
A leather clad arm grabbed to catch her before she hit the floor. Once she was secured in his arms, he walked into the house, carefully carried her over to the ugly orange and brown plaid couch and laid her down, sitting in a nearby chair himself. He put his head in his hands and watched her, not sure what to think of what had just happened. She should have been been happy to see him!
He glanced around the room realizing it hadn't looked the same as the last time he'd seen it. Why had she rearranged things? Where were all the pictures of him? He blinked, trying to figure out what was going on. He spotted a magazine on the end table. He reached over to pick it up when he heard her groan. He pulled his hand back and turned to her.
"Who are you?" she whispered staring at him. "You can't be him. He's dead."
"Red, it is me," he exclaimed, watching as her eyes widened in horror. None of this was making sense to him. Yes, he'd been dead, he'd fallen through the bloody veil and then, by some magical miracle, he'd come back.
"Prove it," she demanded sitting up, her fingers curling around her wand.
"Ask me anything," he laughed. This whole thing was preposterous. Was this her idea of a prank? He nearly laughed again at the idea, but the look on her face, the way her brown eyes watched him, as if terrified he would attack given a moment's notice, made him stop.
"Fine, you can't be him, it's not possible. What are you after, money? Fame? I don't have anything. If someone was trying to impersonate him, be him, they'd have looked into everything they could find. So...um, okay, I know. When was the first time we kissed?" she asked, her fingers gripping her wand tighter.
"Christmas at Grimmauld Place, your fourth year. Someone put up some enchanted mistletoe. Neither of us could get out from under it unless we kissed. I tried kissing you on the forehead, since you know, you were a kid."
"And then?" she asked, trying to keep the hope from rising in her chest. Sirius had been dead, she'd been the one that had found his body. Now, now he was standing, well sitting here, acting as if nothing had happened.
"That's when we realized it was enchanted. I kissed you, had to bend down to do it since you refused to kiss me. Said something about me being scruffy. We kissed. Your lips tasted like fruit. The mistletoe released us and then your mum hexed me for kissing you," Sirius answered. Ginny threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her freckled face.
"You were dead."
"I know, I escaped the veil."
"No, you were dead again. This time, this time there was a body. I buried you, in your leather jacket, you always said you were going to take it with you to the afterlife."
"Wait, I died again?" Sirius asked, staring into the tear filled eyes of his wife.
"Yes, you died again. We'd just gotten married and were on our honeymoon. There was scuffle outside. I went to see and when I got back...you were dead," Ginny stated. "I tried to revive you, the healers tried to revive you. There was nothing, no heart beat, no breathing, nothing. No one could explain what had happened. You were alive one minute and gone the next. I cried for weeks."
"I didn't know. I never would have left you, Red. You have to believe me!"
"I know. But I buried you! I put you in that bloody coffin and they nailed it shut and now you're here, in our living room acting as though nothing happened. How is this possible?" Ginny asked, laying her head against Sirius' shoulder.
"I don't know, Red. I don't know. I remember our wedding, you in that white dress. The way it swished when you walked, the way the sparkles caught the light when you moved."
"You kept saying you were going to try it on, that you wanted to make sure it was good enough for me," Ginny laughed. "I know it's early, but come on, let's get something to drink. Maybe it will make all this make sense?" she suggested, rising to her feet and pulling Sirius with her. They ended up sitting in the beige kitchen chairs, both with a glass in front of them.
"We should probably be trying to figure this out. Figure out how you're back," Ginny said, taking a drink.
"Why?"
"Because what if it happens again? What if...whyever you died, happens again?"
Sirius' face paled.
"They couldn't figure out why I died."
"No, no poison, no injuries, nothing. The killing curse was suggested, but it was Moody so we all kind of, you know, ignored him?"
"Who would want to use the killing curse on me? I'm amazing and awesome and...I can't think of another adjective that starts in 'a'."
"Sirius, you were a member of the Order, your family was in league with You-know-who, and then there's the fact that back in school... well, you were a git. I've got enemies too."
"How long, Red. How long was I dead?" Sirius asked, noticing that the kitchen had changed too. The walls were yellow now. The appliances had been replaced.
"Six months. You were gone sixth months," Ginny whispered, her fingers curling tightly around her glass. "I didn't know what to do. I spent the first month in a daze, like nothing was real. Maybe for awhile, that made it not real. I could pretend you were somewhere else. That you were working-"
Sirius scoffed loudly. Ginny bit back a laugh.
"I know, but it made me feel better, less alone. After that, everyone had such good intentions. Mum and Dad invited me to move back in with them. As you can see, I didn't take them up on that offer."
"Why didn't you? You get along with your family. They would have provided you support. I mean, losing me...I can't imagine how hard that must have been."
"Mum wanted me to marry Harry, if I was at the Burrow, he and I...well, we would have seen a lot of each other. She never did approve of us," Ginny muttered, reaching out and putting her hand on top of Sirius'.
"She did seem to have a very clear cut picture of what she wanted your life to be, who you should marry, everything. I remember when I came back the first time, when our eyes met across the room now that you were all grown up."
"And you hadn't aged since you fell, yeah, that was love at first sight. Is it really first sight, I mean?"
"First time you saw me with your adult eyes, I'd call it love at first sight," Sirius stated, rising to his feet. Ginny laughed as he kissed her. She leaned up, kissing him back, her fingers brushing his hair from his face.
"You haven't aged," she commented. "Both times you've died. You haven't aged. You still look the same as when I buried you, only now your heart is beating and I can feel your breath on my neck."
"Why wouldn't I have aged? I didn't decompose either. I was dead for six months, shouldn't I be, you know skin falling off and brains?"
"You're not a zombie, Sirius," Ginny laughed, holding his hand in hers. "But maybe having a healer look you over isn't such a bad idea?"
"You want me to go out, in public, when someone killed me on our honeymoon?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I want to invite someone here, someone I trust and have her look at you," Ginny answered, putting out a hand. A brown and cream colored owl flew over and presented its leg. Ginny scribbled a quick note and sent the owl off.
"Am I going to like this?" Sirius asked.
"No, you hate healers," Ginny answered, looking out the window. "But Daphne is good with discretion. And I trust her. Besides, since we don't know how you died and came back to life, what if there's something wrong with you?"
"I'm perfect," Sirius argued. Ginny just shook her head.
"You probably are. How did you get out of the coffin?" she asked, as if just now realizing how she'd had Sirius buried.
"I didn't. One minute I was having this amazing dream where Remus, James and I were all playing exploding snap. We all had wings and were surrounded by white clouds. The table was shaped like a triangle, and then, Remus said it was time to go home. Things got dark and when I opened my eyes, I was standing at the gates of the cemetery. I had no idea how I'd gotten there, so I just figured I'd apparated there and then came straight back home to you. I didn't realize I'd been gone."
"Well, you were, gone. I grieved for you, Sirius. But really? You woke up outside your grave, like you apparated out of the wooden box?"
"Is that even possible?"
"I don't know. Hermione might know, but I'm not contacting her for a question like that. Last thing we need is her here, analyzing everything."
"She'll probably take one look at me, run some numbers on the page and then we'd know exactly what happened," Sirius laughed. Ginny smiled. It was true, Hermione was brilliant, but Ginny wasn't ready to share the fact Sirius was back with her. There was a slight knock on the door.
"That would be Daphne," Ginny said. "Or the reporters who want to know if I'm going to the Ministry Masquerade with someone tonight."
"Are you?" Sirius asked, watching Ginny make her way to the door.
"Am I what?" she asked, peeking out the door.
"Going to the Ministry Masquerade with anyone?" Sirius asked. Ginny spun and looked at him.
"No! I'm no going with anyone."
"Great, we can go together," Sirius stated. "We just need costumes. Is Daphne here?"
Ginny nodded, opening the door. A woman with stunning chestnut hair and mint eyes walked into their house. She looked at Ginny and then at Sirius.
"What's the emergency? You said it was urgent."
"Daphne, Sirius died six months ago," Ginny said softly. Sirius watched as Daphne's mouth curled to an 'o' of surprise. "He showed up were about an hour ago, alive."
"And you want me to check him over?" Daphne asked.
"Yes, we still don't know why he died the second time."
"Death must really hate you," Daphne commented, pulling her wand from her cloak. "Stand still and let's see what we've got."
"I hate healers," Sirius muttered. Ginny just rolled her eyes. She'd heard this argument a million times. She knew Sirius' parents had dragged him to St. Mungos', that horrible things had been done to him because he had accidentally let it slip he thought a boy at school was cute. He'd been twelve at the time. Ginny had never cared that Sirius liked guys, she liked guys. They had once sat in the park people watching and commenting which blokes they thought were hot. None of them had been as hot as Sirius.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, Mister Black. You're completely healthy. The only anomalies are the tattoo on your shoulder."
"My Azkaban numbers, covered by a muggle tattoo of a motorbike," Sirius explained.
"There's also some scarring on your back."
Sirius and Ginny looked at each other. Ginny knew every centimeter of Sirius' body. There was no scarring on his back. Without a word, Sirius shed his leather jacket and the black t-shirt beneath it. Ginny gasped looking at her husband's back. There were two large scars, one on either side, just below his shoulder blades.
"What are those from?" Ginny whispered, grabbing the mirror from the cloak closet and holding it so Sirius could see. His eyes widened.
"Those were not there before!"
"He's right. They weren't. Have you seen anything like these before, Daphne?" Ginny asked. The healer shook her head.
"No. I haven't, but the placement," she said, tracing the scars. "Looks almost like wings."
Sirius and Ginny looked at each other for a moment.
"The dream, it wasn't a dream," Sirius said, his voice slow as if in shock. "I was really dead, again. I was there, with James and Remus. Remus told me to go home."
"He sent you back to me," Ginny said, her eyes glittering with tears. She'd always been a bit jealous of Sirius' love for Remus, even though they'd never actually been together. Now, it appeared Remus had sent her Sirius back to her.
"How is that even possible?" Sirius asked. Ginny shrugged.
"Is there anything else you need from me?" Daphne asked looking at the couple.
"You didn't happen to find the reason he died, did you?"
"No. As I said, he's in perfect health."
"See, I told you I was amazing. Um, is there any way we could keep the fact I'm alive kind of a secret for now? See, we're not sure why I died and maybe someone might have killed me and if I'm alive..."
"They might try again. Right. I can put all of this in my personal notes, sworn to secrecy. No one will know anything, I can even just put your file, your new file under a pseudonym. Don't worry, Mister Black, I will protect your secret."
"Thank you, Daphne," Ginny said, walking the healer to the door. Once she closed it, she turned to Sirius.
"Now what do we do?" she asked.
"Find costumes for the masquerade?" Sirius asked hopefully. Ginny just burst out laughing as she threw her arms around Sirius.
"I have missed you so much. I had to sit through Harry's stupid wedding without you."
"Did you go with someone else?"
"Nope, just me, all alone while everyone else was part of a couple. Merlin, that was horrible. I mean, I don't love Harry. I don't know why I went."
"Because you still care about him? As a friend?" Sirius suggested. "Same reason I stood beside Remus when he and Tonks married?"
"I know, it was still horrible without you there. Mum kept sobbing about how it was supposed to be me marrying him. They had to escort her out. I don't think Harry's spoken to her since. I know Luna hasn't."
"I bet. Now, couples costumes or something else?"
"You're going to use the masquerade to unveil that you're alive, aren't you?" Ginny asked, opening the hall closet and pulling out several boxes with Sirius' name scribbled on them with marker.
"Is it that obvious?"
"You do love the dramatics, Sirius. Now, these are all the costumes and pieces I packed up after you... well... after you died. We could be vampires," Ginny laughed.
"That would be...appropriate," Sirius said, tilting his head in thought. Ginny rooted through the box and pulled out a long black cape. She handed it to Sirius as he started putting together his ensemble.
"Red, who's top is this?" he asked from their bedroom.
"If it's in a box marked 'Sirius' it's yours. If its hanging in my closet on a hanger it's mine."
"Right, okay, it was in the box then," Sirius called back. Ginny just sighed.
"You put it in the box after deciding you're going to wear it. Just leave my black dress alone this time!"
"No promises!"
Ginny just shook her head. Sirius was back. Her husband, the man she loved more than life itself, was back in her life. She walked through the living room, ignoring the fact she could hear someone outside. She could see them trying to peer through the lens of a camera into her living room.
"They really won't give up, will they?" she muttered, charming the window to reflect everything back at the person peering through it. It wasn't technically a mirror, but it was close enough no one could see her.
"Red? Something wrong?" Sirius asked, appearing next to her wearing her black shirt with black robes and a billowy black cape.
"Just the reporters. You know, the personal life of a professional Quidditch player is fascinating."
"It really is," Sirius replied, tracing Ginny's cheek before kissing her passionately. "You should get dressed, wouldn't want to miss the party."
"I swear, you came back from the dead just to go to this bloody thing, you always did love the stupid masquerade balls."
"Loved them even as a kid. I used to dress up like a house elf."
"House elves don't...in other words you ran around naked while your parents threw parties."
"I wasn't naked, I had a perfectly placed tea towel," Sirius argued. Ginny laughed siding into her black dress. She pulled a thin black cloak from the closet and wrapped it around her neck.
"Do I look like a vampire?" she asked, flashing him a smile.
"Almost. I think we still need fangs and masks."
"I can do the fangs," Ginny replied, drawing her wand and slowly casting a glamour on both her and Sirius' mouths, their perfectly normal teeth now looked like fangs. Sirius admired himself in the mirror.
"Beautiful. Now, masks," he stated, rummaging through the boxes again and pulling out two black masks. They weren't overly fancy, but would disguise him and Ginny well enough. Ginny put hers on as Sirius did his.
"Ready to go?" she asked.
"I came back to the dead for this," Sirius joked. "Oh, can I use that one at the ball? I mean, I am a vampire?"
"Go for it," Ginny laughed, her heart aching from missing Sirius to having him here with her again. Sirius took her hand and they apparated to the ministry.
Ginny watched everyone walking around. She was pretty sure she saw her brothers, at least three of them. It was hard to tell with the masks and she knew they'd have enchanted their hair to keep from being recognized.
"Names?" the wizard at the door asked. Ginny held out her invitation. He ran a wand over it and nodded. He looked at Sirius.
"Your plus one?" he asked Ginny.
"Yes," she replied, giving a toothy smile. The wizard simply nodded as he stepped aside and ushered them inside. The ball was being held in one of the ministry's many ballrooms. There were people milling around. Ginny could see a table of refreshments.
"Is that your brother?" Sirius asked, nodding towards the punch bowl where a man in a garish costume was standing just a little too close.
"More than likely. Want to go say hello? Fred and George never had an issue with us."
"Absolutely, and add a bit myself," Sirius laughed, patting his front pocket. Ginny only rolled her eyes as they walked over.
"Ginny?"
"Fred."
"Really? How did you see through my clever disguise?" Fred asked, feigning shock.
"It was either you or George," Ginny said with a shrug.
"Good point. Who's your date? Did you finally move on? Mum will be...thrilled."
"No, no she really won't," Ginny laughed. "I'm not with Harry."
"I don't see why she thinks the two of you belong together. I mean, yeah, you had a crush on him as a child, but people grow, they change."
"Most do," Ginny agreed, shooting Sirius a look. He smiled sheepishly, sliding the flask back into his pocket.
"She's here, you know, with Dad."
"Great. I'll spend most the evening avoiding her. And here I thought this was going to be fun."
"It'll be fun, Red," Sirius whispered in her ear. She leaned back and kissed him. Fred watched them.
"Red? You mean..."
"Death didn't want him again, he got kicked out of Heaven," Ginny replied, sliding her hand into Sirius'. "Something wrong with that?"
"Nope. But this does mean I win five sickles from Ron. He's here avoiding Mum too."
"What'd she do to him now?"
"Said a few not so nice things about Hermione and her marriage to Professor Snape. Ron took offense on her behalf. I think he might actually be happy that she's happy. Then again, I did just past him snogging a girl dressed like a fairy princess in the cloak room."
"We should do that," Sirius commented.
"Snog fairy princesses in the cloak room or us snog in the cloak room?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," Sirius laughed. Ginny was about to respond when the music stopped and Kingsley stepped out.
"Good evening everyone and thank you for coming to the third annual Ministry Masquerade. I do hope you all enjoy yourselves tonight."
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny could see someone moving their direction. It only took a second to realize who it was. Her face became a scowl as she readied herself mentally for what was coming. Kingsley was still talking when Molly Weasley reached Ginny, Sirius and Fred. Fred managed to slip away.
"Ginny?"
"Hi, Mum."
"Now, who is this dashing man?" she asked, looking at Sirius. Ginny smirked slightly, wondering if Sirius was ready to reveal his identity yet. When he remained silent, Ginny took that as he'd reveal himself later.
"This is my date."
"So, you've finally moved on from that horrible man. He was too old for you and we both know that. It doesn't matter if he was missing for years. I heard Harry and Luna are having issues. It's a shame isn't it?"
"Harry and Luna's marriage hardly concerns me," Ginny replied, trying to look around the room for someone to help her out.
"It should. I'm certain if you start going to him, once she leaves him, he'll come back to you. He's going to need someone to pick up the pieces. Why shouldn't it be you?"
"Mum! I don't like him like that anymore and why would Luna leave him?"
"She's constantly leaving for these expeditions of hers, months away from him. How could she not be finding someone to share the nights with? Poor Harry, he must be so lonely."
"I am so not going to become Harry's mistress because you think he's lonely. Merlin, do you ever stop trying to meddle in things?" Ginny asked, nearly throwing her hands in the air.
"I'm just saying, since you're single."
"I'm not," Ginny snapped.
"What?"
"You heard her," Sirius said. "She's not single. She and I are in a relationship, one that isn't going to end as it did last time."
Ginny tried to hide her expression of mirth as Molly stared at them, slowly putting the pieces together.
"You're dead!"
"I was, twice in fact. I got better," he stated. Ginny almost didn't see it happen, almost was too slow, but in that split second, she found her own wand in her hand. Molly had hers drawn also.
"I killed you. No one survives a killing curse!"
"Wait? What?" Ginny screamed, staring at Molly in disbelief. "You killed him?"
"I had to, he was hurting my baby girl. After what he did to you as a child-"
"He kissed me once under enchanted mistletoe that I'm pretty sure you put there to get Tonks and Bill to kiss!"
"That didn't work either," Sirius commented. Ginny had moved in front of Sirius, her wand steady in her hand. She wasn't sure what she could do, but she was not going to let Sirius die again. Her eyes were so focused on Molly that she didn't see Fred had gathered a small group of people. That included in that group were a handful of aurors including both Harry and Ron.
"You're a pedophile!" Molly screamed, raising her wand.
"Pretego!" Ginny screamed, the air sparkling as her shield protected her and Sirius. The reflected spell hitting a nearby pillar which crumbled to dust. Someone screamed, Ginny wasn't sure if was her or someone else. There was a flurry of movement as the aurors moved in, stunning Molly. Ginny felt her heart pounding in her chest. Her own mum had killed Sirius because... she couldn't even begin to piece her mum's reasoning together.
"Mrs. Black?"
Ginny turned and saw Kingsley standing there.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think...I had no idea."
"I know. The aurors are going to want your statements," he said, looking over at Sirius.
"Of course," Ginny said, letting Sirius wrap his arms around her. She allowed him to hold her as they were shown to a private room where Ginny told them everything she knew. Sirius did the same, explaining how he was suddenly alive again, although he didn't know how or why.
"And your identity has been confirmed?" the auror, a bloke by the name of Leoven asked.
"Yes, by both me and Healer Daphne Greengrass," Ginny answered. Within minutes, Daphne was standing in the room, the white feathers of her dove costume rubbing against the table.
"Healer Greengrass. I've called you here about this man. He is claiming to be Sirius Black."
"He is Sirius Black. If you look at the examine I gave him this morning, his medical records match exactly. He has a new scar, but that's hardly anything that disproves his identity," Daphne explained, summoning several sheets of parchment. Leoven went over them, nodding. He turned back to Ginny and Sirius.
"It seems your identity has been confirmed and you are indeed Sirius Black. As you are now alive, it will be nearly impossible to charge Mrs. Weasley with murder."
Ginny frowned. Sirius squeezed her hand.
"However, because you were injured with a spell meant for killing, she will be charged with two accounts of attempted murder, one count of using an unforgivable curse, and an account of assault. She's being escorted to Azkaban prison as we speak. You will receive an owl alerting you to when the trial will take place. Failure to appear at this trial could result in some of these charges being dropped or lessened."
"We'll be there," Ginny promised, a hard expression on her face. She'd been through so much and now, to find out her own mum had been behind everything, it was almost too much.
"I'll let you know if I have any further questions. You are free to go."
Sirius half held, half carried Ginny out of the room.
"Do you want to go home, Red?"
"I don't know. I...I never thought..."
"Ginny! Sirius!"
Ginny spun to see a man dressed in a Chudley Cannons uniform. She nearly laughed, but instead tears started streaming down her face.
"Ron."
"They took Mum away, Ginny. She's gone. I'm going to be testifying at the trial, about how she tried to potion Hermione to make her love me. I think Harry's going to be there too, and Bill. Don't worry, it's over now, Ginny. We're finally safe," Ron promised. He turned to Sirius.
"You'll take care of her?"
"I will. I'm going to take her home, get some tea," Sirius answered. Ron nodded shaking Sirius' hand.
"Glad she got you back, mate," Ron stated, stepping aside to allow Ginny and Sirius to leave. Once Sirius got Ginny outside in the cool night air, she finally started breathing again, finally started sobbing.
"I'm here, Red. I'm here, and your family is there for you too. We're going to get through this. I mean, we survived me dying. We can survive this."
"I know," Ginny whispered, looking up into Sirius' eyes. "I know we will. Remus wouldn't have sent you back to me if we couldn't. I'm just... I'm glad it's over, that we have answers. I always joked Mum would do whatever it took to get what she wanted...I wish, I wish I hadn't been so right though."
Sirius kissed Ginny's forehead.
"I know. Ready to go home?"
"Yes, I am," she answered, wrapping around Sirius as he apparated them home.
