February 17, 1990

Callie awoke slowly. Her mind gradually became aware of heavy blankets on top of her, a lingering scent of something comforting, and the sound of water running. She was so tired. Every nerve in her body protested the thought of getting up and facing a new day. Her eyelids remained closed. There was a spell over her, the spell of a peaceful morning and the feeling that she had nowhere to be and nothing to do. She was content to lay there forever.

Then she remembered Peter. And the spell lifted. Her gut clenched painfully, and she opened her eyes to stop the images of the coffin being lowered into the ground. She gasped from the sudden weight of loss.

The water cut off. She blinked and looked around. The angle of the light coming through the curtains told her the sun hadn't been up for very long.

She rolled over and turned her back on the window. As she turned she caught a stronger whiff of that comforting scent, and remembered what it was. Sirius' cologne. She touched the collar of her shirt and felt unfamiliar material. Was she wearing one of his shirts? It was gloriously comfortable, she had to admit. She held the fabric to her nose and inhaled deeply. The scent sank into her blood, calming her.

The bathroom door opened and Sirius walked out, toweling his hair. He walked over to the closet. Callie watched him. His back was to her, the mirror on the closet door showing his profile. He must have forgotten to bring a shirt into the bathroom before his shower. She'd bet money he did it on purpose.

She could see why so many women wanted him. But that wasn't why she stared – not really.

She didn't know why, but she was surprised by the scars scattered across his back.

He caught sight of her in the mirror and a slow smile spread across his face. "I thought you'd still be asleep."

"Sorry to disappoint."

He chuckled and looked through the shirts in his closet. "You're making me uncomfortable, ogling me like that."

"Liar," she accused. She paused, feeling out the silence. It was comfortable, and she was immensely grateful for it. She sat up and watched his back for a moment longer. "Where did you get those scars?"

"I'm an Auror, love. Do I really need to answer that?" He pulled a shirt out of his closet and tugged it on over his head. It was an advertisement for a Muggle band called "The Rolling Stones." "An owl came for you. It's on the bedside table."

Callie sat up and reached over to grab the letter. She recognized the seal at once. "How does he always know where to find me?" she complained.

"Dumbledore?"

"Who else?" She broke the seal and opened it. The letter was written in his customary slanted script. She felt the bed dip as Sirius sat on it to pull his boots on as she read. "He says he's found the identity of the final Horcrux, and he thinks he knows where it's hidden. He thinks it's Gryffindor's pin, and it's hidden in Godric's Hollow. I haven't even found the one hidden at Hogwarts yet!" She huffed. "He also says hello to you, which means his owl didn't just fly around England until it found me." She paled. "Which means the Death Eaters might know where I am, too. I need to go!"

She stood quickly, but Sirius caught her wrist. "Relax. They don't know where you are."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Regulus would have warned me if they did." He turned and met her gaze. "I promise you, at least for the moment, you're safe here."

She hesitated, but the expression in his eyes was reassuring. She allowed herself to relax and sink back down onto the bed. He gave her a smile and released her wrist. The silence settled back between them as Sirius finished pulling on his shoes. Callie thought about the Horcruxes and Dumbledore's letter. The identity of the seventh and final Horcrux had been deduced. But Merlin, the search was wearing on her.

"How am I supposed to find two more of these stupid things?" Callie muttered, voicing her frustration. "I can't find the one in Hogwarts."

"I wish we'd kept that map," Sirius said. Callie looked at him curiously. "We made a map of Hogwarts that showed the whole school, who was in it, and where they were," he explained. "Of course, we used it mostly for stalking Lily and pranking, but its potential far exceeds those purposes."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Of course you did." She folded the letter up again. "Well, the snake made it. It's been sighted in Devon."

"You-Know-Who's?" Callie nodded. "So that leaves what? Two more?"

"Three, actually." She paused. "I should really get back at it."

"And I need to report to the Office," he said. He stood and stretched. "Listen, there's a café downstairs. Let's get breakfast."

Callie hesitated. "I really should get going."

Sirius gave her a look. "You haven't eaten anything but that pizza since before the funeral. Dumbledore and Horcruxes can wait another hour."

She sighed deeply. "Alright. Get out so I can change."

She changed quickly back into the clothes she'd come in, the clothes she wore to Peter's funeral. The memory left an ache in her chest.

Her eyes trailed unbidden across the bed. Sirius had been so sweet the night before, so thoughtful, so gentle. She blushed at the foggy memory of asking him to stay beside her through the night. How embarrassing! It had been so comfortable, though. Talking to him, listening to him. She'd felt more safe last night than she had since she started her hunt for the Horcruxes.

She didn't want to think through that just yet. She finished changing, ran her fingers through her hair to work out some of the knots, and walked out into the living area. She found Sirius in the kitchen, washing up their dishes from the night before.

Callie cleared her throat. "Ready?"

Sirius looked up quickly. He flashed a quick smile, but she knew she'd shaken him out of a deep reverie. "Yeah, let's go."

They walked together in companionable silence down the elevator, through the lobby, and across the busy, Muggle street to the restaurant. It was styled like a French cafe, with little awnings and flowers in boxes. They got a table toward the back, farthest away from the cold outside.

Sirius didn't even glance at his menu. Callie noticed and smirked. "Come here often?"

He shrugged. "I just know what I like."

She chuckled. The waiter was prompt in taking their orders. He took their menus and disappeared. Callie looked around the room. It was quaint and small and excellently decorated. Tiny Eiffel Towers made up the centerpieces of the tables. She picked one up and turned it over in her fingers.

"I've always wanted to see Paris," she confessed.

Sirius smiled. "Really? Why's that?"

She shrugged. "I guess because it seems so magical in a very simple way." He watched her for a long moment. There was a slight blush to her cheeks and she nibbled on her lower lip like she did when she was nervous. "I wonder what those words say," she mused, breaking the silence. "The ones on the wall, I mean."

Sirius glanced at the words on the wall and couldn't resist showing off. "They're lyrics to a French song," he said. "La Vie en Rose, or 'Life in Rosy Hues.'" Images of the rosy light of dawn illuminating Callie's hair and skin returned to his mind. He cleared his throat to rid himself of the memory before his face turned red, too.

She smiled. "How do you know that?"

He shrugged. "I can read it."

Callie couldn't resist laughing. "You can read French?"

"Yeah. My mother made Regulus and I both learn the language." He grinned when she continued to laugh. Godric, he loved that sound. "What's so funny about that?"

"It's just… the Great Sirius Black, Auror Extraordinaire, knows French."

"Je peux le aussi le dire."

"Oh, and you can speak it, too. Of course." She grinned.

"You don't know everything about me, Potter," he teased.

"So tell me something more, then. Something you didn't tell me last night."

He chuckled and leaned forward with his forearms against the table. He stared at her and she stared back as he thought. "Alright," he said at last, "but you can't laugh."

"I swear I won't."

He smiled a little. "Secretly… I'd kind of like to settle down. Not now, of course, but some day."

She smiled slowly. "Really? What does settling down look like to you?"

Sirius shrugged. "Life's full of adventures. Settling down means a different sort of adventure from the ones I've had all my life. It looks like enjoying a world that can be enjoyed. A world we helped make."

Callie caught the "we" in his last sentence and blushed. She wasn't sure how exactly he meant that. She looked at him for a long moment. There was no hint of a joke, no suggestion that he was lying, just simple, light honesty. She chose not to comment on the last sentence. "You are full of surprises this morning, Black."

He grinned. "What, didn't take me for the sort?"

She chuckled. "Honestly, no, I didn't. You've always struck me as the sort who's running as fast as he can, but who doesn't know whether he's running toward or away from something. I didn't think you'd ever stop."

"I don't think a peaceful life means standing still."

"No, I suppose not." The waiter returned with their breakfast. Callie nursed her cup of tea, adding a cube of sugar and a dash of cream. "Would you settle down with Marlene?"

The question surprised her as much as it did him. She had not intended to let it out. Sirius' eyes widened a fraction and he had the decency to look a little embarrassed. He cleared his throat. "Actually… no. I don't think she's the type."

His answer surprised Callie more than her question. She looked up, confused. "Really? Why?"

"She's… um… how do I put this?" He leaned back in his chair, taking a breath. "I'm not in love with her."

Callie blinked. "Then why are you dating her?"

"We're actually not dating at the moment."

"Why did you date her, then?" She paused, continuing when his reply wasn't immediate. "I'm just trying to figure out why anyone would be with someone they don't love, and for so long."

Sirius chuckled, but it was forced. "Asking all the tough questions this morning, aren't you?"

But she had come this far, and she was unwilling to give up now. "Does that mean you won't answer?"

"No, no, I'll answer." He took a bracing sip of coffee, suddenly wishing it was something stronger. Talking about exes, especially Marlene, on an almost first date with the woman he'd just discovered he was in love with was not something he expected to be doing ever, much less now. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, putting his feelings toward Marlene in order. He was pretty sure honesty was the way to go here, even though honesty was a little messy when it came to Marlene McKinnon.

"Marlene is a good friend. We were in the same year in Hogwarts, same house, same classes. We got to know each other. She was a good friend through some pretty rainy days. Once, Sixth year, I think it was, I did something… pretty terrible. Almost everyone sort of didn't talk to me for a while there. I deserved it, Merlin knows, but it sucked. Marlene was there for me through it all." Sirius paused, remembering the events. He took another sip of coffee. "Anyway… she's a good friend. And yeah, we keep trying to make something work because it should, you know? But we just don't… click. At the end of the day, she's a friend, and that's it."

"A friend that you sleep with," Callie reminded.

Sirius' face warmed. He chuckled uncomfortably. "You just go right for the throat, don't you?" What was wrong with him? He'd never been embarrassed about that before.

"You taught me interrogation techniques. The only one you can blame is yourself," she argued with a grin.

"I believe what I taught you was to lull the target into a false sense of security before you go for the kill." He changed the subject quickly. "So what about you? I've spilled my guts over Marlene; there must be some sordid relationship in your past. At school, maybe?"

Callie chuckled. "Actually, no, there isn't. I mean, sure I dated a couple people in school, but it never lasted long. And since I left school, I've been too busy."

"That's a terrible excuse, love."

"Maybe, but it's the one I'm sticking to." She glanced down at her uneaten breakfast. She couldn't quite bring herself to eat the scone so she waved down the waiter and ordered something else.

Sirius saw the change in her expression and the weight was back in his chest. He watched her fiddle with her scone, avoiding his eye again. He hated seeing the weight in her expression, the sadness written across her features. He leaned forward and reached across the table, setting his hand on hers. "Hey," he said softly, "it'll be okay."

"What if it isn't?" she argued. "It wasn't for Peter. What if this war never ends? Or worse – what if they win? Sirius… we don't know that anything will get better."

He squeezed her hand. "We're going to get him, okay? I swear to you we will. We will avenge Peter."

She swallowed hard and stared at him for a moment. She remembered the previous night spent talking and drinking, the way he looked at her, how the world around her faded when he comforted her. For a moment, Callie wanted nothing more than to crawl back into his arms and his bed and hide from the world, forget what was outside, forget what she had to do. Instead, she managed a tight smile and finished her breakfast.

The meal was over too quickly. Sirius wasn't sure he'd ever be ready to part with her again. Who knew how long it would be before their paths next crossed? How many things could happen before they did?

He steeled himself and paid for breakfast, waving off her promise to pay him back. They walked out onto the busy Muggle street, pulling their coats tighter around them. Sirius offered to take her back to Hogwarts, and she accepted with minimal objection. It was so far out of his way, she argued, but he promised he didn't mind. There were some things he needed to take care of in Hogsmeade, anyway. It was a lie, but she didn't call him out. They apparated to the little, Wizarding town and walked up the snow-covered path to the castle. Callie said she'd be fine once inside the protective barrier, but Sirius walked her inside the front entrance anyway.

The halls were relatively quiet. Classes had already started and only the ghost of Nearly Headless Nick was to be seen. Sirius drew a deep breath. "Well, I guess this is it."

Callie nodded. She paused awkwardly. She glanced down the hall for a sign of Dumbledore. When she looked back at Sirius, she found his eyes fixed on her. There was something there, something new, some subtle emotion. She found that she didn't want him to leave.

"Thank you," she said, voice a whisper. "For everything. It really means a lot."

He smiled. "No need to thank me. Listen, if you ever need a place to stay and escape it all, my door's always open. Otherwise, I'm just an owl away." He paused, turning a little more serious. "Are you going to be okay?"

She knew he was talking about mourning Peter. She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yeah. Are you?"

"Yeah. You're not alone, okay? You've still got James, Lily, Remus, and I."

She nodded. "I know." Her fingers found his and held on tight for a moment. "Thanks again."

He squeezed her hand. "Sure. Take care, okay? Stay safe."

Callie nodded again. "You, too." She stepped back and let him go.

He held her gaze for a moment. She thought he might say something, but he didn't. He offered her a final smile and walked away.

"You should have kissed him," a voice over her shoulder spoke. She glanced up to see Nearly Headless Nick.

Callie sighed and shook her head. "No. Not until this is all over, at least." She drew a deep breath, steadied herself, and went to report to Dumbledore.

It was nearly midnight before Sirius got back to his apartment. He'd been hoping, foolishly, that maybe Callie would be there when he got back. She wasn't, of course, and it put him in an even fouler mood than he was already in. The whole bloody Auror Department and no one knew who'd killed Peter yet. That news, combined with a screaming fight with Marlene and the grief he was already shouldering had cast a dark cloud over him.

So it was understandable that he panicked when he heard the voice coming from his dresser.

Sirius tore open the dresser drawer and pulled out the two-way mirror. "James! What's happening!?"

"Bloody finally!" James snapped. "I've been calling for two hours."

It wasn't an emergency. Sirius could see in his friend's eyes it wasn't. He was very clearly angry, but he wasn't in danger. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't do that to me, Prongs! Merlin!"

"Where is Callie?"

The accusatory tone of voice was not lost on him. Sirius carried the mirror to his kitchen and set it on the counter while he looked for something to eat. "What do you mean, 'Where's Callie?' She's at Hogwarts. At least, I'm pretty sure she is. She's looking for one of the last Horcruxes."

James raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "Oh, so she's not with you?"

Sirius mentally cursed. He did not have the energy for this. He drew a deep breath and let it out. "Can we not do this right now?" He drew out a packet of sliced ham and a loaf of bread. "Work's been hell today, and-"

"Did you sleep with my sister, Sirius?" James demanded.

James was always so uptight these days. Maybe it was the exhaustion or his desperation to crack a joke in the middle of a night saturated with grief and frustration, but Sirius couldn't resist teasing him a little. "Well, we didn't do much sleeping…"

"WHAT!?"

Sirius laughed. James' face was red, eyes livid. Sirius grinned. "I'm joking, mate. No, of course I didn't. Happy?"

"Not funny, Black!" James snarled. "What did you do, then?"

Sirius glared at him. "Believe it or not, I was a perfect gentleman. And she was devastated over Peter! If I'd let her leave, she'd have done something stupid and gotten herself killed."

"You don't know that, you idiot!"

"No, actually I do know that. What did you want me to do; not comfort her over the loss of her friend? We're all grieving Peter; her no less than us!"

"She's six years younger than you. She's practically a kid!"

Sirius knew James well – well enough to know that this was not about Callie. Not really. James was mourning and he was cooped up in a little house with people he had to show a brave face in front of. He was aching for a fight. Normally Sirius would be happy to give him one, but not tonight. Tonight he was tired and his mind was still reeling from the duel blow of realizing one of his oldest friends was dead and he was bloody in love. He scoffed. "She's not a kid, James." His voice sounded tired, even to his own ears.

"She's only twenty-four!"

"You got Lily pregnant when she was nineteen! So don't talk to me about how Callie's too young."

James did not take kindly to that comment. "We were also married!"

"How many times, mate? Nothing happened!" Sirius set the mirror down on the counter again. It always made James angry when he had to stare at the ceiling, and at the moment, Sirius thought it would do James good. He turned back to his meal, sandwiching slices of ham and cheese between the bread and taking a bite. "Although…" He grinned. "Callie Black does have a nice ring to it…"

"No, it doesn't! I gave you one simple instruction," James said. "'Don't mess with my sister, I said. And what did you do? You never bloody listen!"

"Now you know how McGonagall must have felt trying to teach you," Sirius replied dryly.

"Don't change the subject! You're on thin ice as it is."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "What do you want from me?" he asked, and picked the mirror up so he could see James. "An apology? I'm not sorry for comforting Callie. Do you have any idea how alone she must feel? She's got literally the most important job in the Wizarding World at the moment, and she's doing it by herself. I think she deserves to have someone there for her when she needs them."

"I'm here for her!" James argued.

Sirius gave him a look. "Yeah, and you've been great. Supporting her when you shouldn't even leave the house."

The blow landed. It was a cheap shot. He knew how much it bothered James that he was stuck at home. He let out a breath when James didn't respond. Deep down, he knew James was reacting out of fear and grief. He'd exploded like this after his parents died, too; it was just how he dealt with loss. It was easier to explode over something else for a while, let off steam from a different vent to relieve the pressure. Sirius took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm sorry; that crossed a line. But listen, mate, you know how much you mean to me. Hell, you're my brother. I would never do anything to hurt you, alright? Not intentionally, at least."

He hadn't expected it, but James softened at the words. He ran an agitated hand through his hair before fixing Sirius with a serious, but less angry, stare. "So you promise to stay away from Callie, then?"

How could he make a promise like that after realizing he loved her? But James didn't know that – couldn't know that. Not yet. Sirius took another bite of dinner. "I promise not to screw around with her, how about that? She is my friend, though, so I'm not going to promise to stay away." He kept his tone light, casual, praying that for once James couldn't read him.

James could, but he relented nonetheless. "Alright. Fair enough."

"So we're good, then?"

James nodded. "Yeah, we're good." He ran a hand through his hair and let out a deep sigh. Sirius could tell from the edge of guilt in his eyes that James had cooled down. He'd probably apologize tomorrow for the outburst. "So how is she? She didn't look good after the funeral."

Sirius let out a deep breath. "Yeah, she wasn't good. I think she's pretty devastated, to be honest with you."

"Did she shut down?"

"No, thankfully. She actually talked it out. All things considered, I'd say she's handling this better than the Claybournes." He paused. He thought again about comforting her, holding her in his arms as she slept. He hadn't felt so at peace in years.

"I'm glad," James said, shaking him from his memory. "I was afraid she'd just lock it all inside. Like she did Mum and Dad's deaths."

Sirius nodded. It was strange, he thought. Normally James would be the first person he talked to about something as serious as falling in love. But he couldn't exactly tell James he'd fallen in love with his little sister. Not now, anyway; James would blow his top. Anyone else, and James would make fun of him before becoming deadly serious and talking him through it. Like he did everything. James was his rock, his fortress in the middle of an ever-turbulent life. His first and best friend, his brother in all but blood. And he'd gone and fallen in love with the one person James was stalwartly opposed to.

He was stupid, Sirius had always known that about himself. He was just proving himself right once again.

"How's Lily holding up?" he asked, changing the subject. He finished his sandwich and washed the plate. He took a bottle of Butterbeer down from a cupboard and carried it and the mirror to the couch.

They talked well into the early hours of the morning. Despite the rocky start to the conversation, Sirius was relieved to see and talk to his friend. The grief and guilt over Peter's death remained at bay as long as he was talking to James. As long as James was okay, things couldn't be so bad. He'd learned that his first year of school, and amid all the changes that he and the world had both gone through, that fact remained constant. James was the rock he'd anchor his life on. It had always been like that, and it always would be.

"Lily's calling me," James said at last. "I'll let you go. Are you going to be alright alone, mate? If not, you can always come over."

"Yeah, I'll be alright," Sirius promised. In spite of the very late hour, he was reluctant to end the connection, as he always was. "Say hello to the wife and kids for me."

James chuckled and promised he would. He said goodnight and disappeared. Sirius stared at the vacant mirror in front of him for a moment. The room always felt emptier when James left it, even if it was only through a magical mirror. Except this time, it wasn't just James' presence he was missing.

Sirius pulled his shoes off and crawled into bed, not bothering to change. He looked at the empty space beside him where Callie had been hours before. His arms ached to hold her again. How was he supposed to sleep alone now?

A laugh burst from his throat at the absurdity of the thought. He was turning into James. Honestly, wondering how he'd sleep without someone beside him? What had gotten into him?

He had much bigger problems than that. Like how he was going to make Voldemort pay for Peter's death. Sirius turned his back to the empty space beside him and fell asleep.