I woke shortly after the sun had risen and saw Remus smiling at me from one corner of the room. I changed my form back to human and went over to him.
"Guess I got lucky last night huh Moony?"
"I think it was more intelligence than luck Celeste. You did well. You saved your father and your friends, that's something you should be very proud of. What's more you saved me from myself. Thank you dear heart."
I smiled and stood to help him up. We slid into the passage and made our way up to the castle. Professor Dumbledore was waiting for us at the main doors. Promising help in his office we slowly followed him. I was more concerned with Remus' strength than anything else so I didn't notice the others waiting there until after he was seated. When I looked up I froze in place.
"Morning Celeste." This from Hermione who had a huge grin on her face. Her smile relaxed me almost as much as Dumbledore's voice.
"I must say that I am very impressed with the actions you took last night Miss Black. You not only protected your friends but your family as well." He motioned to both Remus and my father.
"It will please you to know that the Ministry has Mr. Pettigrew in custody and is currently working on Sirius' release and exoneration. However I must warn you all that this will unlikely be the last we see of Peter. Though the dementors will know he is an Animagus his small size likely means he will find a way to return to his master.
"This said you must all take caution in the coming days. Lord Voldemort is not likely to give up without a fight and Peter Pettigrew had already proved what he would do for the Dark Lord. Now, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, I believe it would be advisable for you to return to your dormitories and get some rest.
"Miss Black, if you will excuse me I have some business to attend and trust you will see Professor Lupin back to his quarters."
A tiny smile formed as Dumbledore led my friends out leaving me alone with my father and godfather. The moment of truth had arrived and I was ready to face the future no matter what it brought. I looked up to find Sirius Black staring at me and held his stare.
"Last night you called me 'Dad'. I think I'm missing something here."
"Yeah I think you are. Well, it's like this. My mum never told you about me though I don't know why. When I was three she left me with Moony and disappeared. He's raised me since then and he's great but technically you're my dad, by blood anyways. I'll understand if you'd rather not have me around and that's cool cause I'm sure Remus will let me stay with him."
The words had rushed out of my mouth as I stared into eyes so like my own. Remus had always told me that I looked a lot like my father but I had never really thought about it until now.
"Is that what you want Celeste? To stay with Remus?"
"I want, well, I want a family. Remus is the only family I've ever had but I'd like you to be a part of it too."
Sirius looked from me to Remus and I couldn't quite figure out what he was thinking. "Moony, would you let me join you? I know that she'll welcome me but even if I am her father by blood you're the one who's always been there for her and I'd rather you made the call."
Remus and I were both taken aback by this. It was obvious that he still wasn't sure about me but was ready to give me a chance just the same. Remus glanced at me before turning back to my father.
"Sirius, you remember your old girlfriend Adelaide Castle?"
"Of course! She was the last girlfriend I had before my arrest."
"Adelaide came to me a month after Lily and James died. She had a baby with her. She had come to ask if I would be Celeste's godfather. She wanted to know that someone would take her in if anything happened to her. I agree because, even though I admit I thought you were guilty, you were still my old friend and I couldn't turn her away.
"Around a year and a half later she came back to me with Celeste and a couple of bags. She said that she couldn't keep her anymore and asked if I was still willing to take her because the last thing she wanted was to have to leave Celeste in an orphanage.
"She gave me a key for a Gringotts vault that she had had set-up for us. Said to use it for birthdays, Christmas, schooling and such. I found out later that she had put all the money she had in that vault. I-I," He stumbled. Remus looked at me with such sadness in his eyes that I was confused beyond belief.
Looking at me rather than at my father he sighed and said, "I found out later that the reason she had left you with me was because she was ill and did not have much time left. I heard that a few months after I took you in she passed away."
He turned back to my father. "I did the best I could in raising her but my condition made it difficult. Just before the first full moon after she came to live with me I discover that she was an Animagus. We'd been playing a games and she thought it funny to hide in her animal form.
"I found it humorous to learn that she took the form of a black puppy. Thanks to the combination of Wolfsbane and her being an Animagus it made things easier during the full moon. We've never had much but we get along well enough. Like Celeste said we're a family and my friend you are more than welcome to become a part of it."
Sirius looked at me with a rather curious expression. "A father am I? Well, it's a shock to say the least but I couldn't be prouder of you than I am right now."
The smile that spread across his face made all the difference. He looked so much younger, so much more alive. Just as I was starting to understand what he'd said I found myself being spun in the air. My father had rushed over and picked me up spinning us both in his elation. I couldn't help but laugh as Remus smiled at us.
The three of us spent the day in Remus' rooms. I slept on the couch while my father slept in one of the spare chairs. With help from Sirius I settled Remus into bed just after we left Dumbledore's office. Now it was nearly sundown and I stretched as I awoke. Unsurprisingly I had slept the day away and was a little startled to find my father staring at me as I woke.
"Good morning little one!"
"Little one?" I gave a small laugh.
"Of course. It's a reference to your Animagus. I think it's amusing that you're a little black puppy. I'm guessing you were born an Animagus to have transformed so young."
I nodded. "Remus had said that the only way I could change at such a young age was to be born one. I always thought it was a game. Every month he challenged me to stay as the puppy for the whole night and every morning after, no matter how bad he felt, he always made my favorite breakfast as a reward.
"Then when I was about eight I figured out that I could use it to help Remus during his transformations. Well, actually he let it slip when we were talking about you and James but either way it was the best thing I could have found out.
"I hated having to lock him in that room every month and to know I could stay with him was a relief."
My father smiled and shook his head. "You may look like me but you are so like your mother. I wish you could have known her, she was a wonderful woman."
"In a way I do. She left me letters that Remus gives me on my birthday and I have pictures too. You probably already know that she had other wizard friends but she asked them to take pictures of us together for me to keep.
"Honestly between mum and Remus I haven't missed all that much." I suddenly felt very shy and very small as I said, "And if it counts for anything I never believed that you were in league with You-Know-Who."
His smile said everything and he came and sat next to me on the couch. I leaned against him and realized that my father had accepted me. Everything was right in the world. I could have sat there forever just enjoying the fact that I had made it through everything but someone knocked on the door and since I was fairly certain that not everyone knew about Sirius' exoneration I answered.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing there. "Oi, what are you lot doing here?"
"We came to see you Celeste and we have food." Ron was obviously laughing at me.
"Food! Well then get you're arses in here I'm starving!"
They came in and I watched as my dad embraced Harry. It suddenly dawned on me that not only did I now have two dads but one of my best mates had essentially become my brother. I burst out laughing which made everyone look at me like I had lost my mind.
"I just realized that now I have Remus and my dad and since Harry's dad godson in a twisted way he's my brother." I laughed even harder because the words just sounded odd.
Everyone joined in and it was Harry who first managed to gather his wits. "You know, in a way Celeste's right. Talk about a hell of a third year."
We all flopped down and ate our fill. It turned out that the others had been sent straight to bed and had just gotten up a little while before. Instead of eating in their dorms they had gotten permission from Dumbledore to bring dad and I food. When we finished eating I filled a plate and knocked on Remus's door.
"Come in."
I opened it slightly and stuck my head in. "Harry and the others brought food, are you up to eating something?"
"Honestly no but bring me the food anyway and I'll try just the same."
I laughed and flicked my wand to turn on a light. He looked so pale and tired that I had to work hard not to cry. Even after all these years it still hurt to see what the moon did to him. Just the same I walked over and sat beside him on the bed.
"Remus, you are going to come with me when I move in with dad, right?"
"Well let me ask you this. Why don't you want to go live with your dad without me?"
"Why? Are you serious? You're my family! You raised me and you're the only family I've ever had and I refuse to let you push me away now that dad's free. He'll understand I know he will. I can't leave you for him because you're my dad too." I silently pleaded with him to understand.
"She's right Moony." We both looked at the doorway to find my dad standing there.
"Is she Padfoot? Now that you're free she doesn't really belong with me anymore. You're her blood and she should be with you."
Dad shook his head. "No. You forget my friend that I've never put much stock in blood. You, James and Lily were more my family than any of those people I grew up around. The truth is that you're her family not me. You've been with her through it all and I won't let you miss the rest."
I looked between them waiting for a reaction. After a minute of silence I stared at Remus.
"Please Moony! It won't be family without you even dad says so."
He was silent a little longer before nodding his agreement. I smiled brightly before pushing him to eat something. We had taken care of each other for years and it wasn't going to stop now.
With the end of term came so many changes it made my head spin. Remus resigned his post since someone, my bet's on Snape, had let it 'slip' that he was a werewolf. To be honest he didn't really seem all that upset over the whole thing. Dad gave him a hard time about wanting to stay home to be a housewife which had all of us laughing.
All of our things were sent back to the flat Remus and I had shared since we weren't moving until after school finished. Dad said we'd stay at our old flat until we could find a house. I was looking forward to having a yard more than anything. Dad even promised we'd get something big enough to play Quidditch in.
Ron, Harry and Hermione all promised to come and visit and with Dumbledore's help we made arrangements for Harry to be a semi-permanent resident. Because Voldemort was still out there Harry had to stay with the muggles some of the time or the enchantment his mother had left would break. Even as depressing as this was things still looked better than they had.
Just like Dumbledore had predicted, Pettigrew escaped Azkaban before school even let out. The man was just like the rat he pretended to be. Harry was still in danger but now he had loads of people who cared to watch his back. He and I had even gone from acting like mates to acting as though we really were brother and sister. Ron and Hermione thought it was hilarious but to us it just made sense.
Chaos reigned on the Hogwarts Express as everyone prepared to head home. The six of us quickly grabbed a compartment together and settled in for the ride. Remus sat in the corner again so I made a point to sit next to him with Hermione on my other side. Sirius sat across of Remus with Harry across from me and Ron next to him. We sat for hours talking and laughing. We even bought out the trolley when it came past.
The train's arrival in London meant saying goodbye for the summer. I hugged Ron and Hermione and promised to write often. I watched as they went off with their parents and then walked with Remus, Harry and my father through the barrier. We were going to have a little chat with Harry's muggle relatives before we let him go off with them. I had to hold back the giggles when I saw them.
"Boy, come on then we haven't got all day." The man who addressed Harry was the fattest I'd ever seen. I knew Dad wanted to say something first but I stepped up.
"Hello, Mr. Dursley sir. My name's Celeste Black. You've probably realized by now that I'm a witch and my father and I would like a word with you." I gestured to my dad who seemed to get the idea and put a hand on Harry's shoulders and mine.
"You see sir, my father is Harry's godfather which in a way makes him my brother. Now I'm sure you haven't really meant to mistreat him in the past but we'd like to make sure it doesn't happen anymore. We'll be picking Harry up a week before his birthday and I'm sure that until then all of his letters will reflect the improved treatment he'll be receiving from you."
I smiled sweetly and watched him turn purple. It took everything in me not to burst out laughing at how ridiculous the man looked.
"Are you threatening me?"
"No sir but just so you know my father was just released from prison." I followed the script Harry and I had planned in secret and managed to keep a look of total innocence on my face. Mr. Dursley paled horribly at the mention of prison and I had to bite my tongue not to laugh.
"Dursley, as my daughter said I'm sure Harry's letters will report nothing but positive treatment and in case you misunderstood her let me simplify for you. If I have any reason to believe that you are mistreating him then I will see that you pay for it. Do we have an understanding?"
The purple pig nodded and I turned to Harry. "Write as often as you like and if they try anything funny you know how to reach us."
Dad and I hugged him and waved as he walked away with his uncle. Once they were out of hearing distance we both broke out laughing and turned to Remus. He was smiling mischievously and I could only laugh harder. I wrapped my arms around both my "fathers" and the three of us headed for home.