Disclaimer: Except for some OCs, the characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling. This chapter takes place during the time line of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

During the first week of January, something new happened in the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungos. Alison had volunteered faithfully over the course of the past year and a half. Most mornings, when the patient known as James Ogden awoke, she looked through the picture book with him and narrated the story of his life as well as she knew it. He looked at the pictures somewhat absently, but occasionally he would stop and look at one with a slight flicker of recognition in his eyes.

Sometimes when she came and sat down, Alison told herself that he recognized her, too. He seemed to look up somewhat hopefully when she came, especially when she had missed a day or two before. She felt stupid for placing her hopes on a man who would likely be in the hospital his whole life, but she spent a great deal of time here, too. It was the most constant relationship she had ever had.

On this morning, James stopped Alison at a picture of himself dancing at a wedding with the bride. He pointed to the picture and with an expression of perfect recall on his face said, "I need to see Emily Snape." He looked up at her and she knew that the person of Sirius Black had found his way back to the surface.

The next afternoon found Emily Snape pacing across the entrance to the Janus Thickey Ward. She told herself that her 1 pm appointment would arrive soon, but as she walked in the other direction she questioned whether he would come, knowing the animus between this wizard and her husband. Turning again she thought that surely the package she had sent would count for something. On returning, she wondered if she should have been more explicit in her letter about the nature of the meeting. On and on she paced, hoping that this wizard, out of all that circle of friends, would ask questions first rather than condemn her out of hand.

"Emily?"

"Remus!" At least he came; that was a relief. He was scowling at her, though, and holding up the picture book.

"Do you know how long I looked for this? Have you had it the whole time? What could you possibly have done with it?"

"Remus, can you stand some good news?"

"This better not be some sort of Death Eater trap."

"Please, you have to see this to understand it."

"You have just a few minutes."

"Come." Emily led him into the ward and to the space occupied by a patient named James Ogden. The patient was joking and flirting with the volunteer who had visited him all this time. She had him peek inside.

Remus looked in amazement and then looked at Emily. "How?"

"Harry misunderstood me and thought he was dead. He wasn't himself and Albus thought it was for the best to keep this secret. He just woke yesterday and asked to see me. I spoke with him for a little while and then sent for you. He should make a complete recovery."

"Does he know about—"

"I've told him nothing about the last year and a half. You may tell him, with whatever slant you wish to put on it."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Snape, I shall tell him everything."

Emily was stung but tried to be cordial. "That's as it should be. He needs to be with the people he counts as friends."

"I don't know what to say. 'Thank you' under the circumstances seems both inadequate and inappropriate."

Emily's lip trembled. "Please, just talk to him. Remember old times, explain the new, and help him get the rest of the way better. Whatever you do, don't mess up my arrangements. I've worked very hard to keep his presence here a secret. He deserves a chance."

"That's pretty odd coming from the wife of Severus Snape. I think I can be trusted, however."

He swept into the curtained area with a demeanor more commonly seen in James Potter than Remus Lupin, and Emily heard the cries of recognition and reunion. All would be well, and the patient she had laid on the bed so many months before would finally go home. It was as it should be, and Emily walked out of the ward and back to her other duties.

Several weeks after waking at St. Mungo's, the patient known as James Ogden was ready to return to the life he had known before entering the hospital. The Healer in charge of the Janus Thickey Ward smiled as she went over his discharge instructions, and signed him out with a light heart. Too few of her patients ever left on their own feet. As he left the hospital, James Ogden disappeared forever, having been unsought by any person.

Remus had considered various places where his friend could continue his convalescence and finally decided upon the family home. After the Death Eaters had been let within the Fidelius Charm by Hermione Granger they had swarmed through the house and then left. They decided there was nothing of value to be had and no information to be found. It was an obvious place to hide Sirius Black and yet no watch had been kept there and the Order of the Phoenix had found no spells to inform anyone if people started living there again.

It seemed that Albus Dumbledore had worked some intricate magic in dealing with Sirius's estate. Although Harry Potter stood to inherit everything, he had never had the opportunity to take possession of it. Had he done so, he would have discovered that his inheritance was not yet released because his godfather had not yet died. In the meanwhile, Harry had been able to exercise rights of ownership over certain portions of the property, such as the house. That reverted to the true owner as soon as he crossed the threshold.

Emily and Remus helped Sirius step back into the home of his parents, which he had last left in a hurry to join in the rescue effort at the Ministry. It was just as he left it although it showed the marks of the Death Eaters attempts to find valuable objects. Sirius smiled grimly. Mundungus Fletcher might have been a thief, and Sirius might not have cared about Black family heirlooms, but he took some satisfaction out of the fact that Dung had kept those objects out of the greedy hands of the Death Eaters.

Sirius had not regained his proper walk yet and in shuffling through the hall tripped on a carpet. He grabbed Emily around the waist to steady himself and was rewarded by a returning bump from within her tummy.

"Emily," Sirius turned and looked down accusingly at her, "you aren't with child again, are you?"

Her answer was a sweet smile and nod.

"Is it, did You-Know-Who..." It wasn't the sort of question one could just ask, even if one was Sirius Black.

"It's my husband's child."

Sirius looked at Emily with concern. "Has he been hurting or forcing you?"

Stung and offended, Emily shook her head. "No!"

"I don't understand, Emily. How could you willingly share a bed with the man who killed—"

His question was cut off when Emily body-checked Sirius hard enough to shove him past Remus and into the portrait of Walburga Black. The curtains in front of the portrait opened, as did the mouth of Walburga, but that lady was silenced at seeing her supposedly dead son standing before her.

Emily was not silent, however. "Say what you like, Sirius, you always have. Think about this, though. The father of this child was with me the day I put you in the very bed you left this morning. He has known all along where you were and has kept the secret. You owe him for that. Your cousins would have given a lot to know you were there, essentially helpless.

"You should also know that he has never stopped working for Dumbledore. Furthermore, although the Headmaster's office sealed itself off from Dolores Umbridge, it never did so to Severus Snape. None of it adds up, except to those who look carefully. I have warned you and told you, Sirius Black, to be careful what you say about my husband. I'm getting to the point where I might forget my oath as a Healer where you're concerned."

She covered her mouth with her hands as she realized what she had just done to a patient and all that she had said. "I'm sorry. I've been horribly unprofessional. You're better off without me from now on." She turned and slipped out the door.

Sirius got back onto his feet with Remus's help. "What got into her?"

Remus thought a moment about the pregnant woman in his own life. "If she really loves him, she will fight on his behalf. Dora is the same way."

"Yes, but you're one of us, and he's... him. Do you suppose he has her under the Imperius?"

"I don't think so. She's always been a bit touchy about how you and James treated him."

Remus helped his friend settle into the small sitting room. Kreacher was summoned and a state of détente was worked out. For the time being Kreacher would help Master, because he must, but also for the sake of Harry Potter and Master Regulus. Master was encouraged to be kinder to Kreacher for the sake of the same people.

They settled in to relax for the evening when a thought came to Sirius. "Say, Moony," he started.

"Yes?" Remus looked up from a text.

"These are dangerous times, right? Anyone could get killed."

"That's true enough."

"So if old Snivelly were to, er, not survive the war, do you suppose Emily..."

"Not a chance, mate. She never did, before." Remus tried to re-locate his place on the page.

"She spent all that time helping me get better."

"Actually, she told me that although she looked at your recovery records every month she only went into your room once or twice. She was worried that someone might recognize you if they saw her with you."

"She came to my room almost every day."

"That was Alison."

"Alison?" Sirius smiled in recollection of the blond he knew. "She was a sweet girl. She's been nice these past few weeks."

"I've spoken with her. She's quite a pleasant witch, now, and she took a lot of time to help you."

"Do you suppose she's married?"

"I don't believe so."

"Do you suppose she would visit me?"

"There's only one way to find out." Remus stood and stretched. "I should get home to Dora. She has some odd cravings these days. Sometimes it's me."

"What's it like being so tied down?"

"It's wonderful. Do you want me to help you to your room?"

"Actually, I'm tired of beds. I think I'll just get comfortable down here for tonight."

"Suit yourself."

Lupin left and Sirius was alone. As he sat on his couch and stared at his fire, he glanced occasionally at the easy chair across the hearth. It seemed like only weeks ago that Emily had sat there feeding her son, but it was years. The boy must be much bigger by now.

As he dozed, he recalled snippets of the past year and a half. There were times when he had wanted to wake up and say something back to the lady beside him. All the time that he had imagined Emily it had really been Alison's soft voice, hands, and laughter. From time to time he glanced at the chair, and continued to imagine a mother and child. Over the course of the evening, the woman seemed to change shape from a curvy brunette to a slimmer and taller blond.

A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews, angstycryingbaby47, debjunk, excessivelyperky, and tibys. Istani, thank you very much for your thoughtful comments on the whole Horcrux thing. Part of the storyline depends upon how I've portrayed it here, so we're kind of stuck with having it this way. A very special thanks, as always, to beta reader Mark Darcy.