Ashlynn and Sirius were called to Dumbledore's office three days later. They had been staying in a small room at Hogwarts since their wedding. Still grinning ear from ear Ashlynn thought she was going to explode with happiness. She had never felt this happy she had given up and Sirius had rescued her.
Dumbledore smiled at the happy couple as they entered into the office. "Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Black." He said with a twinkle in his eye.
Ashlynn laughed at the title of Mrs. Black it felt so good to be called that. "Good morning Professor." Ashlynn said.
"Sit down please." Dumbledore said with a smile. The couple sat down still holding hands. "Lemon drop?" He asked holding out the small bowl of lemon candies.
Sirius shook his head but Ashlynn took one and popped it into her mouth with a grin. "Thank you." She said.
Dumbledore smiled. "I called you both in here today to talk about your future." He said watching both of their reactions.
"What about it Dumbledore?" Sirius asked as he leaned forward.
"I want to place both of you under the Fidelius Charm. Ashlynn you were taken once already and the next time it won't be easy to get you back." Dumbledore said.
"There won't be a next time! I can protect her!" Sirius cried jumping up.
"Sirius, they know where you live." Dumbledore said.
"Then I will move." He said as Ashlynn grabbed his hand pulling him back to his chair.
She looked at Dumbledore and sighed. "We aren't going to be any help to the order under the Fidelius Charm. I refuse that course of action. There has to be another way Dumbledore, that Sirius and I can help the Order and still be protected." She said hopefully.
Dumbledore nodded slowly and then picked up the sheet of parchment. "I thought you might say something like this. Therefore I would like to offer you a position here at Hogwarts as Assistant Professor of Ancient Runes." Dumbledore said with a smile. "It's not unusual for an Assistant Professor to be brought in when another Professor is getting ready to retire."
Ashlynn looked over at Sirius who nodded slowly. "Does that mean Sirius and I will have to live separately?" She asked biting her lip.
Albus laughed softly and shook his head. "Not at all. You will be given a set of apartments off the main school. So is my offer of employment accepted?" He asked hopefully.
Ashlynn nodded. "As long as I'm not separated from Sirius I'll take the job." She said with a smile.
"No there shall be no need to separate you unless Sirius goes on a mission. Which of course I can no longer allow you to go on." Albus said with a tiny smile.
Ashlynn gasped and shook her head. "You must allow me to Dumbledore! I have to make up for what I did to earn this." She cried as she pointed at her arm where the dark mark was clearly seen as black as night.
Dumbledore stood up and made his way to the young girl with a small smile he said. "You carry a child Ashlynn; we cannot allow you to put your child at risk. Therefore I will not allow you to go on missions." He paused and then grabbed her left arm gently looking at it. "There shall be no way to rid you of this mark Ashlynn. You will bare it for the rest of your life, and I think that makes up for whatever misdeeds you have done to earn such a mark. I must ask you to cover it no matter what; it would no look good to the students if one of my Professors has one and showing it proudly."
Ashlynn nodded slowly. "I understand Professor." She said sadly that she would be forced to bear his horrible mark for the rest of her life.
"Now if you would kindly follow me I'll show you to your new apartments." Dumbledore said with a smile.
Ashlynn and Sirius were settling into their new apartment that was just off the main school and not too far away from the other Professors. The apartment had two bedrooms, a small kitchen, and a nice sized living room. Ashlynn had been charming the second bedroom different colors trying to choose what color to keep it.
Sirius smiled at her and kissed her neck softly. "Shouldn't we wait to see what the sex of the baby is before we choose the color of his or hers room?" He asked softly.
Ashlynn laughed and turned around and kissed him. "But I don't want to wait!" She cried unhappily.
Sirius laughed and shook his head. "I love you Ashlynn." He whispered.
"I love you too." She said as she winced. Sirius saw her and sighed, he had been noticing sometimes her mark burned a brighter black and she would wince in pain. With a sigh, she turned away from Sirius. She knew that hiding the pain would upset Sirius but she also wanted to protect him. Protect him from the fact that his wife was a monster, a monster that killed someone to receive a mark she did not want. Tears welling in her eyes she hid her face from Sirius in her hands. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I killed that poor man."
Sirius rushed up behind her, grabbed her from behind and turned her around. Gently he wiped her tears away and kissed her lips softly. "You are not to blame as everyone has told you. You saved yourself and a child. Benjy would have willingly given his life for any child, even an unborn one." He whispered.
Ashlynn nodded slowly and closed her eyes as she laid her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was the one thing that could bring her back to herself. It was real and perfect. Steady and strong, and while Sirius was around Ashlynn knew that everything was going to be okay.
"Come now love." He said and grabbed her hand. Slowly he led her into their new bedroom. "Now you are to get into bed and go to sleep! You've had a long trying day and tomorrow you have to start your new duties."
Ashlynn smiled at her husband and shook her head. "Not without you Sirius." She said with a smile.
Sirius frowned and shook his head. "I can't love; I have to go with Remus and James tonight." He said softly.
Ashlynn sighed and closed her eyes. "Honeymoons over I see." She whispered with a small laugh.
"When you-know-who is gone love I'm going to take you on the longest honeymoon ever." Sirius said. "That's a promise." With that, he kissed her deeply and then pulled away. "I have to go now love. You are to stay in bed until I return that's an order."
Ashlynn laughed and kissed him again. "I love you Sirius."
"I love you Ashlynn." He said and then he forced himself away from her. He knew she would be safe here in Hogwarts, her and their child. He hunched his shoulders and walked out.
The sun shone on her eyes Ashlynn sighed and reached over to Sirius' side of the bed. Her eyes popped open and she saw that his side had not been slept in. Worried she threw off the covers and ran into the living room. He was not there and she could tell he had not come back from his work last night.
She rushed into the room and threw on a dressing gown and slippers. With out another thought she grabbed a piece of parchment and followed the familiar steps to the owlery. As she ran up the steps, she quickly ripped the paper in two.
She wrote on one slip of paper. "Where are you?" and on the other she wrote. "Did James come home?" when she got to the top. She folding both up, put S. Black and L. Potter on the right ones, and then tied it off to two different owls.
Shivering in the cold winter air Ashlynn walked down the steps back into the building. She hated being pregnant suddenly she wished she could have gone with Sirius. She walked back into the building and made her way to her apartment.
Ashlynn quickly dressed in her deep rich purple robes and then set off towards Dumbledore's office. "Licorice wands!" She cried at the Gargoyle. She took the steps two at a time and burst into his office.
A small smile played on his face. "Good morning Ashlynn." He said standing up.
"Professor Sirius never came back last night. I am worried about him. Please tell me if you have heard from any of them?" She asked breathlessly.
Dumbledore nodded slowly and smiled. "Sirius is just fine Ashlynn; he's in the hospital wing with James visiting Peter. He came back from his own mission a bit worse for wear." Albus said with a small laugh. "I was just about to head over there would you like to walk with me."
Ashlynn smiled sheepishly and turned bright red. "I guess I over reacted." She murmured.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of Ashlynn. You were worried I understand. Now come along you can reprimand Sirius for being so inconsiderate of your feelings." Albus said as they began making their way down the steps.
They had almost made it to the Hospital wing when Sirius came around the corner at a full run. Ashlynn could see her hurried note clutched in his hand. He skidded to a halt in front of her and breathlessly said. "I'm so sorry love."
Ashlynn nodded slowly and released the breath she had not realized she had been holding. "You complete prat! How could you not come and tell me you were alright!" She cried unhappily. Suddenly the worry was overtaken by anger.
"I'm sorry love. I heard that Peter was here and I wanted to check on him." Sirius said as he went to pull her into a hug, but she slapped his hand away.
"No! You had me worried sick and all you can think of is your precious rodent. Well if that's the way you want it then fine go have fun with him." She yelled and then walked off.
Sirius grabbed her arm and pulled her away she grabbed her wand as he began to talk. "Langlock." She cried and then rushed away as Sirius's tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.
Sirius slammed the apartment door shut, his grey eyes blazing in anger at his wife of four days. "How could you do that to me?" He cried. "It took them two hours to figure out how to un-hex me!"
Ashlynn laughed and rolled her eyes. "Don't like being tongue tied?" She asked as she sneered at him. The perfect Malfoy sneer the one thing that Ashlynn had kept from her old family. "Make me worry about you again Sirius Black and a lot worse will happen to you."
Sirius glared at her. "Really? Because I was checking on my friend! Oh wait you wouldn't know what a friend is would you Malfoy!"
Ashlynn glared at him. "Malfoy! Like your any better, you are a Black! Your beloved cousin Bellatrix is in love with the Dark Lord!"
Sirius laughed meanly and rolled his eyes. "At least I don't wear his mark proudly." He yelled.
Ashlynn glared at him and turned her back to him. "Why did I marry you?" She murmured.
He saw the hurt flash in Ashlynn's eyes and his anger faded away. "You married me because we love each other! You silly witch! One fight isn't going to change that." Sirius said. "Now I told you I was sorry for worrying you, I'm also sorry for being mean. I love you Ashlynn, Ashlynn Black."
Ashlynn started to cry and whispered. "I'm sorry too Sirius, I love you too." Sirius smiled smugly, pulled her into a hug, and kissed her deeply.