Andromeda and Sophie were sitting on the terrace with Jessie and Jonathan. Both were visibly shocked. When Sirius and the others sat down with them, Jonathan said, "Can you please explain what's going on? The man who assaulted Jessie is your son and is wanted for murder, is he not? Have you informed the police?". "No, we haven't. This is an internal matter, and the police can't do anything about it". "What do you mean, an internal matter? Because he is your son?". "No, because we are wizards". The two siblings stared at him in disbelief. "Wizards? What the hell does that mean?". "I'll show you". Sirius drew his wand and made snowflakes fall on them. Then he waved his wand at the three marble statues on the balustrade of the terrace. They stood up, balanced themselves on the balustrade up to the table, bowed and returned to their positions. The Fairfields had watched the spectacle with open mouths. "This should be a demonstration to you of what we are up against. We didn't call the Muggle police because they wouldn't stand a chance against Cygnus". "Muggles?". "Non-magical people. Jessie was extremely lucky to have outwitted Cygnus. And she was very brave. He didn't have a gun, as you mistakenly thought, but he had a lot of spells in his arsenal. If only one of them had been on target, it would have been a very bad end". Lucius leaned over to them. "But like all pure-blood wizards, he underestimated a Muggle woman. These guys never learn". There were smirks and looks of confusion from the others. Jonathan asked, "So what now? And when can we go back?". Sirius said, "Not for now, I'm afraid. Look, under normal circumstances we'd take you home now and erase all memories of this from you. You would then go on with your life as if nothing had happened. Wizards usually make sure Muggles don't interfere with their business. It's a time-honoured convention. But there are some wizards who don't abide by it. Cygnus is aware that there have been close contacts in recent times that have gone beyond mere business dealings. That is how you came to his attention. It is possible that his attack on you is simply an act of aggression against us".
It took a bit of persuading, but in the end Jessie and Jonathan agreed to stay at Black Manor for the time being. Jonathan immediately felt at home in the Wizarding World. He was hooked and showed no inclination to move back to the village when they invited him to try one of their magical motorbikes. Instead, he borrowed Sirius's bike and flew around the estate with the others. Jessie's situation was different. Sirius had erected a greenhouse for her and had designed a plot of land to do some planting. He had also asked her to do some replanting at Mercuria's grave. He made himself comfortable on one of the benches next to the grave and watched as Jessie and Alphard arranged the flower beds and bushes. Then he showed her around his property. "How come you're the owner of such a huge estate?". Sirius laughed. "Have you seen the large portrait in the living room?". When she nodded, he explained, "That's my great-great-grand-uncle Phineas. The family shunned him because he stood up for the rights of non-magical people. He was a great scholar. He collected the books in the library. He amassed immense wealth at a young age. Apparently, he was close friends with a Muggle, the heir to this estate. A nobleman, the last of his family. In the late 1920s, this man lost his entire fortune. He could no longer maintain the property and had to sell it. But in those days, there hardly were any Muggles with sufficient means. He would have had to divide the estate into individual plots. But he refused to do that. Instead, he offered it to Phineas, who by that time was looking for a bigger house for his books. Phineas bid on it, and the owner made a killing and emigrated to a new life overseas. Phineas then bequeathed everything he owned to me". She nodded.
Over the next few days, they got to know each other better. They wandered around the grounds for hours and talked about their lives. Jessie was impressed by what Sirius told her about himself, though he left out important details such as his time in Azkaban. "My life was actually quite boring. Not all the time, that is. I've always been interested in plants and after school I worked in a garden centre. When our parents died, I was in my early twenties and suddenly I had some money. I bought the house and the land where the nursery is now. The house was in ruins, but more important was the undeveloped plot. Jonathan helped me to renovate the house and to build the first greenhouse. But in a neighbourhood like this, you have to offer something special if you want to survive as a gardener. I travelled to faraway countries and collected plant seeds and seedlings, which I then cultivated here. Very soon I acquired a clientele that extends far beyond our region here. Particularly rare orchids can sometimes be sold at a high price. In fact, I sell a lot by mail order. Eventually I got married. I was crazy about the man. Today I know that he was more interested in my money. After three years he dumped me. He left from one day to the other, but before he did, he emptied my bank account. It took me years to pay off the debts. Well, not a very exciting life compared to yours". She smiled uncertainly. Sirius had listened carefully. The more she told him about herself, the more he was convinced that Jessie was the woman with whom he wanted to share his life from now on. She was definitely down to earth and would protect him during his nights of terror.
When Sirius was going to sleep that night, he hesitated in front of Jessie's bedroom door. Completely noiseless he opened it and peered into the room. Jessie was standing at the window, staring outside. Her silhouette stood out clearly in the moonlight. When she heard him approach, she wheeled around. Sirius raised his hands defensively. "Please don't be alarmed. I just wanted to check if everything was alright?". She looked at him doubtfully. "I don't know. I need to think about all this first. Are we still in danger, Jonathan, and I?". "I can't say exactly. Perhaps Cygnus just seized the opportunity when it was favourable. In any case, he knows that we are in contact. In more than a superficial one. And frankly, that's not a good sign. You must believe me that I would never have sent Alphard to you if I had suspected that it would put you in danger". "He didn't go after Jonathan and me. He wanted Alphard, who is his brother, right?". "Half-brother. But he wouldn't even hesitate to kill his biological brother. Marius is his twin". "What happens to us now? We don't have anything to do with all this". Sirius hesitated for a moment. "I'm afraid you do. This is my fault, I guess". "Because of Alphard?". With one finger he carefully pushed her chin up to make her look at him. "No, because of me". He bent down and kissed her. Gently at first, but when she showed no resistance, more demanding. He pressed himself against her and held her close. Then he lifted her up, laid her on the bed, sat next to her on the edge of the bed and looked at her expectantly. She was confused, he could see that. "I didn't catch you off guard, I hope?". "Sirius. I don't understand what this is all about. There was a picture of you and your wife hanging in the living room downstairs. It's true. She was beautiful. So are you. Have you looked in the mirror lately? You look stunning". "So?". "So? Your son was right. I am fat and ugly". "But your scent is sensational", he chuckled but immediately became serious when he noticed the desperate expression on her face. He took her hands. "Listen to me. My wife was humorous, headstrong, courageous and intelligent. She was warm-hearted and quick-tempered, loyal and assertive. In my darkest hours, and I had many of these, she was the only one I could always rely on. She never let me down and I am infinitely grateful for everything she did for me. And on top of that, she looked stunning. You're right about that. But I loved her for her qualities, not her looks. That was an add-on, so to speak. As I only recently learned, she carried a disease for which there is no cure. Her mind was slowly sinking into darkness. She sacrificed herself so that I could live. And she would want me to be happy again without her standing beside me as a shadow. I find you interesting and attractive, and I would like to know you better, much better, because you are not a copy of her. Nevertheless, you resemble her in some ways. Enough to be familiar, and yet sufficiently different not to be confused with her. Just like I told Mercuria back then, I'm telling you now that living with me isn't easy. Especially not under the present circumstances. Nevertheless, I would be happy if you would give it a try". "And you don't just need a stepmother for your boys?".
Sirius was stunned for a moment. Then he gave an amused laugh. "Jessie, I'm so thankful for everything you've done for Alphard. He was very badly affected, and I really didn't know how to help him. But the boys have Sophie as a teacher. And then there is Andromeda, who is taking care of them. See, they are wizards. Unskilled yet, but they can use magic when needed. Uncontrolled. It's not safe. They can do harm, even if it's not their intention. Then you wouldn't be able to hold them back". "So you're saying they're dangerous?". "No. Definitely not. None of them are prone to rage. But they do need to be supervised by someone who is in complete control of them. Like I said, I wanna meet you because I'm drawn towards you. What do you say? Can I stay here tonight?". She looked at him, confused. "Would you be very disappointed if we just slept in the same bed tonight? This is all so unexpected, and I haven't done it for so long...". Sirius chuckled aloud, "Obviously I would be a little disappointed, but it would be a start. I agree". He began to get undressed. She slid over to the other side of the bed and took off her clothes as well, though she kept on her shirt. Sirius smiled as he noticed. She lay on her side. Sirius took her in his arms, snuggled close to her and turned off the light. He couldn't help but run his hand down her bare bottom once, slowly, and smiled as she flinched and let out a soft moan. He had been right; her bottom was firm and muscular from all the cycling she had done. Sirius was determined not to let too much time pass before exploring her body more thoroughly. Besides, he knew that she'd be more than capable of protecting him from any Dementors that might haunt him in his sleep.
Jessie was still fast asleep when Sirius woke up in the morning. He got up and left without a sound. In the dining room he heard voices from the lawn. He went to the terrace and saw his boys, supervised by Marius, Andromeda and Sophie, chasing each other on their toy broomsticks. Soon Procyon and Asterion would be able to fly a real broomstick. He decided to keep that in mind. It was chilly and he shivered. He summoned his cloak and threw it over his shoulders before he stepped out onto the grass. For some time, he was helping his boys with their flying attempts when all of a sudden Alphard started to wave at the house. Sirius turned to see Jessie standing on the balcony of her room. Just then, a gust of wind blew his hair out of his face and puffed out his cloak, which was fluttering in the breeze. Sirius also waved at her. Jessie turned and went back inside. Then, at breakfast, she surprised him by saying, "Sirius, we've enjoyed your hospitality long enough. We are grateful for your care, but at least I will return home today. Will you please accompany me to the village after breakfast?". Sirius nodded. Secretly, he felt as if he had been given a punch in the gut. Just when he had been confident that they would get together now, she pulled away. How could he have misjudged things so badly? As he dropped her off at the nursery and said goodbye, he was tempted for a moment to take her in his arms and hold her. Instead, he shook her hand and headed home.
Over the next few days, he became so grumpy that he bothered everyone, and finally nobody wanted to talk to him. He felt lonely and disappointed and racked his brain trying to figure out what he had done wrong. Then, to add insult to injury, he saw Lucius stealing from the estate, and his suspicions flared up again. Sirius crept up behind Lucius as he did. He briefly wondered if he wasn't falling victim to his own mistrust once again. It was likely that Lucius was up to nothing. But Sirius didn't want to take any more risks. Of all the people present, Lucius was the one he thought was most likely to betray him. When Lucius entered the flower shop, Sirius was surprised. He pressed himself against the wall and listened. Jessie was startled to see one of the wizards in her shop. She greeted Lucius reservedly. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and then said, "I have come to talk to you. Would you give me a moment of your time?". Hesitantly, she agreed. "Let's go into the kitchen." She locked the shop door and led the way into the flat. Sirius followed discreetly, and because the door was left half open, he could secretly observe them. As Jessie made tea, Lucius looked around curiously. He flinched when she spoke to him. "What is it?". He hesitated for a moment. "I can't believe I'm doing this. A few years ago, I would have called anyone mad who had dared to tell me that one day I would be seeking out a Muggle woman to have a cup of tea in her kitchen". "What's that supposed to mean?". "Well, Sirius has already explained to you that, as wizards, we live in our own world. Some of our kind have contact with Muggles. Either because they have non-magical relatives or because they are interested in them. There is a group that is, so to say, our elite. Those wizards who have a long pure-blood lineage. Within the Wizarding Society, they are a minority, and they are dwindling in number. Many of these pure-bloods believe they should be the rulers of the world. Not only the Wizarding World, but also the Muggle World. Among the very old families, this is a very widespread idea. And there are many other wizards who adhere to this theory as well". "You too?". "Yes, for a very long time." "Not anymore?".
"Listen, Jessie. I could spend hours telling you what has happened in our world over the last twenty years. Perhaps one day I or someone else will. Just one thing, there was a war and a Dark Wizard stood at the head of the movement. Many people died. Wizards and witches on both sides, and Muggles too. To answer your question: Yes, I have changed my mind. At least as far as pure-blood wizards are concerned. Pure blood alone is not enough of a quality to make someone special. There is also magic, of course. As a wizard, you are superior to a non-magical person in many ways. But not in everything. That is why - and this brings me back to the reason for my visit - why Sirius and Mercuria complemented each other so well. They respected each other and valued their differences. Tell me, what do you think of Sirius?". "That is very indiscreet. Why should I talk to you about him?". "Because it is important. Do you think I would have come if there was an alternative?". "Why is it important? I mean to whom?". Lucius sipped at his cup. Then he gave a snort and sat back. "No man alive knows him as well as I do. I'm going to tell you something now, without giving details. Sirius is dangerous. Really dangerous. It's not like he's someday going to become a Dark Wizard like Cygnus. That's just not his nature. But he is an incredibly powerful wizard, and yet there are times when he is mentally unstable. Not like some of our kind who just go gaga. Sirius suffered wounds to his soul that will never heal. And when Cygnus showed up here, he knew exactly how to introduce himself to make Sirius completely loose his bearings. If it hadn't been for Mercuria, things could have ended very badly for Sirius. She knew what to do to help him find his way back to himself. Had Cygnus been able to bring him under his control permanently, he could have turned him into an unbelievable powerful weapon. Fortunately for all of us, Cygnus failed to realise that this golden opportunity was within his grasp, and he squandered his chance". "I am here because I hope that you will support Sirius, as Mercuria has done. It's hard to imagine what will happen if he completely loses his mind. Then no one will be able to stop him. He needs someone to give him mental balance and stability". Jessie thought about it. "How could I ever be that person? He told me that he met his wife when she was sixteen. They spent most of their lives together. I'd never be able to make up for that. And then she was so beautiful". Lucius shook his head indignantly. "Now stop it will you? Just because a six-year-old told you that you were fat and ugly, now you think you're not good enough for Sirius?". She didn't answer. Lucius leaned forward and looked at her appraisingly. "It wasn't just Procyon, right? Others told you that too. And you believed them". She shook her head. "Yes, you did believe them. Didn't you ever consider that they might have been lying? But enough of that. Why did you leave? Things were looking good between you and Sirius, weren't they?". She got up and started pacing back and forth. "It was amazing. He was so attentive and tender, and we had so much fun, and I was so happy". "And then?". "The night before I left, he came to my room. He spent the night there. When I woke up, Sirius was already gone. I stepped out onto the balcony. He was standing on the lawn watching the boys". She didn't speak any further. Lucius raised his eyebrows and looked at her, waiting. "And?". With trembling hands, she lit a cigarette and hastily inhaled the smoke. "It was windy. He was dressed in black as usual. And he was wearing a black cloak. The wind fanned the cloak and blew his hair out of his face. At that moment he looked like a prince from a fairy tale. And I wondered what this gorgeous guy wanted from me".
Lucius laughed. "In our world, Sirius and Regulus are princes, at least as far as their lineage is concerned. Princes by blood. High nobility is what you call them in your world, I suppose. The Blacks are one of the most ancient and most noble pure-blood families. And despite everything Sirius has been through, you can still instantly recognise this about him. Their parents made sure of that. But Sirius never considered himself as such. Regulus more so, he used to be immensely proud of his first name, which means 'little king'. But now you listen to me, little Muggle woman. I could make you transform into the most beautiful woman in the world. And he wouldn't be one bit more interested in you than he already is. He is attracted to you because you resemble his wife in a way, and at the same time you are different enough from her not to be a mere copy. Some things about you are familiar to him and give him confidence. Others are unknown to him and make him curious. You are a courageous woman. Fighting off Cygnus when he tried to kidnap Alphard was extremely brave".
There was silence in the kitchen. Suddenly Lucius said, "Now I see what's going on. You were married, and your husband left you for another. Was he handsome and did he tell you that you were no match for him when he left you? Cause you're fat and ugly? Isn't that the truth? You think Sirius is attractive and you're scared you're not good enough for him". Jessie yelled at him to stop. Sirius nearly burst into the kitchen and comfort her, when Lucius continued, "Now you listen to me, little Muggle woman. Sirius may be a horrible bastard, but he's a man of honour. He would never treat you this badly. For reasons beyond my comprehension, he's always been a magnet for women. When he was younger, he made a lot of ladies happy. For a few nights that is. But every one of them had an inkling of what was in store for her. That he would not commit himself and that there was somebody who really counted out there, somewhere". "He cheated on Mercuria when he was already with her?". "Curey's home was in Antwerp and his in England. Sometimes they would see each other as little as once a month. Both had affairs. These were ultimately meaningless because they simply belonged together". His voice cracked. "Back to you. Sirius has serious intentions. He's been obnoxious ever since you moved out of the manor. He's really getting on our nerves with his bad temper and grumpiness. And you don't seem very happy either".
"Why are you so committed to him anyway? I didn't get the impression that you were particularly close". A long silence followed. Then Lucius said in a strained voice, "I have never confided in anyone what I am about to tell you. In my life, I have never hated anyone more than Sirius. As I have told you, the elite of wizards are the pure-blood families. There are very few of us and to keep the blood pure we only marry amongst ourselves. You can imagine how difficult it is to find a suitable mate under these conditions. Before I got married to Narcissa, I had already been engaged once. I met the girl at a Christmas party one year. In hindsight, I learned that it was at the behest of our parents. We were engaged to be married before the turn of the year. She was still a student and a classmate of Sirius. Both were in their final year. Just before term ended, she wrote to say that Sirius had seduced her and now refused to marry her. She was devastated and asked my forgiveness. But when I found out that she had told all her friends already, what could I do? I broke off the engagement straight away, because of course I couldn't get married to a girl who had already belonged to someone else. Soon afterwards, I met Narcissa and we became involved. It was an extremely happy union, a very rare thing in our circles. Still, I hated Sirius with all my heart for cuckolding me and ridiculing me in front of the Wizarding Society, I and wished him all the misfortune in the world. Which is more or less what happened to him in the end". "What made you change your mind?". "After he reappeared...". "What does that mean? Was he gone?". "That's for him to tell you. Well, after he turned up, I heard some things that made me doubt. First of all, that he was an Animagus". "An Animagus?". Sirius closed his eyes and sighed. Malfoy, that bloody idiot. He'd gone to so much trouble to make people forget that he was an Animagus. And now this stupid gossip was spreading the information to outsiders. He would have to obliviate Jessie, that was for sure.
Meanwhile, Lucius explained, "Sirius can turn into an animal if necessary. A huge black dog. There had been rumours around Hogwarts for a few years that someone was visiting the ladies of the place at night. When I heard about the Animagus, I knew who it must have been. But then I wondered what Sirius would want with a dull little schoolgirl when he could get everything he wanted elsewhere. To be honest, the only thing she had going for her was her lineage as a pure-blood witch. But Sirius didn't put much stock in that. I guessed that the young lady had fallen for him. Admittedly, he was quite good-looking, and the little schoolgirls were all madly in love with him". Lucius snorted. "At least that's what I heard. He never had a steady girlfriend at school. Why should he? Hogwarts' students just couldn't compete with the kind of fun the ladies at Hogsmeade offered him". "Hogsmeade?". "The village by the school. Today I'm convinced that nothing happened between them. Perhaps he spoke to her, and she mistook it for flirting. Whatever. I'm sure there was nothing more going on than a little bit of smooching. Sex between students was forbidden, and I'm sure he stuck to that. Still, she made a big scandal of it afterwards, but I of course he didn't care. Sirius may be a man of honour, but he wouldn't get involved in such a blatant scheme".
There was a silence in the kitchen as Sirius tried to remember what had happened that day. It had been a short time before the last day of the school year. He had already received the letter from the future and had planned to join Lily and James for a week to visit Lily's parents in Cokeworth and meet Mercuria. His thoughts at the time had been entirely focused on the journey ahead and his mission. It had been the last Hogsmeade weekend of the term, and the Marauders had planned to celebrate their graduation in style at the Three Broomsticks. But Saturday, of all nights, had been the full moon, and James and Peter had decided to stand by Remus during his transformation into a werewolf. So Sirius had gone to the village on his own to do some shopping. It had already got dark when he had heard someone crying on his return to the school. When he had checked, he had found her. She had tumbled and had lost her wand, which she hadn't managed to recover in the darkness. Sirius had helped her up, summoned her wand, and as they had walked back to school together, he had put his arm around her because she had been trembling with fear. When she had approached him the next morning, he had been taken aback. But when she had asked him if they would be announcing their engagement now, he had had enough of her foolishness. Quite rudely, he had made it her understand that he had not the slightest intention of taking the matter any further and had forbidden her any further advances in the future, before he had turned his back on her and had walked away. He had not foreseen that it would lead to such a scandal, and it was certainly not what he had intended, but in the end it had not mattered to him. He briefly felt sorry for Lucius. But things had turned out well for him too, for he had found a loving wife in Narcissa.
Lucius continued, "Once I had that sorted out for myself, I began to see Sirius in a different light. A man willing to sacrifice everything for his beliefs. That earned my respect. Admiration, even. I had to take a stand very late in life, and I didn't always look good when I did". Lucius paused. "Today I am glad I was able to make amends with Sirius. He should tell you himself. We're even now, and this gives us a chance to start all over again. To answer your question, Sirius and I have more in common than meets the eye. Although we were on opposite sides during the war, our fates were quite similar afterwards. When the war was over and there was peace at last, I came to appreciate this state of affairs immensely. In retrospect, the war was an unmitigated disaster for the entire Wizarding World. Countless people died, and it affected everyone, no matter what side they were on. For the last few years, we have been living in peaceful times. I will not stand by and watch complete chaos break out again. I want my son and my future grandchildren to grow up undisturbed and to enjoy their lives. Sirius and I have lost our friends and eventually our wives. Do you know why I agreed to move to Black Manor? It was not because I was afraid of being attacked by Cygnus. I'm still convinced I will get the better of him. No, I did it because I was lonely. Sirius is a bloody old bastard. He always has been. But at present he's the best company I can find. And you know what? Secretly, I'm having a lot of fun. Especially when I ride my motorbike. Who would have ever imagined that? You can't possibly imagine the effort it's taken me to try it out, little Muggle woman".
"But to get back to you and Sirius, let me tell you something else about my life. Some years ago, I visited a Muggle woman's jewelry workshop. It doesn't matter why. The woman was Mercuria. It was the first time that I had ever met a Muggle woman in person. She was simply breathtaking. I was completely mesmerised, even though she represented everything I had despised all my life. When I flew home, I was totally bewildered. I couldn't get her out of my mind, even though I had a wonderful pure-blood wife with whom I was happy, and even though I knew that nobody would ever understand nor tolerate that I was seeing a Muggle woman. I considered it for a couple of days, but in the end, I knew that if I didn't go back to the workshop, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I cast all my doubts aside and went back to Mercuria, whatever the consequences. We had a wonderful fling until Sirius came back. Then it was over in an instant. That was painful. But let me tell you something. I'm not sorry for a single second, even if all I got out of it was memories. At least I can't blame myself for the things I missed out on. And that's all that matters. Just think about it, little Muggle woman. There's nothing worse than spending the rest of your days wondering what might have been, while your life flashes before your eyes and you were too much of a coward to take a chance on it yourself: Trust me, from my own experience, I advise you to take an opportunity when it comes. What is the worst thing that could happen to you right now? That at some point this great guy will tell you that he wants to break up with you. Then at least you will have had an exciting time, instead of sitting at home for the rest of your life regretting all the things you have let slip through your fingers. I'm leaving now". Sirius heard the sound of chairs being moved and Lucius's nasally voice continued. "Believe me, if you have ever dreamed of experiencing something exciting, now is the moment to grab one. An opportunity like this will never present itself again". Sirius listened to Lucius disapparate.