"Brumous"

"Chapter Fifty-Five: The Chamber of Secrets"

Harry was more than a little relieved when Robards didn't show up to his dueling lesson. In fact, Robards hadn't been by since his blow-up with Sirius about Harry's mistake with the ricocheting spell a few weeks prior. It didn't bother Harry in the slightest. Mrs Robins was by far the superior instructor. She knew exactly what to say in order for him to understand how to better his spells. Harry appreciated how patient and kind she was, taking time to explain to him in detail why he needed to grip his wand a certain way or how different swooping momentums could affect the power behind a spell. Most importantly, he liked that she didn't bark orders and holler like Robards.

Before they arrived at the dueling lesson, Sirius told him in a few brief words that he was no longer seeing Mrs Robins. He assured Harry there would be no awkwardness and that Mrs Robins enjoyed teaching Harry. There would be zero issues. Mrs Robins seemed fine with Sirius, the two chatting for a few minutes before the lesson began. She was still her kind self, laughing and joking around with Harry. Harry was relieved that nothing seemed to change, except for the fact that Sirius and Mrs Robins no longer found excuses to touch one another.

It was odd, given what Harry knew about breakups. He normally didn't pay too much attention, or really any attention at all, about the relationship drama that floated around the corridors of Hogwarts. Except, dating Ginny meant that he was constantly around her friends. Her friends liked to gossip. They had roped a very willing Ron into their gossip sessions. His best mate took like a duck to water and engaged rather enthusiastically, being a more than willing participant in the gossip while Harry only tried to ignore it. It was rather hard to ignore. Harry found himself knowing things about people even though he couldn't pick them out of a lineup. From what he understood, normally a breakup didn't result in a friendship. That had certainly been the case with Cho. The two of them barely even looked at one another.

But Sirius and Mrs Robins clearly had no issues with one another or they were just really good actors. Harry doubted the latter. Sirius wasn't good at hiding his emotions at all. And Harry hadn't picked up on any awkwardness either. Maybe it was the nature of their relationship or their age or just their personalities. Harry didn't know which. He supposed it didn't even matter. He was just happy that it had been a very mature and drama-free breakup.

At the end of the lesson, Harry made his way over towards the decked patio where Sirius and Sutton stood talking. Sutton often reminded Harry of Sirius, the man a tad grumpy at times but never unkind like Robards could be. Sirius seemed to get on well with Sutton, the two often talking before, during, and after dueling lessons. In fact, Sutton seemed to spend more time chatting with Sirius than he did actually dueling.

"I bloody well laughed my arse off after the last Order meeting," Sutton said with a broad grin on his face. "Anytime you talk in meetings, I know I'm going to be entertained."

Harry peered curiously at Sirius as he stepped onto the patio and looked between the two wizards. It wasn't often Order meetings were discussed in front of Harry, but he always found himself listening to whatever small details that were dropped.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "He irritates me easier than anyone else I have ever met in my bloody life. Which is saying a lot since I grew up in the ruddy Black family."

Harry could only assume that Sirius was talking about Snape. He couldn't think of anyone who could irritate Sirius so effortlessly.

"You say that, but by the time I was old enough to understand all that pureblood shite, the Blacks had already fallen and had zero influence," Sutton replied.

"You've met Walburga's portrait. She was just as charming in person," Sirius said in a dry tone. "That should give you a bit of an idea how completely mental my family is."

"Yeah, I have, but I honestly don't connect the two of you either," Sutton admitted with a shrug. "My brain can't fathom that you're mother and son."

"Egg donor, Sutton. Don't give her such a loving title. There was never a speck of love in that woman's body," Sirius said bitterly before turning his attention to Harry. "Ready to go, kid?"

Harry nodded and they both bid their goodbyes to Sutton. Sirius wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders as they walked down the lane towards the Apparition point, praising Harry about the progress he's made in his dueling abilities. Harry couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"Want to grab lunch at a Muggle restaurant?" Sirius asked. "Since you hate my sandwiches so much?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't hate them. It's just the only thing you know how to make. A little variety never hurt anyone."

"I learned the craft of sandwich making from my Uncle Alphard," Sirius replied, a grin flitting across his face.

"I wouldn't call it a craft, but, yeah, I know," Harry said, turning to face Sirius once they arrived at the secluded Apparition point. "You told me before."

"House-elves, Harry," Sirius replied as a means of explanation. "As much as I hate Kreacher, he did make a delicious steak and kidney pie when I was a kid."

"I bet if you asked him nicely, he may make you one again," Harry pointed out.

"And he'll add some poison to it as well, I'm sure," Sirius replied, his face tight. "Want to get rid of me already, do you? Sick of your ole godfather?"

Harry rolled his eyes, wishing that Sirius could make peace with the elf. "No, I'm just saying that Kreacher isn't as bad as you think he is."

Sirius sighed. "Right. You ready to go?" he said in a clipped tone.

Harry blinked up at his godfather. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," Sirius assured him, his face slipping into a stoic expression. "We have different opinions and that's all right," he said as he held out his elbow for Harry to take. "Ready for lunch?"

Harry nodded, his fingers wrapping around Sirius' arm. In an instant, everything squeezed together as Sirius Apparated. They reappeared in an alleyway that Harry didn't recognize. Even making their way into the small village, Harry couldn't identify any of the shops or buildings. Sirius kept an arm around his shoulders the entire time, per usual. Harry found himself leaning into his godfather's side.

"Marly is joining us," Sirius said as he gestured to a small restaurant just ahead.

"Why do you call her Marly?" Harry asked, having wondered it for a while now. "I've never heard anyone else call her that. Was it something only you and my parents called her?"

"No, I was the only one who ever called her Marly," Sirius answered, shrugging. "I don't know why I call her that. I just do. I like nicknames, I guess."

Harry nodded, his brow furrowing. "Is that why you call me 'kid'?" he asked, looking up at his godfather. "I noticed you've never called Cepheus that. Just me."

Sirius paused outside of the restaurant, turning to face Harry. "Does that bother you?"

Harry shook his head. Surprisingly, he had grown to like it even if he had been a tad irritated when Sirius first started calling him that. "Nah, it's fine."

"Harry isn't an easy name to assign a nickname to," Sirius reasoned. "I wasn't a fan of Haz or anything like that. One day, I just called you kid when you were…" Sirius trailed off, letting out a long huff of air. "I don't know. You were pretty young. I guess it just stuck, even after all these years."

Somehow, Harry liked the nickname even more knowing Sirius had called him that as a toddler as well.

Sirius' lips pulled. "You know, it was… it was me who started the silly nicknames in school," he admitted, his fingers rubbing against his jaw. "It started when I called James Prongs one day. James liked it. Thought we should all have nicknames. It became… a thing, I guess."

Harry frowned. Sirius didn't talk about his Hogwarts years often. Harry always craved to know more about what Sirius and his dad were like at school, since he didn't have a very positive image of the two as teenagers.

"I know why you hate the name Padfoot now, but there are a lot of good memories attached to it too, right?" Harry said, trying to pry more information.

Sirius sucked in a breath. "Yeah, there are. You know, Marlene told me that I was letting Peter win by distancing myself from Padfoot. So, I don't know. Maybe it's stupid," he said, his head shaking as the corners of his lips tugged down. "But I had a lot of years in prison just… dwelling on stuff, I suppose."

"I was never one for nicknames," Harry admitted with a shrug. "But I can understand why you wouldn't want to be called Padfoot since my dad died."

Sirius searched Harry's face. "If you don't like me calling you kid, I can try to stop. I can't promise I'll be able to break the habit right away, but I will try."

"No, I promise, I do like it," Harry assured him in what he hoped was a sincere voice. "I didn't at first, but it grew on me. Nobody ever called me by a nickname before. Not even Ron. The Dursleys didn't even like using my name, so it wasn't like they were going to call me anything with any sort of affection attached to it."

Sirius' brow furrowed. "What did they call you?"

Harry stiffened. "Err, well, my aunt and uncle called me 'boy' a lot. Dudley liked to call me 'freak'."

Sirius' jaw tightened, his gray eyes darkening. "Look, I know I'm not the most emotionally stable person ever. Merlin knows I have enough childhood trauma to last five lifetimes. But it helped me come to terms with things better when I started calling them Walburga and Orion. It was Walburga and Orion who did those things, not my mum and dad. It makes it more bearable in my mind, because there is just this level of separation that wasn't there when it was happening. It doesn't fix anything or make the pain go away, but the distance does help. I think it might be better for you to think of them as Petunia and Vernon, not your aunt and uncle. Because they don't deserve the title of aunt and uncle. They don't deserve any title that designates them as family at all."

Harry nodded, his heart thumping harshly against his ribcage. While Harry knew Sirius had a terrible childhood and often made snide comments about his upbringing with Andromeda, it hit different to hear how Sirius coped with everything as adult. Harry liked the idea of separation now that he thought about it. They were never really an aunt and uncle to him anyway. Harry knew now how an aunt and uncle were supposed to treat their nephew, because Andromeda and Ted had always treated him like one. They treated him the way he had desperately wanted Petunia and Vernon to treat him as a small child.

"I like that idea," Harry whispered.

Sirius licked his bottom lip. "I think it would be a good idea for you to talk to someone like I talk to someone."

Harry's brow furrowed. "What? You mean like a Mind Healer?" he asked, remembering months ago how Ted had suggested it after Sirius had overdosed.

"I didn't like the idea of it at first either," Sirius admitted. "Andy pestered me about getting help for a while. But I had been too depressed and stubborn to even consider it. I wish I had listened to her sooner. Because I do feel better. I feel more like my old self. I'm learning better coping mechanisms. I think it's helped me with how I talk to you. Six months ago, you wouldn't have caught me dead talking to you about why I call them Walburga and Orion or talking about my depression or whatever," he continued, his hand waving between them. "But I do think talking about it helps. I think it would help you as well because you have as many, if not more, demons in your past than I do."

"I don't… I don't want to talk about it," Harry admitted in a soft voice, his chest constricting. "It's embarrassing."

Sirius' eyebrows tugged down. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Harry," he said in a fierce tone, wrapping his fingers on Harry's shoulder. "Nothing that happened to you as a child was your fault. You didn't do anything to deserve that treatment. There's nothing wrong with you. I wish when I was your age… I wish I had the opportunity to process that nothing that happened to me was my fault. But instead, I buried it. I didn't believe your grandfather when he told me I wasn't the problem. I lashed out on people both verbally and physically. I started drinking more and more. I pushed people away. I tested people. I would be the biggest arsehole I could be to people and see who stuck around so I could figure out who actually liked me. I did that to your dad when I was sixteen. I pushed him away as hard as I could, but he was bloody well stubborn and stood by my side despite me being a complete wanker. I think he understood that my home life had deteriorated beyond repair and I was struggling. But it was bloody mental, Harry. I did it even after Azkaban. I pushed Andy and Remus away, because I couldn't help myself. Remus would ask me why I was being such an arse and I didn't even have an answer. I don't want to see you do that. I don't want you to be like me as an adult, someone just barely getting by and refusing to listen to the people who actually care about you."

Harry shifted, thinking about to the conversation he had earlier in the week with Ginny and Ron. "I don't think I test people like that. But I do… I mean, I do worry sometimes that you'll grow tired of me," he admitted in a small voice, his gaze dropping to his shoes. "That I'm too much trouble and I've just been exasperating you a lot. I keep thinking one day you're just going to leave. I remember when I was a kid, Vernon used to tell me that I wasn't worth the effort and I'm frustrating to be around."

Sirius' hands pressed against the side of Harry's neck as he bent down to Harry's level. "Harry, look at me."

Harry did, his eyes locking with Sirius' intense gray ones. "I told him about you. I wanted him to be scared of doing anything to me, because your face had been all over the telly and, no offense, but you had looked completely unhinged in all the photos. He told me you'd get tired of me one day because I was more trouble than I was worth. At the time, I remember just rolling my eyes. But sometimes, I can't help but think it because it's always something with me, you know? The possessions and the dreams and Voldemort after me. It's like, like I can hear his voice in the back of my head randomly and I hate it."

"Listen to me. I am not going anywhere, okay?" Sirius said in a fierce tone. "I love you. No matter how much trouble you get in or how much you exasperate me, I will still love you. I adopted you because I don't want you to be my dead best friend's kid or just my godson. I adopted you because I wanted you to be my son. There is nothing you can do that would change that, okay?"

Harry struggled to find his voice. "I love you too, Sirius," he croaked out.

"How about this. I have a Mind Healer appointment tomorrow. I'll talk to her and arrange it so you can come with me next week. You can watch or participate or whatever you feel comfortable with. If you think you'd be all right with doing another session, I'll set you up with one. You can go in yourself and I'll stay in the waiting room or I'll go in with you. Whatever makes you more comfortable. You can see the same Mind Healer I do or you can see someone else," Sirius explained, giving Harry's shoulders a squeeze.

Harry chewed on the inside of his cheek. He hated the thought of reliving his horrible childhood with a complete stranger. Merlin, he hated the thought of reliving his childhood with someone he trusted like Sirius or Ron. Most of it, the really bad years, he had tried to bury just like Sirius had admitted to doing. But Harry had seen a difference in Sirius with how he acted now versus how he acted just a couple of months ago. He seemed genuinely happier and less moody. He seemed way more open as well. Therapy seemed slightly appealing because Harry would like it if the intrusive thoughts ceased.

"I think it's important, Harry. Not just because of the abuse you suffered as a child, but also because you have a lot on your plate right now," Sirius continued. "While there's things you can't talk about, there is enough you can that may help you deal with the pressures you're facing. Honestly, I like my Mind Healer. She's really kind. And she already knows a bunch about me and some about you, so it may make your sessions more productive if you see her."

"You talk about me?" Harry asked.

Sirius nodded. "Of course, I do. You're the most important person in my life. As much as you've been worried that I'll walk away one day, I've been worried that I've been mucking up this whole father thing."

Harry swallowed at the lump in his throat. "If it makes you feel better, I don't think you're mucking anything up. You're the first adult I ever trusted. I remember being fourteen and waking up to my scar hurting. I just wanted advice. I wanted to talk to someone who was like a parent. But I didn't have any parents. It was always so horrible growing up and having no one to talk to about things. I remember being in my bedroom at the Dursleys, feeling sorry for myself. Then, I remembered you. I remember how happy I was. Because I suddenly had someone who was like a parent that I could talk to. I wrote you that letter and felt instantly better. Then, you said you were on your way back to England. While I felt guilty because I didn't want anything to happen to you, I was also relieved too. I just wanted to see you."

Sirius screwed his eyes shut. "I'm sorry I left you. I should have hung around Little Whinging as Snuffles and stayed close," he admitted, his eyes snapping open. "I'm sorry, Harry."

"I didn't tell you that to make you feel guilty," Harry insisted. "I know you had to leave. But you kept in contact. You came back the moment you knew I needed you. Even if you weren't physically there all the time, I knew I could count on you."

"I felt like the universe kept separating us and I fucking hated it," Sirius said, his face pulling. "But not anymore, all right? The universe can go fuck itself. It's not going to separate us again. You're stuck with me."

Harry couldn't help the smile the spread across his face. "Yeah, the universe can go fuck itself."

Sirius gasped, grinning. "Did you just utter a cuss word? I don't think I've ever heard you swear before."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Petunia always said it was undignified. We weren't allowed to use crass language, except when she was conveniently deaf when Dudley would say something. Believe it or not, I did try to keep my head down and nose clean at the Dursleys. I hated their punishments, so it's a habit that stuck, I guess."

"I will not punish you for cussing," Sirius vowed, his eyebrows raising.

"Be a bit hypocritical if you did, seeing as you can't say more than two sentences without uttering a cuss word," Harry retorted.

"Shut up," Sirius said, pushing Harry towards the entrance of the restaurant. "I can go more than two sentences."

"I don't think I've ever heard someone use every single variation of fuck in a sentence until I met you," Harry said, a shit-eating grin crossing his face. "I'm not sure even Ron could match your creative use of combining swear words."

Sirius let out a chuckle as they entered the restaurant, calling Harry a little shit under his breath. They stepped up to the hostess podium as a woman greeted them.

"Hi, table for three. I'd like a table in the way back corner if it's available," Sirius greeted.

"Are you with a brunette woman? There's one who asked for the same thing and said she was waiting for someone. Hold on, I have a name written down," the hostess said as she looked down at her podium. "Are you Alotte Dix?"

The hostess froze, her eyes growing wide as she stared at Sirius. Harry glanced up at his godfather to see him staring at the hostess with no emotion on his face. Slowly, Sirius forced a tight smile on his face as he peered at the paper with the name on it.

"Yes, I'm most definitely Alotte. My last name should have a not so silent E on it. So…" Sirius trailed off, clearing his throat. "Alotte Dix-e."

"I'm so sorry, sir," the hostess said, turning red.

"Common mistake," Sirius said, waving her off.

Harry sucked in a breath as the hostess showed them to the back of the restaurant. He spotted Marlene sitting in a booth, a wide grin spreading across her face when she saw Sirius. Then, her eyes glanced over at Harry and she let out a nervous chuckle.

"Hey, Alotte," Marlene greeted. "Harry, I didn't know you were coming."

Sirius gestured for Harry to slide into the booth first. "I told you we were going to discuss the… you know," he said, smiling tightly at the hostess who sat two extra menus down on the table.

"I thought you meant just us," Marlene replied before her eyes snapped over at Harry. "I'm happy you're here, darling. Don't get me wrong."

"You know I have Harry on Sundays," Sirius argued, taking a seat next to Harry. "I thought you'd know it was all of us talking."

Harry shrugged off his jacket, looking between his godparents. Marlene reached across the table for it to place on top of her coat beside her. Sirius leaned back in his seat, not bothering to take off his leather jacket as he squinted across the table at Marlene.

"Did you have to do that with the hostess?" Sirius pressed. "Seriously, Marlene?"

"It was a joke," Marlene insisted with a grin. "I thought you'd laugh. You and James were always coming up with fake names like that."

"How old are you? Ten?" Sirius said, a slight annoyance lacing his tone.

Marlene stiffened at the words, her smile falling. Her jaw jutted out to the side as she turned her attention to Harry, a forced smile crossing her face. "He would have thought it rather funny when he was twenty. I guess you stop being fun at thirty-seven. I'll have to remember that when my birthday rolls around."

Harry propped his elbows up on the table. "When's your birthday?" he asked, happy to change the subject.

"We're July birthday buddies," Marlene said, a fond smile slipping onto her face. "The sixth."

Harry nodded, making a mental note. Sirius picked up his menu, his fingers rubbing against his forehead as he scanned it. Harry looked down at his, not knowing what to even order. Eating out was still new for him.

"Did you cast the privacy charms?" Sirius asked, not looking up from the menu.

"I did," Marlene assured him, her tone slightly icy. "You can double check if you like. Maybe add a blood ward or two if you're paranoid enough."

Sirius glanced up at Marlene, his brows furrowing. "I think we're good not to shed any blood," he said in a softer tone. "Are you all right?"

Marlene sucked in a breath. "Yeah, fine. It's nothing."

Harry shifted as the awkwardness widened between Marlene and Sirius. Harry honestly didn't know what had shifted. Normally, Marlene wasn't fazed by Sirius' snappiness.

Sirius searched her face, his elbows propping up on the table. "Are you irritated because I didn't find your joke funny?" he asked in a genuinely curious tone.

Marlene licked her bottom lip. "It was your… tone. And, and the words. It just…" she trailed off, clearing her throat. "It reminded me of, of a false memory."

Sirius' face fell. "What exactly was it that I said?"

Marlene waved him off, her gaze flickering over to Harry. "Can we not do this right now?"

Sirius hesitated for a moment before he nodded, his gaze falling down to his menu. "That's fine."

"I can… go to the loo or something if you want to talk," Harry said, wincing.

"You're fine, love," Marlene assured him, reaching across the table to grip his wrist. "I just want to have a nice lunch with you."

"You're not going anywhere alone anyway," Sirius added.

Irritation sparked in Harry's chest at the comment. He bit back a retort, his eyes glancing down at his menu. It wasn't long before the hostess came over with a bright smile to take their order. Marlene ordered the fish and chips, as did Sirius. Harry decided he would just make it easy and ordered the same thing. Normally, he ordered the same thing as Sirius anyway.

"Well, aren't you exactly like your mum and dad?" the waitress commented with a smile. "I'm going to call you the Fish family."

Marlene laughed as a warmness settled in Harry's chest. It wasn't the first time that Harry had been mistaken for Sirius' son. He supposed it had something to do with them both having dark hair and being tall. It was the first time he had been mistaken as Marlene's son. But it was also the first time someone thought he had a dad and a mom. It was a pleasant feeling, especially because Sirius and Marlene didn't bother to correct anyone. For a moment, Harry just felt normal. Like he was a normal teenager with normal parents and a normal life.

While they waited for their food, the three of them chatted about mundane and ordinary things. Marlene seemed comfortable again, whatever unsavory false memory that had plagued her earlier seemed to be gone. She chatted easily with Sirius, teasing and ribbing him. He was far less irritated than he had been earlier as well, offering Marlene small smiles and eye rolls. At one point, Marlene reached across the table to touch Sirius' arm.

After their food arrived, Sirius leaned back in the booth and didn't bother to eat. Harry picked up a chip and squished it between his fingers. He glanced over at Sirius, his heart hammering in his chest.

Sirius looked across the table at Marlene. "We should have some uninterrupted time to talk now. Are we in agreement then? With what we finished on last time? I thought that was the decision."

Marlene looked over at Harry, her eyebrows tugging down. "Yeah, I mean, yeah. Sure. I don't know what else there is to discuss. It seems like the right thing, I suppose."

"Marly…" Sirius trailed off.

Harry wanted them just to tell him what they had talked about. Speaking in code only frustrated him.

"I trust your judgment, Sirius," Marlene said.

Sirius did not look pleased. "Yeah, that's not very comforting."

"No, you're right," Marlene pressed. "I agree with you. Where we left off last time. I think we can't overanalyze it to death. This was our gut reaction last time we spoke."

Sirius nodded, turning to look at Harry. "All right, Marly and I have talked about the procedure at length multiple times this past week. If you want to try it, we can. The decision is up to you. We think it's safe enough to attempt, but we're not going to force you to do it."

Harry didn't know whether or not to be excited or anxious. "What exactly is the procedure?"

Marlene leaned forward, popping a chip in her mouth. "So, what would happen, is that you would lay down on a trolley. We would numb your entire forehead. Then, Ted would cut along your scar. We would drip in a potion and hope that the connection severs."

Harry's brow furrowed, suddenly not feeling very hungry. "What kind of potion?"

Sirius shifted in his seat. "It would contain basilisk venom," he said, his intense gray eyes searching his face. "We would need your help to open the Chamber of Secrets to obtain some."

Harry froze. "But… basilisk venom is, is deadly."

Sirius nodded gravely. "I'm well aware. Dumbledore has agreed to bring a vial of phoenix tears as well as have his own phoenix be there in case we need him," he explained, picking up his fizzy drink. "Look, it's dangerous, Harry. And it's scary. Merlin knows I haven't slept much thinking about this. I just don't know what other option we have. I don't want to fuck around and find out when it comes to Voldemort. It's reckless if we don't try to do something."

"Remember, it's your decision though, darling," Marlene pressed, echoing what Sirius said at the beginning of the conversation. "Sirius and I aren't going to make you do anything you don't want to. Especially because we don't even know if this will work."

Harry looked down at his plate, bile rising in his throat. Whatever he thought the procedure would be like, he didn't think it would involve poisonous venom.

"What do you think the connection is exactly?" Harry asked in a soft voice, his head turning to look at his godfather.

Sirius didn't look at him. "I don't know."

"Then why do you think basilisk venom would work?" Harry pressed, feeling like something was being left out of the discussion.

Sirius smoothed his fingers against the table, his head turning to face Harry once more. "It's a substance that's used to destroy things given its high toxicity. Something happened that Halloween night between you and Voldemort. It's all guess work and theories right now."

"Are you… are you looking for something in my head?" Harry whispered, his fingers tightening into a fist.

Sirius' gaze lingered on Harry's scar. "We won't know until we look."

"Harry, it's all right," Marlene said, reaching across the table and gripping his wrist. "You are in control with this."

Harry's heart hammered in his chest. Surely, Sirius and Marlene wouldn't hurt him on purpose. They must have weighed all the pros and cons. Phoenix tears had healed him after being poisoned by basilisk venom before. He knew it would work if something went wrong. But Harry couldn't shake the feeling that there was something Sirius wasn't saying.

"Are you telling me everything you know?" Harry asked. "I feel like… I mean, you chose basilisk venom. There has to be something you're at least thinking the connection is."

Sirius' eyes searched Harry's face. "Look, we know that whatever happened that night, a connection was formed between you and Voldemort. If the connection was formed that night, then it can be severed. We just have to figure out how to do it."

Harry nodded, his stomach churning. "Okay, I want to try it. I trust you, Sirius."

Sirius' face pulled as soon as Harry said 'trust you.' But he didn't say anything. Sirius only gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze before he finally turned towards his lunch. Plans were made for when they'd all meet during the week to open the Chamber of Secrets. Harry couldn't shake the terrible feeling that snaked around his insides.

Ginny sat next to Harry in the library. They were alone, which was rare. Ron and Demelza were patrolling together. Gemma was off in some broom cupboard with Dominic Clarke. Niamh and Cepheus had gone down to the greenhouses together for some plant project he was doing for his N.E.W.T. level Herbology class. The last thing Ginny wanted to do was revise, but she knew she should if she had any hopes of obtaining an O.W.L. in Transfiguration. She glanced over at Harry to see him staring at the Marauder's Map, waiting for Malfoy and Nott to leave the Slytherin common room.

Ever since Harry arrived back at school on Sunday, he had seemed quieter than normal. Almost as though he seemed lost in his thoughts. All he said to her and Ron was that he was going ahead with the procedure to attempt to sever whatever connection he had with Voldemort. Harry hadn't gone into detail, but he seemed anxious about it. Neither Ginny nor Ron pressed him for more details. Ron out of awkwardness and Ginny because she figured Harry would talk to her when he was ready to.

Ginny leaned into his side, her cheek resting against his shoulder. Her eyes roamed across the map until she spotted the two dots of Malfoy and Nott in some room off their common room. They were there a lot lately. It frustrated Harry to no end.

"Are you bored?" Ginny asked.

"Extremely," Harry admitted with a huff. "I didn't even study this much in my O.W.L. year."

Ginny chuckled, pulling away so she could look at him. "Go do something. You don't need to sit here with me."

Harry tapped his fingers on the table, pulling his attention away from the map to look at her. "Nah, I'm good."

Ginny bopped him on the nose with her finger. "You can talk to other people who don't have the last name Weasley. You do know that, don't you?"

"Har. Har," Harry said in a sarcastic tone. "Maybe I don't want to talk to other people."

Ginny propped her elbow up on the table, resting her cheek against her palm. Harry mirrored her, a soft grin spreading across his lips.

"We can talk if you like," Ginny suggested. "Fuck Transfiguration, right? Nobody uses that tosh anyway."

Harry's face fell, his gaze flickering behind Ginny. "Oh, hi, Professor McGonagall."

Ginny whipped around so fast that her neck hurt. No one was there. Harry laughed. Ginny turned back to her boyfriend, pushing him as hard as she could. He barely budged in his seat.

"You bloody git!" Ginny hissed. "You're just asking for ruddy bat-bogeys to come flying out of your nose!"

Harry only laughed harder, a wide grin spreading across his face. Apparently, he didn't take her threat seriously at all. Ginny started to reconsider her stance on not hexing Harry. Because of the ruckus they were causing, Madam Pince marched over and shooed them out of the library. Harry cleared the map and then packed up his things. He waited for Ginny to finish packing her things before they made their way out of the library. Harry slung an arm around her shoulders as they walked.

"Well, I guess I'm done revising for the evening," Ginny commented. "Was that your plan? Get us kicked out of the library?"

"Wasn't the plan, but I'm not complaining," Harry leveled.

"Sure, it wasn't," Ginny replied, a smile quirking on her lips. "What Harry Potter wants, Harry Potter gets."

Harry huffed out an incredulous chuckle. "Oh, yeah, I get exactly what I want in life. I snap my fingers and it all happens so effortlessly."

Ginny paused in her stride, turning to face him. "What? You didn't want me?" she said in the most innocent voice she could muster.

"Oh, I definitely wanted you," Harry replied, cupping her face and brushing his thumb along her cheekbone. "I'm just glad you wanted me."

"I've wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you when I was ten years old," Ginny reasoned. "I saw this messy haired kid in adorable little glasses."

Harry's face pulled. "I was short and scrawny and wearing clothes three sizes too big for me. My glasses had Sellotape keeping them together."

"I thought you were adorable," Ginny insisted with a grin. "You were so painfully polite to Mum. My heart skipped a beat. When you gave her that shy smile, Merlin, I was a goner."

Harry laughed. "You're mental."

"Learn to take a compliment, Harry," Ginny said, rising up on her tiptoes and kissing him on the chin because she couldn't quite reach his lips.

Harry wrapped an arm around her, tugging her close to his chest and pressing a kiss on the top of her head. Ginny melted against him, feeling warm and content.

"Hey, can we talk about something?" Harry said in a hesitant voice.

Ginny stilled in his arms, her stomach tying into knots. Slowly, she pulled away from Harry and looked up at him.

"Yeah," Ginny replied, her arms crossing over her chest.

Harry gestured with his head to the empty Defense classroom. "Let's talk in private."

Ginny couldn't help the anxiety that spiked deep within her. Harry seemed so serious, far too serious. He reached out and gripped her wrist, tugging her into the classroom. Ginny hopped up on one of the desks as Harry locked the door.

"I need to talk to you about something that I've been putting off," Harry said in a tight voice.

Ginny blinked at him. "All right?"

"I'm going into the Chamber of Secrets tomorrow after dinner," Harry explained, his eyes searching her face.

Ginny froze, a shiver running down her back. Whatever she thought Harry had to tell her, it certainly wasn't that. "What? Why?"

"To secure some basilisk venom," Harry replied, his palms pressing against the sides of her knees. "Sirius, Marlene, Remus, and Dumbledore are coming as well."

Ginny's heart thumped harshly against her ribcage. Flashes of black ink and blood smeared hands flitted across her eyelids every time she blinked. She could hear Tom's soothing and charming voice echo in her head.

"No," she whispered. "You can't go."

Harry shifted his weight, his brows furrowing. "I have to. I'm the only one who can open the Chamber, Gin."

"I don't want you to," Ginny insisted, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

"He's not there anymore," Harry argued in a gentle tone. "The diary is gone. He can't hurt anyone anymore."

Ginny swallowed. "That's not entirely true, is it? He's still out there. Just in a different form. A very real and corporeal form."

Harry nodded. "I can't argue with that."

Ginny huffed, brushing her fingers underneath her eye to brush away the stray tear that had fallen. The thought of Harry going back into the Chamber of Secrets petrified her. She knew the diary was destroyed. She knew the basilisk was dead. But what if there were other horrors that still lingered down there?

"Why are you going to get the venom?" Ginny asked in a shaky voice, hating how her voice wavered.

"The procedure to sever the connection involves basilisk venom," Harry admitted with a frown.

Ginny frown deepened. "They're going to give you poison?"

Harry shrugged. "If the connection is so powerful that it lets me slip into Voldemort's mind, then it makes sense something like basilisk venom is needed to sever it."

"I don't like this, Harry," Ginny admitted, her chest aching. "What is Sirius thinking?"

Harry winced, his palms sliding up her thighs. "I don't know," he said in a vague-sort of tone. "I just hope it works."

Ginny pressed her hands on his chest. "When are you going to have the procedure?"

Harry shrugged. "Probably within the next week or two."

Ginny's stomach sank. She had no idea that the procedure would happen so quickly. What was the rush? She couldn't help but think that Ron was right. Maybe there was something that wasn't being said. Knowing that Harry would be poisoned only made her certain of it.

Sirius stared at the sink in the girls' lavatory, his eyes squinting as he stared at the snake engraved on the faucet. He turned slowly to his right to see Harry standing there. Except he didn't see his sixteen-year-old godson. All he could see was the small, knobby-kneed kid he met three years ago in his Muggle clothes that were far too big on him. The kid who had been skinny and fiercely loyal to his friends. The kid who had only come up to his armpit.

Sirius screwed his eyes shut, trying not to imagine a small Harry hissing at the sink to fight some Horcrux memory of Voldemort. Sirius should have been there. He should have been the one to enter the bloody Chamber of Secrets with other capable adults. His tiny little godson shouldn't have had to deal with all the shit he had been forced to deal with.

"Sirius?"

His eyes snapped open to see Harry staring at him. Harry was sixteen again. He was a lot taller and healthier looking, wearing clothes that fit with expensive glasses perched on his nose. Harry was nearly a man now. Sirius hated how many years he missed out on with the kid. They should have had sixteen years together. Instead, they had only a few measly years.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked.

Sirius offered Harry a tight smile. "Just thinking about when you were younger."

Harry's brows furrowed, a small chuckle escaping his lips. "What? You had an adventure with baby me in a loo?"

Sirius' throat narrowed. "No, I was thinking of little thirteen-year-old you who came up to here," he replied, holding his hand against his chest.

"I was taller than that," Harry argued, a wide smile crossing his face.

"I think I'm being generous, kid," Sirius retorted, a grin breaking out across his face. "You used to be short until," he let out a puff of air. "What? The beginning of summer? You shot up like a bloody weed."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Just because you and Ron are freakishly tall doesn't mean I was unreasonably short when I was younger."

Sirius chuckled. "Nah, you were."

Harry tried to conceal his smile but he failed miserably. It struck Sirius suddenly that Harry enjoyed Sirius talking about him from a time the kid could actually remember. Not that Harry ever seemed unhappy with all the stories he told about baby Harry, but he seemed infinitely more pleased with a time he could remember.

Sirius draped an arm around the kid, pulling him close to his chest. "Oh, yeah, you were that short. I remember clear as day when I offered you to come live with me. My neck hurt from looking down."

"Shut up, Sirius," Harry said, but Sirius could hear the smile in his tone.

Sirius' grin widened. He glanced over Harry's messy head to see Dumbledore speaking with Remus in low tones. Remus nodded at whatever was being said, a grave look crossing his features.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm late, I know!" Marlene's voice wafted into the room.

Sirius craned his neck back to see Marlene rushing into the bathroom.

"I had students linger after class to ask questions and I'd be a shit professor if I told them to fuck off," Marlene explained as she made her way towards Sirius and Harry. "Harry, love, come here!"

Harry left Sirius' side and greeted his godmother. Marlene forced him to bend down to her height, pressing a kiss onto his cheek.

"I think that might be frowned upon to tell your students to fuck off," Sirius reasoned, his hands shoving into his pockets. "Although, I would have told them to fuck off. Probably a good thing I'll never teach young and impressionable young minds."

Marlene rolled her eyes.

"Remus and I will be over momentarily," Dumbledore called from across the lavatory.

Marlene pulled back from the embrace, licking her thumb and cleaning up the lipstick smear on Harry's face. He waited patiently until she was done before rising to his full height.

Harry shifted. "So, what do you think about me being able to… you know?"

Marlene looked confused.

"Me being a Parselmouth," Harry clarified.

"Oh! I don't care. Don't worry," Marlene assured him, rubbing his arms. "You're perfect just the way you are, all right? I don't wish anything was different about you."

Relief flooded Harry's face. "Okay, it's just… a lot of people cared when they found out. I sort of, err, talked to a snake in front of a lot of people once."

"That's other people," Marlene insisted. "I know the type of person you are. It's silly to judge someone based off something like that," she said before she leaned in close to him and dropped her voice. "We don't judge your godfather for being a moody git, do we?"

Marlene smirked, winking in Sirius' direction. Harry chuckled. Sirius stepped closer to them, placing a hand on the back of Harry's neck. There were worse things about Sirius that people, surprisingly, didn't seem bothered by.

Sirius bent down close to Harry's ear before he thought better of it. "There's plenty of people who would judge me based off who my biological father is, so I don't advertise it. But the people who do know, the people who I trust and who matter in my life, don't hold it against me."

"Those are things neither one of you can help," Marlene reasoned. "The people who truly matter won't judge you."

Harry nodded. "I think I'm starting to realize that."

Marlene glanced up at Sirius and pointed at Harry. "Take note, Sirius. Our godson is wiser than his godfather."

Sirius rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged on his lips. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm not a bad person. Blah. Blah. Blah. People would care about me more if I wasn't so grumpy. I hear you, Marly. I do. But I don't give a shit."

"I think you care more than you're willing to admit," Marlene leveled.

"Not in the slightest," Sirius retorted, which was actually the truth. "I care about what…" he trailed off, mentally counting the people he actually cared about in his life.

Harry. Marlene. Andromeda. Ted. Dora. Remus. Cepheus.

Everyone else could go fuck themselves if they didn't like him.

"Seven people," Sirius concluded. "I only care if seven people think poorly about me. Let's be honest, only two would actually devastate me. One would kill me."

Marlene arched an eyebrow at him. "Okay, obviously Harry is the one who would kill you. Who are the two who would devastate you?"

Sirius didn't want to say. Clearly, he was thinking about Marlene and Andromeda. One was someone he had been hopelessly in love with since he was eighteen and the other had been his rock his entire life.

"Are you three ready?" Dumbledore interrupted.

Sirius had never loved the old wizard more. What great timing.

"Yeah, we're ready," Sirius replied for the group.

Dumbledore gestured for Harry to step forward. The kid looked back at Sirius, his eyes shining with anxiety. Sirius offered him a smile. With a long exhale of breath, Harry turned towards the sink. He hissed. The little snake that Harry had taken in over the Christmas holiday peeked out from the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. A clank sounded. Sirius snapped his gaze to the sink, to see the faucets clicking into place before the entire sink shifted. A bottomless dark hole appeared.

Dumbledore stepped forward, lighting his wand. He peered into the entrance as though looking for something. His hand pressed against a piece of stone.

"Sirius, I'm afraid we'll need your blood," Dumbledore mused. "It seems as though a blood sacrifice from a Gaunt is required for a more pleasant trip down."

Sirius stepped forward, drawing his wand from his pocket as he did. He sliced open his palm and craned his neck around Dumbledore to see what he needed to do. There was a stone that was smeared in red, dried blood from other Gaunts who had entered the Chamber, no doubt. Bile rose in his throat as he wiped his palm over the dried blood.

Wall sconces burst into flames, illuminating the way down. More clanks sounded, the slide down shifting into stairs. There was no denying his true parentage now. Not when his blood could manipulate the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Harry, would you be kind enough to lead the way? That is, if you remember where you're going."

Harry stepped forward, his shoulder brushing against Sirius'. The two shared a look before Harry descended the stairs. Sirius healed his hand with a flick of his wand before he followed close behind his godson, not wanting to be separated from Harry for even a minute. While the basilisk was dead, Sirius couldn't help but wonder if there were any other creatures lingering within the Chamber. Sirius wouldn't put it past the Gaunts to have more than one snake.

Once off the stairs, Sirius stepped up to Harry's right. He wrapped an arm around the kid's shoulders as they walked together down the long corridor, their strides matching. Rats scuttered around the corridor. Sirius tried not to wince when stepping on a large chunk of slouched basilisk skin. Even though he didn't want to, he could imagine a scared twelve-year-old Harry walking down the corridor to save his best friend's sister.

Once at the end of the corridor, Harry hissed at a wall with snakes on it. Sirius' heart thumped in his chest as the wall opened to reveal the Chamber of Secrets. The smell of the rotting basilisk nearly made Sirius vomit. He pressed his hand against his mouth and nose, his wide eyes staring at the monolithic beast on the floor. Turning to Harry, Sirius cast a bubble over his mouth and nose to help him breathe before he did the same for himself.

Dumbledore stepped forward with Remus and Marlene, the three of them inspecting the large serpent. Sirius lingered back with Harry.

"You killed that thing?" Sirius asked.

Harry nodded. "I had help. Fawkes blinded him so it couldn't petrify me."

That didn't make the ordeal better in Sirius' mind. He stared down at his godson, his heart clinching in his chest.

"I'm proud of you, Harry," Sirius whispered.

Harry turned to look up at him, his brows furrowing. "What?"

"All the shit you've done… while it raises my blood pressure just thinking about it, it's really phenomenal what you've done. The Philosopher's Stone, the basilisk, helping me escape, the tournament… all of it. You were only a kid," Sirius said, his eyes searching Harry's confused face. "I don't think I tell you I'm proud of you enough. You're a smart and brave kid."

"If I didn't do it, no one else would," Harry said in a soft voice. "The thought that Ginny could have died down here…"

Sirius clapped a hand on the back of Harry's neck. "She didn't. You saved her. That experience… it bonded the two of you. You two can understand each other better than anyone else could. She's the only one who knows what it's like to be possessed by Voldemort, she's the one who was in this Chamber with you, she's the one who has always been by your side. Don't let her go, Harry."

Harry nodded.

"Sirius, would you come here?" Dumbledore called.

Sirius offered Harry a tight smile before he stepped up towards the basilisk. Marlene and Remus had two vials of yellow venom and a box filled with scales and a bit of slouched skin. Dumbledore, meanwhile, held a basilisk fang.

"Harry used a fang to destroy Tom Riddle's diary," Dumbledore explained. "I believe we should take the fangs for future use."

Dumbledore pulled a moleskin pouch from his robe pocket and deposited the fang inside. Sirius and Dumbledore then got to work, extracting all of the basilisk's fangs one by one. When they were finished, Dumbledore handed the pouch to Sirius.

"I think you'll need this more than I will," Dumbledore said in a cryptic tone.

Sirius only nodded, shoving the pouch into his jacket pocket. "Do you think this will work?" he asked in a low voice, his gaze snapping over to his godson.

Harry stood with Marlene and Remus chatting. The kid seemed relaxed as Marlene brushed a piece of hair off his forehead.

"I do not," Dumbledore admitted.

Sirius looked at him. "Why?"

"This Horcrux was not made in the traditional manner, Sirius," Dumbledore explained, his features tugging downward. "I fear only Lord Voldemort is able to destroy it."

"I have his blood," Sirius reasoned.

"You are not attempting to murder Harry," Dumbledore replied. "You are watching as poison is dripped into him."

"I have to try something," Sirius insisted, his jaw clenching

"Alas, I do not blame you for trying. I hope my assessment is wrong," Dumbledore said with a sad smile. "I hope that your and Andromeda's due diligence is an oversight of mine. I trust that you have not told Harry the full truth? In case your plan fails?"

Sirius swallowed. "No, we didn't tell him anything about the Horcrux."

Dumbledore nodded, his gaze focusing on Harry. "I fear the road ahead of him is long and winding," he explained as he turned his attention back to Sirius. "I know you want to protect him, shield him from the war. But Harry is very much a Potter. He cannot sit back and watch as others fight around him. He knows his importance in the war because of the prophecy. While I agree with you training him to fight, you will need to let him lead as well. There will come a time when you will need to see Harry as an equal on the battlefield, to stand beside him like you did with James. You cannot protect him forever, Sirius. Harry is immensely powerful. I can feel the pent-up magic practically spilling from his pores."

A lump formed in Sirius' throat. "He's only sixteen."

"He will be a man soon enough," Dumbledore replied, his bushy eyebrows tugging down. "I have no doubt that even when he comes of age, he will still look to you for guidance. Harry trusts you above all others. I can only hope to relay some wisdom of old age to you. I have told him nothing, wanting him to simply be a child. But it was you who made me see the folly in my plan. He needs to know things given his position. It's just how much to tell him is the question."

It was a delicate balance, Sirius knew. He couldn't help but feel completely out of his depth. His gaze flickered over to Harry. He wanted to do right by the kid, to protect him. But Dumbledore was right. In the end, Harry needed to fulfill the prophecy if they had any hope of ending the war. That thought made Sirius sick to his stomach. He fucking hated prophecies.

By the time they exited the Chamber of Secrets, it was nearing curfew. Marlene and Sirius walked Harry back to Gryffindor tower. Sirius hugged him first, pressing a kiss onto the kid's temple before pulling back. Marlene hugged him next, telling him she'd see him in Potions in the morning. Harry gave them a little wave before he said the password and disappeared through the portrait hole.

Marlene looked up at Sirius, her bottom lip secure between her teeth. "I have to patrol tonight. Want to keep me company for a bit?"

Sirius couldn't say no. They walked along the corridors, chatting about normal things. It felt like no time had passed, like there wasn't fifteen years of distance and heartache between them. Sirius felt eighteen again, wandering the corridors with Marlene past curfew so they could have some time alone.

Sirius didn't know how they wound up on the Astronomy Tower. Maybe it was muscle memory. Maybe because stargazing with Marlene was just something they had always done. They had spent enough time together on that very tower when they were in their seventh year. He'd tell her silly little stories he'd make up about stars and she'd list her favorite stars and constellations, giving him a shit-eating grin whenever she would omit Sirius and Canis Major.

Sirius leaned against the half wall, his chin tilting up to look at the constellations in the charmed sky. His eyes roamed across the night sky until he found Hydra, his gaze lingering on Alphard.

"When I regained my memories but we weren't talking, I would come up here and talk to your star," Marlene admitted as she stared up at the sky. "I felt so stuck. Like everyone had moved on but I was right where everyone left me fifteen years ago. I didn't know how to move on. It took me a bit to realize I just needed to focus on Harry. That's what I did."

Sirius rose to his full height, turning his body to face hers. She didn't look at him, her gaze still on the sky. Sirius tried to follow her line of sight and he assumed she was gazing at Canis Major.

"It's what I did," Sirius admitted. "Just focused on Harry and pushed everything else down until it all came bubbling to the surface. I'm told that's unhealthy."

Marlene looked at him, a frown etching onto her face. "I think it is."

Sirius reached out a tentative hand, cupping the side of her neck and brushing his thumb along her jaw. "I've missed you, Marly."

Marlene leaned in. "I've missed you too, Sirius."

Slowly, Sirius bent down. His lips brushed against hers. So hesitant and tender, as though he were afraid she would shatter and disappear forever if he were too rough. It was enough to send a shock through his entire body, every single one of his nerve-endings tingling. Her hot breath tickled his lips, her nose brushing against his.

"Is this okay?" Sirius whispered.

"Shut up and kiss me," Marlene replied.

That was the only encouragement Sirius needed. His lips crashed against hers. He kissed her like he would never kiss her again, desperate and dying of thirst. She kissed him back with as much fervor. He wanted more of her. He wanted all of her. Marlene pushed him backward as he stumbled over his own feet. His back met the stone wall with a thud.

All he wanted was her. To touch her. To feel her. To be one with her once more.

"Sirius," Marlene moaned against his lips.

That's when Sirius knew she wanted it as much as he did. He pulled back momentarily, his hand gripping hers as he pulled her into the Astronomy classroom. They didn't bother with lights. The moonlight shining in the windows was more than enough for them to see what they were doing. Their lips found each other again, their bodies pressing together. Marlene pushed his leather jack back and Sirius shrugged it off. The movements were so familiar, like they had done this every single day for their entire lives. Their lips fumbled against one another as Marlene's fingers undid his belt and he hauled her shirt over her head. Their bodies couldn't be pressed back together fast enough.

Sirius didn't care that they could very well be found. It wasn't like they hadn't had sex in this very classroom before when they were younger. It had been their spot, their little getaway. Sirius knew the room like the back of his hand, knew the long tables were sturdy and the perfect height. A slight thrill rolled over his skin as he unclasped her bra. She shimmied out of her trousers and knickers.

Sirius sucked on the sensitive spot below her ear as he struggled to get his own trousers off. He didn't want to break contact with her. She had disappeared once before, slipping through his fingers like smoke. Sirius never wanted to let go of her again. He couldn't risk her disappearing once more. For so long, he had craved for her. Somehow, someway, they had crawled their way back to one another.

His hand slid up her side, feeling her shiver underneath his touch. Up and up until his fingers grazed across her soft breasts. Sirius felt like he was floating. Surely, he would wake up from this dream at any moment. But the longer Marlene's touched him, the longer he caressed her, the more Sirius became convinced that he wasn't dreaming. It all felt too good, too real, too amazing.

They stumbled back until they found a long table. Sirius helped Marlene jump up onto it and she laid back against the wood. He grabbed her by the waist, tugging her down to the edge of the table. Reaching down between them, his thumb brushed against her. She moaned, arching her back. She was already wet, ready for him. But he continued to play with her, watching as her breasts rose and fell with heaving breaths.

The mere fact that Marlene had chosen Sirius all those years ago wasn't lost on his mind. He knew she was too good for him. Someone as intelligent, funny, kind, and beautiful as her didn't deserve to be stuck with someone as broken as Sirius was. He didn't know how to love her in the way she deserved. There wasn't a single romantic bone in his body. But Sirius knew he'd torture, maim, and kill for her. He'd burn down a fucking bloody village for her. Maybe that was worth something. Perhaps it was worth more than flowers and soppy poetry.

Inserting another finger inside of her, Marlene squirmed against his hand. He knew her body like he knew the back of his own hand, knowing the exact angle to hook his fingers to make her moan.

"Sirius," she moaned. "Sirius, please."

Without hesitating, Sirius climbed up onto the table over her. He wanted to touch her, to feel her against him. His body leaned into hers as he pressed himself into her folds. A soft cry escaped her lips, her arms wrapping around him and her nails running down his back. He pressed his lips against her jaw, trailing up and fumbling to her mouth.

For the first time in a long time, Sirius felt alive. The darkness of Azkaban that clung to his skin like a leech dissipated. The constant knot of anxiety in the pit of his stomach unraveled. The depression and guilt slipped from his mind. He was Sirius. Only Sirius. She was Marlene. The love of his fucking life.

Time sucked him backwards. He could imagine himself in his old cottage with Marlene. All the kisses, touches, and feelings tingling his brain. Everything slipped into place, picking up where they left off. Something deep within Sirius that had been missing for years suddenly slid back into place. He felt whole again. Like a real-life person and not a shadow of the man he had been. He had been so close to being his old self again, but there had been one piece of the puzzle that had been missing. Marlene was the missing puzzle piece. She made him whole, patching him up and smoothing out all of his rough edges.

Sirius rested his forehead against hers as he climaxed. A peace washed over him. He felt content, happy even. The feeling lingered as he nipped her bottom lip before sliding off the table. His fingers pressed against her, wanting to make her feel as good as he felt. She spread her legs wider for him, her body rocking against his hand. A soft cry echoed in the room as her body sagged against the table.

Sirius rubbed his hand along her thigh until he felt the skin raised up on her inner thigh. He pushed her thigh open wider, bending down to get a better look. His blood turned to ice when he saw the brand on her, close to the crease of her leg. His thumb brushed the wetness off it, his heart hammering in his chest.

Toujours Pur.

Sirius' breaths came out in harsh huffs as his fingers traced the letters against her sensitive skin. He struggled to breathe.

Toujours Pur.

The words glared up at him, mocking him… laughing at him. Sirius' eyes flickered up to look at Marlene's face.

"What is this?" Sirius choked out.

Marlene struggled to sit up, her gaze dropping down to the healed branded words on her thigh. Her eyes snapped up to look at him, her face set in a stony expression. She pressed her thighs together, swinging them so that they dangled off the edge of the table. Her fingers curled around the lip of the table as she refused to look at him.

"Nothing," she replied, her tone defiant.

Sirius couldn't let it go. "Did Bellatrix do that to you?" he asked, his voice harsher than he intended it.

"Does it matter?" Marlene snapped as she jumped off the table, bending down to grab her discarded knickers.

"Marly…" Sirius choked out.

Marlene stepped into her knickers before she grabbed her trousers. He couldn't see her expression as she had stepped out of the moonlight shining into the room.

"She did it so she could plant a very awful memory in my mind," Marlene said, refusing to look at him.

Sirius swallowed. "When you were Bella Riddle… you thought I did that?"

Marlene turned around, her arms wrapping around her bare chest. "It was one of the clearer memories she planted. The vicious way you manhandled me and tied me down. You branded me, telling me I was your property."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair, his eyes screwing shut as his limbs quivered uncontrollably. "No wonder you were so fucking petrified of me at first."

"At the time, when I first saw you again, it was odd," Marlene whispered, her eyes brimming with tears. "You were nothing like you were in my memories. When I became Marlene again, I realized that she modeled that version of you after Arcturus."

Sirius' heart pounded harshly in his chest.

"All the stories you told me about when you were a kid, how rough he was on you and Regulus," Marlene pressed forward, her hand reaching out to touch the scar on his arm that had been caused by a punishment from Arcturus. "She made you just as cruel and vile as you described him."

Sirius' mouth went dry, his gaze snapping down to look at their feet. He wanted to rip Bellatrix's heart out from her fucking chest. Sirius had always despised Bellatrix. She had tattled on him as a child and then tried to make his life a living hell as an adult when he refused to marry her. She had done unthinkable things to Marlene. Now, she had branded Marlene forever. Branded her with some fucking idiotic pureblood supremacy bullshit. Sirius wanted to torture Bellatrix to death, nice and slow. He wanted to hear her to beg to stop.

Marlene's hands cupped Sirius' face, forcing him to look at her. "Never once since I've gotten my memories back have I ever blamed you. She would have done it to anyone she wanted to torture. She's cruel and vile."

Words clogged in Sirius' throat. His gray eyes searched her fierce hazel ones.

"I love you," Marlene whispered, the pad of her thumb brushing against his bottom lip. "She didn't succeed, Sirius. And we'll make her fucking pay."

Sirius swallowed, his head nodding and his gaze never leaving hers. "There's a lot of people I want to make pay."

Marlene's hand snaked behind his neck, her face pulling close to his. "Then we'll make them all pay."

The corners of Sirius' lips twitched. "You're a very bad influence."

"I've been very angry for a very long time, Sirius," Marlene whispered. "So many people have hurt you and Harry. So many people have hurt me. I was never one for revenge but the more I see my family suffer, the more I want to hurt them all."

Sirius pressed his forehead against Marlene's. "Marly…" he said in a hoarse voice.

"Peter killed our friends," Marlene whispered in a strained voice. "Bellatrix separated us. Voldemort is hunting our godson."

"I want them all dead too," Sirius admitted. "But I don't want to lose you or Harry again. I'm so scared that I'll lose you both again."

Marlene closed the space between their faces, nipping at his lower lip. She pressed her body against his, Sirius ran a hand across her bare back. Marlene pulled back just a tad, her hot breath against his lips.

"We have to be smart," Marlene whispered, her nose brushing against his. "Smarter than we were before."

"I've been trying to be better than I was before," Sirius admitted. "I'm not the same naïve kid I was during the first war."

"I'm not either," Marlene admitted.

Sirius knew they had both changed. Now, it was clear that they had both changed in very similar ways. They had both been let down and hurt by the people closest to them. They had been beaten down to shells of the people they had been. Enough was enough. Sirius was ready to burn down the entire fucking world. He couldn't stand back and watch as Marlene or Harry were hurt one more time. Sirius wanted blood on his hands. He wanted the ruddy war to be over with. Sirius wasn't going to rest until it was.

Sorry for the delay in posting! I was terribly sick last week and just didn't finish the chapter in time! It's up a little early though, and I hope you all enjoy it! Don't forget to drop a review. They motivate me to keep on writing!

Just an FYI, is giving me trouble uploading new documents. I had to delete the contents of an old document and copy/paste the new chapter. If I can't upload documents anymore, my time on is numbered. I am over on AO3 under the same username.

Special thanks to prewettpotter for all her help!