"Brumous"

"Chapter Eleven: The Aftermath"

Remus watched as Sirius left the house, knowing he needed space after seeing Marlene and nearly witnessing Harry die. Gulping down his nerves, he glanced over at Harry who stared at the back door Sirius had just left through. Sirius would be a fool to leave the wards after what had just happened. He hoped his friend only needed a bit of fresh air and to get away from the chaos that had just ensued. Sirius never dealt well with the aftermath, often slipping into self-loathing and overanalyzing what he could have done differently.

Turning his attention to Marlene, Remus noticed her trembling as she wiped the blood off her hands with a tea towel Molly must have given her. Molly had her arm wrapped around Marlene's shoulders, speaking in low tones to her.

Remus didn't know what to do or where to go. Surely, Harry couldn't stay at the Burrow. If Voldemort was willing to come out in the open to possess Harry, then surely, he'd guess where Harry was now. There were plenty of Black properties that lay abandoned all-around England as the Black family all tended to die rather young - a mixture of inbreeding and carelessness, no doubt. Sirius would know of a secure location to take Harry, and Dumbledore could add his wards as well.

Molly crossed the kitchen, grabbing a large glass vial and pouring the blue liquid into a glass. She made her way over to Harry and extended it to him.

"Here, Harry, dear," Molly said with a smile. "It's a Calming Draught for your nerves."

"I'm all right," Harry responded. "Thank you anyway, Mrs Weasley."

"Harry, you're shaking," Molly insisted, reaching out and taking his hand that wasn't wrapped securely around Ginny in her own hand. "It doesn't alter your mind. It just calms you. You'll still be you, all right?"

Harry swallowed visibly. Remus tore his gaze away from them, because Molly had the situation handled. She had always been good with him, far better at comforting him than Remus ever could be. Harry didn't need him in the same way he needed Sirius and Molly. Remus turned and locked gaze with Marlene instead. He strolled over to her, his hand reaching out to touch her elbow.

"Are you all right?" Remus pressed, his eyes searching hers.

She nodded. "You should have warned me that he was here."

Remus licked his lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't think about it. I suppose when I said it was Harry who needed help that you would just assume…"

Marlene nodded, her arms wrapping around her stomach and her eyes flickering towards the back door. "He's different than I remember."

Remus forced a smile. "That's because those memories in your head are Bella's, not Marlene's. Fabricated in the worst possible way."

Marlene looked at him, sniffing. "He seemed sad."

Remus nodded. "I think that Sirius has always had a touch of melancholy about him. He's lived a hard life. There are very few things that bring him joy. Harry being the primary thing."

"He's a good godfather," Marlene whispered, her eyes gazing behind Remus' shoulder and no doubt at Harry. "What happened here, Remus?"

Remus sighed, his hands shoving into his trouser pockets. "Harry was possessed by Lord Voldemort."

Marlene's brow furrowed. "But how?"

Remus cleared his throat, careful on how much to say. It was Sirius and Harry who should be the ones to tell her what they saw fit, not Remus. "He's the Boy Who Lived. Consequence of his survival."

Marlene's lips pursed, her head inclining behind Remus. "Do you think he'd talk to me? Didn't seem very happy after I snapped at Sirius. I didn't mean to, it was just…" Marlene sighed. "This was a lot today."

Remus turned around to look at the trio. Harry seemed impossibly calmer now, a slight smile gracing his face. Molly must have convinced him to take the Calming Draught because he no longer trembled as he spoke with Ginny and Ron in a low voice. Ginny stood close to him, but they were no longer in each other's arms. In fact, Remus thought the Weasleys needed a bit of Calming Draught as well. Ron stood pale, his head nodding as though he wasn't actually listening to the words Harry spoke. Ginny stared wide-eyed at Harry, standing close to him.

Remus turned back to Marlene. "I'll go over with you. Introduce you properly."

Marlene looked grateful. Honestly, it was the least he could do after putting her in the position he did. Time had been of the essence, and he knew where Marlene would be. The other Healers in the Order would have been at work or Merlin only knew where. Marlene had been the logical choice.

"Harry, can I have a moment?" Remus called.

Harry turned towards him and nodded. His hand touched Ginny's arm before he walked towards them. Remus gripped the kid's shoulder, glad to see some of the color back in his cheeks.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Remus asked, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

"Better," Harry replied.

Remus sucked in a breath, his eyes glancing over at Marlene. "Harry, this is Marlene McKinnon. Your godmother. Marlene, this is Harry Potter. I don't think the two of you were properly introduced."

Marlene looked hopefully at Harry, a smile gracing her face. A genuine smile. One that Remus hasn't seen since they were young and stupid.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Harry," Marlene began. "I don't have any clear real memories. Sirius is… well, there's only false darkness in my mind about him unfortunately."

Harry shifted. "I know."

Marlene sucked in a breath. "I was thinking, if you wouldn't mind, perhaps we could write to one another? If you're feeling up to it, perhaps we could meet up a few times this summer."

Remus glanced over at Harry, thinking that the Calming Draught may actually help Harry see reason and accept the offer extended by Marlene. A normal Harry probably would have squirmed and uttered some noncommittal response, unsure of how to handle the situation. But a calm Harry seemed much more open to the idea than Remus would have expected.

"Yeah, that sounds brilliant," Harry replied.

Remus had no doubt that when Harry was in his right mind, Harry would have been anxious about the prospect of it all. Harry had been hyperaware of Sirius' outbursts when it came to Marlene, and Remus suspected that Harry's hesitation had all been because of his worry that Sirius would be upset with him if he allowed himself to see Marlene. Remus' heart twisted at the very thought, since the kid didn't know that there was absolutely nothing that Harry could do to even remotely upset Sirius.

Marlene beamed at Harry. "I'm glad. I, uh, I should probably head out. I wasn't supposed to leave my hideout."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know what that's like."

Marlene smiled at him. "I'm so glad to finally meet you. Remus has been telling me stories and showing me pictures. I'm hoping that meeting you will help spark something real."

Harry glanced over at Remus for the briefest of moments before he turned back to Marlene. "I hope so too."

Remus nodded in Marlene's direction, knowing he too would have to leave. He needed to swing by Islington and see what exactly had happened after they left Grimmauld Place. Part of him hoped that Nymphadora would be there as part of the clean-up crew. He fancied a chat with her, for more reasons than one. He had missed her more than he could even admit in the privacy of his own mind. Maybe Sirius had been right. Maybe he shouldn't have been so quick to judge Harry for expressing his feelings to Ginny when the world was going to shit around them.

Remus observed Harry for a few moments before he spoke. "I have to go as well," Remus told him, meeting his eye. "Will you be all right?"

Harry's brow furrowed, as though he didn't understand why Remus was even including him in his plans. Remus forced a smile on his lips, pushing the thought to the back of his mind.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry assured, gesturing his head behind him. "Mrs Weasley and Sirius are here."

"Remus, you're leaving?" Molly asked, rushing over towards them. "Where are you going?"

"See what happened after we left Grimmauld," Remus supplied.

Molly nodded. "Well, you'll be back later?"

"Unless there's news, probably not," Remus replied.

Molly huffed, her lips twisting. "I know you stayed at Grimmauld quite a bit. You know the offer is extended here as well, don't you? I was hoping to sandwich Harry's room between yours and Sirius'. The twins are living above their shop. Charlie and Per… Percy's room are empty. I thought you could each take a room."

"I'm not sharing with Ron?" Harry asked, surprised.

"I thought you may like your own room, dear," Molly replied. "We have the space for it now. Bill has been staying at my Aunt Muriel's cottage since he moved back to England. He's been fixing it up for her," Molly explained before turning to Remus. "This house is very empty and it would be lovely to have all of you here, if here is where we are staying."

Remus nodded, a lump forming in his throat. "Thank you, Molly. That's very generous."

She waved him off. "Sirius has been so gracious with Grimmauld Place, and I think it's been so nice to all be together. Like I said, there are so many abandoned rooms now here."

"Thank you, Molly," Remus said in a grateful tone. "I'll grab all our things from Grimmauld and be by tonight. If you're all right with me grabbing your things."

"Oh, Remus, you are a dear," Molly replied, a smile spreading across her lips.

Remus only nodded awkwardly, before he bid his final goodbyes. He left through the front door, knowing Sirius well enough to know that he didn't want to talk just yet about everything that had transpired that day. He would need time to stew, and Remus knew better than anyone that Molly would surely meddle and socially exhaust him.

Apparating to Islington, Remus made his way towards Grimmauld Place. Streets were blocked off with barriers a few blocks down from Number Twelve so that cars could not go down. Remus could see a herd of people craning their necks to see if they could find out what happened on the block.

The fires had been put out. But Remus gulped at the sight of the terrace houses demolished. Number Twelve stood untouched, the Fidelius having held strong and true no matter how hard Lord Voldemort had tried to break it. Stepping up to the police tape, he saw the bodies were gone but blood stained the pavement. Tape outlined where the bodies had laid. Looking around, Remus spotted several Aurors and other Ministry officials disguised as the Metropolitan

Police.

Remus could spot Nymphadora a mile away, even if her hair wasn't bubblegum pink. She was petite and her hair always seemed to flare out whatever color it may be. Her jet-black strands were cropped short, the ends flaring out underneath the Met hat she wore. As though sensing him, she turned around and their eyes locked.

She said something to Sutton before she dashed towards the police tape. He made his way down the line, trying to get away from all the Muggle onlookers who were trying to see what had happened. Nymphadora lifted the caution tape and snuck underneath. Remus' hand brushed her elbow as the two of them walked away from the commotion and down an alley for a bit of privacy.

Glancing around, he positioned his back towards the entrance of the alley and quickly cast a few privacy charms before shoving his wand away from prying eyes. Nymphadora looked up at him. He couldn't help but tilt her hat back to help her see a bit better.

"Nice hat," Remus commented.

Nymphadora shrugged. "Part of the Muggle uniform. Scrimgeour had to charm the real Met away from here."

Remus nodded. "I'm not quite sure how that even works."

"It's complicated. That's shit for the Head Auror to deal with," Nymphadora said, waving him off. "Is everyone all right?"

Remus sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Harry was possessed. Slit his own throat."

Nymphadora sucked in a breath, her lips parting.

"He's fine now," Remus said in a rush. "But nobody's at headquarters anymore. We left during the attack."

"You were there?" Nymphadora pressed.

"Yeah, but we got everyone out," Remus assured her, his tongue peeking out to lick his bottom lip. "Voldemort was here."

Nymphadora nodded, looking around the alleyway. "Yeah, Scrimgeour saw him and Dumbledore dueling in the streets."

"I'm sure that was a sight to see," Remus replied.

"Oh, it was. I witnessed the tail end of it," Nymphadora explained, taking off her hat and shaking out her hair. The black locks bounced and took shape, no hat hair in sight. "You might want to listen in to the evening news on the wireless tonight. Scrimgeour and Dumbledore went to the Wizengamot together to order an emergency meeting. We're guessing Fudge will be ousted tonight as Minister of Magic."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "You're joking."

Nymphadora smiled. "Well, just between you and me, Axel had the idea to alert the press on our way out of the Ministry. There's photo evidence of Dumbledore and You-Know-Who dueling. It'll be in the evening Prophet no doubt."

"Bloody hell," Remus murmured. "Who do you think they'll nominate for Minister?"

Nymphadora shrugged. "Who knows. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Amelia Bones or Scrimgeour, someone strong and level-headed in the DMLE."

Remus nodded, knowing that made sense. "As long as whoever it is, they declare Voldemort as having returned."

"I think the photo evidence will be hard to explain away," Nymphadora replied. "We're just about done cleaning up here. The Obliviators have altered all the surviving Muggles, which weren't many. We've collected wand signatures, but there were too many present so they're all muddled. We probably won't be able to identify any of them with a hundred percent certainty. Then, we'll bring the real Met in, with some planted memories on what happened."

"The official Muggle story?" Remus questioned.

"No idea. That's above my paygrade," Nymphadora explained. "I'll find out when you do. There's some more senior Aurors who are crafting the lie now and planting believable evidence."

Remus shifted, a solid and aching lump burrowing itself into his chest. Nymphadora pursed her lips as she placed her hat back on her head. He didn't want her to leave.

"I should get back," Nymphadora said. "I'll see you later, Remus."

She moved to walk around him. Remus' heart hammered in his chest as he whipped around, his hand grabbing her by the elbow. She turned around, her gray eyes locking with his.

"I'm sorry," Remus whispered. "I was a complete and utter berk the night of the Department of Mysteries' debacle."

Nymphadora blinked at him, her head jerking to agree. "I like you a lot, Remus. But I don't think you like yourself."

Remus swallowed at the lump lodged in his throat, to no avail. "I hate myself."

"That's very obvious," Nymphadora replied in a soft voice. "I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. The way Sirius and Harry and Molly and everyone in the Order sees you."

"I feel like a monster," Remus admitted.

"I deal with monsters all day every day," Nymphadora replied. "Trust me, you're the furthest thing from a monster."

Remus didn't know how to respond. All he knew was that he wanted to kiss Nymphadora. He missed the way her body fit perfectly against his. He craved for her to trace his scars with her fingertips. Most of all, he just missed her laugh and the way she didn't stop talking about everything and anything. She made him forget about all of his troubles and worries.

"I, uh, I know you'll be busy all night given what's happened," Remus said, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "But I was wondering if maybe tomorrow night you wanted to go for a walk and just… talk."

"A talk as in…?" Nymphadora trailed off.

Remus swallowed. "A talk about us. If you still want to, that is."

Nymphadora blinked up at him, her body growing stiff. "Am I going to talk with sweet Remus or berk Remus?"

Remus let out a small chuckle, the corners of his lips twitching. "I don't want to be a berk anymore. But I do think we would need to have a serious conversation about the dangers of dating an outcast werewolf."

Nymphadora laughed, ringing like music in his ears and making his heart skip a beat. "I think I can handle myself, but sure. We can have a talk about the dangers of dating an outcast werewolf," Nymphadora replied, lowering her voice to mimic Remus on the last six words. "Merlin, Remus, you're hilarious. I wish I could stand here and chat more, but I have to get back to work. I'll contact you in the morning for when I'll be free tomorrow evening. You pick the walking path."

Remus nodded, a grin flitting across his lips. She winked at him, before turning around and making her way out of the alleyway. Her black locks bounced as she walked. Remus let out a breath, his hands shoving into his trouser pockets. For now, he had to push Nymphadora out of his mind and figure out how he was going to gain access to Grimmauld Place with the building swarming with people.

The back door opened but Sirius didn't bother to see who it was. He screwed his eyes shut, wanting to be left alone after that had transpired. He needed to calm his nerves with a bit of whisky, not talk about what had happened. There was no doubt in his mind that Molly wanted to talk about everything, make preparations on how to protect the house, talk about his feelings. The last one was something that Sirius had no interest in discussing.

Marlene had looked at him like he had been some sort of monster, snapping at him to get away from Harry. He knew that wasn't really Marlene, that it was some warped and twisted version that Bellatrix had crafted specifically to hurt him, but he couldn't help the twist in his heart at how she had looked at him.

The awkward small talk that she attempted to make while healing him, the way she asked about his most hated tattoo in such a casual tone had him reeling with disappointment. A lump formed in his chest, hard and unmoving. The only person he truly wanted to speak to was Marlene… his Marlene whose death he had grieved years ago.

"I'm sorry."

Sirius snapped his eyes open and looked up to see Marlene leaning against a post. She looked uncertain and Sirius' heart beat harshly in his chest. He couldn't do this at the moment, not when he was covered in blood and he had just watched his godson tremble like a leaf.

"It's fine," Sirius replied in a hoarse voice, his gaze dropping down to his blood-stained hands in his lap.

Marlene sighed, sliding down the post until she was sitting in front of him. "I know the memories in my head aren't real. But I have nothing real."

Sirius kept his head down. He knew this already, and though he figured she was expecting something from him in return, he didn't know what response he could offer her.

"Give me something real?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

Sirius' gaze flickered up and he saw the tears swimming in her eyes. A million memories swarmed his head, each one making his heart ache more than the last. Where the fuck could he even begin? The seconds dragged on as they just stared at one another. Sirius battled his emotions, willing himself to speak because he may not get another chance with her if he pushed her away now.

"The first time you saw that bête noire tattoo…" Sirius cleared his throat. "You told me that I should have it removed. I told you that, that I didn't want it removed. I never wanted to forget for a second how awful my family was. I didn't want to ever even consider giving them another chance, none of them. They were…" Sirius sighed, his eyes searching hers. "You told me that I should get more tattoos instead then, ones that mean something to me. You said that I could make a roadmap on my body, to show where I came from, to where I am going, to who I truly am. I think I went a bit overboard."

Marlene smiled weakly at him. "I have your name under my breast. I see you have my name in the same place on your body."

"We got blackout drunk one night when we were eighteen," Sirius explained. "Got each other's names on our bodies in each other's handwriting. It was like, after you died…" Sirius looked down at his hands once more. "After you disappeared that I had a bit of you still with me. Always. I had never been happier to have gotten blackout drunk before."

"How did we get together?" Marlene asked.

Sirius looked up at her. She pulled her legs close to her body, her arms hugging them. The terror was gone from her eyes as she looked at him, more curious than anything. She looked a bit like the old Marlene.

"James was my best mate, Harry's dad," Sirius explained, making sure to clarify because he wasn't sure how much Remus or anyone else had told her. "You were Lily's best mate. That's Harry's mum."

Marlene nodded. "I know. I'm Harry's godmother. Remus told me a bit."

"They started dating in our seventh year and, by default, we were always together," Sirius continued. "It was like we were the third and fourth wheel. We started shagging about two months in, refusing to admit we actually liked each other. I was never boyfriend material. I didn't date because I was too mentally fucked up to be stable enough to be a boyfriend."

"I'm sure that's not true," Marlene interrupted. "Everyone deserves love, acceptance. You just had to learn that you deserved it too and that you could give it freely."

Sirius blinked at Marlene. She had said something so eerily similar nearly two decades prior. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and feel her once more pressed perfectly against his chest. She had always calmed him, made him happy. Her presence had been something that he had missed more than he had ever admitted before. He knew if she hadn't disappeared all those years ago, if she had been by his side, Sirius would have accepted the role of Secret Keeper and would have been able to protect his family. Except, he had been lost and depressed and thought he wasn't capable of protecting them. He had been a fool without her guidance and strength, lost without her making him feel like he was a better person than he actually was.

Sirius cleared his throat. "Anyway, there was something about you that I just adored. You made me laugh. You made me forget about things. After a few months of shagging, you wanted more and I couldn't give it to you. I remember asking what you even saw in me, because I had more baggage than the Hogwarts Express." Sirius licked his bottom lips as they stared unblinkingly into each other's eyes. "You said you had never met someone like me before, someone so fiercely protective that I would burn down an entire village for the people I care about with no remorse or thought. I remember that bothered me at first but… it was true. I would do something like that. I had while working in the Order of the Phoenix right out of school. I killed Death Eaters without remorse, without feeling a speck of sympathy because they had dared to hurt you or James or Lily. But…" Sirius sighed, the words dying in his throat. It took him a few moments to speak once more. "I don't know. It was the end of our seventh year when we became official, I suppose. You were just always there, even when I was a complete wanker, telling me that I needn't push people away for their own safety. Now that you were wrong about because look what happened to you for daring to be in my life. My family likes to hurt me and, by extension, hurt the people I love."

"I read all about Bellatrix Lestrange," Marlene whispered. "Every newspaper article I could get my hands on, asking people who came by to visit me to tell me about her. You shouldn't blame yourself for how twisted she is."

Sirius forced a smile on his lips. "I don't. She's vile and cruel. But I'm sorry. If I had stood my ground and refused to be with you, you would have had a happy life with Harry. I took that opportunity away from both of you. But I had liked you so much that I just wanted to be with you. You made me feel worthy when I never felt worthy before."

Marlene shook her head, her brows furrowing. "The house was on fire. My entire family was dead. I would have been murdered as well instead of… manipulated. Being with you saved my life, even if I didn't know who I was for the past fourteen years."

Sirius hadn't thought of it like that, but it didn't bring him any comfort.

Marlene tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just want to remember you for you. I keep picturing you doing awful things and I am trying so hard to picture it as your evil twin or something."

Sirius swallowed. "I would never hurt you. I never laid a hand on you."

"I'm trying so hard to believe that," Marlene whispered. "I just want some real memories of you."

"We had a cottage together. It used to belong to my Uncle Alphard," Sirius explained. "You should go there. See our lives from before."

Marlene nodded. "I think Remus and Tonks brought me some stuff from that house to try to help spark some memories. But maybe going there would be… well, it may be more helpful. Thank you."

Sirius squinted at her. "The, uh, the place may be a bit trashed. I vaguely remember one night I got pissed and destroyed the living room after I thought you died. I never went back there after that. It was too hard. I saw you everywhere and I just missed you so much."

Marlene nodded, her hazel eyes searching his. "Harry said that we could exchange letters, him and I. I… I think it might be nice if we do as well."

Sirius sucked in a breath. "Yeah, we can do that if you want."

Marlene blinked at him. "We don't have to if you don't want to."

Sirius swallowed. "Nah, it's fine. It's just… this is odd for me as much as it is for you. I mourned your death. I blamed myself for not being with you that night to save you. I attended your entire family's funeral. Having you sitting here, alive and right in front of me… it's unbelievable. I feel like I'm in a dream or maybe, maybe I'm still stuck inside Azkaban and the past three years have just been one long torturous dream inflicted upon me. It's all too good to be true. I have Harry back and now you're alive…"

"I can guarantee this isn't a dream," Marlene replied in a thick voice. "Though it does feel like I'm fighting through this thick fog that just wants to strangle me and pull me under. Nothing makes sense yet at the same time, everything oddly makes sense. Sitting here with you… it feels so natural. Like it was always meant to be. Then a moment later, I get a flash of a terrible memory and I just want to scream."

Sirius didn't know how to make things better. That's all he wanted to do. He wanted to help her remember who she was and not just for his own selfish reasons to have her back. His heart had ached for her in Azkaban, but she had never come to haunt him while in prison… not like James had. Maybe he should have seen it as some sort of sign that nothing was what it seemed, but he had been too depressed and fucked up at the time to notice that her ghostly apparition had never once visited him in Azkaban, unlike so many others.

"I should go," Marlene said, standing up.

Sirius swallowed. "Yeah, I should… get cleaned up. I just needed some air after, well, everything."

Marlene tucked her hair behind her ear, staring at him hard. "Dumbledore asked me to… he asked me to teach at Hogwarts this upcoming school year. Do you think that would be awkward for Harry?"

Sirius squinted up at her, his head shaking. "Nah, he'd like that. He loved when Remus taught at school. Would you be teaching Defense then?"

"No, Potions actually, which I don't think I'm qualified to do," Marlene admitted.

Sirius blinked up at her, confusion pulling on his face. "What about Snape?"

"Who's Snape?"

There were many ways that Sirius could answer that question, but he figured that keeping it simple was probably the best route.

"He's the current Potions Master," Sirius explained, then after a beat added, "And a wanker."

Marlene let out a small chuckle. "I haven't the foggiest. Dumbledore just said he was in need for a professor and asked if I would teach Potions. He said I was a fair potioneer at Hogwarts and said Andromeda could help me if I needed it."

Sirius nodded. "You weren't bad at Potions. Lily was always helped you and she was bloody brilliant, an excellent teacher. I think that was the only class that James and I struggled in and were definitely not anywhere near the top of the class. Which is hilarious because James' dad was a potions prodigy. He used to tell us he was disappointed in us, and I believe he was only eighty percent joking."

Marlene smiled at him. "Were Lily and I top of the class then?"

Sirius licked his bottom lip. "Lily and Snape battled for top of the class. You were a distant third. Then James and I were probably an even more distant ten and eleven."

"Snape? Ah, is that why he's a wanker? Didn't get along in school?" Marlene asked, leaning her back against the post. She didn't seem like she wanted to leave, but Sirius tried not to get his hopes up because he never lucked out in life.

Sirius leaned his head against the house. As far as Sirius knew, Snape may or may not have been at the McKinnons house the night her family died. While a spy, Snape still, to this day, had done questionable things to keep Voldemort's trust. Sirius wasn't a moron to believe otherwise.

"He was a Death Eater," Sirius explained. "Still is. Although, I'm told to believe he's a changed man and he's now a spy for the Order of the Phoenix."

"Oh…" Marlene trailed off.

"I don't trust him," Sirius continued, his eyes searching hers. "You shouldn't either. He may have been there that night that you… he was close to Bellatrix and Lucius and Narcissa. He was friends with all of them. From intelligence we gathered in the first war, he had become best friends with Narcissa Malfoy sometime after school."

Marlene's brow furrowed. "Malfoy? Lucius Malfoy was listed as the owner of my home in Wiltshire."

"Narcissa and Bellatrix are sisters, my cousins," Sirius explained. "I'm sure you were stationed near their home so they could keep an eye on you. If Malfoy and Bellatrix were at your dad's house that night, then it wouldn't surprise me to hear that Snape was there as well."

Marlene wrapped her arms around her stomach, her shoulders shivering despite the warm June air. She only nodded in response, suddenly quieter than she had been. Sirius tried to swallow the disappointment.

"I should go," she whispered, pushing herself off from the post.

"Goodbye, Marlene," Sirius said in a thick voice, a rock settling in the pit of his stomach.

Her lips twitched. "Bye, Sirius."

She turned, making her way down the couple of steps into the back garden. He watched as she crossed the garden before she slipped through the wards and disappeared with a faint pop. Sirius swallowed, his eyes sliding closed. It could have gone worse, Sirius knew that.

Part of him was glad to know that she would be at Hogwarts with Harry come autumn, going where Sirius could not follow. His jaw tightened, hating not for the first time how fucked up his life was. If only he had gone to Dumbledore instead of chasing after Peter all those years ago, surely things would have worked out differently.

The door opened again. Sirius knew for sure this time that it was Molly coming to check on him. When Molly sat down on the deck with him, Sirius couldn't help the little burst that shot through his heart. She reached out, grabbing his hand in hers and sitting it into her lap.

"Remus went to Grimmauld to find out what happened when we left and he's going to grab our things," Molly explained. "I told Remus that he has a room here. I hope you know you do too. It's my turn to play gracious host."

Sirius smiled. "You're too good to me."

Molly only squeezed his hand. "Harry's getting cleaned up. As are Ron and Ginny," Molly explained. "Bill is in the parlor watching the stairs for Harry in case he comes down."

Sirius nodded, looking down at his blood-stained hands and torso. He really needed to clean up himself and have a talk with Harry. He would much prefer to stay at the Burrow instead of going back to Grimmauld Place. It seemed like the logical choice, but Sirius would be willing to go anywhere if that meant Harry could continue to stay with him.

"How are you?" Molly pressed.

Sirius sighed. "I'm fine, Molly."

Molly huffed. "Tosh!"

Sirius let out a small chuckle. "I'm managing."

"I care very deeply for you, Sirius, you know that, don't you?" Molly asked.

Sirius nodded, unable to talk. It seemed impossible that over the past year that they had gone from bickering to being amazingly great friends. Sirius was grateful for the role she played in his life. There was something about her that put him at ease.

"You know, you remind me of Gideon and Fabian," Molly said as she rested her head against Sirius' shoulder. "It's been so lonely since they died. I felt like I had no one besides Arthur. My mum died when I was sixteen after a long and terrible illness. My dad died when I was eighteen, found murdered. Probably Death Eaters. He became a terrible drunk after my mum died. Probably said the wrong thing to the wrong person while intoxicated. My Aunt Muriel stepped up, tried to provide me with the parental support I needed, but it was really Gideon and Fabian who got me through it. They walked me down the aisle when I married Arthur. They were amazing uncles to the kids. Then, in a blink of an eye, they were gone. Septimus and Cedrella have been wonderful over the years, but… I've missed my brothers and my parents."

Sirius rested his cheek against the top of her head. He could remember the look of anguish on Molly's face the day of the Prewett twins' funeral and how eerily quiet the Weasley boys had been. He swallowed, remembering looking at the tiny bundle in her arms as she rocked a days-old Ginny in her arms. Molly hadn't liked Sirius one bit, but she had taken to James' charm as the two chatted about their children.

"Then I met you and, Merlin, Sirius, you made me laugh," Molly continued, and Sirius could hear the smile in her voice. "The more I got to know you, the more you reminded me of my brothers. When Arthur was injured around Christmas… you took my kids in and watched them and made sure they were all right. I thought, I thought he's treating them like they were family. He's treating them like Gideon or Fabian would. I couldn't help but start to think of you as a brother figure."

Sirius' heart clenched, not having felt like anyone's brother in a very long time. If he was going to be anyone's surrogate brother, he was more than happy to be Molly's. She had treated him like a sister, like Lily had always treated him. Sirius cleared his throat.

"Aww, you truly feel that way?" Sirius asked, unable to keep the watery smile off his lips, as Molly nodded against his shoulder. "Well, yeah, me too. Or whatever," Sirius continued his voice thick with emotion, pressing a kiss on top of her hair.

Molly chuckled and said in a watery voice, "I truly do."

Sirius nodded, giving her hand a squeeze before he let go. "Let's head inside," Sirius commented, standing up and extending a hand to Molly. "Come on, sis." Sirius smiled broadly at her, happy to see her laugh as she accepted his hand.

They walked inside the Burrow and Molly showed him where she stored all their wands in a cupboard on the very top shelf. They placed a Password Charm on the cupboard that only the adults would know to keep the kids out of it. He nodded his approval as she explained that he could pick any of the rooms on the second floor. Thanking her, he made his way into the parlor. He greeted Bill before he made his way upstairs. He could hear a shower running and only assumed Harry was currently taking one to wash all the blood off him.

He pushed open one of the doors to see it decorated with dragons. Sitting down on the bed, he let out a sigh as he felt like he was looking at a time capsule. He kept telling himself that everything would work out. He made plans to give Harry another Occlumency lesson the next night, knowing they needed to really ramp up their attempts to block his mind before something drastic happened once more.

Harry pressed his palms against the wall of the shower, his eyes watching as the water swirled down the drain. He blinked, no longer seeing blood mixed in the water. His body felt as though it was floating, the Calming Draught in full swing. With a sigh, he lathered up his body before washing his hair. Stepping out of the shower, he tied a towel around his waist before stepping out into the hallway and making his way to the twins' old bedroom. His trunk sat at the foot of his bed, and he figured that Remus had already arrived back with their things.

The soft murmurs of familiar voices sounded from the room next to his. He stilled in front of his trunk, recognizing them as Sirius and Remus but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Rummaging through his trunk, he grabbed some new clothes that Andromeda had bought him. He swallowed and picked up the unopened pack of boxers. He had been mortified at first that she had bought him something so intimate, but she hadn't even commented on them when she had handed him several bags filled to the rim with clothes, shoes, and other items. One of the other items had been a set of potions books with a note that said they explained things better than his textbook.

After dressing quickly, Harry made his way over to the bay window. Sitting down on the windowsill, he drew his knees up to his chest and looked outside. It felt odd not to be sharing a room with Ron, but he appreciated Mrs Weasley's offer to give him his own room and to allow Sirius and Remus to stay at the Burrow as well.

Pressing his forehead against the glass, he watched as Bill worked on the wards outside of the house, bright lights escaping the tip of his wand. Harry couldn't help the sinking feeling in his chest at the thought of not having a wand. He didn't even know where Mrs Weasley had hid them. He had no doubt that the same rules would apply at the Burrow as Grimmauld Place. Glancing down at the bracelet around his wrist, his fingers brushed against the metal.

There was an emptiness in the pit of Harry's stomach and his chest expanded oddly. Was it considered suicide or murder if he had died while possessed? The thought swirled around in his head, pestering him but he found himself oddly calm about everything that had happened. He knew that was thanks to the Calming Draught, and Harry could easily see himself becoming addicted to the feeling of it. It was so nice to feel the way he was feeling. Even the intrusive thoughts seemed more bearable in that moment. Pressing his forehead tightly against the window, he willed for the calming feeling to never end.

Reaching up a hand, his fingers brushed against the bandage around his throat that Marlene had applied. There was some sort of balm on it to help it heal or something. Harry hadn't been paying attention, not with his heart racing and his limbs trembling after what had happened. Now, he had a moment to breathe and think about everything that had happened.

Except, he didn't have the opportunity. A knock sounded on his door, his body sitting up straight. He just wanted to be left alone but he called for them to enter despite his desire. It would only cause more questions if he ignored whoever it was.

To Harry's surprise, it was Ginny. Seeing her seemed to have the effect of being doused in a second Calming Draught. She offered him a gentle smile as she entered the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Her back leaned against the door.

"Hey, want some company?" she asked and the emptiness in Harry's stomach began to fill up.

"Sure," he replied, meaning it.

She crossed the room towards him. Stopping short of the window, she tapped his ankle with the back of her hand. He shifted and she sat down on the windowsill with him, her drawn-up knees resting against his.

"Are you all right?" Ginny pressed, her hand reaching out to brush along his arm.

"I'm fine," Harry replied, his gaze glancing down at her fingers. "Your mum gave me a Calming Draught. It makes me feel…"

"Calm?"

"I was going to say odd," Harry replied with a goofy grin, his eyes snapping up to meet her face.

Ginny gestured her head towards him. "How's your neck?"

"Fine. Your mum also gave me a Pain Potion as well, so it's like my throat was never slit."

"Harry…"

Harry shrugged. "It's a little funny."

Ginny looked torn between laughing and crying. "I was… Harry, I was scared for you."

Harry blinked. "It's the first time I can… I can remember some of it."

Ginny's bottom lip slid between her teeth, her hand pulling away from him. Harry frowned at the loss of contact between them and the empty feeling started to expand once more in the pit of his stomach. Ginny seemed to grow small, her arms wrapping around her knees.

"You remember?" she asked in a breathless tone. "I never…."

"Not everything. Just bits and pieces," Harry admitted as he reached and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. "Hey, are you, er, are you all right?"

Ginny trembled under his touch. "Fine."

Harry sucked in a breath. "It's just… you're the only one who could possibly understand. You're the only one I want to talk to about this. But if you don't want to or, or if you can't, I understand."

"No, I want to, I'm just…" Ginny trailed off, screwing her eyes shut. "It's hard."

A tear leaked out of the corner of Ginny's right eye. Harry didn't know if it was the fact that he had a Calming Draught or the fact that he was now dating Ginny, but he drew closer to her without even a speck of panic. His hand reached out and brushed the tear off her cheek with his thumb as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

He had been downright uncomfortable with Cho's emotions. He liked her better when she was smiling and chatting about Quidditch. But with Ginny, he found he oddly didn't mind that she was upset around him. In fact, he wanted to make her feel better even if he was too socially inept to know how.

Ginny had commented about comforting someone by running your fingers through their hair. He could definitely do that. Harry only hesitated a moment before he rose his arms up but then stopped at the unsuspecting obstacle he faced. How did he hug her with her knees drawn up to her chest? Did he just attempt to hug her like that? Knees and all? There was no doubt that he looked pathetic with his arms wide open, but Ginny spared him too much humiliation when she lifted her feet and planted them on the other side of his thighs. She scooted closer to him, her bum pressing against his thigh as she settled against his chest.

Ginny was warm, her head resting perfectly beneath his chin. His right hand trailed along her smooth arm, his eyes amazed by the intricate pattern of freckles that littered her skin. His left hand pressed against her impossibly soft hair, his fingers tangling in the strands of gold, red, and copper. Inhaling her flowery scent, Harry felt completely at ease, the hole in the pit of his stomach so full that he thought it may burst open.

"I remember Sirius saying he… he loved me," Harry whispered, his voice close to cracking. "I remember screaming and pain. I remember Sirius holding me and telling me I would be all right."

Ginny tensed against him. "I screamed. When he slit your throat and you fell to the ground. I screamed. There was so much blood."

"I've had worse things happen to me," Harry murmured, his fingers twirling a strand of hair around his forefinger.

Ginny let out a small chuckle. "Merlin, it's funny knowing that you're not even joking."

Harry blew out a puff of air. "I wish I was joking."

Ginny pulled back and Harry couldn't help but frown. His eyes fell to her plump lips and focused on the tiny little freckles on her bottom lip. He never even knew someone could have freckles on their lips. He hadn't even felt it there the few times that he had kissed her already.

The backs of Ginny's fingers brushed against his cheek. He couldn't help but lean into the touch, craving more of her. He wanted to touch every single inch of her and he wanted her to touch every single inch of him right back.

"He won't get you," Ginny whispered. "None of us are going to let him get to you."

Harry swallowed as her hand trailed down his cheek and fell into her lap. "Well, maybe for the summer."

Ginny smirked. "Nor during the school year. We'll make a schedule and one of us will be with you at all times."

Perhaps just Ginny being with him at all times wouldn't be that bad.

Harry licked his bottom lip. "How will I do magic if I'm not allowed a wand?"

Ginny's brown eyes searched his face. "Before I came up, Professor Lupin was talking with Mum about that. He went upstairs to talk to Sirius about it too."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Discussing what exactly? When I get my wand back or how I'm going to go to school?"

"They're not doing this to punish you, Harry," Ginny spoke in a soft tone, her brows furrowing. "He hurt you."

"With my own body and my own wand, yeah, I kind of noticed that," Harry replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Don't be a wanker, Harry," Ginny huffed as she slid off the windowsill.

Harry cursed his big bloody mouth. His jaw clenched because he cared what she thought of him. That was an odd sort of feeling because Harry normally didn't care about other people's thoughts. Sure, it had upset him when the entire bloody school thought he was the heir of Slytherin. He had also been peeved when everyone was calling him a liar and an attention-seeker. But there wasn't one person that he was personally upset with that didn't believe him. The only other time he had worried about what someone had honestly thought of him was when Ron didn't believe him during the entire Triwizard Tournament debacle. Now, now he cared if Ginny actually thought he was a wanker.

"Look, I'm just frustrated," Harry admitted. "I don't have a wand. I'm not going to have any privacy. And I'm going to keep getting possessed until I've been kidnapped to be tortured and murdered."

Ginny wrapped her arms around her stomach. "I hate this."

"Me too," Harry whispered.

Harry slid off the windowsill, standing in front of Ginny. He cupped her face with his right hand as he bent down so that his lips could brush against hers. The taste of strawberries danced on his lips and goosebumps slithered up his arms as her nails raked across his biceps.

"Harry! Ginny! Sirius! Remus!" Mrs Weasley called. "Dinner!"

Harry winced as Ginny pulled back. Reaching up, she brushed her thumb against his bottom lip to remove the sticky gloss with a smile tugging on her lips. Harry searched her eyes, wondering if after his latest possession if he should offer her an out. He had no idea when or even if he would ever be in full control of his mind again. He had selfishly kissed her in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, the overwhelming urge to seek her comfort overtaking the rational part of his brain.

Except… Harry didn't want to let her go. When she was around him, he was calm and happy. She made him laugh and was infinitely supportive. Unlike Cho, she didn't wish he was someone else. Ginny wanted him to be just Harry, not the Boy Who Lived or someone who could tell her all about what had happened in the maze of the Triwizard Tournament. She certainly didn't push him to talk like Hermione. Nor did she pale and fret like Ron always did. No, Ginny stood silent and strong and waited for him to come to her. That made all the difference.

Harry knew that was selfish. Honestly, he didn't even know what Ginny saw in him. He had nothing to offer her except for darkness. Harry hated that, because she deserved so much more.

"You're thinking very loudly," Ginny commented, her hand squeezing his.

Harry swallowed. "Can I ask you a question?"

Ginny nodded, her brow furrowing. "Anything."

Harry knew his boldness was purely because of the Calming Draught still thumping through his veins.

"Why do you like me?" Harry asked, his eyebrows disappearing behind his glasses. "I'm being hunted by Voldemort and will probably wind-up dead eventually. I don't like to talk about, well, anything. I'm not popular like you are. I have exactly two friends and I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm dangerous to be around. Look how many times Ron and Hermione have gotten hurt because of me. Voldemort would be more than happy to torture and kill Sirius or you or anyone who I even remotely care about. I don't get it."

Ginny shrugged her right shoulder. "You're kind and funny. You make me feel safe."

"Safe?" Harry asked with a chuckle. "You're a target if you're connected to me."

"Maybe, but I also know you'd rather die than let anything happen to those you love," Ginny responded, her lips twitching. "We're at war, so the possibility of something happening to me or anyone else not even connected to you is great. Besides, Tom seems to think I'm special in some way because of the seventh bollocks. I'm already a target. And I also know you wouldn't rest until you were by my side to help me fight. I trust you to be there, blazing in to save the day because you're such a noble git."

"I wouldn't want you fighting…" Harry trailed off.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Too ruddy bad. I can take care of myself." Ginny jutted her chin up. "What do you even like about me? I'm impatient and I have a temper. I'm a social butterfly and you are so very obviously a lone wolf. You'll be forced to be around people all the time. I know Demelza, Niamh, and Gemma make you squirm."

"You're funny. You make me laugh. I feel comfortable around you. You never push me to talk or expect anything from me," Harry replied, reaching out and tucking her vibrant hair behind her ear. "You go along with my stupid ideas like flying to the Ministry of Magic for a nonexistent rescue mission. You didn't even hesitate. Ron looked wary but was willing to go along with it. Hermione was downright against it. But I just told you and you were willing to just go without a thought."

Ginny cocked her head to the side. "You were upset, Harry. Your visions have never been wrong before. Why would I have questioned it?"

"It could have gotten you killed," Harry reasoned. "I could have gotten us all killed."

"Ginny! Harry!" Mrs Weasley called again, panic sounding in her tone.

"I would have rathered you be wrong and I died than to do nothing and allow someone else to die," Ginny replied. "Maybe that makes me just as mental as you."

Harry agreed with her. He would have rathered been wrong and died than to sit back and twiddle his thumbs and allow Sirius to die. His life for someone he loved? It was an easy decision, not even a decision at all.

"I hated just standing in Grimmauld Place while all those Muggles were dying outside," Harry admitted. "I don't understand why Sirius and Remus just stood there."

"Because their concern was to protect you and everyone inside that house," Ginny reasoned, her eyes searching his. "No matter how badly I hated watching what was happening, we were outnumbered. They wanted you. By the sounds of it, Bellatrix Lestrange wanted Sirius as well. We never would have stood a chance."

A knock sounded on the door. Harry called for them to enter and the door opened to reveal Sirius. He stared at the two of them, his eyes flickering between them.

"You two all right?" Sirius asked. "Molly is fretting downstairs."

Ginny turned around. "Yeah, sorry. We were just talking."

Sirius nodded, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah, well, given everything that happened today, maybe next time you two can acknowledge you heard us calling for you."

"Sorry, Sirius. We didn't think. It won't happen again," Ginny acknowledged. "We'll come now."

Ginny turned to give Harry a quick smile before she marched out of the room, turning to bypass Sirius in the doorway. Harry shoved his hands into his trousers and stared at his godfather.

"Not that I care, because I trust you to be smart," Sirius started, his lips pursing to the side. "But you may want to keep the door open a crack for Molly's peace of mind. I remember I was over at Marlene's house the summer after our seventh year and I had honestly never been more scared of Marlene's dad when he arrived home from work and found us… snogging on her bed with the door closed. I thought, I'm dating the Deputy Head Auror's daughter and he's going to kill me at eighteen. I think my life flashed before my eyes. We laughed about it later, once he got to know me. But still…" Sirius waved his hand. "We should have a talk sooner rather than later."

"I'd rather not," Harry replied quickly, the thought of receiving a talk from Sirius about… well, that was not on his list of things he wanted to do this summer.

Sirius grinned. "You know your grandfather gave me the talk. Sat James and I down together. It was so bloody uncomfortable and James made it unbearable. He actually asked questions."

Harry wrinkled his nose. "Why would he do that?"

"I think that's what happens when you have a close relationship with your father," Sirius replied. "I never had the pleasure and unfortunately you never got the opportunity."

Harry didn't know how to respond to that. He felt like he had a pretty close relationship with Sirius, but he would never willingly ask more questions during a, well, sex talk. That just seemed entirely awkward. Harry blinked up at his godfather, a sinking occurring in his stomach. In one fell swoop, it seemed as though the Calming Draught had all but vacated his body.

Sirius was not his father.

Conceptually, Harry had always known that. Except the past few months, he felt like he had grown closer to Sirius than he had been before. Their nightly chats on the mirror, the absolute panic he felt at the prospect of Sirius being kidnapped by Voldemort in his false vision, the way Sirius had fought for him to stay with him for the summer, and especially earlier in the day when Sirius had told him how his dad wanted Sirius to raise him and treat him as his own.

It wasn't like Harry didn't love Lily and James Potter. They had died for him, protected him, given him the best godfather they possibly could. But there was a small voice in the back of his head that wished that Sirius was his dad. Harry couldn't help but feel silly for craving that, because Sirius certainly already treated him like a son. Or at least, Harry thought he did. Although, his knowledge of how a father should treat a son was very limited.

"Are you hungry?" Sirius asked, drawing Harry out of his thoughts.

Harry only nodded, forcing a small smile on his lips. Sirius grinned back, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders and leading him out of the bedroom and downstairs.

Everyone already sat around the table chatting with food on their plates but nobody had started to eat yet. Harry noticed the seat vacant between Ginny and Ron. Stepping out of his godfather's half-embrace, he took his spot between them. Harry watched as Sirius took his spot between Remus and Mrs Weasley, his hand reaching out and grabbing his glass. He chuckled at something Mrs Weasley said as he took a sip.

Ron leaned in close, saying something about watching another Quidditch match on the wireless and Harry only nodded, not feeling much like talking in that moment. Thoughts swirled around in his head, and he hated himself for being so upset over something so stupid and silly.

Ginny laid her legs over Harry's thighs, her teeth ripping off a hangnail on her thumb. Professor Lupin had hijacked the wireless, claiming that he had it on good authority that they would want to listen to the nightly news. She stole a glance in Harry's direction. Ever since the Calming Draught wore off, he seemed quieter, as though his mind was elsewhere. Ginny couldn't blame him after what had happened.

"Breaking news coming from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," the male newscaster's voice rang out in the room as everyone quieted down. "Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Department, are holding a press conference. We will cut to there now."

Ginny raised her eyebrows, her hand fumbling for Harry's. She couldn't help but think that the Ministry was finally going to announce Tom's return. There was no denying what had happened in Islington, not with the amount of death and destruction that had claimed the street of Grimmauld Place.

"Good evening," a voice that Ginny assumed was Scrimgeour's started. "Earlier today there was an attack in Islington that involved at least a dozen masked figures. They set fire to trees, Muggle vehicles, and terrace houses. We do not know what prompted the attack on the neighborhood, but the Aurors arrived on the scene with Obliviators and the Magical Reversal Teams. I, myself, was one of the first on the scene and I can confirm you that these masked figures were indeed wearing the masks of Death Eaters. It is my greatest displeasure to inform our great nation that we have irrefutable proof that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was also present at the scene. After months of speculation and concerns, we can definitively say that he is back and he is back with a vengeance."

Ginny let out a long breath, her eyes flickering around the room to see the expressions of her family. It was a victory for the Order of the Phoenix and it provided vindication for Harry. But Ginny couldn't help the twist in her stomach. Surely being out in the open, things would only begin to escalate.

"I know this comes as a shock," a female voice came over the wireless and Ginny assumed it was Amelia Bones. "But we will see through this difficult time together. The Wizengamot met earlier this evening. They have declared Albus Dumbledore fit to serve and have reinstated him as headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, effective immediately. The Wizengamot has also voted to remove Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic and have voted to replace him with myself. As my first act as Minister of Magic, I have promoted Rufus Scrimgeour to Head of the Magical Law Enforcement. In turn, the Head of the Major Crimes Department Gawain Robards will take over the role of Head Auror."

"This is great news!" Dad exclaimed, his hand rubbing his chin. "Gawain is in a position of great authority as well now."

"Is Gawain Robards in the Order?" Ron questioned.

"Never mind that!" Mum exclaimed. "You shouldn't know such things."

Ron rolled his eyes, turning to Sirius. "Will they listen to you now? If the Head Auror is in the Order, then he already knows you're innocent!"

"That'd be too convenient," Sirius muttered.

"I wouldn't discount it entirely," Professor Lupin added, a lot more optimistic. "Gawain, Tegan, and Kingsley are already trying to work out how to fix your problem. With Gawain in such a powerful position, it makes it even more likely that you'll get your day in court."

"Why the fuck would I trust them?" Sirius snapped.

"You know Gawain," Professor Lupin stressed.

Sirius nodded, his face pulling. "Yeah, and he thought I was an obnoxious little shit in school and probably thinks the same thing now."

Professor Lupin threw up his hands, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head.

"While the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was unable to apprehend anyone at the scene, Benjamin Walters from the Daily Prophet was able to capture photographic evidence of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's return," Scrimgeour continued on the wireless.

"Arthur, project the image!" Mum hissed.

Dad pressed his wand to the wireless and flicked his wrist. An image of Scrimgeour and Bones standing in front of a podium on some sort of stage appeared on the wall. A floating image appeared next to Scrimgeour. It was Dumbledore dueling You-Know-Who. They were brandishing their wands as an array of different colors escaped the tips at amazingly fast speeds. Behind them was the smoking terrace homes that the fire had blasted through.

Ginny sucked in a breath. He looked so different than he had in the diary, vastly different enough that it was easy for Ginny to separate the two of them. But deep down, Ginny knew that You-Know-Who and Tom were the same exact person. When that thought cropped up in her mind, it made her sick to her stomach.

It wasn't long after the announcement that everyone started to go up to bed. Sirius was the only adult who stayed in the parlor, doing a crossword in the corner of the room while Ginny, Harry, and Ron played Exploding Snap. It wasn't until the three of them called it a night that Sirius tucked his crossword book under his arm and followed the three of them upstairs. Ginny lingered outside of her bedroom door, watching the three walking up another flight of stairs.

"I need to activate the bracelet," Sirius' low voice said. "You won't be able to go downstairs without it going off. Stay on the second floor, yeah? Knock on my door in the morning. I'm sure I'll be up."

Ginny lingered for a few moments to hear Harry's mumbled reply before both doors shut. A few moments later, Ron must have reached his own room because another door shut in the distance. Entering her room, she opened her trunk to pull out the communication parchment that Demelza had sent her. With all of the commotion, she had never gotten the opportunity to ask Sirius about it or ask for his help to password protect it.

Making her way to the next floor, she knocked on Charlie's old bedroom door and waited for Sirius to invite her in. After some shuffling, the door opened and Sirius stood before her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, leaning against the door.

Ginny took a deep breath and nodded. She didn't want him to think she was upset about what had happened, even though she was.

"Yeah, I just… can we talk about something?" she asked.

Sirius nodded, stepping aside to let her into the bedroom. He closed the door behind her before he crossed the room and sat down on the edge of his bed. Looking up at her, he patiently waited for her to speak. That was one of the things she liked best about Sirius. He never pushed her to talk before she was ready to.

"You said you went to school with Tegan Robins, right?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I did," Sirius confirmed. "Why?"

Ginny swallowed. "I'm friends with her daughter. Demelza. You remember?"

Sirius nodded.

"Well, she sent me this parchment to communicate with her and two of our other friends," Ginny explained as she held out the parchment for him to take. "I wanted your opinion on it because… well, because of what happened before with the diary."

Sirius blinked at her, appraising her for a few moments before his gaze fell onto the parchment. Ginny craned her neck, hoping nobody was talking about Harry or anything too intimate. She chewed on her bottom lip as Sirius reached for his wand on the bedside table and pressed it to the parchment.

He muttered under his breath for a few minutes, pale blue and yellow lights escaping the tip of his wand. He paused for a bit, his wand scratching his chin as he flipped the parchment over.

"Seems legit," Sirius mused. "Don't Aurors use something similar to this to communicate?"

Ginny nodded. "That's how Mrs Robins got the idea. She said we should password protect it and it will clear every night."

"Nah, I agree with that," Sirius said. "I can show you how to place a password on it. Do you have any idea what you want it to be?"

"Pickled toad," Ginny replied, pushing down the slight heat that burst up her neck.

Sirius didn't say anything, so she assumed he hadn't heard about her embarrassing poem to Harry when she was eleven, or he was nice enough not to tease her. Either way, she was grateful. He gestured her closer and she took a seat next to him. He explained the incantation and the wand movement in precise detail. Ginny thought he would have been an excellent professor as he explained the process to her and even let her practice on a spare bit of parchment before placing it on the communication parchment.

"Thanks, Sirius," Ginny beamed at him.

"Not a problem," Sirius replied, waving her off. "I'm happy to help."

Ginny nodded, her fingers brushing along the parchment. It would be nice to have her friends to talk to over the summer holidays. Normally, she had always been so lonely as Fred and George went off on their own and Harry, Ron, and Hermione always did their own thing. Even though she suspected this summer would be different with her new relationship with Harry, it was nice to have her friends only a quill away.

She sucked in a breath. The parchment wasn't the only thing she had wanted to talk to Sirius about. In fact, she had thought about this particular question a lot the entire day, waiting for a moment she could have alone with Sirius.

"Sirius…" Ginny trailed off as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Hmm?"

"You know how last time Harry was possessed, when he said he knew who I was?" Ginny whispered, a shiver running down her spine at the memory.

Sirius only nodded in response, a small smile encouraging her to continue.

"Well, it made me think that maybe… maybe I should learn Occlumency too," Ginny continued. "If he's intrigued by me, he may, well, he may try to see inside my mind or something as well. To learn about the diary or, or the Order."

Sirius sucked in a breath, his hand reaching out for hers. He gave her palm a squeeze.

"I don't think it's the worst idea in the world for you to learn," he commented. "I don't think it's a bad skill for any of us."

"Can you teach me?" she asked, her eyes searching his.

Sirius winced. "Ginny, I can't do that without your parents' permission. And I would be breaking into your mind, seeing your most intimate or embarrassing details. Do you really want me to do that?"

Ginny swallowed. "Somebody has to do it if I want to learn, right? I would rather it be you than somebody else. I trust you, Sirius. Harry said you told him all he has to do is say 'stop' and you stop. I know you'd do the same for me."

Sirius nodded, but the frown remained on his face. "I'm not looking to invade anybody's privacy."

"I know," Ginny assured him.

Sirius sighed. "Convince your mother and I'll do it."

Ginny wanted to jump up and down, do a little victory dance. She could definitely convince her mum to allow Sirius to help her. They had become really great friends over the past year, so she knew her mum would trust Sirius just as much as Ginny trusted him. It was a skill that would be needed during the war. Ginny just knew it.

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Don't forget to drop a review. They keep me motivated, they inspire new ideas, and they just make all this hard work worth it. It only takes an extra few moments so share some love!

Special thanks to Bell who is, as always, a fucking rockstar. I couldn't do this without her.