"Brumous"

"Chapter Twenty-Nine: Hogsmeade"

Harry frowned at the chess board, trying to think two steps ahead of what Ron would do next based upon where he moved. He was dreadful at it, unable to see all the moves. Most of the time, Ron made a move that Harry hadn't even foreseen. Honestly, Harry wasn't even sure why the two of them still played. Harry was obviously not anywhere near the level of Ron, even after all this time, and Ron won easily each and every single time.

Chewing on his bottom lip, Harry sent his rook forward. He peered at Ron over the tops of his glasses, trying to get a read on his best mate. Ron only steepled his hands, pressing the tips of his fingertips on the underside of his chin. Moving his bishop, Harry lost his rook.

"Honestly, Harry," Ron mumbled, glancing up at Harry with a grin spreading across his face.

Harry chewed at the skin along his thumbnail, stretching his legs out. "I didn't see it."

Ron looked around the nearly abandoned common room during one of their free periods. Harry followed his gaze. There was only a group of seventh years studying at the table across the room.

"Oi," Ron started in a low voice. "Can I ask you a question?"

Harry glanced at him over the top of the chess board, the game quickly forgotten in front of him. It's not like he was actually going to win or his move mattered in the slightest. Ron chewed on his bottom lip, his face wincing as he squinted down at the chess pieces.

"Yeah, mate, of course," Harry replied, dropping his hands in his lap and sitting up a tad straighter.

"You're going with Ginny to the next Hogsmeade visit in two weeks and, well, look, I know I can tag along, all right? It's not about that," Ron said in a rush. "But I thought I could ask one of Ginny's friends to go and we could… you know, double it up."

Harry's brow furrowed. "You mean like a double date?"

Ron glanced up at him, his neck flushing. "Yeah."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, that sounds brilliant. Who are you going to ask? Demelza?" Harry questioned.

Ron wrinkled his nose, his head shooting back just a tad at the suggestion. Harry only shrugged. They were both on the Quidditch team, they partnered up more often than not for patrols, and they seemed like they got along really well. They were always chatting about the Canons newest line-up and going over strategy together.

"I was going to ask Niamh," Ron replied. "Ginny said she thought I was fit. Which, do you think Ginny's just taking the piss out of me? I mean, how mortifying would it be to have Niamh laugh in my face if I ask her to Hogsmeade?"

Harry urged his pawn forward, hardly paying attention to the game at hand anymore. "Niamh doesn't seem like the type of person to do that. She's really rather nice."

Ron nodded. "She is."

Silence fell between them as Ron ordered his knight forward and Harry winced when it took out his last rook. Harry thought he should just throw the game at his point. Only by a sheer miracle could he actually win. Over the past five years of friendship, he could count on one hand the number of times he had actually beaten Ron. Harry wasn't entirely convinced it wasn't just Ron being nice and taking pity on him when they were younger considering it had been years since he actually won a game.

"How do you, er, do it?" Ron asked.

Harry dragged his eyes off the board. "Do what?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Ask a girl out."

"You're asking me?" Harry asked, disbelief clouding his tone. "Are you serious right now?"

"You have a girlfriend!" Ron protested in a strained voice. "Your second one at that. I've never asked a girl out before unless you count the way I just bloody well shouted at Fleur that one time! I mean, bloody hell, Harry, you even got me my date for the Yule Ball."

Harry's face pulled. "Yeah, I don't think Parvati and Padma actually consider that a date since we just sat there and didn't even dance with them."

"Well, that's even more depressing for me!" Ron wallowed. "How did you ask out Ginny? Or Cho? I'm not picky."

Harry blinked, a frown working its way on his face. "Can I be completely honest with you?"

"As your best mate, I will be highly offended if you weren't," Ron replied, his head dropping to the right.

Harry shifted. "I don't remember."

"What?" Ron shouted in a very loud voice, all eyes in the common room flying in their direction.

Harry sighed, his teeth gritting. "I don't remember what I said or did. It's all a blur. I think it just sort of happened, I don't know!"

"That's extremely disappointing," Ron replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "The one time I ask you for advice, and you tell me you don't remember."

"Just ask her, I don't know!" Harry urged.

A beat passed and Harry recognized the look on Ron's face. He was lost in deep thought.

"Okay, pretend you're Niamh," Ron suggested.

Harry really didn't want do that. He shot Ron a pleading look but his best mate's eyes only grew wide in response. They argued silently for a few moments before Harry heaved a sigh and waved at him to get it over with. Ron beamed, looking at him expectantly as though he were supposed to start.

Harry sucked in a breath, forcing a tight smile on his face. "Hi, Ron."

"Niamh, hey," Ron replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, err, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up."

Harry nodded. "Uh, yeah, there is."

Ron narrowed his eyes at Harry before leaning forward. "Can you act a bit more like her so it's normal? Like all bubbly and shit? She'd probably ramble a bit."
Harry frowned. What did Ron want from him? He was role-playing to the best of his ability. Harry sucked in a breath.

"Yeah, there's a Hogsmeade weekend," Harry started again, his voice monotone. "I want to go… shop at the… shops? And grab a butterbeer and, you know, err, see the sights."

"You are bloody terrible at this," Ron grumbled. "Never mind."

"I really don't know what you want from me," Harry admitted. "Just say, say, 'Hey, Niamh, do you want to go to Hogsmeade this weekend?' and leave it at that."

Ron nodded. "What if she says no?"

"Then you run away?" Harry suggested. "I don't know!"

Ron frowned. "I'll kill Ginny if she's setting me up to fail. You can't even blame me."

"I don't think Ginny would be so cruel," Harry reasoned. "Why would she want you to embarrass yourself like that? Niamh must have said something to her."

Ron pursed his lips to the side, "It'd be a right laugh, wouldn't it, though?"

"She's your sister," Harry leveled.

Ron snorted. "Have you met Fred and George? Being my brothers have never stopped them from embarrassing me."

"Look, Ginny wouldn't do that to you, okay?" Harry assured him, because Ginny really wasn't cruel in that way. Sure, the two of them constantly teased each other and bickered, but Ginny wouldn't tolerate anyone else poking fun at her brother without causing little bat-bogeys to fly out of their nose.

"No, I know," Ron admitted, leaning his body back against the couch. "I'm just… it'd be better to blame her than to get rejected, you know?"

Harry only nodded, even if Ron wasn't looking at him. He could relate to being rejected by Cho, even though he had somewhat dated her a year later. Somehow, it all worked out fine with Ginny. Harry didn't even want to think about what would have happened if Ginny hadn't felt the same way. Not just because it would be awkward with the Weasley family, but because he had grown to rely on her so much in the past several months. She was one of the few people who never seemed to judge him when he spoke. She was open and honest, giving the best advice. Harry had grown to rely on her more and more with every passing day.

"All right, I'm going to ask her," Ron said, drawing Harry out of his musings. "I'm just going to ask her to Hogsmeade. What class does Ginny have now?"

"Uh, Charms, I think," Harry replied. "They should be done soon."

Ron nodded, his gaze wandering back to the chess board. He studied it for a few moments before he moved his bishop.

"Check," Ron announced.

"What?" Harry asked, snapping his attention to the board. "You've barely been paying attention!"

"Obviously, you aren't that observant," Ron replied. "There's no way out. You might as well just admit defeat."

Harry sighed, rolling his head back. "Why do I even play with you?"

"Because this is what we do, Harry," Ron said as he gathered up the chess pieces. "Who are we if we don't sit around playing chess and chatting while you lose every single bloody time? You'd think after five fucking years you'd be a bit better at the game."

Harry shot Ron a look. "I was never allowed to play games as a kid. I'm severely stunted."

Ron chuckled. "You're severely stunted in a lot of areas, mate. Do you want me to list them off alphabetically or by order in which I noticed."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Shove off."

Ron placed his hands over his heart. "You really know how to make me feel special, you know that, right?"

Harry just shook his head, swiping his remaining pieces into the drawer underneath the board. "What do you want to do until the girls get back?"

"That's so weird hearing you say that," Ron commented. "The girls. Merlin, Harry, we're friends with girls."

Harry wrinkled his nose. "We've been friends with Hermione for years. She's a girl."

"Not really," Ron argued. "I mean, technically, yes, but she's… well, she's Hermione."

Harry looked at his best mate, his brows furrowed. He seemed a tad moody but Harry couldn't figure out why.

"I mean, she's not even, well, she's so busy studying with Eddie," Ron continued with a huff and Lumos lit above Harry's head. "I mean, Eddie. She was all bent out of shape last year when he tried to sell us that Baruffio's Brain Elixir, remember? Now, she's dating him."

"Are they dating?" Harry asked. "Gemma said they were snogging."

"If you're snogging, you're dating," Ron said in a sure tone.

Harry's face pulled. "I'm not sure that's entirely true."

"Well, I bloody well hope you're dating my sister and not just snogging her!" Ron protested, his eyes widening. "You better be a one-snog sort of bloke!"

"Of course, I'm a one-snog sort of bloke! Ginny's my girlfriend!" Harry snapped, his face pulling. "I'm just saying that's not always the case. Hermione hasn't actually told us anything."

Ron appraised Harry for a few moments before he seemed to relax. "It's Krum all over again. She didn't tell us she was dating him either."

"Does it matter?" Harry pressed, annoyance clouding his words. "You're thinking of asking out Niamh anyway."

Ron shrugged. "No, I guess not."

Slowly, students started spilling into the common room to drop their bags off after their last class of the day. It wasn't long before Ginny and her friends walked in, all of them pressed close together as they laughed and chatted. Harry leaned over the chess board, his eyes locking with Ron.

"You got this, mate," Harry promised as he clapped a hand on Ron's bicep. "It's just a question. You can run if she says no. Easy as that."

The girls made their way over towards Harry and Ron, smiles on their faces. Ginny plopped down next to Harry, leaning in for a kiss. The rest of the girls took available seats around them. Harry shot Ron a small thumbs up.

"Err, hey, Niamh, can I talk to you?" Ron asked, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as his face matched his hair.

"Yes!" Niamh replied with an abundance of enthusiasm. "What are we talking about?"

"I was, uh," Ron trailed off, bobbing his head from side to side. "Wondering if you wanted to grab a butterbeer together at the next Hogsmeade weekend in two weeks?"

Niamh beamed. "Yes! Merlin, yes, let's! How grand! Now, are we just grabbing butterbeers or can we have lunch too?"

Ron let out a breath, his lips twitching. "Uh, food would be perfection."

As soon as the words left Ron's mouth, he winced. Ginny hit Harry in the arm, her wide eyes staring at him as though it was taking everything in her not to laugh. Harry only gave her a little shake of the head so she wouldn't say anything. Ginny rolled her eyes, leaning into Harry's side as the group broke out into chatter. Niamh scooted closer to Ron, telling him some story about Charms class. But Harry wasn't paying attention because Ginny's fingers were running through his hair and he was far too distracted to listen in on the conversation.

Sirius stared at the crossword in his lap, the words blurring together. Lolling his head against the back of the sofa, he looked up at the swirl pattern on the ceiling. Surprisingly, September had come and gone in a whirl of dueling lessons, sex with Tegan, and tailing Death Eaters to watch their every move. October roared in and cast a dark cloud over Sirius' mood. He hated October. It was a terrible month and nothing good ever happened in October.

Sirius frowned, his mind wandering to James asking him to be Secret Keeper and how Sirius had denied him. He had been so fucked up in the head that he had declined to protect the people he loved the most. He had lost his two best friends and nearly lost his godson. Even after all these years, Sirius didn't know how to right that wrong. Honestly, he really didn't think he could. Sometimes, he just waited for Harry to realize it was all his fault that he lost his family and walk away. Sirius wouldn't even be able to blame him.

Closing his eyes, Sirius saw James' lifeless body float across his eyelids. He swore he could hear a baby Harry crying in the distance. It would be fifteen years. He had lived without James longer than he had lived with him. He had spent more years in Azkaban than he had ever spent with James. Those thoughts made Sirius want to fucking die.

Sirius needed a drink. A nice glass of whisky… or two or three or maybe fucking more. He could probably down an entire bottle and still feel like shit. His mistakes clung to his skin, digging into his flesh and holding on tight. He didn't know how to shake them off. Every time he tried, every time he even started to feel normal, he was pulled back under into a bottomless pit.

Without another thought, Sirius threw the crossword onto the sofa next to him. He made his way to the entryway, grabbing his leather jacket and shrugging it on. He paused at the table to snag his wallet, his eyes staring at the photo of him and Harry on the beach. His godson laughed, leaning into Sirius' side. Harry looked younger than sixteen in the picture, more like the hopeful kid he met at thirteen who asked if he could really live with Sirius. Harry's eyes sparkled in a way that Sirius rarely saw.

Harry was rarely happy, and it was because of him. Because he hadn't been Secret Keeper. Because he had gone after Peter instead of staying with Harry. Because of how reckless and moronic he was. Because he was no better than his fucking miserable family.

Sirius shoved the wallet into the back pocket of his jeans before he turned to make his way out of the house. He walked through the village, passing the Three Broomsticks and all the shops. He knew where he wanted to go, without question. The Hog's Head gleamed in the distance, calling his name.

The place was nearly empty, just a few petty criminals that Sirius recognized. He took a seat at the bar, his eyes locking with Aberforth.

"Whisky," Sirius said in a gruff voice.

Aberforth stared at him as he reached behind him to grab a bottle of whisky off the shelf without looking. He didn't break his gaze as he poured Sirius a glass and then sat it down in front of him. Sirius swallowed as his fingers curled around the glass and picked it up. He held it out to Aberforth to cheers him before the glass touched his lips.

Sirius instantly relaxed, every single tense muscle in his body unraveling at the seams as the liquid burned down his throat. An easy smile crossed his face as he drained the entire glass before he slammed it down onto the bar and looked up at Aberforth expectantly. He snapped his fingers, pointing his finger down at the glass.

"Another one please, Aberforth," Sirius said in a light tone, his entire body tingling.

Aberforth grunted, pouring more whisky into his glass. "Been a long time, Sirius."

Sirius nodded, his thumb brushing along the rim of the glass. "Well, Azkaban and all that."

Aberforth snorted. "You reading what they're saying about you in the papers?"

Sirius swirled his whisky before he took a large gulp, savoring the taste. "Lying, murdering traitor who hoodwinked the entire Ministry and Wizengamot and is an unfit guardian to the Chosen One. Sound about right?"

"I don't know," Aberforth admitted with a shrug. "I've always hated the news."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh before he drained the rest of his glass and smacked it back down on the counter. "Keep them coming, Aberforth. Stop giving me the shit whisky. I want the top shelf stuff."

Aberforth raised an eyebrow and poured him more whisky. "You want top shelf shit then you shouldn't have come here. Take your posh arse somewhere else, you bloody wanker."

Sirius grinned, bringing the glass back to his lips. "You know, I like you a lot better than I like your prick of a brother."

Aberforth grunted. "You're one of the few who doesn't hero-worship my brother. Everyone seems to turn a blind eye to half the shit he does."

"Well, he thought I was a Death Eater and let me rot in Azkaban without even hearing my side of the story, so yeah. No love lost," Sirius replied, staring down at the liquid in his glass.

Aberforth nodded, his eyes glazing over as though he were lost in some deep thought. Sirius never understood the dynamics of the Dumbledore family, nor did he ever care enough to ask. Fleamont had known all about it, though. He had to have. Maybe knowing would have made Sirius understand his old headmaster a tad better. But in the end, did it really matter? Dumbledore still probably would have blamed Sirius because of his last name and nothing would have changed.

Aberforth kept the drinks coming, and Sirius was grateful. He just wanted to not feel, to forget that it was a shit month, to forget about his guilt and mistakes and everything in between. With every gulp he took, Sirius felt more and more normal until he was laughing at jokes that, had he been sober, he would have realized weren't even all that funny, and stumbling his way towards the loo. At one point, Aberforth cut him off like a fucking wanker. He was just like his brother after all.

Sirius threw a bunch of coins onto the counter. Apparently, it was more than enough because Aberforth didn't even complain. When the brisk October air hit his face, Sirius felt even more alive. He turned his face towards the sky, looking at the stars that twinkled above. He squinted trying to find Hydra but Sirius couldn't determine which way was south.

Once he arrived home, failing to complete the unlocking pattern three times before he finally got it, he pulled out his mirror from his magically expanded back pocket. Collapsing down on his sofa, he toed off his trainers.

"Tegan Robins," he said, settling into the cushions.

It only took a few moments before the mirror rippled. Tegan looked at him with her long hair pulled up into some messy bun contraption on the top of her head. Sirius smiled. She looked pretty while Sirius was fairly certain he looked like a dirty Niffler who had just dug around frantically for some lost coins. At least she couldn't smell him. He smiled anyway, not really caring.

"Hey, are you all right?" Tegan asked, her face drawn into a thin line.

Sirius nodded. "Oh yeah, yeah. Hey, do you want to come over?"

Tegan's brows furrowed. "Are you drunk?"

Sirius thought for a moment on what to say. Was he drunk? Or was he just happy? He squinted at her, his face pulling.

"Uh, the better questions would be, you know…" Sirius trailed off, not actually knowing what a better question would be.

Tegan sighed. "All right, I'll be right over, but not for what you think I am."

The connection ended. Sirius tossed the mirror onto the end table. He wanted another drink, wanted to prolong the complete bliss he felt. Part of him regretted not grabbing a bottle of something to bring home and share with Tegan. Maybe he could run out and grab something quick before she arrived at his house. It wouldn't take him more than ten minutes tops. He wondered what she liked to drink. She had mentioned wine before but Sirius' wine knowledge wasn't that extensive. Red, white, whatever. He liked liquor.

Before he could decide on what to buy and actually leave the house, there was a knock on his front door. He ambled towards it, running his fingers through his hair to look a bit more presentable. Opening the door, he leaned against the doorframe and grinned at Tegan. She hadn't changed, dressed in tight leggings and a baggy t-shirt.

"Heeeey," he said, making a move to step aside but stumbling over his own two feet.

"Do you have any Sobering Potion?" Tegan asked as she walked into the house, making a beeline for the kitchen.

"Oi, wait, what?" Sirius asked, closing the door and chasing after her.

He caught up to her in the kitchen, grabbing her arm and turning her around. Sirius wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, his body bending down. His lips brushed against hers and Sirius felt even more alive. His body was on fire, every single nerve ending sparking to life.

"Sirius," Tegan mumbled against his lips, her hands pressing on his chest.

"Tee," Sirius moaned, pulling back just slightly and giving her one of his best smiles. "Do you want to dance? We haven't danced since the gala. Despite breaking my leg, I still think the night was fucking wonderful since I got to spend it in a cold cave next to you. I could have done without the broken leg, but you know, what can you do about it?"

Tegan sighed. "What I really want to do is make you a potion. Can I do that?"

"That's boring," Sirius whined. "I'd rather have sex at the very least."

"I'm not having sex with you in this state, Sirius," Tegan replied, pushing away from him and making her way over to the tall cupboard that Andromeda had stocked full of shit he didn't even know what to do with.

She pulled out a bunch of vials and put them neatly on the counter. "Where's your cauldron?"

Sirius glanced up at the ceiling. This was not how he wanted to spend his evening. The entire point of drinking was to forget his problems and Tegan was making it all a tad less fun. Tegan stared pointedly at Sirius and he waved in the direction of the cupboard that stored his excessive golden cauldron that Andromeda insisted that he needed even though he wasn't a fucking potions master. If he needed a potion, he was going to ruddy buy the potion.

Collapsing into a chair at the kitchen table, Sirius watched lazily as Tegan started to brew the potion. He folded his arms onto the table, resting his head against his arms, his eyes heavy.

The next thing he knew was that Tegan was patting him on the cheek. He blinked up at her, his mouth heavy with cotton. He sat up, his lower back protesting as he rose. Merlin, he was fucking old.

"Drink this," Tegan urged.

Sirius did. A few moments passed and the happiness he had felt earlier disappeared. The ease of the night turned depressing as an annoying pounding started at his temples. He gripped his hair with both hands, his eyes screwing shut.

"Did you contact that mental health professional I told you about?" Tegan asked, her hand pressing between his shoulder blades.

She had given him a card with some bloke's information on it days ago. He had shoved it into a drawer filled with junk and forgotten all about it. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about his bloody feelings.

"No," Sirius croaked, his hands leaving his hair to scrub along his face. "I'm allowed to drink."

Tegan slid into the seat next to him, her hand grabbing his wrist and tugging his hand away from his face. She cocked her head to the side and peered at him.

"You told me you had issues with drinking," Tegan said in a gentle tone.

Sirius swallowed. "Yeah, so? I can still have one night where I let loose a bit."

Tegan nodded. "I suppose, but one night leads to another and then another. Before you know it, you're drinking every single day."

"I'm fine," Sirius insisted.

"I just want you to remember that you have a sixteen-year-old kid who looks at you like you're his entire world," Tegan said, her gaze piercing. "He is counting on you and relying on you. If you want to drink and refuse to get help for your depression, then you're only going to let him down. You're only going to disappoint him if you keep on this self-destructive path you're on."

Sirius held his breath, trying to keep the anger from rising in his chest. Harry wasn't even fucking there. He hadn't drank around Harry all fucking summer. In fact, the last time he drank around his godson had been the previous Christmas, ten fucking months ago. Well, unless he counted the times last year where Harry had called him on the mirror and he hadn't been quite sober. But that was different. Sirius had tried not to drink around the times Harry normally called.

"October is just a bad month," Sirius whispered. "I fucking hate October. It's just… it's a shitty fucking month."

"Sirius," Tegan said in a soft voice. "I think if you're struggling more than normal, it's the perfect time to see someone who can help you."

Sirius let out a long breath. "Tee, I really don't want to talk about this right now. Or, preferably, ever again."

Tegan's bottom lip slid between her teeth as she stared at him, her dark eyes seemingly boring into his very soul. Sirius was far too hungover for such a deep connection in that moment.

"I should go then," Tegan announced, slowly rising from her chair.

Sirius only nodded, his fingers pressing against his mouth as he stared up at her. He didn't really know what to say. Certainly, he didn't want to talk about himself but he wouldn't mind if she stayed for a spot of fun.

Sirius rested his hand against the table, splaying his fingers on the wood. "Goodnight, Tee."

"Goodnight, Sirius," Tegan whispered. "Why don't you go to bed and sleep off the hangover?"

Sirius let out a small chuckle. "You couldn't have added a bit of hangover remedy to your Sobering Potion?"

Tegan shook her head in the negative. "Nah, I wanted you to feel it so you hopefully don't do it again."

Sirius couldn't help it, he laughed. He was definitely feeling it, though he doubted it would stop him from doing it again in the future. There was a ninety-nine percent chance that he was going to get completely shit-faced on Halloween just like the previous two Halloweens because fuck Halloween.

Tegan bent down, pressing her lips to the top of his head before she turned to leave. Sirius leaned back in his chair, watching as she left. There was no way he could go to bed. He was wired and his headache only grew with every passing moment. Glancing over at the clock, he saw it was nearly eleven so he definitely had a good three hours before he would even begin to feel tired.

He rummaged through his cupboard for a snack when a pecking sounded. Sirius turned to see Hedwig sitting outside the window looking annoyed. She ruffled her feathers and pecked even harder. Sirius made his way over to the window, allowing the owl into his home. She stuck out her foot with a letter attached and he untied it as fast as he could before she could start pecking at his fingers.

"I'll grab your rat in a second," Sirius grumbled as he took the letter and settled down at the kitchen table with it. His hands trembled as he slid his thumb underneath the Sticking Charm. Part of him expected Charlotte to completely ignore him.

Sirius noticed the photo first. He'd recognize Charlotte anywhere. He had grown up with her, after all. Her hair was lighter than he remembered, a soft golden brown instead of her dark locks. A wide smile graced her oval face, the splash of freckles shining on her nose and cheeks. Little wrinkles stemmed from her eyes as she beamed at the camera. Next to her looked like a teenage Regulus, but happier than he could ever remember his little brother looking as a teenager. He had the same dark hair, the sparkling gray eyes, and the same slope of the nose. He had Sirius' thin lips but Regulus' dimples.

He tore his gaze away from the photo and moved onto the letter.

Dear Sirius,

I must admit, I have been waiting years for you to contact me. I am so glad you did.

I heard all about what had happened in England all those years ago. I never once believed that you were a murderer or a follower of You-Know-Who. Anyone who even remotely believed that must not have known you very well. You were the complete antithesis of your family. There were often times I felt guilty for not speaking on your behalf, knowing Regulus would have wanted me to at least try even if nothing would come of it, but I had Cepheus to think about and keep safe. I knew you, of all people, would not want your nephew to be anywhere near your family. I shudder to think what Walburga would have done if she had known about him.

I know your and Regulus' relationship had been strained at the end. But I want you to know, he never stopped loving you. He admired your strength to break away in a way he never was able to. But you need to know that Regulus didn't take the Mark laying down. There are things that you should probably know, things that I can't talk about in a letter. Regulus has a journal that you should have, especially if you have custody of Harry Potter.

It is imperative that neither You-Know-Who nor his Death Eaters find out about Cepheus. I don't know how much you know about your family's secrets, as the most egregious revelations came out when Regulus took the Mark and you were long gone. There is also a vial of memories Regulus left for you, memories I promise I have never looked at. I know what the memories contain, and I think it's important you know the truth if you don't already. Again, I think this is something we should discuss in person. I cannot come to England. I refuse to in fear that someone would find out about Cepheus. I would be willing to meet you at Beauxbatons if you can come discreetly to France. Though being in the company of Albus Dumbledore, I have no doubt you could make that happen.

Cepheus is such a fantastic boy. I named him Cepheus Regulus Black. He was born 1 June 1980. He's a sixth year at Beauxbatons and plays Seeker for his house Quidditch team. He was sorted into Maison Grue de Paradis, a house known for being caring and loyal. He wants to be a Healer and I couldn't think of anyone who would have a better bedside manner. Cepheus just listens to you when you talk, really listens. He's so empathetic and compassionate. He's everything I think Regulus could have been if he had been brought up in a loving environment.

He craves information on the Blacks and Macnairs. He doesn't quite understand why he's so isolated from the family. I've tried plenty of times over the years to tell him about our lives before he was even a thought, but I can't bring myself to ruin the image he has of Regulus in his mind. I can't shatter his innocence. If only he knew how easy it would be for him to find out the information he craves, he'd be shocked by the horrors he would discover.

After I received your letter, I pulled him from school to have lunch in the village. I told him about you and how you had contacted me. I told him about Harry, not about the Boy Who Lived but about how he's your son and his age. Cepheus was beyond excited to meet an uncle and a cousin he never knew he had. So, if you wanted, you could bring Harry with you to meet Cepheus. If you don't want to, I understand that as well, given who he is. I wanted to extend the offer, because Cepheus has always craved a sibling or a cousin, someone his own age to call family. I can only imagine that Harry has felt the same way.

I work in a Muggle bank in France, to keep a low profile. Cepheus grew up knowing about our world, but he never once questioned why we didn't go exploring too much in the wizarding world nor did he ever ask why I worked in the Muggle world. It was a massive adjustment, but it had been something Regulus and I had been planning for years. Regulus always talked about living in the Muggle world, saying it would be the only way to escape our families and hide. I think he was right.

It was so good hearing from you, Sirius. Truly, it was.

I hope to see you soon,

Charlotte Black

Sirius read and reread the letter, soaking in all the details. He turned back to the picture. His heart ached in his chest as his throat narrowed. Maybe he could pull Harry for a weekend to go to France instead of leaving him behind. It would be good for both boys to get to know one another, to have family their own age. Cepheus, on paper, seemed like he would get along well with Harry.

Tears burned Sirius' eyes as he sat the picture and the letter down. Resting his head against the back of his chair, he stared up at the ceiling. Yeah, he would definitely pull Harry from school and make a weekend out of it. Harry would rather be included than stay at home anyway. If there was one thing he had learned about Harry, it was that Harry hated being left out. This was something he could definitely include him in.

Ginny rolled her neck as she entered the common room after her late-night Astronomy class. She glanced around the common room but didn't see Harry or Ron anywhere. She saw Katie and Leanne sitting together by the fireplace. Ginny gave her friends a small wave before she made her way towards the two.

"Hey, have you seen Harry and Ron?" Ginny asked.

"Ron and Hermione had a patrol tonight and Harry went to bed early," Katie supplied.

Ginny smiled. "Thanks! See you!"

She told her friends that she was going to go say hello to Harry up in his dormitory. They made kissy faces, oohing and awing at her. Ginny laughed, shooting them a rude gesture as she backed away from them.

It was no surprise that Harry would go upstairs if all of his friends were busy. He wasn't really a social creature outside of his small group. The past two years, he had been even more withdrawn when everyone had started calling him a lying attention-seeker not so subtly behind his back and to his face.

Opening the door to the dormitory, she noticed Harry's curtains were drawn around his bed but she doubted he was actually sleeping. The rest of the beds were open and empty. Walking up to Harry's bed, she drew back the curtains to see him lounging in bed with one hand holding his mirror and the other arm propped behind his head.

"–Friday evening, if that's all right with you," Sirius said in an exhausted voice.

Harry's eyes glanced over the mirror at Ginny for a brief moment before his attention fell back to the mirror. Ginny crawled onto the bed, settling by his knees and drawing the curtains closed behind her.

"Yeah, that's fine," Harry agreed.

"Hestia is going to bring the Portkey to Dumbledore's office, so we'll leave from there," Sirius continued. "We'll have to go through the Ministry on Sunday when we get back though. There's not much I can do about that, unfortunately."

Ginny's brows furrowed, her hand resting on Harry's thigh. Her fingers toyed with the string of his joggers.

"That's fine," Harry replied with a shrug. "Is it just the two of us?"

"Yeah, just the two of us. We'll stay at the villa and travel to Beauxbatons Saturday morning," Sirius explained. "We'll leave Sunday evening."

"Beauxbatons?" Ginny mouthed at him.

He ignored her.

"That's fine," Harry said, his lips twitching. "I know how much you loved the Portkey office last time."

"I will fucking lose my mind if we're delayed again," Sirius snapped. "You'd think they'd have perfected a way to make it run smoother."

Harry chuckled. "It wasn't that bad. Dora and I were fine. It was you and Remus who were all upset by the entire process."

"I lack patience," Sirius sighed. "Oh, before I forget, when we meet Cepheus, we're not going on about how the entire Black family is filled with Death Eaters or Voldemort in general or even who you are. He has no idea that you're the Chosen One."

Harry's face pulled. "Do they not know anything going on here?"

"They do, but it's not as big news as it is here," Sirius explained. "I'm sure he's heard of you, but just doesn't know you are the moniker, you know what I mean?"

"I find that rather refreshing," Harry replied, his eyes flickering up to Ginny.

She offered him a smile, waiting patiently for him to finish.

"Apparently, he is exceedingly excited to meet you as well as me," Sirius continued. "Charlotte said he knows very little of what actually happened and about the family in general. So, just be careful what you say, all right?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I got it, Sirius. I've become rather good at keeping my mouth shut about things lately."

Sirius sighed. "Harry."

Harry offered a smile. "It's a joke! I got it. I'll make sure to keep to the story. You can tell me everything on Friday once we arrive in France, yeah?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," Sirius agreed. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Night," Harry replied before he tossed the mirror next to him onto the bed.

Harry turned his attention to Ginny, gesturing for her to sit next to him. She didn't hesitate to crawl up the bed and snuggle against his side, her arm draping across his stomach. His lips pressed against the top of her head.

"You're going to France?" Ginny asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, to meet Regulus' wife and kid. We're leaving this Friday after classes and I won't be back until Sunday evening, as you heard.."

"Look at you, traveling to France during the school year," Ginny said with a smile. "You get signed out every single weekend now. If it's not fancy dueling lessons with the Auror Department, it's holidays to France."

Harry chuckled. "It's odd yet nice at the same time. I never wanted to leave Hogwarts before for, well, anything. Now, I get excited to be signed out all the time."

Ginny's nails trailed across his arm. "Lucky you. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been signed out of school. My life pales in comparison to yours."

Harry's fingers trailed up her arm, sending shivers down her spine. "I wish I had a more boring life. Trust me, being the Chosen One isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Ginny reached up, cupping his face. Her thumb brushed along his cheek. His eyes closed, his face leaning into her touch. She shifted next to him, sitting up straighter so she could press her lips against his. Her body pressed against his, molding together perfectly as he eased her down onto the mattress. Her hands trailed up his sides, dragging the fabric of his t-shirt with them. He pressed his chest tightly against her side, his hands roaming across her skin.

She smiled against his lips. "I've made a decision."

Harry pulled back, brushing a lock of hair off her face and tucking it behind her ear. "Oh yeah?"

Ginny sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, her lips curving. "If you're leaving me for France this weekend again, then I am going to sleep in your bed tonight. Maybe tomorrow too. Possibly the day after."

Harry chuckled, collapsing back on the mattress. "Gin."

"Oh, Ron will never find out. It'll be fine," Ginny replied. "I'm going to go get changed. I'm going to burrow a jumper."

"Gin," Harry groaned.

Ginny pressed her lips against his as she straddled him. His hands pressed against her thighs. She didn't linger as she rolled off him and disappeared off the bed. She opened his trunk and grabbed an emerald green jumper that was amazingly soft. It was no doubt part of the wardrobe that Andromeda bought, because it was definitely well-made and seemed expensive. She quickly undressed, hiding behind Harry's bed in case the door opened before she pulled the jumper on over her head. She tossed her uniform, satchel, and wand into Harry's trunk before she crawled back into bed.

"Back," she announced as she settled down next to him.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her but he didn't say anything. Ginny settled down next to him, pressing against his side as her cheek rested against his chest.

"Are you excited for France?" she asked.

Harry let out a soft sigh, his arms wrapping around her. "I don't know how to feel about it all."

Ginny's fingers traced over the tiny logo on Harry's t-shirt. "Can you elaborate?"

"I don't know. I mean, Cepheus is my age. And he's Sirius' nephew," Harry said. "What if Sirius moves to France or something?"

"Well, then, I suppose you may transfer to Beauxbatons," Ginny replied, propping herself up on her elbow.

Harry's face pulled. "What?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, her hand pressing on his chest. "Do you really think Sirius is going to move to another country without you? He's not going to leave you behind in England."

Harry's eyes searched hers. "That's his family, though."

"He's also your family," Ginny insisted. "He's your dad now. I know for a fact that he takes that role very seriously."

Harry sucked in a breath. "I just…" he trailed off, sliding his eyes closed. "I don't know."

Ginny's index finger traced down his nose, causing him to look at her. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"I feel like I'm always bugging you with my problems," Harry mumbled, his features tugging down.

Ginny only smiled. "I'm more than happy to try to help. For the longest time, I always told all my problems to Bill. You know, silly little kid things. He was always the mediator between all of us. Then, well, then the diary happened. My mum and I were always close, but she just became my go-to person. I started telling her more and more after that year. I started being more open with Ron, surprisingly. We're just so close in age that it was easy to talk about school stuff with him. Sirius has been really great too. Whenever I feel like my conversations with my mum go south a bit because she worries, Sirius was always just there to listen. Now, I have you too. I know I can always come to you when I need an ear to listen to me."

Harry nodded. "I never really had anyone to talk to," he admitted, looking rather miserable. "My aunt and uncle discouraged questions and they didn't like dealing with my issues. They always just told me they didn't want to hear it and it wasn't a big deal or whatever. Dudley and I were never close. I had no friends because Dudley threatened to beat up anyone who even so much as talked to me. All my teachers thought I was odd."

Ginny's heart broke little by little the more she listened to Harry talk.

"Ron and Hermione always fret whenever I start to talk about stuff," Harry continued with a sigh. "Hermione would try to fix things which was always annoying because she didn't really understand and some things just can't be fixed with a book, you know? Ron would just tell a joke or we'd play chess and, well, I think sometimes he was uncomfortable with stuff."

"What about Sirius?" Ginny suggested.

Harry shrugged. "I mean, I tell him a lot of stuff, especially since France. But sometimes, sometimes I worry what he'll do or say. Look at how spectacularly the Umbridge stuff exploded. Sirius, Andy, and Ted hired lawyers and Sirius took pictures of my hand and it's this whole thing now."

"I think they're just righting a wrong, Harry," Ginny replied.

Harry grunted. "I don't know. Then, Sirius doesn't want to tell me anything. I asked him about the Marlene stuff, you know after we saw them together, and he just said he wasn't going to burden me with his problems or something. Said parents don't burden their kids with their problems. I don't know."

Ginny nodded, her fingers brushing through his hair. "I mean, he's not wrong. My mum and dad have never talked to any of us about issues. Well, I suppose that's not true. I've heard them talking to Bill and Charlie a bit. But, I mean, they're adults now so maybe it changes."

"I just want it to go both ways, you know?" Harry said, leaning into her touch.

"I know," Ginny replied. "I mean, I don't tell Mum everything. Merlin, could you imagine? But I have other people I talk to. Demelza, Bill, Ron, or whoever. I hope you know that I'll always be here to listen."

Harry swallowed, a tight smile crossing his lips. "Thanks, Gin."

A beat passed and Ginny held her breath for a few seconds, waiting for him to ask the question she knew was coming. But he never did. She decided she was going to say her peace anyway.

"Just because someone new is coming into the family, doesn't mean that Sirius will love you any less," Ginny whispered, her eyes locking with Harry. "Mum and Dad never loved any of us less when a new baby came into the family. Expanding your family is a good thing. I promise, you won't lose anyone you love just because they may happen to love Cepheus just as much."

Harry nodded slowly. "It's rather silly, yeah? I didn't even want to say it out loud because it sounded so ridiculous, even in my head."

Ginny smiled, the back of her fingers brushing along his cheek. "It's not when this whole family thing is new to you," she whispered before her lips started to twitch. "I mean, being the youngest, if Mum and Dad announced they were pregnant right now I'd probably be riddled with jealousy. You can't just let go of being the baby in the family after fifteen bloody years. I mean, imagine if it was a girl. Then I'm not special at all."

Harry chuckled and Ginny's stomach swooped. "I have the sudden urge to say something cheesy like, 'You'll always be special to me' but I think you may hex me."

Ginny laughed, collapsing on Harry's chest. "Gosh, that is cheesy. Who are you and what have you done to Harry?"

Harry grinned. "Might want to check me for possession," he said in a light tone.

Ginny pressed her hands on his cheeks, squishing his face together gently. "What did you say to me when you first kissed me in the library of Grimmauld Place?"

Harry laughed, pushing her hands away from his face. "I don't remember but it was in the kitchen, not the library. That much I remember."

Ginny smiled, leaning down to peck him on the lips. "Ah, you are who you say you are. I was worried for a second there."

"Me too," Harry admitted, matching her smile. "I really thought bogeys would be flying out of my nose if I couldn't remember my exact words."

Ginny laughed, settling down onto the bed next to him. "I'm spending the night."

"I know," he replied. "Did you permanently stick the curtains?"

"I don't have my wand," Ginny admitted. "It's in your trunk."

Harry slid out from underneath Ginny, reaching under his pillow and producing his wand. He went to each opening and cast the spell to keep the curtains closed nice and tight. When he was finished, he shoved the wand back underneath his pillow and Ginny couldn't help but laugh at his paranoia. He ignored her as he eased down next to her on the bed, opening his arms for her to cuddle close since there wasn't much room for both of them. Harry pressed a kiss to the top of her head and moments later, she heard soft snores escaping his nose. She closed her eyes and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Remus sucked in a breath as he looked up at his childhood home. His father had invited him to dinner and he couldn't exactly turn him down. He hadn't seen his father in about a year, not since he said he believed the lies that had been printed about Harry being a liar and an attention-seeker. Once his father made up his mind about someone or something, there was no changing it. It was best just to separate at that point.

He rapped his knuckles on the door and waited. His father opened the door, a tight smile on his face as he ushered Remus inside. Remus returned the strained smile as his father clapped him on the back in greeting before he closed the door. Shoving his hands in his trouser pockets, he glanced over at the wedding picture of his parents hanging in the entryway and his heart twisted. His mother would have hated the deterioration of Remus and his father's relationship over the years.

"How have you been, Remus?" his father asked, gesturing towards the parlor.

"I've been fine," Remus replied as he followed him through.

His father sat down in the armchair by the fireplace. "Tell me, what's your newest job?"

"I'm, uh, unemployed at the moment," Remus replied as he took a seat on the sofa, leaning back and resting his ankle on the opposite knee. "Have been for over a year."

His father frowned. "Is that because you can't find a job or because you're busy running around with Dumbledore's little vigilante group again?"

Remus tried to keep his annoyance in check. "Surely, you've seen the papers over the summer? Voldemort is back and the Ministry is finally admitting to it. It's what I told you last year, that Harry was there and saw it happen."

His father shook his head. "Remus, the Potters have always been a family that loves attention."

"You've never even met Harry," Remus snapped. "You just have preconceived notions because you dislike James and Fleamont. You know what, Dad? The only memory Harry has of his dad is him yelling at Lily to take Harry and run when Voldemort entered their home to murder them all. You know how he remembers that? It's because that's what he hears when he's around Dementors. So, yeah, tell me all about how awful some sixteen-year-old kid is that you've never even met."

His father didn't have a reply to that. Remus felt a little spark of victory. Rendering Lyall Lupin speechless was a rather difficult feat. His father had very staunch opinions about everything and he wasn't afraid to let those opinions known.

"I saw that Sirius Black gained custody over him," his father said in a low voice. "Remus, I hope you're not in contact with that man. He's been in prison for twelve years, on the run for three years, and now all of a sudden, he's magically innocent?"

"You know what, Dad, I've been in contact with Sirius for over two years now," Remus explained. "I stayed with him all of last year. All summer I've been bouncing around from house to house with him to help him protect Harry. The day that Voldemort attacked Islington and came out of hiding? Yeah, I was in the Black family home with Sirius. Voldemort was trying to take Harry and I helped to ensure that didn't happen. You can hate Sirius and James all you want for whatever reason you want to. But I don't. They were two of the best friends I ever had. Harry is an outstanding kid that I'm honored to know."

His father let out a bitter laugh, his head shaking. Remus knew it was a mistake to come, but he had felt like he was obligated to. They were the last two Lupins left, each other's only family. But Remus hadn't been the son that Lyall had wanted. The jobless, Knutless werewolf who befriended purebloods.

"You're stuck Remus," his father said. "Don't you see that? You'll never better yourself if you don't break away from those families. They've held you back your entire life. Even when none of them were in the picture, you lamented over the loss like you had lost a limb! You need new friends, a new job, a new life."

Remus tightened his jaw, deciding to poke his father even more. "I have a girlfriend. She's Sirius' cousin. So, yeah, there's that."

"You're joking," his father said, his brows furrowing.

"Her name is Nymphadora Tonks," Remus continued. "She's an Auror. Her mother is Andromeda, Sirius' cousin. She's a Metamorphmagus and she doesn't care that I'm a werewolf. She doesn't care that I can't hold down a job. You know what she started talking about the other night which nearly gave me a bloody heart attack? Kids. Like… like that's an option for me."

"You can't have kids, Remus," his father snapped.

Remus nodded. "Yeah, she seems to think I can. Every single night, for the past week, she comes home after work with books about genetics and lycanthropy. I know that because I've practically been living with her for the past two months. It scares the fucking shit out of me that there's this incredibly intelligent and kind witch who even wants to give me the time of day and build a family with me because my entire life you told me that I would never lead a normal fucking life."

"Remus," his father sighed.

"All I can think about his how I could have been dating her a lot longer than I have been, but I blew her off at every single turn because I was afraid to get close to her. I could have been a lot happier a hell of a lot sooner," Remus continued. "But because of you, I kept her at arm's length. Because of you and your biases."

"I have always loved you, Remus," his father protested, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "How dare you? I have always told you that you were different than other wolves."

Remus scoffed. "You hate that though. You hate that I was bitten."

"Of course, I hate it, Remus!" his father shouted, standing up from his seat. "Who wants their son to be bitten by a werewolf?"

Remus squinted up at his father. "I never told you this, because you had some vendetta against the Blacks and the Potters. We never told anyone but now it's out in the open and it's in Ministry records. But at fifteen, James and Sirius became Animagi so they could keep me company on the full moons. They never once judged me or treated me differently. They just tried to be there for me, to make things easier. So, yeah, Sirius did some shit when we were younger, but he also had a terrible home life. He was reckless and a moron more times than I can count, but I was a pretty shitty friend to him too. We had a lot of issues to work out, maybe we still do, but we're not dumb kids anymore. We're closer now than we have ever been. Not once has Sirius ever made me feel bad about who I am. He has constantly pushed me to connect with people, to form bonds with Dora and with Harry. I realize that I like being around people who like me for me. Who think I just have some annoying disease. Who see me as a person first and a wolf second. Which is something you never did."

"You are my son and I have tried to give you the best possibly life I could for you," his father argued. "You sit there like I held you back!"

"You had Mum homeschool me because Merlin forbid I went to Muggle school and actually interacted with other children," Remus argued, his jaw tightening. "You isolated me for years. Even when Dumbledore came to say I could go to Hogwarts, you didn't want me to go. It was Mum who pushed for it. Not you."

His father's lips twisted, his arms crossing over his chest. "I'm sorry I was such a terrible father to you."

Remus' lips pulled back into a thin line. "I just wanted you to be supportive. I, uh, I don't know why I came. I don't know why I thought things would be different."

Remus stood up, rubbing his hands on his trousers. In that moment, Remus felt like he had been slapped in the face with a moment of pure clarity. He didn't want to keep pushing people away nor did he want to be lonely anymore. He wanted the voice of his father out of his head.

He didn't want to wind up like his father.

The realization hit him like a bloody Bludger. His father was old and bitter, having written off anyone who dared disagree with him. The only person left was Remus because he never argued and he always went back. But Remus wanted to argue. He wanted to defend his friends and the life that he wanted. That life was just within his grasp and he could fucking taste it.

Even though he wasn't totally sold on having children, he knew he wanted Nymphadora. He had wanted her from the moment he met her at Grimmauld Place. Her smile made him smile. Her laugh made his chest burst. For some insane reason, she wanted him back. That was just too much. He had fought against it for so long and he couldn't even articulate why he fought it for so long. Because at every single turn, Nymphadora disproved all of his fears and showed him none of them mattered to her. None of it had been a dealbreaker for her. That was refreshing.

Sucking in a breath, without thinking or even considering what he was asking, he blurted out, "I'd like Mum's engagement ring."

Wait. What?

Remus stiffened.

"You want to marry into the Black family?" his father asked, his eyes wide.

"I, uh, I don't know," Remus answered honestly. "I want the option to. I mean, I was arguing with her about having werewolf children and she just… it was like she got it. She didn't want them if my, my disease could be passed down. But she didn't bat an eyelid at the thought of having them with me. She makes me feel… normal. She makes me feel like we could have a normal life together. Andromeda and Ted have been amazingly supportive. Sirius has been supportive. Harry has been supportive. All of our friends have been supportive. You're the only one who can't look past the fact that she's part Black. That's your, your problem. You can be there or you don't have to be there. Whatever you want. But I'm going to live my life. I think, I think I want her in it. I want the ring in case I, I want to propose. Because she deserves to have Mum's ring because Mum would have adored her."

"Remus," his father replied, his face tugging down.

"Fine, don't give it to me," Remus replied in a bitter tone. "Although, I'm not sure you'd have ever given it to me anyway. I'm just a werewolf, right? I should stop infecting society. Maybe I should be killed to help eradicate the problem."

"Remus! I would never want you killed," his father argued.

Remus nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You always told me that you made very careless comments about werewolves and that's why Greyback attacked me as a child. But, uh, I've met him. I've talked to him."

His father looked completely mortified, his lips parting but no words escaped.

"He said you went in front of the Ministry and called werewolves soulless and evil and, and they deserved nothing but death," Remus said in a strained tone. "I had a friend in the Ministry at the time. She looked it up for me. Confirmed it and brought me a copy of the transcript."

Remus could remember asking Dorcas Meadowes for confirmation. She had delivered a couple of days later. Remus hadn't known what to think. He knew his father had biases, but he had never known them to be so severe.

"Remus," his father choked out.

"It's fine," Remus replied in a rush. "I've come to terms with it a long time ago."

Without another word, Remus decided it was time to leave. He couldn't talk about this any further. All he wanted was to see Nymphadora, to talk to her, to be around her. She was the person he wanted to have dinner with.

When he arrived back at Nymphadora's flat, he found her curled up in an armchair with a large book in her lap. He shrugged off his jacket and hung it on the coat rack before he made his way over to her. Bending down, he kissed her on the lips. The tension eased from his shoulders as he stood up.

"Guess what I'm reading," Nymphadora said, a slight note of excitement in her voice.

Remus couldn't help but smile. "What?"

Nymphadora closed the book, keeping her thumb between the pages to keep her spot. Normalizing Lycanthropy: A Tale of Newfound Hope by Rupert Kent with a forward by Damocles Belby. Remus' breath hitched in his throat.

"Did you know that Fleamont Potter helped create the Wolfsbane Potion?" Nymphadora asked. "Belby talks about it in the forward. Apparently, that's his godfather."

Remus nodded, a lump settling in his throat. "Yeah, I knew that. Fleamont gave a bunch of suggestions on things to try to help perfect it."

"That's so brilliant!" Nymphadora exclaimed. "Somebody should tell Harry, if he doesn't already know."

Remus offered her a strained smile. "Anything good in the book?"

"Oh, I'm learning loads," Nymphadora replied as she opened the book to where she was up to. "Some of your little quirks even make sense now."

Remus furrowed his brow, sitting down on the arm of the chair. "My little quirks?"

Nymphadora hummed, not bothering to look up at him. "You hate loud noises. Certain frequencies can hurt your ears. If the frequency is loud enough, it can trigger irrational anger. Although, to be quite honest with you, I feel like certain sounds could elicit irrational anger in me as well. That's just called being bloody human."

Remus chuckled, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to her temple. The feeling in his chest grew, threatening to break free. Now more than ever, he was sure that he didn't want to let her go. A life without Nymphadora in it seemed not to be worth living. Maybe they could work out something with kids. They could adopt or find a sperm donor or something. Maybe being a dad wouldn't be so bad except for twelve days out of the year, especially if Nymphadora was the mother.

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Don't forget to drop a quick review. It only takes an extra minute and it keeps me motivated to keep posting every Sunday!

Special thanks to Bell for being an editing rockstar like always. Also, special thanks to ep-45 for helping me with the France house name!