"Brumous"

"Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Serpent's Gifts"

Harry stood in the middle of the Great Hall, his eyes scanning across the dueling pairs of the first through fourth years. His gaze lingered on Ginny as she helped two small Ravenclaw girls adjust their wand grip. A smile danced on her lips as she demonstrated the correct flick of her wrist. His chest expanded oddly, a squirming occurring deep within his stomach. Harry didn't think he could ever grow tired of simply watching her.

When Harry was around Ginny, it was like he was surrounded by the sun. He felt warm and happy like nothing bad could touch him. He shook his head. That was ridiculous considering his entire life revolved around being hunted down and murdered by a sociopath. But Harry didn't think about Voldemort, or his Death Eaters, or even the war when he was with Ginny. He was just Harry. A sixteen-year-old man who was normal, even if it was for a fleeting time.

It was the second dueling club meeting of the year. Harry was still trying to find his footing and not muck everything up. Staring at Ginny Weasley wasn't the most professional thing to do, considering he was in charge of the event. Tearing his gaze away from Ginny, he saw Marlene standing off to the side with Professor McGonagall. They were chatting and just observing, allowing the student leaders to lead. Harry tapped his wand on his thigh, wondering just how much practice time he should give them before they switched to the next spell.

"Fuck me, I need to switch groups," Ron grumbled, suddenly at his side. "The Ravenclaws are telling me I'm holding my bloody wand wrong! Even after I showed them the bloody picture in the textbook, they tried to tell me it was an outdated edition. Those smug little fuckers. They were third years!"

Harry squinted up at Ron, sucking in a breath. "Yeah, why don't you team up with the Hufflepuffs. They're nonconfrontational, so they shouldn't make you angry."

Ron leaned down; his lips close to Harry's ear. "You know, the hat told me I would do well in Hufflepuff and I told it to fuck the right off. Then it told me I was clearly a Weasley and put me in Gryffindor."

Harry laughed, his face splitting into a wide grin. "Are you serious, right now?"

Ron merely shrugged before he dashed off to the group of third or fourth year Hufflepuffs in the corner of the room. Sucking in a breath, he turned towards the Ravenclaws that Ron had been helping. He supposed it was his duty to go help them if Ron wouldn't.

Harry made it halfway across the room when a scream sounded. Harry whipped around to see a tiny Hufflepuff on the floor sobbing. Crimson poured between her fingertips, her palm pressed tightly against her arm. Harry swallowed, dashing off towards her at full speed.

"Oops," a cocky voice said.

Harry ignored the voice as he bent down in front of the girl. She must have been a first year because she looked so small. He placed a hand on her shoulder, something Sirius always did when he was upset, and leaned in close to her.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You motherfucker!" Demelza roared.

Harry's head snapped to see Demelza pushing a rather burly Slytherin that he didn't recognize. The boy barely moved, a cruel laugh escaping his lips. Harry was about ready to give him a piece of his mind when Ron stepped up to the kid, towering over him with his wand out.

"Mr Weasley!" Professor McGonagall shouted as she bustled over to the group. "Miss Robins! Mr Bulstrode!"

Harry turned his attention back to the small girl, forcing a smile on his lips. She was still sobbing, large tears pouring down her face.

"It hurts," she said in a miserable tone.

Harry nodded. "Can I see?"

She shook her head, her wide and watery eyes staring up at him as though he had grown a second head.

"It was an accident!" a boy shouted angrily, whom Harry assumed was Bulstrode.

"Oh, yeah?" Demelza roared. "She's bleeding you fucking prick!"

"Miss Robins!" McGonagall exclaimed.

A swoosh of red caught Harry's attention as Ginny crouched on the other side of the small girl. Ginny knew exactly how to comfort the girl because she eased onto the floor next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Harry dropped his hand, watching the two of them intently.

"Hi, I'm Ginny," she greeted before she gestured to Harry with her free hand. "That's Harry. What's your name?"

The girl sniffed. "Lucy."

Ginny beamed. "Hi, Lucy. Professor McKinnon asked me to take you to the infirmary to get your arm looked at. She'll be down in a few minutes after Bulstrode is dealt with. Is that okay? Harry can come too, if you want."

Lucy glanced over at Harry and he offered her his best smile, trying to look friendly and approachable. Ginny snorted and Harry's smile fell from his face. He probably looked like a loon.

"He can come," Lucy decided, a giggle escaping her lips.

Ginny laughed, helping the girl to her feet. A few of her friends bombarded them, asking if Lucy was all right and what exactly happened. Ginny shooed them away, telling them to stay put as she led Lucy out of the Great Hall. Harry followed, listening as Ginny chatted about classes and school. Though the girl seemed less upset the longer she talked to Ginny, she kept her palm firmly against her arm.

When they arrived in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be found. Ginny gestured to a bed before she dashed off to find the matron. Lucy eased down onto the mattress, her heels kicking the edge of the bed. Harry shoved his hands into his pockets and awkwardly stood at the foot of the bed, acting like he was a guard or something.

Lucy's lip slid between her teeth, her face tilting up to look at him. "Did he hurt me because I'm a Mudblood?"

Harry's brow furrowed, the air escaping his lungs. "What?"

"He called me that," Lucy said in a small voice, her chin dropping to her chest. "He said I was a Mudblood. I don't know what that is."

Harry swallowed and eased on the bed next to her, leaving more than enough space between them. "That's a nasty word. He shouldn't have called you that."

Lucy glanced up at Harry, tears still brimming her eyes. "What does it mean?"

The last thing Harry wanted to do was to tell her what such an awful word meant. But she was looking up at him like she trusted him to tell her the truth, to make her feel better about what had happened. Harry let out a long sigh.

"It's a derogatory way to refer to someone who is a Muggleborn," Harry explained, watching her closely. "Are you a Muggleborn?"

Lucy wiped the back of her good hand underneath her eyes. "Yeah. Is that a bad thing?"

Harry blinked at her for a few seconds before he slowly shook his head in the negative. "No, it's not," he replied in a soft voice. "My mum was a Muggleborn."

Lucy sniffed. "Do people call her that nasty word too?"

Harry didn't want to scare her and tell her that his mum died because of a blood supremacist. It was a rare thing when a wizard didn't know who he was. She was only eleven, so young and innocent. Harry didn't want to be the one who ripped that away from her, but they were at war. Lucy needed to know the dangers that lurked in the dark corners of their world.

"Yeah, people called her nasty names like that," Harry replied, his lips tugging down as he recalled Snape's memory and then trying to put it out of his mind. "Or so I'm told. She died when I was just a baby."

Lucy stared at him, her eyes widening. "I'm sorry! I didn't know!"

"No, no, it's fine," Harry assured her. "You've heard about Lord Voldemort, haven't you?"

Lucy chewed on her bottom lip. "Yeah, some of my friends said he's a dark wizard who is trying to take over. He's been in the papers loads."

"He killed my mum," Harry supplied. "And my dad. I live with my godfather now."

Lucy squirmed. "I've heard people talking about you," she whispered. "They say you defeated him before and you're going to do it again."

Harry's heart hammered in his chest. "I'm going to try to," he whispered, matching her low tone. "He doesn't like me very much."

Lucy's little brow furrowed. "Why? You seem really nice."

Harry shrugged, because he couldn't tell her about the prophecy or the Order or anything even remotely dealing with the war. "Maybe he doesn't like nice people."

Lucy laughed. "That's so stupid."

Harry grinned. "I think so too."

Lucy shifted closer to Harry, extending her arm out towards Harry. The sleeve of her shirt was ripped open. The cut looked to be caked with blood but didn't seem to be actively bleeding anymore. Harry peered at it. It ran from her elbow to her wrist, a clean cut. Harry shuddered to think if Lucy would be alive if Bulstrode had cut any deeper. He probably didn't know how to put power behind his spells. Harry sure as hell didn't want to teach him in dueling club. He'd have to ask Marlene to kick him out after this stunt.

"Does it feel better?" Harry asked.

"A little, but it stings," Lucy replied.

"Madam Pomfrey is the best," Harry assured her. "She's healed me up pretty good over the years. Once she even regrew all the bones in my arm. There's nothing she can't fix."

As though on cue, the door burst open once more. Madam Pomfrey rushed in with Ginny hot on her heels. Harry offered her an encouraging smile as he eased off the bed to give Madam Pomfrey room to work. He reached out a hand, wrapping his fingers around Ginny's wrist and tugging her away from Lucy. Once out of earshot, he hunched over so he could talk to Ginny privately.

"Bulstrode called her a Mudblood," Harry whispered, his voice tight. "Are the Bulstrodes Death Eaters?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know. His older sister was in league with Umbridge last year."

Harry nodded. "Millicent, right?"

"Yeah," Ginny confirmed. "Sirius would know for sure if they're a Death Eater family. Our first summer at Grimmauld, before the Extendable Ears were discovered, we overheard Sirius going over a bunch of family's blood statuses and which ones were involved with Voldemort. He gave an in-depth rundown of all the families, their family members' ideologies, who sympathized, who would join up, who would attempt to distance themselves. He even knew which ones were considered more favorable based off how many generations of wizards were in their line. It was bloody ridiculous."

Harry furrowed his brow. "I'm not following."

Ginny frowned. "For example, you'd be considered more favorable because both of your parents were wizards than say Remus whose dad was a wizard but his mum was a Muggle. There's like some messed up hierarchy."

Harry's face pulled. "That's seriously messed up."

Ginny let out a huff of air. "I'm just glad my parents never cared enough about that crap. I'm rather proud of my blood traitor status."

Before Harry could comment, Marlene burst into the infirmary with her face drawn into a thin line. She glanced at Harry and Ginny briefly before focusing her full attention on Lucy and Madam Pomfrey.

"It wasn't too deep," Madam Pomfrey explained. "She'll be fine. I sealed it all up."

Marlene nodded, her arms crossing over her chest. "Tell me exactly what happened, Lucy."

Lucy did. Harry listened to make sure she told Marlene about the Mudblood comment and everything. He had no problem filling in any of the blanks. Not that he needed to. Lucy told the entire story and Harry was happy that she stood up for herself.

Harry and Ginny waited until Lucy was released. They walked her to the Hufflepuff common room. Harry barely paid attention as Ginny chatted with Lucy once more, his mind wandering to the events that had happened. Harry was convinced the Bulstrodes were involved with Voldemort. Why else would he risk attacking a first year if he wasn't?

It was two weeks into November when Sirius was invited to the headmaster's office for another Voldemort lesson with Harry and Remus. If Sirius was honest with himself, he had no desire to go. Not now. Not knowing that he was now learning about his family history and not just about Voldemort's history. For some stupid reason, he couldn't get that thought out of his head.

Leaning against the wall outside of Dumbledore's office, he waited patiently for Harry to show up. He wanted to talk to Harry before they went inside for the meeting. Harry had contacted him earlier in the week, upset about some wanker named Bulstrode attacking a first year. After some prodding, he found out the kid was banned from dueling club and would serve detentions until the new year.

Harry rounded the corner. Sirius kicked off the wall, offering his godson a tight smile. Once Harry stood in front of him, Sirius cast a Muffliato around them and explained Bulstrode's punishment.

Harry rolled his eyes, his head shaking. "So, the school is just letting him get off for hurting a fellow student?" he seethed. "Just like Malfoy and all the other Slytherins who participated in the attack in Hogsmeade?"

Sirius sighed. He had been through this before when he was in school. Even Mulciber, who had viciously attacked Mary MacDonald, he had remained in the school as well. At the time, Sirius had been angry. As an adult, he understood what Dumbledore had been trying to accomplish.

"Would you rather they be expelled?" Sirius asked simply. "To go home to their Death Eater families and have them be used by Voldemort?"

Harry's jaw squared. "They're already attacking students in his name."

"At school. Where they're monitored and contained better. At home, well, at home they're loose Bludgers. Who knows what kind of damage they could inflict under the right supervision and education," Sirius reasoned.

Harry shook his head, his eyes rolling up to the ceiling. Sirius gripped his shoulder, leaning down to his level.

"I used to be frustrated too," Sirius admitted. "Let's just say, James and I were always a bit more vicious to those known to hurt Muggleborns around the castle."

Harry stared hard at Sirius, his eyes widening just slightly as though Lumos had been lit above his head. Sirius hated seeing history repeating itself, because he hated for Harry to go through what he had gone through. The last thing Sirius wanted was for Harry to be fighting in a war, but neither of them had a choice in the matter because of the fucking prophecy.

"But I would hope that you wouldn't be as… hotheaded as I was," Sirius added, his lips pursing to the side. "I want you to keep your head down and your nose clean."

"So just stand by watching as people get hurt," Harry said in a flat tone.

"No, do what you did with the little Hufflepuff girl," Sirius clarified. "Make sure those attacked are all right and help them. You have the biggest heart, Harry. It would do you well to open up a bit to others."

Harry frowned, his brows furrowing below his glasses. Sirius knew it was useless. His godson would defend those who couldn't defend themselves, especially if he were in the height of an actual battle. That scared Sirius shitless.

Something moved in Sirius' pocket. He tried not to groan aloud as he looked down to see the head of the little snake peeking out. The damn thing just wouldn't stop.

Harry gestured his head to the snake. "Did you decide on a name yet?"

Sirius clenched his jaw. "No, I bloody well didn't decide on a name yet."

"Good, because Slithers is an awful name," Harry replied, reaching out a hand to give the little snake a pet on its head with his index finger. "You should ask Ginny. She named Pig, err, Pigwidgeon. She named her little pygmy puff Arnold, said it was named after Ron but I can't piece together how those two names are connected at all. She likes naming animals."

"Right, I'll keep that in mind if I ever decide to name the menace," Sirius retorted before he gestured towards the gargoyle. "Now you want to get upstairs so we can get this meeting over with? Cockroach Clusters."

Harry chuckled, looking like he wanted to make some smartarse comment but then thought better of it. His lips twitched in the same way Lily's did whenever she was ready to dish out a bunch of sass. Sirius held his breath, watching Harry carefully. The moment passed as Harry treaded up the staircase.

Remus was already in Dumbledore's office. Sirius took his normal seat, leaving the spot open for Harry to sit between them. He leaned back in his chair, listening to Dumbledore's greetings and Harry's painfully polite response. Luckily, Dumbledore didn't continue with the pleasantries for long, pulling out his Pensieve and explaining to them the first time he had met Tom Riddle at Wool's Orphanage.

Watching the memory of the Gaunt family had left Sirius disturbed and just plain disgusted. But watching the memory of a young Dumbledore speaking to an eleven-year-old Tom Riddle was on another level of disconcerting. Sirius couldn't tell if he was unsettled by the entire memory because he now knew Voldemort was his father or because of what he saw in the memory. Most nauseatingly, Sirius could see the physical resemblance between his younger self and Riddle. Although, Sirius liked to think he wasn't a psychotic little shit.

Sirius barely listened to Harry asking Dumbledore if he had known then what Voldemort would become. Dumbledore's low response filtered in through one ear and out the other. Sirius knew he needed to pay attention to what was being discussed, but he couldn't. Bile rose in his throat, thoughts of Riddle transforming into Voldemort filled his head.

Sirius hated how naïve he had been as a child. How could he not have picked up on the fact that Voldemort had always been around yet not pieced together that he was anything more than an obsession of Walburga's? Seeing how detached Riddle was, even as a child, and how disinterested he was in friendship and peers as an adult, Sirius couldn't help but wonder what his relationship with Walburga had actually been like. Was she a tool for him to use with no actual feelings? Why did Voldemort obsess over him and Regulus so much? Were they seen as tools as well, a means to an end? Because Sirius couldn't see how Voldemort had any genuine feelings towards them. There was no way that Voldemort even felt a speck of affection with him. Especially because Sirius had never felt any of that as a child from any adult in his life except from Uncle Alphard.

Sirius shuddered to think how he would have turned out if he had never met James and the Potters had never taken him in. Seeing how Riddle turned out was enough to make him sick.

When the memory ended, Sirius just felt nauseous. He craved the feeling of whisky burning his throat but knew he couldn't. He promised Harry. He wasn't about ready to let his godson down again. Screwing his eyes shut, he tried to force the picture of Tom Riddle out of his head – a Tom Riddle who shared Sirius' dark coif, a Tom Riddle who had the same thin lips, a Tom Riddle who had his same jawline.

"Sirius, may I speak with you in private?" Dumbledore asked, pulling Sirius' attention to him.

Sirius nodded, his head turning to look at his godson. "I'll meet you downstairs, all right?"

Harry hesitated for a brief moment before he nodded and followed Remus out of the office. Sirius leaned back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee and plopping his hands in his lap. He tried to regulate his breathing as he stared at his former headmaster.

"You are quiet, Sirius," Dumbledore observed, peering at him over his moon-shaped glasses.

"Got a lot on my mind," Sirius admitted. It was the closest to the truth he would ever come with Dumbledore.

"I've been thinking a lot about your nephew, Cepheus," Dumbledore continued. "I know you have concerns for his safety, and I spoke to Madam Maxime just yesterday about the security measures around Beauxbatons. I can assure you that everyone is taking this threat very seriously."

Sirius nodded, knowing there was more to this conversation than just placating Sirius' fears if he had Remus and Harry leave. "Thank you."

"I find it prudent to have all the information on a situation," Dumbledore said in a measured tone. "I can't fully help Cepheus if I don't know all of the details. I know Regulus was a Death Eater, but it does not make sense to me why Lord Voldemort would care to attempt kidnapping Cepheus."

Sirius sniffed, his shoulders shrugging. He couldn't admit the awful truth that Voldemort wanted Cepheus for the pure fact that he was his biological grandfather. That's what it was, after all. Voldemort felt some claim over them. Not love or affection, but some possessive awful claim. Sirius pressed a hand to his mouth, waiting to be dismissed.

"You know, when you sat upon the stool at eleven and the Sorting Hat barely touched your head, you reminded me of someone," Dumbledore said in a soft voice. "There was once a boy who had looked remarkably like you, tall and lean with dark hair and sharp features. The hat barely touched his head as well, merely brushed the tips of his hair before it shouted out Slytherin. The person he sat next to, the one he gravitated to, was Walburga Black. The two of them were thick as thieves for as long as I could remember."

Sirius' hand dropped from his mouth, falling listlessly into his lap.

"As you grew, you looked less like him," Dumbledore barreled on, leaning back in his chair. "Your features morphed more into those fit for a Black. I always thought you looked more like Alphard than Orion. But there were features on you and on Regulus that were not Black features. Those features coupled with Lord Voldemort's interest in you both had me highly suspicious. And now, watching that memory, seeing the two of you side by side. I suppose the similarities are more obvious. Tom Riddle lost so much of himself so much over the years, chipping away at his humanity with every single Horcrux he crafted. It's hard sometimes to remember what he looked like as a young man."

Sirius' teeth pressed together.

"When Fleamont told me of the lengths your family had gone to the Christmas of your fifth year to break you into taking the Mark, my suspicions were all but confirmed," Dumbledore added. "Lord Voldemort had always simply murdered anyone who defied him. But there was something about you that made him try over and over again in a way he never would have cared with anyone else."

Sirius cleared his throat. "That's why you were convinced I was the spy," he said, and it wasn't a question.

"Are you telling me my suspicions were correct?" Dumbledore challenged, his bushy eyebrows rising above his glasses.

Sirius weighed his options. Flat out deny or tell the truth. His heart pounded in his chest, afraid that Dumbledore would take Harry away from him if he knew the truth of his parentage. He refused to lose Harry, not now with everything going on with the war, the prophecy, and the Horcruxes.

"Sirius, I'm not the enemy," Dumbledore said with a sad sigh. "I know we've had our differences in the past, but I trust you implicitly now. Have I not shown you that with the information I am providing to you? I know you are loyal to Harry and will be by his side until the very end. I am sorry I did not see it before."

Sirius let out a shaky breath. "I found out last month," he confirmed before he could stop himself, laying the cards on the table and hoping they fall in his favor. "Regulus left me memories. I've already told Harry and Remus."

Dumbledore frowned, his eyes searching Sirius' face. "You should know that I relied these suspicions to Fleamont when he came to me seeking my counsel on how to protect you from the Blacks."

Sirius' eyes screwed shut at the thought that Fleamont knew the horrific truth. Just one more person who had kept the secret. Sirius hated that it was Fleamont, of all people, who had kept his mouth shut just like everyone else had.

"Fleamont did not care," Dumbledore added in a soft tone. "He told me that you cannot measure a man based upon who his father is. Blood is merely a suggestion of family and the greatest part of life was that we got to choose the people we want to become and choose the family we want to be a part of. By all intents and purposes, you were no more a Riddle than you were a Black. You chose to be a Potter and that was all he would see you as."

Sirius nodded, not being able the stop the tears that fell from his lashes and splashed down his cheeks.

"I thought Fleamont foolish at the time," Dumbledore added, a hint of regret clouding his tone. "Fleamont wouldn't even hear the evidence that I had so carefully categorized in my head. In hindsight, I wish I had been as great of a man as Fleamont. He held no biases nor was he blinded by fear. Fleamont was able to stay levelheaded in a way I envied."

"He was a great man," Sirius choked out, his fingers wiping at the skin beneath his eyes.

"I am honored to call Fleamont my godson," Dumbledore agreed. "I only wished I had listened to him. But sometimes, we can be blinded by our age and experience, mislabeling the younger generation's wisdom as foolishness."

"I'm trying to put it behind me," Sirius explained, his gaze dropping to his lap. "I don't want to be anything like him. I don't want anything to do with him except to kill him for what he did to James and Lily, for what he's doing to Harry."

"Sirius, I must ask. Are you a Parselmouth?" Dumbledore pressed.

Sirius tilted his chin up, his eyes searching Dumbledore's face. "No," he replied. "Harry did tell me that snakes think I smell nice. Whatever that means."

"There are gifts within the Gaunt family that stretch beyond just being a Parselmouth, Sirius," Dumbledore leveled. "I have heard tales of Slytherin descendants being able to summon and command snakes from hundreds of miles away. They've been able to use a snake's slouched skin in healing potions and balms that cannot be replicated by any ordinary wizard. It is said that Slytherin's blood wasn't fully human in nature, but a mutation between human and serpent. Some claim this deep connection allowed a descendent of Slytherin to slip between the cracks of the living and the dead. Snakes have always been regarded as messengers of the Underworld because of their ability to thrive within cracks in the ground. It's my belief that this is why Lord Voldemort was able to make as many Horcruxes as he did without destroying himself completely. His blood allowed him to slip into the cracks of our world and the Underworld, manipulating his soul so grotesquely."

Sirius stared at Dumbledore, trying to absorb what he was saying. His heart beat harsh in his chest. His mind focused on one tidbit of information. Snakes were messengers of the Underworld. His limbs trembled, remembering how he talked to James nearly nightly while locked away in Azkaban. He thought he had been mad, screaming at ghosts that didn't exist. His body quaked, remembering his vivid dreams recently involving dead loved ones. Had he been slipping through the cracks? Had Slytherin's blood given him some ability to communicate with those he lost?

It seemed impossible. Too good to be true. Sirius gripped the arms of the chair, his knuckles going completely white within moments.

"Every wizarding family has its gifts," Dumbledore continued. "You know that the Metamorphmagus gift used to run in your family until the inbreeding weeded it out. But as soon as some fresh blood, Muggle blood, was mixed with something so contained, it brought the gift back to your family. I would be willing to wager that when Nymphadora has children of her own, they will be blessed with the Metamorphmagus gift. I predict it will carry on for generations again. Some familial gifts are less noticeable but just as useful. I've known six generations of Potters. I can tell you, their compassion and the ferocity in which they are able to love is a gift within itself. Look at Harry as your prime example. He was not raised in a loving household like his forefathers before him. Yet look at how he is able to still accept and give love, without hesitation or reservation. He has opened his heart and his soul to those around him. I must admit, I was taken aback by the sheer love that radiated off Harry after he had first met you. He would have gone to the edges of the earth to make sure you did not lose your soul that night and he barely knew you. He latched onto you, loving you so fiercely in a way that astonished me. In the few short months since living with you, I have seen that light of love grow brighter and brighter in Harry. Quite frankly, it is blinding. All he needed to fully embrace his gift was your love, Sirius."

Sirius couldn't speak, his throat tight.

"It is my belief that the power that Lord Voldemort knows not, according to the prophecy, is simply love," Dumbledore continued, his eyes boring into Sirius. "It is Harry's heart that will defeat Lord Voldemort, not his wand. Lord Voldemort was conceived under the effects of a love potion, stripping him of his ability to truly and deeply love. His obsession with you and your brother isn't out of love. Sirius, you must understand that. The reason he wants Cepheus now isn't because there is a speck of affection for the boy. No, Lord Voldemort understands the gifts that one's family bestows upon them. He is a collector. He wants to collect his sons and his grandson, to harness and manipulate your gifts. He wants you to be his loyal subjects, devoted to him because of your shared blood."

"He's barking up the wrong fucking tree," Sirius snapped in a strained voice. "He will receive nothing but disdain from me."

Dumbledore pressed his fingers into a peak, leaning forward so that his elbows could rest on his desk between them. "Lord Voldemort cannot fathom that. He has seen devotion to family firsthand, watching as Lily and James died for their son. Yet, he does not understand that this devotion isn't automatic but it has to be earned. That devotion can crumble just as fast as it was built. He is unable to understand that you despise him for what he has done, that your devotion will always lie elsewhere. This is a very powerful advantage, Sirius."

Sirius shook his head. "I don't understand how I'm supposed to use this advantage."

Dumbledore wasn't the first person to say such things to him, remembering his conversation with Marlene in his hospital room. He was truly clueless how he could manipulate Voldemort in an advantage for Harry.

"You will know when the time comes, Sirius," Dumbledore replied cryptically, his palms dressing against the desk. "You often shy away from your familial connections, running to put space between you and your family. But you have some very powerful gifts, Sirius. It would be wise for you to fully embrace them."

Sirius swallowed. "That's the last thing I want to do."

"Then you will be unable to truly help Harry defeat Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said with a twinge of melancholy. "I have located one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, but I have not dared to venture in yet. For the defenses have heavily relied upon Lord Voldemort's ability to command and control snakes. I have never seen so many venomous creatures in one place. But I think if you and Harry work together, you will be able to obtain the Horcrux. First, Harry must know Lord Voldemort's background and you must embrace your heritage, no matter how painful it is for you to do so."

"How can I command snakes if I can't talk to them?" Sirius asked.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Gifts evolve over time. While you cannot speak Parseltongue, I have faith that you can still communicate with snakes beyond words. Think on it, Sirius. You are a very bright young man who continues to impress me."

Sirius nodded, the brooms already flying around his head. His thoughts flickered to the little snake stowed away in his pocket. Maybe Harry's little conjuring stunt wasn't such a bad thing after all. If he could best Voldemort using the same abilities, then it would surely be worth the aggravation on his part. Just like that, Sirius embraced the idea of having a pet snake.

Now, he'd need to name the damn thing.

Harry let out a long sigh, his fingers tightening around Ginny's hand. There was no reason to be as anxious as he was because Marlene invited them for tea. But it seemed different now than before, a Marlene with all of her memories intact. What if she didn't like Harry knowing how close he was with Sirius? What if she knew about the prophecy and blamed him for everything she's been through? Or what if she blamed his parents for dragging her into the war by naming her his godmother? Harry wished for months for Marlene to regain her memories and now he was anxious to talk to her.

The portrait swung open, revealing a beaming Marlene. She looked far more relaxed and comfortable than he could ever remember seeing her. She wore her hair differently as well, pulled up in some messy updo. She greeted them, standing aside to let them into her private living quarters. This was new too. Harry had always met with her in her office before.

"How are you two doing?" Marlene asked, gesturing towards the sofa. "Make yourself at home."

They exchanged greetings with Marlene as they entered the parlor area. Ginny took a seat first, pulling Harry down with her. He sat stiffly next to Ginny, eyeing Marlene as she sat across from them in a chair. There were tea and biscuits on the coffee table between them. Ginny leaned forward, pouring two cups of tea and arranging a small plate of biscuits for the both of them. Harry didn't feel like eating, but he sipped on the tea for something to do.

"You don't put anything in your tea?" Marlene inquired as she grabbed her teacup off the end table.

Harry shook his head. "No. I like it this way."

"Just like Sirius, aren't you?" Marlene inquired, obvious amusement clear in her tone.

Honestly, he drank it plain because on the rare occasion the Dursleys even gave him some, that was the only way the they allowed him to drink it. It had nothing to do with Sirius. In fact, Harry couldn't recall a specific time Sirius even drank tea. But Sirius took his coffee black so Harry assumed he took his tea plain as well.

"Lily liked just a spot of tea in her milk," Marlene supplied, her smile dropping just a tad. "I used to make fun of her, said she should just have a glass of milk. James, well, Merlin, he put a lot of sugar in his tea. He had a massive sweet tooth. I remember him as a little kid just shoveling sweets in his mouth and always bouncing off the walls. So bloody annoying, honestly. Not much changed as he grew older. I've seen him eat dessert for dinner and not have a care in the world."

"Harry could eat an entire treacle tart if you let him," Ginny said, her lips curving up as she bumped her shoulder against Harry.

Marlene laughed. "That's a Rosier trait, I'm afraid. You inherited that from Euphemia. She was always baking to satisfy her sweet tooth."

"Sirius has told me a little bit about them," Harry said, his fingers tightening around his teacup.

Sirius went in spurts. Sometimes he told Harry a lot of stories like in France. Other times, he wouldn't talk about anyone for weeks on end. The better the mood Sirius was in, the more likely he was to talk about the past. Since school started back up, Sirius had been almost as moody and grumpy as he had been in Grimmauld.

"I'm assuming he couldn't tell you anything about Anthony and Iris?" Marlene inquired.

Harry shook his head. Those names were the only thing Harry knew about his other grandparents. That wasn't even from Sirius. That was overhearing his aunt talking about them once when Dudley asked questions. Harry hadn't been invited to join. He had only been six and as soon as his uncle caught him snooping, he was sent outside to weed the garden.

"They were… nice, I suppose," Marlene started, her face pulling. "I shouldn't say that. I mean, they were nice. They loved and doted on Lily. But they also let Petunia get away with murder. I think they felt sorry for Petunia that she wasn't special," she elaborated, air-quoting the last word. "They let her say and do some truly nasty things to Lily. I don't think they knew how to handle her jealousy issues."

"Yeah, I know my aunt hates magic and anyone magical," Harry admitted, shifting in his spot on the sofa.

Marlene nodded. "I know. If I had gained my memories back sooner, I would have gone to grab you immediately. I would have stolen you from that house. Then, I would have figured out a way to prove Sirius was innocent. Or, you know, maybe we'd have just broken him out of Azkaban a lot sooner," she joked, or at least Harry thought she was joking.

Harry didn't know what to say. He had often thought about growing up with Sirius, despite trying not to. Never once had he imagined what it would have been like to grow up with Marlene. Perhaps that was because they had never really clicked before, though that wasn't Marlene's fault. She couldn't remember her name let alone her troubled godson.

"Lily often came to stay at my parents' place," Marlene continued. "When she had enough of Petunia, that is. Honestly, once Vernon started coming around, she had reached her limit pretty quick."

Honestly, Harry thought Petunia was worse than Vernon. Sure, Vernon was way more likely to knock him upside the head or, on the rare occasion, take off his belt for a beating. But there was something about Petunia's cutting words that stuck with him long after she spoke, the way she could make him feel completely inadequate and unloved seemed to linger more than when Vernon laid a hand on him.

"You knew both sets of my grandparents pretty well, didn't you?" Harry inquired, shifting the topic of conversation away from the Dursleys. "You're my dad's second cousin or something, right?"

Marlene nodded. "I knew James the longest. My family always threw a big holiday party on Boxing Day. The Potters always came. Sirius started attending his fifth year, when he ran away. Lily went to quite a few as well."

"How are you related to Harry exactly?" Ginny inquired.

Marlene squinted. "So, James' grandmother Elizabeth was my grandfather's sister. So Fleamont and my dad were cousins."

Family parties and extended relatives were all a foreign concept to Harry. He had been content the past several months with just Sirius and the Tonkses. Slowly they were building a solid relationship. Honestly, being as close as he was to Sirius, Andy, and Ted, Harry liked that better than having a long list of extended family members. He just needed a few people he could lean on when he needed them, just a few to call his family. It was more than he had ever had. He wasn't greedy. Harry was happy with his small little family that he had formed.

Marlene's hazel eyes searched Harry's face. "You remind me so much of both of them. James' untidy hair and Lily's vibrant green eyes. The way you helped Lucy Edwards after she was hexed… Merlin, that reminded me of both of them. Lily and James were the first to stick up for any of the younger kids, especially once the war started to become intense. They would just throw themselves in front of a wand. I think that's what they loved most about each other. The way neither one of them liked to see an injustice happen in front of them. They always had to intervene."

A single tear ran down Marlene's cheek. She flicked it away with the tips of her fingertips, a sad smile crossing her face.

"Sorry, I don't know what Sirius already told you, so you can just stop me at any point," Marlene insisted.

Harry nodded, his throat narrowing. "Sirius gets sad when he talks about them," he admitted. "He mostly tells stories about when I was little. A few times he talks about times before I was born, but he mostly focuses on me."

Marlene squinted at him, her lips twitching. "How about I show you all of us when we were your age? Have you been in a Pensieve before? Dumbledore gave me one when I was trying to figure out my memory issue. I have it still."

Harry straightened up, his head turning to look at Ginny. She was beaming at him, giving him a nod of encouragement. Harry snapped his attention back to his godmother.

"I'd like that," he admitted.

The trio made their way across the parlor to where the Pensieve sat on a desk. Marlene pointed her wand to her temple, pulling out a shimmering silver memory. She flicked it into the basin. Harry craned his neck forward, excitement rising in his chest as he saw his godfather standing next to his mother with a lazy arm around her shoulders and a cigarette in his other hand. Fumbling for Ginny's hand, he turned to Marlene for the go ahead before they all tumbled into the basin.

Snow covered the grounds as Sirius, Marlene, James, and Lily sat outside of an unfamiliar house. James and Marlene sat side by side on a half-wall, the two of them passing a cigarette between them. Across from them stood Sirius and Lily. Lily pressed into Sirius' side, her arms firmly around his waist.

"This is my childhood home," Marlene said in a sad voice before she cleared her throat. "Don't judge us too poorly, by the way. It was the seventies."

James leaned forward, holding out the cigarette to Sirius. He leaned forward, pulling Lily with him, as he took it between his fingers and took a long drag. He held it out to Lily but she wrinkled her nose.

"No thanks," Lily put up a hand.

Marlene rolled her eyes, leaning forward to grab the cigarette. "You'd think after your lovely Christmas dinner with the Dursleys, you'd be begging to for a spiff."

Harry sucked in a breath, feeling dense for not the first time in his life. His parents and godparents were doing drugs. Wonderful. This was just the thing he wanted to know about them.

"I don't think I've met a viler family," Lily admitted.

"Ah, well, you clearly haven't met enough Blacks then," Sirius said in a lazy tone as he reached into his pocket to withdraw his wand, pointing it at Lily's coat and muttering a Warming Charm. He didn't bother for one for himself.

"It's not a competition, Sirius," Lily replied in a light tone.

"Of course, it's not, because we both know you'd lose," Sirius said.

Harry looked between the four of them. Marlene had said see them at his age. But he knew his parents hadn't started to date until they were seventeen. At fifteen, they had been at each other's throats. But at sixteen they were… friends? Harry couldn't help but wonder what had happened to bring them all together in such a short timeframe.

"You're all sixteen?" Harry inquired.

Marlene bobbed her head from side to side. "Well, this is Christmas of our sixth year. Sirius was seventeen but the rest of us were sixteen. Sirius and Lily had become friends towards the end of our fifth year. Then Lily and James started to become friendlier in our sixth year. Beginning of seventh year is when your parents started to date. By the end of seventh year, Sirius and I were dating," she explained, her head turning to look at him. "Don't you already know this?"

Harry shrugged, not paying attention to the conversation around him. Sirius only told him his parents started dating in their seventh year, but he still wasn't exactly sure how his mother went from hating his father to loving him. Nor did he know that Sirius and Lily were friends first. Harry glanced over at his dad to see him staring longingly at Lily in Sirius' arms. Suddenly, panic rose in his chest.

"Sirius and my mum never dated, right?" Harry asked, his head snapping to look at Marlene.

Marlene wrinkled her nose, her head jutting back. "No, what gave you that idea?"

Harry opened his mouth, trying to find an explanation. It just looked like they were, Harry supposed.

"Harry can't fathom why two friends would be cuddling in the cold," Ginny supplied.

Harry shot her an exasperated look.

"Oh, no, they were just friends," Marlene supplied, a smile quirking on her lips. "After Sirius ran away from home, he was quieter and not himself for a while. It disturbed the lot of us to see Sirius quiet and withdrawn. Lily, being Lily, wanted to help him. They started bonding over shitty family members. I don't remember which one started it, but they started claiming the other was their sibling. By sixth year, Sirius and Lily were close enough that our two groups started to merge more and more. That's when Lily realized James wasn't a total conceited wanker."

Harry nodded, turning back to Sirius and Lily.

"Fine, give it to me," Lily sighed as she stepped out of Sirius' arms and snagged the joint from James' hands. "You act like I've never smoked before."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "Have you?"

Lily didn't respond as she took a long huff of smoke and then proceeded to immediately start to cough. Sirius roared louder. James wiped his hands on his trousers as he rose up from his seat.

"All right, Evans?" James asked.

Marlene leaned closer to Harry. "She always liked him; thought he was handsome. It was his attitude half the time that held her back. She thought he went overboard on the pranks and jokes. I think part of that was Snape hissing in her ear that James was worse than he was. He liked to have his fun, but he really was a good bloke."

Harry cocked his head to the side, watching as James touched Lily's elbow. "Why do they call each other by their last names? I've seen them do that in memories Sirius has shown me from when they were married."

Marlene shrugged. "I don't know. The girls called the boy by their last names and the boys called the girls by their last names. We just did for some reason."

Lily pressed the tip of the joint to James' lips. He parted them and she rested it in his mouth. James' lips curved as he reached up to adjust the joint in his mouth before inhaling.

"I'm good," Lily replied, looking up at James. "I just don't like smoking."

James turned his head and let out the smoke before looking back at Lily. "Sirius and I are pros by this point."

Harry cringed but he watched as his mother laughed.

"Oi, McKinnon, want to really start this party?" Sirius asked. "Saw your parents had the top shelf shit."

Harry frowned, his gaze snapping to his godfather. Hearing how Sirius had essentially been an alcoholic his entire life was one thing, but something about seeing him talk about grabbing alcohol so soon after his overdose made Harry's insides squirm.

Marlene rose from her seat, rounding James and Lily to stand next to Sirius. She leaned into his side, looking up at him and smiling as she gestured to their friends. James and Lily were standing close to one another, smiling and chatting.

"Oh, fuck, I forgot we got completely pissed," Marlene murmured. "Maybe this is why Sirius doesn't show you many memories from our youth. We drank and smoked a lot."

Harry suppressed a groan. Ginny wrapped her fingers around his hand, pulling him closer to her.

"I mean, we did when we were teenagers," Marlene corrected. "Once you were born, it's not like we smoked and drank around you. Sirius and I were always sober while minding you."

Somehow, that didn't comfort Harry all that much. He wondered why Marlene chose this memory to show him. Maybe she was just nervous, picking out a bad memory.

"What kind of drinks do you two want?" Marlene asked as Sirius slung a lazy arm around Marlene's shoulders.

James tore his gaze away from Lily. "Blishens, just like Sirius is having."

Sirius pointed at James. "You know it!"

James pointed back at him. "Sympatico."

Sirius grinned. "Get out of my head."

James pressed his index and middle fingers to either side of his temple. "You are also grabbing cheese and onion crisps for us."

"You know me so well," Sirius replied.

"Brothers," James said as a means of explanation.

Marlene rolled her eyes. "More like codependent fucking gits."

James laughed. "You're just jealous you're not that in sync with Evans."

"Lily and I actually allow each other to have different preferences and tastes," Marlene said in a flat tone.

"I call that being amateur best friends," Sirius announced.

Marlene arched an eyebrow. "We can't be amateur best friends because we're on the same ruddy cycle."

Sirius held up his hand to Marlene's face. "Too much information."

"Marly is right," Lily announced, her eyes rolling. "You two need a break from each other once and a while."

James whipped his attention to Lily. "Don't even suggest such a horrid thing. What is wrong with you? I'd die."

"Not if I die first," Sirius retorted.

Harry snapped his attention between his dad and godfather. He always knew they were close, could tell from the way Sirius talked about him and from the memories he has seen. But seeing them like this made Harry's chest ache because they would never be together ever again.

"The last time Sirius and I were apart for longer than a few hours was a year ago," James explained. "I'm too depressed when he's not around."

"I feel like my heart is ripped from my body when we're apart," Sirius added. "I mean, I barely survive when he's at Quidditch practice."

"Come here, you tall and gorgeous fucking man," James said, opening his arms wide open.

Sirius beamed as he stepped into James' arms, the two pulling each other close. James thumped his hands on Sirius' back as Sirius tangled his fingers in James' unruly hair.

Marlene snorted. "Merlin, sometimes I think you two are romantically involved."

"If Sirius would say yes, I'd date him right now," James joked, pulling away from Sirius and hitting his bicep.

"Only in your dreams, Prongs," Sirius replied, smiling broadly.

James and Sirius stood side by side, their arms wrapped around each other as they stood close together. James' smile fell as he looked between Lily and Marlene.

"Wait… you actually sync your periods?" James blurted out. "Your bodies DO that?"

Sirius choked on a cough, his wide eyes turning to stare down at James.

James only frowned. "What's the male equivalent to that?

Harry wanted die. He never thought he could be embarrassed by his dead parents quite like he was now. Ginny roared with laughter next to him.

Lily and Marlene glanced at one another with raised eyebrows and open mouths.

"Err, so those drinks," James said in a sheepish tone. "Are we going to go inside and get them or what?"

Lily burst out laughing.

The memory started to fade. Harry was thrown back into Marlene's private quarters. He tightened his grip around Ginny's hand, looking down at Marlene and not quite knowing what to say.

"Sorry, the last bit was what I was remembering and not so much the drinking and, and well weed," Marlene said, her face pulling. "Don't ever do that and all the right things a proper professor is supposed to say. I just wanted you to see the four of us having fun. Maybe my memory is still a little jumbled or I just… don't know how to be a responsible godmother yet. I don't know."

Marlene's memory was different than anything Sirius had ever shown him, that was for sure. However, there was something about seeing his parents and godparents at his age that made him understand them a bit better. Their close friendship, the way they joked around, the unsavory activities they found themselves apart of. They all seemed so normal, more normal than Harry had ever felt in his life. Harry wanted a life with the four of them: the joking and laughter. He even wanted his dad being embarrassing.

"No, it was… I enjoyed it," Harry replied. "My dad was…"

"Mortifying?" Marlene supplied with a grin. "Yeah, he would have embarrassed you terribly if he was still here."

"Was he always like that?" Harry inquired.

Marlene rolled her eyes, her lips twitching. "Oh, Merlin, yes, he was. I don't know how Lily found him at all appealing."

Ginny laughed. "I found him quite charming," she added her two Knuts, leaning into Harry's side. "You're sort of adorably dense like he was."

Harry screwed his eyes up. "Yeah, I hope I'm not."

"Oh, Harry, darling, I have so many stories about your dad as a kid that even Sirius doesn't know," Marlene explained, her eyes sparkling as she gestured them to sit down on the sofa. "Let me tell you about the time I convinced him that he lost the ability to speak when we were seven years old. He was being so bloody annoying. My brother even committed to the bit. It was hilarious. Unfortunately, my mum who took pity on him when she saw him near tears."

Harry took a seat next to Ginny, his hands shoving under his thighs as he leaned forward and listened to Marlene talk. He found himself relaxing as he laughed with Ginny, listening to tales about his dad as a child and when Marlene had first met his mum at eleven. Marlene didn't stop talking until it was late in the evening and she had to escort them back to the common room since it was way past curfew.

Remus glanced down at his watch on his wrist. Nymphadora and he agreed to a friends' night out. Surprisingly, it was Remus' friends that had been invited. Marlene and Mary Macdonald both said they would be in attendance. Sirius, well, Sirius was being his normal anti-social broody self. He had given him a mumbled maybe, refusing to commit. Remus thought they should just drag him out of the house because Mary, of all people, was coming out.

"Remus!" Marlene greeted, rushing towards them with her arms open. "Hello, love! Hi, how are you?"

Marlene threw her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss onto his cheek. He glanced over at Nymphadora nervously to see her smiling. Apparently, she didn't care about a kiss on the cheek. The nerves unraveled when Marlene turned to Nymphadora and gave her the same exact greeting.

"You look fabulous," Marlene commented. "You also look eerily like Andromeda, you know that?"

Nymphadora wrinkled her nose. "Merlin, please don't say that. I'll have to shift my facial features a tad more."

"Why? She's gorgeous," Marlene replied.

"She's posh," Nymphadora said in a flat tone. "I'm unique."

Marlene smiled, her nose wrinkling. "I'm afraid to break it to you, but the Black genes are too strong. You all look alike."

"Well centuries of inbreeding will do that to a family," Nymphadora said in a flippant tone, sounding far too much like Sirius.

Marlene turned to Remus, her arms crossing over her chest. "Speaking of inbred Blacks, is our favorite heir coming tonight? With, uh, with his… his not-girlfriend?"

Remus shifted his weight. "He was noncommittal, per usual. But if he did come, I don't think he'd bring… uh…"

"Tegan," Marlene supplied. "You can say her name. I'm not at all jealous or, or, or you know, it's… it's life. Sirius will always be my friend and, and… yeah. We're friends. Good friends," she fumbled, clearing her throat. "Sirius is my friend."

Remus watched Marlene carefully. A rather large smile cracked across her face, her eyes widening. Luckily, Mary appeared before Remus was forced to say anything. Marlene and Mary embraced, the two chatting like old times. Like no time had passed. Just like it had with him and Sirius. Marlene introduced Mary and Nymphadora. Remus was very well aware that he was surrounded by women. Merlin, he really wished Sirius wasn't a guilt-riddled mess of a human being.

"Where's Sirius?" Mary asked, her hands wringing. "Did he not come because of me?"

Marlene pressed her hands to Mary's shoulders, looking her square in the eye. "Nobody blames you for not noticing that Peter was a piece of shit, love. He had us all fooled."

"I lived with him," Mary replied in a miserable tone. "I… I…" she trailed off before dropping her tone and adding, "I slept with him."

"We have all slept with people we regret sleeping with," Marlene told her. "Peter had us all fooled. It's not you. Sirius is being Sirius. You know how he is."

Mary frowned. "Sirius never liked me."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "Stop! Sirius acts like he doesn't like anyone, but he's secretly a big softie with a huge heart," she explained. "He has that tough bloke exterior and says fuck off a lot, but he would die for any of us without even batting an eyelid, all right? Look, let's go bombard him and make him come out. He lives right down the road."

Remus didn't know how good of an idea that was. Merlin forbid Tegan was there with him. But Marlene looped arms with Nymphadora and Mary, leaving Remus no choice but to follow them. It had been a long time since he had been around a group of girls – not since Lily, Marlene, Dorcas, and Mary all hung out with him and his friends.

Once at Sirius' house, Remus hung back, wanting Sirius to know that this wasn't his idea. Nymphadora did the honors of knocking. It took a minute or two until the door opened. Sirius looked at each of the girls before his gaze found Remus'. He merely shrugged, his hands raising up as a means to explain he was just along for the ride. Which was true. He was just a follower in the night.

"Come out with us," Marlene insisted. "Mary thinks it's because you're upset with her."

"Marlene!" Mary shouted, her panicked face turning towards Marlene.

"What?" Marlene defended, gesturing her arms.

Sirius sighed, leaning against the doorjamb. "It's not you, Mare, I promise," he assured her, his arms crossing over his chest. "I don't drink anymore so you lot go and have some fun."

Marlene bumped hips with Mary. "Told you."

"We're not going to a pub," Nymphadora reasoned.

"Just out to dinner," Marlene assured him. "I promise, none of us will drink anything alcoholic. I'm on potions anyway, so I can't drink either."

Sirius peered at Marlene. "What kind of potions are you on?"

Marlene waved him off. "Just some memory, brain shit. It doesn't matter. Now, are you coming or what?"

Sirius didn't say anything for a few moments. Remus thought he would turn her down right to her face. But he heaved a sigh before entering his house, leaving the door wide open. A few seconds later, Sirius exited the house as he shrugged on his leather jacket.

"I want to go to a Muggle restaurant," Sirius commanded as he locked his house with his wand. "I'm not keen to be ogled at and called a murderer tonight."

Marlene snorted. "Of course, you're going to a bloody Muggle restaurant. You're mental if you thought otherwise."

The three girls led the way down the back alleyway towards the Apparition point. Sirius fell into step with Remus as they followed the girls.

"This is giving me severe flashbacks to our late teenage years," Sirius said in a soft voice. "We were always just little puppy dogs following the girls around, doing whatever they wanted."

Remus snorted, shoving his hands into his pocket. "I don't think any of us really cared what we were doing since we were all getting shagged at the end of the night."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh, his shoulders shaking.

Once at the Apparition point, Marlene turned around to face Remus and Sirius. "Meet you two at the Apparition point in Canary Wharf. You know the one I'm talking about, right? It's by the tube."

"Uh, yeah, I think so," Remus replied.

A second later, three cracks filled the air as the three girls Disapparated. Remus turned towards Sirius for a brief moment.

"You all right to go?" Remus asked. "I know you've been avoiding Marlene and all."

Sirius winced. "I'm not avoiding Marlene. I just… this is what we used to do. All eight of us. Until we didn't anymore."

That was true, until Harry was born and the Potters all went into hiding. Then Sirius and him started to drift apart. Mary and Peter refused to go out anymore. Remus had just fucked Dorcas, refusing to call her anything except for his shag buddy. Then the summer of '81 happened. The Order had dropped like flies, a spy in their midst, and everyone suspected and blamed each other. It had gone from bliss to horror in the span of just about six months – their friendship group dissolving into ashes.

"We have a do-over, Sirius," Remus insisted, his throat tight.

Sirius nodded, his face pinching. "Without James and Lily."

"There's Harry," Remus reasoned.

Sirius looked up to the sky, his arms crossing over his chest. "Harry's not James. He's not our friend. He's not our brother. He's a child, a child I'm responsible for."

Remus jutted his lower jaw to the side. "I didn't mean it like that."

Sirius tilted his chin down to look at Remus. "Then what did you mean? Because from where I stand, you still look at him like he's James."

That was unfair. Remus let out a humorless laugh, his head shaking.

"I don't," Remus insisted.

Sirius nodded, his lips pulling into a thin line. "What was it you said after the Quidditch match? It was like watching James playing again."

"So? I can't compare Harry to James at all now without me being confused on who the fuck he is?" Remus challenged. "That's fucking rich coming from you."

Sirius searched Remus' eyes, his face void of any emotion. "When's the last time you called him on the mirror to check in?"

Remus stilled at the question. He had never called Harry on the mirror nor had Harry ever called him. That didn't mean anything. Remus chatted with him whenever he saw him. He could clearly pick out Harry's odd little quirks that were purely Harry. Remus saw Harry for Harry now, something he couldn't say he did a year ago.

"How long did you teach him before you even admitted that you knew James?" Sirius inquired. "You just left that school and never contacted him again. He went through complete and utter hell during that tournament and you may have well been a ghost. You saw how angry and depressed he was last year, barely keeping it together after watching his fellow classmate be murdered by his dead dad's supposed friend and still… still, you didn't contact him or offer him any support. You come around on my insistence. You talk to him when I force you to be in the same room as him. But you know what, I'll give credit where credit is due. You offer him the bare minimum which I guess is more than his aunt and uncle ever offered him."

Remus felt the heat rise in his chest. "You are being completely unfair."

"Harry called Andy the night I overdosed!" Sirius hissed. "Not you. Andy. He feels more comfortable with Andy who steamrolled her way into his life unannounced even though he's known you a hell of a lot longer."

Remus' chest constricted. "I'm not his godfather, Sirius. I'm not his uncle. I'm no one to him."

"You're his dad's best friend," Sirius argued. "You're his godfather's best friend. You want him in your bloody maybe wedding! You're his honorary uncle. Why do you have such an issue in embracing that role? Ted has had no issue embracing it. Andy has had no issue embracing being his aunt. The only thing I can figure is you can't look at him without being drowned by James."

Remus didn't know how to respond. He only nodded his head, a huff of air escaping his lips.

"The girls are waiting for us," Remus decided to say, because changing the subject seemed like the safest thing to do.

"You know what? I don't feel hungry anymore," Sirius admitted, his head bobbing with an upside-down smile crossing his exhausted face. "I'm going to head home and, uh, I don't know, talk to my godson. Ginny has Astronomy tonight, so it's a good night to talk to him. See how him and Ron are doing, since they're probably together."

"Right, yeah, that's fine," Remus replied in a brisk tone. "You do that."

Sirius huffed before turning on the spot and walking away. Remus just stared at the back of his head as he left, wondering what the fuck had crawled up Sirius' bloody arse and died. If Remus was being honest with himself, he had no idea what exactly he had said to set Sirius off. There never seemed to be a rhyme or reason with him, the smallest things seemed to shut him down.

So much for being more compassionate like James.

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Don't forget to drop a review. They keep me motivated to keep chugging alone and posting weekly! There's a big storyline coming up, so I could use the support! Also, don't worry. A lot of you expressed concerns that Harry didn't tell anyone about Malfoy. More to come about that in the next chapter, I believe.

Special thanks to justalittleconfusing for being utterly amazing.