"Brumous"

"Chapter Thirty-Nine: Fluffernoodle"

Harry let out a long sigh, his arms propping up on the kitchen table in his godfather's house. He rested his chin on his forearm, eyes drooping. His latest dueling lesson with Robards left him exhausted. Performing nonverbal spells was more draining than he anticipated. Robards had been harsh, pushing him further than anyone pushed him before. At one point, it looked like Sirius was ready to intervene. Instead, he held back and shot a hard glare in Robards' direction that caused him to pull back. But only a tad.

A plate clanked against the wood table. Harry snapped his eyes open to see a simple ham and mustard sandwich and crisps in front of him. Sirius wasn't much of a cook. He put together simple meals or took him out to eat. Harry wondered if he even knew how to turn on a stove remembering how Mrs Weasley banned him from helping in her kitchen.

Honestly, Sirius' sandwiches were better and heartier than anything he was allowed to eat at the Dursleys; too many years spent surviving on bland scraps of food or cold canned soup. Harry shuddered thinking about it as he straightened up in his seat so he could eat.

"You all right, kid?" Sirius asked before popping a crisp in his mouth.

Harry nodded, picking up the sandwich with both hands. "Just tired."

Between dueling lessons with Robards, dueling club twice a week, Quidditch, classes, and watching Malfoy and Nott on the Marauder's Map, he felt exhausted. He had been running on empty since the beginning of November, slowly slipping under the pile of responsibilities that pushed heavily upon him.

Sirius peered at him. "I can tell Gawain to lay off a bit. He's been harsh lately."

Harry pressed his fingers against the bread, squishing it between his fingertips. "It doesn't bother me."

"I don't think anyone would respond well to someone shouting at them," Sirius leveled. "He's always been gruff, but I think the stress of the war is weighing on him."

Harry shrugged. "I've been yelled at for a lot less."

Sirius sucked in a breath as his body stilled. Harry took a bite of his sandwich, hoping that Sirius wasn't going to ask more questions. They already had talked enough about the Dursleys to last a lifetime. Harry was too tired to say anything about the topic.

Harry swallowed his food before clearing his throat. "Did you officially name your snake yet?"

Sirius dropped his head back against the chair. "Why must you insist that I name him?"

Harry's lips curved, more than happy just to relax and chat for a bit before he had to go back to Hogwarts. At least Sirius stopped calling the snake it. That was a big improvement in Harry's book.

"Everyone deserves a name and to be called by their name," Harry reasoned.

He always hated when he wasn't called by his name. He particularly hated being called boy. It felt dehumanizing, like he wasn't good enough to be called by an actual name.

"You can name him," Sirius conceded, his hands throwing up in the air.

Harry took another bite of his sandwich and thought. What would be a good name for a snake? He craned his neck, trying to see the snake but he stayed to be well-hidden. He hissed out for the snake, ignoring Sirius' dramatic sigh. Much to Harry's amusement, the snake slithered out of pocket of Sirius' leather jacket.

"Merlin fucking hell," Sirius muttered, shrugging off the jacket and laying it on the seat next to him. "Stop that!"

Harry sat his sandwich down and leaned forward. "What is your name?"

Sirius rose from the table, crossing the kitchen to grab a fizzy drink. He twisted the lid off and took a long swig, leaning against the counter.

"No name," the snake hissed, slithering up onto the table.

"What name would you like?" Harry inquired.

"Whatever pleases the nice smelling one," the snake replied.

Harry grinned. "His name is Sirius. It takes him a while to open up. He'll get there. Don't worry."

The snake turned to look at Sirius. Harry glanced up at his godfather to see him staring at the pair of them. Pursing his lips to the side, Harry tried to think of a name for the little thing.

"How about Slinky?" Harry hissed.

The snake turned back to him, his little head shaking in the negative.

"Fettucine? Macaroni?" Harry asked, only to receive a no. "Uh… how about something like Stewart? Do you like human names?"

"I do not feel like a Stewart."

Harry was out of ideas. Honestly, when he named Hedwig, the name had stood out to him the moment he read it. But with this little snake, he had no idea what to name it. Shifting, he reached to pull his mirror out of his pocket to contact the expert.

"Ginny Weasley," Harry said in the mirror.

"What are you doing now?" Sirius asked, still refusing to move any closer to the table.

"I told you, Ginny likes naming animals," Harry explained. "Plus, he didn't like any of my suggestions."

Harry's reflection rippled in the mirror. Ginny looked back at him; her bottom lip secure between her teeth. Harry grinned at her and her face immediately relaxed.

"Hey, do you want to name Sirius' pet snake for him?" Harry asked.

"He's not my pet!" Sirius shouted.

Harry ignored him. "He didn't like any of my names. The snake that is. Sirius is distancing himself from the entire process."

Ginny laughed. "Can I see him?"

Harry flipped the mirror, leaning to the side so he could see Ginny's expression.

"Aww, he looks like a little fluffernoodle!" Ginny cooed. "Look at his big eyes! Harry, his eyes are gorgeous!"

The snake turned to Harry, as though wanting him to translate. Harry did, telling him he looked like a fluffernoodle with big and gorgeous eyes. The snake appeared to smile.

"Fluffernoodle?" the snake hissed, blinking. "Fluffernoodle. Fluffernoodle. I like that name."

"Err, I don't think it was meant to be a name," Harry replied.

"I am Fluffernoodle."

Harry glanced up at Sirius, a wince crossing his face.

"What?" Sirius snapped. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Uh, he likes the name Fluffernoodle and wants you to call him Fluffernoodle," Harry replied.

Sirius rolled his head slowly. "I am not calling that damn snake Fluffydoodle!"

"Fluffernoodle!" Ginny corrected. "Merlin, Sirius, if that's what he wants, then you have to call him that! How would you like it if someone called you Albert or something?"

Sirius laughed. "Well, I'd jump for joy because it doesn't sound like a traditional Black name."

Harry laughed along with Sirius. Ginny only sighed. Little Fluffernoodle slithered closer to the mirror, peering at Ginny curiously.

"You're impossible, Sirius," Ginny replied, though her tone was light and joking. "I'm only going to call you Albert from now on."

"Do that and I'll call you Beatrice," Sirius challenged.

Harry suppressed a groan as he flipped the mirror to face it. Ginny's eyes sparkled.

"I'll see you tonight at dinner," Harry told her. "Save me a seat?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course. I'll make sure it's next to Ron too."

Harry beamed. "You know me so well. Bye."

Ginny bid him goodbye and then the mirrors disconnected. Harry shoved the mirror into his pocket before turning back to his lunch. He picked up a crisp and plopped it into his mouth.

"Merlin, it's not often I think you look like your dad, but you certainly do right now," Sirius commented.

Harry looked up at his godfather, his face scrunching up. "What do you mean?"

"He had that same lovesick look on his face whenever he saw your mum," Sirius elaborated as he grabbed another fizzy drink.

Harry scoffed, grabbing another crisp. "I don't look lovesick."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "Oh, Merlin, you do," he insisted, crossing the kitchen to take a seat at the table across from Harry again, sliding the unopened drink across the table to Harry. "I like her, by the way. I don't know if I ever told you that or not. I think she's a nice fit for you."

Harry dropped his crisp back onto his plate and peered at Sirius. He always knew Sirius had liked Ginny. But 'a nice fit' rang pleasantly in his mind. "Yeah?"

Sirius nodded. "What's not to like? Nice, funny, intelligent. She's a pretty girl. She puts up with your shit, which is a lot for a girl."

Harry's head jerked back. "My shit?"

Sirius gestured his left hand. "The whole Chosen One crap. Most girls would go running for the hills having to deal with possession attempts and fighting in a war. But Ginny doesn't even flinch. She's right there beside you," he elaborated, leaning back in his chair. "If you find a girl who can put up with all your shit you shouldn't let them go. Because if you do, you'll think about what you could have had constantly."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Are you talking from experience?"

Sirius chuckled. "No, I mean, probably not," he sighed. "Marlene put up with my shit. All of the baggage and the grumpiness and commitment issues. But it's not like I willingly let her go. It just all fell apart, you know?"

Harry didn't really know. "But you're not-dating Mrs Robins now."

Sirius dropped his head back against the chair, his eyes focused on the ceiling. "That I am."

"Err, do you not want to date Mrs Robins?" Harry questioned.

"Can you stop calling her Mrs Robins?" Sirius asked. "It makes me feel old and like we're having an affair."

Harry wasn't going to call her by her first name because that seemed awkward. He had always called her Mrs Robins from the moment he met her.

"Well, do you want to not-not-date her?" Harry asked.

Sirius stayed quiet for a few. "I don't know. Things with Tegan are simple," he explained and looked down at Harry. "Things with Marlene are complicated."

Harry felt very out of his depth but he was diving in anyway. "I mean, I like how easy things are with Ginny. Even before I was with Cho for that short time, it all felt unnecessarily hard. Like I didn't know if I was supposed to hold her hand or kiss her. I think she expected me to know what to always do and I didn't. But Ginny, she's just, things with her are easy. I never worry about if I'm supposed to kiss her or hold her hand. If she wants me to, she just does it. She doesn't send me some weird hints that I don't understand."

"It's easier dating when you're friends first," Sirius pointed out.

Merlin, that was the truth. He already knew Ginny's sense of humor, her personality, her likes and dislikes. There was no awkward conversation about each other's traumas either. They had both already known or lived through most of it together.

"I wish I would have noticed her sooner," Harry admitted. "I feel happier around her, like I can forget everything that's going on with the war and it's just the two of us."

"It's natural to wish you had more time with someone," Sirius agreed. "Your parents felt that way. They didn't want to waste time dating when they could start the next step of their relationship because our world was steadily falling apart from war. It's why they married so soon after Hogwarts. Life is so short and you have to enjoy it while you can."

Harry nodded, his fingers pulling at the label on his fizzy drink. "I don't mind if you want to actually date someone. You don't need to not-date for my benefit."

"Trust me, it's not because of you that I'm holding back," Sirius confirmed. "It's just… I'm a fuck up, Harry. I know you see that. I'm a shit godfather and a shit person and I feel like I barely keep my head above water."

Harry stared at Sirius, a frown etching on his face. "You're not a shit godfather or a shit person."

Sirius sucked in a breath, not breaking eye contact. "I just wish I could give you more."

"I have everything I want," Harry admitted, and that was true.

He finally had a home with someone who loved him unconditionally. He had family that didn't loathe his very existence. He had the best friend he could ever ask for. He had a girlfriend that made him feel truly happy and feel like everything could work out in the end. Harry couldn't recall a time he'd been happier in his life.

"You could have so much more," Sirius reasoned.

"With who?" Harry asked in a soft voice. "I like you. I like living with you. I feel safe with you. You're the first adult who has ever taken an interest in my life, who actually cared about me."

"There are a lot of people who care about you, Harry," Sirius leveled.

Harry scoffed. "Who? Remus? He never contacts me and he only talks to me when you're around. Ted and Andy? They do now, but they didn't before you took custody of me. I never met them until you came along. People only care about me because you care about me."

Sirius searched Harry's face. "That's not true."

Harry shrugged, because did it really matter in the end? Harry was more concerned with why Sirius was saying these things about himself. "Are you taking your antidepressant potion?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Talking to Andy, have you?"

"Are you?" Harry pressed.

"Yes, I take my potion," Sirius said with a sigh. "Every morning at eight. I haven't missed a dose."

"Is it working?" Harry pressed. "Because it doesn't sound like it is. You still sound… I don't know. Sad, I guess? Ted said it should take about a week to kick in."

Sirius looked up at the ceiling. "My Mind Healer said to give it a couple of weeks and if I don't notice a big difference, she'd give me one a bit stronger."

Harry didn't like the fact that Sirius had to wait a few weeks to start to feel better. He didn't understand how any of this worked, but he wished it would be more instant. All he wanted was for Sirius to be happy.

"You stopped drinking, right?" Harry asked.

Sirius snapped his attention back to Harry. "No, I haven't drank. I'll be all right, kid, I promise. It just takes time. There's no overnight fix."

Harry's bottom lip slid between his teeth as he nodded his head. Sirius reached across the table, his palm up. Harry grasped his hand without hesitation.

"I love you, kid," Sirius whispered, giving his hand a squeeze. "I just want what's best for you. I worry I can't give you what you need."

"You give me more than what I need," Harry assured him. "I am really happy. I promise."

Sirius only nodded in response, giving Harry's hand one final squeeze before he eased back in his chair. Fluffernoodle slithered closer to Sirius, slowly and with some hesitation. Sirius stared at the snake for a moment before he reached out his hand and scratched him on the top of his head with his finger. That was all Fluffernoodle needed before he coiled up Sirius' arm.

The corners of Harry's lips twitched. "We could call him Lord Fluffernoodle if you want."

Sirius shot Harry an odd look, his eyes clouding over as though he were lost in a memory. Harry frowned as he watched Sirius closely. Several moments later, Sirius shook his head, snapping back to himself.

"You're a little shit, you know that?" Sirius said in a strained voice, though he wasn't looking at Harry.

"Are you all right?" Harry questioned in a concerned tone.

Sirius nodded, finally snapping his attention to Harry. "Yeah, yeah, I just… I remembered something."

Harry's eyes searched Sirius' face. "What?"

Sirius swallowed visibly. "Just a joke your dad made once. It's… I'm not even sure if it was real."

Harry wanted to press the matter, but Sirius looked shaken up by the memory. His hands shook as he shoved them in his lap and stared at his food. Harry wondered if he took the joke too far, not meaning anything by it. His heart sank to his stomach as he finished up his lunch.

Sirius tilted his head to the right, feeling it pop before he rolled it to the other side, annoyed that he didn't get the same relief. With a deep sigh, he decided it was time. He had thought about it for days, ever since Harry jokingly called the damned thing Lord Fluffernoodle. The drunken hazy memory of James jokingly calling him Lord Padfoot made him itch to try. Because he had not been sleeping when James appeared to him on Halloween. He honestly forgot about his conversation with James, but ever since his talk with Harry bits and pieces crept back swirling with Dumbledore's talk.

Sirius had to have been awake. If he had been hallucinating, it was one hell of a hallucination. Being able to communicate with the dead was ridiculous, impossible, just plain stupid. But he had to know.

Sirius pulled the snake out of his pocket as he sat down on the ground. He placed the snake onto the coffee table and bent down until they were at eye level. The words Dumbledore told him nearly a week ago swished around in his head. Snakes could slip through the cracks of the world, communicating with the dead. Maybe Sirius could as well. He just had to slip through the cracks, right? Easy.

"All right, Snakerdoodle, listen to me, you think I smell nice," Sirius started, his hands folding in his lap. "And I think that means I have some sort of gift. Now, I can't speak Parseltongue, but we have a connection, right? It's my blood you're so drawn to. The Gaunt blood. Dumbledore said something about snakes being able to slip between worlds through the cracks in the ground. And I… I have these dreams about my dead loved ones. I used to think they were just dreams, or nightmares, or whatever, but… but maybe they were something else. How do I do it, Fluffnugget? Tell me how I do it."

The damn snake just stared at him. Sirius was a bloody fool. What was he thinking talking to some ruddy snake like it could comprehend his words. Sirius screwed his eyes shut, his body folding in half. His forehead connected onto the table with a dull thump. It took everything he had in him to resist banging his head against the coffee table.

Something touched Sirius' head. Sirius waited to breathe as the snake wrapped around his head, tangling in his dark hair, as though he were a crown upon his head. Suddenly, Sirius felt like he was falling, his body leaning dangerously to the side. He toppled over, his eyes snapping open to see a blue sky above him with white fluffy clouds. It was so fucking bright.

Sirius sat up, feeling grass rustle beneath his hands as his breathing picked up. His eyes darted around his surroundings, his head turning slowly. Then Sirius saw him. He was just lounging in the grass, looking bored, that damn Snitch flying around his head like it always did. James grinned at him, his hand reaching up to lazily catch the Snitch without even looking before he made his way over towards Sirius.

"Hey, Pads," James greeted him, plopping down next to him.

Sirius couldn't speak, the words lodged in his throat. James laid back onto the grass, the Snitch leaving his hand once more to fly around the two friends. Sirius stared down at James, wondering how the hell he found himself in these predicaments. James looked up at him, his arms folding behind his head and his legs crossing at the ankle.

"How are you feeling?" James asked as though he weren't dead and Sirius surely wasn't in some sort of snake-induced hallucination. "I'm sorry I haven't been around. I was angry at you on Halloween, because you weren't listening to me. I've been with Harry a lot lately. Dad's been following you around."

Sirius pressed his fingers against his mouth.

"Never in a million years did I think you'd have a pet, let alone a pet snake," James continued to babble. "Fluffernoodle? Merlin, that gave me a laugh. Sirius and Lord Fluffernoodle Black, at your service."

Sirius dropped his hand into his lap. "I don't understand. Can you explain this to me?"

James' brows furrowed underneath his glasses. "Explain what?"

Sirius gestured wildly between them. "This! Is this some sort of psychotic break I'm having or is this actually happening? Because I swear to fucking Merlin, James, I feel like I'm losing it."

James shot up, scooting closer. Sirius leaned back, not wanting to be accidently touched.

"You have Gaunt blood, Sirius," James reasoned, like it was a normal thing to have. "I don't even think Voldemort truly understands how to utilize snakes to their fullest potential."

Sirius frowned. "I don't understand. This is… this is real?"

James reached out a hand, pressing his palm against Sirius' chest. He could feel the pressure. A sob crawled up Sirius' throat.

"You came to me," James reasoned. "Does this feel real to you?"

Sirius screwed his eyes shut, trying to regulate his breathing. James' hand dropped from Sirius' chest.

"The world is so much bigger than anyone understands," James whispered. "There's so much that's undiscovered and unexplored."

Sirius opened his eyes. "Tell me. I'm willing to listen. I know about the Horcruxes and I know my family hid them all. I've accepted the prophecy is real. I've been training Harry and learning all about Voldemort from Dumbledore. What else do I need to know?"

James offered Sirius a sad smile. "You need to figure out the scar."

Sirius blinked. "The connection, yeah, I know. I don't understand it at all. Ted says we can't trust anyone not to experiment on him. I don't know how to figure it out myself. Books tell me nothing, I've tried. And there's no one I trust enough to look at him."

"It's the darkest of magic, Sirius," James whispered.

Sirius held his breath for a few seconds. "I figured that. He's possessing him. Harry's done an amazing job learning Occlumency but what if it's not enough? He can push him out when he's in another town, but can he still do it if he was closer? I think proximity plays a role in it. The possession at Grimmauld was far worse than any of the other ones because he was right outside the house."

"Sirius…" James trailed off.

"What?" Sirius pressed. "What aren't you telling me?"

James looked away, tears brimming his eyes. An uncomfortable fullness filled Sirius' chest as he stared at James.

"Voldemort's soul was so unstable," James said, his head snapping to look at Sirius. "He's picked away at it, shredding it to bits. That night, at Godric's Hollow, the blast of the rebounded Killing Curse was enough to break the Fidelius. It was that powerful."

Sirius' face pinched. "I don't understand what you're telling me."

"I don't know for sure," James reasoned. "But I have my suspicions that, well, ever since I learned about the Horcruxes, I couldn't help but think another one was created that night."

"Another one? James, what the fu–"

Sirius felt the blood drain from his face. The Killing Curse rebounded. It hit Voldemort. He didn't die because of the Horcruxes. His soul was unstable. Sirius' breathing picked up.

"No," Sirius said, his head shaking. "You think that Harry's scar is a, a…" he trailed off, swallowing at the lump that had appeared in his throat. "No. Harry's not a Horcrux, because, I can't, I can't do anything about that. I can't save him then. I can't… no, I refuse to believe it. There's another explanation!"

"Dad followed Dumbledore for a bit," James admitted. "It's what Dumbledore thinks too. It explains the connection, Sirius."

Sirius scrambled to his feet, his hand clutching the strands of his hair. James followed him, hovering close by.

Sirius pointed at James. "You're not real. This is a nightmare and, and it's my worst fears manifesting."

James' eyes flashed. "Would you cut the bullshit, Sirius? You know as well as I know that this is real! We're here right now," he argued, his hands flinging forward and pushing Sirius back. "Does that feel real? Is that real enough for you?"

"Fuck off!" Sirius hissed, his jaw clenching.

"You're a Gaunt! Start utilizing your family magic! Start believing it!" James shouted. "I know you run when things are too emotionally hard. I've seen you do it our entire friendship. You push people away. People who love you. All because you're afraid they'll turn out like your family. Or you'll hurt them. Or because of whatever messed up other thoughts you have in your damn head. You even tried pushing me away before when we were fifteen! But you can't run anymore, Sirius! You need to face this head on if you want to have any shot of letting Harry survive this! We chose you as godfather, because we believe that you will go to the ends of the earth to protect your godson. You're the only one I trust enough to protect him."

Sirius' breaths came out in harsh huffs. "You know I'd do anything for Harry."

"Then listen to me when I tell you that Harry has a Horcrux inside of him and you need to figure out how to get rid of it without killing him," James explained, his hands reaching out to press against Sirius' shoulders.

Sirius licked his bottom lip. "Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

A stray tear slid down James' cheek. "I don't know, Sirius. I haven't the foggiest idea of how to help him."

Sirius nodded, his fingers sliding into the front pockets of his jeans. He stared at James, wondering what was real and what was all in his head. Maybe he wasn't talking to James. Maybe he was talking to his own manifestation of James in his head. Either way, Sirius knew that Harry's scar concealing a Horcrux made sense. It had to have been playing in the back of his mind for ages before now barreling to the forefront.

"Nobody can know," James whispered. "They'll try to kill him if they know."

Sirius nodded, his entire body numb.

"Not even Remus," James added. "I would hope he wouldn't take to the information negatively, but Voldemort can't die if the Horcrux within Harry lives. Knowing that… I mean, I could see how someone would think sacrificing Harry would be a good thing. After Peter… Merlin, Sirius, I don't know. I feel like you're the only one I trust. I need you to keep Harry close. I need you to protect him. I need you to make sure he survives. You're the only one I know who would never sacrifice his life for anyone or anything."

"He'll be okay," Sirius croaked, because he needed to believe that. "I'll figure out a way."

"You can't tell him," James insisted. "You know him. His life in exchange for knowing his loved ones will be safe? He'd kill himself in a heartbeat. The Potters have always been self-sacrificing. It's in our blood. Gift or curse, I can't decide which."

"James… if this is real… I mean, me talking to you, is real, then… I need you to stay away," Sirius said, his voice strained. "I can't focus on Harry if you crop up in my dreams and haunt me. I need to get better and you, you make everything worse."

James' face fell as he took a stumbling step back.

"Just… unless it's dire, like we're on the complete wrong track or something, just stay away, please," Sirius pressed. "I miss you so much my heart aches. I can't help but feel guilty and think of every one of my mistakes every time I think about you. I'm trying so hard just to focus on Harry and help him."

James' chest heaved. "I don't blame you for anything. Never you," he gasped out, sniffing. "I love you, brother."

Sirius jolted, gasping for breath as he shot up from the ground. He was in his house, on the floor in his parlor. Fluffernoodle laid curled on the coffee table, his head shooting up to look at Sirius. Looking down at his hands in his lap, he watched his limbs trembling uncontrollably.

What the fuck was he supposed to do now?

Sirius stood up on shaky legs, his eyes scanning the parlor. His mind tried to process what he had witnessed but he couldn't. He stared down at his snake who peered back at him. Without another thought, he stormed out of the parlor and made his way to the front door. He grabbed his leather jacket on the way out, shrugging it over his shoulders as he exited through the door. He almost forgot to lock the house as he stumbled on the stoop.

Harry had a Horcrux in him. It made so much sense. The visions, the possessions, the ability to speak Parseltongue. The pieces to the puzzle fitting together too perfectly for Sirius' liking. In their research over the past couple of months since he and Remus started learning about Voldemort's Horcruxes, he never came across a way to get rid of one without completely destroying the object beyond repair. They couldn't destroy Harry. He couldn't allow Harry to be destroyed.

Sirius turned down a lane, his legs moving fast as he walked instinctively towards the back of Hogsmeade. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he saw the Hog's Head in the distance. His throat narrowed as he stopped in front of the pub. He stared up at the building, wanting nothing more than to drink himself unconscious.

Sirius's eyes slid closed. He could practically hear the alcohol calling his name. He just needed to numb his mind, to stop thinking. Because the thought of losing Harry seemed way more real now. He wanted to die thinking about it. He couldn't live in a world where there were no Potters.

Opening his eyes, Sirius stared at the pub once more. He was the only one who could figure out a way to protect Harry. Honestly, Sirius would go as far as to take Harry away from the war and let England burn if it meant Harry had a chance to live. But there had to be another way. He just had to figure out what that solution was. Being drunk all the time wasn't going to help him solve anything.

Turning, Sirius made his way to the Apparition point. He couldn't go home and dwell on the new information. A distraction was in order. Maybe Andromeda or Molly would go to lunch with him, put his mind at ease and help him clear it that way. Then, he'd get to work.

Sirius saw him immediately. He walked down the streets of Hogsmeade and looked completely out of place. Lucius Malfoy strolled straight towards him, their eyes locking. Sirius didn't have the mental capacity to deal with that cockwombling fucker at the moment.

"Sirius," Malfoy greeted, stepping in front of Sirius' path. "I heard you were living here."

Sirius sneered down at Malfoy. "Get the fuck out of my way."

"Pleasant as always, I see," Malfoy said with a chuckle.

"Pleasantries aren't really my concern when it comes to you," Sirius said in a cold voice. "Now, get the fuck out of my way before I force you."

Malfoy took a step closer, his cold blue eyes searching Sirius' face. "You need to learn your place, Sirius."

Sirius' lips pulled back, his teeth bearing and a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "My place. Merlin, you're such a fucking git, you know that right? Kiss my arse, Malfoy."

Malfoy's hand jutted out, grabbing Sirius by the back of the head and tugging him down closer. Sirius pushed his arms forward, trying to get away from the man's grasp but Malfoy's fingers gripped his hair tight.

"You will obey me eventually, Sirius," Malfoy sneered. "Your place is being our little lapdog."

Sirius gave Malfoy one hard push, shoving the older wizard away from him. Stumbling back, Sirius put as much space between him and Malfoy as he could. His eyes flew around the village. The few wizards out shopping stopped to watch the scene in front of them. Aberforth even stood in front of his pub. Harsh huffs escaped Sirius' lips, his jaw so tight it ached.

"Stay the fuck away from me," Sirius hissed, his finger pointing at Malfoy.

Sirius took a step back. While he wanted nothing more than to whip out his wand and wipe the fucking smirk off Malfoy's face, he also knew he couldn't with so many witnesses around. He couldn't afford to be arrested. Turning, Sirius stormed away from Malfoy to put as much distance between them as he possibly could.

Remus wiped his hands on his trousers as he walked up to the Tonks' cottage in Exeter. Nymphadora was pulling overtime on a stakeout with her partner Axel Lowe so she wouldn't be home until late. That allowed Remus the perfect opportunity to talk with the Tonkses without her knowledge. Except, he was nervous. Far more nervous than most people probably were when they asked their partner's parents if they could marry their child.

Remus knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. He didn't even know if they were home. Ted worked night shifts sometimes. Remus felt rather stupid not to announce he'd be coming over. He was sure they loved an unannounced guest. Remus could kick himself.

The door opened to reveal Ted. His face softened instantly upon seeing who was at the door. Ted greeted him warmly, with a clap on the shoulder and everything before he gestured for Remus to enter the house. Ted closed the door as Remus lingered awkwardly in the entryway.

"Everything all right, Remus?" Ted asked.

Remus nodded. "No, no, everything is fine. I was, err, I was hoping I could talk to you and Andromeda about something."

Ted blinked, his face splitting into one of his trademark large grins. "Of course, Remus, anytime. Can I take your coat?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, thanks, Ted," Remus said as he shrugged off his Macintosh coat and handed it to Ted.

Remus pressed his hands together in front of him, watching as Ted hung his coat onto the rack by the front door. Ted was all smiles and upbeat, calling for Andromeda as the two of them entered the parlor. Remus took a seat in the armchair by the fireplace, his back stiff as Ted eased into the sofa across from him. A few moments later, Andromeda entered the parlor while cleaning her hands on her apron.

"Remus, love, are you all right?" Andromeda asked, taking a seat next to Ted. "Are Nymphadora, Sirius, and Harry all right?"

"Everyone is fine," Remus assured her.

Andromeda turned to look at Ted for a brief moment before turning back to Remus. She smiled tightly at him, her eyebrow arching high on her forehead

Remus rubbed his chin with his fingers. "I'm sorry to come unannounced. I didn't think about it."

Ted let out a chuckle. "Our home is your home, Remus. You're welcome anytime."

Remus just needed to rip off the plaster. "You know Dora and I have been dating for…" he trailed off, doing the math in his head and immediately winced. "Well, that doesn't matter. We've been unofficially dating for, for far longer than we were officially dating. Now, that I think about the timeline, it all seems rather ridiculously soon to be sitting here with you and, and… uh, I should, I should probably go."

Andromeda started laughing. "Remus, what on earth?"

Remus held both of his hands on. "You know James, right?"

Andromeda nodded.

"Yes, we did know James," Ted confirmed.

"Well, you see, James was this hopeless romantic," Remus started. "He always had these really cheesy sayings about love and soulmates that he would go on about it for hours. He started dating Lily at the beginning of our seventh year and less than a year later they were engaged and a year later they were married. Obviously, you know they wasted no time getting pregnant," he rambled and he wanted to stop but found he couldn't. "James always said why waste time when you know you love someone and you can have a life with them?"

Ted smiled. "Andy and I dated in secret our entire seventh year. I proposed a couple of months after we moved in together. We eloped a couple of months after that. When you know, you know. I agree, why waste time when you can start your life with them?"

Remus nodded, his hands wringing in his lap. "I want a life with Dora. She's the most amazing person I have ever met. I understand that I'm, well, I'm a poor match for her."

"Remus, stop," Andromeda interrupted, her hand raising up. "Nymphadora deserves someone who will love her unconditionally, who will stand by her side through the good and the bad times. Someone who will treat her like their equal. Do you think you can do those things?"

Remus swallowed, his head nodding. "Yeah, I can do those things. I already do those things."

"Okay, so are you are a good match for Nymphadora then?" Andromeda pressed.

Remus cleared his throat. "If, uh, if that's the criteria you want to go by, then I think so."

Ted leaned forward, his elbows propping on his knees and his hands clasping together. "Andy and I don't care that you are a werewolf, Remus. You are a very kind and intelligent wizard. You take the necessary precautions every month to contain your disease. That's all it is. It's a disease. A terrible and dreadful disease, but a disease nonetheless. It shouldn't stop you from living your life or accepting love into your life. I'm sorry to say that unfortunately the powers that control the Ministry of Magic do not feel the same way. It's my hope that one day they will so that you can have everything you want."

Remus blinked, his head nodding some more as though on reflex. "I'm thirteen years older than her."

"She's an adult," Andromeda reasoned. "If she likes the maturity of an older man, then that's what she likes."

"I'm Sirius' best mate," Remus added for good measure.

Andromeda chuckled. "Well, that makes having family gatherings a little easier considering most people are still afraid of Sirius. You've seen the papers and the atrocious libel written about him. And Nymphadora adores Sirius."

Remus collapsed back in his chair, laughter bubbling up his chest. "You're actually fine with this? You're fine that, that I want to marry your daughter even though I turn into a monster once a month and I can't hold down a job because of it? You're all right that if Dora and I want kids, there's a chance they could be monsters too?"

Ted sucked in a sharp breath. "I mean, this isn't my specialty at all, but I would think it would not be passed down unless you bite the child. I think you would know very early on in the pregnancy if the fetus is transforming or not, because I don't think you'd be able to carry a baby to term if it's transforming like that in the womb."

"Would a fetus transform?" Remus asked.

Ted bobbed his head from side to side. "I mean, I'm not sure how far along a fetus would need to be in order to transform. To be frank with you, Remus, I called your condition a disease, but we're not exactly dealing with a disease, are we? It's more of a curse, passed down through specific bite wounds. I would think if the curse could be passed down through your sperm, even a small seedling would have some sort of shift that could be picked up on scans. If that's the case, I would say you would definitely have to abort the pregnancy. The more the baby develops, the higher the risk of death could be for the mother and the child. I don't see how either would make it to term."

Remus felt his heart rate spike. "I don't want to hurt Dora."

Ted furrowed his brow, little lines creasing in his forehead. "If I thought that lycanthropy could be passed from father to child, I would ask you to not have a child with Dora for her safety and because you would never be able to forgive yourself if something happened to her. But there's no research. There are no documented medical cases. My gut says it cannot be passed down."

Remus swallowed. "What if you're wrong?"

"I think if lycanthropy could be passed down, you would read about horrific deaths of pregnant women who died from womb transformations in the papers," Ted reasoned. "And I, in no way, shape, or form am talking about you, all right, Remus? But there are packs of wolves that exist who I have no doubt raped and impregnated women. There's a reason there is a stigma surrounding lycanthropy. There's a minority of wolves who are ruthless and made it impossible for good wizards like yourself to live a normal life."

Remus had seen those packs. How utterly savage they were. Fenrir Greyback's pack was the worst. He had seen them torture and kill for sport both in and out of wolf form. He hated every last one of them.

"I think, when the time comes, if the two of you decide to start a family, it would be best just to receive a scan when the moon rises for the first couple of months," Ted continued. "Not because I'm worried, but because I think it would put your mind at ease."

"I hate that I need to think about these things," Remus admitted, feeling tears well in his eyes.

"It speaks volumes that you do worry about these things," Andromeda said, a soft smile on her face. "You know Ted and I will always be here to talk and to do whatever we can to help the both of you. I agree with Ted. I don't think there's anything to worry about with your lycanthropy being passed down."

"I think I speak for Andy and myself when I say you have our blessing, Remus," Ted said with a smile.

"Just so you know, Nymphadora asked me the other week about the Animagus Potion and if I would help her brew it," Andromeda added. "So, she's in this for the long haul. I'm sure she'll talk to Sirius about it too, if she hasn't already."

Light burst in Remus' chest. "I told Sirius. I may have shown him the ring."

Andromeda's eyes brightened. "Can we see?"

Remus pulled his lips back as he reached into his pocket. "I'm going to get it fixed. It's my mum's engagement ring but I wanted to get little pink stones on either side of the diamond," Remus explained as he passed the velvet box to Andromeda. "Now that Sirius is paying me to tutor Harry, far more than I'm worth, I should be able to get it fixed soon."

"Oh, Remus, this is all so lovely," Andromeda commented, leaning in close to Ted to show him the ring.

"Pink stones are very Dora," Ted added with a laugh.

The knots unraveled in the very pit of Remus' stomach. While he hated to admit it, Sirius was right. He did find himself feeling a surge of confidence that he was a good enough man for Nymphadora after talking with Ted and Andromeda.

Ginny found Harry sitting alone in one of the study rooms in the back of the library. He sat hunched over the table, intently watching the Marauder's Map. He didn't look up to greet her as she closed the door behind her and sat across from him. The map was folded to where the Room of Requirement should be.

Ever since Harry saw the Dark Mark on Malfoy's arm, he was obsessive about checking the Marauder's Map. He tried to figure out how much time Malfoy and Nott spent in the Room of Requirement He looked to see if there was a common time of day they went. He even had a log of dates, times, and duration of stay. If he wasn't watching the two Slytherins on the map, he was trying to figure out how the room actually worked.

"Watching Malfoy and Nott again?" Ginny asked as she took the seat across from him.

Harry didn't look up at her. "They went into the room at a quarter till six."

Ginny glanced down at the watch on her wrist. "It's nearly eight."

"I need to know what they're doing," Harry commented, his fingers rubbing against his chin.

"What did Sirius say about it?" Ginny inquired.

Harry's face pinched. "I didn't tell him exactly."

Ginny leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. Honestly, she wished she could say she was surprised but she really wasn't.

"Isn't this the type of shit you get annoyed with Sirius for?" Ginny reasoned.

Harry finally took his gaze off the map, a deep frown etching across his face. "He probably already knows. He told me in France that Voldemort starts marking at sixteen and was adamant I stay away from the Slytherins in my year and above for that reason. He's always going on about keeping my head down and my nose clean."

Ginny's lips twitched. "So, you're afraid Sirius will tell you to stop playing junior Auror and leave the investigating to the Order?"

Harry shot her an annoyed look. "Dumbledore hasn't done anything about Slytherins attacking students, Hagrid follows Dumbledore's orders, Snape is probably not even on our side, Marlene is still recovering and dealing with a lot, and McGonagall is the only competent professor here that's in the Order."

"And all the Aurors stationed around the school are… what? Useless?" Ginny asked.

Harry's jaw clenched, his gaze dropping back to the map. "I called Sirius on the mirror to tell him but he was at his grandmother's house then. So, I was going to wait to tell him."

Ginny blinked, her brow furrowing. She had heard nothing good about any Blacks from Sirius' mouth over the years except for the Tonkses.

"He said he didn't even know why he went," Harry continued. "But he did. And Sirius has never had anything nice to say about his grandparents. Anyway, I'm getting off topic, I thought about it more while I waited for him to call me back. He's in therapy and trying not to drink himself to death. What good is me confirming that Malfoy is a Death Eater? What will happen besides make him worry that I'll do something stupid?"

Ginny sucked in a breath, her eyes searching Harry's face. He looked exhausted; his face drawn with dark circles stamped under his eyes.

"Harry, this is the same shit that you get upset with Sirius for," Ginny repeated herself.

Harry looked up at her. "I just thought… if I could figure out what Malfoy is doing, then that's better information to give Sirius than he has the Mark."

Ginny arched her eyebrow. "Sirius may have an idea of how to get into the Room of Requirement while Malfoy and Nott are in there. If we could just see what room they're conjuring–"

Harry shook his head. "Sirius never even knew the room existed until I told him about it. He and my dad never discovered it while at school."

Ginny wanted to smack Harry for being so stubborn. Didn't he see that he kept as many secrets as Sirius did? Out of good intentions or not, Sirius and Harry were eerily similar.

"Look, I told him I thought it was crap that all these Slytherins are being allowed to stay in school despite everything they've been doing and Sirius said it was better to keep them under a watchful eye than to send them home where they could do real damage," Harry explained, sounding frustrated. "Then he told me to basically stop involving myself and just help if needed."

"Ah, so he already told you not to play junior Auror?" Ginny clarified, amusement clear in her tone.

Harry scowled. "Why do you find this so funny?"

"I don't find it funny, per say," Ginny reasoned, trying to wipe the smile off her face. "You've run rampant around school and solving mysteries since you were eleven. When you said you wanted to be an Auror, it made sense. Even though Sirius is telling you to lay low for your safety, you can't help yourself. You need to be a part of the action. You're going so far as to omit things from Sirius so he won't yell at you."

"Sirius omits things from me all the time," Harry said through gritted teeth.

Ginny folded her hands on top of the table and leaned forward. She refused to break eye contact with him.

"Harry, just tell Sirius what you found out," Ginny leveled. "You don't have to tell him you found out two weeks ago or whatever but just tell him. You're right, he probably already knows or at least, suspects. You should tell him regardless so the Order knows it's confirmed."

Harry sighed, his shoulders sagging forward. Ginny reached across the table, her fingers wrapping around his wrist.

"Two wrongs don't make a right," Ginny whispered. "If you want him stop omitting things, then you can't either. He may overreact. He may tell you to stop tailing Malfoy. But it's only because he cares and he's scared for you."

Harry nodded, his gaze dropping to their hands. "Sirius wants me to be a kid and enjoy school. I don't know how to do that. I feel like, like I've never been a kid. I never just coasted through life without a worry, you know?"

"Just because Sirius tells you to do something that doesn't mean you have to listen all the time," Ginny replied.

Harry snapped his attention up.

Ginny snorted. "You think my brothers and I listen to half of what our parents say?" she elaborated. "Their hearts are in the right place but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

"So… tell him about the Mark and the Room of Requirement stuff, but don't tell him I'm…"

"Being a junior Auror," Ginny interrupted with a grin. "Yeah, something like that."

"And if he tells me to leave Malfoy and Nott alone?" Harry asked, his eyes searching hers.

"Then say you won't go near them," Ginny replied, her eyes sparkling. "Because you're not going near them. You're watching them from afar and trying to figure out how the Room of Requirement works. This way, it will confirm everyone's suspicions and put Sirius' mind at ease. But it will also let you stop feeling guilty for keeping important information from Sirius."

A grin broke across Harry's face. "That sounds like a plan."

"I know this is new to you, but family is family," Ginny explained, giving his wrist a squeeze. "They're your biggest support system. I mean, even though Ron and I fight like cats and dogs, he's still the brother I would go to him if I needed help. If something big happened, I would go to my mum and tell her. Family is just there for you. You only get what you give, though. Look at Percy. He never gave a shit about any of us and now we don't give a shit about him anymore. He can fucking rot for all I care."

The smile fell from Harry's face at the mention of Percy. He pushed his glasses up with his free hand.

"I'm sorry about Percy," Harry said in a soft voice. "I know he blames me for the distance between you lot."

Ginny let out a bitter laugh. "You should have heard the things he said to my dad the night he left. The worst part is, he meant them. He really, really fucking meant them. That had nothing to do with you."

"Ron told me," Harry replied, his hand shifting so that he could hold hers properly.

Ginny's throat narrowed. "He's a right git. Fred and George think so too. Fred said he'll never forgive him."

"Would you forgive him?" Harry asked.

Ginny shook her head, not even needing to think about it. "No, I don't think I can. I mean, if it had just been a I don't believe Voldemort's back sort of thing, maybe. But the awful things he said to Dad, I just… I don't think I can. You can't just say such nasty things and expect someone to forgive you. Dad's been the best dad. He's always put us first and he's given us as much as he could. He loves us so fiercely. What he said to Dad was out of pure spite."

"Yeah," Harry replied, because he didn't know what else to say.

"Would you forgive him?" Ginny pressed.

Harry shrugged. "I didn't hear what he said to your dad, but from what I have heard, I think he's a right git. He said some pretty nasty things about me too and I, I don't know, I was never the closest with Percy, but I thought we got along well enough. I've always considered all your brothers my brothers, you know? I know I'm closest with Ron and then closest with Fred and George, but still. I never had a problem with Percy before."

Ginny sniffed, jutting her chin up. "He always thought he was better than us. Fred, George, Ron, and I. He thought we were troublemakers and that we were annoying."

"Well, for what it's worth, I don't find you at all annoying," Harry said, his lips curving. "I kind of attract trouble, but you're the best trouble I've ever attracted."

Ginny laughed, her face breaking out into a grin. "That is so corny."

Harry nodded, his face pinching. "Merlin, that was, wasn't it? What is wrong with me?"

"We'll work on your poetry skills," Ginny said, patting his hand.

Harry chuckled. "Oh, like what? Her hair is as red as a fire. Her eyes as brown as chocolate. She's really divine. She's already mine. The girl that makes me smile. How's that?"

"So much better!" Ginny exclaimed, laughter ringing in her tone. "You are such a fast learner!"

Harry shrugged. "I had inspiration."

Happiness coursed through Ginny because he remembered her little poem and modeled his after hers. Eleven-year-old Ginny would have burst into uncontrollable tears. Fifteen-year-old Ginny felt her heart swell in her chest for the boy in front of her.

Harry sighed, reaching around to his back pocket. "My mirror is going off."

"I want to say hi to Fluffernoodle if it's Sirius," Ginny said.

Harry grinned, shifting in his chair to pull out his mirror from his back pocket. When he looked at the glass, his smile fell. His brow furrowed underneath his glasses as he snapped his head up to look at Ginny.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked, leaning forward on the table.

Harry only shook his head, his attention snapping back to the mirror. "Cepheus Black."

"Harry! Oh Merlin, Harry, something awful happened and I don't… I don't understand what's happening!" Cepheus said in a panicked and rushed voice.

Ginny jumped up from her chair and rounded the table. She leaned over Harry's shoulder so she could see the mirror. Cepheus was in some stone room, his hair disheveled and a bruise was forming around his eye. His lip was split wide open.

"What happened?" Harry demanded.

Cepheus licked his busted lip. "My mum came to check me out for dinner but we didn't go to dinner. Instead, we met with Uncle Sirius and took a Portkey and, and they threw me in this room and chained me to the floor!"

The image shifted until Cepheus' ankle appeared with a manacle around it. The chain seemed to be bolted into the floor. The mirror flew back to Cepheus' colorless face. His body trembled uncontrollably.

"Sirius?" Harry echoed. "But I just talked to Sirius last night. He's in England."

Cepheus swallowed visibly. "He was in France a few hours ago. We took a Portkey somewhere. I don't know where."

"But… that's impossible," Harry whispered, his knuckles turning white.

"He was here!" Cepheus protested. "I didn't know who to call! Mum and Uncle Sirius are acting so strange. They're so cold and, and, and I don't know! It's like they're not themselves!"

Ginny snapped her attention to Harry, who had lost all the color in his face. "Do you think they are under the Imperius?"

"You have no idea where you are?" Harry pressed. "You're sure it was Sirius? All the Blacks look alike. Maybe it was, I don't know, some cousin or something."

Cepheus shook his head. "It was Uncle Sirius. I'm positive."

A bang sounded somewhere out of view. Ginny clutched Harry's arm, leaning in closer to the mirror. Cepheus tried to hide the mirror, the room swirling. Familiar laughter sounded, though it sounded colder than Ginny had ever heard it before. Goosebumps ran along her arm.

"Give that to me," a gruff voice sounded.

The image swirled again until it settled on none other than Sirius Black. A twisted sneer worked its way on his face, one that Ginny had never seen grace his features before. Her breath hitched in her throat, her vision instantly blurring.

"Do you really think you mattered to me?" Sirius asked. "You're nothing but trouble, Harry. This is where I'm meant to be. With my real family."

The mirror shook, Harry's limbs shaking violently. Ginny tried to keep him steady, her arms wrapping around his and pressing his arm close to her chest.

"Sirius, you have to fight it," Harry gasped out. "I know you're under the Imperius. You have to fight it, please, Sirius!"

Sirius laughed cruelly. "I'm doing this under my own free will. James was such a poor replacement for Regulus. You're such a poor replacement for Cepheus. Blood is thicker than water, after all."

Harry's breaths came out in harsh huff. Ginny didn't know what to say or do. Sirius had to be forced to say these lies. There was no way he actually felt this way.

"You. Mean. Nothing. To. Me," Sirius emphasized each word.

The image shifted, the mirror flying through the air. It smashed into the stone wall and the connection ceased. Ginny stared at the mirror, seeing her and Harry's reflection shining back at them. Tears poured down Harry's face. His face pulled tight. Ginny shifted, turning towards Harry. Her hands grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her.

"That wasn't Sirius," Ginny gasped out, her own emotions taking over. "You know he wouldn't say those things. He doesn't feel that way. It has to be the Imperius."

Harry licked his bottom lip, his head nodding. "We have to tell Dumbledore."

Ginny brushed her thumbs to wipe away some tears. "It'll be all right, Harry. I promise. It'll all be all right."

Harry leaned forward, his forehead pressing against hers. They stayed like that for a few moments before Harry said he was ready to go. There was something about his stiff posture that told Ginny he was certainly not okay, but she didn't know how to help him. So, she just held his hand, as they marched towards the headmaster's office.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter a day early! I was so excited to share this chapter with you guys! What exactly is going on with Sirius? I love when you guys send me your theories! Don't forget to drop a review. They keep me motivated in my writing and just plain make my day.

Special thanks to justalittleconfusing for editing! Special thanks to all my tumblr peeps who helped in the creative process of officially naming Sirius' snake.