"Brumous"

Chapter Forty-One: The Malfoys"

Two days of no real news. Two days of sitting at home and convincing himself that he didn't need to drink whisky to numb his mind. Two days of flipping through Healer journals dealing with Dark magic and remedies, trying to figure out if anything could help Harry with his Horcrux problem. Two days of wanting to bang his head against the wall every time his godson called him for an update and he had nothing to tell him.

The only good news that came was that Hector Quade had been arrested. Tegan had cuffed him personally, locking him away in Azkaban while he awaited trial. It was one less thing Sirius had to worry about, he supposed. Though it wasn't much.

From what Sirius read in the newspaper, the Macnair family had Charlotte's body transferred to England for burial. Sirius thought it was a joke. There was no way that the Macnairs didn't know she died because of Voldemort and his fucking Death Eaters. They had the gall to lie in her obituary, claiming that she had started a new life away from England after the first war and the family often visited her. Sirius had tossed the paper into fire, watching as Charlotte's youthful face burned in the flames.

Two days later, Snape gave word that Cepheus had apparently been moved, but he did not know where to. He was secure, well hidden, and nobody was allowed to see him except for the Malfoys, Lestranges, and Lord Voldemort himself. Apparently, Snape wasn't as integrated in the inner circle as he thought. Or he was just plain lying. Sirius couldn't decide which.

Another day, Sirius stood next to Andromeda under a tree on the outskirts of the cemetery, watching Charlotte be buried from afar. They weren't stupid enough to get any closer, seeing the cemetery swarming with Death Eaters and wizards who would love to kill Sirius for just existing.

For the next three days straight, Sirius decided to go to Grimmauld Place to hunt for any books on Dark magic that Dumbledore hadn't already confiscated from the house. He found one in the attic, tucked away in a box of things that had belonged to Walburga. It was old, the cover made out of some sort of skin. Sirius didn't want to think about what kind, his nose wrinkling at the very thought that it could very well be human. In dark black ink stamped the simple title Moribund. There was no author, no publisher, nothing. Sirius flipped through it, his stomach rolling at the ghastly pictures of decrepit bodies that looked half dead.

Two more days passed with no news. Sirius spent his time locked away in his house, reading about Horcruxes with his mirror lying next to him, ready to answer it in a split second in case there was any news about Cepheus. Or in case Harry needed him.

The only thing that pulled him away from his house had been Harry's Sunday dueling lesson. Sirius stood outside of Tegan's house in the back garden, watching as his godson dueled Sutton. Harry seemed exhausted, sloppy, and just having an off day in general. Harry's teeth chattered in the chilly November air, his fingers stretching as though he were trying to regain the feeling in them. He wore his wool coat that Andromeda bought him. Finally. Apparently, the kid decided it was cold enough to actually dress appropriately and not just wear a hooded sweatshirt.

But Sirius wasn't as smart as his godson. He still wore his leather jacket, with no Warming Charm, and relished in the chill that soaked deep into his bones. His eyes flickered to the scar on Harry's forehead, the sweat drench locks obscuring it from view. His stomach clenched painfully at the very sight of it, James' words playing over in his head like a broken bloody mantra.

"We've interrogated every member of the Malfoy and Nott families, as well as the Macnair family," Tegan told him, her shoulder brushing against his. "They were all tightlipped. We couldn't get anything out of any of them."

Sirius already guessed that. Tegan had kept him updated with a fat load of nothing. But he appreciated the iteration all the same. He just wished some sort of lead would appear.

After dueling lessons, Harry spent the afternoon with Sirius at the house. Although, they weren't very chatty. Harry had brought along his satchel with homework, working on it at the kitchen table for the better part of the afternoon.

"You behind on your work?" Sirius asked, taking a seat across from him with two cups of coffee.

Harry looked up, reaching for one of the cups. "Thanks. Err, yeah, a little. It's just, well, between Quidditch and dueling club and the lessons on the weekend, I don't have a lot of time for it."

Sirius nodded. "How are your grades?"

Harry shrugged, squirming in his chair. "All right, I guess."

Sirius arched an eyebrow. "You turning in all of your assignments?"

"Yes, I'm turning in all of my assignments," Harry replied, his tone tinged with annoyance.

Sirius took a large gulp of his coffee, burning his mouth and throat, but he didn't care all that much. "Remus said you asked for an extension on one of your assignments."

Harry scowled. "Are you asking all of my professors about me or just Remus?"

"Just Remus," Sirius replied. "He mentioned it. Asked me if you were all right and if he was giving you too much to do. He said he was assigning more than he would have if he was at Hogwarts because he thought it'd be helpful for your dueling lessons."

Harry frowned. "No, it's been helpful. I, well, it was either ask Remus or McGonagall for an extension and I wasn't going to ask McGonagall."

Sirius ran his thumb along the rim of his coffee cup. "How is Remus? You two getting along?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "It's fine? Why are you asking?"

Sirius didn't want to tell Harry about the tiffs that he had with Remus. Honestly, the last one had just been him trying to find a way to get out of going to dinner with their old friendship group. He was picking fights with Remus, he knew that, but he couldn't help himself. Deep down, he wanted Remus to care about Harry as much as he cared about James. Harry needed all the support he could get.

"Just curious," Sirius replied. "You mentioned how you don't really talk to Remus all that much before."

Harry tapped his quill on the table. "I don't think he…" he blew out a huff of air. "I don't know."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "You don't think he what?"

Harry searched Sirius' eyes. "I don't think he really cares all that much."

Sirius pursed his lips. "I think he cares but doesn't know how to show it. I think Remus sees more of your dad in you than he cares to admit. Since he sees James, it's hard for him to see you and become close with you."

Harry shifted. "That's not my fault."

"It's not," Sirius agreed. "It's one hundred percent Remus' fault. I hope he gets over it one day. For both of your sakes."

The rest of the day went by with no news, no information, nothing. Sirius walked Harry back to the castle so he could have dinner with his friends, to eat something other than the attempts of Sirius' poor cooking skills. While Harry never complained about Sirius' mediocre sandwiches, Sirius knew there was little to be desired about them. He was no Molly Weasley or Tegan Robins.

He spent his evening reading Moribund, his fingers trailing along notes in the margins. Some of them he recognized as Walburga's handwriting. There was another's handwriting in the book that Sirius couldn't identity. He knew it wasn't Orion's or anyone in his family. For some reason, Sirius couldn't help but think that it was Voldemort's writing in the book. He could picture Voldemort and Walburga together as they read the book, taking notes on how to make him immortal. For the first time ever, Sirius wondered if his mother had made a Horcrux as well. He shuddered at the thought, slamming the book shut and tossing it on the end table in disgust.

Late in the evening, a knock sounded at his door. Sirius bolted from the sofa in the parlor, knowing that something must have happened to either Harry or Cepheus for him to receive such a late-night call.

Sirius wrenched his door open and froze. A hooded figure pushed past him, a shoulder connecting with his as the person bustled into his house. Sirius cursed himself for opening the door without taking any precaution, allowing them to slip through the wards. Sirius whipped around, pulling his wand from his pocket in the process and pointed it at the figure. The hood lowered to reveal long golden hair and a thin face. Gray eyes pierced into Sirius' very soul.

"Cissy?" Sirius breathed, his wand lowering just slightly.

"Only family gets to call me Cissy," she replied in a cool tone.

Sirius sneered, his hand reaching out to close the door behind him. "Oh, you haven't changed a bit, have you?"

Narcissa jutted her chin up, her eyes narrowing at Sirius. "I'm not here for pleasantries, Sirius."

Sirius resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "What are you here for then? Because, honestly, Narcissa, I don't really want to see you right now. Not after what your husband did."

Narcissa swallowed visibly, though no emotion showed on her face. "I loved Regulus."

Sirius shook his head. "If you loved him, you wouldn't be handing his son over to Voldemort on a silver platter," he insisted, relishing in the way Narcissa flinched at her master's name. "The son he tried to protect. The son he sent away and never had a chance to meet."

"You think you know what's happening, but you honestly don't," Narcissa replied, her mask falling back into place.

Sirius let out a humorless chuckle. "I know Cepheus is Voldemort's grandson. I know Regulus is Voldemort's son. I know I'm Voldemort's son. So do you want to try again?"

"How long have you known?" Narcissa asked, his overly plucked eyebrow arching up to her hairline.

"Long enough," Sirius replied. "I also know your son took the Mark. Tell me, Cissy, do you really think that I don't know what's happening?"

Narcissa sucked in a breath, holding it for a few moments. "Cepheus reminds me of Regulus," she whispered. "He looks just like him."

Sirius' jaw feathered, his insides twisting. "He does. He's soft, Narcissa. He has no concept of war or Death Eaters or Voldemort. He's innocent. Don't let them hurt him more than they already have."

"The Dark Lord has met him," Narcissa said, her face wavering. "Cepheus was beyond frightened."

Sirius nodded, his wand dropping to his side. "He's not Draco. He wasn't raised for this."

"Neither was Draco," Narcissa hissed out through clenched teeth.

"Do you want my advice?" Sirius asked, his eyes squinting at her.

Narcissa let out a scoff. "Advice from you?"

"I escaped without taking the Mark, didn't I?" Sirius snapped. "That's more than I can say for you or Draco."

"Despite that, you spent twelve years in Azkaban."

Sirius licked his bottom lip, wondering if he should even bother with Narcissa. But she knew where Cepheus was. She had seen him. This could be his only shot at finding out where Cepheus was hidden.

"Yeah, I did," Sirius replied, his head nodding. "I heard your husband bought his way out of Azkaban. Too bad. I would have loved to torment the fuck out of him if we shared a wall."

Narcissa stiffened.

"My advice, withdraw Draco from Hogwarts," Sirius continued, not caring that she didn't ask for his opinion. "Flee the country. Flee the entire continent. Run as far and as fast away as you can. While you're at it, do the right thing and tell me where Cepheus is, so I can make sure he has a chance to live as well. So he can live the life that Regulus wanted for him."

Narcissa sniffed, her head turning to the side. Her eyes looked around entryway, her gaze landing on the photo collage hanging on the wall that Andromeda had put together of their family. Sirius' own gaze lingered on the center picture of him and Harry that was taken in Agde.

"I loved you once," Sirius whispered, telling the truth. "We were all so close. You, Andy, Reggie, and me. The four of us. Remember all the summers in France together? How Uncle Alphard always took us out into the Muggle world without our parents knowing? Remember how we used to bury him in the sand? You and I used to dig those big holes on the beach. Uncle Alphard would conjure fish for us to feed. You always loved taking care of the fish."

Narcissa closed her eyes, her chest heaving.

"You used to dress Reggie and me up like we were your little dolls," Sirius continued. "You always picked out our robes and combed our hair. You made us look presentable. While I always ran to Andy if I was sick or hurt, I always ran to you to help me look presentable before going inside to see our parents. I knew you knew exactly how to fix my ripped robes or smooth out my hair. You always made sure that there wasn't a speck of dirt on me. You kept me out of trouble a lot in that regard."

Narcissa opened her eyes, her head turning slowly to face Sirius. He could see the tears brimming in her gray eyes. They didn't splash down her cheeks. She kept them contained, her face not showing any other sign of emotion.

"Was being sorted into Gryffindor really that bad?" Sirius asked, his throat narrowing. "Was that really cause to hate me? We were so close and you just… you stopped caring after that."

Narcissa's lips parted, a long breath escaping her lips. "I knew it would only be a matter of time before you were gone. Just like her. She left me. She abandoned me."

"Andy just wanted to get married to the love of her life, to start her own family," Sirius argued. "It was our family that disowned her. If they would have just embraced Ted into the family then–"

Narcissa scoffed. "She knew that would never happen! She could have married a respectable wizard! She could have stayed a part of the family! It was her choice!"

Sirius shook her head. "Why should she have to choose between our family and Ted? Do you even know Ted? He's an upstanding bloke. I'm proud to call him my brother. He's leagues above Lucius."

Narcissa's chest heaved, her features tugging down.

"Ted never once laid a finger on me. I can't say the same for Lucius," Sirius reasoned. "He would hurt Reg and I, did you know that? Did you even care? He thought because he was older than us that he could punish us like Walburga and Orion did. He thought it was his duty to keep us in line, to treat us like we were beneath him. He acted like he owned us. I think it was his way of trying to secure the Black family fortune, to make us feel like he was in charge and we would just… feel obligated to hand everything over to him. Let him deal with it all. He's manipulative. He's a fucking wanker. I will celebrate the day that he dies."

Still, Narcissa said nothing. Nor did the tears fall from her eyes.

"Is that how he treats Draco?" Sirius questioned, pushing further. "Does Lucius act like he owns Draco as well? Do you stand back and watch it happen, refusing to intervene like a good little pureblood wife?"

"Stop it," Narcissa hissed. "Just… stop it, Sirius."

"Are you going to stand back and let him hurt Cepheus like he did Regulus?" Sirius pressed, not stopping, as he took a step closer to her. "Because I'll kill him. I'll kill him if he lays one finger on Cepheus' head, do you understand me? I'll kill him if he lays one finger on my godson. And you know I will. Did you hear about how I murdered Bertram Nott because he dared to lay a finger on James Potter? I have no qualms about killing anyone who dares threaten the people I care about."

Narcissa stared into his eyes, her body trembling.

"Do you want to tell me why you came here, Narcissa?" Sirius asked in a low voice.

Narcissa's chin wobbled. "Cepheus is in the Riddle house in Little Hangleton. There's a cellar that he's being kept in until he can…" she trailed off, swallowing hard. "Until he can be broken into submission."

Sirius' jaw tightened. His mind went numb. "Are they hurting him like they hurt me?"

Narcissa shook her head. "No, they're not trying to break his mind. Bella and Lucius are… they're just hurting him if he defies them."

Sirius screwed his eyes shut, his entire body feeling like it was squeezing together in a tight vice. A hand touched his arm. His eyes snapped open to see Narcissa standing close to him.

"For what it's worth, I used to love you as well," Narcissa whispered, her jaw jutting forward. "But I loved Regulus more. He never left me. Not like you and Andromeda. He was right by my side until the very end. I can't stomach the thought of his son…" she trailed off, clearing her throat and dropping her hand from his arm.

Sirius wrapped his fingers around her shoulders, bending down until he was eyelevel to her. "Is Lucius hurting you and Draco?"

Narcissa shook her head. "He's never laid a finger on us."

Sirius searched her eyes. At least Narcissa and Draco weren't being abused. That was something. Now, Sirius just had to figure out if she was being genuine or laying a trap. Honestly, Sirius couldn't tell. That scared him more than he was willing to admit.

"Why should I believe you?" Sirius whispered. "How do I know that you're not trying to get me killed?"

Narcissa reached down the front of her robes, tugging on a chain around her neck. She pulled out a locket before she popped it open with her nail. She held it out to him. A picture of a young blond toddler was situated on the right side. Sirius could only guess it was Draco as a small boy. On the left side was a picture of Narcissa, Andromeda, Sirius, and Regulus as children. Regulus sat on Narcissa's lap while Sirius sat squished between his two cousins, their arms around him. They were all smiles.

"I love my family," Narcissa explained. "I love Draco more than anything in this entire world. And I, I wish so much that the three of you could have seen him grow up. That our family was still united as one. But you and Andy chose different families – the Potters and the Tonkses. Then, Regulus died. And I was alone. I just had Draco. Everything I do is for him. I think you understand that now, don't you, Sirius? The love a parent has for their child? You feel that way for Harry Potter, don't you?"

Sirius swallowed, his head nodding and his grip tightening on Narcissa's shoulders. "I do."

"Our children could have grown up together, like we did," Narcissa continued, snapping the locket shut and stuffing it back underneath her robes. "Draco, Harry, Cepheus, and Nymphadora. But that didn't happen. None of them knew each other for the longest time."

"Cissy, I'm begging you to run with Draco," Sirius said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I can funnel you money if you need it. Just until the war is over."

Narcissa shook her head. "I can't leave Lucius."

"Lucius has done nothing but drag you down this awful path," Sirius explained. "He has dragged Draco down this path. You need to get out while you still can."

"Lucius has never abandoned me," Narcissa argued, her chin rising up. "Not like you. Why would I trust you to take care of us? Where have you been? And I'm talking about before Azkaban. You never once contacted me. You never once reached out."

Sirius dropped his hands from her shoulders, taking a step back. "You were married to a monster that I despised, that I wanted nothing to do with. I took care of myself for once. I took control of my own life. I'm not going to apologize for that. I'm not going to say I'm sorry that I abandoned you," he said, air quoting abandoned as he said it. "Because from where I stand, Cissy, you abandoned me the moment I was sorted into Gryffindor. I saw you sitting at the Slytherin table. I saw the way you glared at me before I even stepped off that stool. I saw the pure hatred in your eyes. You had never reminded me of Bellatrix more. She had always been so distant from the rest of us, mingling with the adults like a good little heiress. She used to look at us in disgust, like she couldn't believe playing was a thing kids did. That day, you looked at me with disgust. You turned your nose up at me, just like her. If one of us abandoned the other, it was you on that day. You were never nice to me since. You aligned yourself with Bellatrix, copying her so perfectly that I didn't even recognize you anymore."

Narcissa had the gall to roll her eyes, her face tightening. "I had just lost Andromeda. She ran away with that Tonks boy. I knew that I had lost you that day as well. I wasn't going to let you hurt me the way Andromeda did."

Sirius scoffed. He really couldn't help himself. It only garnered him a glare from Narcissa.

"You're so fucking delusional," Sirius sighed, not being able to help himself.

"It was a mistake to come here," Narcissa snapped. "I was naïve to think that you had changed at all from that infuriatingly thoughtless boy that you were!"

Narcissa charged past him in a huff. Sirius whipped around, grabbing her by the bicep to stop her. Narcissa's body snapped back, her face shifting in a wince.

"Let go of me, Sirius!" Narcissa hissed. "You're hurting me!"

Sirius didn't let go. He leaned in close until he could feel her breath on his face.

"Is what you said about Cepheus true?" Sirius said in a dangerously low voice.

Narcissa's lips pulled into a thin line.

"I don't give a fuck what you think about me," Sirius continued. "I don't give two shits if you like me or not. I accepted a long time ago that we weren't close anymore. But if you ever cared about Regulus, you will tell me the truth right here and now. Because you know I'm the only one who can help Cepheus."

Narcissa blinked rapidly. "I wasn't lying when I said he's in Little Hangleton. He's locked away in the cellar of that dilapidated house."

Sirius nodded. "How is he guarded?"

Narcissa swallowed. "There's Anti-Apparition wards. He's chained up with magical bonds in a locked room. There's a spell on his room that if any magic is done, the Dark Lord will be alerted immediately. He was more concerned about accidental magic being used to escape than anyone finding him. There's no consistent guard schedule. Lucius, Bella, Rodolphus, and Rabastan check on him periodically every day. The Dark Lord will see him when he sees fit. I deliver him food twice a day."

Sirius eased his grip on her arm. "How hurt is he? Can he walk? Can he even stand?"

"I think he can walk," Narcissa replied, not breaking eye contact with him. "He has some bruising and cuts, but I think they've been mostly using the Cruciatus Curse on him."

Sirius shook his head, letting go completely of his cousin. Narcissa sickened him. How she could know her husband and sister were hurting an innocent child and do nothing for days on end made bile rise in his throat.

"Are you going to save him then?" Narcissa whispered.

"The less you know, the better, I think," Sirius replied, his arms crossing over his chest. "For both our benefits."

Narcissa gave him a curt nod before she wheeled around on her heels, her hood snapping up onto her head. She disappeared through the front door, gently closing it behind her. Sirius stood in the entryway, in the eerie quiet, as his mind spun. He fell to his knees, his hands dragging through his hair.

He knew he couldn't blindly trust Narcissa. But the thought of Cepheus chained up in the Riddle house made his heart ache. He'd need to plot with Dumbledore, get a team together, be prepared to be completely ambushed. But Sirius knew he was going to that house with or without support. Sirius only hoped the Order would be behind him.

Ginny found Harry in his dormitory, thanks to Katie Bell who had seen him dart up the stairs after his last lesson of the day. She opened the room to his dorm to see it empty. Harry's curtains were drawn around his bed. She made her way over to it. Her fingers gripped the fabric and pulled it back, revealing Harry.

He sat slouched in bed, his knees propped up with the Marauder's Map laying against his thighs. He was still in his school uniform, though he had ditched the robes. His tie hung loose around his neck. Harry looked up at her, his eyebrows quirking above his glasses.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked, easing into bed next to him and pulling the curtains closed behind her.

Harry didn't say anything as he tugged his wand out of his pocket, shooting a Sticking Charm at the curtains before he cast some privacy charms. After tossing his wand onto the bed next to him, he opened his arm for Ginny to cuddle into his side.

"Watching Malfoy and Nott," he finally explained. "They've been in the Room of Requirement for an hour now."

"Still can't enter the room?" Ginny inquired, resting her head against his chest.

"No," Harry replied grumpily. "I followed them after class and saw them enter. I tried to get in, thinking of that messy room, and the door appeared but I couldn't open it."

"Maybe one of these days, they'll forget to seal the door," Ginny offered.

Harry snorted, his fingers trailing along her shoulder. "Right. Did Fred and George come up with anything yet?"

"They said they'd work on some unlocking knife or something similar," Ginny replied.

Harry stiffened, shooting straight up in bed. Ginny stared at him, her brows furrowing.

"Sirius gave me a penknife for Christmas a couple of years ago," Harry explained. "It can unlock any door. Merlin, how could I have forgotten about that?"

Harry unstuck the curtains, tearing them to the side and jumping out of bed. Ginny followed him, watching as he dug through his trunk in a frenzy. He pulled out a small penknife, holding it out for Ginny to see. A grin crossed his face.

"Want to go break into the Room of Requirement with me?" he asked.

Ginny returned the smile. "I'd be upset if you left me behind. Let's go!"

Harry snatched his map off his bed, stuffing it into his back pocket along with the knife. He also snagged his wand and gestured for Ginny to follow him. They rushed through the corridors, trying to get to the seventh floor as fast as they could. Malfoy and Nott sometimes stayed in the room for hours and other times they stayed a mere twenty minutes. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it.

Once outside the Room of Requirement, Harry paced in front of the tapestry to activate the room. The door appeared and Harry tried to open it. When he couldn't, he slid the knife between the door and the frame, wiggling it up and down. He paused, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he looked back at Ginny.

"Got it," Harry commented, his green eyes sparkling.

Pocketing the penknife, Harry eased the door open. It was the same room as before. Shelves of discarded items surrounded them. Boxes and furniture all over the floor, making it hard to maneuver in the room undetected. Ginny crept in behind Harry, easing the door closed behind her. She reached out for Harry's hand, wrapping her fingers around his palm. Her stomach pressed against his back as they crept deeper into the room at an excruciatingly slow pace.

Voices could be heard, but they weren't close enough to understand what they were saying. Harry reached into his pocket, producing his wand. He held it at his side. Ginny's heart raced as they walked deeper into the room. She wasn't used to this kind of excitement like Harry was. The excitement she had been involved in she couldn't really remember. Not that she wanted to remember the possession sessions.

"I would have thought a mission would be a little more exciting than this," Nott's voice sounded as they crept closer.

"I thought it'd be a lot less frustrating," Malfoy said in a disgusted tone. "I can't believe there's not another way."

"It was your aunt who suggested this," Nott replied. "Take it up with her."

Malfoy scoffed. "I liked it better when she was in prison. She's positively deranged. It's completely mad to me how the Blacks were ever so highly regarded. The more I learn about my mother's side, the more disgusted I become. Trash that married a Mudblood with a freak daughter. An alcoholic blood traitor. A deranged sociopath. I don't even want to know about the ones that have died. The small snippets I've heard have made me glad they're all dead."

"Apparently, Sirius Black murdered my uncle," Nott said in a lazy tone. "Something about how my uncle nearly killed Potter's father and Black went feral like the beast he is."

"Too bad your uncle failed," Malfoy responded. "A world without saint Potter sounds divine."

Harry stopped suddenly. Ginny crashed into his back. She rose up on her tiptoes, trying to peer over Harry's shoulder. But she couldn't see anything. She could hear Harry's uptick in breathing and felt his fingers tighten around her hand.

"I can't look at this anymore," Nott announced. "I'm ready to abandon the entire project."

"We can't abandon it," Malfoy hissed. "Feel free to tell the Dark Lord you're out and face his wrath. I'll stay working on it."

A chuckle sounds, low and humorless. "I didn't even want to take the Mark or do any of this to begin with."

"Shut up, Theo," Malfoy hissed. "Merlin, are you suicidal or just plain dense?"

"He's not omniscient, Draco," Nott replied. "Just because I agree with him doesn't mean I think he's all powerful and knowing. He's just a wizard, after all."

Harry took a step forward, his hand slipping from hers. He crept along a shelf filled with battered books, broken instruments, and even a snapped wand. Harry craned his neck, peering around the shelf.

"Wizards with thoughts like that end up dead," Malfoy explained. "I'll contact Borgin. See if he has any other ideas, because the instructions he gave us aren't working."

Footsteps. Harry jerked back, hiding from view. His eyes snapped to Ginny, his face drawn. He tapped his wand on Ginny's head as he muttered under his breath. A sensation like an egg had been cracked on her head slithered down her body. She saw the ground through her hand, knowing instantly that Harry had placed a Disillusionment Charm on her. Before he could place one on himself, Malfoy and Nott rounded the corner.

"How the bloody hell did you get in here?" Malfoy snapped.

"There's this thing called a door," Harry replied, his wand snapping up and pointing it at Malfoy. "You can walk into rooms through it. It's a really neat invention."

Red sparks flew from the tip of Malfoy's wand but Harry was faster with his Shield. Ginny slipped from behind Harry, walking along the opposite side of the narrow path between shelves, avoiding spells that flew in all directions. Harry didn't even break a sweat dueling both Malfoy and Nott at once, his Shield not even cracking as spells hit it.

Harry flicked his wand and Nott went flying. His body smacked into the shelf, glass and little trinkets raining down upon him. Ginny paid no attention, her wand raising to point at Malfoy's back.

"Incarcerous!" Ginny bellowed.

Thick ropes burst from the tip of Ginny's wand and wrapped tightly around Malfoy, pinning his arms to his sides and causing him to crash to the ground. Harry snapped his wand to Nott, casting the same spell. Ginny tapped her head, taking off the Disillusionment Charm. Harry stepped over Malfoy's wiggling body and rounded the corner of the shelf. Ginny followed him.

There were only more shelves with various objects, a tall cabinet, and a statue of a wizard riding a unicorn. Ginny's palm pressed against the statue, her eyes squinting up to try to make out who the wizard. Harry inspected the objects on the shelves, picking them up and turning them around in his hands.

Ginny did the same, seeing nothing of importance on the shelves. She opened the cabinet to see it completely empty except for an apple sitting on the floor of the cabinet. She closed the door, her eyes soaking in the intricate symbols etched into the wood. She opened it again, the apple still on the floor of the cabinet.

"What's that?" Harry asked, taking a step closer to her.

"I don't know," Ginny replied. "I've never seen a cabinet like this before. What are these symbols?"

Harry traced one of the runes. "I haven't the foggiest idea. It looks familiar though, but I don't know where I would have seen it before."

A gust propelled Ginny backward, a sensation like a hook attaching to her navel and knocking her off her feet. She shrieked, her hand shooting out for Harry's. He too had been thrown back, his hand reaching out to grab hers. They flew over Malfoy and Nott. Malfoy stood with a sneer on his face, the ropes loose around his body, and his wand out.

Harry and Ginny were tossed out of the Room of Requirement, landing on their arses and sliding until they hit the opposite wall. Ginny heaved, staring up at the ceiling. Harry scrambled to his feet, darting back to the wall. The door had disappeared. Harry paced back and forth in front of the tapestry again, the door reappearing. He shoved the penknife between the door and the frame, wiggling it. Ginny stood up, using the wall behind her as support. Harry rammed his shoulder into the door, pushing with all of his might.

"Fuck!" Harry hissed, slamming his palm against the door.

"Is the knife not working?" Ginny asked.

"No, it did. It unlocked," Harry explained. "They're blocking it now somehow. It won't budge."

Harry took a step away from the door, dragging his hands through his hair. His chest heaved. Ginny placed a hand between his shoulder blades.

"We know the area they were in," Ginny commented. "We can go back when they're gone and look deeper into what they were looking at."

"It was the cabinet," Harry said, his hands falling from his head. "I'm sure of it."

A growl escaped Harry's lips as he kicked the door. His growl turned into a strangled kind of scream trapped deep in his throat. His body shook, his fists tight at his side. Ginny situated herself in front of him, her hands cupping his face and forcing him to look at her. His jaw trembled, angry tears brimming his eyes. They did not fall down his cheeks.

"Hey, hey, it's all right," Ginny commented. "We'll investigate the cabinet later when they're not inside."

Harry sniffed, his face pulling. "Right."

"Why are you so upset?" Ginny pressed, her thumbs brushing along his cheekbones.

"Why am I upset? Why am I upset?" Harry repeated, a scoff escaping his lips as he shook his head violently. "We were so close, Gin! We were right there! We could have figured it out!"

"And we will," Ginny insisted. "The knife was amazing. We'll figure it out."

Harry's fingers wrapped around her wrists and tugged them away from his face. He took a step back. Ginny couldn't help the hurt that blossomed in her chest.

"Harry…" she trailed off, her face falling. "What's wrong?"

Harry swallowed. "All I had to do was get there sooner, to be smarter about it. I wasn't. I failed."

Ginny searched his face. "Harry, that wasn't failing. That was a success in my book. We know what room they're conjuring. We figured out how to get past their charms to unlock the room. I don't understand why you're so upset."

"Because I'm here at Hogwarts and I can't figure out what two dumb baby Death Eaters are doing while Cepheus is being tortured in some prison!" Harry shouted. "He shouldn't be there, Gin! He's not involved in the war!"

Ginny took a step closer, understanding Harry's desperation and subsequent disappointment. He couldn't help Cepheus, but he could stop Malfoy and Nott. His obsession had only grown since Cepheus had been taken. Ginny should have seen it before, but she hadn't.

Ginny wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "What's happening to Cepheus isn't your fault," she whispered, her eyes boring into his.

Harry's jaw clenched. "I know."

Well, that threw Ginny for a loop. She assumed his feelings were because of his guilt complex. For the first time, she didn't know what to say to him to make him feel better. It had always come so easily before, the words slipping off her tongue as she echoed her own mother's comforting words over the years.

"Okay, that's… I'm glad you know it's not your fault," Ginny replied lamely, squinting up at him.

"I just wish I could help him," Harry explained. "But I can't. Just like I couldn't help Cedric. I just stood there and watched him be murdered. Now, I'm just sitting at school doing unimportant things like Potions and Quidditch while Cepheus is being tortured until he agrees to join them and take the Mark."

Ginny frowned. "You think they'll make him join? Like… put him under the Imperius?"

"No," Harry replied, his head shaking. "Voldemort will want him to join willingly, like he wanted Sirius to."

Ginny blinked. "What? Wait, why?"

What Harry was saying didn't make any sense. Voldemort had never cared about hoodwinking and controlling people in the past. He had possessed her to do his dirty work. Why would he care about anyone, let alone a sixteen-year-old kid, to join him willingly? Why wouldn't he just curse him or kill him if he wouldn't comply? She didn't understand the comment about Sirius either. It made sense that Voldemort would try to recruit Sirius. He was a Black after all. Not to mention exceedingly powerful and intelligent. Although, she was clueless why Voldemort would want him to join willingly as opposed to cursing him.

Harry slid his eyes closed. "Can we change the subject?"

"Do you know something?" Ginny asked, her voice dropping.

Harry's face pinched as he opened his eyes to look at her. "Look, Gin, I don't want to lie to you, all right? Can we just drop it?"

Ginny's fingers uncoiled from his wrist, her head nodding. "Yeah, sure."

"Ginny, don't be upset," Harry said.

"I'm not upset," Ginny replied, which was mostly the truth.

A tinge of disappointment settled deep within her chest. She and Harry had talked about so much in their late-night chats in bed together. She didn't think there were any secrets between them at this point. Especially because Harry hated secrets. She had made sure not to keep any from him.

"Sirius asked me not to say anything, all right?" Harry added, his fingers wrapping around her elbow. "What am I supposed to do? I don't want to lie to you and upset you. I don't want to tell you and have Sirius be upset with me. I don't…" he trailed off, his tongue peeking out to lick his bottom lip as his eyes looked up at the ceiling. "I don't have many people I'm close with. You and Ron and Sirius are it. You three are the people I'm closest with. You three are the people I tell everything to. But Sirius is, he's my godfather," he stressed, his eyes dropping back down to Ginny. "I've never had an adult care about me like he does. I never had someone step up and be a parent to me before. I think we have a good relationship and I don't want to ruin it."

"I'm not upset, Harry," Ginny repeated, this time meaning it more than she did before, as her annoyance receded. "I understand."

"It's a… family thing," Harry continued. "That sounds really weird to say."

Ginny smiled softly. "You'll get used to it."

Harry nodded. "Does it make me a Black if I know all the mental Black family secrets?"

Ginny laughed, her eyebrows raising. "Unfortunately, I think it does."

Harry smiled tightly. "I'll talk to Sirius once his potion kicks in about letting you in on it."

Ginny shook her head. "You don't have to."

Harry gave her elbow a squeeze. "I want to. I hate keeping things from you. I like our late-night talks and, and I feel better when I talk to you. Besides, I don't think you'll even care, but it's a big deal to Sirius."

Ginny couldn't even fathom what this supposed Black family secret was. It must be massive though, since Sirius never had any problem laying out the Black family dirty laundry before while they were all stuck inside Grimmauld Place. He had always been open about his family's views, the Dark objects that were acquired, and the connections to Voldemort his family had. He had even told her once that his family had funneled money to Voldemort, paying for Merlin only knew what. Ginny couldn't think of anything worse than that.

Sirius stared up at the ceiling, trying extremely hard not to lose his ever-loving mind as he listened to Snape drone on and one and fucking on. A small group had gathered in Dumbledore's office so Sirius could tell them about what Narcissa had told him. Snape, of course, had to give his two Knuts. Except it was more like fifty thousand Galleons worth because he wouldn't shut the fuck up.

A hand pressed against his arm and he rolled his head to the left to see Tegan standing next to him. She shot him a quick smile before she turned back to Snape who hadn't stopped talking in Merlin only knew how long. Snape acted like he was the only one with knowledge of the Riddle house and how Voldemort utilized the house in the past.

Sirius just wanted to put a team together to get Cepheus out of that house. He'd have to file for custody immediately, before the Macnair family tried to get their hands on him. If the Macnairs gained custody, they would send him straight back to Voldemort without a second thought. After gaining custody, Sirius would have to enroll Cepheus at Hogwarts, telling him to keep his head down and stay away from the Slytherins. Harry and Ron would look out for him.

"Severus," Dumbledore spoke calmly, cutting Sirius out of his thoughts. "Can you determine when the rescue attempt should be made? It needs to be a time when Lord Voldemort and a majority of his Death Eaters are engaged in other activities."

"There's a meeting tonight," Snape replied. "I will have a better idea after that."

"Why not go tonight then?" Sirius asked.

Snape shot him a look. "The meeting is in the house. I never knew there was a cellar containing prisoners there."

How bloody fucking convenient of an excuse that was.

Dumbledore turned towards Sirius. "I'm afraid I will have to ask you to sit this one out, Sirius," he said in a regretful tone. "You are too close to the matter. Your emotions have a way of clouding your judgment."

Sirius shot him a wry smile. "Yeah, that's not going to happen. I'm going. You can't stop me."

"Sirius is ready for it, Albus," Tegan said, her shoulders squaring. "He's been training hard and he's back at the top of his game."

Snape scoffed. "Yes, let's bring the drunk on a mission in the belly of the beast, shall we?"

Sirius snapped his attention to Snape. "Fuck you. At least I don't see a dying woman and turn a blind eye. How's that guilt? Nonexistent, I presume?"

Snape sneered. "At least I wouldn't get myself killed. Oh, wait, maybe you should go. Rid us of you for good."

"Maybe you should go as well, get caught in my bloody crossfire so you don't have the chance to bully children anymore," Sirius snapped back.

"Enough!" Dumbledore boomed. "Sirius, Severus, I trust you both implicitly. You do not have to like each other, but you do have to work together. Both of you are extremely valuable with the knowledge you hold."

Snape let out a humorless chuckle, his head shaking.

"I cannot stop you from saving your nephew, Sirius," Dumbledore continued. "I understand that once you claim someone as your family, you are fiercely loyal to them. I can merely suggest that you sit this one out."

"I can't," Sirius insisted. "I need to go there and ensure his safety."

Dumbledore nodded, his attention turning to Tegan. "I trust you can put together a team? I would suggest a small one, one that can hopefully slip in and out undetected. Sirius wants to join and I believe Severus would be another excellent pick. He is the only one who has been to the house before."

"I can't go," Snape bristled. "It could very well expose me as a spy!"

Sirius hated the thought of having to work with Snape. They had successfully not been paired up together. Although, Sirius wasn't sure that Snape had ever been paired up with anyone before. He seemed to only report on Voldemort's movements.

"Severus, it is imperative that we rescue Cepheus from Lord Voldemort's clutches," Dumbledore explained. "I have utter faith that you will be able to determine the perfect time to attempt the rescue to remain undetected."

"Why is it so imperative that this child get rescued?" Snape challenged. "You risk exposing your only spy within the Dark Lord's ranks! For an insolent child!"

Sirius sucked in a breath. "You don't even know him, so just shut up."

Snape snapped his attention back to Sirius, his lips pulling to bare his teeth. "He's a Black, isn't he?"

"All right! This," Tegan started, waving her hand between Sirius and Snape. "This has got to stop. We are going into one of Voldemort's strongholds and we need to be united as a team. We need to trust that everyone has everyone else's backs. I need us to all trust each other for one bloody night. Can you two do that with minimal verbal sparring, please?"

"I must agree with Tegan," Dumbledore added. "I understand that years of animosity has only grown between the two of you. But you are both working towards one shared goal: to rid our world of the threat of Lord Voldemort. Everyone in this room knows that if Lord Voldemort successfully takes the Ministry of Magic, if he enacts the change that he desires, so many witches and wizards will be rounded up and slaughtered. There will be innocent children who are murdered. I would hope that for one night, the two of you could work together to save an innocent life."

Sirius could, if Snape could keep his ruddy mouth shut for once. It was as though Snape couldn't help but spew hatred. Sirius could work with him, for one night, but he sure as hell wouldn't risk his life for the man. He'd gladly watch him perish if it came down to it.

"Yeah," Sirius replied.

"Yes," Snape agreed.

"All right, there will be four of us," Tegan announced. "Us three and one more Auror. We need to stick together. We need to have each other's backs. This is an in and out mission. We're going to take Narcissa Malfoy's description of the house as factual, because we don't want to be wrong and summon Voldemort to the house because we used magic to rescue Cepheus."

Sirius scratched this thumb nail along his bottom lip. "Harry said Cepheus was chained to the floor. We need something to help free him."

"Let me worry about that," Tegan insisted. "We'll be prepared."

"We will meet back here at six in the morning," Dumbledore announced. "That will give us more than enough time before you need to be at the Ministry, Tegan, and you in class, Severus."

Snape gave a curt nod before he bolted from the room, his robes flapping behind him. Sirius waited a good thirty seconds before he left as well, Tegan at his side. Exhaustion had settled in long ago, his body feeling it deep within his bones and muscles in a way it didn't when he was younger. Sirius just needed to catch a break. He needed the war to be over with so he didn't have to worry any longer. He needed a fucking drink to take his mind off everything.

Stepping off the final step, Sirius froze. Harry stood straight as a pin against the opposite wall while having an intense staring competition with Snape. Sirius winced, not wanting to deal with the confrontation. Harry's eyes dragged away from Snape and landed on Sirius, his face pulling into a thin line.

Sirius stepped forward, taking his spot next to Harry and placing a comforting hand on the back of his neck. "Move along, Snape. There is zero reason you need to speak with him."

"Oh, yes, because Potter receives special privileges," Snape drawled. "Private lessons, passes to not attend class, and free reign to leave the school every single weekend."

"I have no interest in being in your class after what you did to Marlene," Harry seethed.

Sirius squeezed Harry's neck, trying to calm him. "I'm warning you, Snape, just walk away. Harry is none of your concern. He's not in your class anymore. You are not his head of house. You are nothing to him. Just leave."

Snape jeered. "Yes, we wouldn't want to upset our resident celebrity."

Sirius laughed harshly, his head shaking. "You know, sometimes I wonder if you'd be so cold and callous towards him if Lily was still alive. Merlin, she would have ripped you a new fucking arsehole if she knew the way you talked to him. She would have loathed you for this treatment. You know that, right?"

Snape glanced over at Sirius, glaring at him. "Don't speak to me about her."

"No, I will fucking speak to you about her," Sirius challenged. "Lily was my best friend. She was like a sister to me. I loved her. I never would have treated her like you did. Even in her death, you spit on her grave in the way you treat her son. Harry is as much Lily as he is James."

"He is nothing like her," Snape snapped, his fists balling at his sides.

"Nah, he is, you just don't want to admit it because he looks like James," Sirius replied. "You can't get past your hatred for a dead man, so you take it out on an innocent kid. You can hate me all you want. You can call me names and talk down to me, I don't care. I deserve it. I gave as much you as did when we were kids. We were at each other's throats. Take your anger and whatever else you need to out on me. But you can't take it out on Harry. He wasn't there. He wasn't even a fucking thought. He has no idea what went down all those years ago. He doesn't deserve your wrath."

Snape snarled at Sirius before turning on his heels and stomping away from them. Sirius pressed his hand against the side of Harry's head, pulling him close to kiss his unruly hair before resting his cheek against the dark locks. His gaze wandered over towards Tegan, who looked at them oddly.

"Try to stay away from him, yeah?" Sirius whispered. "He's not worth your time."

"What were you doing with him?" Harry asked, pulling away so he could look up at Sirius.

Sirius shrugged. "Order stuff. Look, I have some things I need to do to prepare for a mission. I'll talk to you tonight, all right? Go to class. Keep your head down and your nose clean. Keep up with your homework."

Harry frowned. "What kind of mission? Is it about Cepheus?"

Sirius ruffled Harry's hair, garnering him an annoyed look from his godson as he ducked away from the affection. "Can't tell you that, kid. You know that."

Harry carded his fingers through his hair, trying to smooth it down. It was useless though. Nothing could control a Potter's hair.

"Love you, kid," Sirius said with a smile before he turned towards Tegan. "Ready?"

Tegan nodded. Sirius pressed a hand to the small of her back, leaning in close to her. He looked back over his shoulder to see Harry staring at them, his face pinching. Sirius winked at him. A pained look crossed Harry's face. Sirius chuckled, enjoying the realization that he had effectively embarrassed his godson for maybe the first time in his life.

Turning his attention back to Tegan, he leaned down close to her ear. "If you really want to piss Snape off, have Dora join our team."

Tegan laughed, her sparkling eyes looking up at him. She tugged out her wand, casting a privacy charm around them so they could talk without worry that they'd be overheard.

"Honestly, I was thinking of her for her abilities alone," Tegan admitted. "It may be helpful to have someone who could morph quick in case we need it. I was thinking of having her study Narcissa Malfoy's face and be ready to morph if we hear anyone in the house."

Sirius nodded, thinking it was a smart idea. "We need to do it sooner rather than later, Tee," he whispered. "We can't let him stay there any longer."

Tegan stopped in her stride, turning to face him and her fingers wrapping around his wrist. "We won't. Let's just hear what Snape has to say in the morning. If it looks clear, we can go tomorrow night."

Sirius' chest heaved. For a moment, he felt for his Uncle Alphard. To know where his nephew was and to know he was being hurt but not able to do anything about it was pure torture. He had spent a lot of time when he was younger wondering why his uncle hadn't saved him from Grimmauld Place sooner than he did. Now, well, now he understood. They had to be smart about it or else it could all blow up in their faces.

"You all right?" Tegan asked.

Sirius nodded, his brows furrowing. "I, uh, I think it's common knowledge that I ran away from home when I was just a kid. And, well…" he trailed off, bucking up the courage to tell her something real about himself, to expose just a hint of baggage. "My, uh… well, Walburga and Orion wanted me to take the Mark. It was what a Black did, you know? I refused. I didn't want anything to do with it. So, they decided they wanted to adjust my attitude and make me submit to their will. For several days, they… they along with Bellatrix Lestrange, Druella Black, and Cygnus Black abused me. They tried to break my mind, to shift my thoughts around and distort them. They wanted me to be a docile little dog. There was no escape. When they weren't hurting me, they chained me to my bed. They denied me basic necessities. And, I… I remember thinking that I was going to die. I knew I would never submit to what they wanted and I, I really, I thought I was going to die in that house."

"Sirius…" Tegan trailed off, her grip tightening around his wrist.

"My Uncle Alphard knew what they were doing," Sirius continued. "It took him days of planning but, but he rescued me from that house. He gave me money for the Knight Bus and I disappeared to the Potters. I remember not understanding why my uncle didn't do anything sooner. Why he sat on that knowledge for so long. It seemed impossible to me that he couldn't have helped me sooner. But I guess I'm in his position right now, aren't I? I know where Cepheus is and I'm not rushing in there without a plan. I'm waiting. It's the worst feeling in the world just to know where he is and do nothing. To know what the Black family is capable of and just… just waiting for fucking Severus Snape of all people to give us the go-ahead."

Tegan's eyes searched his. Her fingers uncoiled from around his wrist. The backs of her fingers brushed against his cheek. Sirius' throat narrowed.

"We'll get him out of there, Sirius," Tegan whispered. "I promise. We will go tomorrow night unless Snape says it's unsafe, all right? I'll catch Tonks up to speed and have her ready for tomorrow night."

"Thank you," Sirius whispered, his fingers wrapping around her shoulder and his thumb brushing along her collarbone.

"Do you want me to come over tonight?" Tegan asked, her hand dropping from his face. "I can help keep your mind off things."

Sirius' heart pounded in his chest. "I'd like that."

Tegan offered him a smile before she walked past him, her hand touching his arm as she went. Sirius stuffed his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and stilled. Marlene stood not far away from him, her eyes piercing into him. He rose his hand, letting it hover in greeting, a tight smile crossing his lips. Marlene returned the gesture before she turned to walk in the opposite direction.

Sirius' hand fell uselessly to his side. A wave of emotion swarmed in the pit of his stomach, tightening and clenching uncomfortably. He didn't want to go home and sit alone. Nor could he go have a drink with Aberforth. He weighed his options for a bit before he started to make his way out of the castle.

Within fifteen minutes, he found himself walking up the gravel lane towards the Burrow in Ottery St. Catchpole. He could spot Molly through the window as she cleaned up the kitchen. She turned, her eyes catching his through the window. A wide smile crossed her face before she disappeared from the window. Within moments, the back door opened.

"Sirius, dear!" she exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

Sirius nodded, offering her a genuine smile. "Yeah, just wanted to come see you."

She greeted him with a hug, forcing him to bend down to her height. He held onto her, trying to regulate his breathing. Molly didn't budge, holding him for as long as he needed. Her hand rubbed his back.

"Why don't you come in and sit down?" Molly suggested, her fingers wrapping around the base of his neck. "I'll even make you coffee."

Sirius let out a chuckle. "You spoil me."

Molly laughed, finally pulling back. Her hands pressed against his cheeks.

"I'm going to have tea though," Molly added. "I don't know how you drink that stuff."

Sirius shrugged, following Molly inside the house. He closed the door gently behind him. Molly bustled over to the counter, starting on the drinks and pulling cups from the cupboard. Sirius eased down at the table, his fingers splaying across the wood.

"We know where Cepheus is," Sirius announced.

"Oh?" Molly asked, turning around to face him. "How did you find that out?"

Sirius swallowed. "Narcissa Malfoy came to see me. She told me everything."

Molly's face soured. "Oh, Sirius, you can't trust her!"

"She said she was doing it for Regulus," Sirius continued. "They were close, as close as Andy and I are."

Molly wiped her hands on her apron. "I suppose you're going on the rescue mission?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, with Tegan, Dora, and, very unfortunately, Snape."

Molly sighed, looking up at the ceiling. Her eyes slid closed, her head shaking. Sirius tried to ignore her, knowing she hated the very thought of it.

"I have to go," Sirius reasoned. "He's a good kid. Innocent and, and kind. They'll destroy him."

"I know you do, Sirius," Molly said, turning around to busied herself with the drinks once more. "He's just a boy. It's positively heartbreaking."

Sirius stared down at the table, his nail scratching against the large nick in the wood. He didn't want to talk about the mission or debate whether or not Narcissa was trustworthy. Sirius was very well aware that the mission could go swimmingly or terribly wrong. Narcissa could easily kill them all with a well-placed ambush.

"Want to hear some gossip?" Sirius asked, looking up at Molly.

Molly raised her eyebrows. "Always. Just let me finish this up first."

It took her several minutes to finish up the tea and coffee before she brought two steaming cups to the table. Sirius took a sip of his coffee and his face pulled. It tasted like gross water. "Ugh, Molly, this is disgusting."

Molly peered at the cup. "Did I make it wrong?"

"Did you bloody well brew it?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, I brewed it, Sirius! Merlin!" Molly huffed.

"It tastes like gross water," Sirius insisted, pushing the cup away. "I'll take bloody tea. Plain."

Molly flicked her wand to pour him a cup of tea before it floated over towards him. "You're impossible."

Sirius grabbed the teacup from the air and peered down at it. It would have to do for now.

"So, what's the gossip?" Molly pressed, leaning back in her chair.

"Remus bought a ring for Dora," Sirius commented.

Molly squealed. "When is he going to ask her?"

Sirius shrugged. "No idea, but he's already asked Ted and Andy's permission."

"Oh, how wonderful!" Molly exclaimed. "Speaking of engagements, guess who else is ring shopping."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Not a clue in the world."

"Bill," Molly replied, her lips twisting. "He and Arthur went ring shopping the other day."

"You don't seem pleased," Sirius observed, taking a sip of his tea.

Molly sighed. "She's just… well, I'm not sure."

"She seems perfectly nice to me," Sirius said.

"You would think that," Molly replied, her fingers tapping the table. "She's half-Veela."

Sirius leaned forward, propping his elbows up on the table. "The best thing you can do is be supportive and try to get to know her. Because if you don't, he'll pull away. And you'll regret it."

Molly's face fell as she soaked in Sirius' words. Sitting the teacup down on the table, she leaned back in her chair.

"I've seen families fall apart because of marriages," Sirius continued, his eyes searching Molly's face. "I wasn't allowed to go to Andy's wedding. I was a first year when she eloped. She wrote me to tell me the date and everything. I begged my Uncle Alphard to sign me out of school so I could go. But he wouldn't. None of us went. Nobody was allowed to. I know your family is vastly different than the Blacks, but you don't want Bill and Fleur to start the next step of their relationship with hurt feelings from family."

Molly nodded, her gaze dropping to her tea. "I worry they're rushing into marriage because of the war."

"Maybe," Sirius reasoned. "Maybe not. James and Lily certainly didn't waste any time getting engaged and then married. I think it was partly the war and partly because James was a romantic sap. It was a couple months later they found out they were pregnant with Harry. Honestly, they weren't even trying to have a baby. Harry was a pure surprise. The best surprise, but a surprise none-the-less. And I… I am so grateful that James fucking botched the contraception spell because Harry is a miracle. Maybe something really great will happen for Bill and Fleur as well, a pure and amazing miracle."

Molly smiled, tears brimming her eyes.

"Let's be honest, you're happy for Remus and Dora and they've been dating a shorter amount of time," Sirius reasoned. "I know Bill's your son and you feel so protective of him. But he's happy. Fleur has been great. They've both helped me with the wards on the Hogsmeade house. They are so in sync and great together. Have a girls' day with her. Invite Dora and Andy out with you. I think you'll like her if you give her a chance."

Molly nodded. "No, you're right. I should be happy for Bill. I just worry she will break his heart."

"Do you worry Harry will break Ginny's heart?" Sirius pressed.

"No!" Molly exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Harry is a perfect gentleman! He's such a darling."

Sirius nodded. "Because you know him. Imagine that Ron and Harry weren't friends and Harry never came around here. Would you like her dating him if you didn't personally know him? Especially knowing the shit storm surrounding him with the war?"

Molly's shoulders sagged. Sirius didn't need her to answer to know what she was thinking.

"Get to know her and I bet you'll feel better about it," Sirius insisted. "Just so we're clear, if Harry did break Ginny's heart, I'd cuff him over the head because they're perfect for each other."

Molly laughed, her head shaking. "Oh, Sirius!"

"I'm being serious!" Sirius insisted, a grinning.

Molly dabbed her finger underneath her eye. "Did you give him the talk?"

Sirius' face pulled. "Erm, yeah, it… it was very awkward. I basically told him not to get her pregnant."

Molly's head cocked to the side. "Did you tell him how to prevent that?"

Sirius squinted, his lips tugging down. "Honestly, I don't know. It was… it was mortifying to have that conversation with him. He was not at all happy about it. And I'm not even entirely sure what I told him."

Molly rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. "Will you please have a more in-depth conversation with him? Go over the spells and potions and everything?"

Sirius grinned. "Well, if he's anything like James was, they'll be making you a grandparent before you know it if they rely on the spell."

"Making us grandparents," Molly corrected. "I'd like them to wait for at least five years, if not longer."

Sirius soaked in the words. Sure, he viewed himself as Harry's father figure now. He had stepped up in that role for James, just like he promised him he would. Even if it took him fourteen years to do it and he had no clue what he was even doing more than half the time. But he hadn't even thought about what he'd be to Harry's kids one day. What would they even call him?

"Nah, I agree. They're way too young," Sirius agreed, his thumb tapping against his teacup. "I'll… have another chat with him. I'll… show him everything."

"Thank you, Sirius," Molly said.

"Can we change the subject? This is… weird," Sirius asked.

Molly laughed, turning the subject back to the adult couples. They drank tea and laughed for hours, talking about proposals, weddings, and potential new children. Molly seemed more at ease with the thought of Fleur the more she talked with Sirius. Meanwhile, Sirius let all of his problems slip from his mind for a little while. He needed to clear his head before the rescue mission. Gossiping with Molly was the perfect way to do that.

Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! NEXT CHAPTER IS THE BIG ACTION SEQUENCE. I'll be upfront with you guys, I may or may not update next Sunday. The chapter is done and being edited. But you know how I get about action scenes. Hopefully, it doesn't need reworked but we shall see, right? Don't forget to drop a review. They motivate me to keep on writing! They make all this worth it!

Special thanks to prewettpotter this week! I needed a sub for editing and she came in like a fucking rockstar! It truly amazes me how wonderful you guys are to come in and help out. I want to WEEP.