"What are you doing here?" Remus exclaimed. "They could catch you!"
"I had to. Harry's scar," Sirius scrambled and took out the letter he had received. "It's hurting."
"We know."
"And did you know about the creatures in Siberia? Talking about something returning?" Sirius added. His eyes showed a hint of madness, his hands gripping the couch. "I've been listening in at the Inns and marketplaces. You sent me to some places, Shafiq but blimey they were good places. People have been talking."
Remus and Eliza lowered their wands, and Eliza's heart beat against her chest.
"You couldn't have knocked?" Remus exclaimed. "And through the back window as well?"
"I alohomora'd!" He defended himself. "And certainly, you'd think that you have better protections around this house given that you have missus-jinx-it here."
"Let's take a deep breathe," Remus looked at Eliza. "A cuppa?"
Eliza nodded, and then she stumbled to the kitchen and scrambled to gather the teapots and cups. She hadn't expected him to be there. He was always on her mind, but he wasn't supposed to be back without warning. Eliza wanted to be at least a little more prepared, but it seemed Sirius worked with his own rules. He always did.
The two men spoke in hushed tones as she set the tray on the table, shakingly. Remus put his hand on Eliza's wrist, a reassuring gesture as she gingerly sat down. Sirius' eyes flickered to her wrist and then back up again.
"Do you know what is happening at Hogwarts this year?" he asked. "I hear they are gathering dragons in Romania – a drunk Dragon Tamer," Sirius answered quickly upon the quizzical looks. "They…they're bringing in the Triwizard Tournament again."
"With restrictions," Eliza added. "No one under the age of 17 will be allowed to enter the tournament. They don't want it to be a death match."
Sirius gruffed. "Well, that's one worry out of the way then. Sure Harry might not get involved with that at all."
"Sirius –"
"I'm just saying," Sirius elaborated. "He does not have a good, what do people call it… uh –"
"Track record?" Remus supplied.
"Yes, that. He does not have a good track record and when something happens it's always him and his friends, at least that's what I've heard."
Remus waved his wand, and the tea poured into the cups, though they shook slightly.
"And what is your plan now?" Remus insisted.
"Go to Hogwarts, lay low," he leaned back in his chair. "Get Dumbledore in on it."
"Dumbledore?" Eliza exclaimed. "Since when –"
"Since you left to keep an eye on Harry," Sirius interrupted. He didn't look at her. His voice was strained.
"You are the one who left without telling me anything," Eliza frowned.
"And you're the one who always leaves," he said cooly.
Remus cleared his throat. "Now, Sirius –"
"This isn't about you, Remus."
"I think this is certainly also about me, seeing as I was the one she wanted to see fit –"
"This isn't about you," Sirius said again.
Eliza felt the heat rush to her face. The chair screeched across the floor, signalling she would leave the table.
"Shall I call on Dumbledore, then?" Eliza heard the colour leave her voice. It was monotone. You are someone who always leaves. "If you want some safe lodgings in Hogsmeade."
"Preferably," Sirius answered.
She pulled out her wand, casting her patronus. The silver stream emitted from the tip of her wand, forming itself into the shape of a big hound. It wasn't playful this time, unlike when Remus and Harry first saw it. It did not run around the room.
"Find Dumbledore and tell him to come here," she told the dog. It dipped its head in respect and floated out of the room. Dumbledore should arrive soon.
She turned to Remus and Sirius.
"I'll take my leave, then. You sort out whatever you need from Dumbledore."
"Eliza," Remus tried to begin, but as she still had her robes on, she didn't need much to leave the house.
The last thing she heard coming from the house was, "You're a downright prick, you know that, right?"
On the beach, she screamed out in frustration. She thought they were past that. He should have been past that. They should have… they should have done a lot more.
Perhaps she shouldn't have left.
"I keep ending up here," she said in frustration as she ran her hand through her hair. Why do they never talk?
She walked along the beach, throwing some flat stones into the sea. Though they would not bounce off the waves, it didn't work like that.
"I thought you'd run off by now," Dumbledore found her on the beach. "At least, that's what Mr. Black thinks."
"I would have gone to the Leaky Cauldron, but to be fair, it's been a long day," she grimaced. "Are you here to lecture me on something?"
"On the contrary, I think you should enjoy the company of the sea today," Dumbledore hummed. "I've made the arrangements. He'll be in the woods, I'll supply him with food."
"He'll be imprisoned again," Eliza closed her eyes, listening to the crashing waves.
"Perhaps you were not happy to see him here," Dumbledore noted. "Because you could at least think he was free. Is that the case?"
"Yes."
"He will be be fine," Dumbledore assured. "I will make sure of that. And it will be good for young Harry to have his godfather nearby… not that you aren't just as important. You and Remus."
She took a deep breath.
"Can you absolutely assure me that he will be safe in your hands?" Eliza fiddled with her sleeves. "Because I need to believe that something won't go wrong with a Sirius plan."
"Well, it is a serious plan," Dumbledore chuckled at his pun. "And I can assure you that he will be safe as long as I am around. And I don't plan on leaving. Mad-Eye Moody will be a teacher this year, if needed I will include him in the plan."
"Just don't forget the part where Sirius is a wanted criminal in this country," Eliza reminded. "You must have Mad-Eye know that."
"I don't plan on telling him because the less people who know about his whereabouts, the better," Dumbledore insisted. "But I will try to get people on our side, let them know the truth. You're not alone in this. I already made that mistake when I didn't listen to you."
Eliza scanned the face of her old professor, looking for a sign that he was lying or just trying to comfort her.
But she found none, which made it even more unsettling.
"Care to accompany me back to the cottage?" he held out his arm.
She took the arm he held out and walked back with him; with each step, she felt her heart become heavier. Dumbledore promised to write and update her on Sirius' well-being when he went to Hogsmeade. With a loud crack, the old headmaster was gone, back to wherever he had been dwelling before she called.
But what broke that pain was the bark of laughter she heard. They were sitting by the fire, talking as though nothing had happened. Remus had broken out his finest whisky and poured a dram. She didn't want to interrupt the peaceful look on Remus' and Sirius' faces. Instead, she removed her boots and robe, made herself some food in the kitchen – she was sure that they'd heard her at this point but made no move to interrupt her – and, after finishing up, left for her room.
A little bit later, Remus peered his head through the door.
"Sirius will take the sofa," he said gently.
She sighed.
"He can take my room and my bed."
Remus nodded.
"Alright, I'll tell him."
By the time Sirius trickled into the room, it was nearly midnight. She didn't look up when he walked in, hiding her face behind the book she was reading. She could hear him change; she peeped over the top of her book to see the muscles in his back that were turned to her move before looking away again. It was only until there was a dip in her bed that she acknowledged that he was there.
"I have to get up at 8 a.m.," she said, taking off her reading glasses and putting them on the side table.
"A busy bee," Sirius gruffed, pulling the blanket to his chin. He had taken so much of the duvet that Eliza's legs were freed.
"Hey –"
Sirius pulled the duvet away and covered it over himself. She frowned and tried to pull it away. It was cold, and he didn't need that much of the duvet; she just wanted to sleep and forget everything that had happened that day.
Then, Sirius attacked. He used the piece of the duvet he was holding and pulled it over the both of them so that they'd both be covered, and he laid on top of her, pinning her down.
"Sirius!" she hissed.
"This is the only way we can talk," Sirius said.
"By cornering me? Don't you think it'll get a little stuffy?"
"It will," he grinned. "But, please. Look at me."
Eliza did not struggle to get him off her. She had no choice but to look at him, really look at him. She wasn't sure what she would find. Looking at people with blue eyes was intense, but for those with grey eyes… it was like being a deer in the headlights.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"You need to do more than that," Eliza felt tears pool at the corner of her eyes. "You know that."
He rested his forehead on hers, his lips grazing hers. It wouldn't take much for it to go further, to feel him more than she already did, the weight of him on her.
"It would help if we didn't have to keep leaving," he touched the hollow of her neck. She repressed the gasp that would have left her lips, but her leg twitched, telling Sirius more than she needed to say.
He kissed her. His hands were on her throat, then cupping her face. She lost track of where anything was, being wholly overwhelmed the moment he straddled her. Her thoughts, doubts, and fears melted away, though she knew it would not stop them from having another adult conversation about everything later.
In between gasps for air, she sounded out that very thought.
"I know," Sirius was now at her neck, peppering kisses slowly down to her collarbone. "But I just need you here right now."
"Why now?" she asked. Sirius had plenty of opportunities to initiate a kiss, but tonight, of all days, was when he did it.
"Your patronus," he answered. "It's… has it always been me?"
"I wouldn't know what else it could have been, and I didn't learn how to cast it until I joined the Order."
He sucked in his breath and traced her lips with his finger. "I'd dreamt of these for twelve years. Of you with me. It was never fair for you, wasn't it?"
Eliza brushed a piece of hair that had fallen down his face and tucked it away. "I know you want me to be with you, but I have a different life. Remus too. "
"I will admit," he said slowly. "I am a little bit jealous of Remus. He gets all of your attention."
"What, and you don't?"
Sirius raised his eyebrow. Eliza gestured to the fact that they were underneath a blanket and he was straddling her.
"I don't do this with friends."
"But I am your friend," Sirius pointed out.
"You were also my lover."
"Were? I didn't orchestrate a whole plan for you to talk to me just to be disrespected," he said playfully.
"You still have a bounty on your head," Eliza reminded him.
"Riveting," he took the duvet down so their heads were free. "Business as usual, darling?"
She rolled her eyes.
"May you promise me something?" he asked. Eliza hummed. "Could you stop leaving me out of your life?"
The scruff on his face prickled against her skin.
She couldn't promise that because as long as Sirius was on the run, finding him a place in all this was tough. But certainly, in this house by the sea, it would be different now that more people would look out for them.
If Remus heard anything, he did not say a single word the following day, though Eliza saw the smirk that ghosted by the corner of his lip. Sirius would not leave for Hogwarts for a while, not until things settled down after the tournament announcement.
The next day of work, however, proved to be a pain.
"Dustbins," Arthur grumbled. "Honestly, I thought he was an auror!"
"Cops are cops," Eliza grumbled, though she was hardly in a bad mood. She had to talk to the police before wiping their memory to gauge how much damage was done.
The policewoman shrugged. "They called us at around 7 pm, saying that the man was off his rockers. Nothing going on though, just some lunatic setting bins on fire that's all. The guy, uh, Alastor was it? Yeah Alastor said he heard someone tryin' to come in. We're in London, of course someone will try to intrude."
Eliza sighed. "Any witnesses?"
"Just the neighbours, you but eh, nothing much."
Eliza winced as she altered their memories. The exploding dustbins were a simple matter of kids putting fireworks into them, as it happened in London. She walked around Mad-Eye's place and noticed the old man next door, who peered over the fence.
Eliza could not read his face because there wasn't much of it that she could infer. His skin glistened and stretched, reaching most of his face and hair, a sign that it had been burnt in the past. Where his right eye should have been, there was a red flesh cavity, and his tongue stuck out from his mouth.
"Hello," Eliza said. "Sorry, I'm the niece of the guy who lives here. Did you happen to see anything?"
The neighbour did not say anything but nodded. He held up a finger and left. She waited.
The neighbour came back with a pad and pencil.
SOMEONE BROKE IN, it read.
"Did you tell the police?"
He shook his head.
THEY DON'T LISTEN TO ME.
"Thank you, Mr…?"
"M-manson," he struggled to say, but she heard it loud.
"Thank you, good sir. It will be helpful."
Just as she was about to turn around, he tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at the notepad again.
HE DID NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE, THE INVADER. NOR YOUR UNCLE. I WATCHED.
If you asked the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Wand Usage, Eliza did perform a memory charm but said memory charm was misdirected. Mr Manson was an asset.
"Oh I hope this never reaches the Prophet and that Skeeter woman!" Arthur said on their way back to the ministry. Eliza was lost in her thoughts, thinking of what Mr. Manson told her. According to him, the invader never left the house, and Moody never left it either.
And yet Moody was supposed to be at Hogwarts.
"What's gotten into you?" Arthur asked suddenly. "You're zoning out again!"
They were on the tube.
"Sorry, apparting around gets to me if I haven't had a good breakfast."
"You seemed to be in a good mood this morning," Arthur noticed. "Are you sure you didn't see anything?"
She sounded her concerns to Remus and Sirius that night.
"It doesn't sound like him, does it?" Remus and Sirius shared a look. "What was he always on about? Constant vigilance, don't put your wand in your back pocket, or you will lose an arse cheek."
"What about that missing ministry officer that is in the news?" Sirius added. "Does that not sound suspicious?"
"It's either a series of coincedences or they are all connected," Remus was deep in thought. "Something… something is off. I can feel it."
The longer she spent at work, the worse it got. The snafu at the World Cup raged on, and Rita Skeeter was on the lookout for anyone she could attack. It wouldn't be long before Eliza was the brunt of the joke if Rita was going to attack the entire department.
"Don't think about it," Sirius said one night after she had let out a sigh. Sleep didn't come.
"What did Harry write to you about?" he asked.
"The tournament, he wonders who will get to be in it. He's livid that there won't be any Quidditch this year."
"Oh, what a pity," Sirius said, wrapping his arms around her. I'm sure he can play in Grimmauld when I am free."
"And he is also worried about you because your replies are now taking a short time to get to him," she raised his eyebrow.
"Wait 'till I get there tomorrow."
"Don't you get yourself caught," she reminded him.
"I'll be careful," he promised. "Really, Eliza. I will be."
Sirius was in total health when he went away to Hogsmeade to keep an eye on Harry. Remus and Eliza watched him leave in the morning. When he was gone, Remus poured her a cuppa.
"I don't think," Remus started. "It will be a happy reunion the next time around. It's getting a little dark out there."
She wished that he was wrong.
Happy New Year, and I am now a B.A., which is weird because I still cannot spell!
The next chapter will include a little bit more (happy) Eliza and Sirius, the ending of Goblet of Fire, and then we'll get to the OOTP chapters.
I would have gotten this out earlier, but my Sundays were my only proper day offs.
That one line brought to you by Past Lives. Please leave a review, a like, or follow the story! They motivate me to continue writing even though this is technically only being written to get it out of my system.
Love,
Spring