The last time Sirius asked about coming to Hogsmeade, Aurora and Harry had told him unequivocally "No."

This time when he'd written asking to meet them in Hogsmeade he'd never received a more excited "Yes!"

It was different walking into the Three Broomsticks now. People stared and whispered. He'd been getting a lot of that since his exoneration. He ordered two butterbeers and grabbed a table far from the door. A few minutes later, he heard a voice call out his name.

He turned his head and saw Aurora striding across the bar to him. He got to his feet and she hugged him tightly.

"I am so glad to see you," she said. "Harry can't make it."

Sirius frowned. "Detention?"

"Emergency Quidditch practice," she said sitting down.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He would never know how his daughter managed to be infected with James Potter's Quidditch obsession. But at least it made her a perfect match for Harry.

"I know what you're thinking," Aurora said as he sat across from her. "There's no such thing as a Quidditch emergency, but things are not going as well as Harry hoped."

"Still having trouble with Ron?" Sirius asked, sliding her drink across the table to her.

"To be polite about it," she said. "But I won't bore you with Quidditch talk."

"I appreciate that," he said. "How have things been with you? I've been worried."

"I'm a little offended that everyone is seeing me dropping Defense Against the Dark Arts as some huge red flag," Aurora said before taking a sip of her drink.

"Interesting you say that because I didn't even mention the class," he said. He was going to, but this was better.

"I am doing better now that I dropped the class," she said. "Only taking classes that I enjoy and avoiding Severus Snape almost entirely has made this year much more tolerable."

"No illegal clubs I should know about?" he asked.

"None that you should know about," she teased.

Sirius chuckled. There'd been a frailty about her over the summer that seemed to have disappeared now that she was back at school. She was doing better.

"So your classes are going well. You don't have Severus anymore, so I assume no teachers have been giving you trouble," he said. "How are things with Harry?"

"Excellent," she said. "I mean that. He's lovely."

"No complaints?" Sirius asked.

"Not really. Well," she said, setting her drink down. She rolled up her sleeve to reveal a nasty purple bruise on her arm.

"Tentacula?" he asked.

"Yes. How'd you know?" Aurora asked.

"Sixth year, Professor Sprout said that one person gets stung every year during that unit. So I let it be me, on a dare," Sirius said. He replayed the moment back in his head. "Actually, I think Remus said something along the lines of 'even you wouldn't be stupid enough to let yourself get stung' and something about Remus telling me not to do something made me do it immediately."

Aurora nodded. "You know, every time I hear a new story from you I understand more and more why Dad says that he's not had a moment of peace from you since he took me in."

Sirius laughed. "Did Harry attack you with that plant?"

"No. He just wasn't paying attention. And I told him several times 'please pay attention' and then it went for his face and I shoved him out the way and took the hit myself," she explained. "I was quite irritated with him. But that's about it. He's great."

She took a drink of her butterbeer, clearly trying to hide the flush that crept into her cheeks.

"Well, that's good to hear. Especially after the trouble you two had last year," Sirius said. "It's been good to see you happy together."

Aurora took another drink and then brushed her hair back from her face. "Most people are just back to saying we're annoying, so that's nice to hear."

"People think you're annoying because they want what you have," Sirius said.

"'Guys want me, girls wanna be me,'" she said. "That's what Atlas would say."

"How's he settling in?" Sirius asked.

"Magnificently," she said rolling her eyes. "I thought everyone in Slytherin was going to give him a hard time, but if they were trying to, he didn't give them a chance. I think Snape hates him because he's completely unhateable aside from being related to you."

He felt a swell of pride knowing his children were still making that man miserable.

"Can't believe he wound up in Slytherin," Sirius said.

"To be fair, we're both kind of anomalies to end up in Gryffindor," she said. "But he's really great, despite being Slytherin. Harry thinks he's great. You should see them in the Slug Club. They're completely insufferable. Slughorn adores them. I also think he's the first teacher that's said 'You remind me so much of Sirius' and meant it as a compliment."

Sirius laughed. "Slughorn did like me, unfortunately. How's alchemy?"

"Brilliant. Difficult. Every time we get an assignment Harry threatens to break up with me, but that's mostly because Slughorn paired us up with other people so we don't work together," she said. "Zach Smith, the annoying boy who always asks me out, he's Harry's partner in class. But Slughorn almost stuck him with Malfoy. I got him instead."

"And how's that going?" Sirius asked.

"Not as terrible as I thought it would be. He's a little bit afraid of me, so he puts in effort in the class," she said. "He tolerates me. And he's too checked out to be bothered with being irritating to the rest of us."

"That's good at least?" Sirius offered.

Aurora shrugged. There was something on her mind that she wasn't saying, but he wouldn't push her.

"I wanted to tell you something," he said.

"Bad news?" she asked.

"News," he said. "Theo and I are no longer in what you referred to as a 'situationship.'" Sirius was surprised to see her brighten at this. "I mean we're—"

"Not together anymore. I got it," she said with a nod. "Good for you."

"Really?" he asked. "You're okay with this?"

"Of course I am. I mean, I think Theo is great. She gave birth to me, and she's been very upfront about what kind of relationship she wants the two of us to have. And I'm fine with that. But you…" Aurora paused to think over her words carefully.

"I'm not about to get a lecture, am I?" he joked.

"No," she said with a sigh. "I just think you deserve someone who wants the same things you want and not just someone familiar."

Sirius didn't expect her words to hit him the way they did.

"And I don't know much about your relationship with Theo, but I do know that you have always wanted to be my dad. And she was willing to be my mum because it meant she got to have you. But no one is happy in that kind of arrangement," she said. "Personally, I quite like you being my dad."

"Do you?" he asked.

"Of course I do. I love you," she said. "Aside from giving me your good looks and charming personality—" Sirius laughed at this, "you are insufferable about my well-being, too interested in how things are with my boyfriend, and you… Do all of the annoying dad things that I can't really put a name to."

"Well," Sirius said, "I quite like being your dad as well. I mean, Remus is really—"

"Stop," Aurora said quickly. "I am exhausted with the two of you comparing our relationships. He raised me. He's my dad. But you are also my dad because you didn't let being away from me for 12 years stop you from being my dad. Of course our relationships are different. But I love you both. Full stop."

Sirius nodded. A tear ran down his cheek and he wiped it away quickly and then took a drink of his butterbeer.

"I know I'm amazing, but there's no need to cry about it," she said.

He managed a laugh again.

"Thank you," he said. He didn't know if he was thanking her for making light of his tears or for causing them in the first place.

"So what's Theo up to now?" she asked.

"She's still staying with me, but she's not really sure what she wants to do. She hasn't known what she's wanted to do for 16 years now," Sirius said. "Can't say I blame her."

"This directionlessness is genetic then?" Aurora asked.

"Afraid so," Sirius replied.

"Guess it's easy to not have a plan when you don't have to worry about what happens if you don't have one," she said with a pout.

She had a point there. Sirius hadn't done much when he graduated from Hogwarts aside from helping the Order because he hadn't needed to. The same was true for Theo. The same was true for Aurora. The generational wealth accumulated by the Black family and the Goldfinch would have her and Atlas and their children more than comfortable.

If Harry and Aurora stayed together they'd be doubly financially secure.

"Tell me something," Sirius said, "do you really never ever want to get married?"

Aurora laughed and took a drink. "To what end? What's the point of having the government involved in my relationship? If Harry and I are going to be together forever, what do I need to make it legal for?"

"Is that your plan?" Sirius asked. "To be with Harry forever?"

She shrugged. "Possibly."

He laughed. "Possibly?"

"I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of an honest answer to that question," she said. "You might just turn around and report back to Harry."

"Does he need reporting to?" Sirius asked. "I thought you two would be on the same page."

"We are," she said, trying again to hide her smile behind her drink. "He's just definitely making a concession about the fact that I don't care about marriage."

"Marry you tomorrow if he could then?" Sirius teased.

"So he says," she replied.

He raised an eyebrow. "So he says?"

"If only we didn't have two years of school left, and weren't sixteen, and also I don't believe in marriage," Aurora said. "That's all that's stopping him. He's a hopeless romantic that Harry Potter."

"I'd have never guessed," Sirius said. Truly, he'd have never guessed. But then again, Sirius saw the way James seemed to lose all sense over Lily. The way he completely abandoned all sense except when it came to making Lily happy and keeping her safe.

Sirius thought James' was a bit mad when they were in school, but came to envy him. He and Theo never had that. It comforted Sirius that Aurora would have that. That she actively had that.

"Like I said, he's the best," she said. "Your dream come true, I'm sure."

"Yes," Sirius said. Aurora rolled her eyes. "But it means a lot more to me that the two of you are happy."

"But he'll never be your son-in-law, because I'll never marry him," she said.

He laughed. "It only hurts a little."

Aurora smiled at him. He could see himself in that smile. He saw Theo in that smile. But mostly he just saw Aurora. This smart, beautiful girl who was happy and in love, and he had the immense luck of being one of her dads. She was laughing with him over drinks in a pub, having a perfectly normal afternoon.

"Thank you for meeting with me," he said.

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked in surprise. "When Dad taught at Hogwarts, I had tea with him every Saturday unless he was indisposed. Popping by to have a drink with your daughter is perfectly reasonable. Besides, we've never really spent any time together, just us."

Sirius nodded. "I guess we haven't. Not outside of Grimmauld Place anyway."

"Look at us, being normal," Aurora said. "I love that for us."

"I do too," Sirius said. He raised his glass to Aurora and she lifted hers, clinking it against his. He remembered the day Harry came home from Surrey after spending the day with Aurora. They'd done nothing but get coffee and sit at his house.

"Most normal thing I think we've ever done together." Harry had said. Sirius thought it was silly until now, sitting across from her and having a completely, normal interaction with her. Maybe he'd been taking the normal things for granted. Maybe he didn't realize until now just how important these little pieces of normal were.

"I've got several more Hogsmeade visits before the holidays, but Atlas won't get to come back until December. You should come then since he'll be going back to New York for Christmas. I know he'd like that," Aurora said. "I'm not just assuming that by the way, he did in fact tell me he'd like you to visit in December if you're able."

"Really?" Sirius asked. She nodded. He'd exchanged quite a few letters with Atlas since he'd come to Hogwarts. He didn't know him that well, but Atlas made himself very easy to talk to. Aurora had all sorts of reservations and insecurities when they first started talking. Every interaction they had felt to her, like a betrayal to Remus. They were well past that now. But there were no such walls with Atlas.

"I'll get you the date," Aurora said. "See if you can make it work."

It didn't matter what the date was, Sirius would find a way to make it work.

Harry knocked on Rory's bedroom door and it was opened by Hermione.

"Hey," she said. "You look…"

"Miserable?" Harry asked, slinking inside. He'd just gotten out of what was unequivocally the worst Quidditch practice of his life.

"I was going to say 'like shit', but miserable is a nicer word," Matilda said. "Weren't you at Quidditch?"

"Yeah," he said. He looked at his girlfriend's empty bed. "Is Rory not back yet?"

"No," Hermione said. "Last I saw her she was saying goodbye to Sirius when I was heading back to the castle, but I've been back nearly half an hour and she hasn't come back yet."

At least she was having a good day. Harry fell face-first into her bed.

"Potter, what are you doing?" Matilda asked.

"Do you mind if I wait for her?" he asked.

"Not really giving us a choice about it, are you?" Matilda asked.

"We were just going to the library," Hermione said.

"As long as you don't do anything weird, you can stay here," Matilda said.

"What do you mean, weird?" Harry asked.

"You're alone in your girlfriend's bed. Use your imagination," Matilda said. "After you're back in your own room."

"Ignore her Harry," Hermione said. "I'm sure Rory will be up soon. We'll send her up if we see her."

"Thanks," he said.

Matilda and Hermione left and Harry was alone in their room. To his luck, it wasn't long at all before Rory showed up.

"Not that I mind you being there, but what exactly are you doing in my bed, Harry Potter?" Rory asked.

"This was the worst Quidditch practice ever," he said.

He listened as she closed and locked the door. "What happened?"

"Ron happened. He made Demelza cry. He let every single shot get past him. After practice, he saw Dean and Ginny snogging and they got into a huge shouting match. I told him he needs to get it together and I wasn't super kind about it," he said. Rory laid down on the bed next to him and he immediately cuddled closer to her, resting his head on her shoulder. "I didn't want to be around him right now so I came in here."

"I'm sorry," she said. She kissed him and he was glad he'd come here. Even if Matilda and Hermione had to make fun of him for it first. Rory always made him feel better. She was his safe space. His home. "Anything I can do?"

"Short of making me not as stressed as I am," he said. She ran her fingers back through his hair and kissed him again. She smiled at him. "What?"

"I can help with the stress, for now anyway. Distract you," she said. Her hand was slowly creeping down his chest to his trousers. "If you like."

She kissed him and he didn't argue. This isn't why he came in here, but he wasn't going to tell her to stop. She unbuttoned his trousers and her hand slipped down into his pants, stroking his cock which responded to her touch immediately.

She pulled him from his pants when he was fully erect. She stroked him slowly until precum leaked from the head of his cock.

He was just thinking that now would be a great time to start pulling off Rory's clothes, but she surprised him. She moved to her knees and took Harry's cock into her mouth. Harry tensed immediately.

"Holy shit," Harry moaned. His eyes closed. His fingers slid into her hair as her head bobbed up and down. Her tongue, her mouth, she was divine. He did his best not to thrust up into her mouth or force her head lower.

He lay there and he easily forgot all about Ron and Quidditch and pretty much anything else that wasn't Rory. To her credit, she knew exactly what to do to help him destress. And she was really fucking good at it. He opened his eyes and he met her gaze. She traced his cock with her tongue, dragging it slowly from base to tip. She grinned at him mischievously before she repeated the motion. The image was going to live in his head now, along with a hundred other images of his girlfriend on her knees, on top of him, or under him.

When he finished and she was finished, Rory sat beside him on the bed while he caught his breath. With his eyes closed, he was almost startled when she kissed him.

"Hopefully that's helped a bit," she said.

"An understatement," he said.

Rory laughed and kissed him again. "As long as you're feeling better."

Harry adjusted his trousers and then pulled Rory down beside him. She brushed her fingers through his hair. He smiled up at her.

"What?" she asked.

"You're lovely is all," he said. She kissed him again. "Did you have a good afternoon?"

Rory nodded. "I've never spent time with Sirius, just the two of us. Not really. It was nice."

"I'm glad," he said.

"He said my dad didn't show up after the full moon like he said he would," Rory said. "I'm sure he's fine. I'm not panicking yet. But if he's staying out of touch on his own accord, I'm right to be angry aren't I?"

"Obviously," he said.

"I'm going to hope for the best. I don't sense that anything bad has happened to him so I'm going to gonna onto that," she said. "And I'm going to try to remember what a good day I had with my other dad."

Harry smiled at her. "You did have a good time with Sirius?"

"I did. Every time we talk it always just feels so easy. Like it does when I talk to, well, my dad. I'm so close with him it seems unreal that I can be that close with two people," Rory said.

"You've got two great parents," Harry said. "Nothing to be surprised about."

She let out a sigh. "I talked about you a lot. An embarrassing amount, even for Sirius. He probably thinks I'm obsessed with you."

"Well I'm obsessed with you so that's fair," he said. She smiled at him. Why had he come in here? Because he'd been in a bad mood and was looking for comfort? That's right. Mission accomplished apparently. "If you need me to make sure he knows the obsession is mutual, I'm happy to do that."

"No. He's already too invested in us," Rory said. She kissed him one last time and then got up from the bed. Harry sat up and watched her walk over to her desk.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes," she said shuffling things around. "Seeing Sirius has just got me thinking."

"About what?" he asked.

"Everything," she said. "Us. What comes after all this. The future. We keep worrying about Voldemort and the cult and all of this insanity, but what about when we're done with school? And you're off studying to be an Auror and I'm just, I dunno, what am I?"

"The love of my life. The person I want to be with forever. My best friend. My teammate. Someone who is infinitely smarter and more talented than me who is giving everyone else a chance by opting not to do many of the countless things she's capable of doing," Harry said.

She smiled at him, but he could tell she was still in her head a bit.

"I'm crazy about you, Harry Potter. But you're 'the chosen one'. You're 'the boy who lived.' I don't believe in marriage, but if I did, how could I ever marry you knowing that I'd just be relegated to being 'Harry Potter's wife' for the rest of my life?" Rory asked.

"Are you trying to break up with me right now?" he teased.

"Never," she said. "It's all just starting to hit me now that… When we started dating, people were putting our pictures in the paper every day and everyone wanted to know everything about me, and I was so sure and so confident about myself that I didn't mind that you're the most famous wizard on the planet, but now I'm so lost that—."

Harry had gotten off the bed and walked over to Rory and kissed her before she could spiral any farther.

"You might not know what you want to do right now, but you'll figure it out," Harry said. "And if you want, I'm happy to refer to myself as 'Rory Lupin's boyfriend' for the rest of forever if that makes you feel better."

She laughed and kissed him again. "You and me forever?"

"Forever," he said. "I mean that. Dark Wizards. Cults. Having no career trajectory. When people inevitably tell us that we're 'living in sin' because we're not married. I'm here for all of it."

Something had been off with Rory since they'd gotten back to school. The problem wasn't with them, exactly, but with Rory herself. She was still struggling with what happened at the Ministry, with Emmeline Vance, and the relative silence of the SOP. It made her less confident about everything and made her worry about everything. He didn't know how to help her as it slowly infected every part of her life.

The only thing he knew how to do was make sure she knew that they were okay, that they would be okay no matter what.