Chapter 30: Who's the Daddy
"Pettigrew?" Remus said looking at her oddly clearly confused she saw his dining companion giving her an odd look as well.
"Yes, Pettigrew." She said biting her lip. "I am that bastard's sister."
"Well, at least you know he's a bastard." The dark headed man said, "You don't look anything like him by the way."
"I'll take that as a compliment Mr…."
"Black. Sirius Black. The one your dear brother framed."
Of course, she shouldn't have been surprised. Now that he told her his name, she could see some family resemblance between him and his cousins. The same dark hair and grey eyes.
"I honestly don't even know what to tell you, Mr. Black."
He shrugged, "Well, you said your brother is a bastard. That pretty much says it all. It's pretty clear you didn't come here to talk to me though."
Remus gave him an odd look.
"She was addressing you when she came over here. Asked if you remembered, Moony. What's that about?"
She sighed heavily as she sat down next to them. Remus noticed that she was very pretty if exhausted. She really did look nothing like Peter.
That was a good thing.
"To put it bluntly, we used to know each. We used to know each other very well until my brother decided to use you as a test subject for his little lord."
What? That made no sense he had never seen the woman.
She did seem familiar.
Sirius had a weird look on his face. "What did Pettigrew say he used on Remus?"
"He didn't go into specifics," The woman said. "Just said it was something that could twist reality, change people. He really couldn't give me much information on what it was. Said some guy named Severus came up with it."
Sirius looked at Remus. "I need to fire call Lucius."
Remus wasn't stupid, he knew what Sirius was thinking. That whatever Pettigrew had used on him, he used on Sirius and Bella as well. Or Lily had used it. If Severus had created it, it wasn't that big of a leap to assume that Lily had somehow gotten ahold on it as well.
Emma gave him a strange look.
"It's Sirius's story to tell," he said.
She nodded and got out her purse and handed him something.
It was a few photos of him when he was younger. Him with his arms wrapped around a younger version of Emma.
He gave her a weird look. "We were…."
"Involved, yes." She said. "For quite a while."
"I don't…"
"Remember, I know." She said, "My brother apparently did not find you to be a suitable match for his sister even if I am a useless squib."
"You ruined her, you bloody bastard."
The voice oddly sounded like Peter's. He still didn't…
Out of all of his school friends he probably hung out with Peter the least. He had found him even creepy before all his skeletons in the closet were even discovered. He mentioned this to Emma and she laughed.
"Your annoyance with my brother is how we initially bonded. He really was never fond of you either or me."
"Or James and Sirius," Remus said thinking about what had happened to both men. And now he wondered what his old friend did to him.
He looked at her, "Granger. You're that little girl's mother."
She looked at him, "You…you heard about Hermione?"
"Yes," he said not wanting to go into details that his honorary nephew had been attacked the same time Emma's daughter was. "I saw the headlines when I heard about what happened to Sirius."
Emma closed her eyes and grimaced. "I still can't believe he did that to your friend. Then again, I can't believe half of the crap Petey does."
Petey.
He had a vague recollection of Peter ranting about his family calling him that. Especially Emma.
"What?"
"He hated being called Petey."
"I know," she smirked. "Only Mother was allowed to call him it and even then I think it got under his skin."
"He hated it when you called him that" He said. "I….I remember him ranting about it."
"Interesting," She said. "Is that all?"
There was almost a hopeful look on her face, he didn't know why. It was clear from the wedding ring she wore she had moved on a long time ago. And honestly, he wasn't interested in her. As nice looking as she was, he did not want to be involved with anything involving Peter Pettigrew.
He nodded. "Sorry."
"Don't be," she said. "I'm just glad you're alive I thought he killed you for so many years after…"
He looked at her. "What happened?"
She sighed heavily. "You know I have a daughter, right?"
He nodded.
"Well, she's also yours."
Sirius Black had not expected to firecall his brother in-law of all people.
It wasn't that he didn't like Lucius—at least in moderation—it just that it was Lucius. And he wasn't exactly someone that Sirius had ever really bonded with even at the best of the times.
Though the man had gotten him out of jail, and it sounded like he was fairly decent to his son, but it was still Lucius. And it didn't help he was helping his wife keep a pretty big secret from him right now and seemed scared to death of his reaction.
It concerned him how scared Cissy seemed of Lucius. He understood that what was happening to her was a huge adjustment, but at the same time he really wondered why she thought Lucius would react so poorly and for that matter what he would do.
He shook his thoughts about his cousin's predicament away since that was not what he wanted to talk to the bastard about—not that he could anyway since he was Cissy's healer.
"Black, ever heard of making an appointment?"
He looked crabby—per usual—and had his head stuck in the middle of paperwork (also a very common sight).
"Considering I'm one of your best clients; you can pencil in a little time in your schedule for me."
Lucius frowned, but knew Sirius had a point.
"What's going on now?"
"Snape."
Lucius looked at him, "Oh, please tell me you're not resuming that silly feud. I thought you grew out of it when you weren't potion induced."
Sirius rolled his eyes. He really hadn't thought that much about Snivellus until Lily potioned him. He had fucking grown up. Although, Lily didn't seem to think so since he remembered distinctly wanting to pull pranks on the man and acting like an overgrown man child after she screwed with him.
Really, what the fuck had been wrong with that woman.
"I had an illuminating conversation today with Emma Pettigrew Granger," he said. "Actually, Remus did."
"Aren't you in Switzerland still?"
"Clearly,"
"But her daughter is still in the hospital surely…"
"She had to talk to Remus," Sirius said. "Apparently, they used to be involved before Peter messed with their head courtesy of a potion from Severus. A potion Pettigrew was testing for his master."
Lucius instantly got what he was getting at. He was no idiot. There was that at least. Still, sometimes he wondered if he should change solicitors. Ted was just as good with a little bit more of a moral compass. In this case, it was probably best he use Lucius.
"You think it was the same crap that Potter used to put down you and Bellatrix's throats don't you?"
"It seemed similar enough, and I wouldn't put it past Lily to still be screwing Severus when she was with James."
He still felt bad about saying that but after he got his memories back he really wouldn't put anything past Lily. And he did remember Bella had always told him she didn't believe it was as over between Lily and Snivellus. She was probably right.
"I thought you wanted this whole thing dropped?" Lucius said.
A part of Sirius had. After Bella had died, he had thought that there was no need for answers but now…
"I have to know," he said. "I have to know what they did to me and her. From what Granger said Pettigrew seemed rather clueless which I believe because I had the misfortune of being in Potions a time or two, but Snivellus…"
"Severus," Lucius said.
Sirius rolled his eyes, "You do realize when you corrected me you sounded like Dumbledore."
"Heaven forbid," Lucius said. "I'll admit your little nickname does suit him."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I thought he was your friend?"
Lucius laughed, "Severus my friend. Hardly. That man probably has never had an actual friend."
"Except her," Sirius said referring to Potter.
Lucius shook his head. "No, even Lily Potter was just using him. Trust me, no one likes Severus Snape."
He frowned looking at his mail. He wondered just how long he could get away with ignoring people. Most people had gotten the message that he wanted nothing to do with them. Or for that matter most people didn't want to talk to him. However, Lucius was being ridiculously persistent as was Dumbledore. He really needed to deal with them, but he was reluctant to go out because of her.
She had been surprisingly compliant. Probably realized that she wasn't going to get her way. Lily had never been dumb. He was still nervous about her though, the way she eyed him. Like she didn't trust him.
He also could see that she was disgusted by him, despite the way she tried to hide it.
He knew rejection very well in his life. The few times he had tried to move on had always ended in disaster. He told himself it was because they weren't her, but at the end of the day he knew he was an awful date.
He wasn't exactly typical boyfriend material. Of course, he blamed the women he dated. All of them were vapid fools who were more sensitive than they were worth. Truth be known, he hadn't gotten laid in years since the Dark Lord let him take his whore.
He smirked wondering if Lestrange was even aware. A part of him had hoped she was just so she knew he was superior to her. Snotty bitch. He was glad she fucking died.
"What has you upset," Lily said seeing his expression.
He instantly worked his occlumency shields into place. He hadn't meant to look upset even though he was.
"I have to run some errands today," he said. "I am in no mood to deal with people."
"You never are," she said. "You've always been at home in your lab."
"And with you."
Inwardly, he cringed almost as soon as the words came out of his mouth. He looked to see how she'd react. He halfway expected her to roll her eyes, but instead she remained passive. Finally, she said, "Sev."
"Don't," He said. "I don't want to hear it."
He could not deal with rejection at eight o'clock in the morning.
Or anytime at this point. He had heard it so many times with Lily. He still never understood why she married Potter when they could be happy.
"I wasn't going to say anything," she said. "It will actually be a good day for you to run errands I'm afraid I'm not good company."
He looked at her, "Are you feeling okay? Your vitals seemed alright."
Her vitals were great not that he wanted her to know it though.
She shrugged. "You know how it is, Sev. I think I'll sleep most of the morning. Hopefully, I'll be better company when you get back."
At lest he wouldn't need to drug her with another sleeping drought. Perhaps, he had given her a bit much last night. Luckily, she wasn't due for another paralysis potion for a couple of weeks.
It felt weird being out in Diagon Ally again, but he was in dire need of potion ingredients. He had run through most of his surplus the past few months when trying to heal Lily. Also, if he needed to stock up on ingredients if he was even going to attempt to make a love potion.
He was hoping he could run the errands with little people contact as possible. Yes, he decided to deal with Lucius today, but he'd wait before dealing with Dumbledore.
He really didn't know if he wanted to go back. He hadn't thought that far. If Lily was compliant then maybe…but he hated teaching.
Maybe they could open up their own little apothecary or something simple. It wasn't the glamorous life he knew Lily wanted, but at this point would she even want glamor? Surely, she'd realize by now that marrying James Potter was a big mistake.
She should've realized it all those years ago. He still remembered when she came to him wearing that blasted engagement ring.
The Potter ring was gaudy.
There was no other way to describe the ridiculously large ruby ring set in yellow gold that was on her finger. It clashed with her hair. He hated it.
"Really," he said looking at her. "You said yes."
"Oh, don't look at me that way, Sev." She said rolling her eyes as she pushed back a strand of her dark red hair.
He loved playing with her hair. She had always hated it when he touched it. Said he was making her a mess. Well, she was his mess.
"I thought…"
"You thought what, that the two of us would get married?"
Well, yes. A part of him did. It was silly, he guessed, expecting that after everything—but she had come back to him. Though he still wasn't sure exactly why. She had been more than disgusted with what had happened between the two of them during fifth year. He never asked what drove her back into his bed.
Not that she ever gave him time to ask.
She was always so hot and cold.
Lily rolled her eyes at him. Her hair and eyes were both jewel like, he thought. Unlike that garish ruby she wore.
"I'm sorry, Sev. I am not going to be married to a Death Eater bum from Cokeworth."
He gasped at her. She had never called him a Death Eater before even though she was well aware he wore the mark. He had told her it was for them, he thought she believed it but he saw the scorn on her face just then.
"I told you…"
"Yes, you told me your motives and I believe them. But your lord would not want you to have a mudblood wife. Besides, Potter provides security."
"So, you'd sell yourself out for him?" He asked.
She looked at him, "And you sold yourself out to a megalomaniac. I don't see the difference. We can continue what we are."
They had, but she came less frequently. Especially after she had the brat. He was just glad she hadn't asked about Potter's spawn again. He just didn't want to hear it. Besides, once she had the love potion maybe she wouldn't care that he died. And if that potion didn't work he could always try the same concoction that Lestrange was given. With a few modifications, she could still be herself. Maybe.
At this point, he was getting tired of waiting. He wanted her now.
Chapter 31 Preview: Some news is broke and the reaction is rather dramatic. The chapter will be quite a doozy to say the least.
