Harry Potter 1. Wedding Bells

A/N This is the sequel to "A Year In Switzerland", following the on-going lives of Sirius, Remus, all their family and friends. How does life in peace develop? Read and see for yourselves, as we start the

**Chronicles **

**Chapter 1 – Wedding Bells **

**Saturday, 25.7.1998 / Harry **

Well, that's it, folks! We've done it. NEWTS are over, our school years belong to the past! The results have already come in and all of us have done well. Draco has owled Hermione already a few days before to congratulate her on her 'Best in the year' achievement. She growled, everyone else thought it hilarious. The results confirmed it. 'Mione and I are already registered at Avalon Academy. We'll start our university courses on September 1st and until then we will do really nothing.

Did I say we'd do nothing? We have a wedding planned and we have a load of work on preparing for it, how could I think we'd do nothing? That preparation work starts to get on the nerves of both of us and we get a bit snappish at times. And this is really worrying the both of us. Not only my parents, also hers as well as Sirius and Remus console us though and say that this is perfectly normal. Sirius tells us that we're almost a beacon of calmness and jokes about mum and dad. Dad's hexed him quite badly for this!

The most important things have been decided early on. We have the location, Hogwarts. We have the person to perform the wedding, which was very hard to decide, so in the end we wanted them both: Remus and Sirius. We have our best man and maid of honour, Ron and Ginny. We have the replies from those who have been invited, therefore we have the guest list complete. We don't want anything public, so there will be a Fidelius charm over the area during the whole wedding; the Secret Keeper will be Professor McGonagall. All of the people we have invited will be there; no one said they couldn't make it. We're most pleased about that indeed.

We apparate to Hogsmeade to talk with Professor McGonagall about the organisation of the reception. It will be held in the courtyard behind the Great Hall, which is large enough to hold the party. Hermione and Professor McGonagall discuss the seating arrangements and the decorations. It's a subject where I gladly trust the ladies' taste and better knowledge. I leave it to them completely.

Speaking of the ladies: they all seem to have gone into a wedding frenzy. Mum, Hermione, Ginny, Molly, even Professor McGonagall! They seem to have a thousand little things to discuss about. I just begged them to decide and I'd be happy to play along with it. All the men around me who were there at that time sniggered rather loudly. Especially those men who are already married, like dad and Mr. Weasley. Must be a woman thing that. I'm just wondering why McGonagall seems to be so knowledgeable about it, was she ever married?

Then we have a very serious talk about the wedding traditions in wizarding weddings. We gather ideas and traditions from all the adult wizards we know and make a list from which we choose what we'd like to have for our ceremony. Another hard decision. It seems that wizarding weddings aren't religious. They're a very touching ceremony, but it's all about the relationship that the bride and groom have and about binding them together in a magical bond. There are about twenty bonding spells and we have to choose from them. We sit together with mum and dad and ask them for advice. Remus and Sirius are there, too, of course.

„Which one or which ones should we choose?" Hermione asks.

„Basically don't choose anyone that could hurt one of you if you ever want to separate," says Remus.

That eliminates six of them. The remaining spells are quite different. Some put more weight on the fidelity, others more on the fertility and some others more on the health. Sirius tells us that usually the couple chooses a combination of three to four of them.

„You probably haven't heard of many divorces in the wizarding world. That's partly because of those spells not counting those you just eliminated. If one of your bonding spells contains the fidelity part then you are much more aware of the needs of your partner and you will be enabled to react to that need. Both of you. Women will take more heed of what men actually say and that they mean it literally, men will learn to listen between the lines and take more action towards what their wives need. The performer of the wedding will cast those spells on both of you with a team of four casters, we're two performers that could result in the spells becoming a bit stronger. Or you decide you want only one of us to be in the team that casts them, of course. It's usual that the maid of honour and best man are part of the team and one part of the parents of both partners. In your case only James and Lily are around, but they could take part for both of you. Or Hermione could choose someone of her own preference."

"Do what you think you'll be comfortable with," mum advises, "and don't touch these spells here, they have been thrown on almost every pureblood bride in the past thousand years. They wouldn't even be able to look at another man with those spells."

"Lily is right – these loyalty spells are dangerous. If the men were at least somewhat nice they would usually release their wives from them once they had given birth to the desired amount of children. Since my mother delivered two possible heirs to the name she was allowed her bedfellows as she pleased. As long as she was discreet. Don't know if she was ever able to charm one though, she was dead ugly," says Sirius.

Decisions, decisions. It seems to never end. Every night in bed we still discuss subjects that have to do with that blasted wedding. The catering is the smallest problem. We've talked with the house-elves at Hogwarts who really would be miffed if they weren't allowed to cook the dinner and bake the cake, so all we have to do is give them a list of the dishes we'd like to eat. Hermione of course is worried that we take some of their time to recuperate from the school year, but luckily one of them tells her to stop that and just enjoy the food she'd be getting and that they were so honoured to procure the wedding dinner for Mr. and Mrs Potter, something of which every house-elf in the whole country would only dream. Hermione promises each of them ten Galleons as an extra gift and thank you for their work and insists on it. They only accept when she threatens them to have a caterer from somewhere else altogether.

But in spite of the preparations for the wedding we have a wonderful time. Draco invites Parvati, Blaise and Padma to an extended holiday in France. They will be back in time for the wedding. We're staying at the Sunnegg, but we do apparate to some beach now and then to get a little dip in the Mediterranean.

When 1st August finally draws near we get a bit skittish and only the final fitting of Hermione's dress robes, which I'm of course not allowed to see calms my soon to be wife down.

In between all of the preparations are mum, dad, Remus and Sirius who have to take care of their little ones. I love my little brother, just like I love Lizzie! Andy is cool, usually rather quiet and smiles after only a few weeks. Seraina and Dennis are really cute, too. Dennis is a bit livelier, but I suppose that would be Siri's son! We have decided that Ginny and I would be godparents to Seraina and Hermione and dad would be godparents to Dennis. I really love all three of those little buttons, as they are sweet and cuddly and I don't think that apart from sleeping with my lover there could be anything nicer than having a baby on my arm. Seraina is so tiny, but she's growing as fast as her brothers. I'll spoil these children rotten! Let Siri and Remus fix it through their parenting, I'll take the liberty of spoiling them. When I tell Remus and Sirius about those plans though they grin and Sirius says:

„That's why children have grandparents and godparents, you know. We know we're the unpleasant guys who will have to say 'no' all the time. You go ahead and be the nice guy! But let me warn you. Once you have some of your own turnabout is fair game!"

He's really grown up! But we do baby-sit for them sometimes, so that the four parents get time for an extra nap or a shopping trip or simply to send them to go out sometimes. They haven't had anything of that sort in the past three years apart from that weekend in Montreux for Sirius and Remus, and their vacation in France last year. They are most thankful for that, too. We don't need lessons in changing nappies and feeding the children anymore, we've had them all with Lizzie.

Lizzie is getting in between everything. She's a very happy-go-lucky little girl who comes out to dad with mum's eyes and it's sometimes like looking into a mirror for me – without the scar. She's just turned two and mum keeps sighing about the "terrible twos" approaching – I don't think she means Remus' and Sirius' twins. Once Lizzie has graced us with a couple of temper tantrums I understand what mum's been talking about. Apparently two year olds have a mind very much of their own.

To make the distinction we're not usually talking about the triplets as triplets. It's Andy and the twins more than anything else. The children need to learn the difference between the different adults from the beginning. As I've said, I adore my little brother. If Lizzie has been placid as a baby, he's a real sloth. Loves to sleep whenever he can and when he yawns I'm almost afraid he's going to swallow me. Mum lets me have him whenever I'm in the mood to take him on my arms.

The twins are cute, too. Both love baths. Seraina loves singing. By the end of July she smiles at me when I hum a melody, regardless how off-key it may sound. She looks straight in my eyes and smiles. What a wonderful feeling to be recognised now! Laying down she can turn from the back to the side and her tummy easily now and she looks up and grabs things. Siri says it's because her eyes are developing now, they get stronger and each day she can see a bit farther. Seraina's eyes are a velvety brown, very much like Hermione's. She has a shock of very light brown hair. I can't stop looking at her tiny hands and feet. When I've heard about that spell they've used to influence the twins' looks I didn't want to believe it to be possible. But now I can see that both of them really come out after their fathers. It's amazing. And cute in a way, especially how much Seraina is like her papa.

One afternoon I'm outside giving her the bottle and when Hermione sits down next to me I look over to her for a moment and say:

„That's what expects us soon, my love."

„I'm glad for all these little ones here, though. It helps us be a bit patient until we've finished our studies."

„Wouldn't it be fun if ours would be able to go to Hogwarts with them? Think of McGonagall's horror of having a Black, a Potter and a Lupin and then another Potter there at the same time again!"

She laughs.

„That's true! But who knows, I wouldn't put it past them that they produce another batch in a few years. It will still be fun then!"

I have to laugh, too. Oh, Hermione, if you knew how much this little one makes me long for one of my own. If the feeling of holding this one who's my godchild, is so good, how much better will it be to hold my own on my arms? Every time I see Sirius, Remus or my parents lift one of them up I can see so much love in their eyes that I almost want to cry. I know it's maudlin, but it's how it makes me feel.

Back to the wedding. The plans are finished, the preparations almost done, Ron and Ginny are VERY secretive about some schemes of their own, I bet they are going to put us to shame badly, but what the heck, it should be fun. There are moments I curse this wedding, but then there are those moments when I can't wait! It's not even so much the thought of the knot that will be tied. Even with those bonding spells I think they cannot "make" a bond that isn't there already. I will believe that they enhance a bond though. I'm looking forward to the whole thing and I'll just take it as it comes.

* * *

**Friday, 31.7.1998 / Harry**

Finally a quiet birthday, no party, just quietly sitting together and having fun. The twins, Draco and Blaise tell us about their holidays. We share a few bottles of wine and a large plate with a large selection of cheese and things. Hermione has been to the bakery in Lützelflüh to get many really nice flûtes. The crunchy bread, a bit of olive oil with loads of pressed garlic inside, the cheese, the wine and the good company make for one of the nicest birthdays so far. I have decided that I'm too grown for silly gifts now, the gift of the friendship and the time my friends spend with me is much more important. Next to the Sunnegg gang the Weasley twins, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Oliver Wood, Seamus, Dean and Lavender are with us, too.

Mandy is back after having left her parents for good. She's moved back into her room and will apparate to her job at the Ministry, which will start on August 3rd. She got in contact with Amos Diggory who was glad to get someone who wanted to work at his department and so she got the Werewolf Registry and Support Unit. Blaise and Padma have come back from Padma's parents. Padma is also moving on to Avalon Academy with Hermione and I; she'll have her major in Transfiguration though. Parvati is going to St. Mungo's as a healer apprentice and Draco has already started to do something with the Weasley twins. Funny, that Draco has found the Weasley twins, but ever since we've been to the Aquamare together they are tossing around ideas after ideas for some crazy scheme. They seem to enjoy themselves a lot with those plans. If it makes any sense, Draco will back the twins up financially and will join them to work on the project. Of course he doesn't really need to work, but this to me is the clearest sign of his change of attitude, he isn't blasé anymore, he can laugh freely and knows how to have fun. Morag is back as well. Her parents don't mind it at all that she prefers to stay with the bunch of us and they know she's well cared for. They can come and see her anytime they please anyway. She wants to work herself through Muggle schooling, so she can teach at the Hogsmeade primary school. She's started a course through correspondence. She says it's fun. Blaise is going to come to Avalon Academy, too, he's in for Charms and so are Ernie and Ginny. Justin and Ron have successfully applied for the Auror training. Lastly Neville has found a job as a herbologist at a wizarding gardening company in Hogsmeade. He'll apparate to work, too.

So tonight is really a conversation about our prospects, about how we think we're going to build up our lives. We all have plans and Remus keeps encouraging us to make plans. He says the world will not stop turning if we change plans on the way as opportunities or situations may demand, but that we need to have ideas and goals to reach. For the next three years Hermione and I will learn a lot. Probably a whole lot of very old and rather cryptic stuff, but I'm actually looking forward to it. Who knows, maybe Hermione and I will be able to change some of the really strange ways in this magical world based on our knowledge.

We will all apparate to Hogsmeade tomorrow and fly over to Hogwarts on our brooms early tomorrow morning or walk. Siri and Remus have their apartment prepared; I will get dressed in their bedroom, while Hermione gets dressed in the guest room. Winky will look after the children for the time Sirius and Remus will be occupied with the ceremony. We are terribly nervous. But we've talked it all through. I didn't want a rehearsal, because I think this is something we want to experience firsthand, not scheduled to the last second. Who cares if the party isn't ready at exactly one o'clock? Who cares if the cake is rolled in two minutes early? No one. Hermione and I want a day that's important to both of us, not a perfectly choreographed stiff affair. We want our families and friends to accompany us to our life as a married couple and give us the start we all need: built on love, fun, friendship and happiness.

During the evening I drift in and out of the discussions. I turn to Hermione and ask her:

„Do you want us to walk up to the castle together tomorrow morning or do you think we should take the brooms?"

„We could take the brooms. But the weather is supposed to be nice, so why not walk?" she says.

„Walk it is then. Afterwards we'll be off right away anyway… and then we might be glad for the brooms."

We plan to come and pick up our prepared luggage from here and immediately apparate to a wizarding resort in Fiji. We'll have two weeks for ourselves down there and should have a nice trip around as well as loads of time of lounging about on the beach.

But we're not there yet I have to remind myself. Just before midnight I suggest we both go to bed.

„Yes, that's probably a good idea," she says.

We get up, take each other's hand and wish everyone a good night. We have discussed whether we want to spend the night apart, but have decided against it. I'm in no mood for drugging myself before my wedding, which is why I also forewent a real stag night in favour of this birthday party, and we see it no different from any other night. We are both quite tired though, so falling asleep is no problem. Both our wedding dress robes are already at Hogwarts, Remus and Sirius have already taken the twins there and will be waiting for us when we arrive. The others will apparate shortly before the ceremony is to start at one o'clock.

It's going to be a wizarding wedding from beginning to end. George and Helen, Barb and Housi will be the only Muggles and they have all four spontaneously asked if they would be allowed to wear robes as well. So Barb and Housi have travelled to Britain a couple of days ago and Sirius must have gone shopping with them at Gladrags Wizardwear. With thoughts like these I fall asleep.

**James **

What a feeling! My oldest son turns eighteen today and gets married tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate what should be the stag night, but Harry just wanted a quiet birthday party with all of his friends. It's great weather today, so we've set up table on the terrace, where this large group of people finds space.

I watch him in the circle of his friends, the Sunnegg gang, enlarged by a bunch of other friends from Hogwarts, who I learned to know in the course of the last year, when they were allowed to come here once the Sunnegg was released from the state of a safe house. There are Ron's older twin brothers, Fred and George, who are so pleased to finally know the Marauders in person. I'm so pleased to see these two highly spirited boys making a very good life of their own. Their mother had been so worried that they'd find themselves in the gutter if they didn't get a post at the Ministry. I knew that this was nonsense when I heard it for the first time. Fred and George are really good at inventing. They are pretty good at doing business and they're great at being wonderful persons. After two years standing on their own feet Molly should have recognised.

Ron's oldest brother Bill. What a fine young man he's become. He used to hang around us Marauders a lot when he came to Hogwarts first. When we left he was a very nice, moderately mischievous boy of thirteen already on the way of becoming Headboy later on. These days he's easily the coolest young man in the group sitting around the large table in front of the house.

Charlie Weasley has come together with Tonks. Methinks they sit a bit closer than necessary. I nudge Lily and whisper:

"Lily, do you think there's something going on with these two?"

She looks over discreetly and turns back to me.

"If there is – she shouldn't get too close to these dragons of his… would be neat for Tonks, don't you think?"

"Not only that, she needs it. She's what? 27? And hardly ever had an affair… poor thing."

"Not easy being a Metamorphmagus, I suppose. Her husband would never know her real face…"

"Yeah, I suppose, that takes a bit of trust."

Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Oliver Wood and Lee Jordan are friends of Harry's from the Gryffindor Quidditch team. While Lee hasn't played, they tell me that he's almost put McGonagall into St. Mungo's with his comments at the matches. They reminisce about several of those matches and laughter fills the evening air. Draco looks a bit sour, as he seems to have seen at the short end of some of those matches. They hold no grudge against him anymore though.

I get to speak to Oliver for a bit and he tells me about his Quidditch career. He's been hired as a reserve Keeper for Puddlemere several years ago and has moved up to play about half of their matches. We get to talk for a while and he wants to know all about my own career. He knows I've captained the Gryffindor team for two years, too.

"Not much of a career at all. I suppose, I could try out for the odd team, but I'd have to train to be fit again," I say.

"Then why don't you? You're like what? 23? I could give you several dates of try-outs for some of the teams. Puddlemere's are next Friday. Pride of Portree is in the fourth week of August, the same as the Montrose Magpies. Owl them that you want to take part, if you want to that is. Usually the teams send scouts to Hogwarts, but if you send them an owl they take everyone who wants to try out."

Why not? I've missed Quidditch a lot. Just playing a bit with the kids wasn't enough. I look at Lily. She wouldn't mind, I suppose. And it's by far not said that I'd get a place on any of the teams, let alone a starting place. On the other hand, technically and physically I'm only 24, so I could have a good fifteen to twenty years' time left to spend with my hobby on a professional basis. Even being paid for it. Chasers usually hold up quite a while.

"I'll think about it."

Angelina and Alicia are already professional Quidditch players as well. Both have been taken on as Chasers at the Holyhead Harpies, which is Sirius' favourite team.

At this moment, Harry gets up and asks:

"How about a little pick-up game, people? We'd be enough to form two full teams."

There's delight coming up in most of the faces. The teams are formed. I take Alicia and Ginny as co-Chasers, Justin and Fred as Beaters, Ron as Keeper and Harry as the Seeker. The other team has Oliver as Keeper, Bill, Angelina and Padma as Chasers, Charlie as Seeker and George and Ernie as Beaters. We go up to the field, where we set up the goal posts. The field is staked out and charmed already since Sirius and I have done that for the kids a while ago.

Hermione referees. The others watch us, using magic to fix some seats in the trees. Once the Quaffle is out Ginny flies forward to grab it and passes it on to Alicia immediately. We get the feel of each other first, so that we can start to use some of the standard plays. Soon we're all very much immersed in the game and I'm very happy, because it's been too long since the last time I got to play Quidditch. More than two hours into the game Harry snatches the Snitch and we win the game by 120 points. Returning to our places along the table we discuss the match and talk about plays gone well and moves that have been barred successfully.

It's really just a lot of fun.

* * *

**Saturday, 1.8.1998 / Hermione**

Mum and dad have a Portkey to get to Hogwarts. Remus and Sirius have taken care of Housi and Barb already. Harry and I get up and take our shower together quickly. We are both very excited and a bit nervous, too, now. But this must be healthy according to my Mum. Mum said on the Commumirror yesterday that she's very curious as to how that wedding will be enacted and I said so am I. Neither Harry nor I have ever taken part in a wizarding wedding. From all the traditions everyone talked about we picked the ones we thought would fit to us and would be the most fun for us. Harry wants a fun wedding not a 'choreographed stiff affair' he says and I have to say I want that, too. Rehearsing a wedding means taking every surprise out of it. And I know I've been thinking about wonderful weddings in white gowns and veils and everything, but now I can do well without the white gown. I'm looking forward to start dressing. Ginny and Ron will apparate up with us and then Ginny will coach me, while Ron has to sooth Harry's twitching nerves.

James and Lily told us about their wedding. How much fun it was in spite of the dark times and that they took something like a time-out from the war. How they couldn't do something really big, just them and their best friends and closest family, a circle that was amazingly small. How Remus had to sober up a very smashed James and Sirius after the stag night. And what their own degree of nervousness was. That did wonders to cure mine!

We eat breakfast together and then apparate to Hogsmeade. It's a beautiful day, crisp and cool, but sunny. I've been here yesterday to oversee the preparation of the site in the courtyard, where the ceremony will take place. Since the weather forecast had been a bit unsure we planned to possibly cover the large courtyard next to the Great Hall with a rain repellent spell. Our party is fairly moderate, there are of course many of our schoolmates from Gryffindor, Harry's team mates, the whole Weasley clan, some of the Hogwarts staff and lots of Aurors we have learned to know over the past years. I take Harry's hand. He looks down on me, and smiles.

„We're really doing this, love," he says.

„Yes, love, we're really doing this. We'll enjoy a fun day, Harry. Together with so many friends! Would you have imagined anything like that when you rode the Hogwarts Express for the first time?"

„Never! I was still so caught up in the Dursleys' hatred and all. All I could think about was that where I went to would have to be better than where I came from. Is it really only seven years since then?"

„It is."

„Would you have thought of anything like this?"

„No. But we're so happy now…"

„We are!"

„I can't wait!" I say.

**Lily **

James and I accompany Harry and Hermione to Hogwarts. We stay a bit behind them, while we all walk up from the gates across the sun-flooded grounds. It really is a strange feeling to think that I have a son who's old enough to get married. But there he is – as sure of this as he is that his name is Harry. He knows it's right, and Hermione knows it's the right thing. We can only wish them well.

I shift Andy on my arm. James has Lizzie who is quite the nuisance again, she wants down, but then she doesn't want to walk, crying for daddy to pick her up, and then daddy says no and Lizzie goes straight into the temper tantrum. Luckily she is still wearing her jeans and t-shirt. To avoid that she repeats something like this during the ceremony I'll make her napping with a sleeping charm this afternoon. She'll need the nap anyway.

It's so difficult to decide when to be strict and when to be lenient sometimes. She's testing our resilience at the moment and we have to watch out not to overdo being strict or lenient. Both could do so much damage. I tend to be a bit stricter than necessary while James sometimes is caught up in her cute pouting. But he learns.

**Hermione**

We reach the castle and go inside after waiting for Lily and James to catch up with us. Sirius is waiting for us in the Great Hall, as he promised. Also there at the teachers' table are Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. They give us a cheerful hello and we greet them back. Sirius hugs both of us and says:

„Come, sit down, you have at least another hour of time before you need to start to get dressed!"

„You have no idea. It will take two hours to tame my hair!" I tell him.

He just laughs.

„You're a witch, for Merlin's sake, you can use magic for that, can't you?"

„I don't know, but for some reason magic and my hair combined always cause some kinds of accidents," I tell him.

"Just like James," he laughs, "he can do whatever with his hair, nothing works with magic. Same with your poor soon-to-be husband. And Lizzie! Poor girl, she has quite the nest on her head. I feel sorry with your future children already! It's a Potter thing, you know, and they seem to be faithfully passing it down, too."

James boxes him in the arm. But they both grin. We've learned that it's an everlasting internal joke with them to make jabs at James' hairstyle. But we do take a seat for a while and chat with everyone there and then Sirius shows us the way to their suite.

„We have a lovely flight of rooms, three bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room and a kitchen. It's on the ground floor. Through here!"

We follow through a tapestry and another solid looking wall and then through a long corridor. Then Sirius gives a portrait of an old witch a password and lets us all inside. We are entering the large living room with a lovely big window, which is actually a door to the courtyard beyond, two bay windows and two window seats. Sirius and Remus have already furnished it nicely. Sirius points to some bookcases and explains with a small grin:

„Remus has used Dumbledore's duplication spell for his books, so he'll have them ready here as well as at the Sunnegg. Some of them are in here, most are in our office."

„This really looks very nice, Sirius!"

„Yes, all the teachers have very lovely quarters. Now, here's our bedroom, Harry – in there! And this one's the nursery for the moment and this one's the guestroom for the moment. Hermione, that's your corner and yours, Ginny. I'm getting dressed myself and make sure that Harry will be out of the apartment before you come out. Your Mum and dad have a Portkey right in here, they should arrive shortly before one," Remus explains after greeting us all.

„Oh, that's good. I was a bit worried."

„They're doing fine, I've spoken with your Mum this morning. I'm really beginning to get used to your Commumirrors, you know…"

„That's great. I think that's kind of what I wanted."

"James, Lily, you two will have to do with the bathroom to change. But it's a spacey bathroom…" Sirius says regretfully.

"That will do," Lily declares.

Ginny and I go into the guestroom. Sirius has put a vanity in there, which I suppose he only added for my sake. I grin and since it's just shortly before noon Ginny gets to work. It will take some time to get my hair tamed. But then it's falling in a lovely braid on my back. Ginny has added morning glories to it, enchanted so they can't wilt before I take them off. The vines are artfully braided inside and she has managed to have leaves and flowers all on the top. The dress robe is hanging behind the door, perfectly ironed and all I'll have to do is pulling it over my lacy underwear. Ginny helps me to help watching out for my hairdo. I step into my shoes, which are ballerinas made from the same silk as my dress robes. The dress robes are made from finest silk, the under-dress is the same blue as the morning glories and the tunic I wear over it has a very lovely bluish purplish hue, like the centre of the morning glory flowers, a bit changing from one to the other colour. My flowers are white roses mixed with morning glories and baby's breath.

Harry and I have picked the colours and the fabrics together, so that the dress robes fit with each other. His will be the purple that's flickering in mine, only a shade darker. The cut of mine is fairly simple. It's like I imagine those dresses the ladies wore in the middle ages, long, flowing, held together in the middle over the tunic by an belt embroidered in gold. The sleeves are fitting closely up to the elbows where they start getting wider until they end in a long triangular bit down from my elbows. The neckline is round, a bit lower on the front than the back. Harry has surprised me a fairly heavy gold chain. It has no precious stones, but is made so intricately that jewels would have been a distraction. Now the chain falls prominently over the dress. When I remarked that the chain looked old, he explained that it was actually James who had gone to fetch it from the Gringotts vault. It's an old Potter family heirloom. With the lovely braid and the flowers in it I think I'm decorated just fine. I turn to Ginny.

„I like it," I say.

„That's the spirit, Hermione, meaning you like yourself right now. What better attitude to go into a partnership like marriage than that? If you'd hate yourself how could anyone else like you?"

„Actually I hated myself a lot for a good long time. You know, the buckteeth and the bushy hair… now that the teeth are just fine I find that the hair really isn't such a great problem. I could cut it after all, if I hated it so badly. But Harry likes it. But then Harry was never blinded by looks alone."

"That is definitely true. He prefers the natural look."

Ginny smiles. She's getting dressed rather quickly, I think, but she looks so lovely. She's wearing a dark marine blue set of silk dress robes, which Harry and I have given her and it's lined with gold everywhere and has gold embroideries on her chest, the collar and the sleeves. The belt outlining her tiny waist is a gold wire chain as well. It's cut in a similar fashion like mine, but still entirely different. She's wearing her coppery hair open except for a few strands outlining her face, which she gathers on the top on the back of her head with a small gold clip. Ernie has given her the clip and it looks like a very lovely bit of jewellery. I only heard about it yet, but now I can see it for the first time.

„Oh, Ginny, that clip is just lovely. And are these tiny sapphires on it?"

„Yes, which is why it fits these dress robes so perfectly. You know, you'll be the dashing bride, but I'll be the quite dashing maid of honour," she says and giggles a little.

I have to giggle, too. Then I reply:

„Well, I'm firmly in Harry's hands now, so I don't need to be the really dashing one, after all I'm off the 'marriage market' now. You can be as dashing as you want to be, love!"

Now we're both in fits of laughter. It's not entirely true anyway, because Ginny seems to still be so happy with Ernie I don't think they're going to break up anytime soon. I'm amazed at how well the couples held that were formed all the way back in fifth year. I suppose it's because we really had a lot of support and understanding from my in-laws and Sirius and Remus. They watched over us so well that we hardly would have been able to find reasons to fight. I look at the clock and notice it's almost time. Just then I can hear a crack and then new voices. Ginny looks up, too, and says:

„Let me go and check. It's probably your parents. I'll send your dad in as soon as it's time for you to come out, okay?"

„Yep, that's fine. See you then!"

She leaves and the minutes tick by endlessly slow. Then there's a knock on the door and my dad pokes his head around to say:

„Hey, darling, are you ready? – Wow!"

„Hi, dad! Did you get here well? – Oh, you look great in those robes!"

„You think so? They feel strange, but I think it will be nicer among all those robe-clad people. And you don't look great; you look splendid! As does Ginny, by the way. That coppery hair with those dark blue robes, dashing," he says in what I quickly recognise as my own way of talking very fast.

„Yes, she looks that. She's a beauty, don't you think?"

„And has the brains and heart to go with it, like you do."

„Thanks, dad…"

I'm not protesting about not being a beauty for once. This is my wedding, so I'm going to suck up all the compliments I get with big "thank-yous" and leave it at that. I can go back to being modest again tomorrow.

„Ready?" he whispers.

„Ready," I reply firmly.

„I've seen Harry, he's out there already. Wherever it takes place…"

„Inner courtyard. Similar to this one only a lot larger…"

I point to the window, which goes out on another courtyard with a lawn and a stone tiled path around it. Actually the path is really an arcade, which makes it look like a cloister. I think I already like that place and I'll have to visit some.

We check the watch. Then the door opens and Ginny comes in.

„Okay. Off we go! Ron is waiting at the door to the courtyard for us and will join us there. Harry is already biting his nails at your place in front of the audience."

„You're being evil, love! Don't let me start biting **mine**!"

„Nah, you'll do no such thing, Hermione, I've only spent about an hour this morning to make them look nice. Let's go."

Dad offers his arm and I take it. He smiles down at me and remarks:

„I think it's nice that wizards also have the bride come to the groom with her father. It's nice to actually give you away to your future husband. I wouldn't let you go so easily, but first of all I know that you are well capable to look after yourself and I know that the lad waiting out there for you and biting his nails is a wonderful young man. You two will be a great couple, you know."

„Thank you, dad! You know that I'll always love you and Mum, don't you?"

„Yes, Hermione, that's another reason why I have no problems seeing you getting married this early. Normally I would have recommended for you to wait, but I can see that the two of you fit together perfectly. Add to that the fact that you are both equals. Intelligent, powerful and financially independent. You'll be very good."

While he talks we have started to move out of the room and out of the deserted apartment. I lead the way out of the corridor and dad trembles when he sees the wall and that I'm walking straight ahead at it. I grin and give the wall the password. It quietly disappears and then we move on to the tapestry. I think he expects another password, but I'm guiding him straight through it. He turns back and mumbles:

„Something like that barrier at King's Cross Station?"

„Yep. Though this one here is more complex, so that even the magical students are fooled. Anyone can get through, but then there's the wall."

„I see, so that's to guard the teachers' privacy, I take it?"

„Exactly. This was Remus' and Sirius' new flat. And Seraina's future room."

„Ah."

Silently we walk through the halls and it's a bit creepy, because it seems that this is a dead place. We reach the Great Hall and while we enter I remind dad to look at the enchanted ceiling. Today it's just blue with a brilliant sun and only a few tiny clouds.

„Impressive," he says.

„It is, isn't it? It's an amazing view. I really loved this place. It was like home."

„You say this is where you ate?"

„Yes. Normally there are four long tables along it and up there's the teachers' table. In place, because many teachers stay here full time and they eat their meals here together. Over there is the Gryffindor table. Then the Hufflepuff, the Ravenclaw and on the other end the Slytherin table."

„No wonder you loved this boarding school. Not that we would have sent you in any of those if it wouldn't have been for the fact that you're a witch, Hermione."

„I know. I'll be thankful for your understanding until my dying day, dad."

„Shush! That's too long from now, hopefully."

I laugh. He has such a practical sense in most things. Then we reach the double door to the courtyard, where Ron, dressed in marine blue dress robes holds us up.

„Hi there! You look smashing, Hermione! They're not all seated yet, but they're all outside, so it's just a moment yet."

„Okay."

We wait. Ron travels in and out. I peek through the window and see Harry standing in front of the seats for the guests. Mum, James and Lily will be sitting there. Our seats are set a bit further away and I can see Sirius and Remus in their newest dress robes, silver for Siri and gold for Remy, standing next to Harry. They seem to be speaking with the people in the first row. Harry looks spectacular in that dark purple fabric. He looks so serious even when he laughs at something Sirius seems to have said. Ron steps up to them and I see them breaking up and taking their positions. Harry straightens up and stands in front of his chair.

The area has been decorated with a few poles, decorated with lots of morning glories, baby's breath and white roses, a gauzy white canopy connecting the poles and what seems like a constant stream of tiny glittery bits. My bridal bouquet consists of the same flowers. Ron joins us again and says:

„Okay. You two ahead, Ginny and I right behind you."

Dad lends me his arm again, I can see Ron doing the same for Ginny and then we hear the music starting with a jazzy march theme Harry and I have selected. Ron opens the door magically and dad and I fall into step and slowly walk out. I think I have a permanent smile plastered on my face and my heart beats so fast I'm sure dad can hear it.

I know that at this moment Professor McGonagall places the Fidelius charm over the whole courtyard so that no one else will be able to break into the party.

Behind us Ron and Ginny move on as well. We reach the last row of chairs and some of our guests and then the next and the next… and it seems like I'm in front in no time. Harry looks at me and he has that same grin on his face that seems to mirror mine. He reaches for my hand as I let go of daddy's arm. Dad winks and steps back to sit next to Mum in the front row. I take a deep breath.

**Lily **

We watch Hermione being led away to get dressed by Ginny. James and I are done fairly soon and wait for the Grangers who arrive on time. I welcome them and Helen asks me if they have dressed correctly into their robes.

They look very fine. Both have the same colour of robes, a dark blue silk that flows wonderfully to their feet.

"I didn't know what you wear underneath, so I'm just wearing thin black trousers and a white shirt…" George remarks.

"That's perfect. You'd be allowed to wear even much less than that, namely nothing at all," James informs him with a wide grin.

"Oh, that's nice. I might, if it gets warmer!"

When the time comes to go over to the courtyard, James, Sirius, Remus and I pick up our children. Winky and Dobby have come with us and will be looking after them during the ceremony and whenever we would like to dance tonight.

The babies look cute in their lovely summer clothes. All three wear the same rompers and jackets. Lizzie proudly shows herself in tiny dress robes in gold. Her black hair sticks out on all sides, but fits with the gold so well. She doesn't want to be carried.

"Mummy, Lizzie walk!"

"That's fine, dear, but let me hold your hand, please."

She lets me take it and together we walk through the long corridors and the Great Hall. We enter the courtyard through the double glass doors. I've seen it decorated yesterday; I've even cast the spells to keep the morning glories, baby's breath and white roses from withering. It's therefore no surprise for me, but James, who has neither an idea what we did with the location nor what Harry and Hermione will be wearing, looks out and exclaims:

"Oh, but this looks superb!"

We mingle with the guests. Shortly before it starts I speak a silent sleeping charm over all four of the children. I'll wake them again in two hours. Winky takes the children over to one corner, where we've set up a little nursery.

"Thank you, Winky! You may come forth and follow the ceremony, if you like, the children will be fine!" I tell the little elf.

"Thank you, mistress Lily!"

Helen, James and I follow Harry, Remus and Sirius to the front, where Albus and Minerva have already taken their seat. We find space next to them and keep one free for George.

Harry looks smashing. They've chosen so well. The dark purple fits Harry's dark complexion and his green eyes seem to shine out of his face. And the colour will look just as nice with Hermione's light brown hair.

"Lily, James, Hermione has asked me to be part of the casting team in the place of her parents; is that all right with the two of you?" Albus asks.

"Perfectly all right, Albus. Lily will represent us two then. She's definitely the better caster than I am."

"Then it's fine with me. It's been a long time since I was invited to do that the last time. I am most proud of your son, James, he's of very good material. And I do believe that this happens to be a very fine match."

"You would, wouldn't you, Albus? We're just happy that they're happy," I say.

"I still can't but think what lies in their genes, Lily. I suppose Hogwarts can look forward to a fine bunch of children coming from your families."

"Oh, say nothing more, Albus, you won't be there anymore, it will be me who will have to deal with them…" Minerva throws in.

We all laugh, knowing that she's thinking of all the mischief our children are expected to generate.

"Are they expected to be so terrible?" Helen asks.

Harry, who stands in front of us laughs even more, Remus, Sirius and James grin and I groan a bit.

"That's the first name. The four back there alone give Minerva the creeps. They are Marauders' children, you know."

"Oh, but I would think that you and Hermione will dampen that a bit, don't you?" Helen asks.

I snort.

"We were both Gryffindors, Helen, that means we had at least some Gryffindor traits. Among them are a big heart and loyalty, but also a certain rashness and quick wit. And certainly a bit of readiness to try to get beyond the set borderlines. Even though Hermione and I've been studious we couldn't deny those traits. Especially your daughter. You know what she did in her years here at Hogwarts."

"Yes, I do, but to be quite honest, the first owl I got telling about one of her deeds put my mind rather to rest than anger or worry me, because it meant that she had found good friends she could do these things with," Helen tells us. " We were actually rather worried that she might have problems to forge friendships in Hogwarts, too."

Ron walks up to us and asks:

"Well, we're all ready, if you could start taking your places…"

We start at the front row and since Sirius, Remus and Harry are also moving to their places all the other guests start sitting down, too. Everyone shuts up, some music starts up and Ron walks back to join the bride's party.

**Hermione **

The music starts to wear down and Sirius, who's standing right in front of us, asks in a low voice:

„Ready?"

We both nod.

„Good. Just a moment."

The music ends, and Sirius and Remus move to the middle of the canopy-covered area. Sirius starts to speak:

„In the name of the bride and groom I would like to welcome you all to this gathering. You all know the drivel so I just want to say a few words: I've been incredibly honoured by the wish of my godson and his bride to lead today's ceremonies together with my bond-mate. Since we haven't ever done this before we both decided to go our own way. Remus will be Hermione's and I shall be Harry's guide. We both will lead them through the rites that will bind them together. As nothing is written in stone I say hopefully for the rest of their lives."

Then Remus takes the next step in asking:

„According to old written law I will ask the question that must be asked at every wedding in the wizarding world: If anyone objects to these two people bonding, then they may step up and state their concerns or remain silent forever."

He gives this question a full minute and since of course all remain silent he smiles and says:

„Then let us proceed with the rites. Though it may sound boring for many of you I have to explain that we have some Muggle guests among us who do not know about the way a wizarding wedding takes place. Bear with us explaining some of the rites, especially the spells."

Sirius speaks again:

„Sermons are not strong points of my bond-mate and I, so we thought of just saying a few short words about living together as you are going to do from now on, Hermione and Harry. You have already been able to collect a bit of experience in that for a while, but you will soon learn that there is a slight difference from the way you've lived together until now and how you will be together from on today. So far you have been two independent people in love. Now you will become bond-mates. At first you will sail on the clouds of your love bound together for good, and then you will notice that everyday life will take over. It's then you will have to work for your bond to remain intact. It's then you will feel most used, tired, and irate. It's then you will find your bond to be the very thing that can save you. But even though we will bind you magically, everyday life is so profane that no magic can help you keep up, only the love you feel in your souls for one another. In short, you will have to work on it, every day and every night of your life. Love is something so very precious you cannot but cherish and nurture it as if it was the most fragile thing you will ever encounter in your lives.

Do not be afraid of that. Because love is fragile, but it is at the same time one of the strongest things. It is said that with love you can shatter mountains. While that might not be called for you will nevertheless need all your love to shatter the mountains of any normal day. Remus and I know – at the latest since the day our twins were born."

There is a slight laugh of all the people in the crowd who are parents.

„I can see that there are some people who can commiserate. But I let Remus continue."

Remus looks at us.

„While Sirius has talked about the perils of everyday life I'd like to speak of the heavens of those precious days when you will be able to celebrate your love undisturbed. Yes, sometimes it can be a bit hard to get away from all of that and actually find time for each other. But if you manage don't restrain yourselves. Live and celebrate that love with every fibre in your body and every wisp of your souls and every cell of your brains. These moments will become milestones, whether you get them every night or only once in a while. There will be times you get not the slightest bit of a chance to take that time. I know from experience how frustrating that is and I also know from experience how difficult it can be to just let go of that frustration and give and take when the time finally comes. So let me remind you of some ways you can get there.

A hot scented bath. A glass of wine. Soft music. Candlelight. Five minutes of cooling down and meditating before you even get together. A bit of something to pick off a plate together.

And of course never underestimate the healing properties of chocolate!"

This time there's a whole crowd of people who laugh. Must be all those who know about the only weakness of our beloved werewolf, which is chocolate. Remus has a smile on his face that I just love! He can be witty and he's still sometimes that mischievous boy Sirius describes to us. Their speech has taken away some of our tension. I can feel that they really want to tell us something useful and at the same time put us at ease. Sirius takes over again.

„Now we shall proceed to the binding spells cast over Hermione and Harry. There will be three of them and they are the standards I think. For our Muggle friends I will quickly explain what happens now. There is a first spell that will enhance their health. The second spell they have chosen is one that will make them share fun and enhance their sense of humour. And the third spell they have chosen is a spell to raise their awareness for possible dangers around them and in their relationship. None of these spells can create something that isn't already inside of them. All they can do is enhance their natural talents in the respective discipline.

These spells require to be cast by six people. Lily Potter, who will represent Harry's family, Ron and Ginny Weasley as the chosen witnesses, and Albus Dumbledore who will stand in for Hermione's parents, who are, as you all know, Muggles, have volunteered to cast them with Remus and I.

Hermione, Harry, would you please rise and join us here in the middle?"

Harry and I get up and we notice that Remus, Sirius, Lily, Ron, Ginny and Dumbledore are standing around us in a hexagon. They cast the spells synchronically one by one. We are covered in red and gold sparks and until these sparks have vanished completely we have to remain on the spot. Then Ron and Ginny step back a bit, while Lily and Dumbledore return to their places in the first row. Remus and Sirius shift, so that Remus now stands behind me, and Sirius is behind Harry. Both lay their hands on our shoulders. It's time for our vows. We have chosen a few simple lines for those.

„Turn to each other," Remus says softly, "Then take your hands."

We look into each other's eyes as we speak the words slowly and together. We can see that Sirius and Remus both hold their wands over us and more sparks are flowing over us. I shiver. The bonding seems to take place right now and while Harry and I exchange our vows Remus and Sirius whisper more spells. Once we're through the vows, Remus calls Ron:

„Ron, please pass them the rings."

They are lying on a small dark blue cushion. Ron stands to my side and levitates it out to Harry. Harry puts the ring on my finger, still staring straight into my eyes. Ron offers me the other ring. I pick it up and put it on Harry's finger. We don't wait for anyone to tell us, we step up, embrace and kiss. Then Remus and Sirius turn us back to our guests.

„Let us introduce Mr. and Mrs Granger-Potter. They have now been bonded in front of their friends and families as well as their chosen witnesses to their marriage. May you both be blessed with a long and happy life together. This marriage is now entered into the Ministry's Book of Marriage. We ask the newly wed couple and their witnesses to step into the house with us to sign the respective papers now," Remus and Sirius say together.

I find the ability to breathe returning to me. There is music again and we are asked quietly from behind to walk through the aisle back inside the Great Hall. Ron and Ginny follow, then Remus and Sirius and slowly we reach the end of the rows of chairs. We enter the Great Hall and Sirius guides us to the small chamber behind the teachers' table. A short man in black robes has followed us from the crowd and we await him inside of the chamber. He brings a scroll of parchment forth, which he unrolls and puts on one of the tables in the room. Remus produces a quill and hands it to me.

„You need to sign here, Mrs Potter," the man says cheerfully.

Oh, how unusual it is to be called this for the first time. I pick up the quill and sign my full name, Hermi­one Jane Granger-Potter, then pass the quill to Harry. He signs and hands the quill to Ginny who signs her name next, and then Ron and finally Remus and Sirius add their names as masters of the ceremony.

I'm touched to tears! It's over and we can move on to the cheerful part of celebrating, but it has certainly been the most moving thing I've ever gone through in my life. I kiss Harry again and he pulls me into his arms.

„Let's go meet our guests, Mrs Potter," he says with a grin.

„I'd be happy to, Mr. Potter," I reply.

He kisses me and admits:

„I needed to say that to you, love. I need to know it's real and has actually happened!"

I nod and understand perfectly well. We're married. We've certainly bonded long ago, but now I know what Sirius meant by talking about this feeling that would be a bit different from until now. We are adults, fully responsible for our own life and what we will make out of it. We turn to Remus and Sirius who are watching us and I think I detect a few tears in their eyes. It's the cutest thing! Both pull us into hugs and Remus whispers:

„All the best to you, my girl. You know that you've been a daughter for me for a long time now, don't you?"

„Yes, Remus, I've had that feeling. Now you're one of my fathers-in-law, so to speak and you have no idea how happy that makes this wolf here!"

He laughs. Then twinkles and says:

„Fancy a run through the forbidden forest now?"

„Would love to!"

„Some other time. But one of the next moons would be great!"

„One of the next moons it is!"

He gives me another tight hug and kisses my cheeks. I hold him tightly. I know I have loved him since the days he's been my teacher in our third year. Now I can freely admit it.

„Love you, Remus! Be there for us for a long time still, please!" I whisper.

„I will," he promises.

Then I move on to Sirius. He holds me and says:

„It's good to have a new Mrs Potter, Miss Granger! I'm so happy for you I could burst. It's unbelievable that you've done it so early, but let me tell you that I thought it was even more right than when James and Lily got married. You two have been the best of friends for so long and you know each other inside out already. Everyday life is not going to intimidate you much anymore."

„Thank you, Siri. I love you, just as much as I love Remus, you're both wonderful and as I've just told Remus: be there for us for a long time still. Just like we'll be there for you. You're as important for us as James and Lily are, we've known the two of you quite a bit longer."

„You saved my soul, Hermione. Not to speak of my arse, but without you and your time-turner I'd be worse than dead since then. Meeting you was probably the greatest bit of luck I've met with in my life apart from meeting and loving Remus."

„Think nothing of it, Padfoot. You're too great to be lost to the world."

Then there are Ron and Ginny who wait for their hugs and they receive it, hugging us both. I hear a sigh from Harry and it sounds so vulnerable, but so sweet! I take his hand again as we return to the courtyard. The Ministry official takes his scroll and bids goodbye.

**Harry**

I take a deep breath and look at that woman who is now my wife. I have never been this hilariously happy in my life. It seems as if the years at the Dursleys' and their cruel ways have completely vanished. Even the threat that was Voldemort is gone. I've spent almost three years with this wonderful being next to me and they have been three years of bliss. I will never be able to name all the things Hermione is for me. I know of a few that I am for her. It's wonderful to discover new things. Like studying together at the Academy. Avalon Academy has accepted us with more than just pleasure. We've met some of our future professors and they are all honoured to have such a gifted student joining the Academy as Hermione. She's already made an impression on them, not the least through the invention of her Commumirrors.

We return to the courtyard, where mum, dad and my in-laws are already waiting to hug the two of us. Mum's there and reaches me first.

"Mum, I didn't know I could ever be this happy! I want to thank you and dad for your understanding, trust, support and the love you've given to both of us."

Mum has a few tears in her eyes, too.

"You're more than welcome, Harry. I couldn't get a better daughter-in-law than Hermione! Stay as happy as you are right now, that's what I wish for you two!"

The next hour passes with greeting all of our guests. We meet them and share a few words with all of them. Then we find that the house-elves have set up a lovely table with refreshments of all sorts. I remember to eat a few bites, before I finally dive into the champagne. I know there will be a flood of alcohol in the next few hours and we have prolonged the time to take all of that stuff in as we've set the start of the festivities that early. But I've wanted to have as much as possible of the day. The early afternoon is meant to mingle and be able to talk with everyone and share fun and laughter or also more serious conversations, just as opportunities come up.

The moment we are through with the greeting of our guests, all the little ones are allowed to join the party. They have taken a nap in a quiet corner. It's time to feed them their mid-afternoon bottles. Sirius and Remus summon the bottles.

Mum has already taken a seat and is breastfeeding Andy. Lizzie runs around and shows her new dress robes to everyone who's ready to admire her. Then she dances around dad until he lifts her up and takes her to the buffet.

Helen is standing next to Sirius and Remus and wants to see the children.

„They're so cute! Well done, both of you!" she says.

„Thanks, Helen! They're great for us, even though we're already dog-tired. But they're so much fun!" Sirius says with a grin as he shifts Seraina on his arm, so she can look over his shoulder. He summons her bottle and heats it with a quickly muttered spell.

„Now that is practical! If you can't do it the natural way this must be the most practical way to give them a bottle. No waiting needed!" Helen exclaims.

„No, and we're pretty glad for that, because their nightly concerts are fairly unpleasant. So if we can actually feed them at once we're quite happy."

He sits down on one of the chairs and offers the bottle to Seraina. She starts to suckle and he smiles down at her.

„My sweet little one. How lovely you are and how well you do this already. Hold the bottle yourself? Just grab it tightly. I'll help you. Mm, nice stuff?"

I look over his shoulder and see his interaction with the baby. Seraina is a very lively little girl on Siri's arms and she's the placid doll on Remus'. I've found out that the difference in their styles doesn't seem to faze either child. They just learn that Remus does things like this and Sirius does them like that and that there are a few aunties and uncles who do them yet differently. But the behaviour they show when they're with Remus or Sirius is different, too, and I find that completely fascinating. When Remus holds them on his arm they look inquisitive, contemplating and interested. If they are with Sirius they look curious, active and even a bit mischievous. I walk back to Hermione and nudge her.

„Have you ever noticed that the twins mirror Remus' or Sirius' temperaments when they are with either of them? And Andy acts yet differently."

„Yes, I have. It's cute, isn't it? They seem perfectly fine with that."

„Mhm. It's really sweet."

We are not getting much time for ourselves on that afternoon, but we're standing together all the time. It's the first time I don't feel exposed or unwell being the centre of attention. Whenever I need to I can feel Hermione's hand in mine or the ring. We get background music from the band and the Weasley twins have a few funny surprises. Of course I know that they have prepared a firework for the night, but that's not quite everything. To see Draco with them makes them more dangerous than ever and I know that several people throw wary glances in their direction, especially Mrs Weasley and Professor McGonagall. If they'd only know that the twins have started to use Draco, who does the tricks for them, while they draw all attention to themselves.

During the afternoon we see people turning into the most surprising things. It's certainly the twin's doings, but neither Hermione nor I can work out quite how they manage it. At first. All of a sudden there's a tiny ball flying in my direction and my Quidditch reflexes intact I grab it. Only to change into a feather duster for the duration of roughly a minute. After she's done being shocked – can't have been longer than three seconds - Hermione just stands in front of me and laughs her head off. I look a bit put out when I come around, I think, but she just grins and kisses me. Then she puts my robes back in order and cleans them. I turn to look for Fred, George or Draco, but I think they're already on the lookout for their next victim. And I'd bet a lot of money that they have found supporters in dad and Sirius.

At five the house-elves start to set up the tables for the dinner. The chairs make space for the tables, which are pushed together to form a large oval big enough to seat everyone. One end of the oval is left open, so guests can also sit on the inside of the oval. Hermione and I get to sit under the canopy, with my parents, in-laws, Remus and Sirius opposite of us, Ron and Justin next to Hermione, Ginny and Ernie next to me. All the others find their places along the oval.

The table is decorated beautifully. A blue cloth covers it, the same colour as the blue in Hermione's robes. It's again decorated with baby's breath, white roses and morning glories. The golden Hogwarts dishes gleam on it and even the cutlery is gold tonight. We don't have goblets for once, but crystal glasses with gold rims.

The menu has been kept a secret and apart from Hermione and I no one knows what we will get to eat. There are no menus on the table either. Probably most of our guests apart from the Sunnegg bunch and my in-laws will not really know much about the taste of our chosen foods. Our group has gone through a slight change in our eating habits in the past three years, towards more southern, light and tasty foods. The menu reflects those changes. We have asked for a Mediterranean dinner and the house-elves have invited us for a trial dinner to the Hogwarts kitchen a week ago. They served us a lot of Mediterranean delicacies; it was exactly what we have envisioned and so now we can hardly wait for the good stuff to turn up on the table. I notice that I'm really hungry, because even though there have been bits and pieces to eat all afternoon I've kept my stomach empty for the dinner except for a bite or two before I started filling myself up with alcoholic beverages.

My parents, Remus and Sirius have allowed us to cautiously drink small amounts of wine and other alcoholic beverages in the past years, increasing the allowed amount with care, so we would get the taste but not exaggerate. They claimed it would be better for us to know how to treat the stuff with reason than to just plunge into alcoholic excesses once no one out there could forbid us to drink it. Those of us who liked the taste did drink wine in small amounts, but not all of us, because some of us didn't like it at all. Besides, they also knew what kind of alcohol we got to taste, and because of that we never delved into cheap fusel, but started off with classy stuff. Following the motto, rather have less, but only the best stuff. There are many jugs with chilled water or pumpkin juice on the tables, from which most of the guests fill extra glasses frequently. Not even Barb and Housi are wondering how they are filled again automatically as soon as they are empty and that the water in the jugs stays chilled.

I notice that Hermione fills every second glass with water. I soon do the same, because I agree with her credo that wine is there to enjoy, not to still thirst.

The dinner starts with Italian pasta: spaghetti with a sauce containing cockles – vongole as they're called in Italy. We needn't hurry, as between each course there's a pause of about a quarter of an hour to leave us still more space for the next course. There will be several courses and we're undertaking a culinary trip around the Mediterranean. After the first starter we get another one, this time from Greece, which is represented with an excellent Greek salad and a cold puree of potatoes mixed with pressed garlic, lemon juice and a very salty tasting paste made from fish roe. That's spread on slices of very nice white bread. To round these flavours up we have a lovely Greek white wine. For the first main course we're in Turkey, for a very nicely done lamb roast with lots of vegetables. More lamb for the Lebanese second main course, this time with Bulghur and another salad. Then we make a big jump over to the Maghreb, because now a couscous comes to the table, served with chicken. My in-laws are just as pleased as we are, especially Helen, because she receives a vegetarian variant of our menu. She's not the only one as Vaidyanathan and Shannah Patil are among the guests and Vaidyanathan is a vegetarian, too.

"That is really first class food," George praises, "Did you two choose it?"

"Yep! That was a really nice test dinner last week, wasn't it, Hermione? That's when we talked about the decorations for the tables with the house-elves, too. Our lovely little helpers have tended to us perfectly well, all the way through. Must have loved it, too, because they almost wouldn't let us leave the kitchens anymore."

"That's true! I probably ate for three or four days ahead," Hermione admits.

George laughs and remarks:

"I'm absolutely stunned at how much you're clearing away from this table, dear daughter. You used to hardly eat anything at home…"

"Must have been caused by the offer…" Hermione says.

"Was there something wrong with the way I cook?" Helen asks a bit snappishly.

"Hm, let's just say… well… yes," Hermione replies.

I grin. I remember very well that little Hermione started to become a little rounder quite soon after her arrival at Hogwarts, up until the energy intake started to correspond with her energy consumption again. And ever since then she's always been slim enough, but with some flesh on her bones.

Remus and Sirius, as well as everyone else close around us start to laugh.

"So what was wrong with Helen's cooking?" Sirius wants to know. He looks rather amused.

"Oh, round about everything. Let's just say that the calories I got hardly ever suited the calories I burned," Hermione replies with the same amused expression on her face.

"We have malnourished our child, Helen!" George says unhappily.

"Nonsense, we've nourished her healthy, George. Hogwarts corrupted her is all," Helen defends herself.

Hermione laughs, too.

"Luckily, mum! I have to point out that I'm eating very well balanced these days! And things like this here… just yum!"

"I don't mind as long as you stay healthy. Everyone has to get fa… I mean happy with their own food…" Helen grins, but then admits: "Though you are of course right, this stuff here is really good."

I'm eating something from each course! There is still a Spanish dish and France makes a very lovely finish with a wonderful French dessert, a crêpe Suzette. Three hours of eating leave us all completely stuffed. There will be a wedding cake of course, and it's going to be served with the coffee a lot later on. Professor Dumbledore calls the elves from the kitchen and we really complement them all for their wonderful dinner. They all look terribly embarrassed. I can only remember one occasion when they actually sent up menus of a more international colouring. It was at the feasts during the Triwizard Tournament. I had too much to worry about to enjoy them then, but today they proved that this seems to be no problem at all for them. I'm sure had we demanded something Thai we would have received it.

Right after dinner Colin Creevey, who's been invited together with his brother Dennis, can get to work with the official photos of the wedding party. Colin's been on my nerves a lot in the time I knew him at Hogwarts, but he's really great with a camera and has a good eye, so I offered him a paid little job to take our photos. I know he's already spent a lot of time taking pictures of everyone during the course of the afternoon. It will be great fun to look at them. Now we'll take the official photos, group pictures, some with Hermione and I alone, some with our parents, with Sirius, Remus and the little ones. There will be a few photos with us and some of our guests alone, anyone who wants a picture will have one. So we're busy for more than an hour until everyone has been put on some photo somewhere.

The band starts to play dance music now, because I pull Hermione to the dance floor. They switch to a waltz immediately. While the house-elves clear the table of the last course and dessert is served, the dancing starts. We start to circle around the floor and after a while we beckon others to join us. I can see Molly and Arthur Weasley pick up Seraina and Dennis and sending Remus and Sirius on to the dance floor, quickly followed by Ron and Justin, Ernie and Ginny and all of the others who feel inclined to dance. It's wonderful and sweet and I hope this evening never ends. Looks like mum and dad are switching with Remus and Sirius to get a round on the floor in turns.

After a while the children seem to be getting tired enough to find their quiet corner and Winky again. From then on, my parents and godfathers are free to follow their own fun.

I'm a good boy and once I've had a few rounds with Hermione we let others in. Sirius grabs her for the first round, then Remus, George and dad are there and they claim the privilege of their age over Ron and our friends. But Ron gets his chance with Hermione as well. I'm being nice and ask Helen first, then mum and then Molly Weasley, who asks me to finally call her Molly instead of Mrs Weasley. I smile, because I think it's about time, only I never wanted to say anything. After Molly I find Professor McGonagall, who gives me one of her very rare smiles and dances a very decent slow fox with me.

„I don't know how to thank you and Professor Dumbledore for this wonderful setting for my wedding," I tell her.

„This has been a pleasure for us, Potter! That's beside the fact that Hogwarts is used for this purpose at least once or twice during the summer months. You should know that neither Professor Dumbledore nor I have ever left you out of our eyes completely. And both of us greatly like both you and your lovely wife."

„She's always been extremely fond of you, Professor."

„I see many similarities between her and myself, you know. I was a similarly enthusiastic student, but of course the big difference between us would be that I was an equally enthusiastic Quidditch player. I used to be a Chaser, you know. I also married early. It's not to be expected that the same thing will happen to you that happened to my husband though. He was killed when we had been married for only two years. Grindelwald. Or rather Tom Riddle in Grindelwald's service. I never met anyone I could love again and then Albus called me to Hogwarts. Its children are my children now. – Still I wish that Duncan might have got a chance to come out of that wand like your parents did…"

I'm baffled. Never before has Professor McGonagall talked to me about anything other than school or Quidditch. I wonder how many people actually know about these things. Not too many I would guess. Or better: not too many would know from her own lips. Losing Hermione this way – I don't even want to think about that. I'm sure I could never love anyone else like this after her either.

What McGonagall told me won't go out of my head anymore. I'll have to ask Kingsley what had been done with the wands of the Death Eaters. I hope they haven't destroyed them yet. I would be ready to cast a spell against Voldemort's wand just to help all those souls still captured in there out of it! And who knows – with the help of Mr. Ollivander we might find brother wands to other Death Eater wands as well and then it would be possible to… what a bold thought!

When it gets dark Fred and George gather everyone and lead us to the Hogwarts grounds. They have set up their firework there and with a wave of Fred's wand it starts. It's beautiful again. They have managed to actually reproduce Hermione and I, dancing, and then transforming into the wolf and the dog and frolicking around the night sky in a most playful way. Hermione holds my hand and both of us smile. The last part is a sparkling text, which says:

„To Hermione and Harry: a long and happy life together and congratulations!"

Everyone applauds and we both thank the twins. They look smug, but I think they have every reason to be. That was quite serious for their standards. George winks and says:

"You know, we're going to market these fireworks. Individually done up for weddings and other occasions."

We all return to the courtyard, where two more hours of socialising and dancing start and then the older guests start leaving the scene. Remus and Sirius accompany Barb and Housi back to their flat and also take the children along, who will get to sleep in their own beds. Hermione and I know it's time to return to the Sunnegg. Before we leave we ask mum and dad to gather the whole crowd of unmarried ladies in front and once they're all there Hermione throws her bride's bouquet. I can see Parvati to be the one to catch it. And after that we ask all the unmarried guys to step up. I help my wife onto a chair. She turns her back to everyone, lifts her robe with some sexy wiggling of her behind and rolls the black silk garter she wears down her leg. I explain that the Muggles sometimes do this as a wedding tradition.

„Same as for the girls goes for the guys now!"

Ron and Justin grin and move to the background quickly. Hermione throws the garter over her shoulder. It's Fred who's the winner. He passes it right on to Angelina and both have a big grin on their faces.

Then we just say goodbye to everyone, vanish inside of the Great Hall, pass it and Hermione asks:

„Should we get dressed into our clothes from this morning?"

„We just pick the stuff up and do it at home, okay?"

„Okay."

I can't wait! We pick our things up in Sirius' flat. Mine are still in his bedroom, but Barb and Housi have put Hermione's bag outside in the living room. We grab the stuff, our brooms and then fly to the gates from where we apparate home.

We're both not yet ready to leave this nest completely and I think we might not until we start our own family. Right now we drop our clothes on the bed, undress and get dressed in something entirely different. We reduce our baggage in size and put it in our pockets. The wands go into our pockets as well and we start apparating with several stops to our destination. The place we go in Fiji provides us with a small hut-like house, where we will have every comfort. It will be midday there now and we're not really in a hurry.


	2. Disrupted Summer Vacation Nights

**Chapter 2 – Disrupted Summer Vacation Nights **

**Sunday, 2.8.1998 / Sirius**

Well, they're off to their honeymoon, our lovebirds. We are taking care of Helen and George to see them off with another Portkey, help Barb and Housi back to the room we've given them in our apartment and take the opportunity to take all of our children back to their beds. Lizzie and Andy have an extra bed in the twins' room. All four are going back to sleep easily. I've seen a bit of red cheeks on Seraina this afternoon and didn't know if that's from the heat, so I'll check her now and see she still has them. I'll have to show that to Poppy and ask what could be wrong if it's still the same tomorrow. Seraina did seem a bit whiny today but since it didn't hinder her from emptying her bottle to the last drop I wasn't too worried.

We return to the courtyard. Hardly anyone is dancing anymore, not even the younger guests. Even they are starting to leave the party. Molly and Arthur are taking their leave.

"This has been a delightful party and you've done a good job on the ceremony," Arthur compliments.

"Thank you, Arthur. We have enjoyed it tremendously," Remus replies.

"We should probably go home now. We just wanted to thank you for the invitation and the wonderful hospitality here, Minerva and Albus," Molly says.

"You will have to thank Harry and Hermione for the invitation. We are happy about every wedding held here at Hogwarts, but this one has of course been especially close to our hearts," Albus replies.

"I can well imagine that! We'll see you soon, my dears, we'll be very happy to see you at the Burrow at any time," Molly reminds us.

The two leave us and we turn to each other:

"What do you say? Are we going, too?" I ask.

„I think so. They'll demand our full attention again in the morning," Remus replies.

„You can sleep in, love, the full moon is all too soon…"

„Thank you, love. – Well, goodnight to you lovely people then. We need our sleep these days."

The group around us laughs and all wish us a good night, too.

„We'll be off soon anyway."

„Get home safely."

We both vanish back to our chambers. The bedroom looks nice now. Huge four-poster! I love that kind of bed so much. The old castle is fairly draughty and there's not much to do against that apart from covering much of the walls with tapestries and paintings, and using beds with curtains. We also close heavy velvet curtains on the window, which serve more to conserve the room temperature than to keep out the light. It's actually blackest night outside. When we moved in here a couple of days ago, we found quite a few tapestries and a number of the paintings from around the castle in our flat. We haven't given much thought about the decoration of our walls yet. Among other paintings, there's also a portrait of an elderly wizard who seems to sleep most of the time, his nose buried deep in his book. I've already wondered if it is a talking and moving portrait at all. But as we come into the room on this evening he looks straight at us and I recognise my Uncle Alphard!

„Goodness gracious, that's Uncle Alphard!" I cry out.

„Good evening, lads. Now that took you long enough to recognise me, Sirius!"

„Well, you might have opened your mouth a little earlier on or lifted your head, Uncle Alphard! How did you get in here?"

„Oh, I asked Filch to bring me wherever you would take residence as soon as I heard the talk of you lads coming to teach here. Congratulations, by the way."

„Thanks. Also thanks for baffling the rest of the Black bunch by leaving your earthly possessions to Andromeda and me! They were rather displeased, because your money was the only thing that made you acceptable in their eyes. I wasn't liked any better by them for it…" I remark.

He snickers though.

„You didn't need their respect, Sirius. You were too good for them anyway. Phineas throws his scathing looks at me every time we meet somewhere here. Did you know that I still knew him personally? But anyway, you have the chance to better this family now! Delightful little lad you got there and the girl, too. What did the rest of the family say to that?"

„Mostly angry, because they lost the chance to inherit the Black fortune for good now. We love our children and we are determined to see them growing into cheerful and nice people. Unfortunately I don't get the fun to really turn off my parents with them as they're gone. Regulus, too, but you probably know that.

"Yes, I heard that. Shame about that boy, he might have been able to turn away from their ways… I heard they killed him for trying to leave the fold."

"Too late for that. He's as dead as my dear parents and uncle Rigel. Aunt Augusta sits in St. Mungo's and Andromeda visits her about once a year. Narcissa has been sent to Azkaban for life and Bellatrix has met an Avada Kedavra curse from an Auror."

"Wow – the great cleanup among the Blacks, eh? Should make a couple of new ones, my dear boy."

I grin.

"First we have to get out of that constant lack of sleep from having the ones we've already made, uncle Alphard. Then we'll see. In the meantime we're quite busy. I didn't even know there was a portrait of you around somewhere! I so wanted to tell you how much more I'd have liked more time with you than your money. Which did help me of course, but having you would have been so much better."

"That's very nice of you to say, Sirius. It must have been hard for you and Andromeda."

"It was very sad. I was only in sixth year. – But now we should be off to bed, if you don't mind…"

„Yes, you should. Good night, you two, I'll be out of here…"

I turn to Remus who finally starts to undress and take off my own robes. We take a quick hop into the bathroom and then go to bed. Since there's a talking portrait in the room we decide to draw the curtains well closed. I mean, I really liked the old codger who's been my father's much-hated youngest brother, one out of two of them and two sisters, but I don't think he needs to take part in my sex life. I'm sure he won't be angry with me for relocating his portrait to the living room tomorrow.

Even if my parents and Regulus are gone, there are still enough distant relatives who have groaned at the fact, that I have a legitimate son and heir to the Black family fortune. Those who have thought they'd have a chance because being gay I obviously wouldn't have children were gloriously mad. There are very strict rules about the inheritance of the family fortune, which have been followed religiously by the family lawyers, therefore I have received everything and it will fully pass on to my son.

* * *

**Thursday, 20.8.1998 / James **

What a wonderful daughter-in-law we have. She's brilliant, witty and friendly and she loves our son with all of her heart. That was clearly visible long before they were married. Now the two of them have just returned from their honeymoon on Fiji Island, wonderfully tanned and still beaming.

Padma and Blaise turn up at the breakfast table, shortly after followed by Harry and Hermione, who come down the staircase on this side of the house.

"Morning everyone…"

"Morning! Any plans for today?" Lily enquires.

"Well, I thought, you were all going to the public bath today, weren't you? We'd come along then. Who else is at home?" Padma asks.

"Ron and Justin. They were the last to come home last night. Ernie and Ginny are here, too. I think, Morag left to visit her parents yesterday," Remus starts, ticking off on his fingers.

"Mandy and Neville are both out working, Draco is, too, he's left for London half an hour ago. Said something about looking for a new building to house the head office for the new enterprise with Fred and George. Did you know, that the fun park has a name now?" Sirius continues, mostly turned to Harry and Hermione.

"No, I didn't! So what is it?" Harry wants to know immediately.

"Happened only a few days ago. George's idea. It's going to be named Dragon's Tales. I love the name! While you two were on honeymoon, Draco and Blaise have gone through all sorts of European fun parks to get ideas for theirs. They were quite enjoying themselves, it seems. Came back full of stories about Euro-Disney, the Europapark and a few others. Now they will start looking for a fitting site and see if they can get the land. They think, they'll open it either in England or in France. I think, it's not going to be easy to find something suitable. The terrain has to have a few hills for the water slides to become really effective," Sirius explains.

"I really like that name, too! So they're not planning on only water slides?" Hermione wants to know.

"No. But the slides are the reason why Draco favours the French Alps. I think, he just wants to move somewhere closer to the next good skiing area…" Remus remarks with a grin.

Harry and Hermione laugh, too. Then they turn around and greet Ron and Justin, who come into the kitchen. Remus turns around, too, and says:

"Hello, you two! You're up astonishingly early!"

"Yeah… all proud of ourselves, too," Justin replies. He's the one who looks more alert, as usual. "But before Auror School starts we should probably get back to a rhythm of getting up early again."

His mentioning the Auror School reminds me that I might do well to go back and look for some gainful occupation again myself. Sirius and Remus will move to Hogwarts in only a few days. During the day only Morag will stay here at the Sunnegg once the others start University or their jobs. Money is not an urgent problem; we spend very little living here. But I'm afraid I might get bored with time, in spite of all the fun I have with my children. Since the small family doesn't seem to be our thing anymore we're very glad, that all of the gang will come home in the evenings and fill this big house with their life. We've just gotten too used to our big house-sharing community to go back to a one family arrangement.

Later on, once the young ones have kidnapped our daughter to play with her in the water and our little son takes his nap under the tree I bring the subject up with Lily.

"How do we see our professional future, love? I suppose there will be a time when we should do something that looks like it would earn us some money…"

She grins.

"I've been thinking about it, James. Looking at everything I find, that there isn't that much to choose from in this wizarding world… Ministry or a shop… of course you could still try to get back into Quidditch."

"Not before next year. But we could try to get involved with Dragon's Tales… your talent for charms would certainly be useful for the twins and Draco."

"Oh, Fred and George are very gifted in that area themselves! I think I'd still like to be there for our little tykes here for a while. In the first place, mainly because I'm still having an awful lot of fun with them. Then I could work part time for the experimental charms department. Mandy is just asking around whom I'd have to contact," she tells me.

"So you've done quite a bit of thinking about it," I remark. "Should have known. You're always…"

"…one step ahead of you… yes, love, that's a sign for a clever wife. They're all like this."

She's rather using me as a stepping-stone there, I think. But I'm still laughing. I love to see her so light hearted. At school she tended to take things much too seriously, but since we became a couple she's lightened up considerably. Nowadays she loves the Weasley twins and their humour a lot.

"That would be a very good occupation for you! And you could probably do a lot of it here at home."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too. And I'm still thinking about the way we came back to life. Tonks has told me that the Aurors have stashed away all the wands of the Death Eaters they've caught. So I thought I might look them over with Mr. Ollivander and see if there are other brother wands out there, so the same could be done as Harry got to do with Voldemort. Then some others would get their second chance like we got."

"But some of them might suffer badly. They could have been badly tortured before they died…" I throw in.

"Yes, I suppose there will be some. But those who want help can be helped. Either dying for real, but peacefully, or for a new start. I don't remember anything from being dead, but I have a terrible feeling knowing that my soul has been locked into Voldemort's wand for almost fourteen years! There are much more humane ways to help than Avada Kedavra, I'm thinking of the Draught of the Living Dead. An overdose of that will do. The potion is very well researched and it's known that it does not cause any pain or any other discomfort. Even St. Mungo's is using tiniest doses of it to give traumatised people some respite. Or they could be helped with magical treatments, too. It's not like they need be put back to death just like that!"

"That would be abetting suicide, love. Isn't that a form of murder?"

"Strictly taken, yes. But I do think, and I'm sure many people will agree with me on that, that this is such an exceptional situation; it would have to be treated with exceptional methods. People wanting to stay alive, of which there would certainly be many more than others will need help being re-introduced to life. Just imagine – how would that be if Remus' parents came back, for example? Or Molly's brothers? The McKinnons? Marlene's death still hurts like the night it happened and she's been one of my best friends. Or Teresa Figg… Arabella never got over the death of her twin sister."

I'm getting a bit teary eyed when she says this. So many of our friends. The Bones brothers come to my mind. Edgar, who never really got to know his daughter Susan. And so many others. I nod.

"Thrilling idea, Lily. Do that. I'm sure, Tonks and Bill will bring you in contact with the right people at the Ministry."

"I will go ahead with it in the next few months. – And what would you like to do, love?"

"Politics."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. When I see what they're doing in that stupid Ministry… Harry and Hermione have decided to first study and they'll be busy for three years, and that's very good for them. They can still keep an eye on the politics, but I want to get inside. I'm going to take my place in the Wizengamot. And I'll take Sirius along, to take his place there, too. We have to start putting some weight against the conservative pureblood fraction of the Wizengamot."

"Oh, I totally forgot that you have a birthright to be in there…"

"There's no one else left in my family to take it, only Harry and I now. You might bring back some of my relatives as well with that plan of yours. I've lost two aunts and three uncles as well as several cousins to the Death Eaters as you well know."

She nods, absorbed in her thoughts.

"I'll have to ask Harry, if he's ready to repeat the Priori Incantatem against Voldemort's wand. Shouldn't be a problem for him, just as long as the one holding Voldemort's wand isn't Voldemort himself. A Rictusempra against a Rictusempra will easily do the trick already, I'd say."

It has been a great conversation. When Andy wakes up, Lily nurses him and looking at him we both feel that other people who met the same fate as we had deserve the same second chance we received and that it's our duty to possibly give it to them.

* * *

**Thursday, 20.8.1998 / Remus**

After a long day outside in the sun I wish Sirius a good night and he vanishes upstairs. Seraina shows the first signs of teething and I expect her to wake Siri a few times during the night.

I'm enjoying the rest of the evening with a puzzle we've started on the coffee table and listening to soft music. Lily joins me for a short while, but then she needs her rest as well, because like Seraina, Andy has started with his first teeth, so there's usually a concert of three little voices during the night, because Denny cries along, probably sympathising with his siblings. We love our children to bits, but they do get very exhausting when they want to be carried back to sleep every night.

* * *

**Saturday, 29.8.1998 / Remus**

Everything is packed. We're moving all of our personal stuff we will need to Hogwarts. I've bought a laptop and another cell phone, since we have Ginny's ingenious spell to make them work at Hogwarts. We'll keep both at our rooms, not the office, so it won't become too well known that such things can be used. This way we'll be in e-mail contact with the gang, should they ever need us while we're otherwise unavailable. My books are copied and minimised and I have brought them up to their new home in the past few days. We've filled our wardrobe at Hogwarts with new robes, as befits our new positions. All teachers here are asked to wear robes, therefore we've made an extended visit to Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley and plan to go for another visit to Gladrags in Hogsmeade later in the year. For our free time there are a number of comfortable Muggle clothes in our wardrobes as well.

Now we'll just travel there and bring the twins, James, Lily, Lizzie and Andy along. We're due at the Headmaster's office at two thirty. All three babies are napping in the slings in which we carry them. Of course we have the pram, but to travel with a Portkey it's easier to hold them close.

We get there on time and Albus greets us, pleased to see James and Lily with their children. We're all promptly invited to tea, which Albus conjures for everyone.

All of a sudden we hear a noise from one of the portraits. It's Phineas Nigellus of course. Albus has once told me that Phineas is one of the most active portraits, always on the run somewhere. He must have just arrived back in his portrait when he sees Sirius with a baby.

„What is my good-for-nothing great-great-grandson doing here again?" he asks baffled.

„Phineas, you do remember that he will teach Potions here now, don't you?" Albus asks him.

„Ah yes, I forgot. Haven't seen him since what? About two years?"

„That's possible – he's never been up here since then in that case. Or you've been out of your portrait when he was."

„I'm not missing you any, Phineas, and you know that…" Sirius mumbles.

He's loosening the knot on the sling as Seraina starts to wake up. Then he summons the bottle to warm it and feed our daughter. I look at Phineas and notice he's staring daggers.

„Oh yes, Phineas, meet my daughter Seraina and my son Dennis," Sirius says happily.

„Err… somehow I didn't expect you to have children – have you adopted?"

„No. They're ours. They share the birth-mother, but Dennis is my son and Seraina is Remus' daughter."

„So you did your duty after all… as the last of the name. At least one thing you could do as you had to."

„Only that's not the reason why we have them. We have them because we longed to have a family. And they won't hear the pureblood rubbish my old folks tried to hammer into my head. They'll grow up learning about love, friendship, trust and fun. So there!"

Sirius has achieved his goal; Phineas looks really cross. I can feel Denny waking up. It's time to loosen the knot that ties the sling on my shoulder and release Denny from the hold that presses him to my chest. He does like to be in the sling, because he's close and held tightly. But once he's awake he starts to protest against the confinement. Until he sees his food coming. Then he graces me with one of his beautiful smiles and a few noises that tell me of his happiness that food is coming his way. He starts to suckle eagerly and in no time empties his bottle.

„Well, I think that was all we needed to talk about right now. You surely want to go and take care of your little ones," Albus says.

„We'd be glad to. They've slept, but now they won't be happy to just sit still."

„Very well. I hear you've brought Winky along with you?"

„Yes, she's doing very well with the babies and she likes to serve the children. I think she's finally over the Crouches," I say.

„That's very fine. It will be nice to see them grow up!"

Albus smiles and when Minerva asks I give her Denny who behaves very well on her arm.

„They're so sweet, it's going to be very hard to be strict with them," she says.

„You mean, it's easier with a bunch of wild eleven year olds you don't know?"

„Absolutely. I usually don't know them before they get here and then it's fairly easy to be detached and steely. But knowing them from so small…"

She sighs. We all laugh, because we know what a softie she is deep down. Phineas speaks up again and asks:

„Can I have a closer look at your heir, Sirius?"

„Sure!"

Minerva steps closer to the portrait and Phineas looks at the baby. Then he notices:

„Well, he at least looks like a Black."

„He should do," Sirius replies calmly.

„Not that it's any of my business anymore, but is his mother at least a pure-blood?"

Sirius rolls his eyes.

„Genuine Muggle-born, dear Phineas, just to spite you! But heaps of magical power in her, she's been one of the finest students Hogwarts ever saw and she's the best friend anyone can have," Sirius says cheerfully and winks at Lily, who grins.

Phineas doesn't give a further comment, shame really, I would love to see him spitting with anger, as inside he must do. I'm taking Denny back on my arms and we leave the office. James and Lily stay on for a while and Albus promises them to take them down to our flat later on.

We enjoy a quiet rest of the afternoon on the small patch of lawn in front of our living room. It's still warm enough and the babies are on a warm thick quilt, lightly covered with a blanket. Sirius is going over some of his lesson plans and I'm reading. It's totally quiet, as we're the only ones who's rooms go on this courtyard, only Filius has his apartment on the floor above ours. As long as it's warm we're going to enjoy it, as it's so peaceful. We don't get much direct sun, as there are seven floors above us, though not on all four sides.

The twins take another nap before dinner. Then it's time to go to the Great Hall, where the rest of the staff turns up one by one. They are all happy to see the twins again and the babies get cuddled by several people. I'm glad they are accepting this very gracefully, they're used to being held by all of the Sunnegg people anyway. But I do make a stop at Sybill trying to predict their future.

„I don't think we need to know that, Sybill, and I'd be thankful if you'd kept those predictions to yourself."

It sounds rude and it's meant to be rude, because I want to stop her once and for all. I want to stop her from spouting out her rubbish every time she sees the twins. I am not about to let her traumatise them with her morbid predictions all the time. The poor little dears would be scarred for life!

Poppy looks me over and says:

„Remus, you look fine, but very tired! What's wrong?"

„I'm sure you know the thing, Poppy, it's called 'teething'…" I reply.

„Oh yes, I can see why you are tired… there's nothing doing but waiting until they're all out," she says with sympathy in her voice.

„We've figured that out. Seraina has her first two teeth out; she seems to be taking a break, but Denny's having a hard time right now. Not much sleep during much of the night. Why is it that those blasted teeth grow most actively during the night?"

„I have no idea, but I remember that I wondered about the exact same thing three times when we had ours. You will get by. All parents do eventually. I have something I can give you to rub on their gums. It's a paste."

„Only we get very little rest, because they're two of them. Winky helps a lot, but still… thanks for your offer, I'll come by and get it."

„I know. They calm down best with mummy or daddy, don't they?"

„Papa or daddy, you want to say, don't you? Exactly."

* * *

**Tuesday, 1.9.1998 / Remus**

The last three nights before the start of the school year have not been more quiet. We have to spend a good long time with our little ones and even though we take them on the rocking chairs we're not getting a lot of sleep.

Today we help with what last moment work has to be done while waiting for the students to arrive. The sixth and seventh years still know me, but the rest of the students only know me as an occasional visitor. I'm a bit worried, but not too much. The first week for me will be the same from first through to seventh year. They will get to speak about werewolves with me. This is not going to be very easy, but I have to do it. Of course they will all have to accept it, but some will probably rebel. And they all know about it.

We arrive at the Great Hall while the Entrance Hall fills with the returning students. Sirius and I make our way through the throngs. Many of the students actually greet me politely, especially the Creevey brothers. Both are as cheerful as ever. I smile at them.

„Hello, Professor Lupin!" Colin calls.

„Hello there, Colin! How are you?"

„Fine, thanks! I'm happy to be back. Though it's my last year now."

„I can see you've been made prefect!"

„Yes. Dennis has a badge, too! He's in fifth year now."

"That's your younger brother, isn't it? Well done!"

We move to the Great Hall and Sirius and I walk through to the teachers' table. We're sitting at the end close to the door to the small chamber behind the teachers' table. Hagrid will join us here a little later and also Filius Flitwick and Professor Sprout.

As I take a seat I look out to watch the students fill the hall and leave the front of their house tables free for their new housemates. Once everyone is seated, Minerva brings the stool and the hat and then leaves to go and gather the students from the room on the other side of the Entrance Hall while Hagrid comes through the gap between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables to sit down at his place next to Sirius. We watch as a long line of first years is led through the same gap by Minerva. Goodness, they're all tiny! All of them look either excited, a bit anxious or downright frightened.

„63 firs' years! I don' think as we had that many in twenty years," Hagrid remarks to Sirius in his deep voice.

The Sorting is going to last forever. I listen to the names and look at the children who move from the long row in front of our table to the stool to be sorted:

„Ainsville, Kathleen," Minerva calls the first one.

Kathleen is sent to Ravenclaw. Antonov Drusilla is sent to Slytherin. Archer Frank becomes a Ravenclaw again. We applaud all of them. I look over to Professor Carla Vector who is the new head of Slytherin house. She's the only Slytherin teacher left right now. But I know her to be a similar character as Minerva, quite strict and unbiased. I liked her as a teacher. I think she will be good for the house. She welcomes each of her new students with a special wave of her hands.

The 63 students spread over the four houses and I can see that the others in the Great Hall are getting a bit eager to finally get some food.

Steinman Stephanie becomes a Gryffindor. Stevenson, Alix follows her to the Gryffindor table, Svenson Frederik joins the Hufflepuff table. Tucker Tabitha is the seventh girl in this Gryffindor year. Underhill Michael becomes a Ravenclaw. Verbena George and Georgina are again Gryffindors. Weasley Kevin and Weasley Robin both go to Gryffindor as well. I wonder which of Arthur and Molly's relatives their parents are. I suppose I'll learn it some time soon. Finally the last student, Zwicky Mark, goes to Hufflepuff and the Sorting is over.

"Hardly a year without a new Weasley from somewhere," Filius tells us and goes on, smiling: "And most of them are boys."

Albus gets up, welcomes the new and returning students and calls for the food, knowing all too well that none of the students will be able to pick up much from a speech after the long train ride and the long Sorting. I'm looking over the tables in front of us. We're closest to the Gryffindor table. There seem to be quite a lot more students than at the other end of the hall. Slytherin has received eleven new students while there are eighteen in Gryffindor. Eighteen! In our year we were eight! All of a sudden I wonder what has become of the three girls who were in our year besides Lily. The two Weasleys and the Verbena twins already seem to get along well with each other. They sit together and chat animatedly. I wonder if Kevin and Robin are twins or cousins.

Then I concentrate on our own conversations. Filius looks happy.

„Fifteen new Ravenclaws. This is an unusually strong year! We usually don't get more than eight or ten students in our house," he remarks.

„That's nice for you then, Filius! We'll have larger classes though," Sirius says.

„We will be swamped! We get the Slytherins and Gryffindors in one class and the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs in the other. But we can't manage otherwise. It would just be too many lessons."

„I know. That's almost thirty students in each of them. But they will work in teams anyway, so I'm sure I'll get along…"

„Is your new classroom big enough to fit them all inside?" Filius asks.

„Yes. Up to thirty can brew comfortably and if need be we can squeeze one more per row inside," Sirius replies.

„Good. Otherwise we can always magically enlarge the room," Filius offers at once.

"Thank you, Filius!"

All too soon the food has been cleared from the tables and Albus gets up for his usual short speech.

„Again, welcome to a new school year at Hogwarts! We have the pleasure to welcome two new teachers in our faculty. Some of you will still remember Professor Remus J. Lupin, who has been teaching here five years ago. He is kind enough to return to his position as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and as we believe that the passing of Lord Voldemort has broken the jinx on the position we also hope he'll stay on for many years to come."

I stand up and I'm quite astonished that I'm getting a sound applause from all house tables. Wow… I smile at them and sit down again.

„Since Professor Snape left us a year ago and Professor Figg felt too old to stay longer than a year we had to find a new Potions professor. Which we did in the person of Professor Sirius Black," Albus says.

Sirius shows himself and gets a hearty applause from the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw table and a bit more shy from the Hufflepuff table. I suppose that Mandy, Neville and Morag have done some work in their houses to help our welcome. The Slytherins seem to be very indifferent, though the first years, still unbiased, applaud, too.

„And finally since Professor Figg has left us we also needed to find a new head of Slytherin house. This will be Professor Vector, who was of course herself a member of Slytherin house herself," Dumbledore tells the students.

This time the whole house table offers applause for their new head of house. After the announcements Albus dismisses everyone to their houses. We slowly move out of the Hall after the students. We watch them going up the marble staircase or down the stairs to the lower part of the castle and the dungeons and go past the marble staircase to reach our own rooms on the ground floor. When we get there Winky is carrying Denny around. Sirius takes over and tells Winky:

„You're to be back tomorrow morning at seven thirty, Winky, okay?"

„I is coming then, Professor Black."

„Fine. Thank you very much, Winky."

She vanishes with a crack. Sirius goes back to the nursery and sits down with the baby, rocking and soothing it. Denny finds his sleep again and Sirius can put him back in his crib. Dear me, we'll have to replace those soon with larger beds for the twins. Sirius pulls the door almost closed and joins me in the living room, where we talk about the jobs we're starting for real tomorrow morning. I'm going over tomorrow's schedule. Sirius will not be the only one with large classes. We're all in the same boat there. The large classes are the smaller evil though, because the amount of lessons we'd have to teach otherwise would just be too much. As it is we now have fourteen classes. First and second years have two periods in their core subjects Defence, Potions, Charms, Herbology and Transfiguration per week. Additionally they have History and Astronomy. That means they still have relatively much free time. Third years add up to three elective subjects to their timetables, two periods each. Fourth and fifth years add a period per week to their core subjects. Sixth and seventh years are well decked with work, they have to take at least six subjects and get more lessons per week in their chosen subjects. Overlooking this I notice that it was no wonder we've been through with the materials so quickly in Switzerland, seeing as we had twice the amount of time to teach. My schedule looks pretty full now!

I'm starting off with a double lesson with the fifth year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. No special preparations needed because I'm talking about werewolves in the first period and shields in the second. Then three more repetitions of the werewolf speech for the sixth years, in which class all four houses are represented and the fourth and first years Gryffindors and Slytherins. In the afternoon the same speech for the sixth and then the fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Second period for the sixth years will be about blood magic.

The next full moon is on Sunday night. I'll probably be a bit late on Monday. I don't think I manage to reach the first class, so the seventh years get to sleep in a bit. I'll remind the fifth year prefects tomorrow to inform their seventh year schoolmates.

We go to bed early. There's no use wasting time to sleep, since we're probably up several times during the night.

* * *

**Wednesday, 2.9.1998 / Sirius**

Denny has been a very kind boy – I only had to get up twice. That tooth seems to move now. I can feel it just under the rim of his gums. He's frantically biting on anything he can get between his gums. When I get up at seven I quickly take a shower and then get dressed, before I look into the nursery. Winky has already taken up position and snoozes in one of the rocking chairs. I spread a blanket over her. Maybe that's why we haven't been awoken more than two times. She must have come in after that second time. Both children are still fast asleep. I sigh and turn around to go out of the room. I pull the door almost close. Remus looks at me and I tell him they're still sleeping.

„Good. We'd better go…"

We walk over to the Great Hall. Some students are up already and I see that Minerva has the piles of schedules for the students ready. Each has a plan with the location of our two new classrooms and our office attached.

Minerva passes the piles to those prefects who are already in the Great Hall. Then she comes up to the teacher's table and wishes us a good morning.

„Ready, Sirius?" she asks.

„Quite. Though my schedule quite frightens me…"

She laughs.

„I can see that – you've only had a single class and didn't work the whole week long."

„It's going to be a bit hard in the beginning. And I've got to really concentrate on the different years. But I think I've prepared myself well."

„Good! I wish you an excellent start, my dear boy!"

„Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Fourth years. Should be okay," I say.

Still I feel my heart beat quite strongly when I finish my breakfast with a look over the Daily Prophet's front page and the Quidditch results. It's eight fifteen when Remus and I get up, throw one last look over the students who seem to discuss their schedules. We climb up the stairs to the fifth floor, where our office is to pick up our teaching materials. Both our schedules are pinned up on the backside of the door so we can see it from our desks.

* * *

**Remus**

I won't see much of the office during the morning and I collect all the material I need for the next five periods. Since I only have one lesson where I actually teach something actively I only have the books I need to cover the shields.

I go down to my classroom and find that there are already several students. I have the rosters for all four classes I see this morning and look at it. Eight Ravenclaws and ten Hufflepuffs in this class. They start to come in as soon as I unlock the classroom door.

„Good morning," I say.

„Good morning, Professor Lupin," two of the girls say.

Once inside I place my briefcase on my new elegant desk and watch the students filing in the room. I take the roster out and watch the students come inside. A flick with my wand turns on the light. The room is now flooded with the typical bright light of the halogen lamps instead of the poor flickering light of floating candles. The students, most of all the pureblooded ones who rarely or never get into contact with the Muggle world, stare around. All eighteen students are seated, I close the door with my wand and repeat:

„Good morning, class!"

„Good morning, Professor Lupin!" they repeat.

„I'd like to get to know you and will go through the roster, okay?"

They nod and I call each and every student by name and look at them to memorise their faces. Then I lean back against my table and start:

„Before we start with your actual Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons I would like to talk to you about werewolves. You all know why I want to do this, don't you?"

Some students look a bit puzzled, so maybe they don't all know. One Hufflepuff girl finally lifts her hand.

„Melba?"

„I've heard that you are one…" she whispers and hardly dares looking at me.

All students who didn't know why I asked the question now stare at me, shocked.

„That's right. – Now. You've been brave enough to reply, Melba, would you have the courage to tell me that you whispered your answer because you are afraid of me?"

She shakes her head.

„No, not because I'm afraid of you… because I didn't want to hurt you…"

Wow! You find surprises usually when you least expect them.

„That's a very kind thing to say, Melba, thank you! I want to talk to you about werewolves, because I am one and because it's important that you all know it. You will have to make do with me and I want to show to you that this is possible and that you have no need to be afraid of me. Let me start it by telling you how I became a werewolf. I was bitten, when I was still a small child and my parents thought I would die, but I survived. So I've grown up with this affliction that changed my life dramatically from one day to the next. It hasn't been easy, because I had to learn that the neighbours who liked to see me around almost chased me away throwing stones after me. That was very hard to understand because I was still so young."

I tell them a few things out of my life and notice they are listening interestedly after a while. I don't think they've ever heard the point of view of a werewolf. Finally I ask:

"From your reactions before I gather that not all of you knew you'd be getting a teacher who's a werewolf. Who among you all knew it already?"

Thirteen hands go up. I nod.

„And whose parents have not been concerned about that at all?"

Only three hands are now visible. I'm not astonished of course.

„Can you tell me what their concerns were?" I ask them.

I pick a boy who sits almost in front of me.

„They were afraid you'd attack us," he said.

„Do you think I will do anything like that?" I ask.

„I don't know," he admits.

„Let's look at this from another point of view to explain that none of you are in danger. What do you know about when werewolves would attack humans?" I ask.

„When they are wolves?" a Ravenclaw girl asks back.

„Right. And when are they wolves?"

„At night?" another girl, a Hufflepuff again.

I grin. Ideas they have… I'm quite astonished that these fifth years know so little about werewolves.

„What night?" I ask her.

„I don't know… every night?" she admits, like the boy before.

"Did you not treat werewolves yet in class?" I want to know.

They shake their heads. I sigh.

"I don't really understand that, most teachers in this subject can't get to this topic soon enough to be able to give students a life long scare of werewolves. Now then, what did your parents ever tell you about when werewolves are actually in their wolf form?"

Now I get a series of replies and most of them so far away from the truth I'm becoming scared of myself! Only one of them mentions the full moon night. It's another Ravenclaw girl who seems to be a prefect. I stop the suggestions and ask her:

„Valerie has it right. The night of the full moon is when werewolves transform into the wolf. Only on this night are we indeed very, very dangerous. Most of us see that we will be locked up somewhere so we do not endanger anyone. The Ministry actually has several shelters, only those are more like really ugly prison cells, so not many of my kind even consider using them."

„But you do?" a Hufflepuff boy asks.

„No. I don't need to."

„But you do transform, don't you?"

„Yes, I do transform. I don't need to lock myself up though because I get a potion, which is a rather recent development, the Wolfsbane potion, which helps werewolves. The main problem with our affliction is that we lose our mind completely when we transform. There is only rage and blood lust and all the wolf wants is to bite or kill other humans. As soon as we've transformed we don't know what we're doing anymore and we can't control ourselves anymore. The Wolfsbane potion does not inhibit the transformation, but it subdues the wolf so effectively that the werewolf keeps his own mind and personality even in wolf form. I'm therefore harmless even in my transformed state, everyone can talk to me and I'll understand everything. What's left of the wolf is the body and the senses."

I continue to ask them questions about what they know and hold them the truth against. I also describe how a transformation feels. This seems to really sink in and they relax slowly but surely and by the end of the lesson they are pretty calm. I'm sure I'll be able to work with these students just fine.

„Prefects, could you please inform your seventh year housemates that they can cancel their Defence lesson on Monday morning. It's the first lesson after the full moon and even though I'll sleep through most of it, moonset will be late, so I'll miss that class."

They nod and take a note. Then I plunge right into the first subject to treat in their fifth year.

* * *

**Sirius**

There is already a gaggle of students waiting when I reach my classroom. I quickly press a small kiss on Remus' cheek and move on, opening my classroom with my wand and flick on the light.

„In you go!" I order the students.

They move inside and take in the bright look of their new Potions classroom. After the dungeons this must seem like a ballroom for them, because their faces light up when they see it. I expect seventeen students in the class. Once they're all inside I tell them:

„Good morning, everyone! You'll be working in pairs, so I suggest you place yourself with the partners you prefer. Since you're an uneven number there's one group of three…"

I watch as they group themselves. Then they look at me expectantly and I start by taking the roster, looking at each student as they reply to my call. Nine Ravenclaws, six boys, three girls, eight Hufflepuffs, four boys and four girls.

„Well. Thank you. We'll go into several different potions this year. The first one is going to be a typical wound closing solution. Now before we start I'd like to state the rules in this classroom, which I expect you to observe strictly, because you all know that accidents in Potions are always a bit more dangerous than elsewhere. I cannot have my eyes everywhere at once so you serve your own needs if you follow the few rules. So they've been set up to guarantee safety in this class. First rule – fairness. You are helping yourself if you help others. Do not only offer; if you think, you need help, don't hesitate to ask either your classmates or myself. Second rule – neatness. I want you to clean up after yourselves and everything you've cut up or spilled. Third rule – if you speak with each other, which I allow as long as it's about the subject at hand, then do so in hushed voices so you won't disturb others. Fourth rule – you share. Anything: knowledge, ingredients, help. When you work in pairs you should change in your duties, so everyone gets enough routine to create potions on their own. Don't forget that while you work in pairs or groups in class you will have to do your tests on your own, so you do well to get routine in every aspect of potion making. Then the fifth rule – you will stick to everything Professor Snape ever taught you about measuring and weighing and timing – it's one of the vital parts of brewing successful potions. Don't forget everything he taught you to prepare ingredients. To make sure I'll keep asking you questions at times, because I know that Professor Snape has not always lectured very detailed about that part. On the other hand I don't want to teach you things you already know."

Some of them start to murmur and I suppose they were some of the students who had to suffer under Severus' teaching.

"You can say that aloud," one of the Hufflepuffs whispers a bit loudly.

"He's very often just put the recipes on the board and told us to go ahead. We were supposed to do it all by ourselves," another Hufflepuff complains.

I nod. It was already the main point to complain about from my Sunnegg gang.

"I know that. Which is why I state once more: if you don't know something or something is not entirely clear to you, don't hesitate and ask! I'm ready to tell you how to proceed if you can't see the way yourself, you are allowed to and should ask questions, because only this way I can really teach you. After all, I don't want to teach you things you already know. As you can see I've made a list of these rules on the board over there. Got that?"

Most nod and look at me a bit bedraggled. But they don't look at me with fear in their eyes. I am satisfied.

„Good. Then I'd just like to mention that accidents **can** happen and I'm not going to explode on top of your cauldron if it happens, my name's Sirius Black, not Severus Snape. I'm pretty sure we can get along with each other without being nasty, eh?"

Then I send the recipe for today's potion to the board next to me and lecture them a bit about the ingredients. I use the same method I used at the Sunnegg and ask them questions. They're to read up about the potion in their textbook and start when they are ready.

„All ingredients for this potion are in the storeroom at the back there. Please read the chapter in your books and I suggest you take notes while you do it. Once you're ready you can gather the ingredients you need. If you find questions to ask during your reading just ask. Others might profit from your questions, too."

They get to work. I walk through the class. They look at me surreptitiously. Maybe they're still afraid that they'll be put down if they ask something but slowly they start asking questions, which we subsequently discuss in class. Any question I first offer to the rest of the class and if someone knows the answer I only give supplementary information if necessary. I also hand out house points for especially good questions.

After a while the first groups start look up from their books and I send them to the storeroom to gather their ingredients. That takes a while, I think I'll have to think about the organisation here. Probably I'll start delegating and send smaller contingents of people into the storeroom.

Now they start brewing and I have to watch out that I get all their possible mistakes. I notice it's harder here at Hogwarts since here I actually have to follow the strict schedule, otherwise I won't get through, or my students will be too late elsewhere. I walk through the class and watch what they do. These fourth years work quietly and with diligence, which is a joy to watch, so the last group is almost done by the time I have set them. The others have finished and their potions look mostly right. To assess them I've chosen a potion, which is complex, but not too difficult.

I don't need to ask them, they fill samples of each potion into bottles and add the names and class of the students, then they seal them. I send them to a small crate where I collect them and set them a short essay about the bit they had to read for the next week. I enter the homework assignment into my class journal and watch them as they clean up their workspace.

"You've worked very well, children! Off you go!" I dismiss them with the ringing bell.

As they leave they already look much more at ease than when they stepped into the classroom two hours ago. Most of them actually leave the room with a cheerful goodbye. The next class comes in just a few minutes later and that's a more difficult group, Gryffindor and Slytherin fifth years. There are ten Gryffindors in this class and six Slytherins.

It's a single period, so I use it to question them to check their standard of knowledge. I've put together catalogues of questions for the children through which I test their theory knowledge. While I ask them questions I also remind them to note down everything they think is new for them. I hand out my usual amount of house points for correct answers. If they put their hands up to reply I change between Gryffindors and Slytherins and when I pick them I do the same.

All classes will go through this questioning in their first single lesson. I will learn to know them and I'll find out, which students are actively taking part in the lessons and who I'll have to pull out of their hiding a bit. I'll also keep their names the quickest with this method.

I find no need to deduct any at all. The kids are quite well behaved. But the Slytherins and Gryffindors do keep their eyes on each other with a lot of distrust. And some of the six Slytherins in the class look at me with even more distrust, because they know I'm a Black – and have been a Gryffindor. I'm sure they've been warned about me. But the period passes without incidents.

After the fifth years the seventh years march into the classroom. All houses are represented, not so many students, but still a couple more than Snape had in his upper classes, since Arabella already lowered the pass mark to take part in advanced Potions from Outstanding to Exceeds Expectations. The Slytherins in here are quite a bit harder to control as I soon notice, but I have the list of those students who are on probation for their entire remaining time at Hogwarts and I notice that one glance at said list is enough to keep the Slytherins in check. The Gryffindors are Ginny's old class. Some of them have also been in a safe house, two Slytherins among them. Those two have no problems at all to mix with the Gryffindors. They must be a bit envious, that Ginny has actually finished her school time already and that she has been able to cut one whole year. There are still eight students in this class in Gryffindor, out of which four sit in this class. Ginny is not the only absent one, on my class list are two names with a cross behind. Both died in the Christmas break of their fifth year in a raid of some Death Eaters in their neighbourhood in Hogsmeade. They had been visiting with the parents of one of them when the Death Eaters attacked. No one survived the massacre.

Another lecture class. The period is over pretty quickly and I go back to my office for the last one before lunch. Remus comes in after his last lesson and we take a few moments for a few kisses.

"How's it been?" he asks.

"Quite okay, thank you. Ask me again at the end of the week…"

He smiles. I brush some strands of hair out of his face and kiss him again. He leans into the kiss and holds me tight. And then I notice how little time we've had for such intimacies since the twins have come into our lives. We usually just fall into our beds at night, wanting nothing but a few precious hours of sleep. Thus I can hardly remember the last time we made love. I feel my body react to his kisses. And break away from one with regrets.

"Not enough time, love…" I mumble.

"I know. But I'm missing you so badly. And I need you!"

"Same here. There will be a time when the twins have all their teeth and start sleeping through the night, love…"

He grins now. And says:

"Yes, but then there will be something else. Oh well, that's too bad. We'll get opportunities again…"

"Lunch? I'm hungry…"

"Yes, me too… I've just spent two lessons keeping Gryffindors and Slytherins apart."

"That bad?"

"Well, not too bad. The first years were easy to keep focused. It was their first Defence lesson after all. But the fourth years were trying to be pretty nasty with each other. So I had to deduct a few house points."

"Aww…"

We leave our office and go down the stairs to the Great Hall. Most of the students are already tucking in nicely. We find our places at the table and take a seat. Filius asks me how the morning went. I tell him and then Remus says:

"I have only three lessons this afternoon and you have four, don't you?"

"Yes."

"I'll go to our flat directly after class, okay?"

"Okay. I'll come by after class as well. Just take everything back to the office."

"Good."

"I miss the twins…"

"Me too. Which is why I want to go back right after class."

Lunch is over in no time and I head up to our office where I can make a decent espresso, which I take with me to the classroom, where I expect the third year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. They are very polite children who work most properly and I have great fun with them. Another double lesson with the sixth years awaits me after them, but it passes quite decently. I'm packing my stuff together and lock the classroom. The house-elves will air and clean it through the night.

I take everything up to my office and drop them on one of the sideboards, which we have placed there for this purpose. Potions are quick to be marked, I do it at once so it won't be stacked on my to-do list. The marks are placed in the respective class journals. Then I lock the door to the classroom and head down to Remus and the twins.

I find him with the children in the living room, where the babies are lying on their thick blanket. He has suspended a mobile above them and they watch it. He's just sitting there watching the children. I go to our bedroom, take off my formal robes and slip into a pair of sweatpants and a jumper, then I sit down behind Remus and pull him into my arms.

"Hey love!" I whisper.

He lays his head on my shoulder and turns his face to look at me and I kiss him tenderly. Gosh, he's just the most beautiful man I've ever met. No one can beat these loving amber eyes.

"Poppy came by just a moment ago, she's brought me something for the twins when they teeth again," he says. "She's actually offered before, but in the stress of the last few days I completely forgot about it."

"Oh, good! What did Winky say? Was everything okay?"

"She says so. I feel like I've abandoned them, love…"

"You didn't. We're here for them as much as we can, sweetheart."

"I know in my brain, but unfortunately my heart tells me something else."

I kiss him. He responds by breaking the kiss, turning around, so that he sits between my spread legs with his legs over my thighs. Then he closes up and kisses me back. I smile. Right now the twins are happy and we have a bit of time for a bit of snogging.

* * *

**Tuesday, 15.09.1998 / Lily**

Now this is a really interesting morning! Kingsley and I have fixed a date with Mr. Ollivander today to look at a series of wands, which the Aurors have locked up after they've taken them from Death Eaters. Mr. Ollivander has closed his shop for an hour or so to go through them and inspect them. They all carry a tag with the name of their former owners. 

"Yes, I know most of them. Most of them I have made myself. This one here I can lay by side at once, it's a Gregorovich wand, maybe he'll be able to help you on with it. This one as well. And this one – I'm pretty sure it's been made in Germany, in the shop of Hans Harrer, a wand maker in the Black Forest."

Kingsley and I note down every remark. Every single of the more than twenty wands is inspected thoroughly.

"Oh, but this one here cannot have been owned by the person on the nametag! I sold it only a few years ago to a Hogwarts student named Melissa Chigwell."

I look at the nametag. It says 'Rabastan Lestrange'. A stolen wand! I look at Kingsley.

"I'd bet that this is one of the children who have been murdered in the past years. Lestrange has certainly stolen the wand," he comments.

"Who knows, maybe he's been the one who murdered her," I throw in.

"I wouldn't be astonished one bit! This is his earlier wand by the way, Mr. Ollivander. We've held it in custody since his arrest in 1982."

"Yes, I remember this one. The young Rabastan came in together with the younger Mr. Black. Raised quite a lot of dust, but reacted to a very common wand in the end. – What will be the reason for your analysis in the end, Mrs Potter?" he asks.

"We want to look for brother wands," I reply.

He nods immediately and whispers:

"Priori Incantatem, isn't it? Yes, I have heard what happened to your son, Mrs Potter. Even as he bought the wand I have known he would be doing great things. – You want to see if you can't revive other victims, don't you?"

I nod.

"Excellent! Really, really excellent! I do not think you will be disappointed, Mrs Potter, don't see why this shouldn't work. But remember that only victims of Avada Kedavra can be brought back."

"Yes, I know. And even they will probably sometimes die for good, because they will have been tortured too badly before being finished off. But I'm sure many, many will come back to life just like my husband and I did."

"Oh, I'm sure about that. After your return to life some of the graves of other victims of Avada Kedavra have been opened and it has been found that none of the bodies within showed even the slightest sign of decomposition. This is very interesting, is it not? No one seems to have known that before."

"Absolutely. Do you think we can find brother wands for these wands?"

"Oh, definitely! There are only very few wands without a brother somewhere. Many have several of them. A phoenix can give many feathers and unicorns are quite generous with their tail hairs. Though I did have to pluck out some of them using a bag of tricks."

He takes to his books and lists and within half an hour we have a long list of names of owners of brother wands to the ones we have presented. We have the persons to contact for eighteen of the wands, the remaining four have been made abroad and we'll have to see what we can do about them in a while. The next step is to write letters to these people, asking them if they would be willing to cooperate to help some of the Death Eaters' victims back to life. Kingsley and I write these letters on the same day even and owl them right away.

* * *

**Monday, 23.9.1998 / Sirius**

We've been constantly tired for the past five months. I think if there were only one baby it would be a bit easier and it might sleep through the night by now, but we have two and as soon as one starts to wail we're up in a dash to sooth it as quick as we can, because if one starts it usually wakes the other. And we're not always on time.

The only solution is probably to give them both their own room already now. We have wanted to wait, because we thought they'd probably want to be together. The whole shared the womb stuff. They do like to be together, at least during the day, but if they feel their teeth they cry and then they wake each other. So tonight we're taking Seraina's crib and dresser out to the other room and then we'll decorate it as the second nursery. That of course is fun.

Three weeks into the term I'm getting used to my new daily routine for the classes. In the past three years I've collected enough routine on the teaching front, so my main problem is to keep the many students, the classes and the different potions apart that I have to teach. Most of the classes are actually quite fun, but there's homework to grade – much of that we do together during the class – tests, and essays, which need to be read attentively, and that's a lot more than I've been used to so far. It also means I have much less free time, because all that needs to be corrected has to be done then. I'm very glad that I've not thrown anything away from the past years, I've kept all my notes and class preparations neatly set up in folders. Remus recommended doing this from the start and even if I didn't really see any reason for this procedure then, now I could kiss him for it. This means that I practically have all my work done for the three upper classes. My previously prepared tests, essay themes and the choices of potions are already there. Now I understand why many teachers hardly ever change anything in their syllabus – they simply have no time to do so. And I don't mind in the least that I've done the preparation work for the three upper classes, which are also the most demanding and work intensive forms. I've worked on preparing the lessons for the little ones over the summer and the last year, and I have most of it done. During the Christmas break I intend to do the preparation of the last two to three months of school.

It's great fun to teach the little ones! First years are just too cute. They're curious and they want to try out everything I put under their noses. Most of them anyway. And okay, I've got some trouble from Minerva, because I taught them the odd prank potion, but there has to be space for a little simple fun, now and then, or am I wrong? She saw reason when I told her that this bit of levity helps them to keep their focus on the more important and serious stuff. I'm very proud of the fact that within only a few weeks Potions has moved up to one of the favourite subjects of many students.

In the meantime I've been able to filter out the students who have been maltr… er, taught by Severus Snape and suffered most under his teaching style. I have tended to them with special care and extra patience. They were allowed to just let out everything they'd suffered in one or two periods and without fearing that it would leave my classroom. Even they are now much happier in my classes. The second years are easy, because they've been started off by Arabella. The third years up are all different. Most third years have already relaxed considerably under Arabella's fair treatment. The Slytherins have all come into my class full of distrust. They were probably afraid an ex-Gryffindor teacher would make them pay for Snape's favouritism. Only after three or four lessons they started to ease a bit when they noted that I wasn't going to do anything like that. I'm not favouring anyone, or if I do then it's out of a situation that would make it necessary. Another reason why I'm glad to have had students from all four houses at the Sunnegg and have acquired the measure of fairness that I need to display here to neither favour nor disadvantage a student. The third years are the next easiest children to teach. They have already noticed with Arabella what proper Potions class should be like. The worst off are those students who have suffered under Snape for two years and more and among them, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors have made the worst experiences. The Ravenclaws are usually above everything, but even among them are students who still tremble at the simple thought of Snape. I still don't understand why he's done that. He's done an excellent job with the basic training of their skills, but the students also tell me almost unanimously that he's rarely done much explaining, so I suppose they also had to get their own basic training more or less themselves. Who knows, maybe there was a whole lot of satisfying his personal needs to be sadistic. I'm only wondering why not more parents have complained. I'm also wondering what happened to those complaints that were actually placed, but I'm sure that Albus told them something soothing and just dropped them somehow. Had I been headmaster I'd have looked at the teaching of my professors a bit closer.

Lunchtime. I'm meeting Remus and we drop our stuff at our office before going down to the Great Hall for lunch. During the meal we talk about everything that's going on. I look out over all of those children who now have a chance to grow up happily with no more worries than their next Quidditch match or their next test. It makes me smile to see them all chatting mindlessly. It so reminds me of our schooldays here. When I close my eyes for a short moment I can see it all again. James making eyes at Lily. Remus, his nose buried in a book, myself trying to coax him to eat more or to talk to us. And Peter, sucking up to James. The last image I don't need, but back then Peter was a friend, we would all have laid our hands in the fire for him.

"Lost in thoughts, Padfoot?" Remus asks softly next to me.

I smile.

"Always when I look over those kids, love" I reply.

"They're good memories again, aren't they? It's so good to know that the two who we missed the most, are among us again and that they're full of ideas and plans for their future."

It's true of course. The two of them have taken residence at the Sunnegg to be close to Harry, but they often visit us here at Hogwarts. It's always fun to see them. Remus gets to see his godchild often. We're still too overloaded with everything here to go to the Sunnegg on weekends.


	3. First Steps Into Adult Life

Warning: There's a considerable amount of all sorts of lovemaking in this chapter!

**Chapter 3 – First Steps into Adult Life**

**Friday, 25.9.1998 / Ron**

Almost four weeks of Auror training done. Justin and I are falling into our beds dog tired on most nights. Our physical training contains sport as well as fighting with and without wands. In the theory part we are bombarded with a ton of spells to learn, defensive, offensive, more shields, strategy and finally there is the legal body, out of which we have to know a lot, as we'll have to know the laws to treat our "clients" properly. It's really interesting, especially the strategy part. I wonder if there's any way to survive these two years. We're two of a group of fifteen students, not all of them from Hogwarts, some come from other schools, some have only decided to become Aurors a few years after leaving school. Beside Justin there are seven other former Hufflepuffs, they definitely make the largest portion of the class.

We're happy to have the weekends. Friday after the last lesson we're off to the Sunnegg and usually share a nice hot bath before relaxing on our bed. We're missing Remus and Sirius, but they've announced that they'll spend the next weekend at the Sunnegg, or maybe even only the weekend after the next one. This weekend we're almost alone. Parvati is at St. Mungo's, Draco is at that place he's exploring in France, Blaise and Padma are visiting her parents and Mandy will be busy, too. So it's mainly Ginny and Ernie, Morag, Lily and James with their children, Harry and Hermione and us. Dobby has dinner ready when we come back down from our room after the bath. Mm, now that's a lot better than the stuff we get at the Auror Headquarters canteen. One more reason to spend every weekend here at Sunnegg.

The really good thing at the moment is that I've started to earn my own money. What a feeling to open up my own account at Gringotts and finally having something in there that I've earned and that is all mine. I know, that sounds petty and thought entirely material, but for someone who's grown up as the sixth out of seven children of a very poor family money does have a greater significance as for others. It means independence in the first place. It also means my parents have another child less to provide for. Even though Justin and I are in training we earn enough to get by ourselves. Additional help is the fact that we don't need to pay rent and only contribute some to the food.

It's so good to find the room again where we've started out! I still love Justin as much as then. Heck, I probably love him heaps more! Back then I just started to understand that I was in love, now I know I am. He's so good to me, too. He always has those lovely romantic ideas what we could do that we haven't done yet. And there's a lot. We're not allowed much out from the Auror training. They actually demand we're back inside by eleven every night except Friday and Saturday. We have to be back every Sunday night at eleven. But that gives us **our** two nights every week, which we thoroughly enjoy!

This week we're both too tired to go out. Harry and Hermione have decided to go dancing tonight and ask us to come along, but we're just too knackered. Ernie, Ginny and Morag go along though. Let them go out and enjoy themselves; we will take advantage of the empty house for a nice relaxing romp in the bed!

* * *

**Morag**

I love weekends… I love living in this place here again. After all I could have stayed for my last year, too, since I've not met anyone special at Hogwarts as I hoped I would. But now I'm back and glad, that my parents can give me a small amount every month. They have accepted that I'm doing this Muggle school, because I want to become a teacher. My goal is to maybe teach at the Hogsmeade Primary school one day. But that's a long way to go and I'm awfully busy until then. The weekends are mostly all mine though, and I allow myself to go out.

The schooling is interesting and a great basis for the primary school I'd like to teach. I mean learning to read and write and do some calculating is the same for magical as it is for Muggle children. So now I find myself working through a load of Muggle subjects, besides my own language I learn to get a better grip at German, started French and then there's maths, history, chemistry, physics, geography, biology and more. I take it all equally serious. In history I'm really glad that Remus has drawn the parallels between the history of magic and the Muggle history, it helps me quite a bit in this subject. For the other subjects, especially the natural science subjects I have to work a lot more, because I know very little. And because I'm learning this in a correspondence course I have to be very disciplined in my daily work.

But thank Merlin it's the weekend. Ernie is driving. Most of us have received their driver's license by now, I'm still learning. We leave the car in a parking house and find a dancing club in Bern. It's a popular one so it's full of people. I'm a single, but that's not a problem here and soon I've danced with half a dozen people. Then I sit down at our table for a short break to collect my breath when I see a young woman at the next table who isn't dancing either. She's beautiful. She has that dark red hair, almost like Lily's, long, and she wears it open. There's no make-up visible. Her face is oval, I can't see the colour of her eyes, it's too dark for that. She has crossed her legs and one of them gently rocks with the rhythm of the music as she watches the dancers. I feel like a bucket of warm water has been emptied in my belly. I shake my head, but I can't stop staring. Suddenly she turns to me and looks into my eyes. I'm a bit shaken by my revelation, because it seems like I've just made the mistake to look among the wrong gender for a possible mate. I smile at her apologetically. She smiles back!

"Hi! I'm Nicole, who are you?"

"My name's Morag. Are you alone here?"

"No, not really. My sister and her boyfriend are around somewhere, but I'm single. And you? I've seen you dancing with a bloke or two…"

"They just asked me, I'm single, too. Some of my friends are with me, two are married to each other and two have been together for a long time, but I'm still unattached."

We start talking over a fresh drink and I find out she's 25, studies veterinary medicine and has a ton of hobbies. I can't tell her I'm a witch, obviously, but I'm glad that I know enough about Muggles to cover that up. I can tell her that I'm doing the high school through correspondence and that I want to become a teacher.

"Where do you live?"

"In a big farmhouse above Lützelflüh. We're quite a group of people there. The four I'm here with are among them."

"That sounds great."

"It is. We really like it a lot."

Harry and Hermione come to the small table to get refreshed. They notice us talking and Hermione beams:

"Making friends, Morag?"

"Looks like it – that's Nicole. Those two are Harry and Hermione, they've been married for almost two months now and they're sickeningly happy and sweet," I introduce them to each other.

By the end of the evening Nicole and I have decided to meet again the next day and we plan to take an extended walk through the local zoo, which is in a big forest close to the centre of the town along the Aare river. I'm not astonished; she's told me that she loves animals. Has to, if she wants to become a vet.

I'm looking forward to it. She seems very nice and she felt a bit out of place in that dancing club. I'm thinking about it while Ernie drives us home. He looks in the rear view mirror and asks:

"Hey, Morag, did you enjoy yourself tonight?"

"Yes, I did! Danced a bit and met someone nice… I should go out more."

Ernie laughs.

"Well, you've made a start."

"But she's a Muggle, isn't she?" Hermione asks.

"Yes, I'm quite sure she is. Well, I'll know for sure tomorrow. It's pretty hard to tell here. They look so much like everyone else…" I say.

"Yes, that's true. But she really sounded very nice."

* * *

**Saturday, 26.9.1998 / Morag**

The next day I'm apparating to that forest. It's easy to find a spot where I'm not going to be overseen. Then I walk to the place Nicole has named to meet her. I have to wait for five minutes, but then I can see her dark hair flying in the autumn wind. She wears jeans, boots, a shirt covered with a jumper and a warm jacket. I'm wearing something very similar and she laughs when she greets me:

"Hi, did you have to wait a long time for me? I'm sorry I'm a bit late, but the bloody bus wouldn't come for ages…"

I feel a small jolt of happiness at her joyful voice. She leans in and places two small kisses on my cheeks and I say:

"No, just a couple of minutes. Are we going in?"

"Yes, I was planning to. This is quite a nice little zoo, but they are changing a lot of things around now… have you been here before?"

"Only once. And it's about three years since."

"Well, it's basically the same still, but as I said they are starting to change things around. I come here about once a month. Sometimes only for a walk in the forest, but sometimes I go into the Vivarium as well. That's what they call this part here. You have to pay a small entrance fee, but not much. Let's go!"

We go inside the building, which I remember to be a tropical rainforest, so we quickly pay the fee and take off our warm things. She moves swiftly to the first corridor and I look at her from the side. Her kisses have sent jolts of pleasure through my body. Am I interested in her as a possible lover? I've never thought of girls as partners before. Not for me in any case. But now I stop short and start to reflect about my reaction to boys. They're like brothers to me, almost every single one and the ones I don't regard like brothers are usually enemies. I throw one more glance at Nicole. Her eyes are a pretty intensive blue.

Three hours later we decide to have an early dinner and sit together in a small restaurant in the middle of the town. It's Italian and so I pick a pizza and she orders some wine to it and a salad which we share. I feel her eyes on me and look up.

"You're beautiful, Morag," she tells me.

I smile. Wow, is she turning around the same thoughts?

"Thanks. You are too, by the way. That hair…"

"My best asset, I know! But I like it myself, too."

I don't really know what she likes about me. I'm a pretty plain girl, dark blonde, grey eyes, plain face, but okay, I'm fit, I'm quite tall, I've got a good figure. All sorts of things that can be said about Nicole, too.

"My sister wanted to take me out again tonight, but I said I was occupied with something else. She's 27 and thinks I should finally start having boyfriends. Only I'm not interested. First of all I've got enough to do with studying and then I don't think I'm interested in men in general," Nicole says.

"I haven't been either. But it only just occurred to me. I was at a boarding school in Scotland for several years. Boys and girls school. But they never really mattered."

"Is it?"

"Yes. Actually for two years I've been home-schooled and our two teachers are a couple. They're gay. The house I'm living in is theirs and the others you met yesterday were classmates. The two are now back teaching at the boarding school, but they gladly left us the use of this house. They're coming back for vacations and such. It's been a great time with them."

"Gay teachers… cool! So you have no problem with homosexuals?"

"No, not at all. We've got another gay couple among our group. I'm fine with them. Where do you live?"

"With my sister – she's working full time as a teacher now and we've got a nice flat not very far from here. My parents can give me some money and I earn some with tutoring. How do you manage?"

"Well, I don't have to contribute to the house, so I'm well off with what my parents can give me. I'm an only child, too, and they love me a lot. I don't need much."

We talk some more while we eat and then she asks:

"Want to come and see where I live? We'll be there quickly. How do you get back to where you live? Do you drive?"

"Train, as I'm still learning to drive. Last bit I call my friends and they come and get me…"

"Oh, good then. When do you have to leave if you want to catch the last train?"

"Leaves the station some time after eleven. I think eleven thirty-five."

"Good. Just to know how much time we have."

To get to her flat we have to take a bus and then walk for about ten minutes. It's on the third floor of an apartment building, has three bedrooms and a living room, the kitchen and the bath. It looks like it's an older flat, but it's furnished quite nicely with a mix of styles.

"We just got together what everyone wanted to get rid of because they didn't like it anymore. So it's a bit of a funny mix now. We're of course replacing a lot of the junk now. My sister is staying at her boyfriend's place tonight. Music?"

"Yes, please. Something soft, if you don't mind."

"I agree."

Then she makes some tea and I sit down on a sofa. When she sits down next to me I notice to my horror that my wand is still in the back pocket of my jeans and that it's sticking out. Shit! I try to hide it, but she sees it looking out and says, pointing at it:

"What's this?"

Now I know she's a Muggle. Can I explain this thing away? I decide to pull it out and lay it on the coffee table.

"What does it look like?"

"Well, that's how I imagine a wand to look like… don't tell me you use it as such!"

"What if I did?"

"Well, I'd think it a bit weird. Do you do magic tricks?"

"No tricks. I shouldn't tell you this, but I forgot that I had it in my pocket. It **is** a wand. It's made of oak with a core of a dragon heartstring."

She stares at me.

"What?" she whispers.

"I'm a witch. I'm sorry, I think, I'll go if you're uncomfortable with it. I really shouldn't tell you this…"

"No, don't go, sorry! I'm just too baffled for words. You're a witch? It's so… I mean, many people would take that as an insult… well, I thought they don't really exist, and if I would, then I'd have thought they were all ugly old hags! You mean, you're really a witch?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Can you show me how you use this wand?"

"I'm not sure I should. I don't really know how the local Ministry of Magic reacts to magic being performed in front of Muggles…"

"…Muggles?"

"Sorry. Non-magical people in our slang."

"Fascinating. I wish you could."

"Well, if you don't want me to go then I guess I can at least tell you that I'm not dependent on the train system, because I can apparate home."

"How does that work?"

"I vanish here and turn up there. Instantaneous."

She stares at me, open-mouthed.

"Now **that's** something I'd love to be able to do! I'd be at home all over the world!"

"Well, for longer stretches we do have to make short breaks and we can't usually do it all in one jump. But up to about 3'000 km is not really a problem for an accomplished witch or wizard."

"So – your friends yesterday – are they magical, too?"

"Yes."

"Oh dear!"

I have nothing left but to tell her all she wants to know. She's very curious and asks me dozens of questions and tires me out completely. When we have emptied the tea pot I make fresh tea with my wand and now she believes me. I wait for a visit from a Ministry official, but nothing happens. Don't they monitor this here? Well, you learn something new every day.

When I have to go she gets up and I say:

"Don't be too shocked, I'll just vanish in a second…"

"It's okay, you've warned me…"

And then she closes up and pulls me in a hug, which I return. She's a few centimetres taller than I am and when she leans in to kiss me, I accept the kiss and respond. I can feel one of her hands moving down my back and it feels heavenly. I think, I'm falling in love with her! We let go and she asks a bit breathless:

"Can I see you again, Morag? I really like you and…"

"Yes. Next week?"

"Do you have a phone number?"

"Yes, I do…"

At that moment I hear the ring on my Commumirror. I dig it out of my bag, where that wand should have been, too, and take the call. It's Hermione and she's a bit worried, because I'm so late.

"Everything's fine, Hermione, I'm just about to apparate home."

"Oh, good. See you later then! I didn't want to spy after you, just know if you'll be home for the night."

"In a couple of minutes. I'm just giving Nicole our phone number."

"Fine!"

Nicole stares at the little mirror.

"How does that work?" she asks.

I grin.

"We're calling it a Commumirror, it's something like a portable phone. I've just spoken with the inventor of this thing, Hermione. No one before her had the good idea to use an old existing spell, which connected two mirrors to create a whole network, but she did. She's a genius, believe me. She's made a fortune before she even left school and is quite rich now. But she really deserves it!"

"Wow, I expect you'll have me totally astonished for a long time coming still. – Okay, I have something to write – what's the number?"

I give her the number and take hers. Then I pack the Commumirror away and get into my jacket. We kiss once more and she says:

"So I'll call you and we fix the date next week, okay?"

"Fine with me, Nicole. Good night! – Oh, and please, tell no one about me! Muggles aren't supposed to know about us! I'm afraid that you'll have to learn to become a very good liar if we want to stay together."

"I won't say anything. I'll get used to it, I'm sure."

"I'm glad…"

"Good night, Morag!"

I pick up my bag and my wand, wave it and apparate away. A few moments later the phone rings. I pick it up and it's Nicole who laughs and squeals:

"That was bloody frightening, Morag! Can you come and go just like that? Anywhere?"

I laugh, too, and say:

"Yes, I can. Though some long stretch apparating can be very draining, so we do it in jumps as I've said before."

"Crazy! Well, see you next week!"

"See you next week!"

Hermione is still up, reading in the front room. She has a couple of very thick books out and works on something, taking notes and mumbling the text she reads.

"Time to go sleep, 'Mione!" I say and wish her a good night.

"Yes, you're probably right. Good night, Morag…"

* * *

**Hermione**

I wonder if Morag is getting together with Nicole as a lover. She looks very happy in any case when she waves and leaves the front room. I look at the watch and think she's right, it's really time to go to sleep.

Harry is lying on our bed and still reading, too. I have passed at the bathroom on the way and just get out of my bathrobe. Saturday night and we're going to enjoy it thoroughly!

* * *

**Wednesday, 30.9.1998 / Remus**

It's been easier since we've given Seraina her own room. We're able to cast one-way silencing charms so one baby won't wake the other anymore. And that gives us at least one hour more sleep every night. Last night, Seraina has slept more than five hours through the night for the first time. Poppy's soothing gel has helped a lot. Denny is also responding well to it. Both of them seem to fare better in their own separate rooms.

I'm preparing my needed stuff for the next few lessons. I have third years today and that means several dark creatures. These are usually quite fun lessons and those third years are eager and curious. Today it's about Boggarts. It's only theory, since I haven't found any yet, in spite of a very intensive search, in which even my colleagues have joined me. But it's a good opportunity to talk about fear in general, fears the children might have and fear as expressed through Boggarts as well as how to fight them.

In the afternoon I welcome Tonks. She's going to be the Ministry supervisor for my lessons about the Imperius curse. Albus has jousted with Ministry officials until they gave us permission to show the Unforgivables to the children and even place the Imperius curse on them. We hope that it will put them into a position to at least recognise the curse, because they will know how it feels. I think, just because right now there's no dark overlord in the vicinity it's still important that each of the students at least know how this curse feels. The Ministry finally gave in and gave permission for the demonstration as well as the use of Imperius, though both only with an Auror attending the lessons.

I have already demonstrated the Unforgivables on mice with a wand that the Ministry has provided. Now I'll put them under the curse to find out if even only one among them is capable of throwing the curse off. When Tonks and I enter the classroom, the students look at us fairly nervously. They know what the topic of the day will be. I have told them that I will cast the curse on them and that I'll have a supervisor from the Ministry to ensure that they will not be forced to do things that are less than legal.

"Okay, I will now put each of you under the curse. You will feel a sensation of no care at first. It feels like nothing can worry you anymore, but as soon as I tell you to do something, even in the tiniest of voices you will feel compelled to follow that order. Don't forget, the curse will put you completely under my control. However there is a tiny leftover of your own mind somewhere. Try to reach this, give it strength and keep saying 'no' to whatever I ask you to do. Probably you'll have to say 'no' a number of times, but as soon as you do the curse is thrown off. You will notice it's much more difficult to actually do it. So, what do you think if I let Tonks here cast the curse on me? I don't know if I can still throw it off, it's been a very long time since I've had to. Oh, and this is for the record: the wand that will be used today is not my normal wand. It's one of the Aurors' reserve wands, so I won't have Unforgivables on my record."

The students look a bit more eager now. I toss the wand in Tonks' hands and she gives me a very mean grin.

"What should I make you do, Moony?"

"Nothing too embarrassing, please!" I beg.

To my great annoyance Tonks is not the only visitor, James is there today, too, and he doesn't hesitate to whisper something in Tonks' ear. She grins even wider and I dread what it's going to be.

"Jolly good idea, James. Are you ready, Remus?"

I turn to the students:

"Not that any Dark wizard or witch will ask you whether you're ready before they cast that curse…"

They snicker. The Gryffindors are as eager to see how I will fare as the Slytherins. Tonks casts the curse on me and immediately it's like I feel like sitting on a cushion of clouds. From very far away I can hear her voice as she tells me:

"Why don't you just start to do a little solo ballet dance – spin, splits, toe dance…"

'What? Is she out of her mind? No way! Tell her **no**!' a voice whispers faintly but frantically in my head.

I'm trying to do what she wants, but then I think I follow that voice and almost scream:

"**No**!"

She's trying it again, but my defence gets stronger every time she tries and after about three attempts the curse lifts. Tonks turns to the class and says:

"Sorry, people, I thought he'd be more rusty than this! Looks like he's got his wits together!"

I'm glad for that, truly. Toe dance! Now really, how embarrassing can you get? She grins when she hands me the wand back.

"Who dares first?" I ask.

Mary Lewis, a Gryffindor girl makes the start. I can make her jump an imaginary jumping rope for a few times, but all of a sudden I can see it in her eyes that she must have heard the little voice. Once again I order her to jump, but she keeps trying and then she throws the curse off. I'm so proud of her!

"Excellent, Mary. That's ten points to Gryffindor for the courage to be the first and ten more for throwing it off! – Who's next?"

One by one they all come forth. One of the Slytherins is very anxious and he hardly dares to look at me when I lift the wand to cast the curse.

"Imp…" I say, but he interrupts me.

I'm concerned at his pleading, stop and ask him:

"Sixtus, would you please come to my office after classes? You can tell me in the privacy of the office what's troubling you, okay?"

He only nods.

Sixtus Quirrell. Another one of the same family from which Harry's first Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher came. When the boy knocks on my door later that afternoon I open it and let him enter. I lead him over to the living room area and say:

"Take a seat, Sixtus. What made you so afraid this afternoon? You could see that I didn't force anything really bad on any of you."

"Yes, I could see that, but still…"

"Did anyone cast it on you before, Sixtus?" I ask.

At first he looks at me with the deer in the headlights kind of eyes, but then he nods.

"Who?" I ask softly.

He swallows and looks down at his feet.

"My Uncle Ferguson…" he finally admits.

"When was that?"

"Years ago. I was seven," he whispers.

That sounds very bad. What would his uncle want a seven year old do?

"Are you aware of what he wanted you to do?"

He nods and I can see tears start to drip from his eyes. Most probably that man was after sexual abuse, I think, but I'm still shocked when, after a few more encouraging words from me the boy starts to hem and haw. After another while he tells me with more determination that his uncle had used the spell whenever he was alone with the boy and that he made the child give him blowjobs. I almost retch! Some of the best things that life holds in store for us will probably be ruined forever for the child in front of me, because he will remember the torture it meant to him at seven years of age for the rest of his life.

"Sixtus, who knows about this?"

"No one. He told me he'd kill me if I told anyone. Please, don't tell anyone else, Professor!"

"This is a very heavy crime, Sixtus. Do you know if your uncle had any association with the Death Eaters?"

He nods.

"Is he still undetected?"

Another nod.

"That should interest Tonks. She's one of those Aurors who are still on the lookout for the remaining Death Eaters. How is the relationship between your parents and your uncle?"

"I don't really know. They might be afraid of him… he's much older than my father and because dad didn't want anything to do with the Death Eaters he was always endangered."

I sigh.

"Sixtus, this is too much for me to handle alone. I'd like to have your permission to talk about this with your head of house and the headmaster. Then we could find a way to help you getting rid of that heavy load you bear. No child should be left alone with abuse and sexual abuse is just about the worst kind. I promise not to tell anyone else, okay?"

He thinks about it for a while, then he asks:

"Can you really help me?"

"I can find ways, I think. We have to be careful. You don't want to find yourself in danger. If your uncle is a Death Eater it will probably put him into Azkaban for the rest of his life. The fact that he's used Imperius on you is already enough for a sentence for life."

"Okay. Then tell the headmaster."

I let him go and he crosses Sirius while opening the door. Sirius closes the door behind him and nods in the retreating boy's direction:

"What's he done?"

"Rather ask what's been done to him… I promised confidentiality, so I'd better not tell. Can't have been nice."

"Abuse?" he asks.

"You're very close."

"Aw! His parents beat him up?"

"Much worse. You remember, we had the Imperius curse lesson today?"

"Yes, I've seen Tonks. She said she'd come by our rooms later on," Sirius says brightly.

"Oh, good. I might have a tip for a so far undetected Death Eater."

"She'll jump on that."

"I'll have to ask her how sexual abuse of children is being punished in the wizarding justice system."

Siri's eyes widen. Then he points with his thumb to the door and asks:

"Sixtus?"

I nod.

"Oh Merlin!"

"It's his uncle. He seems to be terrified that someone learns his secret."

"Horror. Absolute horror…"

I pick up my books and the essays I still have to grade and Sirius puts his things in order, then we leave the office and spell lock it. We take everything to our rooms and I can pass my tip to Tonks before she leaves Hogwarts.

We are happy to meet our twins still awake and seemingly quite content. We miss them a lot during the day. So we pick them up and go back to the Great Hall for dinner. There are two high chairs for the babies now, we put them inside and they can be with us while we eat. Both still get formula for a while, so we have their bottles with us. When I see Albus coming in I ask him:

"Albus, do you have some time for me tonight?"

"Of course, Remus. Do you want to come to my office after dinner?"

"Yes, please. Could you also ask Professor Vector?"

"I can. Does it concern someone in Slytherin?"

"Yes. And no, it's not someone in trouble now, only I can't say more out here."

"It's good, Remus, you don't need to. I'll ask her up."

"Thank you."

We get our plates filled and start to eat, while the twins sit in their chairs, babble and play with a spoon. Sirius transfigures Seraina's spoon into a rattle. She's delighted and grins at him. At the moment she's sporting this really sexy baby grin. We've sent some pictures to Harry and Ginny to show them, because we both think it's extremely cute. Denny drops his spoon on the table and stretches his hand after his sister's toy, but Sirius repeats his trick for him and hands him a rattle, too. I smile every time I watch them. Sirius is so cute with our children and I couldn't wish for a more affectionate father for our children! Once he's eaten he pulls Seraina out of her chair and offers her the warmed bottle. She looks up into his eyes and suckles eagerly and quickly. I'm a bit behind him, but I can already hear Denny's wail as he wants his food as well. So I leave the rest of my plate for the time being and get his bottle.

"Yes, my hungry young tyrant, here's your food now," I promise, chuckling and put the warming spell over Denny's bottle while I take him out of his chair.

"He's so cute, Remus!" Filius remarks next to me.

"Isn't he though? But as hard as it is I have to start saying 'no' to him sometimes. It pains me, but they can't have and do everything they want."

He smiles.

"That must be hard. Unfortunately I've never had any children myself."

"Which is a shame, Filius!"

"Yes, well, if you've got my size it's quite hard to find a fitting partner who's not a house-elf. And while I'm really fond of our elves, I wouldn't exactly want to marry one."

I laugh. No, I don't think I would, either.

"Just don't let Mrs Potter know that I've said that," he chuckles.

"I don't think that would be wise, she'd shoot first me and then you with her patented death glare," I admit.

We both laugh. After dinner I keep Denny on my arms and follow Albus up to his office. He stops to ask Carla Vector to come along. Up in his office Carla and I sit down in chairs in front of his desk.

"What is it, Remus?" Albus asks.

"Today I've had my first lesson placing the fourth years under the Imperius curse. This is about Sixtus Quirrell. Fourth year Slytherin. He was extremely anxious and stopped me from putting him under the curse. I noticed he was really scared out of his wits and so I halted and asked him to come to my office after classes. He came and he explained why he had been afraid. He's been under the curse as a seven years old. The caster was his uncle. Ferguson Quirrell."

Both Carla and Albus are staring at me in shock. Carla asks the same question I had asked the boy:

"What on earth could it have been that Quirrell could have wanted from a seven years old boy? – Oh holy shit! – Sex?"

I nod.

"He asked for confidentiality, but when he told me some of the gory details I asked for his permission to involve you two, since this is way over my head. It seems that Ferguson Quirrell asked his little nephew to give him blowjobs. I almost gagged when Sixtus told me! The 'good' thing is – Ferguson Quirrell is a Death Eater, in other words I was able to give Tonks a tip and he'll probably be behind bars very soon. It should be possible to arrest him as a Death Eater first and then add the further charge of the use of an Unforgivable and sexual abuse of a minor. Sixtus fears for his life, because he's been threatened respectively. I take that very seriously, because as you know Death Eaters aren't usually very forgiving people, not even with close relatives. So – it's up to you two. Could you speak to him, Carla?"

"Yes, I'll have to even. I'll tell Sixtus that you gave the tip to Tonks. As you've mentioned, the abuse and the repeated use of Imperius on his nephew will just be a few charges more on the list. Hell, sexual abuse of a small child is just about the most abominable crime in my eyes – and thankfully not only in my eyes! This poor child will suffer from that for the rest of his life. I can't just do nothing."

"This is really a terrible thing, I agree with you both. Please talk to Mr. Quirrell, Carla and thank you for passing your information to Miss Tonks, Remus, because holding such information back would also be against the law. I'd like to be informed about the progress in the matter, Carla."

"Yes, Albus, I'll keep you informed. I'm glad it's come out to the light, thank you, Remus. I'll take it out of your hands now. I'll keep you informed, too, if you wish."

"Thank you, Carla, that would be welcome."

I shift Denny on my arms. He's half asleep by now. Carla smiles and strokes him tenderly over the cheek when she gets up to leave. I follow her and we both wish Albus a good night and leave his office. On our way down we're talking about the children.

"They are unbelievably cute, Remus. It's good to have small children at the castle. Nice to see them grow up here! You must both be very happy now."

"Happy doesn't even begin to express how we feel, Carla. There's so much love we all share. And they start to respond now, which is something that we've awaited for quite some time. The smiles and laughs come much more spontaneous now, as soon as they recognise us. They react differently to different people."

"Yes… Denny is much more lively when Sirius has him."

"You're not the first who has found that out. I have no idea how they know that. Both of them are like that, when they're with him. Harry swears they look mischievous when they're on Sirius' arms."

Carla laughs. Then she wishes me a good night, because our paths separate us from here. I go down the stairs to our flat. Sirius has already given Seraina her bath. I take Denny to the bathroom to give him his. This is always fun, as he really enjoys it and he is nicely tired after it. I dry him and get him dressed again, then I'm rubbing Poppy's gel on his gums. After that I just have to pick my son up, give him the pacifier and hold him to my chest for five minutes and he's out of it. I gently lay him down in his cradle and cover him with a warm woollen blanket. Because of the colder temperatures here, both children are lying on a sheep's hide, they were a warm sleeping bag over their pyjamas and we cover them with a soft woollen baby blanket. Denny looks cute on the sheep's hide, snuggling into the warmth. Somehow I can never get enough watching him sleep. Then I go over to Seraina's room to have a look at her sleeping. She looks frail, but she's quite strong and once she starts wailing we jump!

But for now everything is okay and Sirius and I meet back in the living room. He lights a fire and I sink on my favourite spot on the sofa and lean back with a sigh. The next thing I know I have a lapful of Sirius who starts to kiss me like there would be no tomorrow. Ooh, but this is a nice assault! I snake my arms around him and hold him. He sighs deeply into the kiss and not long into this bit of snogging we hear Uncle Alphard chuckle.

"Missed it, didn't you? That's why I never had any kids myself…"

Sirius looks up at the wall and grins.

"Actually, Uncle Alphard – they make it so much more precious for us…"

I look at Sirius. He nods over to the bedroom and I nod. He gets up and we say:

"Good night, Uncle Alphard!"

It's early, but we don't care, we undress each other, hurry to the bathroom and get through the routine quickly, then we're back in the bedroom and pull the curtains closed. I push Sirius to the bed and start to nuzzle his neck while I feel his hands on my back, pulling me close. I go back to kissing him. Mm, he tastes nice of fresh mint from brushing his teeth. I rake my hands through the heavy black tresses of hair that spread over the pillow.

"Do you even remember when we were up to having sex the last time?" he asks playfully.

"Not the foggiest. But I know that I want you right now! I'm looking forward to the weekend and I do hope that the cuteness of the twins wins us some babysitters for one or both evenings…" I admit.

He laughs. I feel the vibration on his collarbone, which I nibble and kiss. He sighs right into his laughter. My tongue glides gently over his flesh and I lap the salty taste from his skin. I feel like turning into the wolf and treat his whole body with a bath from my tongue. Next thing I know is that my long rosy wolf tongue slurps over his chest. His nipples react instantly. He moans in a low voice and buries his hands in the scruff of my neck.

"Mmm, Moony! Just don't stop…"

No fear, it's giving me thrills I've never thought possible. He writhes and moans underneath me and keeps caressing me over my back. That wolf is pretty sensitive I find out… I've only done this once before, but this time it's different, because I'm not the werewolf, I'm in my Animagus form and it's a mighty turn-on…

"Feel like going out for a run with you…" he whispers.

I turn back and reply: "You'll get one in five days."

He laughs and pulls me close.

"But then you'll be the werewolf again. While that's perfectly okay, I never got to run with Moony when he was just the wolf…"

"But then Winky will have to come and watch over the twins until we're back…"

"I call her."

Ten minutes later the canines are outside and run to the forest. It's amazing how differently I feel the forest now. I am fully aware, a wolf, but still myself completely. Though the werewolf is high in my blood, since the moon is waxing he's content. I howl and yip and look for my mate who follows me with an air of: 'Cool it, an old man isn't the Hogwarts Express anymore!'

I love how I can read you. I'm hard just thinking of you right now. I wonder if we're not spoiling a perfectly good opportunity to make love to our heart's content, but then you close up, hold me down, start nipping me all over, and finally lick my opening with abundance. I howl again, it's so good. I flop down and turn around, showing you the state of my cock and you rise to the challenge, lick it until I almost go mad. I know I can't come this way in my wolf form, but I don't really care, because the friction is so good, that I keep howling.

Siri nudges me until I'm up again, then he quickly mounts me and I feel a very sharp pain as he enters me. Sirius' howl meets mine and when he starts pushing I can feel him swelling up inside of me. Merlin, this feels good. I hope it never ends, and it does take a long time, but finally he comes, shuddering, pushing frantically deep inside and I can feel his seed spurting out of his cock, which he can now pull back. I'm still bone hard and I chase him up with a few bites until he runs for a while, then I stop and mount him. It's not easy to penetrate, he yelps, but I'm pushing forward fast, then rest so he can get used to it. He whines a bit and I can feel him push backwards into me. I start to thrust. It's like I remember from three years ago. We haven't repeated the experience, but now I really look forward to it, because it takes a while longer to reach my orgasm than in my human form. I push and thrust until I can feel the climax building up. The moment is there and I find release with another howl. We tumble down on the soft ground, which is nicely covered with freshly fallen leaves. I'm still breathing hard. Sirius turns around and licks me. I look up and he plants a quick lick over my snout.

For an hour or so we just run and play through the forest. It's still quite early, not even nine o'clock and we hope no one has seen us as we return to the castle through a back door. We reach our rooms. Sirius transforms and opens the door, then closes it behind me. We're both slightly naked and slightly muddy, so we don't linger and go and take a shower first and then a hot bath. When we return to the living room in sweat clothes and thick socks, Uncle Alphard asks in a very amused tone:

"Now where have you two been that you turn up back here like two wild boars from a mud bath?"

"Just played some in the forest… naturally we get muddy. That's what showers are there for," Sirius retorts.

"Boys! You'll never grow up, will you?"

"I try hard not to, Uncle Alphard."

Alphard chuckles and says:

"That's why I always liked you, Sirius! And that's why I loved to give your family a shock by only passing my money to you and Andromeda. Is she still well, by the way? I do hope she's still alive?"

"Yes, she is. And both of them survived, Ted and Andromeda. Andy told me it wasn't easy, but she is doing fine now. With the lack of personnel at the Ministry after the war both changed to a position there. And as you've met their daughter Nymphadora already you know that she's an Auror."

"Oh, that's good to hear."

"I'm sure you know how the family reacted your last will? Most of them ground their teeth but they took the Knut. The lawyer was sure those who didn't wouldn't go further than carrying it to another lawyer. Where they would certainly be informed that it couldn't be contested. That's exactly what happened. Your lawyer wasn't very impressed by the verbal attacks of uncle Rigel and Father. Couldn't be bothered by their 'superiority'."

"Yes, I've heard some of the discussions through Phineas. Since there was no portrait left depicting myself in your family's place I couldn't go there myself."

"Don't think Phineas did you any justice, now did he?"

"Not exactly, but he did supply me with a lot of amusement! The more he got angry the more I snickered."

"He used to scold me every time I had to go to Dumbledore's office! What a disgrace to the family I was…"

"Slytherin! I was a Ravenclaw like Andromeda, so I didn't suffer too badly when I was young, but I suppose I'd have been in the same shoes as you were if I had been a Gryffindor."

Sirius sits down next to me and both of us start working on grading some of the papers we have back. I get a lot done now. Funny how that short escapade outside has energised me and woken me up. I'm not feeling so tired and like a log anymore.

"Nights we can get several hours of sleep in a row really do us a lot of good, don't they?" I ask.

"You're telling me. This was really good, Remus! Being out in the fresh air and running! I'm feeling so much better now. I thought I'd only just want to go to bed when I got back from dinner, and now I find I'm focused and awake again."

"I was just thinking about that, too. Maybe we should do that more often."

"The running or the sex?" he smirks.

"Both," I reply easily.

His grin becomes even wider.

We still don't go to bed very late. It's eleven and we can get a solid six hours of sleep thanks to Poppy's gel, which we only have to apply once more just before we go to sleep. Our little ones seem to drop the need for the feeding before midnight. That's really a relief, because it means we can put them to bed at eight or just a bit after eight and they should be sleeping until the early morning.

When I wake up again it's because Denny is calling us. We have two sets of Extendable Ears in the two rooms so we can hear them even when they're not wailing at the top of their voices. Sirius sits up and yawns. We grab a pair of boxers and pull it up, then we walk over to the children's rooms. I get Denny and warm the bottle, sit down on the rocking chair and let him suckle his early breakfast while I'm still dozing a bit. I enjoy this early morning feeding, because I'm still a bit sleeping, but I'm awake enough to communicate with the baby in my arms. Denny has his tiny hands on mine while I hold the bottle for him. When he's done I hold him up and once he's hiccupped the air he's swallowed along with a bit of milk, I can enjoy my well rested and alert baby. I check the little teeth, which are finally breaking through.

"There's that first tooth now, Denny! It's out and that will hurt you a lot less now… though it will start somewhere else soon."

He smiles at me, then gurgles something and grabs for my hair. I'm holding him to my chest and get up to change his nappy. Then I take him over to the bedroom, where I'm getting back into bed to get some more rest, before I have to get up. Sirius brings Seraina and for half an hour it's family cuddling time. Sirius gets up first. It's half past six and we have a lot of time to take our shower and go through the routine in the bathroom. I'm keeping the children on the bed. Sirius returns and gets dressed, then picks the children up to get them dressed for the day and washed. I'm going to the bathroom. Another day starts…

* * *

**Monday, 5.10.1998 / Sirius**

Another full moon. The second since we're back here and no one thinks much when Remus cancels the first class in the morning. Moonset is not too late yet, so he only needs to cancel one. The children get some homework for the time.

The weather is cold, wet and generally unfriendly. Remus transforms in our bedroom and then comes out to stretch out in front of the fire for a while. The twins are still awake and I'm only just feeding them their evening meal. Remus puts his little snout on Denny's belly while the boy suckles. Denny's distracted and grabs for Remus' whiskers, which he normally really hates, but he wouldn't budge, because it's one of our children. Denny chuckles, but then he needs to swallow and that makes for a very funny sound. Once he's done with the bottle he's getting a terrible hiccup immediately. I let him sit on my knees. Remus is back and tickles Denny by pushing his snout into the baby's side. Denny giggles and smiles at the wolf. I wish I'd have a camera right now, because the image is just so funny and sweet. At that moment there's a flash and I notice Winky taking a photo. I smile. The way she's sometimes perceptive is almost creepy. I smile at her and thank her.

"You're so sweet, Winky, that was what I just thought I should do!"

Seraina starts to wail now and wants her food, too. I pass Denny to Winky and pick my daughter up from her blanket. She shuts up quickly and when I offer her the bottle the tears vanish in a second. She's doing very well. Denny only has his first two teeth, but in Seraina's mouth are already three and the second incisor on top is ready to break through. Of course that means there are still quite a lot of them coming and to be honest I fear them. If my poor children are suffering that badly with the incisors, how bad will it be when the canines and the molars break through? Days before the tooth comes through they get feverish, eat less, their cheeks are glowing red and they sleep less. Poppy's gel really helps a lot now, so we can all sleep a bit better. She also gave us a specially designed sleep charm for babies. That should help them a bit as well. And us. It's only been a couple of nights, but the rest we got has been welcomed greatly.

Both children fed, we let them lie on their blanket close to papa for another while, before I'm taking them to bed. Remus is rolled up on the warm rug in front of the hearth. He watches his children sleepily. I'm taking another picture, because he looks so beautiful. He'd hate to hear it of course, but I love my own little wolf. I can just hear his protest: **little**?

I start with Denny again and take him over to his room. His crib is charmed with the sleep charm, I change his nappy, put on his pyjama and rub the gel on his gums. I keep him on my arm for a few minutes and kiss him goodnight. He smiles at me and babbles something. How much I love you, my son. But now off to bed with you, after all I still have to put your sister to bed as well. I gently lay him into the crib and cover him with the blanket. He's still babbling something while I give him his little teddy bear and stick the pacifier in his mouth. It's a very small and soft teddy, which he can already grab. Denny snaps the bear up and suckles on the pacifier and it doesn't take him long to fall asleep. I watch him for another minute and then go to pick up Seraina who's already half asleep. She wakes up when I change her nappy and get her dressed in her pyjama. I apply the gel on her gums as well. Then I hold her on my arm for a moment and kiss her goodnight, too.

"Sleep well, my little love! Papa will be well again tomorrow morning."

Seraina gets her pacifier and teddy as well. I watch her sleeping for a while and then return to the living room.

Remus seems to have fallen asleep in front of the fire. The Wolfsbane potion always makes him a bit sleepy. I still have some work to do and take it to the big kitchen table. Once I get through the pile I put it together to take it to the office in the morning. It's half past ten when I get up, nudge Remus with my foot and ask:

"How about hitting the hay?"

He gets up immediately, stretches all of his limbs and nods. We wish Uncle Alphard a good night and go to bed. Remus waits for me to pull back the blankets, then he hops on the bed, rolls himself into a ball and pushes his nose under a leg. I follow him as soon as I've undressed.

* * *

**Wednesday, 7.10.1998 / Lily **

We're ready for the first Priori Incantatem spell. We'll do it with Harry. Madam Bones and Kingsley have given us a date at the Ministry where we arrive at two in the afternoon. We're rather surprised to not only find Amelia waiting, but also the Minister himself and a whole array of other high Ministry officials. Albus has been invited, too, together with a good handful of other Wizengamot members. It seems they have a meeting this very afternoon as well and want to take part in the procedures.

This is the first test for our small team. We already know how Voldemort's and Harry's wand will react, so we want to see how things will work out. If everything works as we think it will, neither Cedric, nor James, myself, Bertha Jorkins or Frank Bryce should come out of Voldemort's wand, because our souls have already been freed from it.

"So how do you plan to proceed, Mrs Potter? I mean, we don't know who and where the victims are, so what are you going to do?" the Minister wants to know.

"We expect that the echoes of the five persons who have already come back to life, that's the Potters, Cedric Diggory, Bertha Jorkins and the Muggle Frank Bryce will not appear again, because their souls have returned to their bodies already. That's what we want to test first. If this thesis is correct, we'll wait for the next victims. Though we also expect to find a few victims that Voldemort killed after Cedric. We can then go and search for them, and we'll see how we proceed from there…" Tonks explains.

"That does sound quite logical. I suggest you proceed and we'll see how it goes from there. This is so exceptional we can only go with trial and error. I agree that whether it works, how it works and what we can make of it has to be seen. Where is the wand in question?" Fudge asks.

"Here!"

Tonks holds it up and then twirls the wand around her fingers and many in the room retreat in shock and fright. Fudge snaps at her:

"Auror Tonks! That was You-Know-Who's wand! How can you?"

"It's just a wand, Minister. Even one that's going to be de-charmed bit by bit now as we're going to get all the spells out of it as they were cast. Stop trembling like grass in the wind, you ridiculous people!" Tonks bites back at the people around her and makes them back off even more frightened.

Bit embarrassing for these gentlemen. Because the ones who prove their cowardice here are all men. Looks like the ladies in the room are a lot more courageous.

Harry steps up.

"Who will hold the wand, Tonks?"

She looks around.

"Volunteers?"

No one steps up for this job. She just grins and says:

"I'll do it, Harry."

"Okay. Let's cast the curse directly in front of each other, so the beams will certainly meet. – Stupefy?"

"Yeah, sounds like the best thing…"

"It has to be some sort of a curse, because we want the brother wands to react negatively to a duelling spell. Back when it happened between Voldemort and myself he used Avada Kedavra on me and I used a simple Expelliarmus. Both beams hit on each other and then… well, you'll all see in a moment what happened. – Tonks, as soon as our wands are connected you may not hold against me, just accept what I'm doing or else it will be very, very hard for me."

"No problem, Harry."

The two take their places about two metres apart and raise their wands. James takes my hand as both of us watch expectantly what's happening.

"Stupefy!" both of them shout at the same time.

Two red beams shoot from their wands and meet right in the middle between them. They become one single dark golden beam out of which thousands of other beams shoot around the duellists. The two of them are like woven into a web of beams and the golden rays form a web of light. They rise off the floor and we hear phoenix song from far away. Harry's and Tonks' hands seem to be glued to their wands and on the beam connecting their wands we see large beads of more light, which Harry seems to push slowly across the beam towards Tonks' wand. She holds tight to the shaking wand and keeps up the connection.

The beads of light reach Tonks' wand. We all watch through the web of light as the first one vanishes inside of the wand. Then another one follows and after that the rest of the beads. As soon as the last bead has gone the first spell comes out of the wand. Since there have been almost two years between Voldemort's resurrection and his final death he has probably killed more than one or two people in the meantime. Even after only a few spells we already get to see the first 'echo' of a victim who comes out, but unlike our 'echoes' back in Little Hangleton this one here doesn't see any reason to attack Tonks.

It's a man. Fudge and the other Ministry officials make choked noises, they seem to know the person.

"Rupert Haystack! Our head of the Floo Regulation Board! He vanished shortly after Christmas 1996 and we never found even a trace of him. And we lost quite a few important data!" one of the Ministry officials shrieks.

Harry doesn't seem to hear anything that's said outside of his cage of light. But the scribes who are in the room note down everything they can catch. We watch as spell after spell comes out of the wand and then two more victims of an Avada Kedavra. Already three persons we have to find then another one, a woman and after three or four more spells a little girl.

"He's killed my daughter and myself! It was in summer, such a beautiful summer it is this year, we've been outside, in August. He just wanted to 'have some fun', he said. But the fun for this monster was to torture my daughter in front of my eyes. I couldn't help her – I couldn't even help her… where am I?"

"You are an echo at the moment, only an echo, I'm afraid, but we hope to find you later on and then you will be able to enjoy many beautiful summers with your daughter still. Where have you been captured and when? And what's your name?" Tonks asks quickly.

We can only hear them like they were far, far away. The web of light seems to dampen all noises from the inside.

"We've been hiking along Loch Garry and it's 1995."

"Thank you very much, that will help us searching for you!" Tonks replies happily.

Everything that's come out as facts has been duly noted. If we have reached August 1995 now, we'll soon be with July and June and the events that took place at Little Hangleton. We're reaching the point where Cedric should come out, but the next victim that leaves Voldemort's wand is certainly not Cedric. And it proves that we won't come out at all. Amelia chokes now, because she quickly recognises her brother-in-law, Edgar Bones.

"Edgar! Oh my god!" she cries and covers her mouth with her hands.

"Who is fetching me from my deep sleep?" the echo asks, astounded. It's really no wonder. He's been in the Nothing for seventeen years, and now all of a sudden he's forced out into the light.

"Edgar, we'll find you!" Amelia promises.

Harry looks at Tonks and asks:

"Should we stop here for the moment?"

"Yes, I think so. We'll go on once we've found the people surrounding us now."

It seems to take a lot of power from Harry to cut the connection, but he manages. He and Tonks take a bit of a tumble, but they get up at once and look at us. The cage of light has fallen together and vanished the moment Harry has finished the connection. The phoenix song stops. Both of them breathe hard.

"That was most impressive," says Albus.

"I think, that was far more than impressive. This was borderline incredible!" one of the members of the Wizengamot shouts.

I think, we all agree on that. We have six persons who need to be found now. We already know where three of them will be found, but three more will have to be sent out. Edgar Bones had a proper funeral, he's easy to find, too, like we were. And the woman and her daughter might well still be in Scotland.

In any case all magical and Muggle cemeteries in the country have been covered with screening spells, which tell us immediately when something should happen there and then there will be a team of Aurors on site within minutes. There will certainly be many Muggles among the victims. We're not yet fully sure how we are going to treat them. Those who have vanished can simply return, memories modified a bit. Others might need to have memories modified and sent somewhere to start a completely new life. There will be lots to do!

* * *

**Friday, 9.10.1998 / Justin**

Gods, I'm knackered. I knew the training would be fairly hard, but this hard? I'm so glad I'm still able to apparate to the Sunnegg after all that. Remus and Sirius are already there with the twins. They look tired, but content. The twins are super sweet. It seems they've grown so much since we've seen them last. Seems like they grow faster when you don't see them all the time. It doesn't occur to us the same way with Andy! It's only been a few weeks, but they're already that much bigger.

I don't think we'll go out tonight. We're just too knackered. Ron is just as tired, so we share our news with the others, eat dinner and then vanish up to bed.

Draco, Parvati and George come in and happily join us at the dinner table. They are bursting with news about the site Draco has investigated for the fun park. "Dragon's Tales" will be set up somewhere south of Grenoble in the French Alpes Maritimes. Draco says it's a beautiful area, lots of mountainous forests away from the ski resorts. He's bought several square kilometres of land there and he, Fred, George and Lee Jordan will start charming the area Muggle secure soon. Every square centimetre will need Muggle repelling charms, off the roads of course.

"We're now starting negotiations with the French Ministry of Magic to get permission to set up the fun park. They seem very interested in our work though and provided that we employ at least 70 French witches and wizards we're getting the go ahead soon. They don't mind a bit of wizarding tourism at all," Draco tells us.

Parvati is smiling. I think she really likes to see Draco so involved with a project. Gives him something to focus on. I ask her how her apprenticeship has started.

"Very well, thank you. At the moment it's still a bit simple and I need to learn a lot of routine stuff, but the healers are great and they are giving me a lot of opportunities to learn. At the moment I'm doing basic nursing stuff, but it will soon be getting better. They do that so we become familiar with hospital routines and the basic needs of the patients. It's really interesting."

"Sounds great…"

Morag is also busy. She tells us about her latest courses and that she'll have to go to the school in Zürich for one of the first Saturday classroom lessons.

"I thought that was a correspondence training?" Harry asks.

"Yes, but we still have tests and such and there are classroom lessons about every two months. For that I have to go there."

"I see. – Are you meeting Nicole again tonight?" he asks her.

"Yes. Right after dinner in fact. She's been busy studying for something that will be tested on Monday, but she told me she wouldn't do anything after seven tonight. I'll apparate over in a while."

"Good."

It seems slowly but surely that there's a bit more between Nicole and Morag than pure friendship. Wonder if they already found that out. I look at Ron.

"I'd like to go to bed, love! I'm dead tired."

"So am I, Justin. Sorry folks, we've had a horribly exhausting week so we'll be good boys and go to sleep early tonight."

"That's okay. Do you want to go out tomorrow evening? Because Harry and I have a lot to study and would like to stay home tonight. We can spend tomorrow night either out or together…" Hermione suggests.

"We don't need to go out if you'd prefer to stay here tomorrow! Would be just as nice," I say.

"Good!"

It seems that we're not the only ones who are tired. Remus and Sirius seem to be pretty down as well. Both have a briefcase full of what seems like a ton of papers to grade. The twins seem pretty nice though and once they're fed, they go to sleep.

"We have to play a bit nasty and sleep charm their cribs… they're teething and it troubles them a lot, so we help them and us. The past week has been a lot better than what we had before. Everyone is a lot calmer this way," Sirius tells us.

Ron and I get up and wish everyone a nice evening. We're out of it as soon as we hit the bed!

* * *

**Morag**

I'm apparating right into Nicole's flat. Her sister is at her boyfriend's again, so we're all alone. She welcomes me with a warm embrace and I assault her mouth with a fiery kiss. She opens her lips and my tongue finds its way over to hers. Mm, this is good. It feels so right and the sparks in my body tell me that this is home. She clings to me and moans softly into the kiss. When we finally part minutes later she says:

"Hi!"

"Hi, Nicole!"

She's beautiful again tonight. I caress her face and kiss her again. She looks at me and says:

"Do we take this on to my bedroom?"

"I think, we should!" I reply.

"Good! It's over here, come! When do you have to go home?"

"I'm an adult, Nicole; I can stay as long as I want. I told them not to expect me before tomorrow morning."

"Great!"

She leads me to her room, which is a lovely square room furnished with lots of bookcases and a desk, her queen sized bed and a large wardrobe. She turns her stereo on and soft music fills the room. By now I know she adores Mike Oldfield and Pink Floyd a lot. I also like those and have nothing to complain about her choice of music. Tubular Bells starts and she kisses me again. I have yet to take off my warm jacket. She does that for me and slides it down my shoulder. I find my way with my hands under her jumper and the t-shirt to find her soft skin. She sighs and continues to take off one piece of my clothing after the other. When she reaches my bra she whispers:

"I've never done this before, Morag. You'll have to tell me what you like…"

"I will. And you'll have to help me, yes?"

"Yes…"

She unhooks my bra. I'm not getting through to her as quickly and force her to stand still for a moment so I can pull the jumper and the t-shirt over her head. She giggles. I softly stroke over her now naked shoulders on the way to the hooks of her bra, which I undo.

"Merlin, you are beautiful…" I whisper.

"Merlin?" she repeats and grins.

"Wizard lingo, sorry… Merlin is to us almost what Jesus is for the Muggles," I mumble.

"Oh. I see. Like it more than Jesus, to be quite honest."

For a while we just stand there, kiss and caress each other. I think, every nerve in my body is vibrating and singing! Then we continue undressing each other, but it takes about half an hour until we're finally both naked and on her bed. I pull her onto me. She kisses me again and her hand goes back to caress my breast. Mm! Gods, this is good. She follows her hands with her mouth and starts licking around one of my nipples, then pulls it into her mouth to suck it and nip it with her teeth.

"Oh, Nicole! So good, so good!"

"Like that, eh?"

I nod and push her head back down on my nipple. She picks it up again and all the while she travels with her hand over my body. I mirror her movements and caress her back, her sides, her butt, which is nice and round. I lightly pull my fingernails over her flesh and I hear her moan onto my nipple. She lets it go and blows on it. Wow! I can feel that right down to my clit!

"Merlin, Nicole!"

She looks up and grins. Then she quickly kisses me and tells me:

"I've never done this before, but I've read a lot of descriptions and I've fantasised quite a bit, I hope I'm doing it right, love!"

"The way this feels – yeah, you're definitely doing it right!"

Ten minutes later she's all over me and I get kissed from top to bottom. I enjoy it and vow to give it back to her as soon as I can. She's making me feel like I'm in heaven. We're so immersed that we haven't heard the door to the flat being opened and closed. All of a sudden there's someone passing the door to Nicole's room and we hear a gasp and then a:

"**Nicole**!"

Nicole looks up and swears:

"Damn, Claudine! What are you doing here? You said you'd be at Benny's tonight!"

"I've just forgotten something. Gosh, I couldn't know I'd come back and find you in bed with another woman!"

"Not just any woman, Claudine – she's my girlfriend since last week. Does it disturb you?"

Claudine shrugs and says:

"Not really, but I thought we were open enough with each other that you could have told me. I wouldn't have tried to shove you into the arms of every man I thought suitable, you know! Might have tried to do it with any woman I might have thought suitable though," Claudine adds with a grin.

"Oh. Okay then. Now you know. Would you mind closing the door?"

"No, I don't. mind. Good night!"

"Ciao."

We've cooled down quite a bit from the fright. Nicole turns around and cuddles up to me. I kiss her tenderly and she looks into my eyes.

"Shit, now we've got to build that up again… you were so nicely elsewhere."

"I'll get there again, Nicole. That felt wonderful! I want to give it back to you."

"You can. Soon. I want to see you come first!"

I smile. What lovely prospects. We hear Claudine pass the room again and leave the flat. Nicole runs her hands over my belly and caresses me tenderly. I'm thrilled. Her fingers just barely touch my flesh and I can feel each and every hair stand up and the butterflies fluttering in my stomach make me moan. She kisses me again. I sling my arms around her and hold her. Her hands continue to move downwards until she buries them in my pubic hair. I close my eyes and just feel. She wriggles out of my arms and turns around, slowly following her hands with her mouth. Then she nudges my legs apart and I can feel a warm wet tongue flicking over my clit. Wow! Now there's a feeling I'd never expected. It's bloody amazing!

"Aah! Oh, Nicole! Wow, that's great…" I pant.

She doesn't let go, patiently strokes her tongue over that bud, which gets hard and I can feel the blood pulsating in it each time she sucks it inside of her mouth and licks and nips it. Oh. My. God! This must be it! This is certainly the moment when everything tumbles down and crumbles to dust. I cry out and a low moan follows and I think I'm going to die!

It takes a moment to come back from that. Nicole has turned back and is lying next to me again. I must look pretty cross-eyed, because she grins and says:

"Sounded like you made it, Morag!"

"I think so! I've never felt this way, Nicole. That was amazing!"

"Never felt this way before? Oh, that's sad. I'm going to give you this as often as I can…"

"Thanks!"

I need a break, but then I start doing the same thing to her as she just did to me. Then I have a neat little idea and ask:

"Do you want a rougher tongue to go over this?"

She looks at me, puzzled, then she asks:

"Are you going to do magic?"

I laugh.

"Yes, this sort, watch out!"

I quickly transform. I can see her staring at me and then she says:

"This is the bloody most amazing thing I ever saw! You can turn yourself into a dog? What else will you show me?"

I turn back quickly to explain with a big grin:

"Lots. And yes, I can. I'm an Animagus. That's a witch or wizard who can change into an animal. Always the same animal and you can't choose it, it's in you. I've learned it a while ago through my transfiguration teacher, who is an Animagus, too. His form is also a dog, though you'd probably be scared if you met him, he's a huge black dog. We lovingly call him Snuffles. Or Padfoot."

"That's just unbelievable! You guys are absolutely incredible…"

We spend the rest of the night playing around and finally it's time to sleep. I'm happily falling asleep next to her. Nicole holds me close and I feel like she's just been there waiting for me until I came along.

* * *

**Saturday, 10.10.1998 / Ron**

I wake up early. We have still slept about ten hours through. I can't have moved much in my sleep, because I still find myself wrapped around Justin. When I stir he wakes up as well and both of us are hard, no surprise there. We don't have much time during the week, but we take it usually in the morning. I start to caress Justin and he kisses me, still a bit sleepy.

"Good morning, love," he says, yawning.

"Morning, love," I mumble while I kiss him back.

Then I can feel those wonderful hands of his on my back, where he follows my spine and I arch my back, it's so good. It's the fastest way to get to me and he knows it well. I trail kisses from his jaw down to his nipples and start sucking on them. Mm, I can do that for half an hour, just enjoying the lovely little noises he makes. Pinch his other nipple. Use my fingers on both nipples and move down to his navel. There's where his pubic hair ends in a long thin line up his belly to the navel. I follow it, still twirling my fingers around his nipples. Justin just moans and pushes me softly down to that wonderful cock of his, which is already pointing up to his belly button. Ooh, he's hard. I take one hand off his nipples, pull the foreskin back and start to lick over the head. My other hand continues to pinch his nipple.

"Nnng, Ron! So good… don't fucking stop!"

You bet I won't stop. He tastes so good I want to eat him up! I start to suck on his cock, hard, and he gives a little cry. More sucking and his cries get a little more frantic. Then I take him into my mouth fully and now I hear constant moaning and finally a short scream, just before he comes. I'm warned and when I feel the eruption and his seed spurts into my throat I can hear him calling out my name. Fuck, it's so good to hear that. I think it would be the worst thing that could happen to me, if he ever cried out another name in the moment of his orgasm. He pulls me up and we kiss, he licks the remaining seed off my lips and duels with my tongue. The kiss doesn't end for minutes. We embrace and kiss on, just like there would be no tomorrow. I've decided that I need this. When I do have sex, I want it to be important, just like it were the last time I could feel it and make it memorable. Each time we're doing it I need this even more, because it's so good with him.

Justin turns me around and straddles me. We kiss some more and I watch him as he prepares my cock and himself. He really loves to ride me, so he can control the thrusts and I really love it when he does, so I often give him that freedom. Justin comes down on me, taking me inside and pushing down on my length until he can't push down any further. He smiles.

"Gods, I love this! I love to feel your cock inside of me, Ron! It's the greatest feeling I know! Just one thing that's as good and that's being inside of you! Aw, yes…"

He starts to move. Slowly, up, down, up again, then pushes down hard. Then he makes a few fast movements, not so deep, but now I know I'm hitting his prostate and I can see his cock hardening again. I grab it and pump it in rhythm with his movements. He gets faster and faster, but forcefully goes down all the way. I can feel my orgasm building up, oh, just a little more, Justin! Yes! Yes! That's it, that's what I love most!

"Justin! Oh gods, Merlin, I love you! This is so good!"

I'm coming so hard. There's really nothing better to start the day than a quick shag. Justin reaches a second orgasm and collapses on my body, stretching his legs out again. I hold him tightly and kiss him again. He still smiles and says:

"So good, Ron, I love you so much…"

And after that we go right back to sleep for another while.

* * *

**Harry**

Studied late into the night. There is a lot we have to learn and we really get a lot to push into our brains to just store in some corner so it would be ready when we'd need it. Hermione is good at that, but I have to work a bit harder to accomplish it. I'm getting better at it though. It's a completely different method of studying than during school. The complex contents of what we have to learn aside, it's often tedious learning by heart. We can't just take notes and write an essay, we actually have to memorise all. Most exams will be aural exams where we have to have our knowledge present.

So after a long evening with a lot of reading we went to bed last night with burning eyes. Hermione wakes up beside me and when she stirs I wake up as well.

"Sorry, love, I didn't want to wake you up!" she says.

"'S okay, love! I've slept long enough. What's the time?"

She turns around.

"Just after nine."

"See, that's fine. Full eight hours of sleep! We don't usually get that much!"

"You're right about that. You're working very hard, Harry. I'm so proud of you."

I kiss her. She kisses me back and starts caressing me.

"I'm looking forward to a cosy evening together tonight! Some games, some talking, a few glasses of wine and good music…"

"Much better than going out in any case. Sometimes the noise in those dancing clubs is just unbearable… no real style."

"Absolutely."

When we get up an hour later we find some of the others still at the breakfast table. No one comes down before nine on Saturday morning. It's great to be a big family. And it's great that there are always a few of us around on the weekend. There are also old friends from Hogwarts passing by from time to time.

The ones who actually are up earlier than the rest are mum, dad, Sirius and Remus. The little ones fetch them from their beds early. I have to go and look how Seraina is doing. I swear my godchild is the sweetest baby on earth! She greets me with a smile and when I tickle her lightly she giggles. I'm so looking forward to spend time with her when she gets older.

"I can't wait to take you out flying, Seraina! I'm already thinking of which baby broom to give to you, you know!" I tell her.

Remus laughs and tells me:

"You'll have to hurry to be faster than Siri! He's been dreaming of that before she was even born!"

"Not surprising!"

"We're actually going to watch a few of the games of the Harpies. Siri's been a fan of them forever! I'm really looking forward to the Quidditch season myself."

"They're usually high in the league… I'll certainly join you now and then. I can't just be buried in my books, even though I like reading. I do need to go out a bit now and then. And now that the Quidditch season is on again I've planned a few games that I want to see. I haven't ever been able to just go out and watch any of the matches, so I'll just love to do that sometimes from now on! Besides, there are a few of my school friends who turned pro, so I'd love to go and see how they fare."

Hermione grins. She's not much of a fan, but she does like to watch now and then, so I plan to drag her along. Not to every game, but now and then.

Since we haven't seen Remus and Sirius for five weeks they ask us how our courses at the Academy have started.

"Great! But lots to learn! It's not easy. The really great thing is that we can now live a very normal wizarding life – apparating and going where we want to and since money is no issue we can actually do what we want. Hermione has some more features for the Commumirrors in mind and is working on them on the side. They're fast becoming **the** business success in the wizarding world! There's a licensed company in the States now and one in Japan with the rights for Asia and one in Australia. My wife can just sit back and watch money coming in. The twins are happy with the business prospects, too. Because now they can invest some of the money into the fun park, they're not depending solely on Draco. He also thinks having them as more equal partners is better. They have already gained a certain experience in the business world, so they are working together well."

"You're all doing so well, it seems! If there's anything I'm proud of, then it's how much you kids have learned and how well you are doing! I fancy having a part in that, however tiny," Remus says.

"I don't think your part is tiny, Remus," Hermione interjects, "I don't think I'd have invented the Commumirrors if not for your challenge."

Seraina hits me with her rattle to get my attention back. I grin at her and hit her lightly back. She giggles and tries it again on me. When she laughs she shows her cute little teeth. The few she already has, that is.

"She's got such a cute smile now, Remus!" I remark.

"Sexy, don't you think? Three teeth. Seventeen to go for the first set of teeth… they're both going through a hard time right now."

We spend the afternoon with a walk outside with the children. It's really been rather cold outside and so we are fairly glad to come back to the warm home. It's teatime as soon as we're back inside. We all sit down in the big living room. Sirius immediately starts a huge fire which warms the room up nicely.

After our school time, when the classroom wasn't needed anymore, we converted it to the main living and dining room. It has now several seating areas and in the area where the former potions workstations were is now a dining table. It's ten metres long and seats a party of twenty on elegant chairs. That's where we have dinner now. I love this big table, we can eat at it, play games there, just be together for a nice cup of tea or coffee. Those of us who are at the house every night, or most nights anyway, really don't see any hurry to move out. There are so many advantages. First of course being that we don't have to do any house keeping work, Dobby would just simply hex us out of it. Though he's doing the work mostly alone since Winky returned to Hogwarts. We think he's a bit lonely. We did offer him to return to Hogwarts, so he could be with Winky again and find another house-elf to help us here, but he flat out refused, because he wants to stay with me. Hermione has accepted that we probably won't get rid of this little fellow, but even she sees the advantage of not having to bother with housework. Then there's the company! We meet our friends almost every day, can follow their lives as they follow ours.

Mandy isn't with us tonight though. She's back in London for a date. I think she's found someone at her workplace, which would be just great! On the other hand Morag has brought Nicole here for the first time. Nicole is really nice and she's all fascinated about a household full of witches and wizards. She's quite happy to see that we're playing a lot of Muggle games, too, so she can really participate.

Dinner is the usual casual affair. Remus and Sirius are relaxed, they've worked through some tests which they graded, but that's all done now, so we have their full attention. We're really having fun tonight; Ron and Justin are in full flight! Ginny is there and she gives Nicole something to gape at when she shows her the golden eagle and flies around for a bit.

"I don't believe my eyes!" Nicole cries out.

"Well, she's real, isn't she? Or have you ever seen such a well behaved golden eagle?" Ron asks, amused.

"No, I haven't. Well, not that I've ever seen one outside of a zoo anyway. This is absolutely amazing. Oh, by the way, if you guys ever need a vet, I'm going to be done with my study in a few years, so I'm offering my services," she says with a grin.

"Poppy Pomfrey, our school nurse, has threatened Sirius about ten times with sending him to the vet if he doesn't take the cold medicine she gives him or so…" Remus says and grins, too.

Sirius very maturely shows him his tongue.

"Is that an offer, love?" Remus asks with a sweet voice.

We all laugh. Even Sirius who kisses his mate and then casually remarks:

"Remember that for later on, love!"

"Would love to – if the twins let us…"

Right now, both of them are nicely asleep. They usually go after their last evening bottle at eight or so and then sleep through until the early morning. If the teething lets them, that is.

* * *

**Sirius**

What a wonderful evening! Most of the gang is there, Draco is still in France, Parvati has a weekend watch at St. Mungo's, but Blaise and Padma are both here, Morag has presented us with her brand new girlfriend Nicole, who's a Muggle, much to our amusement, Neville is here, Ron, Justin, Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Ernie are here, too.

So there are a dozen conversations going at the same time. The refurnished classroom is now a large, beautiful living and dining room. It was a very good idea to do this. We have to leave the three last years behind us after all and since this room isn't needed for a classroom anymore, a big living room was the best option. We have become a big family now and this here is proof of it. Every one of these young people and my best friends are closer related to me than I ever was to my own blood. Well, with the exception of Andromeda and uncle Alphard and now Draco. Who in a situation like mine would care for blood relatives anyway? No one in their right mind! What really counts in life is not blood and the skin colour, it is the love and respect we have for each other. Anyone who loves and respects each other as we all do here is family. It's been amazingly easy to let the kids grow up and leave on their own. It's much more fun to treat them as adults and equals anyway. They all make me smile and sometimes I'm still getting all teary when I think of how much I love them all and how they love me back! No time of my life has been better than this here. And finally, Remus and I have moved on to Hogwarts, James and Lily still have their domicile here and with all the young people in the house they need a large common living and dining room, no classroom.

I hear the baby alarm and go up to see what the little ones have. Only Denny is awake. I quickly lift him up and sooth him, then I give him some more of the gel from Poppy. His gums are all hot again. Another tooth. The two of you really go through a hard time there.

But once he has fallen asleep again on my arms I can lay him back down in his crib and he doesn't wake up again. We're getting quite used to all of this lately and we're taking it as easy as we can.

I dim the light to the minimum required and leave the nursery to return to the family. Remus has taken about three of my turns in the game we're playing. I don't mind, after all they shouldn't have to wait for me all that time. But of course I'm losing spectacularly! Darn it, lover!

* * *

**Remus**

When we're finally going to bed that evening, it's fairly late. It's good that we've prepared that weekend well by having all of our grading done early. I have to prepare a lesson for the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff fourth years for Monday, that's all, and I can do it at Hogwarts tomorrow evening. So we can take tomorrow easy, too. Sirius gets undressed and drops into bed. He's still adjusting to the increased amount of work, and it will probably tire him a lot for a while still. I kiss him good night and we postpone love making for tomorrow morning. Godparents are a great invention, our children's promised to take the little ones from their first feeding until we get up.

* * *

**Sunday, 11.10.1998 / Sirius**

I've been out of it the moment I felt the pillow beneath me! It's all pretty much right now and I'm so happy to know that we'll have a long night all to ourselves once morning comes and the twins call for their first feeding. Hermione and Ron said they'd set their alarm clocks to early morning to take over the babies. We have to get up only once during the night. And Seraina goes to sleep again quite nicely, so we can stumble back to bed until the morning feeding, neither Andy nor Denny have woken up. Ron and Justin come traipsing into the nursery and pick up the babies, then silently go out of the room to feed them. I go back to sleep immediately and only wake up at ten, finding Remus awake and reading next to me. He turns his beautiful face to me and smiles.

"Hey, sleepyhead!" he calls softly, marks his page and puts his book on the pile of other books on his nightstand.

"Morning, love," I reply, yawning.

"Slept well?"

"Nice and long!"

I pull him close for a kiss and he closes his eyes, responds in kind and then says:

"We're off this morning, I've been down for a spot of breakfast and brought some for you…"

I sniff and look around. There's a tray with a glass of orange juice, a small pot of coffee and two croissants on my own nightstand, the coffee charmed to stay hot. I yawn again and then sigh happily. A free Sunday morning with my lover! It must have been months! I kiss him again, then I sit up to enjoy a cup of coffee and my croissants. Yum! Fresh ones. Someone must have been at the bakery down in Lützelflüh.

"Morag. It seems they've started this a while ago," Remus explains.

"Ah! Well, Dobby's a great cook, but he can't make proper bread…"

"Which is why they go down to Lützelflüh."

He lets me eat my croissants and drink my juice and then the coffee, before he urges me to put the tray away. I've barely done that when he assaults me, pinning me to the mattress and kissing me. Mmm, haven't had my sexy werewolf this way for a long time now! Remus can be very dominant sometimes, but I love it. He won't allow me to do anything then, just takes and gives at the same time.

He caresses me with his tongue from top to bottom. I can feel his cock getting hard fast. I feel mine harden and sigh. Gods, this is good. So far I don't need any fancier stuff than that! It still serves its purpose with me very well, even after we've been back together for three years. We've grown so close!

My thighs… he's moving from my knees along the inner sides of my thighs and right to where it feels best. Orders me to turn on my belly, then lift myself up on knees and elbows. I comply and close my eyes as I feel his tongue coming up from my inner thighs to the cleft of my arse. Yes, Remus, please! I don't need to do more than moan softly for him to know that I really want this. His tongue follows the cleft from my balls up to the opening, which he circles. I keep my eyes closed to feel even better. Remus' tongue presses at the opening and gently pushes inside. He can't reach very far, but I can feel the warmth of his flesh and it's perfect. He fondles my balls, but stays away from my cock. I won't be able to take this for a long time, the teasing's so good! But he stops, slicks his fingers in his mouth and pushes the first one inside. He nudges the entrance wider, relaxes my muscles with his finger, then pulls it back and quickly adds a second one. He starts to finger fuck me, reaching for the spot where my prostate is hidden behind the rectal wall. I moan louder. It's just so unbelievably good. Remus takes his time and inserts a third finger, steadily thrusting inside and making me wide open. I try to reach for my cock, but he sees it and swats my hand away with his free hand.

"Nope, Siri, you're going to wait there…" he whispers.

But that's so hard! Though I know it will be worth waiting! I feel his hand on my back, on my buttocks, down my thighs, back up and over the balls, teasing my cock just a little, all the while he continues to fuck me with his fingers. I keep my eyes closed. Not seeing is more intensive feeling. I'm concentrating fully on his hands, his body and all of a sudden he pulls his hand back and then slowly enters me. Aw, love, yes! Push down deep, please! He does. He starts to thrust, I meet every one of his thrusts with a backward move. As he gets worked up he gets faster and the thrusts are harder.

"Yes, love, please, do it harder," I moan.

Faster, harder. He glides easily after that long preparation time. He kneels behind me, both hands on my hips and he pulls me close when he thrusts inside. Oh Merlin, I never want it to stop! And finally, finally he moves one of his hands around my hipbone to grasp my cock, starts pumping it and only a minute or so later we both climax. He can't hold it any longer and with a loud groan he lets go and pushes me over the edge only moments later. I flop down on the bed and he collapses on me, but rolls off and lies next to me. I can feel him nuzzling my neck, tenderly biting the nape, then licking the crook of my neck, which is salty from my sweat. He transforms and gives me a bath with his tongue. That makes me laugh softly and I turn around to face him. He licks my face and I pull him close to kiss his snout. Then he transforms back and we kiss again, passionately, for the next half hour. I hold him tightly.

"Thanks, love! I needed that! But I think I'd like a shower now."

"Me, too! Then we've got to prepare to return to Hogwarts."

"I want to come back here again soon!" I whisper.

"It's going to be our love nest, isn't it?"

"Yes."

We pull up the duvet for a while to get nice and warm and then decide to get up. We go down to take a shower and get dressed. When we come out of the bathroom fully dressed it's already lunch time. It seems that the gang has taken care of the little ones well, as we find them in the living room, contentedly lying on the thick carpet and a baby blanket. They're watching a mobile, which one of the youngsters has conjured up above them.

We are greeted by understanding smiles and grins from all who were around.

"Thanks for letting us have a night of undisturbed rest, guys!" I say.

"That's okay, we figured you needed one. You looked like you haven't slept in ages," Hermione replies, but grins.

"Well, we also needed the sex in the morning, to be honest! Must have been one of about three times since the twins were born," Remus remarks with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Though we expect things to look up soon. They start to sleep through the teething now. With Poppy's wonderful gel, that frees them from the pain!" I add.

* * *

**Monday, 12.10.1998 / Lily**

I'm apparating to the Ministry in the morning. I go directly down to the Aurors Headquarters, where Ron is waiting for me.

"Come on, Lily, we're already waiting to take you to St. Mungo's, where we expect some of our foundlings to wake up today. There weren't that many yet, but the six that came out of the wand already have all been found as you know. The two Muggles have been properly obliviated, we've given them a fresh set of memories and they're treated in a Muggle hospital as if they had an accident in the mountains. I tell you, that was quite a piece of work!"

Reaching St. Mungo's we're meeting Rupert Haystack's relatives who are already waiting. Looks like he's got a pretty big family and they all seem to be here to wait for his waking up. Since the Daily Prophet has not been able to write about my role in the saving of these people, because all people who have known about it, have been ordered to keep it quiet, we're still among the families of the victims and us. They don't know me, but they seem to know Ron already, as they greet him by his name. He presents me:

"I'm very happy to introduce you to Mrs Lily Potter, who has been the one behind the saving of your relatives. Lily, this here is Mrs Anthea Haystack, she's Mr. Haystack's wife."

"I don't even know where to start thanking you, Mrs Potter! I can't even tell you how I missed my husband. When I've read in the Daily Prophet that you and your husband have returned I couldn't but think of how wonderful it would be if something like that could happen to my Rupert. But we didn't even know where he was, he had vanished without a trace, and we didn't know who would be responsible for his death if he was dead. Only the fact that his echo or what ever it was came out of that wand gave me the certainty that he was actually dead. Two days ago the Aurors found him in an old abandoned cabin, rather confused and hurt. We're waiting for him to wake up now, they've healed him under an enchanted sleep charm, but the charm has been taken down some time last night, so he's sleeping naturally now."

It is truly touching to be allowed to experience such moments. This woman must really love her husband, she looks so happy to see him again. She also tells me about her daughter and her son, who are both still at Hogwarts.

And then Amelia Bones comes in and calls me:

"Lily, come with me, Edgar seems to be waking up! They just called me in because they expect him to wake up any minute."

I look at Mrs Haystack, who beckons me on:

"Just go, Mrs Potter!"

"Thank you, Mrs Haystack. We'll see each other again for sure, even though I'll probably be quite busy for some time to come."

I'm following Amelia through the corridor to the room where Edgar has been placed. A nurse expects us and beams at Amelia:

"Hello, aunt Amelia! He's slept through the night, all injuries have been healed and he should be fine when he wakes up, just weak."

"Hello, Mary! That's wonderful! Though he'll be quite confused, I suppose."

"That's to be expected. Though he'll certainly recognise you immediately. James and I crawled out of our graves back then and were very confused! I don't even remember how we made it to Hogwarts. The people we 'save' now will have the full support of the Aurors, who have done a great job in finding everyone in the shortest of time."

We both enter the room. Edgar looks exactly how I remember him, at ease and relaxed. He's still asleep, but starts moving and waking up only a short time after we've come in. Amelia sits down at his bed and takes his hand. As he wakes up he feels her hand and sees her face immediately.

"Amelia? – I remember a green jet of light… didn't it hit me after all?"

"Hello, Edgar. This is going to be a somewhat long explanation, because, yes, it did hit you."

I stay back as she starts to explain, but his glance circles the room and soon recognises me, too. He smiles.

"Hello, Lily! Good to know you're still there, too…"

"Hello, Edgar. It's been a long time since we've seen each other the last time. Lots of things happened in the meantime."

"So how long was I dead?" he asks Amelia.

"Well… only about 18 years," she replies, grinning.

"**What**? How could you let me moulder down there for such a long time?"

Edgar Bones and his gallows humour. Amelia and I look at each other and both of us grin. He's back the same way he's left us! That's giving me a lot of hope for the other victims.

"Well, first of all it took the huge coincidence to find out that it was even possible to bring victims of Avada Kedavra back to life. And that happened fourteen years after James' and my own death, when we were brought back to life. Not even Dumbledore knew about that phenomenon. And then we first wanted to get rid of the beast, before we started to go through all the wands we've taken from the captured Death Eaters. You're among the first who got out of Voldemort's wand."

"Dear me. Eighteen years. – Did you raise Susan then, Amelia? I've not even known my own child properly."

"Yes. She's left Hogwarts at the beginning of this summer. We've sent her an owl, she should be here very soon. She's a very dear girl, Edgar."

"And Rebecca?" he inquires after his wife.

"If she was murdered by Voldemort she'll certainly be one of the next to come out of his wand. The magic that we have to invoke for this procedure, is very, very old magic and it's extremely exhausting for everyone involved, that's why we proceed rather slowly. We also do that so we can really care for the victims. The Aurors have to find these people and then take them here, but I'm sure you needn't stay here very long. You need to build up new muscle tone, otherwise you're okay, and you can easily do that at home, too. If it wasn't Voldemort who killed Rebecca, expect up to a couple of months at most."

"I do hope she can come back, too. It wouldn't be half as nice to have a life again without her."

I just want to reply when the door opens and a lovely young woman with long blond hair enters the room.

"Hello… I've come right away, auntie Amelia!"

"Hello, Susan! Come here, I'd like to introduce you to your father…"

The time has come for me to leave the scene quietly and let the family get together again. This is a great start. When I get back to the reception area of the hospital a healer stops me to inform me that not only Rupert Haystack, but also the two other victims have woken up and that all of them are just fine. That's a very promising start! I return to the Ministry. Harry will be back over lunch to free the next few victims.


	4. Quidditch and Other Happy Events

**Chapter 4 – Quidditch and Other Happy Events**

**Monday, 12.10.1998 / James**

Today I'm meeting the full Wizengamot to deposit my demand to become a member on the basis of my birthright as a Potter. It shouldn't be a problem, there's no one else left in my family to take this role at the moment. My parents have died a natural death, so they don't reside in anyone's wand, though my grandparents could possibly turn up. I don't know who killed them, but it's possible that it still was Voldemort in person. So I'm expecting a smooth appeal and acceptance. Still I'm nervous when I get to Gringott's and go down into the family vault to retrieve the plum coloured robes. The family crest is embroidered on the chest, and it has been passed down the generations since the great Godric Gryffindor. The crest therefore shows not a lion, but a griffin. Sometimes it was worn by women, other times by men. I have never made a big fuss about the fact that I belong to the few who can trace down their ancestry to one of the founders of Hogwarts. There are quite a few people who can, as especially Ravenclaw and Gryffindor have had very large families with numerous children. Both their families have branched out and therefore there are quite a few people who can trace their families that far back.

The robes are in good order. There have been spells upon spells on them to keep them in such good shape. Because of their age they're kept in the family vault in a special wardrobe, in the dark and under a protection spell. I put them on in the vault and they fit me perfectly well, but I can feel that there must be a fitting spell on them. I'm just taking a bit of time to look through this part of my family's vault. There are a number of very old items, a few paintings as well, who are woken out of a decade old sleep. No one has been in here since the days of my father and grandfather. I sigh. Much of what's in here I've put in here myself after my mother's death. Both of my parents had died in the years between my getting married and my own death. They were elderly, but not old, so when they died I used this old part of the vault to store everything I didn't want to give up from their house. I didn't really look around in here, just put in the items I wanted to keep somehow.

As I'm looking through some trunks I haven't seen before I find some papers which talk of an estate in Wales. I look at the parchments a bit closer and decide to take them out and contact Sirius' lawyers to have them find out where this place is and what is there. When the time comes to go to the meeting, I change into my normal clothes and carefully pack up the Wizengamot robes and take them with me. I cross the money part of my vault and grab a bit for my purse, then fill another pouch with money to change to Muggle currency.

Ten minutes later I'm at the Ministry making my entrance to today's Wizengamot meeting. I haven't contacted any of the members, I'm arrogant enough to expect acceptance. Dumbledore comes through the corridor with a group of other wizards and witches, all dressed into their plum coloured robes. He looks at me and greets me:

"Hello, James! What a pleasure to see you here. Do you have a request to the Wizengamot?"

"I think so. I wish to take up my family's place in the Wizengamot."

"Now there's a nice surprise. I'm sure there won't be any problems with that."

He looks around his companions questioningly. I don't know any of them and they seemingly don't have an idea who I am.

"Who is he?" one of them asks.

"James Potter, Thaddeus. He's the last of the Potters before his son, Harry. And his family is entitled to a seat in the Wizengamot per default. Merlin knows there are many families that have no one left to take their seats. I expect you have asked Sirius to take his as well, James?"

"Not yet, but I will. Is there someone who represents the Blacks at this time?"

"Yes, there is. Would this Sirius – is that the Sirius Black who got out of Azkaban, by the way? – have more right to represent the family?" asks one of the witches.

Albus introduces her as Cremilda Flint.

"I should certainly say so. He's the sole heir of the line and the head of the family. You are thinking of Hesperus Quint, aren't you? He's got to lay his mandate for the Blacks down if Sirius demands his birthright," Dumbledore replies, turning back to the witch.

I'm keeping quiet, but I store the knowledge away. I'll ask Albus later on what kind of policy this Hesperus Quint represents and if he's in the pureblood faction I'll urge Sirius to take his place. I'll need to find out as quick as possible, who is on what side and represents what kind of ideology. Madam Flint turns to me:

"Didn't you marry a Muggle-born?"

"I did indeed. The Potters have always intermingled with Muggle-borns and even with Muggles, which has provably prevented damage in our health and we've never had a single squib in the clan. Nevertheless we're a very old family, going back on Gryffindor himself."

She sneers. Then she bluntly turns away. Some others follow her on the spot. And yet others follow with grinning faces. Albus chuckles and says:

"I'm very pleased to see you coming in, James. We need fresh blood and young people. This has become just an assembly of almost senile old codgers, but it's the younger generations who need to build up now after this war. Good to see you take over responsibility."

"Is there someone representing the Longbottoms in the Wizengamot? And the Malfoys?"

"Yes and no. Augusta Longbottom represents the Longbottoms, and she does that as resolutely as ever and firmly on our side. She's also open to new things. Are you thinking of asking Neville and Draco in?"

"I damn sure will. It's especially important for Draco to join. And Sirius, he just has to come in if there's someone from his relatives partaking who does not have his trust. Apart from uncle Alphard and Andromeda I can't imagine anyone who does."

"Wonderful. You will find many good and able people in the Wizengamot, but there are still many who will vote with the old pureblood faction, only because they're used to doing it and because they have no opinions of their own or because they're still afraid. It's very hard to convince these people that they don't need to. The Brocklehursts come to mind."

"If I want to have some impact I will need to know who teams up with who on what issues."

"Listen and learn is my advice. Do you have the robes?"

His twinkle tells me that he knows of the family heirloom.

"Yes. Though I'm sure that I'm not the only one who's got those robes."

"No, you will find a few others who are from other branches of Gryffindor's extended family and they all have the right to wear the crest with the griffin. You will do fine, James. But now I have to enter. Just come right along."

As I have expected it doesn't take very long. There are a few who sneer and even more who think they can do anything against it, but the fact that I'm the only Potter left gives me the right to take my place and I do so. I look around. There are some sixty members or so around, which cannot be the full staff. Once the meeting, in which I've followed Dumbledore's advice to listen and learn, is over, I'm getting a register to sign my name, birth date and address. I ask if there's a members' list and receive a parchment, giving me the same basic information about every other member as I've just supplied. I take it with me to study it well. We'll go over it and check it thoroughly.

Getting home I look through it with Lily, we take it up to the library to go through what information there is on the magical families to check the backgrounds. I call a few of the Aurors we know over to have more opinions and experiences. We hope to collect a number of facts to be able to draw a good picture of the Wizengamot members in the next few weeks. It's a bit of an intrigue, of course, but I want to move things and not only fifty years from now. Now's the time to do it.

* * *

**Tuesday, 13.10.1998 / Hermione**

We don't have to hurry this morning, our first lecture is at 10 am. We've both studied late last night and slept our fill, but we leave time for a little lovemaking before we get up. Then it's off to the shower, getting dressed, grabbing our briefcases and rushing down to breakfast, where we arrive at a quarter past nine. We love Tuesdays, as we only have one lecture in the morning. We don't even need to hurry for it. Lily is there with the little ones. She quietly peruses the Daily Prophet. James is already out, working on something for the Wizengamot. Dobby has our breakfast ready. A good half hour later we're picking up our briefcases, bid Lily, Lizzie and Andy goodbye and apparate directly to the Academy. After six weeks the building is fairly well known terrain.

Harry is a bit lazy and enchants a self filling quill to record the lecture. Couldn't get more complete notes, though, and though I think it's a lazy way of taking notes I have to say that both of us profit from checking those parchments. And I have to say one thing for Harry, he's started off filing the note parchments very orderly in folders, so we can find everything easily. Of course, Harry isn't by far the only one clever enough to use this method either.

After the two hour lecture we decide to have a quick bite around the corner in a Thai restaurant. Sometimes I'm quite glad that money is not an issue for either of us. He's never used much of his money, so his vault is still amazingly well endowed and we now know that there is another Potter vault, which lets the one he uses regularly look poor. It's of course back in James' possession, but James won't hesitate to give Harry what he needs, should he need it. I'm well off anyway with the sales of my Commumirrors still being high as they are. Once more or less everyone will have one it will of course drop to the yearly fees and I'll earn money mainly at the beginning of December because most of the current owners have bought theirs in December. In any case that will be more than enough to support even a big family for a year. So we happily spoil ourselves to first class food and sometimes invite colleagues who are less well off.

We spend a part of the afternoon in the library of the Academy to go through some historical texts. Here we both take extensive notes, but again we use an enchanted quill. Since most of the students work this way there's a rule to cast silencing charms. This 'rule' allows us to talk in the library as we please. I found that dictating our notes to the enchanted quill helps memorising much of what we have to learn. Harry keeps glancing at his watch, because at four we'll apparate to the Appleby Quidditch stadium to watch a match between the Appleby Arrows and the Holyhead Harpies. He's really excited, after all we never got to see an official match of the British Quidditch league. The only one we ever got to see was the finale of the world championship a few years ago. We meet Sirius who has only two lessons on Tuesday afternoon as well as James who's about as excited about it as Harry. It's the first time he, Sirius and Harry get to watch an official Quidditch match together and they're all equally thrilled. Because it's cold we're enjoying a few rounds of warm butterbeer.

"One of your former team mates plays for the Harpies, isn't it?" Sirius asks Harry.

"Yes, Angelina Johnson. She's a chaser. And a bloody good chaser, too! And Alicia Spinnet, she's a reserve Chaser. The Arrows aren't bad either, though."

While James, Harry and Sirius start to discuss the Quidditch league's standings I shiver from the cold. I'm pulling my cloak close and then decide to start casting warming charms. I give Harry one, too, because he'll probably forget to do it himself. He notices, turns to me and kisses me.

"Thanks, love! If we ignore you too badly, holler, please!"

I smile.

"I will! You three enjoy being together at a match! I know how you were all looking forward to this for a while."

"We were. But that's no reason to leave you completely forgotten. Thanks for coming along!" he says.

"Well, I do like to watch the games. It will be great seeing Angelina play!"

"You'll have to point her out for me, Harry. Did you say she's playing left wing Chaser? I've been rooting for the Harpies ever since I knew about Quidditch. It's like a habit," Sirius says and grins.

It's great to be here in a stadium with at least several thousand people who watch the match with us. I've got my Omnioculars with me and look around. We have rather good seats, high up in the stadium and in the middle. There is a large board for announcements. The stadium looks a lot like the one that had been built for the world cup four years ago, but it is a lot smaller of course. And naturally this one is a permanent stadium. There's a series of news headlines on the board, some about Quidditch, players in the league, team news, results and there are other news about a wide array of subjects. The news are interrupted by commercials. There's a commentator who announces the beginning of the match in fifteen minutes.

Five minutes before the start the referee and two linesmen come flying to the centre of the stadium. The commentator then announces the players of the two teams, the guests first:

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Holyhead Harpies! They are well under way to a very good season, the first team being fit and playing tonight. Captain and Keeper is Madeline Coltrane. The Chasers are Angelina Johnson on the left, Christine McAllister in the centre and Dana O'Leary on the right wing position. The Beaters are Hannah O'Leary and Maureen Appleton and the Seeker is Aggie Morgan!"

In the order of the speaker's introduction, the Harpies players come flying into the stadium. We all cheer loudest for Angelina of course. Then the home team is introduced. The fans in the crowd shout the names along with the stadium speaker:

"And now for our own Appleby Arrows, here come Captain and Chaser Jeff Maloney, Keeper Ryan O'Hara, Chasers Megan Carrington and Kevin Lester, Beaters Sean King and Sean Quinn, aaaaand last but definitely not least, Seeker Kelly Cooper. Let's hear it for our **Arrows**!"

There's a lot of noise around the stadium, but that certainly doesn't intimidate the Harpies. All the players are ready, Coltrane and Maloney shake hands and once the Keepers are in position in front of their goal rings the referee checks that the Chasers as well as the Beaters are waiting on their positions and ready. A whistle and the balls are released from an assistant referee. The Snitch vanishes immediately. Lester has got hold of the Quaffle first and he takes off for the Harpies goal, but their beaters are already sending the first Bludgers in the way and Dana O'Leary intercepts the Quaffle and passes on to Angelina.

It's magnificent to watch them fly. I think they don't look any less competent than the Irish and Bulgarian players we saw at the world cup. In fact, at least three of the players here are Irish. It's interesting to listen to James, Sirius and Harry. Two Chasers, one of them occasionally a Beater and a Seeker, they all look at the game a bit differently. Harry squints for the Snitch most of the time, James follows the Chasers, as does Sirius, but Sirius also observes the Beaters. And proves his quality as a beater, because he keeps looking out for the Seekers and the Keepers. But it's the Beaters who have to watch out for everything during the game anyway.

"The speed is amazing! I'm still impressed with the immense progress in broom construction they made…" James remarks.

"They have. The Firebolt I got for Harry almost five years ago was a state of the art racing broom but it's already almost slow, isn't it, Harry?"

"Won't give it away for a fortune though. After all it was the first gift I got from you," Harry says with a grin. "And it's still as good as new!"

The first goal is scored by Angelina! We cheer of course and I watch it again on the Omniocular.

* * *

**Sirius**

That's how it should have always been: James, Harry and I together at a Quidditch match. That's what James and I had wanted in life: Having a good time at any match with Harry and talk of Quidditch for days on end. Instead we've had years and years of misery. I'd like to dig out Voldemort and kill him a few dozen times over for that alone. Only in a more creative and painful way!

It's the first time in almost twenty years I'm watching my favourite team play. The girls have opened the score with two goals, one by Harry's former team mate. She looks like one fine Chaser and James commends her on her goal.

"I've already seen her playing at the Sunnegg, but this is the first time I can watch her in a league match. That girl is great! She's going to go far in the league, I'm quite sure…"

"And as you know Angelina is one hell of a fine friend, too, dad!" Harry says.

"Oh, is she the one you played with?"

"Yes. For three years. There wasn't any Quidditch cup when they held the Triwizard Tournament."

I follow the three Chasers of the Harpies, who swiftly score a few goals, only getting about three in return. Normally they are the stronger team than the Arrows and it's visible. Coltrane is a first class Keeper. Even the two Beaters of the Harpies are better than their male opponents. They have wonderful moves, which they execute precisely and fast. The Bludgers are difficult to spot. Then there's the Seekers. Both ladies. Aggie Morgan is 32, very experienced and very fast. She's awesome to watch. Quidditch Monthly puts her in the first place as a choice for the English team for the next world championship.

The game goes on for two hours, then there's a bit of action between the Seekers, as Aggie has spotted the Snitch, but she's being obstructed by the opposite Beaters, so that she can't get to it and it vanishes again. At half past six and at 110:60 for the Harpies Remus turns up. He hasn't been able to leave before his classes have been out, so he's coming in a bit late. Glad that it's not over yet.

"Hey everyone!" he says.

"Hi Remus!" Hermione, Harry and James reply.

I pull him close and kiss him. He looks over the pitch and sees the board.

"Anyone seen the Snitch yet?" he asks.

"Once, just a few minutes ago, but the Arrows' Beaters have been able to keep Aggie away from it."

At that moment, Cooper goes into a dive and when we look around we notice she's trying to lure Aggie away from the Snitch. But Aggie's looking at the right spot and goes for the Snitch, which Harry points out for us at the far end of the stadium and fairly high up, so that Cooper now has to get there faster than Aggie Morgan with a longer way to get there, which seems almost impossible. It's a tight race though and both of the ladies really have to get out of their brooms what they can. Aggie's routine wins out and she catches the Snitch. A wave of disappointment goes through the Arrows' fans, but there's a lot of cheering for the Harpies, too.

"That puts them ahead of Puddlemere!" Harry cries.

"Oliver won't like that! He's got a bet with the Weasley twins that Puddlemere will win the championship this year," Hermione says.

"Really? He must be crazy! Puddlemere is doing very well after the first eight games, but they have already lost against the other candidate for the top position, the Ballycastle Bats. If they lose against the Harpies at least once out of three games they will have a hard time," I remark.

"Well, you know that Oliver **is** crazy! He lives, eats, drinks and breathes Quidditch. He's the most obsessed Quidditch player you find anywhere, believe me. It was to a large part thanks to him that we won the Cup in my third year," Harry tells us.

"Any other of your school mates who's gone pro?" James asks.

"Yes, about seven of them. Cho Chang, she was one year ahead of me in Ravenclaw, plays Seeker. She's first reserve for the Montrose Magpies. Then there's Roger Davies, another Ravenclaw, he's a reserve Chaser for the Ballycastle Bats. Quite a good Chaser, too, but won't ever beat Angelina. You've already met Alicia Spinnet, another of our Chasers and classmate of Angelina, George and Fred Weasley's is first reserve Chaser for the Harpies. She's probably going to replace Christine McAllister in some of the games in the League, as McAllister is not the youngest anymore and starts thinking of her retirement from active Quidditch," Harry tells James.

We get up from our seats and start leaving the stadium for one of the Apparition points. When we get there I hug Hermione and Harry and wish them a nice evening. Remus, James and I apparate back to Hogsmeade. We hurry back to the castle, and on the way James says:

"I can't stay long, otherwise Lily will get angry. But there's something I wanted to talk to you about, Sirius."

"What's that?"

"Do you know someone called Hesperus Quint?"

"Yep, a cousin, about twice or three times removed. The Quints have married into the Malfoys about forty years or so, and a bit later they caught a Black, too. Hesperus is a rather weak member of the family. Why?"

"He's representing the House of Black in the Wizengamot."

"Hm. Strange, I would have expected great aunt Shaula to claim that seat."

"Who's that?"

"My great-aunt. She was an aunt of my father's and has married into the Parkinson family. Has two slightly moronic sons, but as my grandfather's sister, she's actually a much closer relative to my part of the family than Quint. I'm really astonished that she has left it to him."

"You have a birthright to this seat, Sirius," James remarks.

"Oh, that's what you have in mind. I'll talk to Albus, see what he thinks, then I'll probably claim the seat. But I'll probably not be able to leave for all the meetings."

"That's okay, that's already a lot, Padfoot. We have to do something, the Wizengamot is nothing but an asylum for senile old people! And most of them can hardly even think anymore, they're so old."

"That's probably true. I'm sorry, James, I didn't even think about claiming my seat, I'll have to do that. Father was the last member of the Blacks to represent the family, his robes are probably still there."

"As long as you'll claim the seat now, Padfoot! We'll have to talk them to death, until they will accept newly proposed laws and help abolish old ones. Maybe we'll be able to do something to take down some of the worst werewolf laws, Remus. These terrible prejudices have to vanish!"

"Thanks, James. You intend to raise a considerable amount of dust there, eh, Prongs?"

"I intend to destroy a considerable amount of dust, if I can, Moony!"

With these words James bids us goodbye to return to the Sunnegg.

We arrive just in time to put the twins to bed ourselves. I've already missed them terribly. I have hardly seen them the whole day! I sigh as I watch Denny fall asleep. Almost half a year old now!

* * *

**Remus**

Once the children are sleeping, Sirius and I sit in the living room. I snuggle closer and he tells me how much he's enjoyed this afternoon and the match. I'm so glad he starts to live a normal life again. Duties here at Hogwarts won't leave us much time, but what little time we get off we take and enjoy fully. Of course we want to be there for the twins in our free time, so for the next few years that means parenting for the most part. But it seems to me so far that this is so rewarding it will be worth the little sacrifice.

"You didn't get to see very much, love, I'm so sorry!" Sirius says at that moment.

"Oh, never mind. The next game we can go and see will be on a weekend, so we can both go… I have to admit that I missed it. I couldn't ever go and see any matches after you were gone. It simply didn't feel right. Besides not having the spare money…"

"Never will you have to deprive yourself of anything you need and rarely of something you want now, love!" he whispers. And then, louder: "Hey, I can't wait for the day when I can take the twins to come and watch matches…"

I smile. We kiss for a long time. I still have a test to grade, but I happily postpone that for later and surrender to his ministrations. We're in for another romp tonight. A quick run over the grounds and we both feel refreshed and nicely exhausted, just perfect for a quick shower and bed. I'll get up a bit earlier for the test, I decide.

How I love to be able to change to four paws whenever I want now! The wolf runs and runs easily, no care, no fears. It lopes easily up to fifteen miles in an hour and that gives us a large circle around the school's grounds. Padfoot can hold up with about eleven to twelve miles, so for me this is like a walk. The cool, crisp night air is doing wonders. We take that shower and are off to bed.

* * *

**Thursday, 15.10.1998 / Ron**

I start my shift today and learn that I'm in a group of Aurors, who have to watch over the Hogsmeade cemetery today. It's part of the work Lily does with Harry and the owners of brother wands to those confiscated from the Death Eaters. A few days ago Harry has gone a bit further on Voldemort's wand and we expect Mrs Bones and three other people who have been buried here in Hogsmeade. Tonks is my partner today.

"Well, let's get the lady out of her family tomb, Ron. Edgar will be mighty glad that his wife has come back as well."

"How is he?"

"Oh, doing quite well. They gave him a ton of strengthening potions and he's back on his own two feet. I can't imagine how Lily and James managed their way to Hogwarts from Wales!"

In any case we're not waiting all too long. I've been in the last team already to pick up people in Hogsmeade. It's actually a wonderful job. We're the first persons these people see when they come back from the dead, and most of them remember seeing the green light. Also today. I'm thinking of Susan right away when her mother comes out of the grave. Tonks and I just pick her up and sit her down on a chair, where we quickly explain to her that we'll have to put her into an enchanted sleep.

"When you wake up you'll be with your family, Madam," I promise.

She only nods, too tired to say much. Tonks casts the charm and we place her on a stretcher. Meanwhile the others in the team have successfully rescued three more people and all together we take the sleeping witches and wizards to St. Mungo's. We're met there by another team who's coming from a cemetery in the south, carrying a few more stretchers. Lily is with them and she stands next to the body of what looks a young woman who she seems to know.

"It's Marlene McKinnon, Tonks! And Peter is over there! The Order is filling up again, isn't that wonderful?

As I said, a very thankful job! I think, we'll still be busy rescuing people for a while, there are still a whole lot of wands to go through!

* * *

**Friday, 16.10.1998 / Remus**

After lunch I have the sixth years Gryffindors and Slytherins. It's the start of the Patronus lessons I'm giving the sixth years. This is a difficult spell and I'm sure, that not all will be mastering it. But this first lesson is just theory. I lecture them about the purpose and the background of that spell. At the end of the lecture I ask a few simple questions as usual.

"So – small recapitulation: who can tell me what you can fend off with a Patronus?"

Several hands are up, I pick a Slytherin girl, who gives me the right answer.

"Take two points for Slytherin, Nora. And what form does the Patronus take?"

This time I give a Gryffindor the right to speak.

"It depends on the caster.

"How?" I ask.

"I think it's a representation of some inner strength or maybe someone close?"

"Most often that's the case, correct. Two points to Gryffindor. Now you research the spell, the history, how it's cast and then you start to think about possible memories that would help you create a Patronus until we meet again next Wednesday, okay? One roll of parchment."

I dismiss the class. The last class today are the fourth years and with them comes a Ministry supervisor, this time it's Bill Weasley, as we have yet another round of casting Imperius and teaching them to overthrow it.

"Hi Bill! I thought you were stationed in Paris these days?"

"Hi Moony! Well, I am, but I'm still doing service here sometimes."

"Oh, I see."

"How are your lessons going with the Imperius curse?"

"Not too shabby! Some of them have already been able to throw it off."

"That's great!"

So far out of the 17 students six have been able to cast the curse off, five of them Gryffindors. I wonder why the Slytherins have such huge problems. It's well possible that Sixtus is not the only one who has been the victim of this curse before. If one has been caught before it must be even more difficult to shake off. Other Slytherins must have been able to hide it better.

At first, I pick those who have not yet been cursed at all. Only five are left and those get in line. I note them all down. Four of them are Gryffindors. Two girls show signs of trying to throw it off. Then I try again with those who were unable to overthrow it. Then the ones who showed signs to fight it. There isn't enough time to take care of all of them more thoroughly in this lesson, but all of them now know how the curse feels, so I ask them to write down their experiences.

"I know it's Friday and you're all thinking of a free weekend, but I would strongly suggest, that you all go back to your common rooms or dormitories, pick up quill and parchment and note down how you felt this afternoon. It doesn't have to be much, but please try to note down your feelings and be honest about it. Hand it in to me next week and I'll read it. That's obviously not something I'll grade, but I intend to give you the notes back after the Easter holidays next year. That's when I would like to repeat the lessons one more time, after which you can read your short essays again. With that we'll close this subject. At the least all of you should be capable to recognise what happens to you, you will know how it feels if ever someone should use this curse on you. Okay?"

"Yes, Professor Lupin," they all reply and I dismiss them, wishing them a nice weekend.

I myself hurry up to our office, where I'm joined by Sirius moments later, then we go down to our rooms to pick up the twins. We both pack a baby in a sling, attach our cloaks and wrap scarves around our necks, take our briefcases and our brooms, then we head out of the castle. We mount, kick off and slowly ride our brooms down to the gates, where we land, dismount and apparate to the Sunnegg. The bell rings as usual and we see Lily, who carries Andy, coming around the corner from the kitchen to see who's come home.

"Hey there!" she greets us happily.

Lily still feels very comfortable at the Sunnegg. James likes to 'commute' between our two homes, he often comes up to Hogwarts. I have the feeling that both just adore having part in the family life and like to share it wherever and whenever. I suppose that the two of us are more important to James than to Lily, for her it's Harry, who she needs to have close.

"How's your week been?" Lily asks.

"Very nice, thanks! I'm knackered again though," Sirius replies, while he puts his broom in the broom cupboard.

"You both look it, too."

I hand Padfoot my broom and start to take off my scarf while I put my briefcase on one of the sofas. Then I start to unfasten the clasps on my thick cloak. Seraina sticks her tiny nose out of the sling. She pulls her mouth into a little grin. I drape my cloak over the back of a chair at the long table. Then I loosen the sling and free the little one. She seems genuinely happy about that as she starts to gurgle and baby chat. I lift her up and hold her there, so she can look down at me. She responds with a mighty squeal. I smile up at her.

"You love that, don't you, sweetheart?"

Another gurgle, then I quickly take her down again before she starts to drool. I hold her on my arm. She sits on it and leans against my shoulder. Lily beams at her and asks:

"Hello, Seraina! Are you coming home to mummy?"

Seraina smiles, stretches out her arms and Lily puts Andy on his blanket, then picks the baby up.

Lily keeps a good relationship with the two children she's given to us. Since we're such close friends we want them to know who gave birth to them. Lily doesn't mind at all that she can still be the twins' mother. Seraina looks at her with a friendly grin and listens to her baby talk, forming sounds and soft words that probably only mothers have.

"Can I leave her with you? I'd like to go and change…" I ask.

"Sure! Leave Denny here as well, Siri."

"Thanks!"

* * *

**Lily**

What fun it is to baby-sit those two little ones! I'm still convinced we did the right thing to give them to Remus and Sirius. It seems so right that these two, who have been Harry's top favourite babysitters, now have children of their own. I hear the apparition bell tinkle. In the next moment, Harry apparates in. He smiles broadly as he comes over and greets first me and then the babies. They are getting a bit cranky now, I suppose they're hungry. Harry drops everything and lifts the crankiest one, Denny, up to sooth him.

"You know you do that very well, Harry!" I commend him.

"Thanks, Mum. I really love those little blighters, and I hate to see them cranky. Is it time for food, Denny?" he asks the tiny boy and pecks him on the round little cheek, blowing a soft raspberry.

He gets a giggling reply, because he also tickles the little one who starts to squirm on his arm. But he holds on tightly.

"Hey, Denny! You are really starting to look like your daddy, you know! Same black hair and it looks like your eyes are going to stay that lovely grey-blue!"

I think, he could have told Denny what he studied today and still got a smile from the baby. The bell tinkles again and Hermione comes in. Only a few minutes later Ron and Justin come home.

"Hey everybody!" Ron calls happily.

"Hi, you two! Hello, Lily! Shall I take Seraina? Should be time for their bottle, shouldn't it?" Hermione asks.

"Yes, that would be nice. I have to look after Andy."

"We'll take over then."

Hermione puts her things on a chair and picks up Seraina, then she summons the bottles from the kitchen. Harry and Hermione warm the bottles and sit down to offer them to the twins. While they're still feeding them, Remus and Sirius come back down.

"Hi all! Thanks for taking over!" Sirius says brightly.

They both wear sweatpants, t-shirts and jumpers and sit down on one of the sofas, watching Harry and Hermione holding the bottles for their twins. Both look a bit tired, but I have the impression, that Sirius is a bit more worn down than Remus.

"You look tired…" I remark.

"Well spotted, Lily," Sirius says and sounds a bit weary.

"It's a bit harder when there are two of them," Remus explains to take some of the harshness out of Sirius' remark and looks fondly at his twins, "There's always something. We've had to resolve the sleeping problems with charms and separated rooms. They get something to sooth their aching gums from Poppy and we give them a very mild sleep charm. Teaching can be rather tiring, too."

"Let's just say that teaching here was like paradise! Now it's more like really everyday life. Mind you, I really like it, it's a lot of fun mostly, but it's wearing me down much more than anything I did before," Sirius agrees with a smile that looks a bit wistful.

"At least you can still say that you have fun" I retort.

"Yes, I do like it! Actually I think I have a knack for it, wouldn't have believed it myself. I have remarkably few problems and have been okay with all students, even the Slytherins. Or with almost all of them. I suppose that the ones who are difficult, would be your regular rowdies, which you'll find everywhere. The students usually work hard in my classes. I can't understand why Severus found reasons to put them down the way he did. Some of them are so afraid that they hardly dare preparing an ingredient. He never even tried to find their potentials."

"Dumbledore claimed he did it to get them timid enough to take care with the ingredients and the brewing," says Hermione.

"Oh yes, and that was so helpful, wasn't it? You saw what it did to Neville, Hermione! I can't say anything yet, but the first and second years work as carefully as the older ones and neither Arabella nor I have intimidated them into taking care. I'm giving them the rules in the class and they have them set up in front of their eyes again and again. And I get the impression they mind them and see the necessity. At least they do their best."

"So you didn't have any exploding cauldrons yet? Or melted ones?" Harry asks.

Sirius laughs.

"Of course! You remember what I said, don't you? Accidents can happen to anyone. And it's not a reason to blow up like a rocket. But that was what Snivellus was like anyway… he probably loved using the power he had as an adult and teacher, a power he never had when he was at school. Dear Lily here took most of the light he had in Potions, because she was so good. Old Sluggy loved her…"

"Sirius! Severus wasn't that bad! If you and James wouldn't have tortured him like you always did. Who knows, maybe the way you treated him is the cause of his behaviour," I start.

"Oh, but you always missed something important, Lily, he was the kind of friend I was supposed to have, according to my oh so pure-blooded mother. I knew him ever since we were still in the cradle. He's been to that wretched house countless times before we even went to grade school together. Thank you, but no thanks!"

Now there's a surprise. He's never told me that! I thought the enmity had started the first day of school at Hogwarts. James is right there to agree with Padfoot as usual.

"Padfoot is right, love, he's always been like that. Mind you, he's been brought up this way. Remember Regulus? Same snotty, evil kind. They thought it was how you're supposed to be if you want to display purest blood. No one ever told them about what **real** noblesse is!"

"What's worse is the way they were **taught** to think that way. None of us had a specifically happy home life, not even beloved and pampered Regulus. I just got it worse than the others, because they couldn't break me in and because I had the audacity to be sorted into Gryffindor and to be happy about it. And I associated myself with all the riff-raff… That was enough for my parents to regard me as social scum and dissociate themselves from me. It's all still there sitting in my mind often, because Azkaban has burned these memories into my brain forever. I'm just glad if I can shove them in some odd drawer in my mind most of the time," Sirius says.

"Siri! You never said anything about that…"

"No. Too embarrassing," Siri mumbles.

"But I've seen how he looked under his first class clothes when he returned from the vacations at this noble 'home', Lily. He asked us not to say anything to anyone though."

"And you only saw what mother couldn't heal. She got most of it covered up…"

Oh my! Goddess, it must have been torture! I know that he left his home because of his differences with his family, but I never knew that abuse was also an issue. But he smiles now.

"Never will I raise my hand or worse, my wand against my children, Lily! The thought alone gives me the creeps! Since we have the children I often wonder what my parents did feel when I was born. Probably just that the heir they wanted was there, then they left me – and Regulus, too – to the servants."

"That is a very brave choice, Siri. They will surely try your patience and what will you do then?"

"I don't know yet. We've already started to talk about it. One thing is sure: I'll never cause them physical pain. I'll never put them down verbally. That's my vow anyway. I'm sure there will be some loud words and maybe once or twice a little tap on the behind, but before it comes to that we'll send them for a time-out in their rooms or take them out for a while with a sleep charm."

"We'll do it, Siri," Remus quietly says.

The children have finished their bottles and are awake and curious now. Ron and Justin get their moments to cuddle with them, too.

* * *

**Saturday, 19.10.1998 / Remus**

I feel Siri kissing me and that's what has woken me up. Looking up I notice that it's light outside and I bounce up. Siri pulls me down with a chuckle and says:

"Good morning, love. Our little helpers have picked up the children…"

"I can't believe I didn't hear them, Siri!"

"You needed your sleep, too, sweetheart. You've been quite exhausted, too, you know!"

I sigh and relax into his arms. Then I close my eyes, until I can feel him kissing me again, this time on the mouth. He pulls me on my back and crawls on top of me. He tries in vain to keep his long hair on his back, but finally surrenders and just lets it hang over his shoulders. I'm lifting my hand and rake through that black mass that I love so much. I think there's no one else who has hair with a texture like Siri's. It's silky, but looks like it's very thick. Then it feels very fine to the touch. Actually he has both, thick and thin hairs. They frame a face with grey-blue eyes that gaze into my eyes now. I'll never get enough seeing his face. There's his eyes! Those amazing eyes, that are the same when he's Padfoot, too. Just beautiful! They're expressive and he can conceal his feelings, but only if he wants to. As long as he's unawares he shows every emotion in them.

Right now he gazes down on me, pinning my hands on the pillow above my head. He slowly closes the space between us and catches my lips with his. It's one of those slow, lingering, endless and wonderfully satisfying kisses, one of the ones that make me get hard in seconds flat! And not only my cock gets hard…

He lets go and grins.

"I can't say I'm disappointed to feel how you react to such an assault, love."

"Not much of a reason to, now, do you? It's what you want just as well, I'd say."

"You know me too well, Moony! I'm still in awe that I can bring forth such a reaction with only one kiss…"

"Don't get cocky though!" I tease.

"Love you, too…" he mumbles.

I've learned you again these past three years. While you continue your 'assault' I'm losing myself in thoughts and the feelings you stir. Gosh, three years? Really already three years we've been together again? I think it's almost impossible. But it's indeed three years since we left our home country behind and they've been three almost perfect years, years filled with happiness and fun. Oooh, that's nice. Your teeth bring my nipples to life. Gods, this is good. You push your nose into my armpits and sniff, then you move southward, now releasing my hands, because you can't reach up anymore. Yes, Siri, that's where I want your tongue, latch on already!

He does. And I moan. He gets my arousal so hard he can hold up my cock with just the slightest push of a finger. And then all rational thought surrenders to that most wonderful of all feelings, a wet hot mouth sucking my cock. All I can do is mumble, but then I give him a few pointers to turn around and let me have his cock, too, and we finally land on our sides, each busy with the other's hard-on. Siri licks and sucks on mine with abandon and it doesn't take him too long to make me come. I suck him off, mirroring most of his moves, because I can't do much thinking for myself. And there it is, building up deep inside of me, but rushing all to the tip of my cock, that tension I crave, which comes much too soon, but I can't hold it up any longer. I cry out as I feel the release, my orgasm forcing me to let go of Siri's cock because if I hold on then I'll bite him. Badly.

Paddy pulls back and turns around, kissing me again. I can taste and smell myself on his tongue, while he kisses me he caresses my whole body, moving down to my thighs. He lifts my legs and goes for my opening, slowly entering me with a finger and then two. The lust I'm feeling has already made me quite wet. He relaxes my muscles a bit and finally moves from my side to my front, pushing my legs up further, so that I can fold them over his shoulders.

"I can't wait now, love, come on inside!" I call.

"I'm there, my love, just right there…" he manages, while he pushes his length inside.

It's what I love so much. Now fuck me, hard and fast, please! He does, just starting slowly until he feels the rhythm building up. Oh, he pleases me! His breathing is laboured, he pants, and with great difficulty he keeps his eyes open to gaze into mine. My own are on half mast. It's too good to keep them open.

He's drawing it out as long as he can. I don't want it to stop! He thrusts with a steady, not too slow, not too fast rhythm and I meet him every time.

"Yes, love, just go on, don't stop!" I hiss.

He shakes his head quickly and then comes down to kiss me. I hold onto him and we both breathe heavily, while we kiss. It gives him a bit of time to recover, to hold out longer. When he finally sends me over the edge by pumping my newly hardened cock, I clench my muscles hard. He thrusts once more, twice, then I can feel him arching his back and in the next moment he finds his release and cries out my name. I close my eyes. Pure bliss! I don't think I ever want to see the day when he doesn't have my name on his lips as he reaches his orgasm. He collapses down on me, but I manage to untangle my legs and then I wrap my arms around him. He moves a bit lower on me and places his face in the crook of my neck. I caress the top of his head with my chin, while I hold him tightly.

"Mmm…" he sighs.

"Mmm indeed," I reply with a chuckle.

"Liked that?"

"Mhm."

"Good. I did, too…"

This is so wonderfully childlike it makes me smile. He can be so direct and sometimes he expresses his feelings so clearly and simply. I realise that there are no complicated words needed to say as much.

"I loved it, Paddy. You know I did. Because this is what I love most from you…" I mumble.

We're on the verge of sleep again and allow ourselves another hour of that before we get up.

* * *

**James **

Our two friends seem to need a lot of sleep. We watch the twins for them and let them sleep. Hermione and Ginny have taken over to look after the children for the most part. When the twins are here they don't need to share Andy! They don't seem to be overly stressed yet. Hermione looks happy. She has a lot to study already, but we all know she's doing what she loves doing most: digging herself into the books. The usual reply Hermione has for a problem is, let's go to the library! She's a very smart young witch and her demeanour actually reminds me a lot of Lily. And Remus. How lucky Harry was to have had her as best friend for the whole of his school years. I wished that I could have said the same about Lily, but unfortunately we wasted about three years. And a further few we could have been friends.

Lily and I now spend a lot of time apart, we're slowly getting into a working routine of some sorts again and that will give us more time to ourselves. One of us will always see to remain here to look after the children.

While we're sitting at the breakfast table, there's a knock on the door and Barb comes for a visit.

"Barb!" Harry cries and gets up to offer her a chair.

The others greet her just as enthusiastically. She greets them all with a smile and says:

"I thought I'm coming to see how you lot are doing!"

"Just great! We miss it a bit that we're not a class together anymore, but otherwise just fine."

"Where are Remus and Sirius? Are they at Hogwarts this weekend?

"No, we've just given them the night free. Seraina and Dennis are still quite exhausting, because they have teething trouble. And school seems to be very exhausting, too. Going back to the full schedule…"

Barb looks around at the little ones who are sitting on the laps of Hermione and Ginny.

"Wow, they've grown a lot since I've seen them last at your wedding, Hermione!"

"Yes, they have, haven't they? They can actually sit in a high chair already. We just love to cuddle with them. We don't see them all week, so we love to hold them a lot on the weekends."

Barb is still very popular with the young ones. She happily accepts a cup of coffee from Dobby. I like to talk with her myself, as she has gained a good basic knowledge of magic and through us she keeps up with the news as well, like she does with the Muggle news.

"Thanks for sending Dobby over sometimes. He really helps me with the cleaning in our new apartment. He's just flicking his hand and my windows are clean. I gladly take that and I really appreciate it."

Then Remus and Sirius turn up. Still a bit sleepy it seems, but obviously well rested. They both brighten up immediately.

"Hi Barb! It's nice to see you…" says Remus.

"Hello, you two. You look well…"

"We are well. Just a bit exhausted. Teaching fourteen classes is a bit more work than teaching just one, albeit with several subjects," Sirius says with a grin, placing a little peck on Barb's cheek.

"I can imagine. Housi and I were mighty impressed to see that school of yours! It's huge!"

"It is. And right now it's just received a fairly big bunch of new students. Albus thinks of extending the faculty to have less overworked teachers. He's advertising the posts now. At the moment it's really a lot, even though we have two houses together in all subjects, but for the core subjects it still means too much work. I keep wondering how the teachers managed so far."

* * *

**Parvati**

Saturday morning and I'm not working! To top everything off Draco is here as well, so we have spent one wonderful night of love-making and continue in the morning where we've stopped before sleeping.

Then the most wonderful thing happens. Not only has he my name on his lips when he comes, I'm quite used to that, but afterwards he holds me and he pops the words I've longed to hear for almost three years!

"I love you, Parvati…" he whispers.

All I can do is pull him even closer. I'm quite sure that he's loved me all this time but just couldn't express it in words.

"Draco, I'm so glad you finally admit it! I love you, too, you know!"

He gives me an amused glance.

"I've been a prat, wasn't I? Never saying it. I think that I've loved you almost from the beginning, but I never really knew it was love and it seemed so un-Malfoyish to say it."

"Yes, you are a bit of a prat, but even though you never said it, you treated me as if you did. Still, I never thought we'd still be together after so long."

It's true. I thought it would be fun to have a boyfriend while we were locked up together, but along the way I've fallen in love with the guy. I was always cautious, especially in the beginning, because I knew his reputation. And of course as a Gryffindor I had been at the end of his sneering like every other Gryffindor. But if there is one thing I can say that speaks for Draco, it's that he treated me like a lady from the beginning. Considerate, kind, loving. That was one of the reasons why it felt so natural to sleep with him almost right away. To my surprise I found that he was as much of a virgin as I and I have to say, it pleased me in a way.

Right now he transforms and all of a sudden I have the cat on my belly, purring and softly pawing me. I laugh and pet him, he's so lovely with his creamy soft fur. I can feel the purring underneath the pelt. He stretches and all I hear anymore is a faint meouw…

After getting up and taking a shower we go over to the combined living and dining room and meet the rest of the gang. It's already half past eleven, but they're all still sitting there, some of them in pyjamas or sweatpants and t-shirts, happily chatting and cuddling with the chilgren.

"Good morning, everyone!" Draco greets them cheerfully.

"Good morning! You look like that cat who's just crawling out of the cream jar, Draco!" Remus teases.

Draco only grins.

"What do you want? I **am** that cat after all! And I have just crawled out of the cream jar…"

"Yes, you are that, and you know what? You'll have to pay attention, because you drool when you purr!" I say with a snicker.

"I most certainly do not drool!" he protests.

"Oh, you don't? I've had to wipe it all off and if I'd had anything on I could prove it how you don't drool!"

Everyone laughs. Ron looks over at Justin and says:

"You'd better watch yourself, too, love!"

We kid around for a while. Draco and I eat some breakfast, then he says:

"We're going to Nice today, I want to show Parvati the land we bought for the fun park. Anyone want to come along? It's still all raw forest and alps though, we're still busy to put the Muggle repelling charms on. To make them permanent is a lot of work! There are lots of forests, but they're not really thick, so we can build some of the slides through the forests."

I'm really looking forward to see the area. He says there's not much to see yet, but I know he and the twins must have seen something. He says it's very wild, as it's one of the few areas in France which are scarcely populated.

We're joined by the whole gang. They all get dressed and are told where to apparate on a map. The lot is in between Grenoble and Nice and borders the Parc National du Mercantour, which is on the Italian border. The département is called Alpes Maritimes. When we get there we're all amazed that it's still quite warm. Draco explains it with the proximity of the Mediterranean.

"For wizards this is an ideal area, because it's scarcely populated, it's easy to access either through the Portkey station at Nice, which has a small wizarding community and from there through Floo or Portkey for families and apparition for adults. It's in the mountains, so we have the incline we need for the slides. Fred, George, Lee and I have started to build a small blockhouse as our headquarters for the duration of the construction of the park. It's just behind that bit of forest over there…"

We follow him to a small cabin, which consists of a large open room, serving as office, living room, dining room and kitchen. Four rooms are added around the open one, and a comfortable bathroom.

"Wizarding construction is great, I've noticed. The guys we ordered to do this have it done in three days! There are the plans! Of course they're only still studies, we're trying to come up with ideas and lay them down carefully. Here, directly on the site we can channel ideas a lot better than in an office in London. Come and have a look!"

* * *

**Hermione**

It's great to see Draco so focused on his project! Nothing is left of the sneering, blasé teenager he played so well only a few years ago. Now he has something to do and this looks like a lot of work. The challenge teaches him to work for the goal.

"The lot is 13.5 square kilometres. We have some bits of forest and more alpine meadows. As you can imagine most of the work consists of charming it Muggle secure right now. That's the first bit, then we'll have to cast illusion charms in masses, the likes we have at Hogwarts, that makes Muggles who see it think it's a wasted ruin. Here everything will look just like normal unpopulated alpine meadows and forests. There's a smallish road that leads to the nearest town and some even smaller roads that lead up in the Alps, to the last village above us, Venanson."

"Do you do all the charming yourselves?" Remus asks.

"Most of it. We don't want to have too many hired people before we actually start constructing the site. We have two experimental charmers from the French Ministry, who are working with us during the week. They use some new Muggle repelling charms, that can be cast on a whole square metre. Which reduces the work on one thousand charms per square kilometre now, where you had to put one every other centimetre before. It's still very tiring. We're almost done though."

"And then what are you actually going to construct?"

"Two parts. There's the water-park, which will have pools with similar designs as the Alpamare, only it will be even more sophisticated. There will be pools simply with waves, but there will also be pools where visitors can go through an adventurous ride through a whole jungle of events. Obstacles and creatures and stuff. Tropical island atmosphere, a bit like the Center Parks. That will all be set up indoors. We'll have a larger outdoor pool, where all the slides will end. And another outdoor pool, which we'll heat up very warm, so that it can be used summer and winter. Some of the slides will be covered for security reasons and others will be just like the slides at the Alpamare, you run down on mats. That's the water part. Then there will be another part which will be more like the Muggle fun parks with rides of all sorts, anything from a simple carousel kind to brooms and some more experimental ones. And of course there will be a couple of pubs and restaurants. We're still considering whether we should add a small hotel. Because Nice is so close by we'll probably forego the hotel in favour of a floo station with a couple of fireplaces."

Wow. They do plan big! On the other hand they have a lot of money together, so why not use some of it. It sounds like a very good idea and if they advertise it cleverly it would mean that they should have guests from all over Europe's wizarding communities. The French Ministry probably won't have anything against that tourism at all.

Draco confirms this with his next explanations:

"Best of all is that there's lots to do in the area, Muggle as well as wizarding entertainment. In spring, summer and fall the people can take a quick hop down to the Côte d'Azur, where there are really wonderful beaches and there's loads of lovely places to see. They can plan vacations around the visit here. That's what the French Ministry hopes for and we would be pleased to see it come true. In any case we'll strive to work together with some of the wizarding communities along the Mediterranean to get people to book vacations for more than just two or three days, which would do the wizarding tourism a load of good. Plus we plan to offer combined arrangements for vacations and visit of Dragon's Tales included."

"You've got very sound plans there, Draco! I'm sure this will work out. You'll certainly have a lot of work with it still, but it sounds like this could be a success," Sirius remarks.

"That's what we hope. The next step will be the founding of the Dragon's Tales Company. If any of you want to take part – you would be welcome… we do plan to give the extended family shares of the company as gifts though we want to keep a good majority of the capital. George and Fred have made very good business with the Commumirrors, Hermione, they have quite a lot they can invest now. Of course they know that once most of the people have one there won't be as much at the time anymore, but they will still do the billing for the registering every year and have a regular income from that. We'll probably hold 30 each and the remaining 10 of the shares we either sell to other investors or give away as gifts. We expect the company to be profitable within at the maximum two years. As you can see I'm learning my business lessons right now. I found that the twins really have a nose for business and while they still do a lot for their joke shop they have cut the inventing part by about half, because as long as their products are still hits they don't really need to get new stuff out. And in the meantime those two are gaining a lot of competence in the business realm. I'd say Mr. Weasley can be really proud of them, they're doing so well."

I'm impressed by Draco's speech. He's usually rather held back, but now he's talked about their plans and ideas for a quarter of an hour as if he'd never done anything else but present his own company. I suppose he and the twins have put together a business plan to present to the French Ministry and their future business partners around the coast. I'm quite expecting him to grow that business sense the twins have as well.

Apart from the block house there's nothing to see yet apart from the landscape. It's the typical southern French mountainous area with loads of dotted trees – we're on about 1200 metres above sea level.

* * *

**Draco**

They're all totally excited about this! What's really nice, is that they don't feel that only on behalf of the twins, but for myself, too. It's amazing, but that motley mixture of people has really become my family. They have taken me in like a lost puppy or a stray cat and now I'm really needing their warmth, support and joy on my behalf. I think that's why I was finally able to tell Parvati that I love her. She's been so much like a rock in the ocean, a solid one on which I could rely. She's been at my side with a non-critical presence, but she quietly took possession of me in a good way. Of course I know that there's a lot of fancy girlishness around Parvati, but there's a lot one only discovers once one knows her closer. And these are the things for which the Sorting Hat has put her into Gryffindor. She's brave, she can take a lot in and is nitty-gritty when she needs to be. Most people will underestimate her, though not my Sunnegg-siblings, because they will remember Parvati's duelling qualities. She won't give an inch of room without having to. Besides that she's chosen to become a healer, something I'd never expected. I mean that does take a certain amount of brains, which is there in her head, even though she often hides it behind her pretty face. But I know it's there. She's great and I don't regret a single minute with her.

But besides Parvati there are all the others. They've become friends and siblings for a good while now. In Hogwarts the students share dormitories, but I found that we were a lot closer on the Sunnegg, even though we all had our individual rooms. We were together day and night, rarely far from each other. We felt like litters of puppies or kittens in one big basket, pawing and licking each other and giving us a closeness that we couldn't even get inside of one of the houses at Hogwarts. It was a good strategy to stop being snobbish from the moment I set foot into the Sunnegg, and it opened up a huge new world for me. I got twelve siblings, three foster fathers and a foster mother in return. Remus and Sirius really did give me a good start, they put the solid ground under my feet, which I had lacked after moving on thin ice and fearing to break through for years at my former home.

Father has brought me up to become the same unfeeling machine he had been brought up to be. I was ordered to do his bidding and I've done that until one day I realised that he was using me. I took for loving care what was in reality a method to keep me docile, but for the child it was impossible to know the nuances. How was I to know that I was given everything my heart desired just to make the kind of being out of me that my parents wanted? The revelation came when I saw Voldemort for the first time at the Manor. I wasn't even presented, I had to stay out of the way still, but of course I watched through some crack in a wall or a door because I had to know what was going on. At first I was still excited at the thought that Voldemort would deem my family worthy of his visit, but then I saw my parents on the floor kissing the seam of Voldemort's robes. Then I heard how they offered me as their contribution to the great cause. That did it for me! I knew they were nothing more than his slaves after I've heard those oily comments of that snake. Father and Mother were ready to torture and kill just to please this abomination. I suppose they did that before and they probably even liked it. I estimated that I'd probably be safe for another year, kept quiet during the rest of the summer break and returned to Hogwarts. I already had the half intention to go and talk to Dumbledore, when Father attempted to kill me outright. That brought me to the Sunnegg. His intention to kill Neville as well, just because he happened to be at the wrong place in the wrong moment was at least as evil in my eyes as wanting to kill me. Now I can at least sympathise with Harry as to his guilty feelings after Diggory was killed. I needed to almost experience the same thing to understand. But that experience helped me to completely understand how Harry felt. I felt like that about Neville, but he was at least lucky enough to escape. Still I was ashamed for a long while for my father, even though Neville blamed exactly the right person for his ordeal – my father.

Of course I was no angel! I had liked to taunt and tease and be a little mean with my classmates of the other houses and I was usually quite successful, especially with Ron. It was so easy to get a rise out of him. It was quite satisfying back then to have two bodyguards, even if they were as dumb as stones. But watching my parents worshipping their master so pathetically told me immediately that something with their world must be really wrong. When I understood that they expected such a behaviour from me, too, I knew that I didn't want any part in that. I had already been convinced that I probably wasn't Death Eater material but I never knew how I could get around that fate. So I returned to Hogwarts and kept myself to mostly myself. Since my favourite targets were not around anyway no one seemed to notice. And then Father tried to get me out of the school, unsuccessfully, and that was somehow very untypical for him. I have read the whole documentary for the trial of my parents, even if I didn't want to watch the proceedings, and from those documents I know that Voldemort had put my parents under pressure to deliver me as their token for the cause and the next generation of Death Eaters. I'm sure he was threatened with lots and lots of pain if he didn't follow up. Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle were already Death Eaters by that time. Some others who had left Hogwarts only a short time before, as well as some of the sixth and seventh years had been initiated, too. I've never been so happy to see McGonagall as I've been at that moment of my life. She can be devilishly dangerous if she wants to that woman!

And that brought me to **my** second chance. I've heard so many people talk about second chances and what it had given them. Before I had always thought this was extremely sentimental nonsense. But when it was my turn and I was given a chance to start again I was deeply thankful and noticed it was just as important as those people had said. It was a very slow process, which I found very hard to follow, because it's hard to leave well accustomed lifestyles behind, but now, almost three years after that I think I'm fully accepted and belong. I don't even want to imagine what my father would say to the fact that I'm not only socialising with several Weasleys, but that two of them are going to be my business partners. The most cheerful ones on top of it. I think I should send him an owl to Azkaban and tell him or even visit him, so I could really rub it in.

Dragon's Tales is going to be a serious business, but I expect to have a lot of fun with it as well, just like George and Fred. I've never worked as much before and it's backbreaking work to charm such a large area with Muggle repelling enchantments. But I will be able to look back and say that I've built all this with my own work, not the hired work of some almost slaves. I'd never have thought that such a thing could make me so proud. Every evening when I get back to the cabin I feel accomplished. Surprising, how satisfying this can be!

Another thing I have to thank the gang and Remus and Sirius for is that I've actually started to like school work at the Sunnegg. Before I was barely average and if I did well in Potions it was mostly because Snape let me do anything I liked just to spite the Gryffindors while he never let anything pass from them. I always knew that Hermione was much better than I at practically every subject. Sirius and Remus made me see that teaching and learning can take place on a whole other level than only competition or just doing what was needed to pass. They taught me that it was also for myself, to feed my own curiosity, which I never even knew I had. I had to really pull myself together to not sneer at Hermione's eagerness to learn new things. And to keep them. But once I saw her for what she really is, not the Muggle born witch, but the really, truly gifted and powerful witch, I was able to see past my prejudices. Now I admire her immense curiosity for everything there is to learn. She likes knowing things for the sake of knowing, not proving that she is the best. Not that she minds being the best. My hatred of the likes of her mostly came from having heard about the lesser value of Muggle-borns or half-bloods from the day I was born. It was practically hammered into me during all of my early childhood and frankly, what reason did I have not to believe my parents?

I've wondered for a long time how Sirius was able to shake all that off. I mean, I'm a Malfoy, but he was born into **the** Black family. The heirs of the Black family line, probably one of the oldest magical families in Britain. He **was** the heir himself. My mother often complained about him and his blood-traitorous behaviour and that he never deserved to even carry the family name. I suppose there was quite a bit of envy, first that she herself was a girl and thus only of minor importance in the succession and also to be born from a father who was only a younger son. From what I heard from Tonks and Sirius I can only say that I'm glad I never knew my great-aunt Leda. I have seen her and uncle Arcturus, but only a few times when I was very small and after her death I never set foot into the house at Grimmauld Place again. All I remember is that she looked like an ugly old hag straight out of the Muggle fairy tales. When I mentioned that to Sirius, he grinned and said he'd been very thankful to have inherited his father's looks, though he was also glad to have his mother's intelligence. Seems that in spice of her ugliness she was still very intelligent, only completely crazy. He also told me about uncle Alphard, who was the middle son, born after Sirius' father and before my grandfather Rigel, an uncle who died very early. That said Uncle Alphard was more like Sirius and Tonks and that he left his fortune to Sirius and my aunt Andromeda, because he wanted to make sure that Sirius could leave his family without being destitute. Bet the old codger must have really liked Sirius. Now Sirius has the whole family inheritance, which his relatives were unable to claim, because Sirius was still alive. It didn't matter to the goblins that he was at Azkaban or still on the run, he was alive and that froze the accounts. He was the only one who could get to them. There must easily be as much in them as there is in the Malfoy vaults. But he's paid for all of that with more than anyone should have to. I really thought that it was all true, that he was the one who betrayed the Potters and killed those Muggles, I only learned about the truth when I came to the Sunnegg shortly after Pettigrew's arrest. Slowly I then learned about his childhood and what he went through not only back before he even came to Hogwarts, but afterwards, when his parents heard that he had not been sorted into Slytherin, but into Gryffindor. It must have been pure hell! I know that had I ended up anywhere else than in Slytherin then Father would probably have treated me like dirt, even if my house would have been Ravenclaw. That would have possible been tolerated for a girl, which could be married off regardless of her house background at Hogwarts, but not for the heir of the wealthiest pureblood families. And finally I can't even imagine what Sirius must have gone through in Azkaban.

In my sixth year I really started to talk to Sirius. He is a great guy. Apart from all the love of fun he's a very solid character. Had to be to survive something like Azkaban and stay lucid. He said that as soon as he was out of the Dementor's claws it got a lot better immediately, but being on the run must have been almost as hard, even with that perfect disguise of turning into a dog. What impressed me most though was what he told me about Azkaban. I'm probably one of the very few people he's ever told how it really felt to be in there. He certainly didn't tell Harry, who already had to bear enough for Sirius to add his pain and even less he would have told James, he wanted to spare James any feelings of guilt. It is one of the reasons why I respect him so much, he's not only survived, but he's had the hell multiplied because he could be tortured during the whole time he was in there. Others were mad long before that and the Dementors could hardly feed on them anymore. But if they caught Sirius in his human form he suffered the same in his tenth year there as he did in his first few days.

Then he's still really deeply in love with his mate. To think that they've been together for more than twenty years and out of those twenty years they actually spent five or six really together… to me it seems to be a miracle that their relationship actually held up as strong as it does. And that's certainly not only because werewolves mate for life. Remus isn't even sure whether that's true at all, but he says that being away from his mate really does him no good and that he feels the wolf inside a lot stronger. It's certainly true that Remus has looked healthy and strong since he's with Sirius again, much less tired than when he was a teacher at Hogwarts in my third year.

We got to know a completely different Professor Remus Lupin at the Sunnegg anyway. He was the same in the classroom, competent, mild and yet firm, calm and knowledgeable, but as soon as classes were out he turned into a sparkling person with a love for bantering, playing and having fun.

And lastly my 'siblings'! We kind of made for a house of our very own, despite the flags of the four houses, which still hang on the wall in the kitchen at the Sunnegg. It felt like that at least when we were back at Hogwarts for the OWLS and NEWTS. It was a really good feeling. Maybe because I've finally had a sense of belonging, while I only felt that I was a noble member of Slytherin house before. I didn't really belong, because no one actually belongs together in that house. One has to watch out to always keep the company of the politically important people and the parents of almost everyone constantly reminded them who had to belong into that very elite and chosen group of people. It seems that it is totally different in other houses. There the parents are interested to know how their children develop and they don't constantly set up the rules of who they had to see and why and even when.

Now that I know what a real family is like I can understand the other houses' dislike of the Slytherins. And if not dislike, then certainly mistrust. It's all a great misunderstanding anyway. The Slytherins behave nasty, because they don't even expect understanding from the other houses – and on top of that they often aren't supposed to, because pureblooded parents demand this distance from their children – and because they can sense the dislike from the other houses. And the other houses detest them because they behave nasty. The cycle starts again. Both sides are at the same time right and wrong. It's no wonder that most of the people in the other houses hate Slytherins, after all most of the Death Eaters and nearly all of the magical history's Dark Lords have come from Slytherin. Still, Dumbledore claims that the most dangerous Death Eaters have come from the other houses, the ones who are the least expected and cause most of the damage.

Either way. Already the fact that Slytherin house is in the dungeons of the castle is terrible. Slytherins live down there and are even proud of it. Am I glad that I've left my noble paleness behind! I'm feeling much better, much fitter and much more healthy! To grow up properly it takes light and air – both foreign words to most Slytherins. I shudder to think that possibly Denny or Seraina could end up down there. Oy! Do I still sound like a Slytherin? Couldn't care less, even if Salazar is now rotating in his grave, wherever it is. Of course the twins will be well in the know that the hat likes children who know where they want to go and those two have Gryffindor written all over them!

We've returned to the Sunnegg. I'll be back in the cabin on Monday.


	5. Ghosts at Privet Drive?

**Chapter 5 – Ghosts at Privet Drive?**

**Wednesday, 4.11.1998 / Hermione**

Full moon tonight. I've called Remus on the Commumirror and he says the weather is dry, if a bit cold, so I told him, I'd come up for a run in the forest tonight if he wants me to. He said he'd be pleased. So now I'll be going up to Hogwarts right after lectures and Harry wants to come along, too.

Our last lecture of the day is a History lecture about the foundation of the International Confederation of Wizards, a very interesting bit. Marc Marais, one of our few classmates calls to me at the end:

"Hey, Harry, Hermione, are you guys coming with us? We're planning on a drink at the Leaky Cauldron right now…"

"Sorry! We're heading up to Hogwarts right now for a moonlight romp with our favourite werewolf…" I say with a cheeky grin.

"What? You'll end up being killed, you idiot!" Marc shouts.

"Nope. First of all he's under the influence of the Wolfsbane potion and then I can turn myself into a form he wouldn't even attack if he weren't…"

He stares at me, puzzled.

"An animal," I explain.

"You dare turning yourself into an animal? But how do you spell yourself back?"

"Like this!"

I quickly transform and some of the people around us scream, because obviously they think I'm a werewolf, too. I come back and hold up my hands.

"It's my Animagus form, I'm not a werewolf myself. I can transform into the wolf anytime. Harry's a dog."

"Well, there's an interesting thing. The famous Potters are both Animagi! Is there anything you guys can't do?" Marc asks.

"Lots. We've been trained by an Animagus, so it was a bit easier to learn. But now we have to go, sorry! Some other time!"

Harry and I wave our hands and apparate away to Hogsmeade. We've taken our brooms along, in small size to fit into our briefcases. All we have to do is enlarge them again and then we've shortened the way to the school to about five minutes. We dismount in front of the main door and head inside. On the way to Remus' and Sirius' flat we meet Minerva.

"Hermione! Harry! How nice to see you!" she says, looking pleased.

"Hello, Minerva. It's nice, to see you, too! You're looking well…" I reply.

"I am well. Apart from the fact that our esteemed headmaster thinks of retirement. He says he's getting too old for this!"

"Oh, that's sad. Did he mention a date already?"

"Unfortunately. End of the school year. He says he'd still like to have something of his house in Cornwall."

"Oh dear! So you're preparing yourself to become headmistress?" Harry asks.

"I'm not sure, but it looks like it. At least there hasn't been a deputy who has not become head in the history of Hogwarts so far. I don't expect to be the sad exception. But we'll see some other changes around here, too, separate teachers for the lower and upper forms in all core subjects."

"That means you'll plan to shift Sirius from Potions to Transfigurations, I suppose?" I ask.

"Of course! He's a genius! He easily beats me **and** Albus, and that means something. I want to give him the upper forms."

"Great! He'll be very happy about that. Does he know already?"

"Yes. Actually I'm just coming from telling him. You'll find him in a pretty good mood," Minerva says and looks fairly smug.

Harry and I laugh and say:

"Good. We plan on a moonlight run in the forest and some frolicking with Remus!"

"They'll be happy about that. Remus is doing very well. He'll also take over the upper forms in Defence."

"I'm so glad to hear he's well. They finally have the kind of life together they should have had so long ago," Harry remarks.

"Definitely. – Well, I'll have to hurry along. We're pretty busy these days!"

"Have a nice evening, Minerva! We'll see you…"

"Same to you! And enjoy your romp in the forest. Darn it, if I don't join you at some point!"

Harry and I have to laugh and wink.

"Why don't you? They wouldn't mind!"

"Too many dogs! Definitely too many canines!" Minerva states theatrically and rushes off.

As soon as we're entering the 'Carnal Canines' home they pull us inside of the living room and tell us the news. Sirius is really pleased. He likes Potions, but if he has the choice he does prefer Transfiguration, so he's very happy with his prospects.

"And only the fifth through seventh years. They get a lesson more per week, but still, that's only twelve classes if we return to teaching each house on its own. Or even only six if we keep up teaching two houses together, which I personally would prefer! We'll have a lot more time to do more serious lesson preparing, grading and of course we'll be able to do more with our children!" Sirius tells us.

"Hey, that's really good! I think it was about time, you hardly had any time to do anything… I used to wonder how the teachers got through all of their work when I was at Hogwarts," Harry exclaims.

Before we go out we have to look at the little ones. Remus and Sirius put one of them on each of our arms, then Sirius calls Winky and asks her to get dinner for us to the flat. Just then the door opens and James comes in.

"We mirrored James and asked him, if he wanted to come up, too, I hope, you don't mind…" Sirius explains.

"But that's great! I bet we'll have an awful lot of fun!" I reply.

We eat together with the twins in their high chairs, but both of them are getting very tired. Remus looks at the clock on the mantle and says:

"Sorry, love, I have to transform…"

"That's perfectly alright, love, just wait for us to put the little ones to bed, okay?"

"Of course."

Remus picks Seraina up, kisses her on the cheeks and says:

"Sleep very well, my sweet one! I can't take you to bed tonight, but I'll be back tomorrow! Good night, love!"

Then he repeats the procedure with Denny. After that he transforms and Sirius lets the babies give him a rub over the back. Harry takes Seraina, Sirius holds Denny and I just tag along with them to wish the little ones a good night, too. While Sirius and Harry put them to bed I return to the living room, talk with James and take off my outer clothes, because they get fairly rumpled during the time I'm in my wolf form. James does the same. I transform and yip at Remus, who starts to sniff me and gives me signals of his alpha status. I give him a wolfish grin. Hey! As soon as you're a wolf you think you can become a bloody macho? No, sir! Not even as a wolf. Or better said, as a wolf you won't do that in the first place, as among them it's always **she** who has the last word. James grins about our antics.

"Wonder whose mate you really are, Moony!" he teases.

Moony growls at him.

After a while Sirius and Harry come out of the children's rooms. Winky is coming back and she'll stay with the children until we return. Sirius leads us out of the castle. There are still many students in the halls, as it's not even eight o'clock yet, but they don't seem to fear Remus. Some of them even wish us a good time!

Once outside, Sirius and Harry transform as well and we take the way over to Hagrid's cabin. He's still out it seems, as there are no lights. We meet him on his way back from the forest.

"Thought I ought not to stay in the forest… it's the full moon and there's others 'n Remus out there!" he says.

I transform back to say hello. He pulls me in his usual tight embrace and says:

"You're one 'ell of a wolf, Hermione! So you decided to come and have a bit of a run with the Professors?"

"Yeah. I was looking forward to having some fun out there with them for a while now! Since it's dry tonight we thought we'd both come up. And as you can see, James didn't want to miss out on the fun."

"Have fun then, all of you! Though not many people would say it's fun goin' in there!"

Sirius gives a bark, Remus smirks a wolf smirk and Harry barks his bright border collie bark. Even James shakes his antlers. I grin and wish Hagrid a good night.

"If you hear some howling, it's probably us having a howling good time," I say.

He grins, waves, takes Fang by the collar, because the boar hound would probably love to join us in our romp and pulls him back to his cabin. I transform back, because I'm starting to freeze already, but once in my pelt I'm feeling right warm again. This is an amazing thing, I really love that feeling of having a fur. It's almost water proof, I really have to be in the water for a long time, before it gets through to my skin. And if I come out, all I need to do is shake the water out and I'll dry in a very short time.

We break into a lope and follow Moony, who leads us inside of the forest. It's fun, though the pads on my paws are still a bit soft, so I feel more of the ground than Moony or Padfoot, who are used to it. Prongs of course has hooves and feels it even less. We communicate in the most minimal ways now. We can only understand each other through the sound of our barks or whines, Prongs' snorts, through body signals, licking or sniffing each other. It's still a learning process for Harry and I. Both of us haven't transformed all too often lately, but we don't have a problem holding the form and holding up with Padfoot and Moony. I'm thinking that our alter forms should have a name as well. We should have fun finding names for our Animagi.

I'm musing a bit about that, while we are passing through a very dark part of the forest. Even my ability to see at night and my good sense of smell don't help me much in this dark place. Remus has reduced the tempo to lead us carefully through the area. He's turned to the west soon after we entered the forest and leads us in an extended circle around Hogwarts. Now we've turned north and he keeps that direction for a long time. After an hour we finally reach a fairly large clearing and I soon see why it's so large. It contains a small lake, not much bigger than a large pond. We reach it where the forest ends just on the edge of the water. Remus points his nose over to the other shore. A herd of unicorns! They are really beautiful, all of them blindingly white, about seven grown and two young ones, who are not yet so white. Gosh, I still think they're the most beautiful creatures out there! They have noticed us of course, there's nothing they don't notice. They are sniffing, but don't seem to think we're after them, so they keep drinking water from the pond. We tiptoe around the pond to the other side and cross the clearing a bit away from the unicorns. They just turn their heads and look after us, but don't move one inch. I sigh. It's always amazing to see one of them, but a whole herd? Wonderful!

It seems like Remus wants us to see as many of the forest's magical inhabitants as possible, as we get to see a number of them in the next few hours. Moony is very alert and perks his ears in every direction. We reach another clearing and decide to take a break. After drinking from a small brook we slump down on the soft mossy ground. Watching Harry and I fight with our tongues to get some water into us is pretty funny for Moony, Prongs and Padfoot. They of course act as if it was the most normal way in the world to drink water, but we're both still quite inept.

Padfoot is lying next to Moony with his head on Moony's back. Moony has his on his front paws and looks at us. Prongs just stands next to us and looks down on us. I catch my breath and turn to look at Harry, who looks the most tired. His legs are a bit shorter, so he's done more running. I can only hope that Moony knows where we are, because I certainly have no idea! Sirius, whose breathing has returned to normal transforms back to say:

"We're quite a bit to the north of the castle, but to get back we'll cut it shorter than the large circle we made to get here. Moony and I know well where we are, so don't worry. Are you okay, Harry?"

Harry nods with his head. He's stopped panting now, so we give him a while longer to rest up, Sirius transforms back and after a while we start on the way back. I don't know how long we've been out, but it must have been several hours. I'm feeling fitter than ever before. I flex my muscles under the fur and think of the ache I expect to have in the morning.

**Harry**

This is really fun and it's been a great experience. I've seen the Forbidden Forest in a completely different light for once. It seems that when one's an animal or a magical creature of some sorts one has nothing to fear in here. But I'm glad that Sirius says we're returning now. I'm really getting tired and my somewhat shorter legs have to do more work than their longer ones.

The wolves are magnificent! To see Moony in his 'natural habitat' as a wolf is simply amazing. He's so strong and knows exactly where we are and how to get to another place and yet another. He must have been in here quite often. It's also great to see dad! He's a really impressive stag.

Another two hours later we finally see the castle again. We get inside, after Sirius has opened the main door and trot through the corridor to the Black-Lupin quarters. And just before we can turn the corner to get there we have to be spotted by Filch. Sirius transforms and tells him it's us. Filch blanches (Remus is a werewolf after all) and backs out quicker than I thought him able to. I send a bark after him and Sirius looks down to me with a grin.

Finally we get to their flat, where we transform back. Remus alone has to wait until moonset, so he goes straight to the soft rug in front of the fireplace and rolls himself into a tight ball. Sirius offers Hermione the shower. She accepts, picks up her robes and vanishes for a quarter of an hour. I flop down on the sofa.

"You've been great, both of you, Harry!" Sirius says.

"Yeah, but now I'm dead on my feet! We've decided to skip tomorrow's, err… today's morning lecture for sure. We'll see how we feel for the afternoon."

He grins.

"Have you seen the time, then?"

I've seen it. It's almost four in the morning. Which means we've been out for almost eight hours. Sirius offers everyone around a glass of whisky and while we slowly drink it, he says:

"We've run about 55 miles. Remus at his best makes almost fifteen miles per hour, I'm too heavy for that, I get to about twelve. That's quite a bit more than you could do as a human. A normal human that is, I'm not talking about those nutters who manage the Marathon in just above an hour or two or whatever their record is."

"No wonder I'm so out of breath! I don't think I've ever been on my legs so long. And we've been constantly loping along. I didn't even notice, but I'm so much smaller and lighter that I can run much easier as a dog. 55 miles? I never knew that the Forbidden Forest was that large!"

"Plus you have four paws! That's a hell of a difference. And that forest is even a lot larger. But we've run a whole circle and not in a direct line."

"True."

"Did you like the experience?" he asks.

"Absolutely!"

Dad looks at Sirius, nodding in my direction, and remarks:

"The youngling held up quite well, didn't he?"

"I'm fit, dad!" I scoff.

"Yes, he did. As did Hermione. You'll have some aching muscles tomorrow though!"

"Probably. And how did you like the forest? Scary, isn't it?" dad asks on.

"Actually I've just been thinking about that when we turned back. I thought it must have to do with the fact that we're animals, because I didn't think it scary at all."

Hermione returns from the bath, looking like she's spent the evening at the dancing club rather than romping through a vast forest. I smile at her.

"Gosh, you're lovely, sweetheart!"

She grins, bends down to peck me on the cheeks, then pinches her nose and says:

"You're not right now, Mr Potter, go and wash up!"

I get up, grinning, and go to the shower.

**James**

I'm happy I could join them! I've been missing those moonlight romps so much! Remus already sleeps on the rug. Sirius sits next to him in sweat pants and an old jumper and Remus has put his head on his mate's thigh. Sirius strokes tenderly over the wolf's back, scratches him behind his ears and I think, this must be bliss for Remus. This potion really is a gift from heaven for him. Never before would we have been able to be with him like this, and it made him so sad. I can see he presses himself to Sirius, who turns to him and whispers:

"You led us wonderfully tonight, love! We'll hop into bed right now, okay?"

Remus whines a little.

When Harry returns from the shower, he and Hermione get up and wish us a good night. Or what's left of it.

"That was great, Remus! Thanks for being such a good guide! I'll recommend you…"

We all laugh, Remus lifts his head and yawns visibly. Hermione just bends down to give him a scratch behind the ears.

"See you soon, dears!"

Sirius gets up and goes to the bathroom, while Moony trots to the bedroom. I look up to the portrait of Sirius' uncle. He's snoozing on his chair, the book in his lap.

I return to the Sunnegg to be with Lily. Everyone who's supposed to be home seems to be there and it's absolutely quiet in the house. I find Lily in the front room, reading.

"Hello, love!" she calls softly.

"Hey there, sweetie..."

"They went right to bed. Apparated up even, because they were so tired," she tells me.

I grin.

"Sirius says we've done about 55 miles! Even as a stag it was enough for me!"

"Wow! That's a lot."

"Mhm. – Listen, love, I've been thinking about how we could haunt your darned sister! She needs to be punished at least a bit for what she did to Harry!"

"I'm all ears, love. Tell me!"

"Well, we could start easy. Just go in with an invisibility spell on us and do a bit of howling," I start.

"Oh, the old ghost standards, you mean? Like rattling chains and so?"

"They will fall for that perfectly!" I confirm.

She grins a little.

"Yes, that's a good start. When?"

"Tonight. Midnight."

"I can't wait!"

That's my wife! I'm so proud of her, I mean, in the end we did make a proper Marauder out of her.

**Thursday, 5.11.1998 / Lily**

Harry and Hermione didn't even come down for breakfast this morning. They slept right through until lunch and when we finally get to see them, Hermione whines about her aching muscles. I have to smile. She isn't a sportive one, so for her it's amazing to have run so long!

"I think, my muscles would ache, too, if I'd have run 55 miles in one go," I remark, "I don't think I could have done that as a goat."

She turns to Harry.

"We've run 55 miles?"

"That's what Sirius said. About that much, it could have been more or less," Harry confirms.

Hermione looks like she wants to crawl right back into bed. She looks at her hands and shows them to me. Her fingers are quite red.

"Now I understand, why my finger tips are so hard!" she says.

Harry grins.

"The wolf didn't mind the running at all! You've been very playful yesterday. Did you enjoy it as much as I did?"

"Oh yes! It was great. Very impressive, too. Do we do that again?"

"If they'll have us…"

The two eat their lunch with us and Morag and then apparate away to their afternoon lectures. James and I spend our time playing some chess and the wizarding Trivial Pursuit that Harry, Morag, Ron and Justin made. Morag joins us after a while.

"I can't study anymore. I'm done with the homework anyway…"

We keep playing until some of the gang come home for dinner. Then the time crawls slowly by. Finally we reach midnight. James and I apparate to Little Whinging, make ourselves invisible and rush to Privet Drive. All the lights in Number Four are already extinct but one. James apparates inside there, comes back and says:

"It's Dudley's room."

"Ah! So he's home, too… okay, howling through the house right after midnight…"

"Then rattling on some furniture and some chains and finally vanish," James finishes my sentence.

"Yep."

We wait until we hear the nearest church bells start to chime midnight, then apparate inside, where we start swishing through the house and howl with hollow voices. I have a hard time keeping my laughter back. It only takes about five minutes until all three Dursleys come flying out of their rooms, looking terrified. Vernon, who looks like a whale, starts to swear though.

"That's some of the boy's freaks, I'll bet!"

"But we don't see anyone…" Dudley says with a trembling voice.

"Since when has that meant anything to **them**? These freaks are just mad!"

James sends a rush of air right through Dudley, howling all the while. Dudley screams, then Petunia starts to scream as well. Vernon almost explodes, he's so mad. But there's not much he can do, no gun would help, since they can't see us and we keep moving silently. Finally neither James nor I can hold back our laughter, so we laugh with a terrifying voice and vanish back to Sunnegg. We both laugh ourselves silly.

"Didn't I tell you they'd fully fall for it?" James wheezes.

"Yeah, you did. But that was easy to predict, admit it. And what do we do now?" I ask, once I compose myself.

"I'd say now we're going to repeat that for a week or so, then we step up. We need to let them suffer a bit, after all they made Harry suffer for years! Can you believe that Dudley is even fatter than his father?"

"Hardly. To be so young and so fat must be awful!"

"Let's sneak in at them and see what they're talking about at breakfast," James suggests.

"Okay. Let's stalk them for a while."

"We might find out what they fear most…"

"Probably that the neighbours learn more about their strange relatives… I bet they don't even think we're relatives. I'd bet that Petunia was relieved to hear we're dead…"

A sad, but realistic thought. She's my sister after all. But what a jerk of a sister. When we arrive at their place in the early morning we can just see her starting breakfast, still looking rather pale from the shock the night before. She puts the breakfast on the table when Vernon comes in, looking just as frightened.

"Do you think it'll come back?" he asks Petunia.

"How should I know? All I know is that it's probably that blasted boy! If only we had been successful of keeping him out of that dreadful… school!" Petunia hisses.

"Well, he's **your** nephew! You have the weirdness in your family it seems!"

"And what's that supposed to mean? Lily was the only one in my family, as far as I know! And the boy, obviously. Luckily she was killed, or there would have been even more brats like him."

**Ooooh**,I could kill her on the spot! How can she talk like that? Harry was but a toddler when he came in her care! Care! As if she'd have cared for him, I'm sure she changed Dudley's nappies three times as often as Harry's and she's probably hardly fed my son either.

"I was only wondering how he could have bought all the stuff he got! We never gave him money…" Vernon says all of a sudden.

"Probably on charity, I'm sure they have something like that, too," Petunia muses.

"But then they're rather gracious, I've seen those clothes – they were first class material."

Petunia shrugs her shoulders and Vernon vanishes behind his paper. All of a sudden I can see to my horror, that Vernon's cup of tea lifts into the air, floats over his head, dips… and empties the whole content over his head. James! Petunia has seen it and shrieks, even louder than Vernon screams.

"Petunia! Are you out of your mind?" he shouts.

"I haven't done anything! What's wrong all of a sudden?" she cries.

I feel James next to me and box his arm. I can't hear him, but I can feel him snicker. Vernon has jumped up and looks down on himself.

"That suit is ruined! Now I need to get dressed all fresh! I'll be late for the office!"

He storms out of the kitchen and Petunia starts looking around, goes to the windows and peeks out, but of course she can't see anything. We always keep out of the range where she could feel us. She's shaking her head now.

In the next few days more little 'accidents' happen. At night we keep howling and rattling chains, during the day things happen, like Dudley's trousers that get ripped open when he bends down to put the key in the hole of his car. Then he falls through two missing steps in the staircase and finally his bathwater turns to a block of ice once he's sitting inside. James almost howls with laughter at that one.

Petunia has a few problems herself. She tries to wash the windows, but they get soiled with footprints from a dog every time she goes over them with the washrag because I charmed them. Next she gets attacked by her vacuum cleaner. Her cooking starts to lack in skill as well, and sometimes things that look and smell perfectly well, taste like soap or petrol.

We save the best for Vernon. We keep calling him at his office and then just howl into the phone. If it's his secretary who replies we invent names and reasons why we call and howl as soon as we get him on the phone.

By the end of two weeks they're all close to a nervous breakdown. That's when we finally show ourselves.

"The past two weeks were a tiny repayment for what you did to Harry, you monsters!" I say coldly and turn myself visible.

All of the Dursleys start screaming. James comes out as well and when they finally register that we aren't ghosts, their screaming gets even louder.

"Oh yes, we may have died, but we've come back. We know how you treated our son, who was an innocent little child when he came to you, but you nevertheless thought you had the right to abuse him! One day we'll let your neighbours know about your so-called 'normality'. Neighbours are always interested in cases of abuse of children, they'll just about kill you…"

They are unable to say a word. James finally tells them that they can never expect to be free of our antics now, they'll never know when our next attack would be coming and that they can't even run away.

"You can go wherever you want, we'll find you and haunt you!" James cackles.

Then we apparate away.

I try not to think about the Dursleys anymore, because today I'll finally get to really meet Marlene McKinnon again, who was always one of my closest friends. She's finally been discharged from St. Mungo's three days ago.

I'm really looking forward to that! There are not many family members of the McKinnons left over, and they have blocked almost all visitors from seeing Peter and Marlene to make sure that nothing further happened to them. It was a bit of a horrid scene when Peter's only remaining brother kept out everyone, even those who were responsible for bringing them back, but now they're out of the hospital and one of the first things that Marlene did was owling me and asking to see me. Because of the children I've invited her and Peter over here to lunch and an afternoon of chatting.

They arrive at around eleven, which gives us some time for introductions and an aperitif, which Dobby serves very nicely. Marlene and I hug and she almost starts to cry.

"I could have murdered Daniel for not letting you to come and see us, Lily! He's been so protective of Peter and I, but darn it, you have done your work to bring us back after all…"

"More like my son who's done most of the work, Marlene. Harry's going through a lot to do this, but he's so happy to help people back to life. We'll have to tell you soo much, I hardly know where to start. But first things I'm sure you would like to meet my children… Harry is away at the university, but I'm sure you'll be here for a few hours, he's usually back around four. This is Lizzie. She's two. And this is Andy, he's five months old."

"Ooh, they're both so cute! You've been mighty busy then in the past few years. Why the big gap between Harry and the little ones?"

"Oh, I totally forgot that you couldn't have known! A few months after the two of you Voldemort killed James and me. Harry survived, because Voldemort killed me when I begged for him to kill me instead of Harry. It's the old protectorum materna spell, you know, it invoked some magic that made it impossible for Voldemort to kill the baby. The spell bounced from Harry back to Voldemort, reducing him to a spirit."

It's a long story to tell, but James and I do it while we're sharing lunch, dessert and a quiet afternoon with Morag and the McKinnons. They supply us with all the right oohs and aahs in all the right places and in the end, Marlene hugs me again.

"That's just about one hell of a story, Lily! Should write a book about it before someone else is writing the history for you in ways you might not like…" says Peter.

He'd think like that! He was working for the Daily Prophet after all…

"I don't think, I'm enough of a writer to pull that off. But basically you're right, Peter. How about we commission you to do the writing?" I ask.

"I'll have to think what we want to do anyway. I could see that the Daily Prophet has gone a bit down the hill, eh?"

"Rag," comments James.

"Just like almost everything else since Fudge became Minister," I add.

"How about starting a whole new newspaper then? There isn't much around other than the Prophet, is there?"

"There's a monthly magazine brought out by Lionel Lovegood, called the Quibbler, but that's not too reliable. It's quite fun to read and I met the guy, who's a very nice fellow, but he's a bit off in the clouds. Then there's the more specialised publications, which aren't any carriers of proper daily news at all. I think, if you really do get into it, you should have a chance. Sell it through Flourish & Blotts for a start."

"Great idea, I'll look into it. The Ministry has graced us with 1000 Galleons each for a new start."

"Yeah, I know. They give that to all who come back."

"Wonder what the source of that money is…"

"Confiscated Death Eater accounts, Peter, don't worry about that, take it and start up with it," I emphasise.

"I will then. I think it's an amazing step taken by the Ministry. Didn't like to hear Fudge had received the job at all…"

"He may be going soon. I don't think we'll have to bear him for a long time still. While the Prophet has been very government friendly during the time Voldemort was back, it has nevertheless criticised Fudge more often than not," James remarks.

Marlene turns to me again and asks:

"So, now that we know all about you, tell me about Sirius and Remus. You've been with them all the time while you were here? Where are they then?"

I smile and tell her:

"Well, they've probably got sick of us and left…"

For a delightful bunch of seconds I watch her shocked face. Then I break out laughing and go on:

"Dumbledore has wanted them back in Hogwarts, because they've done such a good job with the students here. Thought that other students might profit from their teaching methods as well and so they've moved to Hogwarts for most of the time, Sirius teaching Potions and Remus teaching Defence against the Dark Arts. When they get to it they come here for the weekends."

"Wow… Marauders as teachers," Marlene whispers, impressed.

"Yeah, everyone thinks so, but I've seen them at it, and I tell you, they make better teachers than all those serious idiots who only see their subject and not the children they have to teach. Sirius told me how much he especially enjoys working with the little ones, how much fun it is to see their curious faces and feed that curiosity."

"And they're back together? After everything that was? They're amazing…"

"They are. And yes, I agree, they are amazing. This is one couple that fits together like tongue and groove. And… little Andy here is actually one third of a set of triplets. His brother and sister are at Hogwarts with their daddies…"

"What! You've given them children?"

"We have. Well, they're their own, I just carried them to term. I still regard them as my children, too, though. Sirius has a son named Dennis and Remus has a daughter named Seraina."

"Oh, so you are really the egg donator?"

"That, too. It was an experience that sealed the friendship between the four of us even stronger. It could have been disaster as that kind of thing has for many people, but I think we were lucky. Mostly because James and I have totally agreed to do it for them. Well possible that we will repeat the procedure in a few years."

She grins and comments that she admires my guts.

"What about you, my dear? Once you've settled back in a bit better."

"We have too much on the plate right now. Peter's contacting our old friends beside you, we're looking for a place to stay, so we could move out of Daniel's place as soon as possible. We've got to collect ideas what we want to do… I'm probably looking for a job, maybe even at the Ministry. And so on and so on… we got ourselves some new clothes and Daniel has looked for a few things he has still from our old household to return to us. It's all rather difficult to start at zero. Though among the things Daniel still had were all of our photos and a large collection of the books."

"There was practically nothing left from our stuff. But we've come into possession of our Gringott's account right again, which made things easier."

"That's another problem. Our account was spread over three or four others when we died. People inherited our money and we're feeling very bad to ask it back. It's not their fault we died and it's not their fault either that we came back." She sighs. "Maybe we'll see that we can get a small part back, after all we were quite well off."

"I'm sure that they won't mind helping you back into life. If you have problems, come to us."

"We will. Daniel has tried to shoo everyone off and has been most kind, but maybe that was to keep us away from our friends. He's been the one who got most of the money from our estate. He also received the house. Peter will probably tell him that he either gives us the money or the house back. But that's hard… if it gets as far as a legal dispute there won't be any reference cases…"

**Friday, 20.11.1998 / Remus**

Today's morning mail brings a letter for Sirius. He starts to smile, pulls it from the envelope and reads it. Then he puts it away and turns to me:

"Remind me that I'll have to tell you something, love…"

"Why not now?"

"Needs more time than we have right now."

"Okay."

My curiosity – and my jealousy – has been aroused. What's in that letter? I'm wondering about that the whole morning, thinking he'd tell me about it at lunch, but he still postpones it. Finally, after the last lessons, both of us have only two, he pulls me down to our flat. Seemingly I don't have to remind him. He just tells me that we should get back to the Sunnegg first, then he'll tell me. As soon as we're there and a bit more comfortable, I nail him down in the small living room.

"So what's in that letter?" I prompt.

"Well, seeing as we'll have a lot less teaching next year, I started to think of some things. Mainly about the fact, that I've only repressed my Azkaban issues and never really worked them out. After those three very happy years with you I think I'm ready to face the ghosts."

I nod. Finally he admits it. Though he'd been very successful in repressing the horrors that should still haunt him they're clearly not gone for good. I'm glad he knows that he's still got those issues. I wait for him to continue.

"I'm not handing myself over to a shrink. I'm convinced that this would only dig out everything and make me more miserable than before. I don't want to do more damage than help. But I want to go about it and revisit those memories. I decided to offer my – our – life story to a publisher."

I gasp. Should have known he'd somehow pull me in as well.

"Then I thought I would like to do this together with you. So you write yours, I write mine and both of us together fill the parts we spent together… I contacted an editor and asked him if he'd think such a book would be sold. He **jumped** to it! And believe you me, I've chosen the best magical publisher I could find. The letter I got this morning is the offer the publishing house makes us."

He pulls the letter out of his pocket and hands it over to me. I open it slowly and read:

"Dear Professor Black,

According to our negotiations our publishing house offers you the following conditions for the joint auto-biography of you and Professor Lupin:

-- 5000 Galleons for the manuscript, 15 of the proceeds for every book sold. No deadline, but also no advance payment. The book will be no less than 300 pages. You provide an unlimited number of photos. Again according to your wishes there will be no ghost-writer, you will write the book yourselves, the publisher reserves the right to edit the text if we see the necessity. --

If these terms and conditions suit you and Professor Lupin, please send your reply by return owl to enable us to set up the contract for signing. Remember that we would be most interested and pleased in publishing such a book, which would certainly find a very large audience.

Sincerely

Kevin C. Brixton

Chief Editor Magipublications Co."

I look up to Sirius. My head swirls. I feel a bit trapped, to be honest, he might have asked me first before jumping into this head first. If I decline this then he won't finally attack his issues. But I really hate doing this, I'm sure. There are already too many people who know I'm a werewolf.

"Can I think this over?" I ask.

"Naturally."

"What will you do if I decline?" I ask carefully.

"Do my own. But I want you to do it, Remus! Not only would it turn out just fine, it would do you as good as it will do me. You have some of those ghosts to attack, too, you know…"

That's what I was afraid he'd say. And he's right of course.

**Sirius**

I can see how his brain starts working. I know he hates this. But I still hope he'll agree, because it would be good for both of us. I can see the title already. "A Triumph of Love – The Trials and Tribulations of Azkaban's most notorious inmate Sirius Black & werewolf Remus J. Lupin". None of us will accept a subtitle as lurid as that. But I'm not pestering him. I know if I do that he'll just dig in his heels and be stubborn. The facts are there in the letter in his hands, it's up to him now.

Another reason why I'd like him to join me in this quest is that I'll need him badly. Not that I can't write, but I'll have to go through all those memories and I can't do that alone under any circumstances. I will need my love and probably also some of our friends to do that.

We turn to play with the twins. Denny starts to push himself around on his arms when he's on his belly. It goes backwards most of the time, but he's looking all proud when he manages to push himself around. Seraina watches him and looks astonished at what he can do. They are almost seven months old now and can sit well by now. Of course there are already several photos of them on our mantelpieces at Hogwarts as well as here in our living room. We try to catch as many pictures of them as we can, as they change so much and so quickly. By now Seraina has seven teeth and starts on her last incisor while I have the impression that the first canine starts to come out also. Denny is still a bit behind in teething, he has the lower four and the upper middle incisors. We're already brushing them a little, but only with water, so if they swallow they don't get any toothpaste down their throats.

We're pretty happy and proud, because apart from their problems with the teething they haven't been ill one single day so far. Both of them have a whole range of sounds by now which we can clearly understand. And both already have a very clear way of showing how much they like certain people. The whole gang at the Sunnegg gets outstretched arms and wide grins and smiles as greetings. The same goes for some of the teachers. They definitely love Poppy, Edith and Minerva, but I suppose that comes from them spoiling the twins with attention and tenderness. Filius always gets a smile, too.

Playing with the children takes shape beyond lifting them up and swirling them around or tickling them. They can now aim very well when they want to grab things. Their eyes have improved and both are following something that we show them by turning their heads and looking after the thing, mostly a rattle or a little ball. We have started to give them some solid food, but only mashed apples or bananas so far. We'll move on to little bits of cooked veggies soon for lunch.

Besides our work our children are definitely the centre of our lives right now. There's nothing more important and we gladly postpone our sexual relationship if we think the twins need us more. In spite of their teething they sleep through the night now. We're happy that we were able to leave away the sleeping charms completely. We're only still using the gel to prevent them to be in too much pain. Maybe they don't feel it so strongly anymore in their sleep, but we're certainly happy to have longer nights again ourselves. We put them down into their cots after eight in the evening and normally they hardly move until the early morning, but after their early breakfast they usually go to sleep again for another hour or two. Remus and I usually use the time from their early breakfast to the time we need to get up for our love-making. Both of us love it in the morning, we always consider it a perfect start to the day. I know that this will change again as soon as the twins start to get out of their cots and come to our bed, which we expect as soon as they start to crawl and get more independent.

**Morag**

Friday again and Sirius, Remus and the twins are coming to Sunnegg. They're most happy that they can spend many of the weekends at home. Both look content and it seems that Sirius is slowly but surely adjusting to the workload. He doesn't look as tired anymore. Maybe it also has something to do with the fact, that the twins are sleeping better and give them time to recuperate now.

I'm seeing Nicole tonight. We've slowly established a solid relationship and I'm always happy to hop over to her for some help with my schoolwork or a cup of tea or just a chat. I'm not saying no to the sex either. Claudine has got used to us. They've even entrusted me with a key now and when I apparate I always land in front of the door to their flat. They're the only ones on their floor, so I don't have to be afraid to meet other people.

My schoolwork is going quite well. I'm good at the languages and of course history is no problem at all, but I need Nicole's help with the maths. Figures aren't really my thing. But I need them to pass the exams. Since Nicole's mother is from the French part of Switzerland Nicole's bilingual and that helps me to learn the proper pronunciation in French. When I tell her about the Polyglot potion she thinks I'm mad to learn the language the Muggle way.

I have established a daily routine. I'm so glad that I don't have to care about cooking and housekeeping, I only take care of my own room. Dobby spoils me to bits anyway, because the others are usually gone during lunch and I'm alone with James and Lily and the children. Sometimes Parvati is around, because she is already working shifts at the hospital, still in nursing, but that means she's at home at more unusual times. So I'm working from nine to lunch and after lunch I'm working for another two to three hours, depending on how much I still have to do. This way I get by pretty well, because the amount of work is calculated so a fully working person could get through it working only on evenings and weekends. My weekends remain mostly free. Once a month I'm going to the school's central in Zürich for the Saturday lessons with teachers. I'm doing quite well for now. Of course it's only the beginning yet.

**Mandy**

Friday! I'm finishing today's work. There wasn't much. Seven werewolves who had to come for their registry. They have to come in to the Registry every two years for that. Since I've started work in September I've met a good number of the werewolves in England. The woman who took care of this before I started wasn't very interested in learning to know the people who came in. She just did the registration in place of the guy who was responsible before and who now sits in Azkaban. The werewolves who have come in since then have quickly noticed that I'm not just another ministry witch who despises the work with them. The people I don't know yet already come into my office with friendlier faces than in the beginning. Even only after a few weeks my clients have started to come into the office with brighter looks on their faces. I've used some of Sirius' designing tricks to make the office a lot nicer. Nothing looks shabby and old fashioned anymore. I suppose they've been told by other werewolves that someone moved into the office who has some understanding for them.

One of my jobs is the registry itself, another is to travel around and contact those people who suffer from lycanthropy to see how I can help them in the function of the responsible for the Werewolf Support Unit. For the simple registration I've already asked for an assistant because I intend to concentrate a lot of my work on the Support Unit, which needs to become a real support for them again. For years it seems to have been neglected. Diggory is my boss and when I've confronted him for a larger budget he's tried to turn me down. But once I've given him an overview of my ideas, especially a wider spread and availability of the Wolfsbane potion he's become a bit more interested. Especially when I presented him with a comparison between the costs for the distribution of Wolfsbane potion and the cost for every new case. I've actually asked for a yearly budget that I can freely use. That's still pending.

One of the tasks in the functional specification is actually to look after the werewolves outside of the Registry office, too. I suppose that hardly any officer in this function has ever done that before unless they saw reason for any form of prosecution. When I started out I went through many of the available information here at the registry and found out that every year there are about five to ten new cases. There must be a number of unreported cases, but I have found no estimation about that figure. New bites of registered werewolves are always stated, but there are practically none, therefore I suppose that almost all new cases are by unregistered werewolves. I have files for 238 werewolves, ages from 8 to 89. I've gone through those files one by one and when I have time I visit those werewolves who didn't have to come by for the two yearly registration yet. The eight year old is a girl. She has been registered as a new case only six months ago and the parents have kept her. To my dismay I've found a very demeaning remark that the parents have bluntly turned down the offer to put the child down. When I announce my visit they aren't too happy, it seems.

So today I'm picking up the smallish folder about Case # 5838666 and visit the child who is behind that number: Natasha Bender, eight years old, lives with her parents Bert and Nadine Bender at Hayforth Cottage somewhere in Wiltshire. In the whole folder the name of the child has been used one single time and has been replaced by the number after that! I knock on the door of their very well kept house shortly after lunch. Not only Mrs Bender is there, but Mr Bender, too, which pleases me.

"Hello, my name is Mandy Brocklehurst, I'm here from the Werewolf Registry and Support Unit."

Mr Bender looks me over, then opens the door wide and beckons me inside:

"Good afternoon. Do come in, Miss Brocklehurst!"

He helps me out of my cloak and guides me into the family room, which looks friendly and well used. Both of Natasha's parents are magical folk. When I sit down they call Natasha inside and I introduce myself again.

"Hello, Natasha! I'm your new caseworker at the Werewolf Registry. Call me Mandy, please!"

We shake hands, then she sits down next to her mother. She's clearly afraid of what's going to happen to her now. Her parents look at me rather suspiciously, too, but I quickly soothe them:

"I'm just making the rounds introducing myself. I've started at the Registry at the beginning of September and I'd like to know the people I am to work with from now on. Of course I could just wait until it's their turn to come and register again, but I thought it would be nicer to make the round and introduce myself."

"Oh, that's fine then. – Would you like some tea, Miss Brocklehurst?" Mrs Bender offers.

"That would be very welcome, thank you, madam!"

Then I turn to Natasha and start asking her about her transformations. From Remus' tales I know how traumatic the first ones usually are and expect that Natasha has made similar experiences. Mr Bender tells me that she's getting the Wolfsbane potion and that she's transforming in a specially prepared room in the basement. I ask Natasha:

"How can you drink the potion? It's terribly nasty stuff, isn't it?"

"Yes! The first time I vomited and had to take it again. I could hardly swallow it," she complains.

"Who brews it for you?" I ask.

"Mum. She owns an apothecary."

"Oh, that's good then, because I can give her a tip to make it better. I have friends who alternately brew the potion for our former teacher, Professor Lupin, who's now teaching at Hogwarts again, and one of them found out that all it takes is a bit of Muggle artificial sweetener, to improve the potion dramatically."

"Hogwarts has a werewolf on the teaching staff?" Mr Bender asks, baffled.

"Oh yes. Professor Lupin was bitten when he was five. He was allowed to attended Hogwarts and later studied at Avalon Academy. He's the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. Much loved by most of the students."

"I didn't know that. And he really attended Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes, he did. No one knew, only his dorm mates and a few choice others who covered him. And of course the teachers. Remus has a very clean record and he was one of the first to take the Wolfsbane potion on a regular basis."

"Do you think, that Natasha will be able to attend Hogwarts, too, then?" he asks hopefully.

"I noticed she is the only child younger than eleven years since Remus. I'm quite sure she will be getting her letter, because Professor Dumbledore will certainly give her the same chance that Remus received. It will be up to Natasha to go there openly as a werewolf or to keep it a secret and only tell a choice circle of people."

"Oh, now I'm very relieved. The people at the Registry who were there before you were quite adamant that they wouldn't expose the other students to a werewolf among them."

I'm getting angry.

"They must have been damn arrogant pigs! And all the while they knew perfectly well that Remus Lupin would be back at Hogwarts from on September of this year! This is awful! Remus was teaching there for the first time five years ago when I was in my third year, then he left for a year and after that he taught a group of students at a safe house in Switzerland for three years. I was there for two years of those three then I could go back to Hogwarts for my last year. All I can say is that we all loved him not only as a teacher, but as a friend and father figure. I will certainly help you to go to Hogwarts, Natasha."

"Thank you, Mandy. I'd really like to go. I'm quite alone here. My sister left for Hogwarts this September and my younger brother is at Hogsmeade Primary. I can't go for the time being."

"We've agreed with the headmistress that she shouldn't go to school until she's well settled. I'm sure she can go back next year," Mr. Bender informs me.

"Don't worry, Natasha, I'll check it with Professor Dumbledore and I'm sure you'll be able to go to Hogwarts with your sister. He's one of the nicest people I've ever met and even if he will probably have left Hogwarts by the time you start, it will be Professor McGonagall who follows as headmistress and she thinks much the same as he does. Remus is a very close friend of hers."

After that the visit becomes very pleasurable. Mrs Bender immediately takes note of the tip to improve the Wolfsbane potion. Then I'm talking to them about my plans regarding the werewolf laws and my ideas to improve the lives of werewolves. I don't return to the office afterwards, I'm going straight home. Natasha asks me:

"Where do you live, Mandy?"

"I've actually returned to that farmhouse in Switzerland, Natasha. It belongs to Remus Lupin and his life partner Sirius Black. The whole group of students still lives there, among them Harry Potter and his parents and small siblings. We're a great bunch of young people. It's beautiful there and I'll certainly miss it a lot when I ever move away from there."

"My older daughter has told us in one her letters that Sirius Black is her Potions teacher…" Mr. Bender tells me and continues: "At first I was a bit shocked, but she also wrote how much she likes him."

I laugh.

"I'm not surprised at all that she likes him. He's a really great teacher. He's also taught at the safe house, Potions, Arithmancy and Transfigurations. Remus taught us Defence, Charms, History and Ancient Runes. And they both covered Herbology, Astronomy, Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures. It was great to learn from them. None of us wants to leave that nest yet…"

"That's rather gracious of your former teachers…"

"Oh, they're both very happy we're still there. As I said – we've become chosen family. My parents still complain about the fact that Remus is a werewolf and that he was our teacher. They're mad that I never once felt a reason to be scared of him. They never understood that. They also think that I've forfeited any form a of a Ministry career by wanting to work for the Registry. Both are very conservative Ravenclaws."

Mr. Bender grins.

"And what are you? – Gryffindor?"

"Ravenclaw, too," I admit impishly, "But probably much rather one like our good old Professor Flitwick."

"I see. So you're apparating from Switzerland to London every day?" Mr Bender asks me.

"Yes, I do. I'm already quite used to it."

"Good for you then. It was a pleasure to meet you. I admit that I wasn't too happy when you announced your visit, I expected another attempt to have our child put down. But it seems that with someone like you at this office there's some hope for our child after all. There was someone who actually told us it would be 'humane' to just kill her! Of course we refused!"

"I know. I've read the report and I've heard the same from Remus. His parents were told the same. But he's one of the friendliest and most competent people I know! It's really awful!"

I'm saying goodbye and apparate back to the Sunnegg. Tonight I'll be out back in London though to meet my new boyfriend, who I have yet to present to my extended family. But I've started to tell him everything about them to prepare him for a meeting. I know they're all curious, but I think I'm not ready to share him just yet.

I'm meeting Jason for dinner at a wizarding restaurant in Diagon Alley, so I can apparate there, which gives me ample time for a shower and to get dressed. Then I still have a bit of time to chat with my friends before I leave. I'm hearing the latest from Hogwarts, from St. Mungo's and France and how Morag's schoolwork is going.

Shortly before seven I apparate out to the Diagon Alley. It's fairly cold by now and I'm pulling my cloak tightly around me. Jason meets me in front of the restaurant. We embrace and I kiss him, happy to see him again. Mmm, another kiss, please! That's it, love! We'll not linger after dinner, we'll go right to his place.

Jason works at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as a lawyer for the prosecution. He's had a lot of work these past few years, but he says it's back to getting better again. The flood of Death Eater trials starts to dry up slowly but surely. We step inside of the restaurant and a waitress shows us a table. Once we're sitting he says in a very low voice:

"Fudge is finally clearing out of his office, Mandy! It will be all over the news tomorrow, we'll be rid of him by the end of the year."

"Wow! Finally! That's at least fifteen years too late."

"Some say so. But back then they didn't have an alternative, Dumbledore didn't want the post and the only other one who wanted it was Lucius Malfoy. Fudge was by far the lesser evil, especially since he listened to Albus. And in my opinion Albus made the right choice. He knew that influence on the young is the most important influence. He was even able to influence Fudge for a good long time, only when You-Know-Who returned the trust was gone, because Fudge feared for his precious position."

I nod. But then I throw in:

"Voldemort, Jason! There's really no reason not to call the man by his name."

He gives me a surprised look, then he resigns and admits:

"Habit, I suppose. I'm amazed how easy it's coming over your lips…"

"Remus', James' and Sirius' influence, I believe. In fact Remus really hammered it into us that the guy has a name and even one that he had to make up for himself. Dumbledore always called him Tom Riddle."

"Was that his real name? I have to admit that I was lucky and the whole thing completely passed me by."

"Yes, that was his real name. He wasn't even a pureblood, his father was a Muggle, but he always left that part out. – And now? Are there any rumours as to who will be appointed?"

"I think, Bones has a good chance. It's up to the full Wizengamot to elect the new Minister. Those who want to run for it have to apply there."

"Bones would be good, I think," I say.

"Yes, she would be. She's got a very good grip on the MLE. It's thanks to her that there are no sycophants as there are around Fudge. Had he managed to get rid of her we'd be in complete disorder."

"That's going to cause a little chain reaction to replace the next person if she's leaving, eh?"

A waitress elf offers us the menus and asks what we'd like to drink. We order some white wine and I order some water along with the wine.

"Yes, of course there will be a bit of a movement – a new head, then a new deputy etc."

"Will you apply?"

"For what? Minister? I'm not out of my mind, love!"

I laugh.

"Of course not, silly, I know you wouldn't! I mean for the deputy head of the MLE."

He grins.

"Yes, I think I will. Besides it's good to at least attempt, but I'm quite serious. I'd still do my own work, which I like for the most part. Joanne McGovern gets to be the head, that's for sure, but the deputy will be a bit more difficult. There are two others in my position who could do the job."

"I wish you luck then…"

"You're my good luck charm, love," he says, grinning again.

"I love you, too."

We order our dinner and just as we get served I see my parents entering the restaurant. Luckily they're with some friends. Still I groan a bit.

"What's up, Mandy?" Jason asks.

"My parents just trooped in."

"Oh." He understands. He knows I'm not too fond of them at the moment.

"That reminds me… when will you finally think I'll be eligible to be presented to your chosen family?"

"Do you want that?" I ask back.

"Yes, I think so. After all you've told me about them they sound like a delightful bunch."

"They are. Then we'll do that soon. Next weekend okay?"

"Sure!"

I'm not looking around for my parents but when they pass us I can't act like I don't know them. Mum comes to the table immediately and I have to get up and greet her. I can't just ignore her without causing a scene. I'm introducing Jason.

"Mum, please meet Jason Taylor, he's working as a lawyer at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Jason, this is my Mum."

They shake hands and Mum gives Jason the once over, which he bears with an indulging smile.

"I don't want to keep you from enjoying your dinner, I see you've just been served. Have a nice evening," Mum says and follows dad and their friends.

Once they're out of earshot I sigh:

"Phew. That went well…"

"Quick and easy in any case. I can see you're rather cool with each other."

"Polite distance, you could say. They've been very uncivil to Remus. Something I can't stand!"

"There was no need to be, was there?"

"Of course not. Once you'll meet him you'll notice that he's one of the nicest people you can meet! He's never been anything but polite and friendly to them, but they treat him like he'd be scum. For no other reason than the one night every month he transforms into the wolf."

"That's awful. I mean, I don't know any werewolves, though I'll probably meet some, seeing that you work at the Registry, but I would expect that there are people among them I'd like to meet and others I'd despise, just like among any other group of people."

"Which is exactly the right way to approach them. Most of the ones I've met so far are just as okay as any other people. Some have been less than friendly, but given the treatment they get that's hardly a wonder. I hope that I'll bring them around though. Both sides."

We enjoy our dinner undisturbed and talk all the while. There's lots to discuss. Jason is twelve years older than I, but I don't give a damn about that, he's nice, friendly, good looking, too, intelligent and witty. At Hogwarts he's also been in Ravenclaw, so there are familiar things to talk about, too. After dinner we settle the bill and apparate to his house. He has a nice cottage type house in Kent. He offers more coffee and a very good brandy and grins, because I accept both with pleasure.

"You really like brandy?" he asks.

"Prefer a good Cognac, but I suppose we've been spoiled by the Marauders."

"The Marauders?"

"James, Remus and Sirius. Called themselves the Marauders in Hogwarts, together with Peter Pettigrew, their fourth roommate."

Now he grins.

"Oh, those Marauders. I heard of their pranks at Hogwarts, but of course I never knew who was behind that name. They have to have been a very mischievous bunch…"

I laugh, too.

"Yes, they were. They must have been very inventive, too. The stories they've told us! If only half of them are true, then nobody knows Hogwarts as good as they do. Except for maybe Professor Dumbledore."

"Albus must know this castle very well."

"Yes, but he claims that he doesn't even want to know all of its secrets, so that he can still find out some."

"Very intelligent man he is… So Cognac it is then…"

He summons a bottle and the larger glasses and in no time I'm gently swaying the glass and lower my nose inside, to get a good whiff of the contents. The bouquet has unfolded in the glass and I am pleased with the scent from the oak barrel in which the cognac has spent a good time of its life.. I take a little sip and turn it around in my mouth.

"Mm, very nice stuff."

"I should hope so! It's twelve years old Cognac. How come you have a taste for that? That's pretty strong stuff for kids."

I grin.

"Oh, I developed it only in the last year. For this and for the kind of liquor that's made from really good fruit. In Switzerland they're not so touchy when it comes to alcohol. Of course there's an age line, no alcohol is sold to children under 16, but what the parents allow their children is their own affair. Remus and Sirius allowed us to taste wine and later this kind in small amounts with the result that none of us has ever really been heavily drunk. And they helped us develop a taste for the more exclusive sorts. The quality stuff so to speak. In terms of wines and liquors. We were allowed small amounts, so we learned to enjoy this with care and have learned to distrust cheap fusel."

"Clever, though I'm not sure that this always works. No wonder your parents disliked them."

"Oh, they had no idea about that part! They knew we were allowed a glass of wine occasionally. I don't think they minded that. All in all they just minded that we were in the hands of a werewolf and an ex convict. Never mind that said ex convict was imprisoned without having committed a crime and without ever receiving a trial."

The evening gets late. We move on to chess and later, much later, to the bedroom.

**Thursday, 26.11.1998 / Remus**

After the last lesson Sirius and I get dressed in our warm cloaks and tell Winky we'll be back before dinner, we have to go to Hogsmeade for a shopping trip. We take the brooms and reach our destination after several minutes. It's cold, but we have rather a bit more of that for a short time than a tiny bit warmer for a long time. We reach Dervish and Banges. This is a fairly large department kind of store. We ask for Pensieves and are brought in contact with the one of the department heads who actually has one to sell. It's a lovely basin made of pink marble with all the runes needed to make it a Pensieve. An extensive booklet belongs to the Pensieve, which will inform us about all the spells that can be used to work with the device. We pay for it, then go the way back to the castle.

After dinner and once the children are in bed we sit in front of the Pensieve and study the material that came with it. I go through the basic charms.

"Okay, so you think it would be best to just place memories in there to look at them again from another angle and then write them down…" I ask.

"Yep. Come on, read the description of how this is supposed to work," he replies with his usual impatience.

The book gives me the spell I need to think to get hold of the thoughts I want to place in the Pensieve. It also tells me that I can put an unlimited amount of memories inside, but with the warning that a large amount of thoughts and memories would be harder to organise systematically.

"We can either watch the memory by touching the substance or by letting it rise out of the Pensieve," I tell Sirius and try the most simple spell by holding my wand to my temple, then slowly pull the memory away. A silvery thread-like something seems to be stuck to it and I carefully transport it to the Pensieve where it drops from the wand. Sirius watches and asks:

"May I look at it?"

I grin.

"Sure."

"Will you come along?"

"If you really want to…"

He takes my hand and we both touch the swirling thing in the Pensieve and get sucked inside. Sirius recognises the memory immediately. It's the day James told us that Lily had finally listened to his pleas and promised to go out with him.

_Sirius is lounging on my bed, while I'm finishing off an essay. He's treating me with lots of little nice strokes over my back and I'm leaning on him. This peaceful moment gets interrupted when the door gets thrown open with a big bang and James barges in, crying:_

"_Hey guys! Sing hallelujah for me, she finally said yes!"_

_Sirius jumps out of my bed and starts a victory dance with James, both singing very loudly and very off key and I grin, while Peter, who's followed James a bit more slowly, comes in and closes the door, joining them in their dance. _

"_That's really great, mate! I'm sure you'd be good together," Sirius says and pulls James in a hug._

"_Thanks, mate! I'm so glad she finally agreed to give it a try. Saturday is the day, cross all your fingers for me, okay?"_

"_We will, James, because you'll need it," I promise, still grinning. _

_Then I have finally finished my homework. The four of us decide to go for dinner and of course we're going down all together, James and Peter ahead of us, Sirius and I hand in hand right behind and where we have the space we go all four in a row and make our presence known quite prominently. We reach the Great Hall and sit down on our usual places. It's the end of our sixth year and we're all pretty happy._

Sirius still holds my hand when we come out of the short memory. He smiles.

"Did you choose this particular memory specifically or was it coincidental?" he asks.

"I chose it. You think the spell and pick one of your memories. I did remember this, but certainly not as vividly as what we saw. Obviously the brain saves a lot more than we can recall. You can also take out memories from your subconscious, with this spell here…"

We study the little booklet and then find that spell. This time Sirius tries it. We watch the memory float in the Pensieve and he looks at me.

"Do we dare going in?" he asks with a bit of a shaky voice.

I suspect that a memory plucked from his subconscious would not be the most pleasant one, so I brace myself and say:

"I'll come with you…"

He sighs. Then I take his hands and we go in again. I don't recognise the house, but it's during our Hogwarts days for sure.

_Then I see Sirius lying on the floor of a very dark room, hardly breathing. He looks broken, so beaten and I realise it must have been at his parent's house. The door opens and his father enters, throwing a cold look down on his son and asking in an even frostier tone:_

"_So, did you have enough? Are you going to behave? You are to join the Dark Lord's ranks in a few hours, you'd better get up now!"_

_When Sirius doesn't move, his father tries to use the Enervate spell, with little effect. Still, Sirius pulls himself up and says:_

"_I'm not joining those Death Eaters! You can't make me! Not even if you kill me!"_

"_I'll teach you to talk back, Sirius Black! Crucio!"_

_For two full minutes Sirius is put under the terrible curse. I squeeze his hands as we watch him writhe and scream. Then his father leaves and locks the door from the outside. _

_Now Sirius gets active. He picks his wand from his trunk, which seems to be still packed. He must have only just returned from Hogwarts. Sirius sends his owl out of the window, picks up his alarm clock, whispers: "Portus!", taps the clock with his wand while he grabs his trunk and the next moment he vanishes._

We come back out and I just hold him. I'm aware that I'm going to hold him like that many times in the days to come. These memories are so painful that it almost makes me scream.

"Did they send you an owl because you were doing magic?" I ask.

He shakes his head.

"No. James' dad wrote them that I was imprisoned at my parents' house, that they had tried to force me to become a Death Eater and that I was put under the Cruciatus curse by someone, as his wife had diagnosed it. So it was accepted as a life threatening situation and I was let off the hook."

"I see."

All of these memories, especially the ones during our schooldays will stir other memories, I'm sure. Lots of them. Then I say:

"We should do this systematically now. Start with our early childhood. Whatever we can recall through the spell that takes stuff from the subconscious."

"Yeah. I still remember lots of things. But most probably even more is gone."

Sirius 

That first random memory was hard enough to take, but I expect that others coming up will be a lot worse than that. Cruciatus meant pain but I had grown up with pain. They were one of the many reasons why I left my parental house. The main reason was certainly the danger of being marked by Voldemort as one of his Death Eaters, which I wanted to avoid at all costs. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the mental pain and anguish that years and years of being dressed down, their constant ranting and putting down of everything I was. And finally all that mental and physical pain at my 'home' was nothing compared to what I had to go through in Azkaban.

Our musings are interrupted by a call on Remus' Commumirror. He takes it and Mandy asks us:

"Are you going to be at home over the weekend?"

"Yes, we're leaving here usually right after the last lesson," Remus replies.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Something special going on?" Remus asks with a grin.

"Yep. You'll get to know Jason."

"Ah! Finally! We look forward to that, Mandy!"

"Good! Until then, ta, Moony, Padfoot!"

Mandy's obvious cheerfulness pulls us right out of sombre thoughts. I pull the thread back into my head, leave the Pensieve alone and check on the twins before going to bed. For the time being we can still leave the Pensieve on the coffee table, but we plan to remove it soon, so that the children couldn't get inside by accident. It would be horrible if they saw something terrifying for which they aren't ready yet.

**Friday, 27.11.1998 / James**

I apparate to the Sunnegg together with the 'Carnal Canines'. How I love that nickname! Snape's graced them with it, but I'm only angry it never came to my mind! It fits them so well. They tell me that Mandy's bringing her boyfriend along. So we finally get to know Mr Mysterious. We know his name is Jason Taylor and we know he's a bit older than Mandy and we know he works for Amelia Bones. Otherwise we know nothing. It shows how the Sunnegg-bunch still remains to be a family, that we're just as curious as everyone else.

Dobby is working for a larger dinner. Winky just comes in and helps him immediately. He's glowing of happiness like he does every time he gets an opportunity to show off his cooking skills. The table in the dining area is laid with the finest tablecloth and the nice silverware. The crystal glasses shimmer.

"Wow – big welcome for the fellow," I remark.

"Looks like it," Sirius confirms, grinning.

"Prank?" I ask.

"Don't you dare!" Remus hisses.

We both laugh. We wouldn't have, anyway. We don't want to lose Mandy!

We're welcomed by Morag and her girlfriend Nicole. Morag tells us that the complete crew plus George, Fred, Angelina, Alicia, Katie and Lee will be on board. That makes us smile and Remus says:

"That's great. Poor Jason will have the shock of his life when he notices we're sticking together like we do, I'm afraid."

"Well, that's a horrible experience I've had to make as well, but I do think I've adjusted quite well," Nicole throws in.

"Oh, and from how Mandy describes him he'll fit right in. She says he's got a fairly sharp tongue sometimes," Morag adds.

"Good. – Would you two baby-sit our twins for a while, so we can go and change?" Sirius asks.

"Sure!"

The two men unclasp their cloaks and loosen their slings, then Nicole and Morag grab one of the babies each and keep them until their daddies return.

"Gosh, they're cute!" Nicole coos.

"That they are!"

"What a lucky coincidence that they're two and that they're looking almost like their fathers…"

"Oh, **that** wasn't a coincidence," Morag explains, "They've used a spell to get the surrogate mother to ovulate and then she was inseminated with first Sirius' and three days later, when the first insemination proved successful, the procedure was repeated with Remus' semen. And in both cases a further spell ensured that the mother's dominant traits would be suppressed. And finally James added his part, which resulted in little Andy over there."

"Wow. Tricked the whole genetic just like that! And it worked, too!"

"Yeah, it did…"

"That magic of yours is enviable. I can hardly get over it what you guys can do. So these two here will probably have it, too, won't they?"

"It's highly probable," I say, "They've been sired by two fairly powerful people, whose magic is strong and as you know their mother is quite a formidable witch as well."

The people start to come into the living room and start to spread over the sofas, recliners and on the chairs at the table. They all take good care not to touch anything of the decorations of the table, because there would be a little fury named Dobby who'd tell them off. I greet Lily with a kiss and pick Andy up who graces me with one of his lovely smiles. Harry and Hermione apparate in, greet everyone and rush up to their room to put down their stuff and change. Finally Mandy comes in with her boyfriend. Jason is quite tall, blond, has grey eyes and looks like he's a rather friendly person. Mandy introduces him summarily to everyone and then starts introducing everyone to Jason.

At dinner we all discuss what happened during the past week, politics, Quidditch, what happened at Hogwarts, what happened to our gang and whatever else comes to our minds. Lily and Harry update us on the newest returns from the A.K. spells; another 30 all in all have been recovered.

"But about half of them were Muggles and again we've had no luck, they have all been tortured terribly and died within an hour of reviving them still at the graveyards. They were put right back into their graves," Lily gives the account.

I listen here and there what's discussed and all of a sudden I recognise Remus' voice telling Hermione:

"…and then this letter came for Siri last Friday. An offer for us to write our autobiography to publish in a book! I was quite shocked and wanted to decline immediately, but he's talked me into accepting…"

"Wow, but that's an amazing opportunity to write about your life, Remus, to tell them the truth about how it feels to be a werewolf! I think, there's enough that would interest people, even if they're probably going to buy it to read about the infamous ex-convict in the first place. It would give you the quiet possibility to bring a few pointers about werewolves across that people know nothing about."

"I'm still thinking about what and how much I can say, and what would be thrown back at me later on. I'll be exposed to all that, you know, but you're right, I'll have to talk about that, too, of course."

"You should. There's only 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart' out that gives the point of view of a werewolf on how it feels to be one… and honestly, that **is** a bit sappy."

Remus smiles.

"Who says I wouldn't be sappy, too?"

"I don't think you could be. You're very romantic, but I'd never expect someone who's as brilliant at lecturing as you are to become sappy."

I think, Hermione is spot on there. I'm quite interested in how they go about that book. It will certainly occupy their time for a good bit for a while. I turn to Sirius and ask him:

"What's that about writing a book?"

"I've offered my life's story to a publisher. I need to have some sort of an approach of my issues with Azkaban and if possible, some real closure. I'm going to write my memories down, even the dreariest ones, and they should be published. It's going to take the form of an autobiography, but with that I'm trying to exorcise some of those 'ghosts' from my mind."

"Does it still haunt you?"

"Not consciously. I'm too busy to be worried by it, too, but you never know. The human mind can do such strange things. I'm afraid that it could attack me when I least expect it and if there's a way to get it out of my system before that happens I want to find it and do it. I'm quite convinced that this is going to help me. If not, it will still be time to contact a shrink. I told Remus that any sort of a doctor would only be my last resort."

"Is it that bad?"

"I don't know. Not consciously anyway. But I know I've been repressing a lot. There's only so much a mind can bear and I wouldn't want to find out when I've reached my maximum by breaking down. I'll need a lot of support from my lover though! We're going to place all of those memories in Pensieves and then go in together. This way I can pass some of the horror to Remus and while I'm not too fond of that it will certainly help me to bear to visit those memories again."

"I'll be with you all the way, Padfoot and I'm sure, Lily will be there, too! I'd like to be with you two when you visit those memories again. Call on me any time. You shouldn't go through this all alone. Writing it down will be hard enough," I offer.

"I know. An enchanted quill will do the actual writing, but still… I have to dictate. Thanks for that offer, James, I'll call you to it for sure."

Looking back I can't but feel guilty. After all, it was because of us that Padfoot went to Azkaban! He wanted to protect us at any cost, even the cost of his own life – and then everything exploded and he didn't find himself dead, but living and buried in the worst place this world has to offer. Lily and I were dead but that seems to me to be a blessing if it's compared to the horrible way he's had to exist, because there's no way this could be called 'living'! I'm still appalled to think that our dear Padfoot had to go through such a horror and I blame myself for having agreed to change the Secret Keeper. Padfoot, who was someone who never really hurt anyone. Okay, so we weren't all too nice to Snape back in school, but heck, he gave us reason enough, he started right at the beginning of school to show us where the god sits for which he's taken himself even as a child. Sirius in particular paid him back for everything he got from the brat before he even came to Hogwarts. Technically we were bullying him rather viciously, but he gave as good as he got. But over all our pranks have been far more fun and were not malicious. We've been subjected to a number of pranks ourselves and took that normally in good humour, unless they came from Snape and then they were rarely harmless. Because he never succeeded with harmless pranks.

And then Sirius stepped back from a duty he would have fulfilled perfectly for fear that he would be able to break and suspecting the wrong friend. I still feel remorse towards Remus. Even though I was much less convinced that he was the spy I did think like Sirius that Peter was incapable of being it and thought that Remus was the one who had the power needed to double cross us. Or that he was somehow in the hands of the Death Eaters and was forced to do it, because he was a werewolf and because they tried to get all werewolves on their side. Had Peter been who we thought he was he wouldn't have had to fear much, Sirius would have been the perfect cover! He was ready to die for us and if he would have died no one would have known who our Secret Keeper was! Well, he did, he worse than died somehow and it still pains me that Lily and I have been the cause of his own personal hell. Just to see him here and happy again was worth it to return to life.

"You'll do it, Siri. You'll do just fine, both of you together."

"You could add your part, Prongs!" he says with a grin.

"Oh no! That's about you and Remus! Welcome to the Carnal Canines' lives! Can't wait to read this! Besides Peter McKinnon would like to write our story."

**Wednesday, 2.12.1998 / Ginny**

I'm waking up early today. We have a difficult test today and even though we've been studying late I'm waking up before the radio starts off. I'm turning to Ernie to get some cuddling before we have to get up. We have a good while to that and we make good use of it. It's good for our nerves. This is the first real test we have since we've started our university courses. We've had a few minor tests, but today's will be a bit larger, it's practically the summarising of the term's syllabus.

Christmas break starts earlier at the Academy, we'll be off in ten days for full four weeks. Sure, there will be a lot of stuff to study and read, but still… I'm really looking forward to those four weeks. I'll be able to go and do my Christmas shopping without haste, thus allowing me to find for my loved ones what I think they will like. Mum has already owled and asked when we would want to come to the Burrow, hoping it would be on Christmas day. I think that should be fine, since it's the custom to celebrate on Christmas Eve here. I just want to call her still and ask her to invite Ernie's family. Thanks to daddy's improved financial situation I can even look for nice gifts for all my loved ones. I'm the only one who still needs to be supported by the family, so daddy has been very gracious with my allowance.

Dad has finally been promoted to the new year. He'll move up to be head of the Department of Muggle Relations, which means he'll be the liaison between the Ministry and the British Prime Minister when there's something on that concerns the magical world, which the Muggles need to know. It was about time to give him more responsibility! Of course that's actually idiotic, he'd have needed it when he had to take care of all of us seven children. But it means he'll earn about a third more than he did so far. Mum is pretty pleased. She's even invited Justin for the Christmas dinner.

The radio starts and we get to hear the news, while we get up and move over to the bath. We've been using it by the couples for a while now. Blaise and Padma have moved in Padma's room on the first floor, so the bathrooms will be spread better over the different couples. Which means that besides Ernie and I only Ron and Justin use the bathroom on the ground floor, while Mandy, Morag, Padma and Blaise use the one on the first floor and Neville, Parvati and Draco have the one on the second floor. Therefore it's easy to get by in the bathroom, I'm also really not very touchy when Ron and Justin are in the bathroom at the same time. It's more than large enough that a few people can brush their teeth at the same time. It's also got three large shower cabins and the large tub. We're through with the bath pretty soon and meet Blaise, Harry and Hermione at breakfast. Morag comes in only moments after us.

"Good morning!" she says brightly. "Are you ready for your test? Wasn't that like an orgy of studying yesterday?"

"Oh, don't remind me…" Blaise mutters.

Ernie grins.

"Probably even was. We've quizzed each other well enough I think, but I don't like tests any better for that. And from Blaise's reaction I take it that he doesn't like them any more either…"

"Say that aloud!" Blaise replies and grins, too.

I'm sure they'll both do well enough though, we've really worked hard. Of course it's an advantage that we're three of us studying the same major subject, we can really support each other outside of school, which helps our progress enormously. We've been learning some in depth theory on spell structures, so this is an entirely theoretical test. We did have a certain advantage on our classmates, because Remus made us work on basic spell structures in sixth year when we did the spell development for our projects. It came in handy that we've already worked some of this out in arithmantic tables. Oh yes, studying Charms means studying Arithmancy as well. In fact, spell structures are solved mostly in arithmantic tables. It's hardly possible to create a new spell without that knowledge or it would be a spell that would probably only work for the creator.

In which of course lies the magic of magic. Every magical person is naturally gifted to imagine something and to create it. Hardly one percent of the magical population will use this gift though. Sirius and Remus are the best example for the power a magical person can generate once they start to have more confidence in their own power to create. The Sunnegg gang has learnt from the two and it brought all of us a lot. If I have enough of my room I get up, look at it and imagine what I want changed. And then it's there. Sirius' permanence charm is also great, because it can be taken down, but it won't happen accidentally on any 'Finite Incantatem'. Blaise, Ernie and I seem to have really profited from this knowledge and it surprised only us that we've shot up to the top position in the class ranking.

It's funny, because mum finds our capabilities scary, but she tends to forget that daddy has these very capabilities in abundance. One look at the Burrow will confirm that fact. He may make the impression of a scatterbrain and being mild, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a lot of power. Most people really underestimate him greatly.

We discuss some last minute stuff during breakfast, then we brace ourselves and apparate to the Academy. The morning is going to be a long one. Ernie and Blaise sit down on either side of me and we get our test parchments. Four hours straight through. Detailed answers to complex questions.

We finish the test just around noon, then most of us decide to go outside to eat lunch. Since the Academy isn't far from the Leaky Cauldron we decide to go out and have some Chinese food somewhere on Shaftesbury Avenue. Pretty soon six or seven of us have squeezed into a smallish restaurant and ordered today's menu. It's quite good even and we happily chat during the meal.

In the afternoon we have no lectures, so I decide to go and see how Mum does and apparate to the Burrow. Ernie is still in town to do some early Christmas shopping. I apparate directly into the kitchen.

"Mum?" I call and walk over to the living room.

"Hi Ginny!" she greets me brightly.

She's reading a letter and holds it out to me, beaming.

"It's from Bill, Ginny, he's finally got together with Fleur Delacour! After all these years they have known each other, I didn't want to believe it!"

"Oh, that's nice! She's really a fine girl. At least he always sounded more than interested in her."

"He's writing that he's just been held back by his fear that the part in her which is Veela would just lure him into a trap. But he's convinced of her sincerity now. I can't believe it, my big boy has finally found himself a bride!"

"What! They even want to get married?" I ask, astounded. That doesn't sound like Bill at all.

"Read the letter! I'm sure he won't mind!"

I read through the letter:

"Dear mum and dad,

It's been a great half year since I've been stationed with the French Ministry Aurors. Not only have I already perfected my French I've also met the young lady again that I've learned to know three years ago when I went to Hogwarts with Mum to watch Harry perform in his third task of the Triwizard Tournament. Fleur Delacour and I have been in a loose friendship exchanging a fair amount of letters and I sought her out when I came to Paris.

Well, I've been interested in her from the beginning. She's a very beautiful girl and she's given me a bit of an eye from the beginning, only she's part Veela, so I was being more than careful. I know how you can be lured into the charm of a Veela and she's got that charm – in addition to her looks! So I was rather held back and let her know that I was interested more in friendship than a relationship. She accepted that and so we exchanged many letters. While I was in London she asked me some advice on curse breaking for her Advanced Charms studies, which I gladly gave. When I got here I sent her another owl and wanted to meet. We hit off soon after and now I can tell you both the happy news that you will finally have a daughter-in-law soon, as we have decided to step up our relationship and get married next spring.

I'll see you both at Christmas, when I'd like to bring Fleur along to introduce her properly. We'll spend Christmas Eve with her family, as Christmas is rather celebrated on the 24th December here in France.

With all my love

Bill"

Wow! My cool big brother is getting married! Oh, this will be so nice, I'm finally getting a sister!

"That's cool, Mum! I really think, Bill just wanted to wait for the real thing, don't you agree?"

She nods, happily, then smiles.

"And they're coming for Christmas! This is so nice! We'll have the house really full!"

"Do you need to enlarge something?"

"Oh, for sure! We need a lot of space for the table and in the living room and probably we'll have to add another few bedrooms. But Arthur is pretty good at that, believe me, so you needn't worry, dear! Everyone will be at home, Charlie is coming over from Romania as well."

"Poor Fleur, having the whole huge family to contend with. Do you think, he'll stay there forever, Mum?" I ask.

"It looks like it. Though he's unattached as of yet. Says the kind of flings he has aren't worth being taken home… he'll tease Bill terribly!"

I grin. Oh, he won't be the only one to tease our Bill. There will be at least four brothers and a sister who will tease him. And the twins will be relentless with their jokes. But it will be good for Bill anyway.

"I can help dad, mum, we have a break of four weeks! Starts at the end of next week. I've already brought my skis for the service, I expect to have an opportunity or two to go skiing again. Most of us can drive a car by now."

"Wow! That's gracious!"

"We'll get a fair amount of reading to do, don't worry. But that still leaves us loads of time. How's daddy doing?"

"Oh, he's fine! We're a bit under the empty nest feeling… we miss all the activity, but we've started to miss that from the day you went to Hogwarts. Only now you're all adults and it's yet another step. But with Bill and Fleur married I'm hoping for some grandchildren!"

I have to grin.

"We're all still a bit young to have children. What about Percy and Penelope?"

"I don't know. It seems they've drifted apart for a while now. I don't think they'll ever get married. It's a shame, she's done wonders for Percy!"

"Which is a wonder, seeing as he's such a prat sometimes. Intelligence alone isn't everything. He's an idiot if he lets her slip away. Penny is great!"

Mum gets up and moves to the kitchen.

"Would you like some tea?" she asks over her shoulder.

I follow her over and nod. While she starts the kettle I get the dishes out of the cupboard and search her tin boxes for some biscuits. It doesn't take me two minutes to find my favourite ginger biscuits, which I set out on a small plate. Even after more than three years I spent away from home I know my Mum's kitchen and find my way. She finishes the tea and pours us two cups. We've hardly sat down on the table when we hear the typical apparition plop. It's Angelina. Mum smiles and welcomes her:

"Hello, dear! How are you?"

"Hi, Molly! Hi, Ginny! What are you doing here? – I'm fine, Molly, but I need someone to hear what I have to relate! Fred and George are busy in their laboratory, so I'm not crazy enough to disturb them there, but I just have to tell **someone**! No one was at home, so I thought I'd come to you, because I'm going to explode if I can't share my news."

She lets Molly summon another mug for her and picks up some biscuits, then she looks at Mum and says, obviously beaming:

"Molly, I've been to see a mediwitch today, because I thought I was ill, but I'm not. Or at least it's only for a while. I've just found out that I'm pregnant!"

Wow again! What a day! First Bill who gets married, now Fred and Angelina will have a baby! Mum looks at her, flabbergasted. I think that was definitely not what she's expected. She does smile at Angelina and hug her, but then she asks:

"So when are you going to get married?"

"We'll see. Fred doesn't know about it yet, but I'm sure he and I don't want a big wedding anyway, we'd just like to have someone marry us and that's it. It's just a formality for the two of us anyway. We've talked about it before and we want to keep it between the two of us, George, Alicia, Katie and Lee. The baby is important though! I'm really pleased, even though it means that in about three months I'll have to stop flying. But I'll keep my spot on the Harpies team, I've asked a while ago. Oh, Molly, I'm so happy! It's going to be born at the end of July or the beginning of August next year."

Her cheerfulness is contagious and Mum starts to look past the not-wedding and look forward to her first grandchild.

"That's wonderful, Angelina! Are you sure you shouldn't stop playing Quidditch earlier on? What if you're hit by a Bludger?"

"Don't think it's really a problem, Molly, I can go until about February and then the season is almost over anyway. I'll gladly leave my spot to Alicia then…"

I get up and hug Angelina, too. It's great to be an auntie, I just know it. I already know how it feels to have a baby around and I really love my godchild, so I'm just happy for Angelina.

"That's great, 'Lina, you'll love being a Mum! And I'll love having you as a sister and becoming an auntie!"

"Thanks, Ginny! I just had to tell someone or I would have burst! Now I'll have to wait until tonight when I can tell Fred! He'll be so proud."

She clearly looks like she's planned it and wanted it. When I leave the Burrow for the Sunnegg three hours later I've seen dad and Mum told him about the two events that await us in the family. He just started to beam even more than Mum! I think he just loves to see the family grow.

"Well, I have to go now, dears. Wish me luck on that test today, I think it went well, but you never know."

When I reach the Sunnegg I'm happy to tell the others the good news that I've heard.

"Oh good, that will take your Mum's attention away from Ron and Justin," Draco remarks.

We all laugh, but he's right of course. Mum will have a wedding and a growing grandchild to focus on, so she'll probably finally get over the fact that Ron's gay.

**Saturday, 5.12.1998 / Ron**

Quidditch again today! Since most of the gang and our former teachers favour the Harpies we're usually seeing their matches, but today they're up against the Chudley Cannons, so I'm happy, too. It's a home game for the Harpies. For once the whole gang is around, James, Remus and Sirius even have the little ones in their slings with them. They're not exactly sleeping much this afternoon, but no one really cares, they'll go to sleep eventually, in spite of the noise. Fred and George have left their shops to their assistants and have joined us as well. Fred beams of course, he's so proud and happy that he'll be a father soon. He watches the other attending fathers constantly and even holds the children for a while. And of course he's looking out for Angelina out there on her broom.

We don't really expect a long game, the Cannons are at least ten places behind the Harpies in the League, so everyone thinks the Harpies would win this in less than an hour. It takes them two and a half hours actually, a fact that makes me happy enough. I haven't been able to see that many games of the Cannons, especially since we've always been at Hogwarts during the season. So I'm enjoying this regardless of the Harpies' easy win. But the length of the game was also ideal for the small children. Lizzie has enjoyed herself very much. James already takes her on his broom on a fairly regular basis. Only when Lily's head is turned the other way of course, but I suspect she turns it on purpose. She has an easier view on Quidditch than Hermione.

We see Angelina after the game and congratulate her, for the game won and of course for the baby. She looks radiant. It seems that the training is doing her a lot of good, she'll have a healthy and probably easy pregnancy. She tells us that for the training the Beaters are called off using Bludgers on her. So it's only the games. She'll keep it a secret to the outside though and take the risk until the end of her fourteenth or fifteenth week at least.

"From then on I will leave my spot to Alicia and remain on the team as a second or even third reserve. Christine has announced that she'd like to reduce her first spot and share it with Alicia after my baby will be born. So for the next season I'll be back full time and Alicia will be on the team sharing the first spot with Christine. When she'll play I'll move to the centre position, because Alicia is better on the left wing and I'm actually better as a centre. Right now I'm so happy I could embrace the whole world! My parents and siblings are happy for me, too, which is a nice added bonus."

Remus smiles.

"You look it, Angelina! It's nice to see you so radiant!"

After the meet and greet in the changing rooms we return to the Sunnegg where some of us are going out to dance. Justin and I enjoy a nice evening dancing with each other and come home really horny!

We'll have a more quiet two weeks ahead with mostly theory and only one or two hours a day of physical training. So for once we'll probably be less tired. Though we have improved a lot, both of us. The constant training has steeled our bodies a bit already. We've been running and working out for four hours every day for the past three months and it shows. Justin looks great and he gets a lot of looks from the women around us. Most of them look very displeased to see he's obviously here with me. I can't say that this makes me feel angry! Actually I find it very amusing, because I know who will come home with me soon and who will do very naughty things with my body then! We use the next slow to snog and warm up a bit. Just a short while longer and we'll say goodbye to the others and apparate home from the men's toilets. We go there separately and meet again in our room at the Sunnegg. Mmm, he's nicely hard and aroused already!

It doesn't take us long to shed our clothes and 'attack' each other with kisses, nips and strokes. We take our time to caress each other, kiss hungrily and get really hot. I'm already close to coming when we finally find our way to the bed and lie down. And for the first round it doesn't take us more than a few minutes to come. Only then we start to take our time and go more slowly.


	6. Unsettling Memories

A/N: From now on there will be lots of flashbacks – all such memories are formatted in _italic_

**Chapter 6 – Unsettling Memories **

**Friday, 18.12.1998 / Sirius**

Yay, all the Christmas shopping and planning done, we're ready to apparate to the Sunnegg as soon as classes are over at noon. The students are let off to their Christmas vacation at noon today, so we don't even have to linger for lunch. I have only four lessons while Remus has five, so I'm packing what we want to take back to Switzerland and I'm getting Seraina and Denny ready for the trip home. School will resume on January fourth, so we have a good sized Christmas vacation of more than two weeks. I need it, badly, to be honest, because I'm quite exhausted. I can't wait for the school year to end and then change to Transfiguration for only the fifth, sixth and seventh years. I haven't heard if they have found the second set of teachers yet, but I'm not in a hurry and I'll see when the time comes…

I've packed all the clothes we need from here into a suitcase and prepare my briefcase as well as Remus' laptop computer. Now I'm shrinking all the Christmas gifts and carefully put them in an extra bag. The twins are on the carpet, both starting to crawl, which tires them out and nicely distracts them from teething! It's just too much fun to watch them right now, they are amusing us with their competition of who's getting on the easiest and the fastest. If we help them, they already start to pull themselves up. Grabbing my fingers, Denny easily pulls himself into a sitting and then a standing position. He's so cute. His eyes are more blue than grey, but otherwise everyone thinks he's my spitting image. His hair is now fully black and has grown out a bit. He pulls on my fingers.

"Aren't you the big boy, Denny! Do you want to stand?" I ask.

He gurgles something and looks up to me, then smiles and finally, when I lift my hands a bit and he follows, he laughs, because he's standing on his little feet. A squeal tells me of his pride that he's managed that step. He still holds on to my fingers.

"You don't let go quite yet, little one, you're still much too small!" I warn him.

He drops back on his little nappy clad bum and turns around to crawl to his sister who has watched with her head tilted a bit.

"Hey, Seraina! What about you, my love? Are you going to do the same little trick or will you let Denny get away with it on his own?"

I'm getting a flash of a smile from her, then she squeals, turns from her sitting position and crawls to me quickly. She's just so charming with that lovely smile of hers! If Denny is my spitting image then the charm certainly helped that Seraina is Remus' copy. She has a lot of little light brown ringlets that start to grow into curls all around her head and her eyes are a beautiful hazel, mostly brown, but with those moss green flecks inside that give them so much depth. Her mouth is finely curved, just like her Papa's, and the little nose starts to look a lot like Remus', too. She grabs onto my robes and pulls herself up, holding on to the fabric with her tiny hands. She smiles at me again.

At that moment, Remus enters the flat. She turns her head in his direction and squeals in delight. She drops back onto the carpet and starts to crawl to Remus, who looks down and coos:

"Who have we got here then? A little creepy-crawly? A little Seraina girl? Come to Papa, love! – You're doing that very nicely, Seraina! Here you are!"

Remus has dropped his briefcase and lifts Seraina up to kiss her. Denny is already on his way to Remus as well and wails to be lifted up also. Remus quickly plants a few more kisses on Seraina's cheeks, then sets her down to greet Denny as well.

"Are we going back home with you two?" Remus asks, setting Denny back on the carpet next to his sister.

"Their first Christmas, love! I'm looking forward to it so much!"

"Me too. Let's get ready and go."

"We are ready, only waiting for you, sweetheart. I've packed all the gifts in that bag and our suitcases are ready, too. Everything made small, of course…"

"Good. Just let me pick up my own stuff…"

While Remus prepares a bag with his own things he wants to take along I dress the twins in warm clothes, then each of us takes one of the twins in the sling. The slings are still the most practical form of travel for us when we're apparating, because we have body contact with them. If we need to carry them for longer periods of time we have carriers for the back, in which they can sit. We pick up our brooms and start for the Entrance Hall and the main door. Many of the students pass and greet us and we wish them all Merry Christmas.

A short broom ride later we reach the gates and apparate back home. We're greeted by a living room that's already been decorated very festively. The gang has done everything but the tree. Rails have been surrounded by fir branches, fixed with red, green and gold ribbons. There are more fir branches on all flat surfaces, with much golden tinsel and there are candles everywhere. James, Lily, Hermione, Morag and Nicole sit at the table, busily cutting out pieces of coloured foil to make little angels, which Hermione decorates with long white hair.

"Wow, you've all done lovely work!"

Hermione comes around the corner from the kitchen and grins.

"And of course it's all charmed not to loose needles and not to wither before we throw it out! Nicole was tempted to ask us to do the same thing for her. We couldn't, of course, and she knows."

"Well, it would have been nice, but I suppose my sister would have started to wonder," Nicole admits.

**Saturday, 19.12.1998 / Hermione**

We did have a load of fun decorating the house. All the rooms smell nicely of the fresh potpourri we've spread in them and the fresh pine branches that we used just about everywhere. Ginny, Ernie and Blaise have brought a few extra decoration spells back from university. Seems like their professor is a Flitwick type of teacher who likes to pass on some fun, too. It's great to have most of the family together. We all reserved Christmas Eve for the celebration with the gang and most of us will be visiting our families at home for Christmas day. I suppose that's a format we'll keep for a long while, because we like celebrating together.

Dobby and Winky are happily working together in the kitchen to clear everything from lunch. I'm going over to look for a book in Remus' collection when I see a roll of parchment on the living room table. I pick it up and notice it has to be a series of notes for the beginning of Remus' memoirs. For a moment I hold myself back, but then I'm really curious, so I sit down and read it. If he wanted it to remain a secret then he wouldn't have left it on the coffee table in the living room.

_I was born on the 5th September 1959 as a very normal child of very normal parents. My mother worked as a healer and my father was an official working for the Ministry. There was nothing unusual about me, unless one counts my curiosity for anything that contained information, my ability to read at the very early age of three. Nothing unusual at all until one summer evening before my fifth birthday. _

_It was a warm, clear summer evening and around our house, which lay at the edge of a forest there were the typical sounds of a country summer evening, birds were chirping, insects humming, all seemed to be perfect around our home. Because it was still so warm I had the permission of my parents to go outside after dinner. Later I heard them calling me inside but I didn't react. I just didn't feel like going to bed yet. Soon the sun set and the moon would be rising and I wanted to see it there hanging round and bright in the sky. I hid in the high grass on the edge of the forest, not very far from our house and heard the calls of my parents. My parents had stopped calling me for a while, but were now on their way to find me. Just when I was ready to get up and show myself I heard a growl behind me. I looked around and I could see that there was a huge predator, which pounced, attacked me, bit me and all I remember is that I screamed when the sharp teeth buried themselves in my flesh. Everything went so fast that later I couldn't even say what had happened._

_I was told just what it was that bit me when I finally woke up again. My father was sitting next to my bed and I felt pain throughout my body, but worst of all in my left shoulder. As tenderly as he could my father explained to me that I had been attacked by a wolf. Not a common wolf – a werewolf! I had only heard about those monsters once or twice before. And then I learned that this attack on me meant that I had been cursed to be a werewolf myself. I probably cried for days when I was told I would be transforming into such a wolf on the full moon night every month for the rest of my life. _

_I changed. Quickly. I had always been a shy, but cheerful child, my parents told me later that I had been humming and smiling all day long. That was all gone from the moment I felt the wolf inside. I could not accept it. I didn't want to believe it, but I felt it inside of me immediately. It made me angry, impatient, grumpy most of the time. I withdrew completely; no more playing with friends from the village further away down the road. They were magical folk and had heard what had happened to me and so they didn't want to play with a werewolf. _

_Other changes involved my senses. On the very day I had awoken in St. Mungo's I had been able to smell much more intensively, my hearing seemed to have been enhanced, because even whispered words reached my ears perfectly understandable from some distance away, and at night I started to see much better. _

_Then the first full moon night after the attack came. My father had prepared a room in the cellar for me to be locked safely inside. He didn't know what to expect, but for a few days while the moon was waxing to full they held me on their laps, told me it would not be nice and that I would be very ill, but that I had to be strong, because they had nothing at all to help me while it lasted but that they would always love me, no matter what I was._

_I did not want to cry and make them sadder than they already were. When they said that it was time I held my head up and went into that room. My father locked it after me, added a strong beam across the door to make sure that the wolf would be unable to tear the door down. I heard them murmur soothing words, assuring me of their love. When the pain came I lost my mind and soon I knew nothing anymore. In fact, I knew nothing anymore for two days, during which my mother healed all my broken bones and the gashes from my teeth and claws. I didn't understand what had happened, but I soon learned, that every month I would be in pain like this for almost a few days. _

_Two months later we had moved. Another little house, neat and friendly, but this time it was a house further away from a village again close to a forest. My mother stopped working full time to stay with me. She taught me at home, trained me and conditioned me to become an overly controlled child. I learned to keep the wolf at bay and she told me I was only allowed to let it out on the night of the full moon. And I followed, I never let it gain the upper hand and kept it on a very short leash._

_Both my parents did everything in their power to heal me. They researched, travelled and tried to find a cure, but there was nothing to be found. The first year after the attack they took me to countless healers, druids or sometimes even charlatans, followed the slightest trail, all with the faint hope that there would be something that could help me. Only once one of those 'healers' almost killed me they gave up._

_In the new house there was another cellar. My father did his very best to make it bearable, it was warm, he used cushioning charms on every wall, the floor and even the ceiling, but the wolf was so terribly strong. Every full moon night I would throw myself against the walls, the doors, I'd bite and scratch myself because there was no other human around that I could attack. Because I tore all my clothes I wore to shreds when I transformed my parents asked me to undress before the transformation started to spare my clothes, but that only meant they took me out of the pool of blood naked. _

_The only bright memories I have of those years right after I was bitten were the times we spent in my mother's home country, Switzerland. It seems that werewolf prejudices there were reserved for a much smaller group of people and the fairly numerous family on my mother's side didn't hold their noses up, they took me the way I was. Except for short summer vacations we lived there so I could attend Muggle school. To cover up my monthly absences they told the school authorities that I suffered from a recurring disease which came with the full moon and that I would therefore miss some classes. It was quite amazing how easily that was bought. Every month I stayed home for the full moon night and returned to school after two days when Mum would have healed all my wounds and glamoured the bruises that would possibly still be visible. I started school a year early for Switzerland, with six, but I had not been sent to the nursery school there and the school's doctor checked me and declared I was fit enough to attend. My parents were happy that I was allowed to go to school and I was thrilled. I actually went there with two cousins who were around the same age. One cousin was a year older than I and started school at the same time, the other was a year younger. Both would go to Beauxbatons later on like most of my mother's family had. My mother, as well as her siblings and cousins, had been allowed to choose their schools and mum for some reason wanted to go to Hogwarts where she met my father. _

_I loved to go to school. Maybe that came with my mother teaching me for the year before I was starting. I had been so lonely without any friends. Now I had friends at school who were clueless, except for my cousin Céline and she wouldn't tell anyone. Of course I stayed closest to her and later on to Yves who didn't care for the werewolf. So I wasn't as lonely as before, but going home from school meant going back to most of my isolation. I consoled myself with excessive reading. My father was working in the Department of Mysteries and did a lot of research. His library was therefore very eclectic with books covering a multitude of subjects. Many of them of course treated things that were mysterious, even for the wizarding world. My mother as a healer had a large amount of books about healing, about the human body in general. I had read many of those books long before I went to Hogwarts. Both my parents like me loved to read novels, too, which led to them having an additional large collection of novels and more common text books. They also gave me a lot of them for every occasion. _

_For years I only knew that I transformed into a raging monster through the tales of my parents. But in the late summer before I was turning ten I finally learned what it meant to be a wolf. We were in our house in England. I had been late to come back inside and my parents were frantic, but then I felt the pull of the moon and they had to lock themselves inside and pray that I would not find my way into the village. _

_They had reconstructed my nightly adventure the next day, when they found me deep in the forest. I could actually remember the running and how it felt to run on four legs. _

_Luckily we were in England for that full moon, where we had much more space and the huge forest. Had we been in Switzerland I would have been within the next settlement within minutes! But the young wolf must have been afraid of the village and even though it most probably had the scent of the humans in its nose it stayed in the woods where it ran for hours. Much to my parents' relief no one had taken notice of the werewolf in their neighbourhood. Every discovery would mean that we would have to move somewhere else again. _

_But this first full moon night spent outside had woken a more conscious realisation of the wolf in me. I had felt the power of the muscles and the easiness to run for hours and many miles. It became clear to me that the beast needed its freedom to exhaust itself, but I knew immediately that it was impossible and that I couldn't have it. _

_Mum and dad were amazed to find me in the late morning, quite naked, deep inside of the forest, but clear of wounds save a few scratches from the brambles. They both realised the same thing I had very quickly and thought that the little wolf would have to be shut in an hour earlier rather than later and it was with even more sadness that they took care I was inside the next full moon._

_Many people would tell my parents to have me 'put down' in the course of the years. My parents would have none of it though. Patiently my mother continued to home school me in English and the magical disciplines in addition to the Muggle school and before I was ten I was reading most of the time. To keep the wolf down I had learned to meditate and had been trained in yoga, so that I could calm myself when I felt the wolf lift its head up too high inside of me. They even taught me relaxation through self-hypnosis. I loathed this beast and I hated the knowledge of what it could do. I knew what the people talked about werewolves early on, some of them had treated me like I had been a killer even as a small child. It seemed that apart from my parents who loved me no one would want to see my efforts to keep the wolf locked up and to be as human as I could be with this affliction. In the best case I was mocked, in the worst people chased me away throwing stones after me. _

_All this time I knew that the curse was to be blamed. I was cursed so I deserved their distrust. It made me incredibly sad. I never understood why it had to be me, what I had done to deserve this. To be treated so badly by the humans and to have to go through that unbearable amount of pain every time the full moon rose over the horizon. _

_Only after I left Hogwarts my parents told me who it was that had bitten me. My father actually even knew the man. His name was Fenrir Greyback and when I went to look for any available information about him I was disgusted to learn that he had made it a point to bite as many children as he could. I wondered where all those children went to school – if they even went to school or what happened to them. It was soon clear to me that I was the only one who actually was allowed to go to Hogwarts._

_Because my father had been able to stun Greyback and take him to Ministry custody he had been awarded and the old werewolf had been sentenced to Azkaban and guarded in a cell with no bars but a very secure door. I found out he had died after eight years in there. _

_My parents both loved me, but they where realists and carefully started to prepare me for a very lonesome life. They taught me but they let me know that I would probably not, like all other magical children, be allowed a magical education, that they could only teach me at home where my education would certainly not be of the same quality as at Hogwarts. They even warned me that I might not even be allowed my own wand legally when I grew up. I believed them easily. We had been shunned and chased away once too often to not see it. I distrusted anyone but my parents. Especially when we were in England I was afraid of the other children, and I was deathly scared of other adults. Even in Switzerland I didn't get close with my schoolmates. My only consolation were my books and the forest. When I roamed the forests during the day I felt at home and safe from everything. _

_And then came a day in the early summer before my twelfth birthday. We were in our house in England. When I got home for tea I found a visitor in the parlour talking with my mother. Instantly I was shy and withdrew, but Mum called me inside and put her hands firmly on my shoulders._

"_This is Remus, Professor Dumbledore."_

_The Professor Dumbledore looked down on me and I saw smiling eyes that looked me over with interest over half-moon glasses. He was a very old man with long grey hair and a long beard which covered most of his face but not his smile. He seemed to be tall, even seated. His outfit was colourful, but even I could easily see that he must have been a very powerful wizard._

"_So you are Remus. I'm pleased to meet you, young Mr. Lupin!"_

_I held out my hand and said:_

"_I'm pleased to meet you, Professor."_

"_And what a polite young gentlemen you are. – You are certainly wondering who this old codger is, aren't you?"_

"_I don't know…" _

_I felt very insecure, no one had ever talked to me in a way he did, but Mum was smiling and she still held on to my shoulders, so I wasn't afraid. He then proceeded to tell me that he was the headmaster of Hogwarts. Of course I knew about Hogwarts, even if I had been warned that I might never see it. So what did the old man want here? _

"_Would you like to start your education at Hogwarts this fall?" he asked._

_I was shocked to the marrow of my bones. I looked at Mum, unable to say anything, with my mouth open and when she nodded I finally nodded eagerly myself._

"_But… but I'm a werewolf…" I finally stammered. _

"_Yes, Remus, I know about your affliction, but we have already been thinking about something that will keep your schoolmates and teachers safe when you have to transform. Apart from that our school nurse, Madam Pomfrey, will be taking care of you. All the teachers will know about you, but no student will be informed unless the ones you trust with your secret. I heard you have an excellent mind, young Remus, and I'd think it would be a waste for such talent if it wasn't educated. Do you not agree?"_

_Again there was that twinkle in his eyes. I looked from him to Mum and finally she said:_

"_If you want to go to Hogwarts, Remus, then you shall go!"_

_Of course I wanted to go. In the next weeks my parents started to tell me all about Hogwarts they had kept for themselves because they had believed I would never be admitted. They hadn't told me those stories to not add to my sadness, when I knew that I would not be allowed to have the same. For the first time in my life I was taken to the Diagon Alley to buy my school equipment and my wand. I got fitted with the school robes and a winter cloak. A wizard's hat was placed on my head. Madam Malkin stood in front of me and saw how happy I seemed to be._

"_You are going to be a very handsome schoolboy, Remus!" she said kindly._

_Never before had I been treated so nice by wizarding folk in England. In the bookshop they were friendly, too. But nothing came close to what happened at Ollivander's. This was probably the most impressive event in my life after the bite. _

_Stepping into the dark little shop and being greeted by a very creepy old Mr. Ollivander made me feel very little. A shop that looked so tiny but didn't seem to have an end on top. Or maybe it was because I was still so small. In any case from the way Mr. Ollivander looked me over I felt that he knew what I was and might not agree that a Dark Creature should be entrusted with a wand of its own. But if he did he let nothing on. I was welcomed warmly, measured and fussed over. Then I got wand after wand to try and none responded. I was beginning to be deathly afraid that there would be no wand for me. But all the wands I had been given had contained either phoenix feathers or dragon heartstrings. After about an hour or two Mr. Ollivander turned from them and gave me several wands with unicorn hairs. It took a dozen of them until the right one was finally found. A beech wand with a unicorn hair brought forth a shower of sparks. I was probably not the only one who was relieved, but I'll never forget what Mr. Ollivander had to say as a comment:_

"_Curious, curious! Innocence is not reserved for humans alone. You must be meant for good deeds, my boy, because the hair in your wand comes from a unicorn that was a day old foal. The wand chooses the wizard and if this wand has chosen you, I can only expect you to bring innocence and friendship to those who will cross your path. This is a wand that gains its power from the pureness of the forest and its most innocent inhabitant. They can both be ruthless if they see no other way, so anyone who shall become your enemy must beware themselves." _

It **looks **like an early draft, but wow, good beginning. I'm putting the roll down and advance to the study, where I find the book I'm looking for soon after. When I'm leaving the study, Remus comes in. He has Denny on his arm and picks up the scroll. I nod at it and admit:

"I've allowed myself to read it, Remus."

"Oh. That's okay, I've let it lie around and there's nothing secret in there… And?"

"You'll always **be** an innocent, you know! It's nice."

He smiles.

"Not so sure about that anymore, not since I became a Marauder, but it was certainly true when I was such a young child. I need to flesh the whole thing out still. It's just a quick overview about my childhood before Hogwarts, but I know I have some bits to fill in about lots of things. I can't just treat ten years in a few pages in the book. There will be lots about how I felt when I first transformed, especially after the transformations. Lots about my family and the likes…"

"I thought it was pretty good for a draft. It could certainly get better if there were more details."

"Oh, certainly. We'll start going through our memories by putting them into the Pensieve to better describe them. I'm afraid of writing about some of those though. Also I've left out most of my Swiss relations yet. There will be some more about that, and at least that part is a bit less dreary."

"I'm looking forward to the book. I'm sure I'll read it with great interest once it's going to be published."

"If ever! It seems to be such a long task. But it's going to be great, because we'll have so much more time next year. Right now we have 37 lessons each week. No wonder we're both very tired. Next year it will be reduced to 18. One double and one single lesson per class and still two houses together. We switch to Gryffindor/Ravenclaw and Slytherin/Hufflepuff next year."

"That's your workload reduced by a half! Sounds reasonable though," I say.

"Oh, it's going to be almost like working with you guys here! Much better! Sirius will be glad, he's almost breaking down right now. He'll be very happy when June comes around!"

Remus lets Denny down on the carpet, and the little one pulls himself up on Remus' robes immediately. That's new to me!

"Hey, he can get up! Wow!"

Remus grins.

"They're getting up, yes. We have to take everything out of their reach now, so when they're around, put anything dangerous out of their reach, that's anything with a point, that cuts, wands especially etc. Take his hands and see what else he does!"

I do so, offer Denny my fingers and he grabs them and shows me how he can make his first guided steps. He beams, too, the little man! It's such a great progress since I've seen him last week. I lift him on my arms and kiss his cheeks.

"Well done, junior! You're growing so fast!" I commend my godson.

**Remus **

They certainly do grow fast. They're eight months old now and both start to crawl, if we hold them by their hands they can walk a few steps. But there are new things to observe every day. The teething still takes place, but the worst seems over and they cry a bit less because of their teeth. It's fun to compare their progress with Andy's when we come to the Sunnegg. Andy of course profits from his older sister, who plays with him a lot.

I watch Hermione flirt with her baby godson and think of Sirius back with Harry. He used to cuddle with Harry so often and they both loved it. So did I of course. We were both very sentimental over it actually. Blame our homosexuality for that maudlin part in us. But I do notice that we're both a lot more pragmatic with Denny and Seraina. I wonder if the difference lies in the fact that they're our own children? Oh we love cuddling with them just like we did with Harry, only we have to do all the 'work' and there's that parental bit, so all in all we have to stay with both feet firmly on the ground. I'm amazed that this is not too difficult and came completely naturally. The responsibilities that come with the parentage are no heavy burdens. We know that some of our interaction with our growing children will be hard, we'll have to say 'no' fairly often and it already starts! The difficulties will probably begin when they start to react to our 'no' and not obey. We're already starting to develop 'strategies' for those situations. How far can we go to keep our promise to never punish them physically? So far we've come up with sleep charms for extreme cases and just basically sending them for a 'time-out' to their rooms for lesser offences.

I know that Sirius is a bit scared about that part. He's been subjected to so much domestic violence and ridicule, so much verbal abuse and he was exposed to such a cold family. He loves the children, but he fears his reactions when they start to irritate him. He's working hard on that though. It's so difficult to be a good parent when you didn't have a good example in your own childhood. Sirius had the worst possible example! Having been put under an Unforgivable for the first time by the age of eight years does not make for a good basis. So he'll probably struggle a bit, but he does it consciously, he knows where the problems are and he asks for advice and help.

Just one more reason why I love him so much.

**Wednesday, 23.12.1998 / James**

We've saved the tree to do it all together. That's even more fun, because now we have Lizzie, Andy and the twins running and crawling around on the carpet making those huge big eyes at all that glimmering stuff and the activity. Children add so much to the festivity of Christmas! Some more of the gang have come in and everyone is around the big tree to help place ornaments, baubles, candle holders and tinsel. I've found some chocolate ornaments, which we'll also spread around the tree, but those only on Christmas evening when we light the candles.

Of course being the 'big' one Lizzie is already familiar with the procedure of decorating the tree together. By now I can let her help a bit and hold her to hang up the odd ornament or place some tinsel over the branches. At two and a half she really starts to speak in fuller sentences now and what's really cute is that she does it in two languages, because we still speak a lot of Swiss German with the little ones. This way the children have two languages from the beginning.

Remus and Sirius are thoroughly happy about the break. I expected Sirius to be the one to be more tired, but Remus looks just as exhausted.

"I have no idea how the teachers at Hogwarts have lived with that load of work for so many years. On the other hand it seems that there were never as many children at the school as we have now. Looks like there was one hell of a baby boom in the ten years after Voldemort's first downfall," Remus tells us.

"More purebloods?" I ask curiously.

"Less. The pure-blooded families, at least those who sided with Voldemort, were actually quite depleted after the war. They're even more so now. If you so want, then they have done themselves the biggest disservice in following Voldemort. In fact, like Blaise, there is quite a good number of orphans. The Ministry has reopened the orphanage that had been closed after the last big war. Andromeda and Ted Tonks have taken over to manage it, by the way."

"Wow, what good news! I'm sure they'll do a grand job!"

"I'd even bet they will. Andy has always wanted more children, just never got any more after Nymphadora. She'll adore having a bunch of kids to look after," Sirius confirms.

**Friday, 25.12.1998 / Sirius**

Suddenly the house is huge! Everyone left to spend Christmas with their families. Ginny, Ron, Ernie and Justin have left for the Burrow. They will have a huge party there. Arthur and Molly have invited us, too, but we've excused ourselves. This is the first Christmas with our children and we want to spend it with them alone. We've had the gifts with the gang yesterday, but we'll light the candles on the tree again tonight.

Parvati, Padma, Blaise and Draco have gone to the Patils. Mandy spends Christmas with Jason, Morag is at her parents' house, Hermione and Harry have apparated to Helen and George.

We spend the day in the front room and the small living room. Only James and Lily are still with us. It's wonderfully cosy and there's lots of cuddling going on between Remus and I – and all four children. Seraina and Dennis are really cute now, alert babies, always turning around and looking for those who are around them. They smile and laugh a lot. They crawl around for a bit, but they still tire pretty quickly. And with regularity they bump into something, which changes their smiles to wails fairly fast. But this is part of growing and we can only console them by picking them up and giving them a comforting hug. As soon as they stop wailing they usually want to return and continue exploring. Tears forgotten in seconds flat! It's fun to see how they are trying to pull themselves up in a standing position on anything they can latch on to. They can drop back on their little arses for a dozen times, but they're so determined to continue! We encourage that determination to build up their confidence. We do want strong children after all. Andy has profited from his big sister Lizzie and there are some things he can already do better than Denny and Seraina.

Moony and I have both brought our Pensieve. We've set it down on one of the higher shelves in the study. And the door to the study remains mostly closed these days, because there are a lot of books on the lowest shelves. We would like to have some peace and not hear our children crawling in there and pulling out book after book. We've started to remove everything we have in reachable distance and put things higher up. They have their toys to pick up and grab and that will have to do for the moment. But of course we have already gathered quite the little collection of baby and children's books and we have already started to show them the picture books. At the Sunnegg Lily and James have already done all that when Lizzie was in this age and it stayed that way because we expected there to be more little ones.

**Saturday, 26.12.1998 / Sirius**

I have the Pensieve out and I'm trying the spell again to pick memories randomly and from my subconscious. I know that's where I've hidden most of the bad things. I watch as the Pensieve is filled with strand after strand of my dark times. I'm thinking back on my life. I'm 39 now, and out of these 39 years I've had roughly thirteen that could really be called a 'life'. The rest was starting out with abuse, then followed war, then prison, then being on the run.

"Does it only appear to me or is what's in there darker than dark?" Lily asks all of a sudden.

She's come into the study silently opening and closing the door. I have closed the door, because I need to keep this far away from my children. I look up to her and say:

"Probably. Should I dare to look at it?"

"I think you shouldn't go in there alone, Sirius! Do you know what you caught?"

I shake my head.

"It's out of my subconscious. It can be anything from my childhood or from Azkaban, on the run, Hogwarts… I have no idea."

"I'm coming with you, Sirius."

"Thanks, Lily! But I think I need Remus as well, he needs to pull me out, just in case."

"I'll call him!"

Once Remus is there, too, James comes in as well. The children are all napping and he's asked Winky to be on the lookout for them when they wake up. The four of us look at the dark grey mass swirling in the Pensieve. Finally we all touch it and find ourselves in my memories. Will I recognise them? Remus holds my hand tightly and James and Lily frame us both.

_Azkaban. A random day, but I recognise it as one of those in the early years when I felt the Dementors the worst. The cell is about three times two metres. There's a cot, but it's only covered with straw and a thin blanket. A window with a grid of bars that barely leaves enough space to push a hand through. View outside to the barren island. Everlasting clouds and fogs around it. The window is small and lets in very little light. Everlasting half darkness as there's no additional light in the cell. It's icy cold. Seeing the memory I'm freezing again. It's the cold that never left my body in all of the almost twelve years I've spent there. I can see myself in the corner that was the least cold, next to the door. My clothes are still the ones I wore when they took me here about two years earlier. They have started to disintegrate though and I can see that the robes are threadbare. My warm winter cloak had been taken away._

**Lily**

_The image in front of us could have been a Muggle photo, one of those black and white ones with a few colours added by hand, nothing moved. Sirius is sitting in the shadow, occasionally throwing a glance out of the tiny hole high up in the wall. But from the floor he can't see anything but the clouds. There's a sigh, then he swallows and finally he lifts a wrist to his mouth and starts chewing. It makes my skin crawl when I realise he's trying to commit suicide by opening his veins. He actually gets the blood to flow, but he's so cold it doesn't seem to really spill. Another bite, then the other hand, and ten minutes later the door opens and two Dementors glide inside and heal the wrists. Sirius slumps on the floor, shaking and crying. I feel my own tears welling and try to imagine what it must have been like in there, day after day, for almost twelve years! _

_The Sirius in the cell finally crawls to the cot and breaks down, still silently weeping. He looks appalling: the clothes hang around his emaciated body in rags. His hair hangs in long greasy strands, a tangled mass of filth. There's nothing he can do. All he does is sitting and crawling around. Then he starts to tremble and shake and we guess it's the time when the Dementors are coming. Finally he morphs from Sirius into Padfoot, who stops weeping, but whines pitifully in a very low voice. Gods, it's too painful to watch. _

_Just when I think I can't stand it any longer the memory shifts. All of a sudden we're back at Hogwarts, but it's still dark, in fact it's night and Peter and Sirius follow James out of the common room. It seems to be winter, because all three wear thick winter clothes and cloaks. They are leaving the castle and go down to the Whomping Willow. The moon above tells me it must be one of the full moon nights they spent with Remus in their Animagus forms. Peter stills the tree and all three climb inside of the passage. They follow the long passage already in their animal forms. Padfoot is able to push open the door to let Prongs and Wormtail inside. Remus has not fully transformed yet. I've never seen it before and it hurts just to watch! I glance over to Remus and see him closing his eyes. It's hard for himself to watch, too. But once the wolf is up on his legs he joins the 'pack', sniffs them all and establishes the fact that they're indeed his pack. After a while they leave the shack through the passage, again Peter stills the Willow to let his friends out. Prongs and Padfoot nudge Moony in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. They race there and then they race inside the forest, wrestling, howling and playing madly under the moon._

_Another shift to another memory. Azkaban again. Sirius is looking a bit better in this one, though already quite shaken by the year he must have been inside the prison. Chains are to be heard, a creaking door and then the mad screams of a woman, guided inside by three Dementors. Sirius looks up and goes to the heavy wooden door with the small barred window to see what is happening. He recognises the woman who seems to be a new prisoner. A dry laugh escapes his lips. Bellatrix! His cousin Bellatrix Lestrange and three more new prisoners. I recognise her husband Rodolphus and his younger brother Rabastan. The fourth I have more difficulties to recognise. He looks so young! Then I remember the proud young Ravenclaw and his name comes back to me: Bartemius Crouch. What! Barty Crouch's son! A Death Eater? _

I look at Sirius who just shrugs. 'Later', he mouths. I nod.

_Bellatrix recognises Sirius standing there, as calmly as he can in the presence of the Dementors and shrieks:_

"_HA! There you are, cousin! Not so haughty anymore, eh?"_

_Sirius doesn't reply. He just stares after his cousin and watches as she's dragged into a cell about four doors down the corridor on the other side. The three other prisoners are all spread over more cells, outside of Sirius' view. He sighs and returns to the cot, where he sits down and transforms, obviously glad that there are no cells opposite each other that would allow anyone to look inside of his cell. The memory fades._

**James**

When I think that I can't bear anymore, the memory fades and another one comes up. It's just as painful, even though it's one of Sirius' childhood memories. A very early one, he certainly wouldn't remember it consciously anymore, because he can't have been older than three.

_Three children are playing in the Drawing Room at No 12, Grimmauld Place. It's Sirius and his cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa, who's two years older than the others and seems to have taken the lead in their games. Sirius grins and hops on his baby broom to get out of the room, Bellatrix following behind him. Narcissa gives a shriek and shouts at them:_

"_You're not supposed to fly in here! Just you wait until Auntie comes in and sees you!"_

_Which happens just five minutes later, but Bellatrix manages to be on the ground and make a straight face, knowing full well that her sister wouldn't give her away. Sirius tries to hop off the broom in time, but misses the timing and soon has to endure his mother's wrath. He's sent to his room without his broom. We watch him slink up the staircase to his floor and then into his room, which is quite big but dark. He grumbles and starts to play with something else. The memory fades again. _

_All of a sudden we're at Hogwarts. I can see the four of us walking down the last set of stairs to the Entrance Hall. We're all in fifth year, just after we've managed the initial transformation. It's after the Christmas vacation, after Remus and Sirius had fixed their friendship. I know that by that time Sirius was already deeply in love with Remus. They had talked things through, too, but both had kept their love for the other a secret, for the obvious reason that Sirius' parents would have been outraged. I remember that incident now. In just a moment, Regulus would turn up. Two years younger than Sirius and in Slytherin, he was almost as bad as Snivellus in following us around so he could inform his mother with the next letter of anything Sirius had done again. There he is. Looking us over with disgust. Immediately he starts to taunt Sirius:_

"_Hope you've had a good shag with your boyfriend, Sirius! How about I tell mum and dad about your little fuck buddy? They should be so pleased that you intend to give them no heir!"_

_Remus and I hold Sirius back. There's nothing like that going on between them, even though they would probably both love to do it, but they still haven't even admitted their love to each other. Sirius almost jumps out of his clothes to get a go at his brother. Remus just tells him:_

"_Forget the little pest, Sirius, he's not worth it! He's just jealous, because you're the older one!"_

_That calms Sirius a bit and we can let him go. But he has his wand out and mutters a little curse, which sends his brother slipping and falling hard onto the marble floor, banging his head on the railing in the process. Sirius just walks by, stops and looks down. Says nothing and all four of us go into the Great Hall for dinner._

I look at my friend. He shakes his head and has a glint in his eyes, the one I like most, then he says:

"Well, I have one over that slimy little git now – I did present the family with an heir. Decided to start a whole new line of Blacks, should be good, don't you think? They've finally extinct themselves, the Slytherin Blacks. The few who are left are only remotely related anymore."

"I certainly hope for little Denny not to land in that house," I say.

"By the time he'll go to Hogwarts he'll know well enough that the hat listens to requests!" he replies with a grin.

"Good one, Sirius… does it?" I really wouldn't know, I had hardly put it on my head when it shouted Gryffindor.

"Just ask your son. The hat thought he'd do well in Slytherin, but all Harry thought was 'not Slytherin', so the hat put him into Gryffindor."

"Oh…"

Now there's a surprise. My son possibly in Slytherin? Yuck! I'm glad, Harry was reasonable enough to ask not to be sorted there.

"He had little ideas about the houses, just what Ron had told him on the train, but even though Ron was very biased against Slytherin he already knew he didn't particularly like Draco, who expected to be in Slytherin. Then he saw the people at the Slytherin table and thought that they didn't look like a pleasant lot. After the Dursleys he wasn't too keen on the kind," Sirius goes on and his eyes dance with mirth as he tells me that.

"Very good, that will give your children an easier time."

_There's more in the Pensieve. We turn and find ourselves back in Grimmauld Place, but this time Sirius is there during the summer vacation after fifth year. Sirius comes back into his home together with his mother and Regulus. Regulus looks pretty smug about something and Sirius throws a suspicious glance at him. No sooner than the door has closed behind them, Regulus turns to his mother and says:_

"_Mum, there's something you ought to know about Sirius."_

_Sirius looks daggers at Regulus, but his brother doesn't feel threatened in any way. Mrs Black turns to Regulus and asks:_

"_What is it, dear?"_

_While Regulus starts to tell her, Sirius moves back to the door, his trunk still in his hand. _

"_He's got a… **boy**friend, Mum! He's a bloody poof!"_

"_What? – **Sirius**!" she shrieks, turns to him and starts off:_

"_Is that true? Is it not enough that you surround yourself with lowlife scum and Muggle-loving riff-raff? Must you go and shame us with becoming an unnatural abomination on top of everything?"_

_Sirius lets the handle of the door go. He stands up straight and tells her:_

"_I'm gay, mother, so? Yes, I do have a boyfriend. I love him more than my life. If you don't like it – I don't care, you know!"_

_She looks like she doesn't know what to say for a moment, but then draws her wand and hits Sirius with a curse. I don't know what it is, but it must have hurt him, because his arms go around his stomach and he goes down on his knees. Another blow and he's on the floor. Not one sound comes out of his mouth. He must have expected something and there's nothing he can do as he's not allowed to use his wand. Regulus stands there, with a smug grin on his face and calmly picks up his trunk to go up to his room. Mrs Black continues to curse Sirius, until he's out cold on the floor. The memory shifts again. _

_Back at Hogwarts. I think it must have been seventh year. In any case it's the morning after a full moon night. One which Sirius couldn't spend with Moony and since Peter and I were unable to keep the wolf in check alone we hadn't been with him either. As always when Moony had to be alone he had been very lonely and punished himself with some really ugly wounds. Poppy Pomfrey had brought him back to the hospital wing and had to heal the wounds. Sirius slinks down the hall and inside of the ward. He finds Remus in his usual room and sits down on the edge of the bed. He quietly picks up his lover's hand to hold it. Poppy never throws him out anymore, she knows they're a couple now and how much Sirius cares about Remus. She just comes in to check on the boy and, seeing Sirius there, she says:_

"_Good morning, Sirius. He really was not well this morning. I don't understand it at all, he's been so well for almost two years now, and last night he's done this to himself. He'll be out of it until tomorrow I'm afraid."_

_They both look down on Remus and sigh. Sirius caresses his cheek and bends down to kiss him on the forehead._

"_Get well real quick, love, I have to go to classes now. I love you, sweetheart."_

_Then he slowly gets up and with a last glance at Remus, leaves the room. The memory continues with him coming into the Great Hall, where he gets around the corner to walk to the Gryffindor table. A voice we all hate asks him:_

"_So, is your little weakling boyfriend sick again? What happened, Black, did you beat him up? I bet he's in the hospital wing. Or did he have to leave for another funeral in his family? He must have run out of relatives to die by now?"_

_Sirius for once doesn't even turn, but stands even more erect while going on to the Gryffindor table. I see him joining my younger self at the table. But right then I see something that I certainly haven't noticed back then. Dumbledore has been almost behind Snape and has heard him. Dumbledore takes ten points from Slytherin for this. Sirius looks satisfied and tells us that Remus isn't well. _

_The memory fades, but returns to what seems to be the next morning, Sirius sits at Remus' bed again. Remus moves and finally wakes from his sleep. His wounds have healed by now, but he's still very tired. I remember that this was a Friday and that Poppy didn't let Remus out until the afternoon. He was freed from the hospital wing but told to go directly to the dorm and stay there for the rest of the day. But this is the morning and when Remus finally wakes up, Sirius bends down to kiss him on the lips. He wraps his arms around his boyfriend and whispers loving words into his neck. I can see Remus returning the embrace and he starts to smile._

"_You've been out of it for twenty-four hours, love," Sirius tells him, looking up and into Remus' eyes._

Gosh, the two of them were just sickeningly sweet! As a teenager I wasn't keen on watching them, now it doesn't disturb me at all anymore. I just love to see them happy, even if that means watching their public displays of affection. Tolerating that means that I don't need to hold back with Lily either.

**Sirius **

I know what follows that memory. Remus may have been out of it for a day and a night, but when I got back from my lessons that day he expected me in the dormitory and highly discouraged Peter and James to turn up before the dinner was over and asked them to bring us some food back up. Now I really hope that this part of the memory doesn't come up…

**Lily **

Another memory moves over the last one. When I see Sirius again he still wears the same clothes and looks the same. Hours later?

_Sirius walks up the stairs to the dormitory with James and Peter at his heels. He barges them up rather and rushes inside of the dorm to see how Remus does. Remus is awake and tells James and Peter:_

"_Can you two please leave us room until after dinner? And would you kindly bring us something to eat when you return? Mustn't be too early either!"_

_Sirius sits there, stares at his boyfriend and grins sheepishly. James and Peter make a hasty retreat after picking the books they'd need to do their homework. James opens the door and looks back, saying:_

"_Three times History of Magic homework for that favour, Lupin! At least!"_

_Then he and Peter vanish, leaving a grinning Sirius and a smiling Remus behind in the dorm. Sirius starts to shed his clothes immediately, telling Remus about the lessons that day on the way. Wow! What a body! He looks absolutely great. By that time he's already 18, almost fully grown, almost two metres tall and his long hair hanging just below his shoulder blades. Remus sits up and pushes the blankets down, showing now that he's already been naked and waiting for Sirius. _

I wonder if I should escape discretely. Watching them having sex, I'll probably feel like a voyeur. All three men who are with me in the memory look at me and I see Sirius grin.

"Just watch, Lily, I don't mind. Moony might, but it was to be expected that there would be one or the other memory like that inside here… I don't consciously remember every time we made love!"

I look at Remus who shrugs his shoulder.

"Sorry. You want out?" he asks.

I shake my head. To be honest I'm much too curious about it all. Ever since I've carried the twins for them we've also become much closer on a physical basis, so I'm really looking forward to see how they do it.

_Sirius needs no extra invitation. He hops on the bed, cock already sticking out and starts caressing Remus' pale, but beautiful body. Not for the first time I can see Remus' numerous scars, scattered all over his front. When he turns and pins Sirius to the bed I can see that his back is practically free from them, as the wolf can't reach himself there. The glowing afternoon sun coats both their bodies with a golden sheen. They continue to kiss and caress each other, then Remus starts to suck Sirius' nipples and strokes his cock. The Animagus moans and holds Remus close. After a while he pushes his lover gently down. The blond boy looks up, smiles and calmly bends over the erect organ to pull it into his mouth. What follows must be a perfect blow-job, because Sirius looks like complete and utter bliss. His head tilts back on the pillow and he moans loudly. He has his left hand on Remus' back, caressing him and pressing his finger into the spine occasionally. I can see Remus twitch and shoot glances up at his lover. _

_Besides sucking Sirius off Remus starts inserting a finger into Sirius' opening, then a second and finally even a third. He pushes them inside and that seems to unhinge Sirius, because he starts to scream! Cries out Remus' name and in the next moment I can see him convulse and explode, he must have come right into Remus' mouth. Remus quickly swallows the seed. He lets go of Sirius' cock for the moment, but moves around and places himself between Sirius' widely stretched legs. Sirius pulls them up and places them over Remus' shoulders. I watch as Remus whispers a quick spell, then smears some lubricant on his cock and massages some into Siri's opening. And with one fairly swift movement he pushes inside, pulling Sirius' arse a bit up, then starts to thrust inside. It doesn't take very long, I can see him reaching his climax and releasing himself into Sirius who pulls him down for a kiss. _

I've never actually seen a homosexual sex act, but I have to say if it's always more or less like that it looks as appealing as the usual way. I'm not exactly a prude, so while I feel like a voyeur I don't really mind it, because I have a feeling that the two of them don't mind it that much either. And this was at least a wonderful memory in the midst of all those depressing ones.

_But I have to brace myself, this is a long trip and we are seemingly not spared anything, as we watch them for the next hour going through various positions and recovering periods. By the time James dares coming back into the dorm they must have been through it for about four times. They've pulled the blankets up and closed the bed curtains now. We're of course inside the bed, as we're in Sirius' memory. Remus smiles at his lover and it's that wonderful smile he's always had only for his Sirius._

In those days I had started to spend more time with James. His three friends were an unavoidable accessory but I began to see that they were more than annoying idiots. I knew about Remus' affliction. I was amazed at the tenderness Sirius had for his friend long before I got together with James. Then I learned they were a couple and much of Sirius' behaviour made sense. Remus was a fellow prefect and we had been friends long before I had begun to think the other Marauders worth my time. Of course I was with James in the first place, but I soon noticed that Sirius had it very hard at home and that he had just barely escaped from being pressed to become a Death Eater.

**Remus **

I knew it would be hard to watch those memories. I didn't expect a single good one. It's of course a bit embarrassing to have Lily and James with us watching us making love in every detail, but after five minutes I just try to forget about them and dig in my own memories of our lovemaking back then. Watching this brings a smile to my face and an even bigger one to Siri's. Gods, we've been so unencumbered back then. Nothing more to worry about than NEWTS and to keep up my cover or to win the next Quidditch match. Seventh year and I think it was November, when Sirius landed himself in a detention on the night of the full moon. He was frantic about it, because usually he took great care not to provoke anything of the likes around that time of the month.

When we finally come out of the Pensieve we notice that we have spent several hours in there. It's close to dinner time and a worried Dobby comes in to tell us that he's got it ready in the kitchen. We're all alone, so we have decided to eat in the kitchen again. We've reduced the table and bench by about half to gain some space in there, which our little ones will certainly enjoy as a playing area when they get bigger. Sirius and I pick up one of the twins each and place them in their high chairs while James and Lily look after Lizzie and Andy. They have already been fed by Dobby and Winky, but we want to have them with us during meal times, to get the babies curious for our food. Once they will be about a year old we'll start them on our foods. Until then we give them mostly vegetables or fish, some fruit and bread. Their food is cooked with little to no salt and we give it to them in small cubes that they can pick up with their little hands. They seem to like this method, because they usually empty their plates and eat with gusto. For us it has the great advantage that they are busy and we don't need to spoon feed them. Normally they get their food when we eat, but we've been out for so long today that they were hungry before we could start on our own dinner.

We don't discuss the memories much. Sirius looks quite shaken from some of them. I'm quite glad that at least one of them was a happy memory. I remark:

"These memories are spread over too much time, Siri, we ought to study the book to see if we can't give the spell a time frame, so it would be easier to organise them in smaller steps of time and you could then record them easier and organise them. We could also put them down chronologically."

"I'll really have to study the Pensieve's information book. I thought about the same thing actually."

We do that right after dinner and find the method to gain access to a smaller portion of the subconscious. Sirius empties his Pensieve completely after that, uses the spell and starts adding new memories. According to the information parchment the memories plucked from the brain are not transferred, they are copied, so we can just wipe the Pensieve clear, which will speed up that process considerably.

**Sunday, 27.12.1998 / Sirius**

In the morning Remus and I return to the Pensieve again. We are going to do this more systematically, which means we'll take notes about the things we've seen. I've placed all the memories in the Pensieve that I got out of my subconscious between my birth and my first birthday. There are very few of them and I don't know at all what to expect. But as there are about ten strings that now swim in the Pensieve, there were things that my subconscious has picked up. So let's look at them. We go in together.

_I see my father holding up a baby, which must be me, to the family and presenting it:_

"_This is Sirius Orion Black, my dear relatives and friends. I proudly present to you the heir of the noble and most ancient house of Blacks!"_

_There is a content murmur all around the gathering. I recognise my uncle Rigel and his pregnant wife Augusta, their youngest daughter, my cousin Narcissa, two years old, another cousin from a sister of my father's with her parents, Lucius Malfoy's parents, and a lot of distant relatives. It seems to be on the day of my birth, which is why Andromeda is absent – she was in Hogwarts. Obviously they've all come to find out if the child born to my parents is a son or only a daughter. To (almost) everyone's visible relief the baby on my father's arms is a boy._

Remus and I return and I quickly record the contents of the memory on a roll of parchment with a dictaquill. Then we touch the surface of the Pensieve again.

_The next memory is of a brightly lit nursery, but apart from the baby, me again, no one is in the room. I watch myself starting to wail and in half a minute a house-elf is there to see what's amiss, then the baby is fed, nappy changed and put back into the cot. It's a cot already, not a cradle anymore, so I must have been a couple of months old. The memory is almost like a photo, nothing moves much. Then the door opens, my mother and my father come inside to look into the cot. There's no smile, no cooing, no touching at all. They just make sure that the baby is taken care of, then they turn and vanish out of the room. After that there is another memory of this kind. We stay on to memorise the surrounding, the atmosphere. Then the next memory comes up, the room changes and I recognise that I've now been moved out of the nursery and into my room. It's a floor up from my parent's master bedroom. There is nothing bright in here. I'm lying in the__huge four poster bed and a spell hinders me from falling or climbing out. There is now a nanny, a young witch, whose name I don't even remember, I think, it was Kate, who is taking care of me in place of the house-elves. When the memory starts she's coming inside of the room, closes the door and comes to the bed, taking off the spell that holds me inside. _

"_Let's see if you're still clean, brat!" she says and picks the baby out of the bed. _

_I soon notice that she doesn't care at all for the baby. If the name calling is any indication she's a cold bitch just barely doing what she's paid for. She drops the baby on the changing cushion and undresses it with a spell, then takes away the nappy, again with a spell and cleans the boy. For all of the undressing, cleaning and dressing again she hasn't touched the child once. She picks it up and puts it in a high chair, then she calls a house-elf who feeds the baby. After that she picks the baby up again and takes it out of the room, down the gloomy halls and stairs with the dreadful decoration to the drawing room, where my parents sit and look the baby over. My father then takes the baby from the witch and goes to the wall where the tapestry with the family tree hangs. _

"_Look at this, Sirius, and remember it well! These are all your ancestors and your relatives, dead and alive. They are of the purest blood in the wizarding world and you are their heir! Remember that always, you are the heir of the house of Black! You will never mingle with anyone below your station."_

_The baby stares at the wall, but I think I can't have seen or recognised much as it has to have taken place before my first birthday. My father repeats his words once again, then I'm placed again in the hands of the young witch who carries me back to my room. _

When we leave the Pensieve we both roll our eyes simultaneously. Then we grin and I say:

"Isn't that just typical? Have they never said anything else to me? That's practically all I've heard through my first years! I hardly saw my parents in these years, they were so busy going about with their social lives that they never took care of me or Regulus themselves."

"All I can say is that your family name suits them…" Remus comments.

"Oh, absolutely. What's worst is that they were all bloody proud of it."

I pick up Seraina and hold her close. I suppose my parents were never aware of what they missed or they didn't care that they missed anything at all. After all they had not married for anything like love, what they had was a convenience marriage for the sake of the pure blood. Mother had come from another ancient wizarding family of pure blood and she looked it. Though she was devilishly intelligent, she was dead ugly. She had a number of very ugly illnesses and all of them were the product of repeated inbreeding. Besides that she was quite mad. But she did her duty and gave birth to the heir and the spare. After Regulus was born they didn't even hold up the image of a married couple anymore. They were a community of interest, formed to produce an heir and after having made two of them they returned to their own rooms, my father looking for his amusement on his own and my mother probably did the same, being as discreet as her position in society demanded.

So I can only wonder what such a cold life must be like. Or not, because I don't even want to imagine. They wouldn't have been able to understand love for anything, but they wouldn't even have wanted to understand. I'm sure even their little amusements would never have given them a tiny bit of what bonds me with Remus, what bonds every loving couple. Most probably they would have been absolutely disgusted by the mere thought of such a sentiment. Love was something so unreal for them, they thought it was common and only for the peasants. People were there to fulfil a purpose in life, not to be happy. Happiness had absolutely no space in their philosophy of life. They only thought they'd had a good life. In reality they were thoroughly dissatisfied and angry at everything and everyone.

I laugh dryly and kiss Seraina on her soft little cheek. I'm overjoyed to have what I have every day of my life now. Every time I feel my daughter or my son in any way I'm close to crying of happiness, even after all those months and after the many nights we've been up to console the twins. Yes, I do think of my son as my heir, but I'm starting a whole new legacy of the Black family with him. He's to grow up the way I would never have been allowed to. In the care of parents who cherish and love him and encourage him to show love whenever he wants to. We want to be there as reliable adults who give him love, but also protection and lead him to become a responsible person.

"I think I'll have Grimmauld Place destroyed, Remus," I say suddenly.

"Nah, don't do that, just let it rot, Siri. You don't need to break it down, it probably will by itself sooner or later."

He's right as usual of course. I let Seraina go and dictate the memory to the dictaquill. Then he takes my hand and we return to the Pensieve.

_The next two or three memories contain practically the same. Only by the different clothes and the growth can I see that time has actually passed. My room now contains wizarding baby toys and a playpen on the carpet. I'm mostly just sitting in there and by the third memory I'm pushing myself up on the bars of the playpen. I'm babbling something and the young witch comes inside and gives me a toy I have dropped outside of the playpen. She doesn't smile, doesn't speak, just mechanically hands me back toys. _

I feel Remus' hand squeezing mine. He shakes his head and wonders:

"How did you learn to speak?"

"Don't ask me, I have no idea."

_The last memory is of my first birthday. I'm handed a handful of gifts, with which I know not really what to do, so they're opened for me. I wear beautiful tiny robes and my black hair is already shiny, people pat my head, don't smile, but say what a handsome child I am and then the young witch takes me back to my room._

I'm quickly through dictating that to the quill. We clear the Pensieve and set the next time frame. After my first birthday to my second. This time we've set the spell to pick all my memories from that time frame and I can quickly see that there are a lot more. Going in we look at the first memory.

**Remus **

_Sirius is trained to follow every order blindly. But he's a bright child, and if I see this smiling, cooing baby there in the playpen my heart goes out to him. Never is he encouraged to do anything, when he smiles he meets scowls. It seems that the family tries everything to make him as dull, dank and dark like they are. All except for one uncle. It's Uncle Alphard of course, when he comes to the house, he comes up the stairs and heads for his little nephew's room. He picks the boy up and holds him on his arm to give him a bit of the warmth a small child needs to grow up well._

"_Let those bastards try and make another pure-blooded stupid Black of you, Sirius, I'm here to protect you and tell you about the bright sides of life! You will mark a change in the history of the Blacks if I can help it in any way! You'll bring the family to the light, as bright as your namesake star shines in the night sky. I will help you and if you should need me, I'll be there for you! If you grow up to be what I think you can become then you shall one day be free from them! If they never tell you anything like that, know that **I** love you, really love you, because you're light and hope for me. If you become a curious, courageous kid I'll keep loving you."_

_The child is hard to recognise after that. There's a bright spark in those grey eyes and he holds his arms out for his uncle. There are about three more memories like that, and every time Uncle Alphard goes to see his nephew and keeps him company, plays with the toddler for a while and encourages Sirius to babble and tell him stories in his baby talk. So that's how he learned to speak, I think. Sirius himself smiles now and looks over to me._

"Now I know how I could come out the way I did in the middle of those bastards. They didn't ever count, Remus, only Uncle Alphard did. They noticed much too late how much of an influence he had on me. Once I went to Hogwarts they forbade him to see me, but of course we corresponded when I was at Hogwarts as you know."

_The next memory is again of the young witch, who still only uses spells to undress and change Sirius. He is even levitated into the bathtub where she washes him quickly and roughly. He gets fed and is put to bed, still with the spell that keeps him inside. In a further memory I see the little boy waking up at night and when he starts to cry for someone no one turns up. He finally screws his eyes shut and tries to stifle the wailing himself._

It's hard to look at this when I know that our own children are just next to us, with James and Lily and Dobby and Winky taking loving care of them while we're going through those awful memories. All I can do is take Sirius in my arms and remind him, that this is all in the past, a past that goes back farther and farther with every day that passes by. And I keep reminding him of the love that surrounds him now.

_When we see his parents in one of the next memories we can see his mother is pregnant with Regulus. She's even quite far gone already. I know that Regulus is two years and a month younger than Sirius, so it must already be close to his second birthday._

Sirius records the memories, with a dull voice and James and Lily listen with their eyes wide open. They join us for the next round of memories, which we still spread over a year. Many of them are just everyday sort of things, seen from Sirius' two years old mind, the silent young witch is still there and still treats him with a disdainful demeanour, cold and distant. For fairness' sake I have to say that she doesn't treat Regulus any better!

_We are in the drawing room of the house again and there's a photographer to take a family picture, Mr. Black standing behind his wife who holds their second son Regulus, while Sirius leans on his mother's knee. The Blacks wear exclusive dress robes, Sirius has one, too, a stiff affair of silver brocade. His smile for the camera is real, while his parents' smiles look terribly frozen. What a beautiful child Sirius was. Two years old, silky black hair, a hint of the future charm flashes in his stormy grey eyes, a lovely face with the cutest nose. His mouth is pulled in a friendly grin and he waves in the camera, but his mother puts his hand down. The grin vanishes immediately. _

_There is a bit more interaction with his parents now. Sirius is brought to dinner with them and he hears them preaching about the family all the time. _

"_Always remember to set a good example for your brother, Sirius! He needs you to show him what a true Black is to be like!" his father keeps saying._

_Finally we see a memory where he's being taken outside of the house and for a walk in the park. The young witch has a tight reign on him though and when he tries to play with children around the park he's pulled away immediately. He is not allowed to mingle with them._

"_You are not playing with them, Sirius, they are scum, Muggles, useless dirt!" she hisses._

_And after that he's taken home immediately. I can see tears in his eyes. And in the next memory with his parents we hear his mother say:_

"_We have decided that you need playmates of your age, Sirius. We have asked your aunt and uncle to bring Bellatrix over so the two of you can play together. There will be other children from good wizarding families you can play with."_

And soon after that there is almost an invasion of children in Sirius' room. I can see Bellatrix and Severus and Sirius tells me who the others are:

"That's little Rodolphus Lestrange. Bastard, even then! Then there's Nestroy Avery. Anna Beth Wilson. Anna Beth never saw Hogwarts. In fact she didn't live past eleven, because she turned out to be a squib. Allegedly she died of a 'rare' illness. In my opinion that illness was much rather a case of murder."

I shudder. Anna Beth looks like a very nice little girl, blond ringlets and dark blue eyes, a smile on her face like an angel. I don't even want to think of such a destiny. It really makes me sick to think that parents could actually kill a child of theirs. Though knowing of the fate of others of my kind who were 'put down' after the bite I'm aware that I have been extremely lucky. Makes me miss my parents even more.

_I watch the children playing, but I notice that Sirius soon holds back. He doesn't really mingle with them, not even with Bellatrix, whom he knows best of them all. Severus accidentally breaks one of Sirius' toys and they start to fight, but the young witch, Sirius still doesn't remember her name, separates them immediately._

_We see several such memories. Never is the playing time peaceful and many times the boys pick on Anna Beth who just crumbles and hides as much as she can. She doesn't seem to be the only one, but Sirius and Anna Beth don't find together either. It all looks very awkward. Then there's a memory with Sirius and Regulus. Sirius just looks at the baby. When he tries to touch it he's being taken away. _

The memories continue this way until shortly before his sixth birthday.

_The young witch is still there, Sirius still can't remember her name, and takes the boys to the park, where she keeps an eye over them so they do not even try to play with Muggle children. It's summer and Sirius runs around on the grass delightedly, happy to be in the sun. His uncle Alphard turns up and Sirius runs to him, even more happy to see the only friend in his family. He's being scooped up and swung around._

"_Hello, my little friend! Are you enjoying yourself?"_

"_Yes, Uncle Alphard! It's so dark inside and I'm not allowed out on my own at all!" Sirius says with his bright, but saddened voice._

"_I know, poor kid that you are. Shall I tell you a story?"_

"_Oh yes, please, Uncle Alphard!"_

_Sirius, back on the ground, seizes his uncle's hand and pulls him to a free park bench. Alphard sits down and pulls a book out of his pocket. He looks over and asks Regulus if he wants to come and listen, too, but Regulus shakes his head and sticks to the young witch. I watch how he looks down on his feet, not wanting anything to do with the uncle that his parents declared to be a bad Black. The young witch does not dare to come too close. She knows that Alphard is regarded as a bad influence on the Black heirs, and he is strongly discouraged to come to his parental home, but he often sees Sirius in the park and Sirius is obviously very attached to the man. She doesn't dare to go too close and pry Sirius from his uncle, because the first – and last – time she has tried this she's been hit with a confounding curse that he only lifted hours later when he felt Sirius had been refilled with positive energy. She's well aware that she should stop it, but she fears Alphard, who is much more powerful than her boss._

_They both sit down next to each other and Alphard begins to read to Sirius, who cannot yet read and write at all. Something which his uncle notices with much disappointment, but Sirius tells him:_

"_I'm not allowed to, Uncle Alphard! They tell me I go to school soon and that I would learn it early enough."_

"_They are not doing you a favour, Sirius, but there you go. So, I'll just read the story to you, okay?"_

"_Yes, please, Uncle Alphard. No one ever reads stories to me, only you. Is it a Muggle story?"_

"_Actually this one is!"_

_Alphard starts reading Tom Sawyer to Sirius who listens without ever interrupting for about three or four chapters. Sirius' face shows his bliss at being allowed to hear something that lets him slip into another world, a world of fantasy, of adventure and thrill. He asks a few questions and his uncle explains some things to him, but most of the time Sirius just listens. That must have been one of the rare moments when his inquisitive mind was really woken, when he discovered that there were things to learn out there. After a while, Alphard puts the book back in his pocket and says:_

"_That's enough for today, Sirius! I'll read some more for you another time. You'll be going to school in September, so you'll learn to read yourself, finally, and I'll make sure that your birthday presents will always contain books. Some of them you might want to hide though, because they will be books like this one. I'll certainly cover them with something wizarding, but you'll know when you should not let them lie around."_

_Sirius' eyes gleam with mirth. He loves this uncle who is the only one in his family who can laugh and smiles at him. He embraces the boy and says:_

"_You are a bright child, Sirius! You will enjoy school, believe me, even if it is a wizarding primary school. You'll meet other wizarding children there which will do you an awful lot of good. Many of them might not have that purity of blood your parents so crave, but you might find friends with a better sense of fun than the kids you currently see. I don't think much of the lot that your parents deem good enough for you to play with."_

"_They're always fighting, Uncle Alphard! I really don't like them. Severus has kicked me a whole lot of times he was there the last time and then he's had the nerve to run to Mum and tell her that **I** kicked **him**! And she punished me for it! She didn't even ask me if it was true!"_

_Alphard rolls his eyes._

"_I'm so sorry to hear that, Sirius. There's not much I can do because they wouldn't let me see you at all if I interfered. I believe, they're just waiting for me to try, so they can completely stop me from seeing you. As it is they think I'm corrupting you, and they're perfectly right, that's exactly what I'm doing. But I don't want to see your wonderful soul being turned into what they are! Hold on to it, Sirius, and whenever they do something like this, think of me and that I love you. Okay?"_

"_Okay. Do you have to go already?"_

"_Yes, dear, it's time for me to go, and you need to go back for tea."_

_Sirius sighs, then hugs his uncle by standing up on the bench. He hops down, waves again and races to where the young witch and Regulus are impatiently waiting for him. The witch has glared at Alphard for a good long while already, so he covertly hits her with a small obliviating spell. Sirius' mood and his facial expression change within a few seconds. He shows them an indifferent face, falls into step next to them and follows them back to his dreary home._

_Again the memory shifts. Sirius is taken to Diagon Alley for the first time in his life. His mother pulls him rather roughly from shop to shop so he doesn't have any time to take in the views of the magical alley. The books are bought, whatever equipment he needs from parchment to quills, all the material for the primary school he will visit soon. Mrs Black hurries along, pulling Sirius not by his hand, but by his wrist. She only stops briefly when she meets someone whom she deems worthy of her attention. In every shop they step she gets first class treatment, but Sirius clearly sees the dislike in the eyes of many shop assistants. On the other hand I notice that some of those shopkeepers recognise the apology in Sirius' facial expression. The last stop is at Madam Malkin's robe shop where Sirius gets his first school robes, which are blue. Mrs Malkin is very friendly and competent, but her eyes only show warmth when Sirius flashes her a true smile. Then she pulls the robes over him with great care and warm words:_

"_Here you are, dear, let me just quickly fit that. Are you looking forward to go to school?"_

"_Oh yes! I can't wait to go!" Sirius says eagerly._

"_Don't talk with subordinates, Sirius!" his mother commands with a hiss._

_Immediately the spark in Sirius' eyes vanishes. But Madam Malkin has seen it and has already noted that this young Black might be a bit different from most of the rest. He looks up at her and shrugs his shoulders a little helplessly. Madam Malkin gives him a quick smile, one that his mother doesn't see because she has her back turned to Mrs Black, and winks understandingly._

_Again the memory shifts. We see more and more scenes of a home life that is never peaceful for Sirius. He finds himself constantly between his parents and Regulus. Then there's the first day at school. His mother takes him by the wrist again and pulls him in front of the Floo fireplace as soon as breakfast is over. She hands him the Floo powder and says, checking that he has everything with him, wears the proper clothing and has his hair nicely combed:_

"_Say 'Hogsmeade Primary', Sirius. You go first, I'll come after you."_

_Sirius throws the powder into the fire and steps inside, saying the proper name and vanishes. He comes out in the hall of the school, big and friendly, and his mother apparates next to him only moments later. She cleans Sirius from the soot he's picked up and they move to the school's entrance hall. Many other children are there already and Mrs Black joins her sister-in-law with her daughters Bellatrix and Narcissa. Narcissa is the older one, so she soon says her goodbyes to join her classmates. The two Black mothers take their children to the first year classrooms they have been assigned to. Much to the dismay of the mothers Sirius and Bellatrix have been put in different classes. Sirius doesn't mind at all, as his cousin is a rather mean girl, who pinches and bites whenever she gets a chance to do so. And since she's a girl and two months younger than Sirius he isn't allowed to fight with her or he gets punished. So he's rather relieved to find out that he doesn't have to share the classroom with her. But to his dismay Severus has been put in his class. _

_There are some thirty-eight children, spread over two classes. Sirius sees some faces he knows, but they are only the select few his parents have allowed to play with him. As soon as the children are inside of the classroom, the parents who have brought them are asked to leave to make it easier for the teachers to deal with the children. Sirius immediately leaves the group of children he dislikes and for a moment he stands alone until another black haired boy, who had observed his flight, steps up to him._

"_Hi! I'm James Potter, who are you?"_

_Sirius looks at the boy who is next to him. His hazel eyes look through round glasses, his short black hair sticks up in funny angles and he has a big grin on his face. Sirius grins right back and holds out his hand as he's been taught:_

"_Sirius Black. – Are you a pureblood? My parents won't allow me to play with anyone that's not. Not that I really care…"_

"_From **the** Blacks? Wow. Yeah, I am. A pureblood, I mean. Mostly anyway, there's always been the odd Muggle or Muggle-born in the family. And my family probably stays far away from yours. We like the Muggles, you know."_

"_Yeah, that would be a good enough reason for mine to say yours are scum and blood traitors!"_

"_Do you still want to be friends? It's only that I saw you move away from Severus as soon as your Mum left."_

_Sirius grins._

"_Sure! I hate that kid! He comes to our house and he treats me horribly! Said if he'd had a wand himself he'd curse me. I would really like to know why. It's not like I did anything to him, or almost nothing anyway…"_

"_Oh, we'll play a few pranks on him and he'll stop!" James promises._

"_Don't know – he'd probably tell my Mum and then there'd be hell to pay."_

_James looks at Sirius with wide eyes. _

"_You think so?"_

_But before Sirius can reply the teacher calls them up and asks them to sit down at the tables in the room. Sirius and James take a seat next to each other and look at the teacher._

"_Hello everyone! I'm Miss Ferguson and I'll be your teacher for the next year. That's what you will call me, too. Now I'd like to go through the list of your names so I will remember who you are. Alright?"_

_The children actually pay attention and answer her call. She looks at them all and places a little name plaque in front of them with a wave of her wand._

"_I might need the help of the plaques for a few days. Please take it home with you and place it in front of you on the table every morning. Now – who among you can already read a bit?"_

_About half of the children lift their hands, Severus among them, much to Sirius' visible dismay. He turns to James, who seems to be able to read, too and says:_

"_I so wanted to learn, but they wouldn't allow me to. Can you believe it?"_

_The memory shifts again and from now on we float through many memories of Sirius' first school days. He learns to read in a matter of weeks. Writing follows quickly afterwards and whatever the teacher brings up, Sirius is like a sponge and licks it all up. Finally his mind gets occupied with some knowledge other than the arrogance his parents have tried to plant into him. He seems to never even have to think about memorising things, he hears them and there they are. He's active and replies to Miss Ferguson's questions often. From on his first tests his marks are in the top three at all times. _

_But in one of the next memories we find that there are drawbacks. His parents soon find out that Sirius hasn't joined his 'friends', but James Potter. Of course James' family is as old as the Blacks, but still regarded as inferior, because neither James' parents nor his grandparents follow the pureblood doctrine of the Blacks. Of course Sirius is not allowed to see James outside of school, but the two enjoy being friends inside of it. When Sirius comes home he storms up to his room to get his homework done. Then he usually looks for something to read, because he's not allowed outside of the house alone. His uncle Alphard regularly supplies him with a book or two. Sirius is usually only seen at dinner when he is questioned by his parents about his day at school. _

_Then there's the day that Sirius and James pull their first prank on Severus. The boy is in a close-knit group of friends from his circles, Rodolphus Lestrange and Nestroy Avery are among them._

Then Sirius gestures to another two boys in the group and says:

"Evan Rosier. Ryan Wilkes."

Now I remember them both. So young I wouldn't have recognised them. But I remember that Alastor lost his nose in his fight with Rosier and that he had to kill him.

_I've already seen them trying to bully some of the more timid children in earlier memories, but I've also seen Sirius and James stand up and telling them off. To give them a bit of their minds James has brought an invisible sliding potion, which he got from an older cousin who's left school already on the chairs of the three future Slytherins. There's not a trace of the potion to see. But as soon as the boys try to sit down they slip off. The teacher gets really annoyed with them and when they claim their chairs were slippery, she checks the chairs, but nothing is visible._

"_Sit down and behave now or you will all serve a detention!" she threatens them._

_Of course they all keep falling off their chairs and promptly get decked with a detention and a low mark for bad behaviour and they're sent out of the classroom for the rest of the lesson. Sirius and James exercise their straight face with that very first prank and after the lesson is over they walk out of the room and high-five each other. They use the hustle and bustle of the class leaving the room to clean the chairs from the potion. _

_The harmless prank has consequences. In one of the next memories we see how Mr. and Mrs Black confront Sirius after hearing of the prank through the Snapes and Rosiers who have expressed their suspicion that Sirius, of course led by that ordinary Potter boy, might have had something to do with it, and we witness the repercussions for Sirius. Asked if he'd done it, he admits it freely. So far he's been treated with cold distance, but we've never seen him disciplined other than being sent to his room. But now his father pulls out his wand and coolly curses Sirius with a boxing hex, which is immediately followed by three more. Sirius slumps on the floor of the drawing room and looks up at his father with frightened eyes. _

"_That will hopefully teach you not to treat your friends like this! Go back to your room, Sirius, you will not come down here before you go to school tomorrow!" his father tells him in a cold voice._

_Sirius follows the order, but once in his room there are tears in his eyes. The young witch is now only in charge of Regulus, so he really is all alone until the morning. A house-elf brings him something to eat, just a plate of soup and a slice of bread. _

_From now on every second or third memory contains some kind of a punishment. Sirius sticks up for the weaker kids at school, gets great marks, is loved by most everyone but his family and his supposed to be friends. Even little Regulus starts to pull away from him slowly. The fine crack between Sirius and his family has opened up and in the course of his school years it becomes a huge gap._

These are all things I've never known about my loved one. Sirius has kept them well hidden because like me and like most people he detests being pitied.

**Monday, 28.12.1998 / Remus**

Sirius has spent last night dictating the memories to the dictaquill. He is just writing down what he sees and does not put it in any form yet, he just notes down the facts and some descriptions. This morning we go to the last year before he came to Hogwarts. We separate it into three blocks because by now the memories are flowing much easier. Because this is an age where he started to keep the memories consciously we use the spell to pluck them in a chronological order from both his subconscious and conscious.

_The first memory is from getting the school books for the last year of primary school. Sirius is taken by his mother. Regulus is with them and both boys aren't allowed one step away from their mother the entire time. They return to Grimmauld Place and Sirius is left to his own devices as long as he stays in the house. _

_The next day school starts again and Sirius floos to Hogsmeade, Regulus following him immediately. Sirius is already seeing to it that he's gone before his brother arrives. He meets up with James and other friends before heading on to their classroom._

_The next memory is of a dinner where Sirius is silent and Regulus tells his parents of everything that has happened at school. _

_This pattern is what we get to see for a couple of times. Regulus tells his parents everything. He turns out to be quite the evil sneak. He especially likes to put Sirius down for what Regulus regards as Sirius' treason, for his cheerfulness, his joy in playing pranks on others, but mainly his high standing with all of the other students, the ones the Blacks do not regard as proper company. With this he causes trouble for Sirius time and again. _

Sometimes we wonder how Regulus gets to know these things, but Sirius himself shrugs his shoulders and says:

"He's had it from both, Severus and Evan, who gladly told him everything, truth and lies and Regulus told our parents. When he told them lies there was no use to deny anything, because they believed every word he said."

It's a miracle that Sirius is still allowed to attend school. A few memories are filled with the way his mother and father punish him with all sorts of curses. There are weeks he doesn't get away one single day. About once every fifth time Regulus tells his parents about something James and Sirius actually did to Severus. Sirius has given up protesting. He sometimes tries to stay in his room right after school, but he's being dragged out and punished nevertheless. And he never says one word to James. He tells his friend everything but the way his parents treat him. It will take years until he finally lets James know how exactly his home life had looked like. He never wanted me to know about it.

Regarding Severus I have the impression that the more lies Regulus tells his parents about Sirius' treatment of the boy the more Sirius hates Severus. Most probably Severus and Evan have fed Regulus with a lot of those lies and he's taken them at face value. But sometimes we have seen the boy look at Sirius with a sly expression while he made up the stories. Sirius was always punished in front of Regulus, and I'm pretty sure that he regaled this to the other boys with glee.

Lily is shocked to the bones as she sees all this. I believe, she now understands Sirius a lot better, and regards him with completely different eyes. We can clearly see from where this deep rooted aggression for Severus comes. Sirius has never forgotten those terrifying first years at school and I actually think he never made it up to Severus completely in all those years at Hogwarts.

**James **

So that's what it really was like for Padfoot. Gods my heart is bleeding for him. What if we hadn't become friends when we did? Would he have had the strength to ask the Sorting Hat to place him anywhere but in Slytherin? We come out of the Pensieve for a break, Sirius notes down a few details, Lily watching him, still in shock about all that she saw. She even starts to apologise for all the times she's been hard on him, but he brushes it away:

"Don't Lily, just don't! By the time I came to Hogwarts I was already being used to be treated that way. You do remember the howler I got after the Sorting, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Who wouldn't? But I thought later that now I knew from where you had your arrogance. I probably thought you had wanted to be in Slytherin, but hadn't got in. At least for a while. You made it pretty clear pretty soon what you thought about the Slytherins, but I still thought you were arrogant."

"I was brought up to be arrogant. Anyone below our circles was being treated with snide remarks and put down in front of me and I was to do the same. I rarely did, but I did do it with the house-elves who actually admired my mother. They would go and tell her everything I did and there was no way to get out of her clutches at home. Of course I couldn't suppress all of that at school."

"Which is why we learned the spell to turn something into a Portkey. We had to go through the Restricted Section for that, but for all eventualities we wanted Sirius to be able to get out of the house," I say.

"And that was about four or five months before I really needed it," Sirius says with a very low voice.

Remus puts his arm around Siri and pulls him close. Sirius just lays his head on Remus' shoulder and says quietly:

"I don't know if I'd be able to look at all of this without you guys! But I know I have to go through it to find closure. I have to be able to put this aside and really move on."

He's right of course. Oh, Padfoot, whoever is responsible for this should really roast in hell forever! No child deserves anything like that. It's not that he was the only one punished, as we've seen in the memories. The Blacks have repeatedly mistreated both the boys for 'prophylactic' reasons. What his parents were trying to achieve with that method is a mystery to me, but I do wonder if other children in those families went through similar things. I think, I may have to visit Andromeda once to find out!

Sirius braces himself and we return inside of the Pensieve. I don't know how much I can still stand, but the worst of Sirius' home life before Hogwarts is still to come.

_The Hogwarts letter arrives and Sirius is happy to know that he'll get out of the house for most of the years to come. At dinner his parents discuss the letter and wonder if he also gets in invitation to Durmstrang. The shock in Sirius' eyes is visible. Then his mother says:_

"_Madeline Snape has told me that Severus will be going to Hogwarts, and so will Evan, Nestroy, Ryan and Bellatrix, so I think we can send Sirius there."_

"_Yes, you are right, it would look strange if our friends send their children to Hogwarts and we'd be the only ones to send ours somewhere else. We've all been Slytherins after all."_

_The relief in Sirius' eyes would have been visible, too, had his parents cared to look. So the memory shifts and once again it's Diagon Alley with another trip to fit new robes, black this time, to buy books and school supplies of the magical kind now and finally a wand. It doesn't take too long. Sirius' eyes gleam when he gets his own wand finally in his hand. Everything is put away with his new school trunk and as a pet he gets his first owl. _

_He calls the owl Tom, but his parents don't know it's for Tom Sawyer, the first ever Muggle book Sirius has read all by himself. The first trip Tom is sent on is to take a letter first to myself, then to Alphard. A means of communication beyond the fireplace, which is in a very public area of the house, so Sirius had no way of contacting his real friends privately until now. I remember that first letter in his typical scrawl, all excited and looking forward to get out of the house, but full of worries about the house he'd be sorted into._

_The next memory seems to be a few days before the school year starts. Sirius' parents comment on the nasty way they have to go to take him to King's Cross Station and that they will be forced to walk through all those Muggles. _

"_Not to speak of all the Mudbloods who will be there, because that fool Dumbledore welcomes them with open arms. I've been shocked to the bones when I heard that he was the one who strongly recommended it twenty-five years ago after he brought down Grindelwald. Now we again have half of the wizarding community run over by the scum," Sirius' father says._

"_That was a shame in the first place! After all, Grindelwald was on the right track," Mrs Black comments._

"_Oh, certainly, but that wouldn't stop the Muggle-loving fool. But I've heard that there's someone who will guide us to better times again. Called Lord Voldemort and I know that Mark Wilkes is already one of his followers."_

_Sirius can't hold his mouth._

"_You're not talking about the nutter who goes out and kills people randomly, just because they're half-bloods or Muggle-born?" he asks._

_Wrong thing to say, Padfoot._

"_You will never speak with such foul language and disrespect about the new Dark Lord, Sirius! He was a loyal follower of Grindelwald's and he should lead us into a bright future!" his father shouts with a thundering voice. _

_Sirius only cowers for a moment, then he speaks his mind._

"_But that is wrong. It is wrong to kill anyone!"_

_His father is up from his chair in a moment and the next thing I see is a whip in his hand. He pulls Sirius away from the table and starts whipping him over the back until the robes he wears are torn to shreds and Sirius' back is covered with bloody marks from the whip. _

Both, Remus and I watch in horror.

_The boy is down on the earth and when the whip vanishes, a house-elf is called to levitate Sirius to his room, where he's unceremoniously dropped on the floor. After the first strike with the whip Sirius has gritted his teeth and there was not a sound out of his mouth. Now he weeps, silently, because he knows if they hear him it will only get worse. He's left lying there presumably the whole night. Because the memory shifts and in the morning his mother comes in and he's still there, the way he fell to the floor, unable to move. She waves her wand and the shreds are replaced by clean clothes, otherwise nothing gets done._

Sirius closes his eyes.

"Took three days until I could move. The night before the term was to start she healed what was left of the whip marks and the blood. I could hardly walk, because I was so weak from not having eaten at all since that evening," he whispers.

We all bite our lower lips and don't know what to say. We take him out of the Pensieve and Remus says softly:

"We'll take a break, Sirius."

Sirius seems to be ready for that. Lily dictates all the details of the last memory to the quill while Remus leads Sirius out of the room and takes him to their bedroom. Half an hour later he comes back down. It's time to take the children to bed and he asks Winky to help him with one of them.

"I'll stay with Siri afterwards…"

"Yes, Remus, that's fine! I hope he can sleep," I confirm.

Then I hear nothing of them anymore for the rest of the evening. Lily reads over the parchment roll. She's gone all the way to the start and reads over it, shaking her head and wondering:

"Will it be a chance for the wizarding world to get better now that the old pureblood families are so decimated and only the ones remain that were not so tainted by the Dark Arts?"

"I'm not sure, but I sincerely hope so, Lily. Especially since the biggest leaders of the old families, the Black and Malfoy heirs have switched to the light side. I don't expect them to return to the old ways anytime soon. Though there will certainly be new 'Dark Lords' they will probably have a harder time to find followers."

**Tuesday, 29.12.1998 / Sirius**

I've slept through the night and haven't noticed any dreams! I definitely expected nightmares, but Remus has been holding me and the dreams stayed in my subconscious. I don't know if that's good or bad and I don't know what happens when I have to sleep alone, but I'm not bothering to think about that right now. I return to my task of going through my childhood memories. There's a lot together already, which I'll flesh out a bit still, because the pure facts alone are just too bloody dreary.

The next series of memories we gather from around the time I went to Hogwarts. Meeting James on the train…

_I see myself being led through the barrier at King's Cross for the first time. I can almost feel my excitement again. For two years at least I'll be out of the clutches of my family for most of the year. _

**James **

_Sirius is coming through the barrier. I see myself standing on the platform with my parents, who are laughing and wishing me all the best for a good start of the term. By that time I've never seen Sirius' parents, only his mother once for a short time when she brought Sirius to school on the first day, and I was shocked to see how they looked. Sirius is a miniature of his father. Mr. Black is very tall, slender, has sleek black hair and grey eyes which are ice cold. Sirius looks exactly the same, only much smaller and the look out of his grey eyes is warm. Then I see his mother. She's about the ugliest woman I've ever seen, to be honest and even then, at only eleven years old I feel so thankful that Sirius looks so much like his father it's uncanny. First of all she looks old. Her hair is wispy and seems to be all around her head, her eyes are dark violet and her mouth is pressed into a thin line. Both grown up Blacks look around with an air of superiority that tells everyone what they think of themselves. _

_Sirius doesn't even look at me directly, but he's already sent me a warning with Tom, that he'll have to act like he doesn't know me, just to make sure that they don't change their decision to send him to Hogwarts in the last moment. _

_Next to his mother there's the little pain in the ass Regulus. Her hand rests on Regulus' shoulder and he looks very smug about something. I hear them giving him last orders for the trip and the term, to look up to Lucius Malfoy, if he needs help or guidance. My younger self looks shocked at the way Sirius' face is expressionless, how he holds back any biting comments, that would be out in seconds flat if anyone at school would have talked to him this way. Before the train leaves his family returns through the barrier, leaving him to fend alone with his trunk. _

_But Sirius looks rather relieved about this fact and before the Slytherins or future Slytherins his parents want for his company can grab for him he pushes his trolley with his trunk and the cage containing Tom to me and says brightly:_

"_Hi, James! Ready to go?"_

"_Hi, Sirius! Of course. These are my parents, Sirius. Mum, dad, this is Sirius Black…"_

"_Ah, your friend who was not allowed to come and visit us? Hello Sirius! I'm pleased to meet you!" my father says._

_Sirius blinks, holds out his hand and shakes my dad's, then my Mum's._

"_Don't worry, Sirius, I know your parents, they aren't very fond of me, that's true, but you have to grow up to become your own person, not a pawn in their hand. If you can manage that you'll always find a second home with us!" my Mum tells Sirius._

"_Thank you, sir… madam…" Sirius is a bit embarrassed, he's really not used to adults who are kind with him. Except for most of the teachers at the primary school and his uncle he's never been treated kindly._

"_So – let's give you a hand with that trunk of yours, Sirius! That looks heavy!"_

"_It is. Thank you, Mr. Potter."_

_My dad helps us bring our trunks inside of the train, then waits with us until it's time to go inside. We have found an empty compartment, open the window and wave goodbye to my parents._

"_Have a good term, you two! And remember to have some fun between studying!" dad orders us._

"_We will, daddy! Bye Mum!" I call while the train leaves. _

_The memory shifts to a couple of hours later, when the door opens and Bellatrix, Severus and the whole bunch of them come into our compartment. We have a hard time to get them back out again and Severus tries to hex Sirius and then my younger self, but they get chased out by a prefect passing through the carriage._

"_What's this here? You're first years, aren't you? Do you wish to lose house points before you are even sorted? Off to your own carriage you go or you'll be in detention for the whole first week!" the boy says, his hands firmly on his hips._

_Bellatrix looks him up and down, then says haughtily:_

"_And who are you to command us around?"_

"_Don't try to mouth back, girl, you can see very well that I'm a prefect. And that's now ten points from whatever house you'll be in and that detention I've threatened you with. What's your name?"_

"_I don't need to tell you that! You're not in Slytherin and I won't listen to you anyway!" she says._

_Sirius turns to the prefect and says:_

"_Her name is Bellatrix Black."_

"_Ah! Now I understand. Now listen here, Bellatrix: you will have to follow every prefect's orders, not only those of the house in which you'll probably land yourself. With an attitude like yours you will be very much disliked by anyone, now off you go!"_

_She just laughs, but finally leaves our compartment. The boys look like they still want to hang around, but the prefect looks at them sternly and says, tapping with his feet:_

"_And? Do you want a detention, too?"_

_Finally they leave. Sirius looks up to the prefect and says:_

"_Thanks for the help. It's not that we're stupid or can't stand up for ourselves, but there were seven of them…"_

"_Frank Longbottom. That's okay, kid, if there's one thing I can't stand it's that kind of ganging up on someone. You're first years, too, eh?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Well, good luck for the sorting then! I'll see you tonight!"_

_With that, Frank leaves the compartment and goes on, checking that the ghastly group has settled down in their own compartment again. The rest of the trip is uneventful and the memory shifts to the gathering on the platform at Hogsmeade. We know it well enough, having been here at school for the last six years. A huge man is waiting for all the first years and gathers us at one end of the platform. He counts us, makes sure we're all the first years and then explains:_

"_Well, now I'll take ye across the lake to the castle. Ye'll be expected to be sorted after that. I'm Rubeus Hagrid by the way, keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. You can call me Hagrid, everyone does. Now come on!"_

_While we march off I can hear Ryan say to Severus:_

"_What an oaf! Looks like a half-giant."_

"_Worst of every side they get. Looks like he's rather stupid, too."_

_They giggle about that. I remember that I balled my fists overhearing this. Sirius turns and just glares at them. Severus glares right back and warns Sirius:_

"_Just wait until tonight when we'll be in our dorm! You won't have much to laugh and your low class friends won't be there!"_

_Finally we all climb into the little boats. Luckily, none of the gits tries to get into ours, but they're not far away and Sirius aims a stone at Severus, who actually falls into the lake. Hagrid is there to fish him out and chides him for being clumsy. My younger self and Sirius hide our giggles._

_A dripping wet Severus and the dry rest of the first years are gathered in the Entrance Hall and then guided into the Great Hall. We get into a line, Severus still rather moist, and stand in front of the teachers' table, then we get called to the hat. Sirius is the third to go. As was expected of her, his cousin has been sorted into Slytherin. Sirius looks like he's being led to the scaffold. It doesn't even take very long, and I remember how my heart went light the moment I heard the hat shout Gryffindor! Everyone among the teachers and all the Slytherins looked so bloody perplexed it was too funny, but even then I understood that something very extraordinary must have happened. Even Dumbledore looked very astonished. Much later he would tell me that he was completely and utterly surprised. He had known that two Black children would start Hogwarts that year and was most flabbergasted that one of them went to the most unlikely house any Black could ever go. _

The memory shifts again, this time to the moment Remus sat on the stool to put the hat on his head. This took a long time. I remember that I had tried to keep the name, but had forgotten it immediately. But I saw that Dumbledore watched with baited breath and when the hat screamed Gryffindor he had a relieved smile on his face. I think it really had to be fate. Then it was the turn of another boy to be sorted into Gryffindor and right after that it was my turn. The last thing I saw before the hat covered me was that Remus and Sirius were already talking with each other. And the next thing I heard was the hat who just said:

"I know what to do with you, my child! Gryffindor!"

_I watch as little James walks over to the Gryffindor table, introducing himself to everyone else. Then he asks Sirius:_

"_How did you avoid getting sorted into Slytherin, you sly thing?"_

"_I still don't really know, James! But I kind of thought to the hat to get it over and done with and shove me into the snake house if it had to be. And it said it'd most certainly wouldn't sort me into a house I obviously didn't want to go or really fit!" _

"_Wow!" said Peter. "You thought you'd be sorted into Slytherin? Why?"_

"_Because all my family has always been there. You have no idea how relieved I am not to be there!"_

There are then a lot of memories of our first school days. Most outstanding of course was the next morning with the howler from Sirius' mother, which, after I'd first seen her, didn't astonish me at all.

_When the morning owls arrive, there's Sirius' family owl with a blood red envelope in its beak. A Howler from his mother who has already learned that Sirius isn't in Slytherin. I watch Dumbledore destroying it before it was only halfway through, but enough evil things had already come out of it. Sirius probably wanted to vanish into the earth or something. It was actually Remus, who lifted his spirits. He hadn't talked much after my arrival at the table the night before, but he'd listened with great care, so now he said in a low but determined voice:_

"_Don't think anything of it, Sirius, the best thing to do is to hold up your head high and not react to anything anyone says!"_

_Sirius swallows and looks at this new dorm-mate, then replies:_

"_Thanks for that, Remus."_

_In the course of the next few memories we relive how Remus and Sirius hit off from the beginning. Remus is still very small, almost tiny compared to Sirius and I. Sirius is easily the tallest among us. Peter is barely taller than Remus, but a lot rounder. He doesn't only look like a baby he acts much more like a baby than any of us. He is the only one among us who has difficulties at the start and misses his family too much. He is the youngest of three brothers and the others are both out of school already. Since no one else shares our dorm we take him under our wings. Again, Remus is the driving force, claiming that no one should be lonely in a crowd. _

_The first Potions class with the Slytherins comes around and of course that won't be pleasant. The Professor is older than sin and my father has told me beforehand he was the head of Slytherin house, but a very complacent character. Just **how** complacent he hasn't told me. The man must have been deaf and blind! His name is Slughorn and for a former Slytherin he's really nice._

_It made for good lessons though and we learned quite well with him. It also meant that we didn't get treated badly, but he never saw the most obvious things the Slytherins played on us. I do have to admit of course that he almost never saw what we did to the Slytherins either. He mostly considered anything that went awry to be an accident._

_I'm waiting for something to come up among Sirius' memories and there it is. The first time we dare pulling a prank in Potions on the Slytherins. Sirius and my younger self sit together right behind Remus and Peter and since it's a practical lesson, the two of them drop a wrong ingredient into Wilkes' and Rosier's cauldron as those two sit closest. Instead of a potion that heals them the two of them get a potion that **causes** bruises, so when it runs over the cauldron they get both hit. Professor Slughorn thinks it's an accident and sends them both to Madam Pomfrey. He does ask them to kindly read and follow the list of instructions a bit more carefully the next time. I hear the four soon to be Marauders snicker, the other Slytherins, mainly Snape, seethe and another new Gryffindor, a girl with auburn hair and green eyes looks around to the four boys and makes an angry face. _

_After filing out of the classroom she rounds the four boys up and hisses:_

"_Are you aware that the potion could have exploded? What did you add in there?"_

"_Stop worrying, Evans, if you had looked two pages back you'd have found the potion, which causes bruises. We just added the two ingredients that do just that," James says coolly._

"_That's cruel!" she insists and rushes away with her friends. _

_That was the moment the long lasting feud between myself and my future wife started and the moment we started calling her Saint Evans. She hated it! _

**Lily **

They used to call me Saint Evans. Well, mainly James and Peter did. Sirius called me Tiger-Lily, which was almost worse. It took quite a lot not to hex them on the spot, but to stick my nose in the air and pass them with my head turned.

I don't know if I would have treated Sirius differently had I known about his home life. But I learned to know him as the member of one of the oldest and proudest wizarding families and to my view he acted it. He was so arrogant! Barely any better than Severus and his gang of Slytherins. Different arrogant than James, but just as bad. Both were not arrogant of their blood lines, but of their ability to just suck up everything, to act like nothing concerned them and still hand in tests and homework that got top marks. I was jealous and it irked me so much I tried to defy them in every subject. We fought a mostly silent war in the next six years.

But it's fascinating to watch all that from Sirius' memories. It's especially nice to see from a distance how Remus and Sirius hit off right from the start. They were too cute for words those two and I'm sure the basis for their love was laid down right at the beginning. I had come to the Gryffindor table as the second new first year, introduced myself to Sirius and whoever sat nearby, sat myself on the other side of Sirius, then Remus came next. He sat down next to Sirius and looked around with those amazing amber eyes. They were more brown than gold actually, but with the light of all those candles they got that golden sheen perfectly. Sirius looked into them quite intently even then. They started talking and only when James joined us at the table, sitting down on Remus' other side, did Sirius turn to James more. They told us that they had gone to primary school together, which was why they knew each other. I soon found out that Remus, while from an all wizarding family, didn't know any of the other wizarding children. He explained it away that he had grown up abroad for the most part. One of the three girls who were sorted into Gryffindor was a half-blood, the other two were wizarding children, but they had gone to Muggle primary schools. I was the only one who was from an all Muggle family.

Hermione and Harry are coming home after having spent a few days at Hermione's parents. They find us in the small living room poring over the Pensieve.

"Hello, everyone!" Harry calls.

Then he starts and notices what's going on. We come out of the Pensieve. Sirius grins and we all greet the young people.

"What's the topic in there?" Harry asks.

Since we all grin he knows it can't be anything too bad. Sirius confirms it:

"First year at Hogwarts."

"Oh, are we allowed in?" Hermione asks immediately.

"Sure, if you want to see this…"

The two hasten to take off their coats and put their bags on an armchair in the front room, then they join us. We plunge into another memory


	7. New Year's Eve Party

**Chapter 7 – New Year's Eve Party**

**Tuesday, 29.12.1998 / Harry**

We come home and find them all huddled over the coffee table? Ah, Sirius' Pensieve! Oh dear! What could they be seeing in there? They tell us it's their first year at school, so Hermione and I are welcome to join them.

_It's late evening in the dormitory. I can see the four beds around the walls, two more or less opposite of two others since the room is round, and I notice that Remus and Sirius have their beds next to each other and Sirius is opposite of dad, while Remus is on the other side of Peter. They seem to be sleeping, but Sirius is awake, the hangings on his four poster slightly parted while he looks over to Remus' bed. There too, the curtains are parted for a bit. He looks tiny in the huge bed and only the top of his head, his eyes and his nose look out of the comforter. What a cute child that was. Sirius seems to think so, too, because he sighs, finally gets up and closes the curtains of Remus' bed again. He pads back to his own bed, pulls the curtains and covers himself. He's a pretty child, too. _

_The memory shifts to a morning in the dorm, they're waking up and Sirius opens the bed curtains to scream:_

"_Rise and shine, everybody, the day has started!"_

_He jumps out of the bed like a maniac, races around the dorm to pull the curtains on the other beds open, finally runs and is the first in the shower. I stay out of the bathroom and watch Remus, who opens his curtains fully, stretches while he sits up slowly and then moans._

"_Darn it, Sirius, do you need to scream around every morning?"_

_Sirius is already back from the shower only ten minutes later, a towel around his middle, sopping hair which he shakes out so the others will have their measure of the water in them and drops the towel to get some fresh underwear out of his cupboard. He doesn't seem to give a damn that he's completely naked. Remus stares at him, then gets up, picks up his clothes and is off to the showers himself, while James and Peter only just climb out of their beds. _

"_Morning, Sirius!" James yawns._

"_Morning, James! Peter! Come on, guys, it's time, get dressed and come to breakfast!"_

Morning person. Definitely. But that might have changed in the course of time, he's not that chipper in the morning anymore. Or is that because of the twins now?

_Sirius waits for Remus to come from the shower, grabs his book-bag and the two of them climb down the stairs to the common room._

"_We keep some places for you two slow-pokes!" Sirius calls, then they're off._

"_Nutter!" James mutters and finds his way to the shower. _

_In the memory we all follow Sirius and Remus down the stairs of course. With his usual exuberance he pounds ahead down the stairs, through the Entrance Hall and into the Great Hall. Remus is fairly close behind him, though he does it with much more grace and elegance in his movements. Christ, it's no wonder, Sirius fell for him, he was such a beautiful child. There's not a bit of baby-fat remaining, he's slender, almost thin, though still very small. His face a perfect stretched oval, slightly pale and topped with neatly combed blond hair. They sit down next to each other, grab some bowls and fill their plates. Sirius piles about three pieces of toast next to his plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages and digs in. Remus takes it slower and again he is so much more graceful, while he fills his plate and butters some toast before he picks up his knife and fork to begin eating. They've almost finished by the time my dad and Peter have joined them at the table. Sirius talks of the day's classes. James thinks of pranking the Slytherins. _

"_If only we knew where their common room is…" Peter says._

"_Oh, we could certainly find out…" James says in a conspiratorial voice, "We'd just have to follow one of them…" _

"_But they'd see us. I know it's somewhere in the dungeons, and there's only one staircase going down there from the Entrance Hall," Peter worries._

_James and Sirius look at each other. Sirius starts to grin. He looks positively thrilled and nods at James._

"_Let's discuss that tonight in our dormitory, there's too many who could overhear us here…" he suggests, "just know that I have my means of doing this…"_

"_Yeah, that would certainly be better," Sirius admits._

_The memory dissolves and we're in the next one. They've returned to the dormitory and dropped their school things. Dad digs around in his trunk and brings forth the Invisibility Cloak and holds it up for the others to see. Remus stares at it._

"_Is that what I think it is?" he asks in a hushed voice._

"_Well, that depends on what you do think it is…" dad says cheerfully._

"_I'm thinking Invisibility Cloak…" Remus says._

_James smirks, Peter looks up, surprised._

"_Really? Wow, they're really rare! Where did you get it, James?"_

"_Yep, it's an Invisibility Cloak. I've already told Sirius that I have one and we've put it to good use at our old school once or twice…"_

"…_or a dozen times," Sirius butts in, laughing._

"_My grandfather gave it to me. Said he needed to undermine my parents' efforts on bringing me up seriously for a bit. He was a bit of a mischief maker himself, you know. No idea why he never gave it to my dad…"_

"_Come on, let's see if we can all be covered by it!" Sirius cries and jumps from the bed._

_They are all still small enough that this is the case._

I laugh watching them trying to walk in a whole bunch.

"Funny eh?" dad asks.

"Yep, absolutely. I think this thing is shrinking and growing depending on the amount of people who are using it. In our first year Hermione and I smuggled a baby dragon in a cage through Hogwarts underneath it."

"What?" Mum and dad say as one. They still don't know about this story.

"Ugly story, believe me. We did get rid of the baby dragon well enough, but then we were so stupid we forgot the Cloak on the Astronomy tower and were promptly caught by Filch. Minerva was outside of herself," Hermione says.

Dad breaks out laughing and asks with mirth in his eyes:

"And? Did you get a detention?"

"Of course. Not only Harry was out of bounds that night, also Neville, who wanted to warn us that Draco was around trying to tell on us to Minerva, and since all four of us had been caught, Filch delivered the four of us to Hagrid, who took us into the Forbidden Forest at night. At that time Draco was still a nasty spoilt little kid who tried to threaten Hagrid with his dear old dad, but he still had to come along," Hermione tells the rest of the story.

Today we can laugh about it, but back then it's been more than frightening.

"It all wouldn't have been so bad, if we didn't have to look for a badly injured unicorn. We did find the unicorn, but it was dead and what's worse was that our defence teacher, Quirrell, as you know, was just busy drinking its blood to help Voldemort survive, who possessed him. He almost got to me there…" I conclude.

"Ugly story that…" dad remarks, "I'm still more than thankful that Firenze has taken you out of there."

"What do you think I was?"

_The memory picks up a while later, the four boys are invisible, but since we are close they must be there somewhere. A group of Slytherins passes them and we're bound to follow the invisible four down the staircase to the dungeons. The Slytherins stop in front of a wall and give the wall the password, loud enough for Remus to pick it up easily. After a while the memory seems to be replaced by another one, because the students gather in the Great Hall for breakfast again. _

"_Now I can't wait for the outrage," Peter whispers._

"_Neither can I!" Sirius confirms. _

_The outrage in the form of many infuriated Slytherins who come into the great hall with red and gold hair. The students who are already in the Great Hall start to giggle and laugh and by the time the teachers are all there the whole student body is laughing outright. But the originators of the prank can't be identified and the four boys are spared a detention and point losses. _

_There are quite a few memories containing small pranks now. The Marauders start roaming the castle at night and discover the kitchens. It's fun to see them finding out about the house-elves and gaining allies in the little creatures. The next step are finding several secret passages. Here are a few close calls with ghosts or Peeves and with Filch. Hermione and I stare as he already had Mrs Norris, but the cat seems to be still very young. Thanks to their discovery of more and more secret passages the boys usually get away. _

It's time to take all the children to bed. They've been watched by Winky and Dobby. Sirius has pulled us out of the memories to take notes and we've gone in and out of the Pensieve. Everyone remembers some details and the roll of parchment grows and grows while Sirius' Dictaquill writes down what he tells it to. Once the little ones are sleeping we all return to the Pensieve. Sirius extracts the memories we've visited and discards them, then he adds more. We know that he's covering a happy time in his life and we gladly share this with him, his eyes are full of mirth as he watches his and his friends' adventures at Hogwarts. He certainly has even more fun than we have, since they're his own memories.

**Hermione**

_They sit in the common room, doing their homework. We see Professor McGonagall coming through the portrait hole calling James away. He leaves, but is back only a short time later, with a face frozen to a mask. Sirius, Remus and Peter jump up immediately and surround him, to ask what is going on, but he only nods up to their dormitory. When they reach it, he breaks down and cries:_

"_My grandparents have been found dead in their house! With a strange mark above it: a green skull from which a snake protrudes. That was two days ago."_

Harry and I gasp. We look at James, Lily, Sirius and Remus who of course knew what this memory was about, at least the men did. Lily probably only learned about it later.

"_Anyway, I have to leave for a few days – for the funeral they say and that my parents wanted the family to be together. It's Christmas in a few days anyway, so I'll be back after that… they said that my grandparents were murdered."_

"_James! I don't know what to say! You just told us so much about your grandfather!" Remus says and looks saddened._

"_Yeah, I know. And now he's dead! I loved the old man. He was always laughing!"_

"_Who would do such a thing? And what about that mark?" Sirius asks fiercely. He's not been able to say anything at all until now._

"_I don't know, Sirius. Maybe they tell me. Then I'll tell you back."_

_James packs some stuff into his trunk and Sirius helps him bring it down through the portrait hole. Professor McGonagall waits there, patiently and says with her lips pressed to a thin line:_

"_Come, Potter, we get you downstairs, your father is waiting at Professor Dumbledore's office."_

"_Yes, Professor. See you after the break, guys!"_

"_Bye, James! We're sorry!" Sirius calls after him._

"_Bye James!" Remus and Peter say in unison._

_The next memory shows Sirius, Remus and Peter at the Gryffindor table and Professor McGonagall noting down the names of the students who stay at Hogwarts over the break. It turns out that only Peter is going home, Remus and Sirius both stay. Sirius has not the slightest inclination to by confronted by his stiff family for being sorted to Gryffindor and Remus' reason to stay is that his parents have decided to take the opportunity that Remus can stay at Hogwarts to visit a congress somewhere abroad. _

_The memory dissolves and then we meet Sirius all alone in the library, poring over some books. When I get closer he looks up some Dark Creatures. I suppose he started to suspect that something is wrong with Remus. But he hasn't quite found the link yet. _

_In the next few memories it's clear that Remus and Sirius seem to have quite a good time all alone in Gryffindor Tower. They get the good squashy sofas in front of the big fireplace. Remus is reading a lot. When Sirius isn't pestering him to do something together. And Remus looks very lively when they go outside to play in the snow. _

There's a lot to note down for the memoirs from these few memories in their first year alone. Sirius' Dictaquill almost starts to smoke as it follows the dictating from all of us. It's fun in a way, but I'm well aware that these must be some of Sirius' happiest memories, the ones he carefully had to stash away in Azkaban, which he is pulling to the foreground of his mind now. I suspect that many of these memories are stored in his subconscious these days, and that only extracting them into the Pensieve pulls them back into his conscious remembering. He's extracting memories by the month now, as there is more and more. This is for both himself and Remus and they plan to write this part of the book together, right up to the bitter break in their lives.

He's cleared the Pensieve and we go in for the next instalment.

We find ourselves back in Hogwarts, back in the Gryffindor Tower. It's the last day of the Christmas vacation, Sirius tells us and Remus looks at his younger self, wondering why no one ever made any kind of remark about the adoring looks with which he's watching Sirius.

James makes one now: "Remus, don't tell me you were already in love with Sirius in our **first** year! Why did no one ever see how you looked at him?"

Remus blushes. Sirius looks at him and plants a quick kiss on his cheek. He just smiles and replies in Remus' stead: "Well, if **he** wasn't in love with me by then **I** certainly was in love with him. Just didn't know it yet."

_Tiny Remus is blushing, too, when he notices Sirius looking back at him. Sirius is sitting on the floor, reading a book while leaning on the sofa next to Remus, who sits with one leg tucked under the other. He looks so cute I want to go and cuddle him! Remus has a book open, too, but he's not reading. He's staring down at Sirius instead. And blushes again, when Siri notices the glances. The quaint picture is rapidly disturbed when the common room is invaded by the returning students, coming from the train, all flushed and ready to start the next term. James is one of the first to come in, still a bit subdued, but happy to be reunited with his friends. He smiles widely when he sees them in front of the fire. They are jumping up to welcome him back. While they go up to the dormitory Sirius and Remus ask him, if he's feeling better. _

"_Not much, but I will. It's just so hard to miss them, especially at Christmas! They had already bought my present! It made me cry again when I opened it, but Mum and dad felt the same, so it wasn't a very happy Christmas. How was it for you guys?"_

"_Oh, just fine. There was only one table for all, right in the middle of the Great Hall! The teachers who stayed on ate together with us students. They were a lot more easygoing than normally!" Sirius says._

"_We've had a really good time! There was even a Christmas tree here in the common room. The house-elves just removed it a couple of days ago," Remus adds._

"_That's great! You know what? How about we all stay on next year, then Sirius won't be alone and we'll be together!" James offers._

"_That's a bloody good idea, James!" Peter said. "Only I might have to go home again. My parents think, Christmas is the family holiday and that families should be together."_

_The memory ends here. The next one that comes up takes place in the transfiguration classroom. Minerva teaches them the usual first year transfigurations and it's fun to see the ease with which James and Sirius go about their tasks. Remus and Lily do their job very well, too, though they have a few more unsuccessful attempts, but Remus' pincushion really is a pincushion, while Peter's still has the whiskers of the hedgehog and the odd quills. Sirius laughs himself silly when he sees it, but then he guides Peter's hand so that he doesn't tremble and helps him with the spells. Minerva sees it, but she doesn't seem to mind, though at the end she gives Sirius three extra points and Peter some extra homework. There are many images like that in the next few memories. One class with Professor Flitwick it's Remus and Lily who help Peter and then in the next potions lesson it's James who partners with Peter, while Sirius works with Remus who's not the best in potions. Remus at least understands the theory perfectly well, but the scents of all of those ingredients almost suffocate him._

By the end of the evening we've reached the Easter holiday. After the notes have been taken down of that we decide to call it a night and to continue the next day.

**Wednesday, 30.12.1998 / Hermione**

It's funny that without saying anything we all find back to the living room after breakfast to continue going through Sirius' memories. Winky and Dobby take over the babysitting again. Sirius smiles when he notes Harry and I are there as well.

"Do you really want to spend your time with that old stuff?" he asks.

"Yes, sure! It's nice to see all that! And I get to know my parents a bit better, too," says Harry.

"Wait till it gets embarrassing again…" he mumbles.

_But the first memory isn't embarrassing for Sirius. It's at the end of the school year and it's embarrassing for Remus, because it's one of those times he has to lie to them about the reason he has to leave the school yet again. Sirius watches him while he leaves after the last lesson, with his bag slung over his shoulder. He decides to follow his friend and finds out he vanishes in the hospital wing. Sirius shakes his head and returns to the Gryffindor tower. He puts his books away and follows James and Peter down to dinner. _

"_Why would Remus say that he's got to go home and see his Mum and then vanish in the hospital wing?" Sirius asks while they eat._

"_Did he?" James asks back._

"_Yeah. I followed him today and he went to Madam Pomfrey. He's vanishing about once month, have you noticed? And each time he comes back all pale. I'm worried!"_

_James looks up from his plate._

"_You're right, it's about once a month. Could he be ill or something?"_

"_I don't know. I've been thinking and thinking about it, but…"_

_All of a sudden Sirius halts, thinks for a moment and then:_

"_Tonight's a full moon."_

"_And?"_

"…_I have to go and check on something. I'm not very hungry anyway, see you guys back at the dorm!"_

_Sirius throws his napkin on the table, drops his fork and knife and runs out of the Great Hall. He doesn't stop until he's reached the library, where he goes straight to the regular Dark Arts section and looks for a book. He pulls it from the shelf, sits down and catches his breath while he leaves through the pages and finally finds what he's been looking for. He nods, takes the book and passes Madam Pince to check the book out._

"_Here you are, Black!"_

"_Thank you, Madam Pince!" he says with a smile and rushes off, back to the dorm. _

_He finds his page again and starts to read until James and Peter are back from dinner. When they come into the room he looks up and says:_

"_I think, Remus is a werewolf."_

_Peter laughs._

"_You must be kidding, Sirius! He can't be a werewolf, they'd never allow one to come to school!"_

"_All the symptoms are there. Moody when the moon is almost full, tired too, pale, skinny beyond anything, very active when the moon is new and whenever he comes back from being away he looks like someone has really beaten him up."_

_James has wide eyes, too._

"_That's all very true…" he whispers. "Do you remember how he hissed at Snape today? He was right, of course, but normally he never does something like that. And he really looked tired in the past few days."_

_Then he looks out of the window. It's still light outside, and the moon hasn't risen yet, but he thinks back and says:_

"_It's really been just about a month since he's vanished for the last time. He's given us excuses!"_

"_Lies!" hisses Peter._

"_Now really, Peter, would you just walk up to someone and say you're a werewolf?" James says._

"_No, I wouldn't. But I wouldn't go where other people are. Werewolves are Dark Creatures, dangerous and, well you see how Remus lies to us… my father says they all lie so people will feel safe, and once you trust them, they'll get you!"_

"_Stop it right there, Peter!" Sirius falls in, "Remus is the kindest guy in the whole school, he's always nice with everyone, well, almost everyone, how can you say something so ugly?"_

"_He's deceptive, isn't he?" Peter insists._

"_I would be deceptive, too, especially if people who call themselves my friends turn on me, just because I am a werewolf! Honestly, what's different in Remus today than yesterday? If he really is a werewolf, that is, we don't know yet," says Sirius, getting angrier by the minute._

"_Different? I don't care if anything's different, but he could kill all of us!" Peter cries._

"_Aw, come on, Peter, obviously he's going somewhere for the full moon transformation that's outside of the castle. Sirius saw him vanish in the hospital wing, so Madam Pomfrey probably knows about it. What's the problem anyway? Once a month he transforms and so! The rest of the time he's just like everyone else. Do we stop being friends with him after he's been so nice to all of us all the time? You especially, where would you be in Charms if not for Remus? And in History. And in Herbology for that matter. Not to speak of Astronomy," James says. _

_Peter blushes. Remus has not only been helping during lessons, he's the one who sits patiently by his side to go through his homework, even when he sometimes would prefer to do something else with Sirius and James, who are generally too antsy to sit still for that long. That shuts Peter up for the moment._

_It seems to be later. The sun has set, the moon is out and all of a sudden, Sirius, who sits on the window seat sighs and says:_

"_Poor, poor Remus! What must he go through?"_

_He looks out sadly. _

"_I wonder where he is," James whispers. "I'm sure he's been locked up somewhere…"_

"_Yeah, me too. It was almost turning my stomach, when I read about how they transform, James! It must be so painful!"_

_The boys go to bed after discussing it for a little while. They have decided to talk with Remus and tell him that they don't mind. Peter still isn't convinced, but Sirius' final argument that Remus could have killed them any old time in the past eight months if he had wanted to do finally hits home. _

_It's not astonishing that the very next memory coming up is the next evening, when they see Remus in the dormitory again and confront him. Sirius does the talking. _

"_You look pale, Remus, are you okay?"_

"_Yes, Sirius, it's nothing, I'm just a bit tired," Remus mumbles and heads straight to his bed._

"_There's something we'd like to ask you, Remus. We've been doing some thinking. You've been gone once a month since we started school and yesterday we noticed that it was the full moon, so we looked it up – well, we thought the symptoms are all there, so we suspected that you're a werewolf…"_

"_**What! No!**" Remus is wide awake now, his eyes are wide open and he's shaking._

"_Are you honest?" James asks._

_Remus tries to deny it for a moment longer, but then the others start listing all the symptoms and he slumps on his bed and starts to cry, nodding. Sirius immediately goes over to his bed and puts a hand on his shoulder._

"_Remus, we just wanted to know, there's nothing to cry about. We won't tell others. You're our friend!"_

_With a sniffle, Remus dares to look up to Sirius, who's all sincere. _

"_Are you sure? You're not having me on?"_

"_No, Remus, we're not having you on, you've been a good friend until now, so why should that change, just because we know you're a werewolf?"_

_Remus shakes his head and shrugs his shoulder._

"_Cause all the others would?" he mumbles._

"_Well, we're not all the others. So – we're not telling and we'll stay friends. Were have you been?"_

_Remus nods to the window._

"_You know the Whomping Willow… It covers an underground passage to a house near Hogsmeade. I can't get out there and no one can get in. Madam Pomfrey takes me to the passage and once I'm inside there I can't get out until she comes and gets me back in the morning after I transformed back."_

_Now the boys ask him all sorts of questions and he has to tell them about how it happened and how he survived and lots of other things. _

I throw a glance at Remus. Sirius has put his arm around his lover's shoulder and holds him close. It's a very touching moment, one that I have tried to imagine a few times. I think, Sirius handled this very well. No wonder Remus loves him so much.

They let Remus sleep, because he looks very tired, but not before they all promise to take notes in class for him whenever he has to miss lessons. It's amazing how the next memories show us a much more outgoing Remus in many ways. He's not as boisterous as the other three, but he becomes more cheerful.

_A further memory is of Minerva, who approaches all four boys at the Gryffindor table and tells them:_

"_Professor Dumbledore would like to see the four of you in his office right after classes this afternoon. Do you know how to find it?"_

_Remus does. _

"_I do, Professor."_

"_Very well. Then remember the password: plum pudding."_

"_Yes, Professor."_

_They're all four very subdued for the rest of the lunch and slink off to classes. The memory shifts on to them standing in front of the gargoyle which covers the headmaster's office. Finally Sirius sighs._

"_There's nothing for it. Plum pudding!" he says to the gargoyle who springs to the side. They go in and mount the staircase that takes them up to the office. _

_Remus leads them to the big oak door and they knock. The door opens and Dumbledore calls them inside._

"_Come in, come in, boys! – Don't worry, you are not in trouble! Please take a seat!"_

_There's a sofa and two armchairs and Sirius and Remus, who are at the front sit down shyly on the sofa, the other two on the armchairs, still thinking that some kind of a punishment waits for them._

"_I have called you up because I am aware that you three, James, Sirius, Peter, have gained some knowledge about your dorm-mate. Is that true?"_

"_About Remus being a werewolf?" Sirius asks._

_He's sitting next to Remus and looks fondly at his friend. _

"_Indeed."_

"_We're not telling anyone, Professor, he's our friend!" James promises._

"_If you three are willing to keep his secret, then you would do him a real service. Remus is an incredibly talented magical child and we thought it would be very encouraging if he would be granted a full magical education. We expected that it would be difficult to hide his condition from his dorm-mates for a long time so we have observed you very closely. – You have a very bright mind, Sirius, that you have concluded Remus' condition from his symptoms so soon. I did want to let you children know that I am aware of your knowledge about Remus. For you three boys I'd like to add that apart from us here Madam Pomfrey and all the other teachers know about Remus' secret. And I'd like to tell you, Remus, to inform me if any of my colleagues is in any way unfair to you because of your lycanthropy. An owl will do. I know you will not abuse this right. And that's all I needed to tell you. You can return to Gryffindor tower."_

"_Thank you, Professor Dumbledore!" they all say politely._

_Dumbledore smiles at them and they jump up, looking relieved that it's nothing worse._

**Sirius**

What a fond memory that one is! It's been wonderful to see Remus change from his covert self to a more cheerful boy, eager to learn and often with a sparkle in his eyes in classes. Remus was such a bright soul, a wonderful child and I only wish I'd have known him even earlier, I'm quite sure I'd have loved him even earlier as well. And for such a long time we didn't know that our close friendship was so much more! But still he was the Remus I fell in love with. And we always cherished our friendship highly, even after we'd become a couple.

_One of the next memories is the trip back to London on the Hogwarts Express. We're all together in a compartment of course and Remus tells us his parents are taking him back to Switzerland for the summer vacation. James expects to go on a vacation with his parents and Peter knows he'll be out for visits to relatives all summer long. I'm remaining very silent, against my usual nature, because I know that there will be no such things for me. I'll have to endure my family again. My parents don't deem any place outside of London good enough to spend time. Not even the old summer mansion of the Blacks, which is somewhere on the South Coast is good enough for them_._ And no Uncle Alphard for relief, because they have cut him from visiting me after I've been sorted to Gryffindor. They actually blamed him for that. He's told me in a letter about that. But he's also told me that his owl has strict order to deliver letters only directly to me._

"_Poor Siri! You'll have to hang around Grimmauld Place for the whole summer, won't you?"_

"_Probably. I wish I could come and visit you guys… but I suppose that none of you is on the list of people my parents deem worthy, I can well imagine their reaction if I even dare to ask, and those who are I don't want to see. You know them. So they'll probably be at Grimmauld Place anyway, especially when Bellatrix will be there. She's only too happy to refer to her Black roots."_

"_If only we could get you out of there," says Peter, "Even visiting my great-aunts is better than that dark place!"_

_James and Remus grin. _

_When we get to King's Cross station my mother waits on the platform. Since she detests 'mingling' with Muggles she has a Portkey ready. I hardly get time to say goodbye to my friends when I'm already pulled away and handed the Portkey. A minute later I'm landing in the hall of No 12, Grimmauld Place. She's back there just as fast. I hardly say hello before I drag my trunk up to my room and don't show my face until it's time to go to dinner. There's hardly any welcome from my father and both my parents are tight lipped, especially because I have been sorted into Gryffindor. They're even more mad at me that I had the galls to say I was happy where the hat had put me._

"_You're a disgrace, Sirius! You couldn't even get yourself into the family's esteemed house at Hogwarts! We have been the laughing stock for our friends for weeks!" my father complains._

"_I'm happy where I am," I dare say, "I didn't want to be where Bellatrix and Severus and them all went. All they ever do is bully and mistreat the other children. The Sorting Hat said I was fit for any of the four houses and put me in Gryffindor."_

As usual that's the wrong thing to say, but I don't really care. I know what I have to expect in the next weeks, so why wait. At least I said what I meant.

It's still very painful to witness – and feel again – what made for my home life as a child. The memories of everything my family did to me has not paled any! Not only the memory of the physical pain, but especially of the loss of trust, the absolute lack of any kind of sympathy or fondness in my parents. There wasn't even a trace of that in any of my family members. I never even got to feel the slightest spark of it except for uncle Alphard, Andy, Ted and their little daughter Nymphadora. Seeing this particular memory reminds me of my vow never to treat my own children like that. I know I will have to discipline them, but I will definitely keep it on the absolutely needed minimum and I'll try any trick anyone can give me before I will even think of using physical force.

_I am punished – as usual. It's the whip again and in his rage my father doesn't even care that he ruins my clothes and that I will have to get something new, since I don't have many Muggle clothes. Today I wouldn't even have needed them. After about a dozen whip-lashes I lose consciousness._

**Harry**

I can't believe what I'm seeing! My heart rushes out to Sirius! My goodness, and I thought I had it bad with the Dursleys! At least they only made me feel useless and forced me to work. Every time my uncle tried to beat me some unfocused accidental magic would happen, so that he gave up early on. Sirius' parents made him feel useless and close to killed him. Sirius looks like he can't take much of that anymore.

_When we see him again he's lying on his bed, moaning. The t-shirt he's wearing has been torn to shreds. He's bleeding all over his back and his shoulders and they just leave him in this state in a rather dusty looking room. It's hard to watch. Next to me Hermione is beside herself and shaking of anger. I'm getting the feeling as if she'd love to run and hex Sirius' parents to the moon! If that's how they welcome him home I dread how the rest of those eight weeks will unfold!_

_The room seems to have the afternoon sunlight and from that I think it's at least twenty-four hours later. The sun shows us just how dusty it is in this room, as if the house-elves never cleaned up there. Sirius has just woken up and moans from the pain. He tries to pull the shreds of his t-shirt away. That must hurt even more, because in the meantime the blood has dried and the shreds stick to what's left of his skin. He winces and pulls. Most of the fabric comes off, but so does the remaining skin and the wounds start to bleed again. Sirius falls back on the bed and passes out again._

_The next memory comes right up, Sirius is awake again, but he can hardly move. The door opens and his mother comes inside. She waves her wand, so that the rest of the shreds are gone and the wounds are healed. Otherwise she doesn't do anything, just turns around silently and leaves the room. A moment later a house-elf deposits something to eat on Sirius' desk and vanishes on the spot. _

_Then a few days seem to pass without incident. Sirius stays in his room for most of the time. He's down in the kitchen for some breakfast and vanishes in his room for the day. But he has to endure dinner, he knows what awaits him if he tries to skip it. His brother looks very smug when Sirius gets snide remarks._

_What a difference between this subdued child and the bright exuberant one at Hogwarts! Sirius has his owl as his only consolation. He writes some letters and Tom is clever enough to bring any replies directly to Sirius' window. I can see that someone sends him books to read, which he takes care to send back after he's read them._

_Somehow he manages to get three other beatings. All of them are unreasonable and cruel punishments. There are some formal gatherings he has to attend and there he meets the whole gang of his cousin's Slytherin friends and has to endure them or he gets cursed. In fact, the second time he decides to sneak out, but gets caught by his mother and promptly cursed with boxing hexes which knock him straight out. Much to the amusement of Snape and company. Somehow I can understand why he hates Snape so much. _

_His mother takes him to Diagon Alley to get the new school robes, as he's grown out of his old ones and his school books. It's probably the first time during these vacations he is outside. Not for long. He's shoved into the Floo in the Leaky Cauldron and gets hauled back 'home'. I can hardly bear looking at this anymore. I'm relieved when I can finally watch how Sirius packs his trunk and is Portkeyed back to King's Cross station, where he's left to fend with his trunk and owl cage on his own immediately. He drags his trunk to the train and manages to get it in the carriage and inside a compartment. He lets Tom out of his cage and the clever owl takes a seat in the luggage rack above. Sirius leaves the train again to look for his friends. I can see dad coming through the barrier with what I can only presume are my grand-parents. They look like a very happy and merry family. James sees Sirius and takes a leap, running to his friend and hugging him. And finally there's a real smile and a grin on Sirius' face again. Especially when Remus comes through the barrier with his parents. He finds his friends and guides his parents there._

"_Mum, dad, these are my friends, Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew…"_

"_Hello, you three! We've heard nothing but Remus talking a mile a minute about you boys all summer long! You seem to have become friends very quickly," Mrs Lupin says._

_The boys shake hands with the Lupins, then Mr. Lupin recognises my grandfather and greets him:_

"_Marcus Potter! I haven't seen you in ages, how are you?"_

"_Oh, that's you, Quintus! James talked about Remus, but I haven't put two and two together. It's great to see you. So you have been allowed into Hogwarts, Remus! That's very good, very good indeed." Now Marcus Potter seems to notice the shocked look on Remus' face, so he sooths him immediately: " No, don't worry, James hasn't said a thing, it's only because of your father I knew. I used to work in his department at the Ministry at about the time you were bitten, you know. And my lips will be sealed!"_

_Remus looks relieved. It's time to board the train though and they all sit together in a compartment again. While Remus, James and Peter talk of their summer's adventures Sirius remains almost silent. The others know that he hasn't much to say. And what little he has to say he's written to them during the holiday already._

**Remus**

I remember that first train ride together painfully well. Sirius was silent for most of it. He was pale and didn't look well. Only when we started to talk about Quidditch and some plans we had drafted in our letters he woke from his trance like state. I was very worried about him. I think he must have been lonely right in the middle of the circle of his friends. Something was definitely wrong with him, but in those days I had no idea what. I was only sure it was something with his family though. When I see these memories of his home life now I have to say that the werewolf transformations were certainly bad, but I've grown up being loved to bits by both my parents and they were never shy to show me their love, because they hadn't expected me to find it outside of my parental home. So I was off a lot better than Sirius. I suppose if he'd said he was cold they'd put a warming charm on him and if he'd said he was lonely they would have shoved him in the lion's den of the Slytherins in his year. Or give him a lot of new things. Sirius had a state of the art new broom in his trunk, but I'm sure he'd never been able to ride it before, because there's no possibility for him to do that in his London home. I think, apart from the time we got to spend outside at school he's never really been out of that house. Grimmauld Place, Hogsmeade Primary School and Diagon Alley was all he ever saw before he came to Hogwarts. Oh, and a bit of the park near Grimmauld Place. What a wretched childhood. Add to that his parents' violence, **both** his parents! and you get the picture of a real poor rich kid. I can only wonder again and again about the fact that he even knew how to love. I suppose we have to thank Uncle Alphard again for that.

_This must have been the first full moon night after the beginning of the new term. I'm absent, but Sirius, James and Peter huddle over a stack of books in the library until very late. Madam Pince finally throws them out and they climb back up to Gryffindor tower and our dormitory. Sirius sits on the window seat of one of the windows and stares outside, then he says:_

"_He's hurting out there! He's hurting and there's nothing I can do!"_

"_We'll find something, Sirius," James says. _

"_You've heard Remus, there's no cure – nothing! Not even something to alleviate his transformation."_

"_But there must be something that others have overlooked. What else are we wizards for? We'll find something that will help him, we just have to keep searching."_

"_I want to be with him…" Sirius whispers, then: "Do you think we could go and see him before breakfast tomorrow?"_

"_We can try. Maybe Madam Pomfrey won't let us in though…"_

_The memory fades. The next one takes place right outside of the entrance to the hospital wing. My three friends scramble inside and an irritated Madam Pomfrey asks them what they want._

"_Can we see Remus, please, Madam Pomfrey? We just want to wish him well…" James asks._

_Sirius puts up puppy dog eyes._

"_We know about Remus, he's told us, Madam Pomfrey, please let us see him. We only want to wish him a good morning."_

_Poppy's heart melts at the three boys who are such good friends to me and she lets them into my room. I'm still out of it and she tells them so._

"_He's unconscious now, that was a hard transformation and I had to heal many wounds. I give you five minutes, then you're out of here and off to breakfast, do you hear me?"_

"_Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Peter says._

_They're encircling my bed. Sirius takes my hand and says:_

"_Get well soon, Remus. We'll take all the notes for you. And we'll try to write so you can read it easily, too!"_

"_We come and see you at lunch or after the lessons in the afternoon if you're still here!" James promises._

_The next memory is Sirius coming into the hospital wing at lunchtime and moving to my room. I'm still there and I've woken up in the meantime. He grins when he sees me awake and says:_

"_Hi! I just wanted to tell you to get well soon! I've taken all your notes. And brought you some chocolate from the kitchen!"_

"_Thanks, Sirius!"_

"_How are you now?"_

"_Bruised and pretty beaten up."_

"_Why do you hurt yourself?"_

_My younger self shrugs the shoulders._

"_I'm losing all of my own mind when I'm transformed. The wolf wants out, wants to hunt. Because it finds nothing it runs against the walls and doors. And because I don't get to taste any blood I bite and scratch myself. That's why I'm pale. I lose a lot of blood. Madam Pomfrey gives me a potion to replenish it, but it takes about two days until that's done. Sometimes I have broken bones, too. She's healing those easily though."_

_Sirius winces._

"_Don't worry about it, Sirius, I'm used to it, it's been seven years already."_

"_I can't help it, it sounds so painful!"_

We're pulling ourselves out of the Pensieve. That one was easier to take than I thought. Apart from what Sirius' parents did to him of course. I could still murder them for it! Actually I even wish to bite them as a werewolf and that's something I never ever wish on anyone. I'll be so mad when I'll get to see how Sirius has left his home.

But the next group of memories are some I really love.

_It must be another full moon, because Sirius, James and Peter are back in the library. They sneak around at night in there and go through to the Restricted Section. _

"_Don't touch any of the books yet, Peter, we're just looking at the titles, okay? I've heard that some of those books can do horrible things!" James warns._

_Peter stays back after that. But Sirius and James look around in the sector containing highly advanced transfiguration stuff._

"_James! This here could be something, come and look! 'Secret of the Animagus'. I think I heard talk of Animagi. It's dangerous stuff though… and difficult, too."_

"_The book looks pretty normal."_

_Sirius takes it from the shelf. He opens it. Everything remains still. He notes down the title, author and position in the library in a notebook and puts it back on the shelf. James finds something else:_

"'_Shape shifting – Werewolves, Vampires, Veela and Animagi'. Looks like another good one."_

_James picks the book up, opens it and when nothing happens, Sirius notes the same details in his notebook. They work themselves through the whole sector and pick up anything that has to do with any form of shape shifting._

"_Looks like these books in here rather behave themselves," Sirius remarks at the end of the bookshelf. _

_When they seem to be through they start with the first two or three books and read half the night through, taking notes. Each of them has one of the books. All of a sudden, Sirius sits up straight and points to a page in the book he's reading:_

"_Ha! That's proof here, werewolves only attack humans when they're actually humans and only in the rarest of occasions do they prey on animals. It says here that in Romania they sometimes have to hunt to ever find something edible at all but that this has not been seen here. So we should be fine once we become Animagi! Once we can shift to an animal form we can be with Remus on the full moon nights and he'll not have to be alone anymore."_

"_But that's going to be so very difficult. I don't think I'll manage to pull that one off," Peter whines._

"_Oh yes, you will! We all will, and if it takes us years to do it. But not a word to Remus! Not before we've done it, alright?" says James._

"_Absolutely. He'd feel guilty and wouldn't want us to go through with it…" Sirius confirms._

_Then they put the books back on the shelf and go back to their dorm. I think they have slept as little as I did that night._

Many of the next memories show us pulling pranks, discovering the castle more intensely and the first draft of the secret passages drawn on a map, to help us remember where they are. There's much laughter while we go through these.

"Better than cinema or TV," says Hermione.

**Thursday, 31.12.1998 / Harry**

New Year's Eve! Everyone will be home; we have a party planned. Some of us go shopping while the others decorate the house and start on some of the food that we'll have in the evening. Sirius' Pensieve remains untouched today. But I still haven't forgotten the image of what he's had to take from his parents. I've looked at him with totally different eyes since then. I'm even more in awe about how he's turned out, I think, stepping beyond such a childhood must have demanded a lot of character strength. I realise that what he saw and experienced at Hogwarts, as well as the friendship of my dad and Remus held him up as a young adult. What a huge impact must it have had to see his life crushed by a single blow. It had to have been the ultimate horror to be sentenced to Azkaban for life for the murder of my parents and those Muggles when he was in reality innocent of those crimes. And how terrible to have the Dementors reminding him every day that he didn't belong there…

And just as I think of the torture, which the Dementors have caused Sirius I'm reading a lengthy article in today's Daily Prophet about Fudge. It's his last day in office – at last, we can only say. He should have been replaced ten years ago, but at the latest four or five years ago. If not the only option for most wizards at that time would have been Lucius Malfoy. Now, luckily, the alternative is Amelia Bones. And since she's got her family back she seems to have become even more powerful, as if the happiness had given her extra strength to take on the job.

A bit further to the back I find something interesting. It's a story about something the Aurors work on together with the experimental Charms specialists at the Ministry. The goal is to fully destroy the Dementors and to replace them with special imprisoning spells. Test spells have already been constructed and are in the evaluation stage. Of course they're not explained, but their supposed effect is described in detail. I show the article to Sirius:

"Here, Siri, that should be something interesting for you!"

He reads over the article and looks content.

"Good! That's at least a first step in the right direction. I'm sure that's on the order of Amelia. Not that I think that the Death Eaters at Azkaban don't deserve a healthy dose of what I had to endure. But the wizarding justice sends **all** convicted people to Azkaban, even for minor offences. That should stop when they have such a spell."

"Rather a group of spells, from what I can see here. It would probably take quite a lot to keep those people locked up. They still **are** magic after all…" Hermione comments.

"The question that remains is what to do with the obsolete Dementors. Can they be destroyed at all?" Sirius asks.

"It's not exactly well known, but it's actually quite easy," Remus remarks, grinning, and adds: "With fire…"

"Ah yes? Interesting. But really, I think, I wouldn't want to watch. Should be awful to see…" Sirius says lightly. Dementors are still a touchy subject with him.

"I don't think it's even commonly known, Sirius, most people think they're indestructible. But I've seen it. It was an accident, though a welcome one for me. And that was a **wild** Dementor in Romania. Those can't even be bothered by a Patronus for longer than ten minutes. We don't have any of those on the British Isles anymore. I was so desperate then that I used a Conflagratio spell. Was quite flabbergasted when it actually did the trick. Maybe even Incendio should be sufficient."

"Why didn't you tell me that when you first taught me the Patronus?" I ask, baffled.

"Because I couldn't exactly let you burn Ministry owned Dementors, Harry! Imagine how Fudge would have reacted on that."

"Too true, he would have been pissed off. You're right," I admit.

"Once the time comes when they will have to do it, I'll send Amelia the hint, that fire could be the very thing to get rid of them."

"Should give you some brownie points with Amelia," dad remarks, "she can't stand them either."

Remus' Commumirror rings. It's Draco, who wants to know if we have the champagne already.

"No, we're actually just ready to go shopping…"

"Okay, forget the alcohol department we're bringing the good stuff, you can cancel it from the shopping list!"

"Great! See you all later then!"

"I suppose it's okay if we bring Shannah and Vaidyanathan along, isn't it?"

"Absolutely! We'll find a suitable bed for the little one so that they can enjoy the party fully!"

"Good! See you all later then!"

It's going to be quite a big party tonight! I'm looking forward to it, because it will be good to relax with good food, good wine and loads of good conversation, a bit of dancing and most probably the night will be ended with a good shag. Morag apparates Nicole in and Mandy will bring Jason.

After the breakfast we split up in teams. Remus and Hermione take over the several trips to do the shopping. Sirius, mum and dad do the decorating, preparing the dinner table and I've volunteered for the babysitting today. So I'm spending my time in the small living room watching over the triplets and Lizzie.

**Hermione**

Harry's today's babysitter. I'm going off with Remus to do the grocery shopping. James and Lily help Sirius decorate the living room. Shortly after lunchtime Remus and I are back and unload the huge amount of foodstuff from the car to the kitchen. We've decided on a 'Fondue Chinoise', which everyone among us youngsters loved to bits, so it's a good opportunity to repeat it for once, as we didn't do this many times.

There are a lot of vegetables to be cut, the meat has to be arranged on large platters, we have to make about a dozen different dips and relishes, salads are to be prepared and the wines made ready. There will be an aperitif, which Remus prepares, while Winky and Dobby help with the preparation of the dips. Most are based on a Mayonnaise, which I make myself, some are based on fresh cheese and sour cream, others are actually cooked. This will be a two course Fondue Chinoise, as we've bought specially cut fish of several kinds, and for those I'll have a broth of white wine mixed with water, salt, pepper and some onion slices for the first course. This broth will be thrown out for the second course, where it will be real beef broth, and the meat that will be cooked is lamb, veal, pork and beef, cut into very thin slices. Rolled up around a special long fork this is held into the broth and left to cook.

For the dessert I'm back to making my Tirami-Su, some crème brulée and for those who like it, I'll have meringues, covered in traditional Swiss manner with a lot of whipped cream. And that's not going to be whipped cream from the can, no sir, that will be the real stuff. Double cream where the spoon stands upright when it's stuck inside! With greetings from the calories of course! Finally there will be a large cheese platter and some crackers to what's left of the red wine. During the long night we'll warm up the broths, which will be very rich, flavoured additionally with some Cognac and added marrow.

**Sirius**

James, Lily and I have fun in decorating the living room. We have little lights in all sorts of colours that blink all around the place. The table is covered with a tablecloth that we've charmed to glimmer in the same colours as the lamps overhead. We set the table with the dishes and charm them to different colours as well, then we place several little stoves along the table. Those will be used for the pots with the broth, to keep the fluid simmering. I'm checking the status of the little tanks holding the spirits and refill where necessary. Lily puts down the silverware and James brings the crystal glasses. We prepare a bar for the aperitif on one side of the room, with the appropriate glasses and bowls with crisps and salty peanuts and other nuts.

Then we add streamers all over the place and on the table, over the chairs and along the railing of the staircase up to the library. As a final touch I add candles on the table leaving room for the platters of meat and the bowls of salad, vegetables and crisps. The smaller bowls with the dips will be spread across the remaining space. Then we add the napkins and look at our finished work.

"Looks good, don't you think?" James asks.

"Looks very nice! Well done!" Lily commends.

I'm going up to our room to get my clothes for the evening, then vanish in the bathroom to have a long soak in the bath before getting ready. When I come out again, freshly washed and all made up I find that several of the youngsters have already arrived, including Vaidyanathan and Shannah. I welcome them – and their valuable alcohol cargo – contently.

"Hey Sirius! How are you?" Shannah calls.

We exchange kisses and I tell them:

"We're all fine. Lily and James are just busy getting themselves and their children dressed for the night…"

"I'm so happy to finally meet them, we've only seen photos of them so far!" Shannah says with a wide grin.

"Harry is looking after the twins at the moment, they're on the other side of the house, come with me! It's about time to relieve him anyway, so he can get dressed, too. It's good to see you again! How are things for you?"

"Much better than two years ago, Sirius! We can live and work in peace again and that's worth a lot! But I probably don't need to tell you," Vaidyanathan says.

Sadhu, five years old in the meantime, looks around the living room and says:

"This looks great!"

"Thanks, Sadhu! We've done some work today. And when you get tired we have a room and a bed for you, so you can go to sleep. Guest room for you two up on the second floor. You'll be child-free tomorrow morning…"

"We've got something to stay overnight, too, if you don't mind. I thought you would have some space," Vaidyanathan says with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, you know us! Took the immense amount of work of a spell to make a bed for you!"

We go over to the small living room, where Seraina and Denny are crawling around Harry. He looks a bit tired, my godson. But he doesn't complain! When he sees our guests he gets up to shake hands.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs Patil!" he says.

"Hello Harry! Could you stop calling us Mr. and Mrs? You're old enough to call us with our first names now, we're Shannah and Vaidyanathan!"

"Very well, thank you. How do you do?"

"Just fine, Harry. You look swell yourself, I've heard you've started studying law?"

"That and history, yes."

"Good, we need people in that discipline," Shannah says. "Are there many with you?"

"Unfortunately only a handful. But it makes for good study conditions. We advance very fast."

"That is certainly good news!"

I look down to my children and as soon as they discover me they come crawling.

"Hello, my little ones! Have you been good kids with Harry?"

I pick them both up from the floor and present them to our guests.

"So, this is Remus' daughter Seraina. And this is my son Dennis. They're eight months old now."

"And busy crawling around as I see! That's wonderful. – Hey, you lovely young lady, would you come to me? I know I'm a total stranger, but you see, I'm longing to hold a baby again… my son's already that big now!" Shannah coos and I let her take Seraina from my arm.

Seraina always scrutinises people before accepting them, but I suppose something goes out from Shannah, as Seraina gives her a flash of her friendly smile and babbles something.

"Oh, just look at the lovely teeth you have there!"

"They're cute, Sirius! Well done!" says Vaidyanathan and grins.

"Thanks! We're very happy about them, even though they're quite tiring. But it really is a great feeling to have a family with children now. Not that Remus and I aren't enough for each other, but it was amazingly satisfying to become a family. Somehow there was a hole filled of which we didn't even know it was there."

"I know the feeling. Parvati and Padma have been kind of an accident, but what a welcome accident! We keep teasing them about it, but in truth I can't wait for the first grandchild. Never mind that we had Sadhu so long after the twins."

"They seem to be both very happy with their partners, don't they?" I ask.

"Amazingly yes! Wouldn't have thought so. Draco and Parvati are pretty serious. There's more depth I would have thought in that young man. He's resourceful, too. That fun park is a huge project, but he's really doing fine work. Still has to learn a bit about the business world, but he's on a good way. And he doesn't need any other investors, he can really share it with the Weasley twins."

"We were pretty impressed with the work they've already done. Give it a year and the place will be open to the public. They aim for spring 2000."

We walk back to the large living room, officially releasing Harry from his duties, so he can go and wash up and get dressed. I set up a large playpen for the smallest three children where they get enough toys to amuse themselves and a soft blanket and pillows to lay down. We'll have a good look over them every once in a while. Lizzie will probably want inside as well. Remus and I will put the twins between us. James and Lily will sit opposite us with Andy and Lizzie between them.

Slowly but surely the room fills. Mandy brings Jason to the party. Neville comes in and presents us his date for the evening, a young witch he met in Diagon Alley named Hester Guthrie. That brings the party to twenty-two adults, five children and two house-elves.

Shannah sits down next to Lily and places Sadhu next to herself. Vaidyanathan takes a seat opposite his wife and son, next to Remus. Lily is happy to talk with her old friend and relates the latest news in her quest to bring back as many Avada Kedavra victims she can. Everyone sits where they please until the table is full.

Looking over the assembled friends and chosen family I'm getting butterflies fluttering in my stomach. It's just the thing I need. It really makes me forget my awful childhood and my horrible early adulthood. I'm 39 now and I think my life is really only starting, it's actually really unbelievable. Before we sit at the table I'm pulling Remus close and kiss him deeply. He smiles and asks:

"That felt so important. What was it for?"

I grin.

"I'm happy. Just wanted to share. I'm really feeling so well that I can hardly find the words to describe it. But I've just thought that all the trouble and pain was worth it to find this here."

He nods, suddenly serious.

"Yes, I think I'd go through all of it again, if I knew that this is at the end of it. And it's really only a start, isn't it?"

"Abso-fuckin'-lutely, my love. Come, let's grab our little ones and put them in the high chairs."

The two are happily sitting between Remus and I. They won't get any meat yet, at the main course they'll get the veggies cooked in the broth and for the first course we give them fish, which Winky prepared beforehand. They grab the food with their little hands, eating the fish with some bread. That's always fun to watch. Shannah looks at them and comments:

"That's rather unconventional…"

I grin.

"My idea. They are busy, not bored and we can eat mostly in peace."

"Clever boy!"

**Draco**

The living room is comfortably full with that amount of people. I'm looking over one end of the table and see Dobby and Winky, who are eating with us. That would be something for my parents! They'd cry 'outrage!' and would probably kill the house-elves if they'd even dared come closer than two metres. In the meantime I've long since apologised to Dobby for my father's treatment of him. Heck, even for my own treatment of him, though I don't think I've ever been cruel. My father was cruel all the time. If Dobby hadn't been freed he'd probably have gone the way of countless other house-elves. We must have gone through dozens of them.

I turn to Parvati and whisper:

"Hey, imagine us here ten years from now. A large extra table for all the kids who will be around will probably be needed, what do you think?"

She laughs softly. She doesn't know yet, but I've got something in the pocket of my robes for her. I'm just waiting for the last minute of the old or the first minute of the new year. For two months I've done my soul searching and now I know that I'm ready for the commitment. Merlin, I haven't even looked at another witch since I've been with Parvati, and that's three years now, so why should I wait longer?

The food, as usual here, is great! This is such a wonderful way of eating, you can't hurry it, you have to wait for your meat or veggies to cook in the broth and that gives you lots of time to chat. It's a casual dinner, everyone is fairly high spirited. Time passes quite nicely, the table is cleared for dessert and coffee. Sirius brings on two nice bottles of Kirsch and Vieille Prune, the coffee is steaming and Hermione's sensational desserts come floating out of the kitchen. Gods, there's so much lovely stuff I don't even know which to choose.

"Take some of everything, sweetie," Parvati suggests.

"Don't moan about me gaining weight, love! I think I really cant's say no to the Tirami-Su. If I still have room I'll move to the meringue."

I do hope, Harry knows what he has with Hermione! Mrs Potter has a gift with desserts! Remus feeds some of the burnt cream to his son. Denny's face is sheer bliss! I laugh when he squeals and gestures to Remus' bowl.

"So, do you think that some of the kids you can see here in ten years will be yours, Draco?" Parvati asks.

I almost choke. But then I think there's never a better time than now.

"Ours?" I ask.

And I pull out the little box containing a nice ring and hand it to her. I take her hand, look in her eyes and add:

"If you'd do me the honour and promote from being my lover to being my wife?"

She looks straight into my eyes and gasps a little, but then she smiles and says:

"It would be hard to say no to that promotion, Draco. Yes, I'd love to…"

Then we both grin. Neville on Parvati's other side and Padma on my other side have realised what's going on.

"Hey, watch for those two here! They want to hear wedding bells!" Neville shouts and grins.

And then we hear from all sides: "Congratulations, Parvati and Draco!"

My future parents-in-law turn to us. Vaidyanathan looks a bit startled, but then smiles.

"Decided to get serious already? Congratulations, you two!"

I'm relieved. It looks like we'll have their blessing. The whole table starts turning to us now, as I put the ring on Parvati's finger. It's a nice gold band with a large diamond, circled with rubies. She stares at it, then turns back and embraces me. Her kiss has already quite a different quality and I know now what Harry felt. He and Hermione are grinning widely.

"Oh great, someone else who's going to get married, we're not the only ones anymore, Hermione!" Harry says and shows me the thumbs up.

In the end we almost miss the beginning of the new year. Remus and Sirius have just returned from taking their children to bed. Andy and Lizzie are already asleep. Sirius starts opening two bottles of nicely chilled champagne, pours them into the glasses and we all rise from the table to get one. And then we celebrate the new year and our engagement. It's a wonderful party and both of us feel comfortable to have this group of people with us on this night, people who cherish us like we cherish them.

**Remus**

What a lovely surprise! I wouldn't have expected Draco and Parvati to be the next ones to announce their engagement. But it's nice that he's so sure about her. I do hope this marriage will work out.

An hour into the new year, Sirius and I decide to go to bed. James and Lily follow suit. We wish them all a nice remainder of the evening and move up to our room. The big living room has been sound proofed, so that no noise can get out. After we're through the door to the kitchen we hear nothing of the party anymore. We check on the two little ones who are sound asleep and close the door behind us to undress and go to bed. I'm laying my clothes on a chair and turn to my lover who pulls me into his arms.

"Hello, my love! How about we two have a little fun of the best kind?" he asks.

"Well, come to think of it I was going to suggest the same thing, so you'd better get rid of those garments real quick, lover!" I reply coyly.

"Consider it done."

He uses a disrobing spell. I'm grinning and point out:

"You got that one from me…"

"You've always been my best teacher, sweetheart."

I love it when he makes compliments like that. But I have no patience for verbal foreplay now, I want to get right to the real thing and pull him on the bed. I let myself fall backwards, manoeuvring him on top of me. Sirius grins. He knows that this means I want him to be the one who does all the 'work' tonight. I can already feel his cock getting stiff and when it touches mine I'm hard in no time. Sirius straddles me properly and we both move up, so we're fully on the bed. He bends down to kiss me and I can feel his arms enfolding me in a hug. I close my eyes for a moment. I know I'm quite tired, but I want this now. Sirius moves from my mouth to my ear, licking it tenderly and slowly. I let my hands wander, starting with my fingers raking through his hair, which I gently push out of his face, then I glide over his neck to his shoulders.

I draw a long, deep breath and pull him close for another kiss. He thrusts his tongue into my mouth and duels with mine. It's going directly down to where it feels best, sending little shocks of pleasure through my body. I can feel the muscles on his back under my hands. They react to what he feels, twitch under my touch and from his lust. He rolls off me, turns on his side next to me, still kissing me, but now his hands start roaming over my body. I turn to my side as well, so he can spoon me. He pushes his right arm under my neck and holds me close. I lean my head on his arm, turn my face up, so we can kiss again.

"Gods, I love you, sweetheart," he mumbles between kisses.

His left hand wanders down to my cock. He gently starts to stroke it. I can feel his erection stick into the back of my thighs, but I can't reach it well in this position. Sirius moves to fondle my balls for a while. 'Yesssss…' Then he goes around my thigh and starts nudging my entrance. I push a bit against his finger, so he gets inside easily. It's so good that I'm closing my eyes again. I'm totally relaxed now.

"Gods, love, don't stop, or rather, come on, push inside! I so want that cock inside of me, please!" I moan.

He summons the lubricant and smears some on his cock, while I hold the jar open for him. While he starts to insert his cock into my opening, I put the jar away again.

"Yes, oh yes, love, come on, deep inside! Now push!"

Sirius holds me tight and starts to thrust. He picks up my cock again and rubs it in the rhythm of his thrusts, while I'm pulling him even closer. He lasts for a long time, concentrates on finding that spot inside of me that will make me roll my eyes back and moan. Thank heavens for silencing charms! Because I won't last long, it's so, so good! Sirius though has a slow round in mind, he does push with a regular rhythm, but holds out. His hand is curled around my erection, stroking and pumping in the same rhythm he pushes. When we finally reach our climax, Sirius first, I'm following only a minute later, we're totally spent. Both of us still breathe hard and Sirius just turns me around for a kiss…

**Sirius**

…when one of the children cries. Oh dear! Remus is still fully out of it, so it will have to be me. I untangle myself from my lover and kiss him quickly, then I sit up. With a silent 'please, won't you stop by yourself, love?' I get up and rush over to the children's room, where Denny and Seraina have been set up together with Andy, to see what's wrong.

It's Denny. He's lost his pacifier and has woken up. I lift him up and hold him for a few minutes, but in the dark. He nuzzles into my chest, while I grope around his cot for the pacifier. Just as Denny stops crying James comes in.

"You've been faster than I…" he says and yawns.

"Yeah, if I'm not fast enough Seraina will start crying, too, you know. – Ah! Here it is, love, now there, that's my good boy. Are you going to sleep again?"

I'm caressing him over the head and kiss him tenderly, pick up his tiny teddy bear and push it into his arms. He grabs it and I hold him close for another while. Now he nuzzles his teddy. He's finally calmed so I can lay him down into the cot again. Our children wear sleeping bags, so there's only a light blanket to pull over him. I'm stroking once more over the little head and he sighs, then goes back to sleep. Seraina and Andrew haven't heard their brother and are fast asleep still.

James and I quietly leave his room and return to ours.

"Good night then, Sirius!"

"You too, Prongs."

When I reach our bedroom, Remus has fallen asleep, too. I put the lights out, pull up the duvet and spread it over both of us. Then I'm snuggling up to my lover and put my arm around him.


	8. Staff Changes Ahead

**Chapter 8 – Staff Changes Ahead!**

**Friday, 1.1.1999 / Sirius**

I wake up exactly the same a few short hours later. I listen closer to the sound that woke me and start to smile. It's coming from my little daughter who babbles happily in her cot. Merlin, this is the sweetest thing I've ever heard. I wonder if we just missed that with Harry, or if he didn't do that at all. But it sounds so incredibly cute that I have to kiss Remus awake and when he looks up, I nod to Seraina's room.

"Shhh… listen!" I whisper.

As long as she sounds so content we just lie there and listen. Remus starts to smile.

"She's so sweet," he whispers back.

I only nod. It's these little things that make our children precious to us. I suppose it's the same for all other devoted parents. After a while Remus and I get up silently and tip-toe over to the children's room. We've closed the connecting door again, so she'll have her room for herself. When we turn on the light we find her, lying on her back and playing with her teddy and still babbling. The boys next to her don't seem to be disturbed. The moment she sees our faces she starts to grin, throws the teddy away and stretches out her arms. I bend down to lift her up.

"Good morning, my love! You look chipper today, Seraina. A very happy new year to you! That's your first, do you know that?" I ask her in a low voice to keep the boys asleep.

She squeals happily and wants to be hugged by her papa, too. Remus takes her from me and kisses her, too.

"Hello, my love. Did you sleep well? It's still a bit early, come, we'll take you with us."

Remus frees Seraina from the sleeping bag and takes her over to our bedroom. He slips back under the warm duvet, placing her next to himself. I follow swiftly and now we enjoy our very awake daughter for a while. She lifts her feet up and pulls them up to her mouth to suck on her toes. Then she lets them go again, wriggles around and finally turns around and lands on her stomach. Now she starts exploring and grabs my long hair.

"Ouch! Not so hard, Seraina!" I protest.

Remus gently gets her hands out of my hair and I sit up quickly to braid it loosely and fix it. If she still pulls on the braids it won't hurt so much now. After about half an hour I say:

"I think, I'm going to take a bath…"

"You could take Seraina in for a while. She smells like she needs it," Remus says.

"Sure. Will you bring her in a while?"

"Yes, I will. Need to clean her a bit before. You're not exactly smelling like roses, my love."

Seraina grins. I get out of the bed and pull my dressing gown on, tie the sash and go down to prepare the bath, while Remus takes care of our daughter. I'm lounging comfortably in the hot water, when Remus brings Seraina into the bathroom. The baby is completely naked already. She squeals of pleasure when I hold her in the water. That's of course until I start washing her hair, but for the rest she enjoys to sit on my belly, held up by my thighs. We splash lightly in the water and I tickle her. For Christmas we got both children an amber necklace, which is supposed to help babies teething. Even if that doesn't really help, she looks really cute only wearing this. She pats my chest, where there's a thin film of water and watches in delight as the water splashes away. I hand her a sponge, which she takes to her mouth first.

"Ewww… Seraina, that sponge is for washing!" I express my disgust.

She just smiles and tries to bite off some of the sponge. I have to take it away from her mouth about five more times. Then a flash of light disturbs us and Remus grins.

"That looked too funny!" he remarks.

And goes on to take a few more photos of a happy Seraina, climbing around on daddy and splashing water at both her daddy and her papa. Of course she only hits daddy, because papa is too agile to be caught. After a while Remus puts the camera away and asks:

"Would you mind for me to bring you Denny, too?" he asks.

"No, not at all, bring him down."

"Thanks. Saves one bath…"

Only a couple of minutes later he comes in with our son and gently places him in the water. I hold both children until he's prepared a big soft towel for Seraina. I watch, while he spells her hair dry and gently packs her into the towel. She cries a bit because she doesn't want to get out of the water yet.

"Hey, don't cry, love, you can't stay in there forever! Off we go, getting dressed!"

**Remus**

I go back upstairs to get Seraina dressed. I put her down on the changing table, pick up a nappy and unfold the towel. She's mostly dry, so I do the rest with a spell, then push the nappy underneath her. I'm spreading baby lotion over her body, then put a bit of baby powder between her legs and pull the nappy closed. That's followed by her long sleeved body, a pair of socks, rompers over a baby sweater and finally the booties. I quickly brush her hair, which starts to grow slowly. She pushes up and I catch her, both of us laughing. I'm going downstairs and call for Dobby.

"Yes, master Lupin?"

"Can you watch Seraina for a while, Dobby? I want to go and take a quick shower."

"Of course, master Lupin."

I give him Seraina and go into the bathroom, where Sirius is still playing contentedly with Denny.

"I'm just taking a quick shower, then I'll take Denny from you, okay?"

"Fine, just take your time!"

While I wash myself I can hear repeated squeals of joy from Denny. Those two seem to like the water. That gives me the idea that some beach summer holiday might be a good idea for the next year. When I leave the shower I'm drying myself with a quick spell and pull the robe back on, then I pick up Denny. I summon his towel, pack him up and carry him up to his room to get dressed. That accomplished I brush his silky black hair and lift him up again.

"Now it's papa's turn to get dressed, then we'll go and have breakfast, love."

I take him over to our bedroom and put him on the carpet. I don't take long to get dressed in sweatpants, t-shirt, warm socks and a jumper. I'm quite hungry now. Sirius has finally left the bath and comes into the bedroom to get dressed, too. I wait with Dennis on my arm. Once Sirius is finished we go down to breakfast. Dobby and Winky have managed to cook breakfast and look after Seraina. Sirius picks her up and we go over to the living room. I'm pulling my wand to start a fire in the fireplace. Dobby brings the bottles for the babies and the breakfast for us. I hold Denny on my lap while I'm letting him drink his bottle empty. He's very hungry and suckles happily. Seraina is just as busy; after all she's been up almost an hour longer than Dennis. My son holds the bottle almost alone now. He looks up into my eyes while he suckles.

"Such a big boy you're already, my sweet."

I'm looking at him, too. He lifts up one of his little hands to put it on mine. Every day we get more response from our children and every day it's a new miracle for me.

It doesn't take our two hungry babes long to gobble up their bottles. We put them into their high chairs and give them a teaspoon to play with while we start to get to our own breakfast. We take our time and don't really expect anyone else to be up before about ten o'clock.

It's James who comes down with Andy on his arm and Lizzie at his side. Lizzie runs to us to wish us a good morning, already in full swing. She tells us in her funny language how she's woken up and how she's climbed out of her bed to go and wake mummy and daddy. James looks a bit disgruntled that she manages that so easily by now, but then Andy has also woken up, so he's had to get up anyway. Little Sadhu, who's really a very easy to have child, is with them, completely content.

"I've let Lily sleep in today. She's just fed Andy and gone right back to sleep."

**Hermione**

It's brightest daylight outside, when I wake up. I stretch and notice I've got a headache. Oops! That was too much yesterday! We've been happily drinking Champagne until there was none left. Since the Patils have brought about three cases we got a pretty amount of that.

I turn and look at Harry, who's still fast asleep. I look across him to the bedside clock and find out it's close to noon. Yawning, I start to caress my husband until he wakes up with a groan. He lifts his head from the pillow and forces his eyes open, but closes them again immediately.

"Too bright," he moans.

"No – too much Champagne, my love," I correct.

"How come you sound so chipper then?" he asks into his pillow.

"I'm not. Just keeping myself alive…" I mumble.

My mouth feels dry. The smell of my own breath turns me off and my stomach grumbles. Ewww… not my style at all, but somehow I didn't care last night. We did have to celebrate Parvati's and Draco's engagement, now didn't we? That definitely justifies drinking a bit too much, I'm telling myself.

Harry is asleep again. Well, I let him. I'm awake now and get up slowly, but my head still hurts. I'm pulling my socks on and then fasten my dressing gown. When I reach the bath and look into the mirror, it shrieks:

"What the hell have you been drinking?"

"Just a bit too much Champagne. And let me tell you that it was excellent stuff!"

"That's not what you look like… better get some hangover potion!"

Hangover potion! Great idea, but do we have any? I do remember when we made it and that Sirius said it's not lasting very long. I brush my teeth first, to get rid of the bad taste in my mouth. Then I brush my hair and gather it in a pony tail. Finally I go down through the kitchen, where I ask Winky:

"Hello Winky. Do we have some hangover potion in the house?"

She grins and points to the living room.

"It's on the table, Madam!"

"Good. Thank you, Winky! Happy new year, by the way… and can you bring me coffee for breakfast today?" I mumble.

When I reach the dining table I can see that the whole party mess has already been cleared and that there are the breakfast placements ready for us when we come down. The idea of food makes my stomach lurch even more. I'm sure that I can't eat anything. Sirius, Remus, Lily and James sit on the sofas and armchairs, Lizzie is probably in her bed and the triplets nap in their play-pen. Ginny and Ernie sit at the table and look the way I feel.

"Good morning, Hermione! Happy new year!" Sirius calls.

I groan. He grins. And the rest of them grin, too. What's up with them? Oh yes, they went to bed early enough to avoid all the Champagne. Oww… Ginny looks up and points to the bottle containing the potion. I step up to the table.

"Hi all… how much does it take?"

"Luckily just a small glass… let me pour it for you," Ginny explains.

"Thanks!"

I'm sinking down on my chair. Winky brings my coffee, a glass full of orange juice and a small plate with two croissants. I take the glass from Ginny, empty it and almost spit it right out again.

"Eww, that stuff is vile!" I cry out.

Now everyone older than 30 in the room just breaks out laughing. Not very sensitive, you guys! I'm feeling awful and you laugh!

"Poor 'Mione!" Sirius remarks, "Your first hangover or what?"

"As far as I remember, yes…" I mumble and pick up the coffee to get rid of the awful taste of the potion.

"About what I did, too, Hermione, and it even helped," Ginny says with a grin.

The potion helps! Within five minutes I'm feeling a lot better and decide to drink the orange juice and eat my croissants.

"Harry still asleep?" Ernie asks.

"Yes, I hardly got two words out of him before he was unconscious again."

"We've all had a bit too much."

"A bit? You guys managed to empty the whole stock! Someone will have to take the stuff to the glass recycling next week," Remus mocks.

From the back I can see Blaise doddering into the room. He's been as inebriated as all of us and still shakes. He's the next candidate for the potion.

In the course of the early afternoon we're all up and all go through the potion and only when dinner time comes around we're all mostly well again to think of eating. James, Remus, Sirius and even Lily have a whole afternoon of making fun of us and laughing themselves silly. When we sit down at the dinner table, Remus grins and says:

"Oh boy, that was fun! You guys go through what we have overcome for a while now. And boy, am I glad it's so…"

Vaidyanathan agrees. He and Shannah only got up very late, too, though and will depart after dinner.

**James**

That was fun! We've all gone through these drinking binges once or twice – oh well, I know, many more times than that – and it's a bit fun to watch the youngsters going through that hangover age now. These days I have small children and can't go out on drinking excesses anymore. But today we got all the opportunities to tease them about it. Harry only turned up at four in the afternoon! Looked like shit, too.

I have to say that by their age we've had had a couple of hangovers already. And were able to quite hold our liquor, too. So they're actually very disciplined.

**Monday, 4.1.1999 / Justin**

Last night Ron and I apparated back to our room at the Aurors Headquarters. We left right after Remus, Sirius and the twins have returned to Hogwarts. It was bloody cold in the room and the first thing we did was cast a warming charm and then we hopped into bed and cuddled.

The alarm goes off at six thirty like every morning. We're getting up and take a shower, rush down to the canteen to grab a quick breakfast and assemble with the other trainees in the gym to get about our morning workout. The training lasts two hours, then we have an hour to get showered, dressed and go back to the classroom. Today it's strategy and it's the very thing at which Ron is brilliant, while I'm more the one with the better grasp on putting together puzzles and solving riddles. Ron is also very good with the logic. I listen to the lecture, but somehow I have to say that strategy seems to be a natural gift and if you don't have it, you will never really get a good grip of it. I'm at a loss when it's about planning more than the next move. I'm not doing that badly at chess, but I'm usually not more than two or at the maximum three moves ahead, while Ron can hold on to a strategy with six or more moves easily.

After lunch we're back to the physical training. Hand to hand combat is not first priority, so we only have it every third week for an afternoon session. All other afternoons are either running, obstacle courses and spell casting while running and twice a week it's an afternoon full of duelling. We have special attachments to our wands to make them ineffective for the curses, our sparring partner will just feel a short sting and a red spot will show on their training robes to show that they've been hit. This way we know that the curses would have hit home and worked. If a curse is used and nothing shows it's either a miss or the curse hasn't been cast correctly. This is a very good way to train the defensive and offensive spells we need, we know we've cast them correctly and they still don't harm our sparring partners. We do have some real duels now and then, but mostly the training is to improve our agility in casting spells fast and in short order. Kingsley is leading many of those training sessions.

Whatever I expected from the Auror training I'm very pleased to find it's so diverse. There's the part that really makes use of our intellectual capacities and then there's the physical part and both have about the same emphasis. We also get extra classes in brewing certain potions, mainly healing potions and in advanced transfiguration.

After such a day Ron and I usually join our six classmates for dinner at the canteen, a bit of chatting and then it's off to bed. We don't have much in terms of homework here, the tests are hands on, we are questioned about the lectures and that's that. The training is taking until summer, then we'll be joining the Auror squad for a year in training and after that we're paired up with someone to form a team.

Our jobs go far beyond hunting dark wizards. Actually it's a very exclusive group who's still busy finding the last hidden Death Eaters. We have lots of different duties, there's the guard duties in some wizarding places, there are research bits, regular police work in cases of crimes, observation of suspects, duty at court sessions, patrolling at Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade and lots more.

"I really can't wait until we get to the really practical part and we get to accompany trained Aurors," Jeannie, one of our group, says during dinner.

"Me too! Though the whole fitness training stuff is great I'm really more interested in the actual work," Ron confirms.

"Even if it will be lots of paperwork at the office, Ron?" Jeannie teases.

"That will probably be the rather boring part, but I see the necessity."

**Thursday, 14.1.1999 / James**

I'm meeting Peter McKinnon today, who's getting ready to have his first new weekly newspaper out on Saturday. It's called "the Magic Chronicle" and I suppose it will make a good concurrence to the Daily Prophet with its correctly researched articles. He's already been able to convince the owners of Flourish & Blotts and the Gringott's Goblins to sell the paper in their premises. Madam Malkin is also interested to get a couple of papers every week to lay out on her counter for interested readers. I'm sure that the paper will quickly advance and that there will be a good number of subscriptions. I've been helping a lot with logistics and have even started to do some research for articles myself. This is fascinating work! I'm glad I don't have to worry about money and can do this.

Peter and Marlene are very committed to this newspaper. They're both working hard for this. I can't wait for Saturday to come and then to the see or read the reaction of the wizarding public. There will be no opinionated reporting in the Magic Chronicle. True to its name its intention is to keep the facts about magical politics, sports and society.

"We'll put the Daily Prophet where it belongs… in the realm of woolly inventions and speculation. We, on the other hand will stick to the facts. If they're colourful, then so will be our reporting. If they're grey, then we'll present the shades of grey," Peter puts down in his first editorial. A good motto.

Well, there's nothing but waiting for Saturday now.

**Saturday, 16.1.1999 / Lily**

I'm holding the first edition of Peter's and Marlene's new weekly newspaper in my hands. We're all around the breakfast table and I'm reading some of the articles aloud for everyone to hear. It's refreshing to have news from the political and social fronts presented in a truthful, albeit less dramatic way. Even the sports section is better. Once I'm through the paper I pass it on. Harry picks it up and reads the articles I haven't shared with Hermione. Then he gives it to Remus.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to write a letter to the editor," Harry says, grinning. "It's rather refreshing not finding my name printed in almost every second article. I want to say thank you to Peter and Marlene!"

Yes, that's something different than the Daily Prophet that must sell about a third of its papers by simply mentioning something about the "Boy-Who-Lived". I suppose there will come a day when Harry gets more proactive to protect himself from all of this slandering. But right now all he wants is distance. He's still constantly in the news because he's still going on with Voldemort's wand. In the meantime we've reached the era of the late 1960's. We've seen a few friends who were murdered in the last years of the 70's come back. It's like the Death Eaters killed a whole generation! And if the people didn't fancy their views they didn't care if they killed even purebloods. They would excuse it with the fact that in their eyes those people were blood traitors and had no right to live. It's truly ironic that they were actually busily sawing off the branch upon which the wizarding world sits, namely its genetic diversion.

The most intensive scene we've had when Gideon Prewett, Molly's youngest brother was brought back. He was even able to tell us who killed his older brother Fabian. We'll have to wait for a short while until we get to Rodolphus Lestrange's wand before he'll join his family as well. Since Harry is really bogged down with work for the university we've called in some other holders of brother wands and started on other wands.

That has been an amazing thing as well. We have taken contact with one man who used to be an order member, but didn't want to join this time because he felt too old. He's lost about eight family members to the Death Eaters and he's a special friend of Alastor's. One of the few… anyway, Claudius Brown – isn't that just the most ridiculous name? – has denied a role in the Order, but when asked for his support in bringing back people from Theodore Nott's wand he was there in an instant. He didn't want to leave the job to an Auror, he decided to cast the spell himself. He had to be patient, because Nott hadn't cast any killing curses between 1981 and three years ago when he was arrested. But of course the wand had been in use a lot, so it does take quite a while until the first victim is freed. Out came Dorcas Meadowes, a fellow Order member who had been killed just before us. We had all thought it was Voldemort himself who had killed her.

Dorcas is not in a good shape. She must have been treated in a most gruesome way, she vanished late August 1981 and was killed some time between then and end of September. When she woke up from her enchanted sleep she started to scream right away. It took an hour to calm her down. Only three days later was she able to talk. She had to be treated for numerous wounds, she'd been raped several times, there were scars of badly treated wounds that had probably been inflicted on her while she was kept imprisoned. Dorcas was unable to verbalise all that had occurred, I think she had already repressed a lot of it during her imprisonment. They were trying to get Order information out of her and finally killed her when she didn't spill any beans.

She's still at the hospital at the moment.

**Saturday, 30.1.1999 / Sirius**

It's another Quidditch match we want to go and see, so we've decided to stay at Hogwarts over the weekend. The larger part of the gang is around to come and watch the Harpies playing against the Falmouth Falcons. It's a home game for the Harpies, so woe to the Falcons! The match starts at one in the afternoon. We pack the twins into the carriers and put the slings into a bag, because if they are ready to nap they're better off in the slings. Minerva is coming along as is James together with Lily and their little ones. A really great outing! We're all in high spirits. We have one of the boxes at the side of the stadium, enough space for about thirty people. There's a lot of butterbeer and even more warming charms. It's a crisp and clear winter day.

There's a lot of noise in the stadium, lots of cheering for the Harpies even before the match starts. Our box fills with several other spectators. We've occupied the best seats though, as we came a bit early. Remus and I have placed the twins in the slings now and I can see that Lily is doing the same with Andy. They take their afternoon nap and Hermione has cast a silencing charm over the slings, so they have a lot less noise.

The game starts. Alicia plays in Angelina's place, because the coach had decided that the Falcons' usual dirty play would endanger her baby too much and Angelina has gladly left her spot to her old classmate. She's third reserve for this game only.

Fred and George, who are with us today, cheer Alicia whenever she comes fairly close to our area.

Even though Alicia is usually only a reserve player she fits into the plays very well. Christine McAllister is still the centre, according to Harry that has been Angelina's spot in the Gryffindor team, so when McAllister retires it will probably become Angelina's spot again. Alicia fits her role as left Chaser perfectly, as she has a mean throw with her left hand. Her passes are so precise that McAllister has an easy time of feinting the Falcons Keeper and scores many a goal this way. Dana O'Leary serves as a great diversion for the beaters who often can't see which of the ladies has the Quaffle and thus guess the wrong one, as Dana is a great actor. Whether she has the Quaffle or not, she always looks like she does and goes straight for the goals so the Beaters have to occupy themselves with her and send the Bludgers after her. In the meantime Christine and Alicia score. We grin about that tactic, which has distracted the Falcons Beaters about six or seven times already.

Madeline Coltrane plays a heroic game. She saves a lot of goals and doesn't seem to be too happy with her two Beaters. They're told off in two or three time-outs.

The Seekers are very uneven though. Aggie Morgan is simply amazing. She's such a great flyer and while the Snitch is elusive for a long time she doesn't get distracted. She's feinted the Falcons Seeker several times already, twice I'm sure she's seen the Snitch but hasn't been able to get there before her opponent, so she has feinted him to get the Snitch out of the way for another while.

Meanwhile we get to see a load of goals, most of them by the Harpies. The standings are 190:70 when the lights are turned on at four because it starts to get darker. The Falcons can still win the game if they catch the Snitch. Aggie's flying circles around the Falcons Seeker though and not even the rough interventions of the Beaters can keep her off the Snitch once she's spotted it.

"I can see the Snitch," Harry says calmly.

"Where?" Remus asks, shifting Denny on his other arm and following Harry's glance. "Ah! Yes, I do, too… it's quite far, I wonder if Aggie prefers to keep Jolliot away or if she's attacking it…"

"She'll drift there slowly, like she's still searching, if she sees it – she's seen it!"

We watch how Aggie darts a careful glance around for Jolliot, the Falcons Seeker and quietly moves into the direction of the Snitch. Now that Harry has shown it to us, we can see it, too. It's quietly sailing in the centre of the field on several metres above the ground. Aggie is quite far ahead of Jolliot, she just has to keep the Beaters' attention away from herself. Alicia causes a distraction, when she notices what Aggie is up to, so in the last moment Aggie dives and catches the Snitch easily. The whistle sounds and she comes out of the dive holding the little ball in the air. The Harpies win 340:70. The stadium explodes with cheers and both of our children start to cry of fright. I hold Seraina close.

"Don't be afraid, darling, it's just that the people are happy the game has ended and our favourite team has won!"

After a short while Seraina calms down. Minerva gets up in front of me and turns to us.

"How about a nice dinner in the Three Broomsticks? I've ordered a parlour from Rosmerta…"

"That's a delicious idea!" says Hermione.

We all agree. Soon we're in the throng of people who seek their way out of the stadium and to the Apparition points, where it takes some patience until we can go through. After a while we all meet up on the sidewalk at the Three Broomsticks. Next to Minerva, Remus and myself there are James, Lily and the little ones, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Justin, Fred and George, who join us a bit later with Angelina and Alicia. Rosmerta leads us to one of the larger private rooms, where the table is already set. She adjusts it to the number of the party.

We quickly transfigure four chairs into high chairs for the children. In the meantime, Rosmerta flirts with the little ones and asks:

"Oh, they're cute! How old are they?" Rosmerta coos.

"Lizzie is two and the triplets are nine months old."

"What do they eat?"

"We have bottles for the babies, don't worry. They're also nipping a bit of something from our plates already. Lizzie gets the same as we do," Lily explains.

"Very good. I'll be right back."

We all sit down and are served today's regular dinner menu soon after that. It tastes very nice and we enjoy the food with a lively conversation about the match, tactics and lots of other Quidditch related subjects for a while before we turn to other topics.

"By the way, next week you can talk to several candidates for your assistants," Minerva tells Remus and me.

"Oh, that's going to be interesting," Remus says.

"I'm sure, some of them should do quite well, Albus and the Governors have made a pre-choice and you get three candidates to test. When would be the best times according to your schedules?"

"I suggest Tuesday morning, as I have all second through fourth years on that day…" Remus says.

"Good. Would you give me the material you're working on with the students, so that the candidates can do a test lesson based on it?"

"I'll do that as soon as I'll be back at Hogwarts," Remus promises.

"When would it be good for you, Sirius?"

"Tuesday morning and afternoon. I have a first and second year class in the morning and a third year class in the afternoon."

"Fine. My subject will be on Friday, could you kindly put your classes on study periods on that day and come join us? I think it's you who will have to work together with the Transfiguration assistant, so you should have a say in it. And for Potions we'll have two more candidates for the upper forms. You'll need to test them as well, but next week. And it will be something to find out who will work together the best."

"That's fine with me, Minerva. I'm really looking forward to work with the older students more intensively."

"In your best discipline, too. You'll do fine, I'm sure."

After that we turn to other subjects. Seraina and Denny are both asleep on two armchairs now, which we have charmed so they can't fall down. We're staying at the pub until fairly late, then Minerva, Remus and I pick up the twins and return to Hogwarts on our brooms, while the others apparate to their respective homes.

**Tuesday, 2.2.1999 / Remus**

The day starts off well. The twins are still asleep when Sirius and I have to leave, so Winky takes over and we shuffle over to the Great Hall for breakfast. Albus and Minerva come into the Great Hall, accompanied by several of the school governors and candidates for the new assistant teacher's jobs. We're all called into the small room behind the teacher's table, where Albus presents the candidates to the respective subjects and briefs us in for the procedures. Filius has two of them today, I have all three of them, because today is my main second through fourth year day. Sirius also has all three of them.

"Remus, this is Geoffrey Fancot, this is Kate Calverleigh, and this is Millicent Hunter. All of them have received the material for two of your classes of today. I put them into your able hands now. – This is Professor Remus Lupin, our current Defence teacher, who you'll assist in teaching the younger students."

I shake hands with all of them. Besides the candidates there are two School Governors for each of us who will also sit in the classes to observe.

I ask my three candidates:

"Who has the second years material?"

"I have," Fancot and Hunter say.

"Okay, my first and third lesson are second years, so you'll have to tell me who wants to go first…"

Fancot and Hunter share a glance, then Hunter says:

"I'll do it."

"Great. I'll guide you to my office now, on the way I'll show you all the classroom, so you can wait for your turn in my office."

Sirius comes along with his three candidates as well. They all know Hogwarts from their own school days, so it's no problem showing them the way. We both leave the waiting candidates in the office and move with the ones who are to teach to our respective classrooms. On the way I give Hunter some details about the class she's to teach:

"Your class this morning is the Gryffindor/Slytherin second years class, Miss Hunter. They are usually a bit difficult, just don't let them intimidate you. Watch out for Mariah Malfoy and Violet Parkinson. Those two have quite an evil mouth and need to be kept on the ground."

We get to the classroom, where most of the students are already there. I wait for the stragglers and look at the watch, when two of the Slytherins come in late.

"I'm truly sorry, but that will be ten points from Slytherin for your tardiness, Swithin and Robert."

I quickly conjure extra chairs for the school governors and myself at the back of the room and introduce today's somewhat special procedures:

"Now, today your teacher will be Miss Hunter. She's continuing where we left off last Friday.

I take a seat on a chair at the back of the class next to the two governors and take notes. Miss Hunter braces herself and greets the class. Today's lecture for the second years is about vampires. We're going over the history for a good part. She seems a bit insecure in the beginning, but gains confidence as she notices that she is able to keep up the interest of the class. The two governors and I take notes during the class and exchange the one or the other glance. At the end of the lesson we dismiss the class and I take Miss Hunter back to the office. The next one is Kate Calverleigh, who has the material for a third and a fourth year lesson. I take her back to the classroom, where the governors and I watch her work with the Gryffindor/Slytherin third years. Again we all take notes.

We stay back in the classroom to compare our notes about the two young women's teaching styles for a moment. Both governors thought that Calverleigh has done better. After the break it's Fancot's turn and he works with the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff second years. He stays on for the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff third years in the next period, then it's Calverleigh who takes the second round with the Gryffindor/Slytherin fourth years. In the afternoon Hunter comes back to teach the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff fourth years. While the candidates assemble, one of the governors informs them:

"That will be all for today, thank you all very much for your cooperation, you'll be informed in the next week about our final choice."

They all mumble thank yous and goodbyes and leave the castle.

I have to talk with the two governors for the rest of the afternoon. We sit in my office and discuss the three candidates. After going through the finer points we get to the overall performances.

"I have to say, I was quite impressed about Miss Calverleigh's knowledge and how she was capable of passing it on to the students," says old Mr. Campbell, a man who must have been a school governor for the last eighty or so years.

"I'd have to agree with that. I think she was doing the best of all three. Miss Hunter was too insecure and I'm not at all sure that she had all her facts straight," said Mrs Mandeville, who is a lot younger than her colleague.

"What about Mr. Fancot?" I ask.

"What do you think, Professor?" Mr. Campbell asks back.

"A bit raw. Miss Calverleigh seems to have her facts straight, but she didn't have the classes in her hands very firmly. Some of those classes need that. I suppose she could be trained though. Mr. Fancot was a bit arrogant in my humble opinion, he's talked like someone who falls for prejudices too easily and we've just left that behind us, I don't think we'll need any of that for future generations. Miss Hunter will make for a good teacher one day, but I think she's too young. She's only finished Hogwarts three years ago."

"That doesn't have to mean she can't teach," Mrs Mandeville interjects.

"No, it doesn't, but I feel that in her case it would be more hindrance than help."

"I agree with you. So you think, you'd like us to choose Miss Calverleigh?"

I look over my notes again. She actually has the smallest amount of remarks of all three of them and I take that as a good sign. I nod and ask the two governors:

"Yes, I think, she'd be the best of the three. – They have all three been informed about my condition, haven't they?"

"Yes, they have. In the case of the Defence teacher we made it a point only to pick candidates who said they'd have no problem working together with a werewolf," Mrs Mandeville declares.

"Good. Not that we do make a choice and the candidate runs out of Hogwarts screaming…" I say with a grin.

"Don't worry, Professor Lupin. There may still be many who think it highly questionable that you hold your position, but I've heard that you are doing a wonderful job here. I've also heard about your talents as a Charms teacher," Mr. Campbell says with a smile.

"It was great to teach several subjects, but then I really had an extraordinary class then. A very talented group and a good mix. So it was easy to be successful."

"Oh, someone who teaches sixth years that one of them is able to invent a by now already almost indispensable device in her sixth year must have some talent! Filius Flitwick couldn't stop praising your work."

"Thank you, sir, I'm pretty proud on that one! Hermione Granger-Potter is certainly one of the most talented witches of our days, but I pushed her a bit with this one. I grouped all others in her class in teams of four and made her work on her assignment alone, because she's been so far ahead of the others. Still, all the others helped her on her way, so she wasn't truly out on her own. That was also very nice to observe."

We all get up and go down to the Great Hall for dinner, after which there will be a teacher's meeting for all the teachers who had candidates to test today. That's Sirius and I only, because Filius and Pomona didn't have all of their candidates today. We meet with Albus and Minerva in the small conference room next to Albus' office. Everyone takes a seat and we discuss the three candidates one more time shortly. Albus and Minerva add their impressions of the people from their interviews with them and a choice is made. For Defence it will be Kate Calverleigh and for Potions it will be Waldo Hawkridge, who has so far worked as a pharmacist.

It's been an awfully long day and the governors keep blabbing on, but Sirius and I get up:

"I'm sorry and we don't want to be disrespectful, but we'd like to retire. We haven't seen our little children all day, so we'd like to be at least there to take them to bed," Sirius explains.

"Yes, yes, please don't let us keep you, Professors!" one of the governors replies.

"Thank you, Madam! Goodnight to all of you!"

We both hurry down to our flat and get there just in time to take the children to bed. Winky is very glad that we're back.

"They is getting a bit cranky and wants to see you, sirs!" she says.

"We've been held up all day, we just got away a moment ago. Sorry Winky, you go and have a good night now, okay?" I apologise.

"Thank you, Professor Lupin!"

"Good night, Winky!"

We take the little ones to bed. It's routine by now and we love the routine to watch them sleeping for a while before we go back to the living room, to do some of our remaining work.

**Friday, 5.2.1999 / Sirius**

Minerva has asked me to assign study lessons for my Friday classes and attend her Transfiguration classes with the applicants for the Transfigurations job. She's so nice to let me help with the choice, but of course it's me who will have to work with the future assistant teacher. There are three who made it to the final tests, again two women and a man. Penelope Clearwater, Horatia Winwood and Torquil Pennymore. Minerva, two members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors and myself are sitting in the back of the class watching how the three work through two lessons each. Miss Clearwater comes into the class with us all and calmly starts the lesson in a confident manner. She is very soft spoken, doesn't drone, has a witty way of talking and going about the lesson. Minerva asked her to do one lesson leaning more on theory and another with more practical work. She does both in a very impressive manner. I look at her credentials. Ravenclaw prefect in her fifth through sixth year, one of the victims of the basilisk in Harry's second year, when she was hit together with Hermione. Always in the top five in her year. Head girl together with head boy Percy Weasley – oh, now I know where I've heard her name before! She must have been that girl who was Percy's girlfriend. In any case Minerva and I exchange glances and nod. There are not very many notes on my parchpad.

The next is Horatia Winwood, who's quite good as well, but nowhere as convincing as Miss Clearwater. She actually makes a pretty horrible mistake, notices it and corrects it, but it's happened and it's a few points off her performance. Finally we watch Mr. Pennymore, who leaves us totally cold, as he drones on about like Binns, something we really do not want in Transfiguration. When we go over our notes, Minerva and I fully agree that we liked Miss Clearwater most. The governors agree that she did her job very well.

I smile. I think I'll like that young woman. She's worked for the Ministry for a while, but since she's broken up with Percy she'll be glad to work somewhere else.

I know that the tests with the future assistant Charms and Herbology teachers have taken place through the week. Albus has called for a staff meeting tomorrow, so we can't go to the Sunnegg over the weekend.

**Saturday, 6.2.1999 / Sirius**

We are woken very early by more baby babbling than ever. The modified Extendable Ears from the twins let us listen to both of our children happily entertaining themselves in their rooms. We just cuddle in our bed until one of them starts to get a bit cranky. Remus gets up and goes to pick up Denny, who usually isn't as patient as his sister. I get up and fetch Seraina soon after though. When I step up to her cot she's standing upright, holding herself on the wooden bars and grins.

"Dada! dada!" she calls.

My baby has called me for the first time! I can't believe it, it's so wonderful!

"Hello, my little sweetheart! You've called me! Say that again, love, please!"

"Dada!"

I think I have never heard a sweeter word before. With that first 'dada' I feel her becoming more real than ever. She's just nine months old and babbles her first word. I take off her sleeping bag, change her nappy and wash her, then get her dressed. We meet Remus and Denny again in our bedroom, where Denny already suckles on his bottle. Remus has brought Seraina's as well and I pick it up, warm it for her and sit down on the bed to let her suckle, too.

"Remus, she said 'dada' the moment she saw me!"

Remus grins.

"She's been doing that babbling every morning lately, Siri!"

"Yep, but today she definitely meant it as 'Daddy', didn't you, sweetheart?"

Seraina keeps sucking hungrily.

"You're just the sweetest little creature in the world, my love! Yes, that's what you are. At least until you start on your mischief making… mmm, the stuff's still so nice?"

Both children empty their bottles. I know that once we're at the breakfast table they'll take another sip of warm chocolate and chew on some bread rinds to sooth their pushing teeth. Remus leaves me with both children on the bed and goes to take his shower and get dressed. The bed is charmed so that the children can't fall out. They crawl around on it and happily play hide and seek with me. I pull up the blankets and vanish and they squeal until I come back out again, when they start to grin and laugh. They also love to cuddle with Padfoot. I'm not sure whether they already understand, that Padfoot and daddy are the same, but they do like the dog, in spite of its bearlike size.

Once Remus is back in the bedroom he takes the twins out to the living room and I get my go at the bathroom. I go through the routine quickly and put on some jeans, a t-shirt and cover myself with soft woollen robes, nice and warm. I fix a belt around them. Then we go to breakfast. Albus has called the meeting for eleven o'clock, so we have ample time to lounge around in the Great Hall and talk with our colleagues.

We all gather in the conference room shortly before eleven. Every teacher has been invited to the meeting, even those teachers who get no assistant. The team will be slightly larger next year, but the room is more than big enough. Albus waits until the whole staff is present, even Filch and Poppy Pomfrey.

"Good, we're assembled," Albus quietly says and closes the door with a wave of his wand.

I look around the table: Carla Vector, who teaches Arithmancy. Sybil Trelawney, Divination. Quentin Smith, Muggle Studies. Pomona Sprout, Herbology. Hjalmar Nilsson, who's almost as old as his subject Ancient Runes. Filius Flitwick, Charms. Rubeus Hagrid, Care of Magical Creatures. Minerva McGonagall, Transfigurations. Claire Sinistra, Astronomy. Rolanda Hooch, Flying and Quidditch. John Binns, History of Magic, Remus and myself.

I have no idea how these people worked over all those years, and I'm very glad we'll have assistants next year. I do think that the teaching quality will only improve with this solution. Albus starts the meeting:

"This is a full staff meeting for reasons that most of you don't know about yet. I have handed in my resignation from my position as headmaster of Hogwarts to the end of this school year to finally go into retirement. With the fall of the Dark Lord and our cleaning work mostly finished I feel that I'm not that needed anymore. These are now the official statements from the Board of Governors to be conveyed to the staff. They will also be sent in this same form to the Daily Prophet and the Magic Chronicle.

'Headmaster Albus Dumbledore retires to the end of the summer term of 1999. He will be succeeded by Madam Minerva McGonagall. The new Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress is to be determined by her and will be approved by the Board of Governors.

The following new assistant teachers will be added to the existing staff of teachers as from September 1st 1999:

Charms: Clancy Malvern (Hufflepuff class 1987)

Defence: Kate Calverleigh (Huffflepuff class 1986)

Herbology: Neville Longbottom (Gryffindor class 1998)

Potions: first to fourth years: Waldo Hawkridge (Slytherin class 1983)

Transfigurations: Penelope Clearwater (Ravenclaw class 1994)

Professor Sirius Black will change from the position as Potions master to Transfigurations.

The new Potions mistress or master is to be evaluated in the next week and shall be announced to the staff upon appointment.

That's it from the governors."

We all applaud the nominations. This will be quite an enlargement of the regular staff. Of course there's a lot of space around the teacher's table, so that won't be a problem. There are enough empty offices and classrooms available, we'll just have to rush through the castle and find the best suited ones.

"I'll pass the arena to Minerva now."

Albus takes a seat, Minerva gets up from hers and looks around:

"I'm looking for my Deputy now, so I can train the person for their new position early on. My preferred choice would be you, Filius, or Remus. I give you the first choice, Filius."

"Oh, Minerva, you're too kind and I'd love to do it, but look at me, I'm much too old! And as much as I love my work here I'm looking forward to have it a bit easier. I was actually considering retirement like Albus, but now that my workload is reduced so nicely I'll stay on for a while. But for those reasons I'm sorry, I'm turning your offer down," Filius replies.

Then he beams at Remus:

"You'll be much better off with Remus! He'll do just fine!"

Minerva accepts with a smile and turns to Remus:

"Remus? Will you do me the favour and become Deputy Headmaster?"

Remus blushes deeply! Gods, he's always so modest. Come on, love, you won't turn that offer down! He takes a deep breath, then looks at Minerva and says:

"I accept your offer, Minerva. Always considering that the school governors won't cry 'outrage' of course."

Everyone along the table, with the exception of Filch of course, laughs or grins at least. With the resignation of Snape no one is left on the staff who doesn't like Remus. Except for Filch again, of course, but he doesn't count and he hates me with the same passion he despises Remus. Meaning that he doesn't despise Remus because he's a werewolf, or not as much, but because he's been part of the Marauders, Filch's all time worst enemies ever. I think, that apart from us four only the Weasley twins have caused as much damage in that school. And for him it must be an extra horrible punishment that he doesn't only have to accept us being here but us being in a position from which we can order him around.

"You'll hear of their decision as soon as they've made it, Remus. Thank you. Now there's something else I'd like to announce and that's monthly team meetings. I know we've had the teacher's conferences before the beginning of the term, but I'd like to hold a shorter meeting once a month to go through the departments. They will probably be held every fourth Friday afternoon after classes."

We take note of that. She outlines a bit of her plans and that she'd like to start a regular switch of the houses that would be taught together. I think this is a very good idea. The same two houses would be paired in all subjects except for the ones where all four houses are represented at the same time. If we switch them every year they will learn to know all students of their year much better through the seven years, because they will be together with all other houses at least twice in that time frame. Those who have bad luck get the Slytherins three times though…

"Now there's still one thing, and that's one that pains me a bit. Since I'm moving up to become Headmistress, my position as Head of Gryffindor house will be available as well. We have the rule that first priority gets a teacher of a core subject if one is available. That will be either Remus or Sirius. Which of you should it be?"

I point to Remus immediately and he points at me at the same time.

"Remus!" I add.

"Sirius!" he says at the same time.

There's laughter around the table. And someone shakes his head. Old Hjalmar remarks:

"Oh dear! One of the worst mischief makers this school has ever seen and head of his house!"

More laughter, but Minerva wants a solution. Remus insists:

"I'll have enough to do as your Deputy, Minerva. I know how much you did! We could share that work between us if Sirius becomes head of house. That and I know that Gryffindor means a lot to him."

"Fine with me, Remus. Sirius?"

"Well, if you dare entrusting me with the Gryffindors, I'll gladly take over…"

"Very well. I'll have an eye on you, Sirius!" she accepts with a smile.

"I bet, you will! I'll try my best!" I promise.

"Good, that's all anyone can ask."

After that we're through with the meeting. I get up and approach Pomona:

"I'm so pleased to hear that Neville will join the staff, Pomona! He'll do great, I'm sure."

"Yes, of the three applicants he was the shyest, but he definitely has the best hand and the most profound knowledge of the subject. He'll be joining me in my classes from next month to gain a bit more confidence in teaching. He knows his stuff so well, that's all he still needs to learn."

"That's great, I'm really looking forward to see him on the staff."

"Well, it's thanks to you for a good part, you gave him the necessary self esteem. And I know that Augusta Longbottom is very pleased with her grandson."

While we drift out, everyone congratulates Remus, but he remains reserved:

"Just let's wait what the governors have to say to that nomination! I don't believe I'll get it before I see it in written from them."

"Aw, come on, Remus, you don't think they'll turn you down! You're one of the most popular and sound teachers this school has seen in the past few decades. I'm quite sure the students put you in the same class as Filius! Or Sirius," Carla says.

"Thanks for the flowers, Carla. You're not half bad yourself, you know! You would do very well, too, so if they won't have me, I'm quite sure Minerva will ask you."

"I didn't want it, she's asked me already…" she says and grins.

"Oh, I don't believe it," Remus gasps. "Now I wonder who else she's already asked…" he adds.

"Pomona and me. We talked about it over tea actually. You know that we regularly meet among us ladies. Mostly Poppy, Rolanda, Minerva and myself. Last week Pomona found time to join us and we talked about it. She did ask me, but I declined and Pomona told her not to even ask her. She feels to old, too, like Filius. She's really the oldest among us after Filius and Hjalmar. I think, Hjalmar must be as old as Filius, if not older…"

We laugh, even Hjalmar, who's heard it.

"Actually I'm two years older than Filius, Carla. But you young ones…"

We grin.

"I don't think you should give up already, Hjalmar, I liked your teaching – and your subject," Remus remarks.

"You did quite well with your students over there in Switzerland, I've heard," Hjalmar compliments Remus.

"Oh, thank you. I always did have a flair for the Runes. Some of the students were already quite good at it, too," Remus says.

"I was sorry to have lost Hermione Granger, Padma Patil and Amanda Brocklehurst. Good students, all of them and what a pleasure to teach them."

"Something I can only confirm! We've had wonderful three years with them. Only two with Mandy, but she's moved back into the house when she left Hogwarts and lives with us again," I tell him.

"Oh, did she? I've heard you've had a bit of a run-in with her parents," Hjalmar remembers.

"I wouldn't call it quite that. Just a difference of opinion. Much to the Brocklehursts' dismay Mandy shared our view and not theirs. They didn't exactly trust Remus and me," I say.

"I see. Well, I knew you both as students – well enough, and I'd only mistrust you for your sense of mischief! Though I probably was like most of the wizarding world believing you were guilty, Sirius. Just glad we were all wrong and sorry that you paid the price for that."

We all head over to the Great Hall for lunch. Then Remus and I are free to do what we want. We return to our flat and come just right to put our twins to bed for their nap. That gives us a moment for ourselves, which we use for a nice little snog. But we're disturbed in the middle of it by the entrance of Lily and James.

"Hey guys! If you're not coming to us, we're looking after you!" Lily says cheerfully. "Oops, are we interrupting something?"

Remus sighs.

"Nothing major in any case. We never know how much time we have with the twins' afternoon nap."

"What's been holding you up here?" James wants to know.

"A staff meeting," Remus says.

"Oh. Something important?"

"Pretty much. Albus gave us the official results of who will be the new assistant teachers and officially informed us about his retirement and that Minerva will replace him," I reply casually.

"Oh, that's pretty important! We knew about Albus, but what about the replacement of Minerva as Deputy?" Lily asks immediately.

"Probably Remus. Depends on the School Governors of course, but if they give their consent, he'll be not only the first werewolf to ever attend Hogwarts and teaching here, but he'll of course be the first one who gets a leading position in the staff!" I say proudly.

"Oh, shut up, Padfoot! I don't really believe that they'll accept. Minerva asked Carla Vector first, then Filius, so I was only third choice."

"Hm. Might have been that she wanted Carla, but I'm quite sure she had you in mind all the while, because you two are really a great team. She's always had a soft spot for you!" James declares.

"Quite what I've thought, too!"

I'm so proud of Remus! Merlin, he deserves every good career he can make. Deputy headmaster is practically just the preliminary to becoming Headmaster. I don't know of any Deputy who hasn't become headmaster or headmistress in all of the Hogwarts history. I'd love to return to Grimmauld Place just to tell that awful portrait of my mother's because she herself isn't around anymore!

Then something hits me. I will have to return there once, because we need to go through all the papers of my family. I'll take a notary with me, I could actually ask Mrs Winter to accompany me when I open all the drawers in there. There must be several Gringotts keys and a load of papers back from my parents which should once be looked over. I groan inwardly, recognising another mountain of work.

"Hey, and shouldn't there be a new head of Gryffindor house as well?" Lily inquires.

"Yes, that honour was laid on my shoulders," I confirm with a grin.

"Yay! Go, Padfoot! That's just too much fun! Now you can be sure I'll come and mess up a bit here and there!"

"Hey, you'll only get me in trouble! Remember that any mischief of our brand will fall back on me now! And I'll have to deduct house points!"

"Shit! Forgot about that. Sigh! Hey, how about going through some more of those memories of yours?" James asks.

**Remus**

Sirius doesn't look too happy about that, but James is right, we should continue. The sooner we do it the sooner he'll be through. Then it will be my turn. Unfortunately Sirius points at me and says:

"You know, we could go through Remus' for a change."

Oh shucks! Caught!

"That's true. You've kept suspiciously quiet, Moony!"

"Well, it's not going to be much fun…"

But they are relentless and even Lily thinks it would be good to go through mine now.

"From your birth to the start of your second year. Like Sirius…"

"Alright."

I put my wand to my head and think the incantation for the spell, then I start to pick the memories and place them in the Pensieve. About ten or twelve come for the first year of my life. Once no more strands come forth I lower my wand and we call for Winky to watch out for the twins while we're in the Pensieve. Then we prod and finally touch the memories and all get drawn inside.

**James**

_We're landing in a cute nursery, where Mrs Lupin picks up a crying baby Remus from his crib to feed him. Dear me, he's tiny. She coos, holds him up for a while to calm him down, then she sits down on a rocking chair and nurses him. _

I throw a glance at Sirius. Even after only a minute or two he gets teary eyes. He puts his arm around Remus and holds him close. Judging from my own babies I'd say Remus must have been a few months old.

_The memory ends, but the next one is just as cute. It's Mr. Lupin who holds his son in the baby bathtub. The baby is washed gently and then dried and dressed just as gently, all accompanied by soft loving words. _

Merlin what a difference to what we saw in Sirius' Pensieve! Again my heart goes right out to Padfoot for all he's been through.

"Heavens, what a cute little one you were, Moony! And now I see Seraina in you…" Siri remarks.

"I'm totally shocked to see just how she's like I was as a baby. I do have my baby photos, but it's something entirely different to see this, isn't it?"

"It is."

_The next memory is a family gathering, somewhere not at the Lupin home, maybe it's Remus' Swiss relatives. Next to his parents there are about eight or ten other adults and maybe five or six other children. _

Remus grins and explains:

"Well, who do we have here? There's Tante Hélène and Oncle Rodolphe Droz. They have two children, Roland and Johan. Oncle Rodolphe was my mothers oldest sibling. At this point Rolan was about six, Johan three. You met them both. Then that's my grand-parents, Jeanne and François Droz. My parents as you can see, my aunt Jeannette and her husband Julius Ritter. She's the second oldest and married the first of the five siblings. Her children are Babette, she's the oldest in my generation, at this point about twelve and her younger sister Melina is still a baby. She's actually two months younger than I am. And then there's my Oncle Didier Droz, still unmarried at that time, my aunt Carine and her husband Hans Zehnder and their daughter Céline, at that time about a year old. I think, Carine was pregnant with her second then. And what you see here is a rather small gathering. In the end there were twelve children in my generation."

"Can you imagine that much family, Lily?"

"We didn't have that much to meet in any case. And I think my parents liked it that way."

"And I have no idea how it feels to have siblings, apart from this big lump here next to us of course," I say.

"I do. And for me it wasn't a pleasant experience. To see all these kids there though…" Sirius says with a dreamy expression.

_He's quite right. The children, at least the five who can be on their own, are mostly guided by the oldest, Babette, but they all mingle around and seem to be totally happy and carefree. There's a large table in a garden, it's summer and Remus smiles._

"Must have been my grandmother's birthday, that was always celebrated in the big garden of her house near Tavannes, that's a small town in the Jura. Lovely area, we all absolutely loved to go there for that birthday. As it was in July we almost always enjoyed ourselves immensely," Remus explains.

_We're pulled out from the memory after a while. The next one shows a proud little Remus who's managed to crawl for the first time._

"_Why, look at our little man! You're so tiny and you're already crawling, sweetheart! Well done!" Mr. Lupin commends the baby. _

_Then he picks the boy up and sits down to look at a baby book with him. It's just a few pictures on some fabric pieces sewed together. Remus seems to enjoy it though and grabs the bits, twists them in his tiny hands and grins. _

"_You're supposed to look at them, you know…" says Mr. Lupin, but he laughs._

_Again the memory moves on. It's of Remus' first steps and then another memory with some people comes up, but this time little Remus hides his head in daddy's shoulders. He's shy already. He only seems to be opening up immediately with family members he already knows. Mr. Lupin holds the baby tightly on his arm though, doesn't push Remus. Mrs Lupin takes over and when Remus changes from his father to his mother we get a chance to see his eyes. They're almost the same colour as Seraina's, but Remus' are more forest green. And they're huge eyes! He rubs them with his tiny fists. _

"_You're going for your nap, my little man. You're so tired," Mrs Lupin says and carries Remus to his room, which now contains a larger cot. _

_The baby is laid down, gets a small stuffed monkey to hug and pulls it up to cover his face with it. Mrs Lupin smiles. _

"_Sleep well, my love! Maman will be back to take you up for tea…"_

_With that the memory shifts to what's obviously Remus' first birthday and a little party. I'm amazed to see my parents – and myself! there, but then I remember that at one point our fathers had worked in the same department._

"Wow, Remus! I didn't know that I've met you back then…"

"Neither did I! That's a fun discovery!"

_We watch how the little boy gets his first birthday presents. Everyone is in high spirits, there are several other wizarding families around, all with small children. Baby Remus is a sparkling, cheerful little lad, delightfully shy and bold at the same time. _

_The final memory shows us another time when Remus sits on his father's lap and looks at a book. This time it's already one of those well known standards in the wizarding children's book realm, 'Dragon Cookie finds a job'. Contrary to the first time Remus is really looking at the pictures, already with that typical curious Remus expression we learned to know so well at Hogwarts. _

We come back out, all smiles. That was delightful. Remus gets the memories into his dictaquill and then he empties the Pensieve to store the next few memories inside. We see more typical happy family memories and I detect unshed tears not only in Sirius', but also in Remus' own eyes. At one point, Remus remarks:

"I've spoiled all that, you know! I really messed things up…"

"But it's not your fault that the wolf bit you, Remus!" Lily protests.

"Well, yes, it is, for a bit… but we're not there yet."

_Remus' third birthday is again a very cheerful affair. He's still shy and sometimes hides behind his Mum or his dad. But as soon as he's alone with his parents, there's the little imp that is firmly planted inside of Remus. He grins and laughs and talks of the things he got for his birthday. _

_One of the next memories shows him reading his first books. And there's that delight that shows on his face to this day when he's reading something. It won't matter what kind of material he reads, if it's something that gets his interest, then he looks delighted. The dark green eyes sparkle and shine. Another memory shows him outside in the garden of the small house the Lupins own. It's right on the edge of a forest and the little imp in Remus leads the boy right inside of that forest. _

_In several of the next memories we watch as Remus discovers the forest and explores it, sometimes with some other children who live a little further up the road. They seem to have a lot of fun together, laugh a lot, play hide and seek and look for berries to pick and eat. _

_In one memory I can see Mrs Lupin with Remus in the forest. Both of them have a box with them to collect herbs. She shows him the kind of herbs he is to pick and Remus walks, looking around, spotting the plants. If he sees one that his mother has shown him he calls her. If it's one of the herbs she wants, she carefully cuts it and puts it in one of the boxes._

It looks like there's only sunshine and happiness in Remus' early childhood. We know only too well that it will end soon and abruptly. Remus puts his wand to his head to pick up the terrifying memories of the bite and all that followed. He looks stricken, but I know it's a good therapy to share these tragic and traumatic experiences with us. He starts to place the strings inside of the Pensieve. Sirius, Lily and I watch with baited breath, how terrible will it be?

**Sirius**

_Remus' fourth year starts off with another lovely birthday party. His parents don't ever have to say a loud word, as Remus is the sweetest child one can imagine. Merlin, I want to go and hug him, he's so cute! Every adult meeting his parents and little Remus remarks how cute and well behaved the boy is. We can see that the little family frequently visits their relatives scattered over Switzerland and that Remus learns both, French and German through them. Methinks, Mrs Lupin helps a bit with the Polyglot potion, but once Remus understands the languages she makes him read in the new language as well as speak it with her. _

_There's a summer vacation in a wizarding beach resort in southern France. Little Remus runs along the beach and squeals of delight about the waves rolling in and he is even more pleased when his father takes him out in the water. The sun bleaches his honey coloured hair lighter blond and he has a really lovely tan. _

_The next memory shows the family back in England. Remus reads. A lot. And everywhere, on his bed, at his little desk, on the balcony on the upper floor of the house, on the porch swing, in the garden, under several trees, **on** one or two of the trees, on a clearing in the forest. Again and again we see him drawn into the forest, but Mrs Lupin lets him go, because she knows he knows the forest well._

_Until that fateful evening. The Lupins eat dinner, then Remus asks politely if he's allowed to play in the garden for another while. Both his parents allow it, but remind him that they would call him back inside for his bedtime. _

"_Yes, yes!" he calls and off he runs. _

_Straight out of the garden and along the edge of the forest. It's still light, so he's not afraid to go inside. An hour or so passes and we watch the little one work on building a little farm with twigs, acorns and fir cones. He's totally lost in his playing, until he hears his father calling him inside. Remus doesn't move an inch at first, just continues. But then he notices his father coming after him._

"_Just you wait, you little imp! I'll get you!" Mr. Lupin jokes._

_Remus runs off, back to the edge of the forest, where he can hide in the high grass and the shrubbery. Mr. and Mrs Lupin follow him, they've seen Remus' bright red robes. And then Mr. Lupin freezes to ice and we hear the growl that Remus hears. We can see Remus hiding in the high grass, but the wolf has his scent and pounces. Remus screams, both parents cry out in anguish and Mr. Lupin starts to run, throwing stunners at the wolf from far, not caring, whether he hits Remus as well, just trying to get the wolf away from his son. He and Mrs Lupin manage to actually stun the wolf, but when they reach Remus, the damage is done. Remus bleeds from two terrible bites, one on his left shoulder and another on his upper left arm. The blood is spilling over the bright red robes. A quick look at her son tells Mrs Lupin, that he's still very much alive._

"_We have to get him to St. Mungo's, I need to treat him there, Quintus, and quick!"_

_Mr. Lupin doesn't discuss, he creates a Portkey for his wife and his son and says:_

"_You go first, I'll follow as soon as I've taken care of this one here!"_

"_Yes, love, I'm off!"_

_Mrs Lupin and Remus vanish. _

_The next memory shows us the hospital bed in which Remus wakes up. Mr. Lupin sits next to him and watches his unconscious little son. It looks like Remus has a fever, because his little forehead is very red. When he finally wakes up he seems to be in pain, because he starts to cry almost immediately._

"_Hello, my little man," Mr. Lupin says tenderly. _

"_Papa! It hurts!" Remus cries._

"_Yes, I know, but the wounds have only just been healed, love. It's going to stop soon."_

"_What was that?" Remus asks after he's calmed down a bit._

"_That was a wolf, Remus."_

"_But we don't have any wolves in the forest, do we?" _

'Clever boy…' I think.

"_No, Remus, we don't – this was a werewolf."_

"_A – werewolf? What's a werewolf?"_

_It is the painful moment when Mr. Lupin has to explain what a werewolf is and that Remus is one as well because of the bite._

"_A werewolf is a person who is forced to transform into a wolf on the night of the full moon, Remus. That person remains to be a wolf for that whole night, from moonrise until moonset."_

"_Isn't that terrible?" Remus asks._

"_Yes, Remus, that is terrible. What is even sadder is that this werewolf has bitten you and therefore he's made you one as well."_

_Remus doesn't seem to understand at first, but Mr. Lupin explains it again:_

"_No one is born as a werewolf, Remus, people need to be bitten by a werewolf to become one. In most cases the victim dies, but all those who survive such an attack are werewolves themselves from on that day. I'm sorry, my son. You will be transforming into a wolf on the next full moon night and then on every full moon night for the rest of your life."_

_Remus has listened to this explanation with wide eyes. Already there's a lightly golden shimmer in the forest green and now the tears start to flow. He cries, because he feels that something really bad has happened to him. _

_In the next memory Remus is still at St. Mungo's. He's all alone though and looks very downcast. Gone is the bright, sunny little boy that we saw just a few moments ago. Already I detect the saddened face of the boy I was to meet six years later at the Sorting ceremony at Hogwarts. A face that has aged far beyond its real age. It's so very painful to watch. I pull Remus close to me and quickly kiss him. _

_Then there's the memory that is worse than anything else. Remus is awake, but none of the three adults in the room notices. They are standing a bit away from his bed. One seems to be a healer and the other two are Quintus and Fanny Lupin, Remus' parents. Remus must have just woken up and even though they speak in hushed tones, he hears them perfectly well. _

"…_you're a healer yourself, Fanny! You should know what terrible things await it. Really, the best thing would be for you two to have it put down. It'll be out of its misery and you can start over with a family."_

"_**How** dare you saying something like this, Francis? **How** dare you treat my little boy like a sick 'animal'? And just **how** dare you talking of my son as an 'it'? Never, do you hear me? **Never** even say something like this in a whisper! What if it would have been your own child? Would you 'put it down'? You really disgust me, Francis!" Mrs Lupin hisses._

"_You must be out of your mind to even hush something like that, Healer Henson. This is our son you're speaking of. A child not even five years old! A victim of a terrible condition for which he really can't be blamed. We're taking him home right now."_

_Mr. Lupin starts to gather all the things that surround Remus' bed in a bag, wakes his son and gets him dressed. Mrs Lupin levitates the small bag of Remus' things and Mr. Lupin lifts up the boy, who looks so tiny and frail. _

"_If you don't have him at least registered within the next three days, Lupin, I'm going to send the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures after you!"_

"_Oh, don't worry, he will be registered. He'll learn to live with it and he'll learn to laugh again. Because he'll always have someone who loves him. Even if there will be more people who say such atrocious things like the ones you've just said."_

_With that, both Lupins disapparate to their home. Quintus carries Remus up to his bedroom and gently sets him down on the big bed again. He undresses Remus again to put him in a fresh pyjama. The look in Remus' eyes is even worse now that he's heard the conversation. He's still swallowing hard. _

"_Papa, what did Healer Henson mean before?" Remus asks all of a sudden._

_Quintus sits down next to his son. He closes his eyes and bites his lips for a moment. A gesture I so well recognise from Remus, now I know where he's got it from. Then he looks down on Remus, pushes some of his locks out of his face and sighs._

"_He meant something awful, Remus. He wanted to have you killed so you wouldn't have to live through the transformations."_

"_Killed?"_

"_Yes. Killed. That means taking your life away, Remus. You'd be dead. There's no one who could force us to do something like that luckily. It's bad enough that you had to go through all this and that you are now a werewolf. You will never have an easy life, Remus, there will always be a majority of people who condemn you for what you are. Because the wolf that's inside of you now is not a friendly dog. It's a raging beast, exactly like the one that bit you. We will have to lock you into a safe room on the night of the full moon and that's going to be terrible. It will hurt you, too. But we'll be with you, both your Maman and myself, love, we love you and would never allow anyone to take your life simply for being the victim of a werewolf."_

"_I didn't listen to you and Maman yesterday…" Remus says in a tiny voice._

"_I know. But you couldn't know what the consequences could be, you didn't know it was a full moon. And you couldn't know that there would be a werewolf, as you had no idea what a werewolf even is. I certainly knew nothing about one in the area."_

"_Papa, what happened to the wolf?"_

"_He transformed back in the Ministry detention for rogue werewolves the morning after. I'm afraid he was punished with a life sentence to Azkaban, love, because he was a known killer and has already attacked many humans and especially little children like you. He shouldn't have been outside. He should have looked for a closed shelter to transform. The moment he had your scent you were lost, little one. I couldn't get to you fast enough."_

"_I hid…" Remus says and the tears spill again._

"_Yes, love, but still. This is too much of a punishment for a simple game you played. Or you thought you played. – Now there's another consequence, Remus, and that will not be very nice either. We must register you at the Werewolf Registry. The Ministry will always know that you are a werewolf. You don't have to tell anyone though. And I suggest that you better not, because people will only mistreat you if they know. Most of them think all werewolves are out to only kill and eat the humans. So they could send you away and sometimes they will do that – and in rude ways and with rude words."_

_It's a miracle Remus can sleep after all of that. And right in the next memory he gets a first dose of what waits for him. Quintus takes him to the Werewolf Registry the next day. Mrs Lupin is with him. They have to wait in line of two other werewolves who have to return to renew their registration. When Mr. Lupin finally steps up to the desk, he tells the clerk:_

"_This is a new registration, Horace."_

"_Oh, hello there, Quintus – what! The child that was bitten is yours? I'm sorry to hear that."_

"_It's happened, there's nothing that we can do to have it undone. This is Remus. He'll be five in two months."_

"_Hello Remus. We'll have to note down a couple of things. I give you this form to fill in. Quills are over there."_

"_Okay. Come, little one."_

_Remus follows his father over to a small counter, where Mr. Lupin starts to go over the form. He fills in all the relevant information and hands it back to Horace. _

"_I'll open the case number and you'll have a copy of that, Quintus. He has to return every two years for the renewal of his registration. He'll get a summoning letter for that. If he doesn't show up or has a very good reason we go and look for him. In the next few days your house will be checked and you better get one room in the basement that can detain him during his transformations. Here's a list of all requirements. We have to be informed about every relocation of your family. And here's general information of anything concerning werewolves."_

_Quintus sighs._

"_Thank you, Horace. This is a nightmare, but I guess we will learn to live with it."_

"_It will be hard though. At least you don't intend to chuck him out or have it murdered like so many other parents. Greyback's responsible for the lives of at least eighty children. Some he's been able to take with him, but most died or were abandoned by their parents or they had them euthanized."_

"_We certainly won't do anything of that sort. He's a child, for Merlin's sake."_

"_Still – he's a Dark Creature now. At least technically, not everyone becomes a Dark Creature. But let me warn you, the wizarding society has a lot they can say against werewolves. You'll have some of those things in the information book that I've just given you."_

_With that Remus and his parents are free to leave. Remus is taken home, but Mr. Lupin goes out to the Diagon Alley and buys some special ice cream for himself and Remus to take home. _

_Physically Remus recovers well and seemingly very quickly. Soon he wants to play with his friends again, but he has to listen to them all screaming and crying for him to go away, because they don't want to be eaten. _

"_Go away, werewolf! We don't want to play with you! You are going to kill us!" one boy shouts._

"_No, I won't! Why should I? You're my friends!"_

"_No, we aren't! Not anymore. My Mum has forbidden me to play with you, go away!" screams another boy. _

_Remus is standing in the middle of the path, looking at them running away, one turning around and throwing a stone at Remus. The lost look in his face is probably one of the worst things I've ever seen about him. He's standing still, but the mother of one of his former playmates comes out of a house and screams at him to leave the place and never come close to her son again. The tears start to flow again, but silently, he just ducks that stone, turns around and walks home, lower lip between his teeth, tears in his eyes. Only when he reaches his mother he starts to cry into her robes. She sighs and holds him tightly. This is only the first of a few such encounters, each one will leave her son a few more invisible scars._

I'm still holding Remus tightly. To witness this was at least as awful as to see what my parents did to me. This innocent little boy who can't hurt a fly and to see adults treat him like he'd be the ultimate killer. It's heartbreaking.

**Lily**

Merlin, I just want to scream back at that woman! She wasn't that far from that forest, it could have been her own child who could have been hit, didn't she understand the hurt in this little child?

_The next memory is one of his first transformation. I brace myself, because this is going to be gut wrenching, I'm sure. We will see the transformation through Remus' eyes._

"I'm not sure I want you to see this," he says.

"You can't go through this alone, love, we stay with you. Right here," Sirius insists.

James and I also feel the need to witness this.

_It's already close to sunset, when the Lupins take Remus down to the cellar, where they have prepared one relatively small room for their son. They've enlarged it magically for a good bit. Once again Mr. Lupin explains to Remus what will happen to him:_

"_I'm sorry for what you will have to go through now, Remus. Also we only know the thing that will happen to you, but we don't know how it will happen to you. It must be painful though and we won't be able to be with you to hold you through that pain. We will have to protect ourselves, because the wolf that's now in you will not care that we love you, if it can get to us it will bite or kill us. Even as small as you still are. We will have to leave you alone through this night. We'll be there for you in the morning, Remus, we'll get you out of that cellar once the day has dawned and the moon has set."_

_Both parents hug and kiss the little boy one more time. Then Remus holds up his head and walks inside of that cellar. His father has set up candles which are floating up as close to the ceiling as they can to give him some light. As soon as Remus is inside we can see the door being closed and hear the bolts shoot and the heavy beam laid in front of the door. Remus sits down on the thick mattress laid out for him. It's covered with blankets. But Remus doesn't stay there for long. He's moving and pacing along the otherwise empty room. A heavy iron grate covers the window, which is left a little open to let some fresh air in. _

_Finally the transformation starts. Remus screams when his body starts to be bent and pulled and formed to another shape. The process takes a good five minutes and he screams non-stop, but at the end his scream has become the howl of the wolf. Merlin, it's awful to watch. I'm only more thankful that today Remus has an Animagus form which allows him to transform painlessly before the moon rises. _

_The wolf is out. He looks beautiful, all light brown. But this is a ferocious beast, not the gentle wolf we get to see these days who curls up happily in front of the fire, this could be truly the monster people say it is if left to run free. Remus stands on four legs, still a bit unsure, but the wolf is angry and rages, he howls, starts to run into the door, into the walls and sniffs for human scents. Smelling them, but not able to reach them the wolf seems to get even angrier and starts biting and scratching himself. _

"Anyone who thinks werewolves are just evil should see this once!" I exclaim.

"It might only convince some of them more, Lily," Sirius says tiredly and Remus nods.

I know he's defended Remus so often, so often! And equally often people have been dropping him for his love. Sirius is as much of an outcast as Remus. Or was. Not only for being the white sheep among the Blacks, but also for his loyalty to his lover, a werewolf. I know I was one to accuse him of never being able to have a lasting relationship because he was so shallow. Well, in the meantime I've learned my lesson about his ability to feel!

_The wolf treats Remus awfully. He races around the cellar, scratches and bites himself again and again. We don't have to see the whole thing though, at some point Remus has lost consciousness and when we see the next memory he's lying in his bed, wounds healed, but he's still deathly pale and tired. Mrs Lupin sits next to him and checks him up, then helps him to sit and feeds him a broth. _

"_T'as faim, mon chou?" (Are you hungry, my cabbage – the latter being a tender word used in French for someone loved) she asks him gently._

_He shakes his head and sinks back into the pillows, then grabs his careworn stuffed monkey and holds it tightly. _

"_Maman, je voulais mon singe avec moi…" (Mum, I wanted my monkey with me)_

"_Non, mon petit, je ne te le donnerai pas pour tes transformations, tu vas le crever! Et puis ton singe ne serait plus là! C'est mieux de le garder ici, t'attendant quand tu reviens le matin, crois moi." (No, my little one, I'm not giving it to you for your transformations, you'd tear it! And then it would be gone. It will be better for your monkey to wait here for you when you come back in the morning, believe me.)_

_Remus sighs. What a beautiful child he is._

_In the next few memories we see more of that beauty. Remus becomes a very graceful child. He withdraws, only talks when his parents talk to him, but he loves to sit on his father's or mother's lap and hear them read stories for him. When they can't do that he reads himself, curled to a tiny ball on his bed or in the corner of a sofa. Sometimes he's to be found in his father's big armchair. He's easy to overlook though and once Mr. Lupin almost sits down on the little one. He pulls Remus out of the corner, sits down and lifts his son on his lap._

"_Now why do you hide in that little corner there, Remus?" _

"_It smells like you in the armchair," Remus mumbles._

"_It smells like me? You can smell that? And is that soothing you?"_

"_Yes. Everyone smells different."_

"_Interesting. – Tell me, when you heard that conversation at St. Mungo's after you were bitten – did you hear us loud or normal or only a little?" Mr. Lupin wonders._

"_Normal. Like I hear you now."_

"_Ah yes. That means you have the senses of the wolf, Remus. You can smell and hear much better than we other humans."_

_Again there's another memory, this time of Remus' fifth birthday. It's taking place in a new surrounding and Remus doesn't feel at home yet, that much is clear. He's all alone with his parents. By right he ought to be off to school by now, but he's not been accepted into Hogsmeade Primary like Sirius and James. It's a lonely birthday, but both, Quintus and Fanny try to make it as nice for him as they can. _

_After that we see a blur of memories about healers in the vain hope to find a cure for Remus. There are many who promise they can cure him, but after one of them nearly kills Remus instead, the Lupins give up. In another memory we can see how his parents take him to Switzerland. They move into a small farmhouse close to a village. It's a very friendly place. Once they have made themselves comfortable they get the visit of Carine, Mrs Lupin's sister and their three children, Céline, a year older, Yves, a few months younger and Sabine, two years younger than Remus. Carine knows what has happened to Remus._

_In this memory it's summer again, so it must be before Remus turns six. Remus is extremely shy in the meantime. He takes a while to open up to Yves, who doesn't seem to be encumbered by werewolf prejudices. Once Carine has left with her children, Remus asks his mother:_

"_Does Yves not know that I'm a werewolf, maman?"_

"_Yes, he does know, Remus. But he won't be mean to you for it. That's why we came here, you will be able to go to Muggle school here and our wizarding relatives here don't look down on you."_

"_I'll go to school?" Remus asks with eyes opened wide._

_Mrs Lupin smiles._

"_Yes, Remus. We'll go to see someone at the local authorities to see if you can start school next spring. This will be a year before the other children start here, but I think you're advanced in reading and writing, so you'll be tested to see how far advanced and then they will assign you a class. We'll tell them that you have an illness that goes with the full moon and that you will miss classes once a month."_

"_But isn't that like lying, Maman?"_

"_Not exactly. We're just not telling them the whole truth. They are Muggles, love, they wouldn't believe us anyway. Your father and I will teach you in the things magical children learn."_

"_I won't go to Hogwarts, no?" he asks._

"_I don't think so. Armando Dippet, the headmaster, is a very prejudiced man, Remus, he'd rather kill you than let you into the school. We won't even try Beauxbatons, we know they will snob just as badly. There's no use promising you something that most probably won't happen, little one, as much as it hurts us."_

"_It's alright, Maman, I know…"_

_But Remus' sad little face is really horrible to see. It only brightens up in the next memory, which takes place at the school authorities where a nice elderly lady looks at Remus and tests him for his abilities. She looks up to Mrs Lupin._

"_Madame Lupin, your son is very advanced for his age. He reads very well and his writing is like he was nine years old."_

"_I know. He learned to read when he was three. So, do you think he could go to school in spring?"_

"_Oh, I'm certain about that. He is small of size, but he's as advanced in speaking as he's in reading and writing. A very bright child you have there. In fact, he could go right now, but I would suggest we hold him back until next spring to start with a new first year class. He could go to the nursery school though."_

"_I know, but I'd love to keep him at home for the few months until spring. His illness shouldn't be a problem, except that he'll miss a day or two of classes once a month. This is an incurable condition unfortunately and it makes him feel awful, but it's not something deadly, so he'll just have to live with it. We will notify his teacher about his absences though."_

"_Good, that's all it takes. As long as he can follow the lessons I don't see a problem there. Poor dear! That must be awful for you, Remus."_

"_It's not nice. I hate it," he declares._

"_But there's nothing we can do about it. He looks very beaten up every time, but that's just a side occurrence," Mrs Lupin explains._

"_I'll study a bit harder," Remus promises._

"_That's the spirit, young man! You'll be a pleasure to teach with this attitude!"_

_Remus and Mrs Lupin walk back to their house. Remus skips on the way, holding his mother's hand and a bit of the old cheerfulness returns. _

We come back out of the Pensieve. In a way this was as hard to watch as were Padfoot's childhood memories. Somehow I think those two were really meant for each other. Seeing them today, especially with their children, is awesome. Remus never looks tired anymore. Sirius has completely lost the haunted Azkaban look and has filled out in all the right places. They're a very good-looking couple. And Remus has overcome his being a werewolf as best as was possible and is facing a career here at the school. I do wonder if his example will be helping other werewolves.

It's already too late for the dinner at the Great Hall. Remus goes to the kitchen and starts to fix a quick spaghetti dinner, but Winky throws him out and tells him he'd better go and take over the children for a while.


	9. Quintus

**Chapter 9 – Quintus**

**Tuesday, 23.2.1999 / Neville**

I haven't told anyone of the gang yet. I'm pretty sure, that I won't get the job, but I've aimed so high! On the other hand Professor Sprout has told me, that she thought I was the best who tried and I did get to the final three and was allowed to test with actual lessons. I've gone back to my work like everything would be normal, but I'm waiting for that owl…

When I get to the breakfast table there actually is an owl waiting for me. The letter looks quite official, too. James, Lily, Padma, Blaise, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ernie are sitting around the table as well and when they see the letter they get curious. That's the only downside of living with a large group of people like we do. There's not much to be kept secret. I breathe hard.

"What's that, Neville?" Hermione asks softly, "It looks important."

"It is pretty important. To me anyway," I admit.

"Come on, open it, you won't know what's inside before you open it!" Ginny suggests.

"Easy for you to say," I mumble.

But then I'm taking another deep breath and open the letter. It's from the Hogwarts Board of Governors of course and I'm preparing myself for the rejection already, when I read:

_"Dear Mr. Longbottom_

_We are pleased to inform you, that you have been chosen to be the new Assistant Teacher for Herbology at Hogwarts. You will be required to start your work on 1st April 1999. Please report to Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Sprout. You will be working with Professor Sprout for some training in teaching._

_For all terms and conditions please refer to the working contract, which we will send to you in the next days._

_With our congratulations and our best wishes for your teaching career, we remain_

_Yours faithfully_

_Griselda Quirke_

_Head Governor_

_Hogwarts Board of Governors"_

The grin that spreads on my face tells my friends that the news are good. I can't believe it! I'm going to be a teacher at Hogwarts! I'm going to be working with what I love most and what I'm really good at. And I get the extra time of almost three (paid) months to work with Professor Sprout to teach under her guidance and learn more about the teaching. It's going to be great.

"Now really, Neville, what is it?" Blaise asks impatiently.

I was totally elsewhere for a moment. They're all watching me. I look up at them and exclaim:

"I'm going to be a Herbology teacher at Hogwarts!"

Now they're staring, open-mouthed, and then Harry starts to cheer:

"Woohoo, way to go, Neville! You're going to teach Herbology? I didn't even know you applied!"

"I was so convinced they wouldn't choose me, I didn't want to tell you all and then be disappointed. So I didn't hold my hopes up too high. But they chose me!"

I pass the letter to Hermione, who reads it and shakes her head.

"That's so great, Neville! If anyone deserves that, it's you! Just a year out of school and you get to teach! This is incredible. Your gran is going to be so proud of you!"

"I think so, too. I'm going to see her tonight to tell her. I'll teach the first through fourth years. I still can't really grasp it! I'm so happy. I'll have to give notice to my company now. I'll hand in my resignation to the end of March. It's just in time, too, luckily I have only a delay of one month to leave."

My friends are all happy for me, too, which really pleases me. I'll move most of my stuff to Hogwarts now, but like Sirius and Remus I'll surely spend some weekends here.

At lunch I compose my resignation letter and hand it in to my boss. She's sad that I want to go, but when I tell her why, she even beams and says:

"You still have six vacation days, Mr. Longbottom, I suggest you take them just before you leave, so your last day will be the 23rd March. Congratulations to your new position!"

"Thanks, Madam. I can hardly wait to start!"

After I'm off I'm apparating to my gran's. She expects me to dinner as always on Tuesdays. I'm taking my cloak off and hang it on the peg in the hall, then I go and greet gran, who's in the drawing room.

"Hello gran!"

"Hello Neville! You're right on time!"

I give her a peck on the cheek and say:

"I have good news for you. I'm going to Hogwarts as a teacher."

"**What**? You're having me on, aren't you? Pomona isn't retiring yet, is she?" she asks.

"No, I'm not and she's not. I'll be the assistant teacher for Herbology. I'll teach all first to fourth years."

While we sit down at the dinner table, I give her the letter.

"Here!"

She quickly reads over it, looks at me and smiles.

"Well done, Neville! That should suit you well, shouldn't it? But why do you start in April?"

"I'll be working together with Professor Sprout for the rest of the school year to gain more teaching experience. That's a great chance. I'll probably actually be teaching under her guidance. It will help me build up a routine, too, without being thrown into the cold water."

"Ah yes. That sounds very nice, Neville. I'm proud of you, you know! You have matured so much in the past three years. Those two rascals actually did a lot of good for you, didn't they?"

"Absolutely, gran. And now I'll work alongside them at Hogwarts. Isn't it just great? Of course there will also be four other additional teachers and a new Potions master or mistress. All core subjects will be split in a teacher for the lower and a teacher for the higher forms."

"I see. I've read that Dumbledore is retiring?"

"Yes, at the end of the school year. Professor McGonagall is taking over then and Remus will probably become Deputy Headmaster."

"Remus Lupin? Dear me…"

"You'd think that's a dangerous decision, wouldn't you? Sirius has already been given the position of the head of Gryffindor house. He's told us last weekend."

"Now that's an even more questionable choice! These students will be on a rampage!" gran says.

"I'm not so sure. He can be pretty strict, you know…"

During our meal we start to discuss the family gossip and she tells me all about the neighbours. Then we get to talk about mum and dad. We both visit them regularly, not on the same days now, so that they get visits more often. It's still very hard for me to see them, especially since there won't be a miraculous way to save them like Harry's parents. It's still painful even though almost seventeen years have gone by since it happened. The healers told us that they probably wouldn't live many years anymore. The way their brains have been frozen makes them very vulnerable. Neither my gran nor I will want their lives to be held up artificially if they can't be made better. It's hard for me, but it must be even harder for gran, since my dad was her only child.

**Remus**

There's an owl for me at breakfast. Sirius grins when he sees it's coming from the Board of Governors.

"Come on, love, open it!" he urges.

Minerva sees it, too and looks at me with interest. Then she looks around to find another owl that drops a letter for her, too. I slit the parchment envelope open and pull the letter out. It's very short:

"_Dear Professor Lupin_

_We are happy to inform you that we can herewith confirm your promotion to Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts from on the next school year. Your duty will start on 21st June 1999, at the end of the summer term. _

_With our congratulations and our best wishes for your teaching career, we remain_

_Yours faithfully_

_Griselda Quirke _

_Head Governor _

_Hogwarts Board of Governors"_

I start to smile and hand the letter over to Sirius, while Minerva looks up from her own, almost identical letter and beams at me.

"There you are, Remus! No problem! They've confirmed you as Deputy Headmaster!" she says.

"I've just read the same, Minerva. That really makes me happy!"

"Well, it certainly makes me happy. I know you'll do great."

In the course of the day I receive congratulations from all of our colleagues. I'm feeling elated and I know that I'm going to have a great responsibility, first of all for the school and its students, but also for others of my kind, who will probably be able to draw hope from my career and start working for their educations and careers as well.

In the evening we have just settled down to play with the twins, when a knock on the door announces a visitor. Sirius opens the door and lets Albus in. They both sit down on the sofa, while I remain on the carpet, where Seraina and Denny are crawling and climbing all over me.

"Baba, baba woo!" Seraina babbles.

I frown. What the heck does she mean?

"Good evening, Remus," Albus says.

I look up and greet him with a smile.

"Hello, Albus. Sorry, that I'm not getting up, but they are keeping me in place right now…"

"Do not worry! They are delightful, they have already grown so much."

"It's so quick, isn't it?" Sirius asks.

"Yes, it's going fast. It's been so long that my own three have been babies, I can hardly remember, and with every grandchild, great-grandchild etcetera it went even faster, but no less delightful."

"Baba, woo!" Seraina insists.

"Woo?"

"Woo! Moo-y!"

"Could she mean the wolf, Remus?" Sirius suggests.

"Oh, you mean I should turn into the wolf?" I ask.

Seraina beams and nods.

"How does she already know that the wolf and I are one and the same?" I ask and change.

I push her lightly and Seraina falls on her little bum. Then I tickle her belly with my snout until she squeals. She giggles and then Denny joins the fray, too. Ouch! That's my whisker, Denny! I'm giving a very soft growl, which tells Sirius that he should warn the children.

"You can't pull papa's whiskers, Denny, that hurts him!" he says promptly.

Denny sits back down, looks at me with his head tilted and that irresistible Sirius-smile which he's already perfected. I look around and see a smiling Albus and a smirking Sirius. Then I transform back.

"No protesting, children, we have a visitor!"

Albus conjures three glasses and a bottle of champagne, pours the glasses and hands one to Sirius and I, then picks the remaining one up.

"I thought that this nomination of yours really deserved to be celebrated, Remus! I want to congratulate you and wish you all the best in that new position. I'm convinced that Hogwarts will greatly benefit from such a talented and wonderful person such as yourself! All this far apart from the fact that you have just been appointed to this position as the first werewolf ever. You have a wonderful opportunity to prove that you are not only the exception from the rule. You are undoubtedly a very special werewolf, but I am sure there would be others out there who were forced out of their jobs and lives just because they became werewolves, but who would nevertheless be as useful to society as they were before the bite. I am most happy for you to take this outstanding route! Your parents would be so proud of you, I really wish they could see this. And I will probably see you one day in that office up there when I have been snoozing in my frame for a long time already."

I grin.

"I can't imagine you'll be one of the snoozers, Albus. You'll probably cause as much mischief as anyone can from out of a portrait. But I do hope that Minerva will hold out for a while. She'll do a great job."

"I am sure she will. And I am also quite sure that the two of you will be a very good team."

We are talking about all sorts of subjects for a while as we're drinking the champagne. Seraina pulls herself up on my robes and leans on my knee. Then she stretches her little hand out for my glass.

"Baba!"

I look down on her amusedly.

"Oh no, my little one, you can't have any of that. There's pumpkin juice on the table, that's what you can have."

I'm floating glass and bottle out of the reach of my babies and pick up the pitcher with the juice to pour some into a cup for Seraina. She is thirsty it seems, because she drinks some of it.

"That's my good girl."

I pull her up on my lap and take my glass again.

"This is something you'll taste for the first time, let's say around your fifteenth birthday."

Sirius and I have noticed that our little girl is a very talkative child. She's already got a repertoire of about eight words which she uses in the right places. And she's got a whole number of random sounds. Most of those are an exact mirror of her moods. And mostly she's a very sunny child. Having seen those childhood memories of mine which I had stored away in my subconscious I have a hard time thinking that I was exactly the same before the bite. I hug my baby and kiss her on her head.

"How I love you, my little one," I whisper.

**Albus**

It is the first time since they came to Hogwarts last September that I actually sit with them and see their interaction with their children. Remus looks like an extremely devoted father and both children cling to him quite strongly. When he takes Seraina on his lap Dennis crawls over to Sirius who promptly lifts his son up and hugs him. And when Sirius turns to me he has a very determined expression on his face.

"I've been giving it so many thoughts since we've started to go through our memories to write that book, Albus. Remembering, consciously and unconsciously, what my parents have done to me, but not only to me, I was just worse off than Regulus, I've sworn to myself I'd never do the same. Not once in those memories did my parents hold me on their arms when I was a small child. Not once did I see any of them sooth my tears, not even when they were around when I cried. And I've also sworn to myself that I'll never mistreat any of my children with my wand. It would feel like a crime to do such a thing, and I think it probably is a crime. I've been subjected to so much domestic violence that I doubt my parents had anything like love left for me. They didn't even love Regulus or each other, they only loved themselves. And only through Uncle Alphard I knew that there was something like love or affection."

"Those memories must have been hard to bear."

"That's true, but the worst was seeing Remus' memory of when he got the bite. And the immediate aftermath. He was like Seraina is now, such a bright child, much loved by both of his parents. I was so happy to see that! And it was so good to remember papa and Maman, how much they still loved Remus even after the bite. If anything they loved him even more. But to see the laughter vanish from Remus' face hurt so much. It hurt even more to see how his affection for others was so often rejected, because once they know many people don't see Remus the person anymore, but only Remus the wolf. In the end all comes down to giving and accepting love."

Wise beyond your years, Sirius. You've had such a hard life and even without the slightest intellectual stimulation for so many years you've managed to learn so much. Dennis starts pulling on Sirius' long hair to gain his attention. It seems that like his father he does not like to sit still. Sirius looks at him and beams.

"What's it, my little Marauder? – Would you like something to drink, too?"

Dennis points at the pitcher, which promptly gets lifted and pours some into a cup for him. He squeals, seeing the magic. Sirius floats the cup to his son and takes it to help Dennis drink. When Sirius puts the empty cup back on the table it starts to float again. Sirius looks from the cup to his son, then back to the cup, then grins and asks:

"Are you doing that, little imp?"

Methinks I have seen this innocent face before. It strongly reminds me of the man who now marvels at his son's first sign of magic. He kisses the baby's cheeks and says:

"Well done, Denny! Have you seen that, Remus? Denny's floated the cup!"

"Yes, and I'm still at a loss for words. He's so early!"

"He is. I don't think I've heard of many children performing magic that early," I confirm.

"Think of who his mother and father are," Sirius says with a cheeky grin.

There is a lot of power in both of them of course. Lily's incredible amount of talent in her genes passed on to either of the three men whose children she helped creating must certainly add to their future abilities. I do think that it has been a privilege to watch that little boy do magic. If he has got any of Sirius' and Lily's talents he will be very gifted. He sits on his daddy's lap and beams. I think that little one knows quite well what he has done. I look at him and he offers me a very lovely smile.

"You're a little imp, Denny! So nice to see you grow so fast. You're going to make us suffer with your unfocused magic."

Sirius turns back to me and explains:

"We have to float everything out of their reach now, they pull themselves up anywhere and crawl around so swiftly that we have to protect them from themselves. And always look on the floor when they're awake, lest we hit them. Their agility grows with them. And they are usually crawling precisely in the spot where we have to pass."

"Your children really look delightful, Sirius. It's really nice to see them grow up here. They are so alert and friendly. Certainly very happy children."

"And we hope they'll stay that way. Remember when they were just born and you told us we're taking a very special kind of happiness home? That's exactly what we did, Albus. We took happiness home. They turned our lives upside down, but it was so worth it. To hold them and let them go, to see them lean on us and gain more and more independence is so wonderful. Even their crankiness is bearable. It was definitely our best 'rash decision' ever," Remus says with a smile.

One thing is for sure, I have never seen Remus Lupin smile and laugh freely so often as I have seen it from him in the past half year. I suppose that he found it again the day I sent him to Switzerland with the two people he loved most. He has got two more in that category and probably a whole house full more back in that cosy farmhouse in Switzerland. I still owe Sirius for buying and renovating that house on mostly his own costs. Thank you, Alphard Black, too, because you left Sirius so much money to make him completely independent, even if he never got the Black family inheritance. They have a very nice home there.

It is time to go back to the Great Hall for dinner. Sirius and Remus get up, pick up the children and we walk over to the Great Hall. While we cross it between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables we look around. The general mood seems to be fine. The students greet us respectfully.

**Friday, 26.2.1999 / Sirius**

My last period before lunch is free, so I spend the time in our office to read the mail. One of the owls I get today comes from Penelope Clearwater. She asks me for a few dates to go through some of the curriculum for the next school year. Wouldn't she be a Ravenclaw? I grin. Then I put the letter on my desk to reply. She's going to be thorough, that's for sure. Good for her students and good for me, because when I'll take over the students from her for their OWLS year they'll be well prepared.

So far the students know nothing of the change within the staff. They have been informed that Albus is retiring, but otherwise they know nothing yet. Albus has been Headmaster for nearly thirty years now. He actually started the year we came to Hogwarts, which was 1971. Don't think of this, Sirius, that'll just remind you that you and your lover will turn forty this year! Ouch! Six years ago I was still despairing in Azkaban just before my escape. And barely six years later I'm sitting at the teacher's table in Hogwarts, already looking forward to my second year of teaching here and becoming head of my old house. Sometimes it's all overwhelming, especially when I add the twins to the mix. In two months they will be a year old! It will be on a Sunday and I suppose we'll have a birthday party for them with the gang. We could invite the Weasleys as well…

Pull yourself together, Black! I pick up quill and parchment to send a reply to Miss Clearwater. I tell her to either come to Hogwarts or come to the Sunnegg and give her my Commumirror identity to call me. Then I go through the rest of the mail, before it's time to go down to pick up the twins and go to the Great Hall for lunch.

When Remus joins us at the table I remark:

"I think we should keep the children out of the student's part of Hogwarts until they come here, Remus. I think it's time to eat at the flat with them. Dinner in any case."

"Why do you think that?" he asks.

"I've just got the feeling that they grow up privileged enough. All the teachers here are already kind of their aunts and uncles and they should still remain to be people who deserve a bit of distance and respect. I wouldn't want to have spoiled brats. So I think it would be better to keep them from going to the students' area completely."

He thinks about my arguments.

"Yes, you might be right. But then I'm afraid we'd have to separate, because I should be here for the meals or everything will still fall on Minerva. And at least one of us should eat with them."

Didn't think of that! Bugger! That will be hard.

"I'll do it. If Minerva allows it you could still be with us for dinner. They really need us still. I don't just want to leave them to Winky, even though she does a marvellous job with them during the day."

I watch Seraina neatly picking a bit of potato from her plate. She's getting the hang of this fast! I put down my fork to help her with the cup. She drinks and looks up to me, promptly swallows wrong and starts to cough. I put the cup back on the table, pull the plate away from her and take her from her chair to hold her over my arm and lightly pat her on the back. Then I have to clean her up of course. I lift her up and look at her.

"Everything okay again, love?" I ask.

She looks okay in any case. I sit her in the high chair again, give her a bit of a carrot and she munches it, swallows correctly and stretches her arm out for the cup again.

"But you have to look at the cup, not at me, sweetie," I remind her.

This time she drinks neatly.

After the meal we take them both back to the flat and they go for their afternoon nap. Remus and I get ready for the two last lessons of this week. I have the Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh years. They are all busy with advanced and more complex potions, for which they need more than the two periods today. Luckily there are always cooling periods, so their potions will be stored until next Wednesday, when they can go one step further and finally next Friday, when they should be able to finish them.

At the end of the lesson I'm returning to the office to pick up the letter for Miss Clearwater and call a house-elf to take it to the owlery. This done I gather an essay I have to grade in my briefcase. Remus comes in from his last class and prepares what he needs over the weekend then we go down to see whether the twins are already awake from their nap. Usually they take quite a long nap in the afternoon, but we don't let them sleep longer than four in the afternoon or they won't sleep for ages at night.

They're both still asleep. We open the curtains in both rooms and do it a bit noisily, then we let in some fresh air. That wakes them up, but usually not too abruptly. When I turn back from the window, Seraina is rubbing her eyes with her little fists. She looks up at me, beams and pulls herself up.

"Hey, my sweet! Let's get you ready for the Sunnegg! We'll see most of the gang tonight! And of course your mum and Andy and Uncle James…"

I take off her sleeping bag and get her dressed in warm clothes. It's freezing cold outside. Fifteen minutes later we're all ready to leave the castle. Remus puts Seraina in the carrier I have on my back, I reciprocate with Denny who gets to ride with papa. Then we pick up our briefcases and the brooms and off we are. Outside the gates we disapparate straight to the Sunnegg.

It seems that we're the first ones to arrive. Morag sits at the dining table working on some school assignment. She smiles when we turn up.

"Hey there!" she calls.

"Hello, Morag! Had a good week?"

"Full of work, but quite good. I'll be out tomorrow, we have some classroom lessons. That's why I'm still working on this thing here. Maths is not my favourite subject!" she pouts a little.

"Never liked it too much myself, Morag. I know how you feel," Remus says with a soft laugh.

We free the children from their carriers and let them crawl on the carpet. Morag packs up her things and says:

"Well, I need to have a bit of quiet for this, so I'll relocate to my room. Sorry to flee you guys, but I have to get this done. Seraina and Denny get cuter every time I see them! What are you doing with them, are you using magic to make them so beautiful?"

We grin. It's true, we do have handsome children.

"I think the proper term for what we use would be 'love', Morag," I say.

"Sounds like magic," she replies.

"Sounds? It definitely **is** magic, believe me," Remus confirms.

She laughs and leaves for her room on the other side of the house. Remus and I unpack the small bag with the indispensable baby paraphernalia and spread what the children like most on the floor, the rest is for their beds. They start to play now, really play, even though they usually won't last long with one thing. And there are first little sibling fights. Sometimes it's not done with giving them both the same item, if one has something the other one wants, it's of absolutely no importance that there is a second – and exactly same – item around, it has to be that particular item. Which is when we have to interfere and distract them to something else.

When James turns up we ask him to watch them for a while, so we can go and get into some more comfortable clothes.

**Wednesday, 3.3.1999 / Harry**

The breakfast table is pretty flooded with owl posts this morning. They're all from Bill and Fleur who invite us to their wedding on the 22nd May in France. Wow! That'll be great! It's a Saturday, and if I can get Hermione to skive Friday and Monday then we could make ourselves a mini-vacation there and in Paris! I can always copy Marc's notes from the Academy.

When Hermione sits down at the breakfast table I watch until she's read the invitation.

"Wow! In France! That sounds great! What do you think? Do we stay for a long weekend in Paris?"

I grin. She's thinking the same!

"Definitely. If we skive off Friday and Monday we can ask Marc for the full set of notes and copy them. Then we can read up. Tuesday is barely any lectures anyway so we should be done by Friday."

"You've already planned it all out!" she pouts.

Then we both laugh, because sometimes we're really thinking the same. I lean over and catch her lips for a kiss.

"Mmmm, better 'n breakfast," she mumbles.

Definitely better than breakfast. I kiss her some more. Only now I have that little problem to carry around all day. Sigh!

We end up asking Marc in advance for the notes. He thinks we're crazy and says:

"Tell me the day before you leave, guys! You know I'll forget until then…"

"Just wanted to warn you, mate!" I reply.

And then we have to choose a nice hotel and book a suite for four nights. We'll apparate on Thursday evening and return on Monday evening.

I also do the usual call for Remus on the Commumirror to check if he's okay after the full moon last night. Naturally it's actually not so needed anymore, as the full moons don't really present a big problem anymore, but it's always a reason to call and talk to my favourite surrogate father.

A pretty busy day and I don't mind at all that I'm pounced on coming into my room in the late afternoon. The one who jumps on me is a fairly hairy greyish brown wolf who first of all gives my face a thorough lick with her rough tongue. I grin, but shove her off me.

"Now I need a bath!" I protest, but all I get is a very toothy grin.

I hug her. She's so beautiful and I usually love it when she's transforming into the wolf. But now I feel a bit tired and so I go down to the bathroom, which we have magically enlarged to have enough space for a biiig bathtub, which screams my name right now. Hermione follows me, transforms and grins.

"I'm coming right with you!"

More magic helps to fill the tub fast. Both of us shed our clothes and hop in the water. Mm, this is nice. Let's get washed and then I'll have my nice little wicked way with my little she-wolf. Though she looks like her good predatory self today, maybe she rather has her wicked way with me! I lean in one of the corners of the tub and she turns around to straddle me and sit on my lap. Her wet hair clings to her skin and reaches almost the small of her back. She has pretty, full breasts and two lovely dark rosy nipples on them. I lift my hands to press my thumbs on them and feel how they harden within seconds. She straightens up her back and presses against my thumbs, then she leans forward and kisses me. Her arms come around me and arousal trickles through my body like a drop of wax along a candle. It slowly spreads and speeds up the closer it gets to my cock. Our tongues can't stop to duel, our mouths aren't really enough. Gods, I love this woman!

When she finally lets go she throws a quick glance down and the next moment I feel myself inside of her. She pulls me a bit away from the edge and wraps her legs around me. I press my hand between our bodies to reach her clit. At that moment she says:

"Harry, my potion needs to be taken again in the next days. Do you want me to take it?"

Instinctively I know she's talking about the contraception potion.

"Takes care of it for another half year, doesn't it?" I ask.

She nods.

"Do you want to?" I ask.

"Not really. I'd love to make you a father and if I don't take the potion it's pretty certain that I'll be pregnant within a fairly short time. Only it'd make our work to study a bit harder."

"It's March now, so if you leave it and get pregnant, say within a month or two that would be around the end of the year… not a bad time…"

"In the middle of the Academy year, but I thought that we'd have the hardest part behind us by the time we go into final exams…"

I push a little against her. She clamps her muscles and gives me some extra friction. I pull her close and kiss her again. It would be special. After four years of carefully preventing a pregnancy we'd deliberately try to get there… and I know we both really want it. Financially there's no question, we're both very independent and can afford to have a baby. But I suppose we'd have to get our own place then. This here is good, but with a baby?

"There are other things we'd have to consider, love. Where to live…"

"We could move over to the Stöckli. It's by far big enough to hold us, Winky and Dobby…"

I grin. Didn't think of that!

"Hey, you're right. You've been thinking of this, haven't you?"

"'Course. You should know me by now."

"I really should. I love you, 'Mione. If you really feel ready, then I'd say, don't take the potion this time."

She kisses me again.

"So Minerva will have even more reasons to sigh about having several Potters, a Lupin and a Black around again at the same time after all…" she says.

I laugh. Oh, that should be so much fun. We keep slowly rocking each other until we get close and with a few harder thrusts we're both tumbling over the edge. Merlin, it feels so good. Who can live without it?

She leans her head on my forehead and holds me tightly. I suggest a daytrip to Paris to find the perfect hotel for our little get-away in May.

"Jolly good idea."

"Next Saturday?"

"We don't have anything else, yes, next Saturday, if you like."

"We'll look at all the stuffy old-fashioned ones…" I suggest.

She nods. Then she lets go of me, we get up and climb out of the tub, then drain it and dry ourselves with a quick spell. Did I ever mention how I love magic? How handy can you get? A wave of your wand and your hair is dry and even brushed, a wave of your wand and the bathroom is perfectly clean for the next user… we slip our dressing gowns on and go back up to our room to get dressed. Dinner is calling.

**Friday, 5.3.1999 / Sirius**

I'm on my way down to our flat to leave for the Sunnegg when my Commumirror rings. I fish it out of my pocket.

"Hello, Mr. Black, I got your owl, thanks for that quick reply. When could I come by?"

"Hello, Miss Clearwater! Do you have any free time over the weekend?"

"Yes, all of Sunday."

"If you don't mind to come then, you're welcome to come and see us at the Sunnegg, that's our home in Switzerland. Coordinates are 47°1' north and 7°32' east. Would eleven in the morning suit you? I'll wait for you on that apparition point then, as it's not precisely where we are."

"I've noted that down, Mr. Black, I'll be there at that time."

"Fine! I'll see you then!"

It'll be nice to work with her, she sounds like a very nice person. Any girl who could get Percy 'Stiff as a board' Weasley to kiss in the halls of Hogwarts must have something good about her.

"Who's that you've just invited to the Sunnegg?" Remus asks, closing up to me.

I grin.

"Penelope Clearwater. She wants to go over the curriculum we will teach. I think, it's an excellent idea to coordinate what we will cover."

"Yes, I should do that, too, I'll call my new colleague on that subject. Did you ask her or did she ask you?"

"She asked me. Sounds very organised."

Remus grins.

"Yeah, she could be a twin sister of Hermione's in that regard. Superb student she was and quite a fun one, too. Ravenclaws sometimes have more mischief in them than we'd give them credit for…"

"That's true. I just thought that she must be special, after all she managed to get Percy to kiss her in the halls of Hogwarts! Would never have thought he'd do that!"

"Well, he's been in Gryffindor after all **and** he's got some of his mother's traits, too! Personally I think that the Sorting Hat would probably have placed him in Slytherin if it had found nothing more encouraging than ambition alone in Percy."

Both laughing, we finish the trip down to our flat, where we pick up the twins and head on to the Sunnegg, where we are welcomed by a larger part of the family.

**Sunday, 7.3.1999 / Sirius**

The apparition point I've given Miss Clearwater is about three kilometres away from the house, but on the road, so I take one of the cars there and wait for her next to it. It's not a populated bit of forest path, so no one is around, when she apparates in, on the spot at eleven. She looks around and discovers me quickly. She smiles, waves and comes over.

"Hi! Thanks for coming with the car, this looks like an area for which I haven't dressed up correctly…" she says.

We shake hands and I grin.

"Hi! Call me Sirius, please! I couldn't give you an apparition point in the middle of the town, sorry. We're country folks these days!"

I open the door of the passenger seat for her and she climbs in, then I close the door, walk around the car and get to the driver's seat. We drive the short bit back up the hill and once we're out of the forest she's delighted.

"This looks like one hell of a beautiful area! Oh, and by the way, call me Penelope, or Penny, please. Would be rather stupid if I called you by your first name and you called me formally Miss Clearwater."

"Wouldn't want that, you're right. It would sound rather stupid. Well, up there's the farmhouse."

A moment later I park the car next to the house. She gets out of the car, looks around and says:

"Wow! No wonder you come here for the weekends. I would, too, it's so beautiful! Are those your famous Swiss mountains?"

"They certainly are. Well, what you see from here are first of all what we call the Pre-Alps and behind you do get to see some of the more famous peaks."

"It's beautiful! And that's the house you kept as a safe house, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's it. Easy to see why we love it? So much, that all of the students from back then still have their rooms here and come home as often as they can. Well, come on inside!"

I open the glass door to the living room for Penny and wait until she's entered.

"It gets better and better. You must give me the grand tour, Sirius!"

"Right after I introduce or re-introduce you to everyone who's at home. This was the classroom until last summer. Now it's been modified to serve as living and dining room. Well, you already know most of the people here, I suppose…"

Half of the family still lounges around the dining table and enjoys breakfast which is more like lunch as it's so late. James and Lily are sitting on the sofas near the window on the other side of the room. I lead Penny to the table and introduce her.

"Everyone, you remember Penelope Clearwater? She was in Percy's year in Ravenclaw and she'll be the new Transfiguration teacher for the first to fourth years from the next term."

They look around and smile a welcome at Penny. I introduce them quickly and they shake hands.

I take her over to James and Lily. The little ones come crawling around the corner of one of the sofas. Penny smiles when she sees them.

"Oh, aren't they just the cutest little ones! Hello, there! Who might you be?" she coos.

Denny is the quickest one and reaches me first, but Seraina and Andy follow right behind. They're quick on their hands and knees now. All three pull themselves up on my jeans now and stare at Penny.

"Well, the little lady here is Seraina Lupin, this one's Andy Potter and this one is Dennis Black. They share their birth mother, Lily Potter, so they're triplets, but only half siblings. They'll be a year old in barely two months. Over there is Lizzie, their older sister."

"Gods, they're cute. It's great that you have children!"

"And we really love them! Well, let me introduce you to Lily and James Potter, they're Harry's parents. And they've been given back to us a few years ago. I suppose, working together with me you'll hear and see quite a lot about and of them. We are also always pleased to welcome new friends to the family."

"Hi Penny, it's nice to meet you!" Lily says and shakes hands with Penny. "Sirius is right, there's always space for new friends, so call me Lily, please. You'll like to work with him, he's a lot of fun…"

"You wouldn't have said so at school," I throw in and grin.

"Certainly not, but I am happy to say that you actually have matured a bit since then," she shoots back.

"I've read about your work, Lily, and I'm deeply impressed about your engagement! But I suppose, it's also very rewarding to see all these people coming back to life!"

"It is, Penny, believe me, it's incredible! I'm still so moved every time I am able to reunite families and friends and I'll never forget those moments! I just felt that since we've had this chance we should do everything to give it to others who shared our fate. I was just glad that the Ministry cooperated and that the Aurors had kept all those wands, even from the Death Eaters they caught the last time. We still aren't through them by far. I expect a lot of people to come back still."

Remus comes in from the kitchen.

"Oh, there you are! I thought I heard you. Hello, Penelope," he greets her.

"Hello, Professor Lupin. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you! Call me Remus, please, we'll be colleagues soon, I hear!"

"Yes, and I'm really looking forward to it, Hogwarts really seems to have a great faculty right now," she replies excitedly.

"You'll fit in very well! As you can see we're having a late breakfast, but it's called brunch here, so can I offer you something or do you just come from breakfast? We love to hang around late on Sundays."

"I've just had breakfast, thank you so much."

"Well, would you like to start right away and then socialise or the other way round?" I ask.

"I think I'd like to start right away. I'm sure some of you will still be here afterwards…"

"You bet. I set everything up in the study. – Oh, but you asked for a grand tour. Well, as I said before this large room has been used as the classroom and if you walk up these lovely stairs you come to the library…"

I go ahead and she follows me, curious that we have a whole library here.

"This is great! A good place to study…"

"You bet. What isn't on the shelves is in the drawers, which contain the complete Hogwarts library in miniature format. The kids had to use retrieval spells and enlarge everything, the books they used were just put in the shelves as long as there's space. As you can see they were pretty busy and in the course of the time we filled all the available space on the shelves."

"The complete Hogwarts library? Including the restricted section?"

"Well, the books from the restricted section are stored in our study. For the use of these books we applied the same rules that are valid at Hogwarts, but we have been much less strict, they had to ask what they were looking for and we helped search. I don't remember them looking for something very often and sometimes Remus would even supply a book or two when it was needed for his lessons. But of course we locked the study with locking spells that were personalised, so only Moony or Padfoot could open them. Moony also can't be fooled by Harry's Invisibility Cloak, he's got a too fine sense of smell."

"I see. And what's on the upper level?"

"A common room. When we still used the large room as a class room, we didn't have enough space to be together in the living room and the front room, so we had a common room set up here… through here you get to the first floor bedrooms of the young people and through this door to the bathroom."

I lead the way up the stairs. The common room has the telly corner and is protected through silencing spells so someone can watch telly without disturbing others down in the living room or be disturbed by them. Draco, Ron and Justin watch a downhill race when we get there.

"Hi!" Draco says.

"Hi – don't I remember you guys? You're Ron, that much I remember…"

"Hi Penny! What are you doing here? By the way, that was a smart move to leave Percy," Ron asks.

He gets up and shakes hands with Penny.

"Well, if you don't mind I'd rather not comment. I'm here to discuss some stuff with my soon to be colleague…"

"Oh, I forgot, you're going to be the other Transfigurations teacher, aren't you?"

"That's right."

"Well, this is Draco Malfoy and this is Justin Finch-Fletchley. You might have seen Justin at the Burrow, he's my lover…" Ron explains.

"I thought I should know you! Sorry, Justin…"

"That's alright."

"So, who's winning?" I ask Draco.

"The same as always… Eberharther. The guy is hard to beat this season…"

He also gets up to shake Penny's hand.

"Hi Penelope. Pleased to meet you. Though I think I remember you, you were a prefect, weren't you? Ravenclaw…"

"Good memory. I was, yes. Pleased to meet you, too, Draco. Don't I remember you as a fairly spoilt brat? But then you were in your second or third year when I was in my last, so you might have grown out of that…"

"I do hope so! Yes, I was. But it's in the past."

"Fine…"

"Well, that's the middle part of the house… let's go down, then I can show you the rest. Back there you go through to three more bedrooms and another bathroom," I say.

We go back down and I point to the back of the house:

"And back there you have another bunch of bedrooms, five to be precise. We have five on this floor, five on the next and the three on the second floor for a total of thirteen and three bathrooms. Apart from Harry and Hermione they all sleep over here. Ginny still has a bedroom on the front, but she's moved in with her boyfriend at the back here a while ago and Ron has moved over to Justin to give his bedroom to the children. This middle part used to be the barn. We decided to keep it as open as it is now and make galleries rather than full rooms. We're going through here now."

I guide Penny through the door to the kitchen.

"This is the old part of the farmhouse, so to speak. We've taken over the kitchen as it still is now, only the three fridges there have been added. We haven't done anything to it apart from furnishing it. We've only added a wall on the first floor to add a fourth bedroom, which has first been used by Ron, then by Ron and Justin and when the triplets arrived they cleared it so we could give it to Lizzie. Since Seraina and Denny only come for visits they still sleep in one room, but I suppose later on Seraina will sleep in Lizzie's room. Here is the main bathroom, which had been built in a couple of years before we moved in. At the same time the former owners had the kitchen redone. When we were teaching our class we all ate here. Enough space, luckily, but now we've made the table slightly shorter."

The four Hogwarts houses are still represented through the flags. Penny points at them and smiles.

"That's nice – you've hung all the house flags…"

"Yes, that was done right when we started. We had them from their fifth year, most of them spent a part of the summer break here already, so for a welcoming feast we hung up all the flags, since all four houses were represented in our group. It's a good feeling to see them together, Penny! Just now you've had Draco, Ron and Justin peacefully together. Draco and Ron would almost kill each other back at Hogwarts, but here they gave each other a second chance, started over and became friends quite soon."

"Draco is a Slytherin, isn't he?"

"Yes. There were three of them, two Hufflepuffs, two Ravenclaws and six Gryffindors."

"And that went well?"

"That went well. Mainly because Remus and I didn't play favourites. We're both Gryffindors. But we really tried to be fair, encouraged them and managed to uphold peace quite well. Have to say that Blaise Zabini and Morag MacDougal are both very nice people, they're the other Slytherins. – Anyway, up the stairs are more bedrooms, Moony's and mine, James and Lily's, the children's two rooms and on the top floor are Harry and Hermione."

We go into the front room.

"That's what we call the front room. We use it as a small living room and this is where we set up the first computer we bought shortly after moving in here. Once more and more kids arrived and the house was renovated at the back we had a network built up and what you see here now are the servers. Then this is our small living room. You probably see what I mean. Not enough space to have seventeen people in here and still feel well. That's why we had the idea with the common room. It gave James, Lily, Moony and I privacy and it was cosy when just a small group was in here. We didn't keep them out of course. But like this they could spread over the kitchen, this living room, the front room and the common room as well as their own bedrooms. It was easy to get away from all the folks if one needed a bit of solitude. And finally here's our destination, the study."

"This is one hell of a lovely place, Sirius! I envy you! It has a lot of style. Beautiful. No wonder you feel so happy here. And it's huge, too."

"It shows we're happy here, doesn't it? I love it here. After two years on the run, which I spent mostly in my dog form, this was like heaven! That I shared it with Moony and at first Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron made it even better. I was still on the run, technically, but out of immediate danger. It gave me the peace I needed to gain distance to the horrors of that place… I survived Azkaban, but barely. I'm still having issues, but they don't hurt as much anymore. Of course getting together with Moony again and then finding James and Lily alive again was a huge boost in my healing process. And when they decided to give us the twins… that was just the most wonderful proof of their friendship and forgiveness that you can imagine. Nothing that one of the little blighters can't make better… talking of the wolf… there's a little one. I think, that's the cutest thing about them, when they come and look around a corner now. There's so much mischief in their looks."

"They are really cute!"

"Well, let's get started. You can take my desk here, I'll take Remus'; we've cleared the space so we can go through. These are the requirements for the different years as Minerva has taught them. I've only taught fifth, sixth and seventh years so far, so I have to go through this like you have to."

"There's a general list of techniques that should be taught. And in every technique there are a number of suggested transfigurations to try…" she starts.

"And that precisely gives you room to play. Minerva is a great teacher, but she's made the mistake of replaying her thing every year and it showed, if you ask me. She also had the tendency to drone and if you weren't naturally gifted for the subject you had a hard time with her. I think you did that a lot better, by the way. You had the guts to just teach and be yourself, you didn't try to copy Minerva just to please her. She even noted that herself and condoned you for it when we were discussing it. The kids were really interested and didn't only learn, they had fun learning. Minerva leaves out the fun factor of her teaching and that's a shame really, because she has a very good amount of humour."

"Does she, really? Can't say I've ever noticed yet…" Penny says dryly.

I grin.

"Well, you'd probably have to know her as well as I do to truly learn to know and appreciate it, but it's there, believe me. Just wait until she starts to fill you up with stories about my three friends and myself."

"Good, that makes me hopeful. I was probably one of those students with a natural gift for transfiguration, because I have the impression that I learned most of what I learned through my independent studies."

"I know that she doesn't have too many friends among the students. I had one student here who really had his problems with her, or rather she had problems with him. Her patience with children can be somewhat limited, if they don't get what she explains quickly. But she actually really loves children."

"I hope I get along with her as my boss! I actually feared her as a teacher. Only in seventh year when I was Head Girl I learned to know her a bit better. And you're actually a friend of hers?"

"Yes, but I believe that James, Remus and I are for a good part special cases. When she came to Hogwarts to teach we started our first year and only a year later she was already Deputy Headmistress. She had to see us all the time, because we were always pranking someone or getting into other mischief. Only after school, when we joined the Order of the Phoenix we got close enough to her to see a very different Minerva McGonagall. She forgave us for most of our mischief and these days she laughs about it as we do. Minerva seems to be rather cold and distant on the first glance, but inside there's a fire burning! She didn't have an easy job back then, because there were many students she had to inform about the death of a relative or a friend. There are numerous people around my age who can tell you just how compassionate and sympathetic Minerva treated them."

"Good to know. So your first and foremost recommendation is to drone as little as possible? But there's a lot of theory there will be need to lecture."

"Yes, there will be. As I said, do it as little as possible. You have half a year of time to prepare your basic lessons. Let's go through the syllabus and see if we find different things to transfigure every year, because if the seventh years can tell the first years the very thing they're going to work with, it's not exactly fun… not for the students, but I think it's even less fun for the teacher. Too many repetitions…"

She laughs.

"That's right of course. I'd prefer to remain motivated on the subject and to teach the same thing every year would bore me too quickly. At least teach the same thing but in different wrapping each year. There are always new ideas in Transfiguration Today. And it shouldn't be a problem to vary the actual things we transfigure, you're right about that."

"Exactly! I found that I move best if I make them read for homework rather than write essays all over the place. And then I can go through the theory by bombarding them with questions rather than lecturing or do a question/answer period with the practical work to get the theory into them. Sometimes I just pass the questions on to their classmates. Because in the end I don't think it helps them any to be able to repeat the exact part out of their theory book if they're still unable to actually transfigure a book into an umbrella. Those are usually the ones who remain standing dripping in the rain with a soaked book in their hands instead of under an umbrella. But that's just me, I'm not really that good at lecturing."

"Not such a bad approach, I think, because it really includes the students."

"Precisely. Also I like the interaction with the students. It makes the lessons more alive and keeps them on the subject. Demonstrating and hands on also work well for me. Essays I usually only give them once a certain subject is done. Sometimes I give the essay right in the beginning, but tell them I only want it when the respective subject has been treated. Since I've learned every trick in the book when I was a student and still remember them I often give them the subject for the essay, but make it different for all of them by choosing different objects, say if I make them write an essay about a certain technique I want them to write their essay specifically on a certain object and let them pull their 'object' out of a hat. You should have seen the hurt look in Ron's eyes when I did that the first time! I laughed straight out."

"That's good! This way copying is impossible… so you copied homework?"

"All the time. Moony, our friends James Potter and Peter Pettigrew and I practically only did one quarter of the homework. We always shared. Just a word different here or there and hardly any teacher ever noticed, not even McGonagall. Isn't that amazing?"

She laughs.

"They must have been half sleeping every time they corrected such work."

"Must have. I think, I'd notice when I'd read the same thing the third or even fourth time. I always wondered, that Minerva didn't notice! She's usually alert as a hawk, but you'll see that if you have to read hundreds of students' essays every year you get a little inattentive too," I explain with a grin.

"I'm warned then. So you're not exactly the best example for your students…" she remarks.

"Definitely not a model student when it came to behaviour and work ethics, no! But that enables me to spot it among my students, and quick, believe me! They don't prank Moony or me. And to my defence I have to say that I did study quite a lot. Just not publicly, that could have damaged my reputation. Much to my classmates' and my parents' dismay I usually got good to excellent marks for my work."

Again she laughs, but then we get more concrete and go through the spell-work for all seven years.

"I'm going to offer an extra curricular Animagus course for the sixth years. Of course that's not for everyone, but when you're treating Animagi in third year, I'd like you to use the notes we took during our Animagus-training with our sixth years here. In third year you're not really going in depth. I'll handpick the best of the students who will be offered the course. After I've trained other Animagi I'm very confident this will be a good thing."

"You already trained Animagi? I know that you are one yourself, but you trained others? Wow! That's never heard of, Sirius!"

I grin.

"I don't mind being entered in the history books for that, Penny. Even better than having been the first one to ever be able to get out of Azkaban. James, Peter and I became Animagi in our fifth year to be able to help Remus during his transformations. He went through hell every month, Penny! It was one of the worst things to see him suffer and to know that being alone in all of this was about the worst thing for him. Once we had mastered the transformation we joined him on full moon nights and had a couple of very happy romps in the Forbidden Forest!"

"You did everything in the book of forbidden things at Hogwarts it seems, eh?" she asks.

"You bet! Besides the full moon escapades we were out of bounds after curfew more often than not, we knew just about every secret passage in the castle, left through some of the secret passages outside of Hogwarts, that were most probably unknown to anyone but us, whenever we were in the mood to go, were best friends with all the house elves in the kitchens and had most of the ghosts on our sides. You wouldn't believe all the things we did! Believe me, Filch was everything but happy when he learned that Remus and I, two of the terrible Marauders, were coming back to Hogwarts to teach! He still keeps all the files from our 'sins' and believe me, we must have filled at least two or three drawers in his office!"

Penny laughs straight out and her mirth doesn't die down for quite a while, but then she says:

"Who would have thought that our quiet, studious, kind and mild mannered Professor Lupin was such a school terror!"

"Oh, he was and he wasn't. He was the well behaved one and exactly as quiet, studious, kind and mild mannered as you know him. That's his mask! It's the result of a self control that couldn't be stricter. He's learned to keep himself in control this way after he was bitten by the werewolf, you know. But underneath there was one mischievous little fellow, a very sneaky one. Many teachers never believed he could really be a part of the Marauders. For every detention he got, Peter had two and James and I had about three or more. Remus' pranks were the best we ever pulled and they were mostly the ones that couldn't be traced back to us!"

"Wow, you must really have wreaked havoc in that castle."

"Ask Minerva one of these days. I can tell you exactly how she will react: first she'll sigh deeply. Then she'll tell you to beware, because we're still as dangerous as back then. Finally she'll tell you how we lost points by the dozen only to get them back and more with perfect homework or excellent practical work or correct answers. Or through Quidditch…"

Penny shakes her head and still giggles a little.

"Oh, I remember when Harry turned up with that Firebolt! I went over to the Gryffindor table to look at it, before he played Ravenclaw! And he really knew how to fly it! Cho wouldn't have had a chance! Afterwards there was a rumour that the broom had been checked through, because it was thought you had given it to him in an attempt to kill him."

"I did give it to him, though of course I never cursed it. In fact, I only saw it for the first time at that match. Which I watched in my dog form…"

"You did? I remember it was the year you escaped from Azkaban and they all thought you'd come to Hogwarts to kill Harry…"

"Only I was after a rat, not Harry. I was actually only trying to make sure nothing happened to Harry. But since I'd just escaped that dreadful place I wasn't quite mentally stable and my main thoughts were about catching Peter Pettigrew in his rat form to finally commit at least one of those murders I'd been imprisoned for without a trial."

She shudders. It is a frightening story and it's a very frightening part of my life, so I'm usually not painting it in softer colours, because I think I need people to know how horrible I felt back then.

"Hard to believe that this was only six years ago," I say in a low voice.

"You're certainly looking about a hundred times better than on this awful picture…" Penny remarks.

"Thanks. They didn't quite get my chocolate side, did they? They took pictures of us about once a year for the very unlikely case that one of us could be getting out of the place after all. I must have looked like a real scare-crow. And I also felt that way. You don't want to know how I survived those two years on the run. They were almost as bad as Azkaban. Almost only because I was at least outside and going my own way. But I wasn't free by any means."

"I don't want to imagine how that felt, Sirius. I've heard such dreadful things about Azkaban. And the Dementors! Merlin, we were scared of them, even we seventh years tried to stay far away from them!"

"Can I say I understand that so well? Anyway, yes, to come back to your question of about fifteen minutes ago, I trained the whole gang here to become Animagi and I was successful. Even Lily and Remus are Animagi now."

Remus knocks on the door and looks inside:

"Anyone for a cup of tea? Or are you still fully lost in your work?"

"Oh, that would be nice, Remus, thanks so much!" Penelope says, looking pleased.

"So join us over in the living room when you're finished!"

After that we go back to set up the plan of what to teach when. We get through pretty soon and Penny puts the laptop away, which she's brought along to put down her notes.

"I'll be free to come up to Hogwarts mid-August. Want a bit of vacation before starting."

"You're certainly doing the right thing there. We'll probably not be at the castle before mid-August either. Remus has some Deputy Headmaster duties, like the Hogwarts letters which have to be prepared, seventh years files have to be archived and the new ones for the first years established, Muggle-born first years must be visited, booklists for the returning students put together etc. That's for the first two weeks, then we'll be gone for three weeks to lounge on some beach and play with our children and then we'll be back one or two weeks before the term starts. Going back and fourth between here and Hogwarts that is."

"Sounds quite busy…"

"Add to that a job I'll still have to do. I'll have to go and look at my parents' house to bring some order into my inheritance. I have no idea what to find where and should probably contact Gringotts to have a list of vaults that belong to my family. Both my parents and my brother are dead by now. The house has been left unused for years and I expect to find everything buried under ten to twenty layers of dust. I haven't been there since I left it at sixteen."

"Oh, that sounds like a bit of work, too. Is it a big house?"

"Big? Doesn't even begin to describe it. It has at least twenty bedrooms and a considerable number of huge rooms including a very large library full of old books that you probably don't want to see for the most part. It's going to be a nightmare of a task. But it needs to be done. Oh well, it will present me with an opportunity to clean out everything about the grand old family Black. Maybe I can throw most of the rubbish there in the arms of my great-aunt Shaula, she's hot enough for the stuff."

"Do all of you have names of stars?"

"All that were born into the family. It's the only tradition in the family I actually like, but since I've broken with the old Black egocentrics, I've also broken with this tradition, which is why Denny is the first Black in ages who does not have the name of a star."

We join the rest of the family after that and enjoy a nice afternoon full of fun, then invite Penny to stay for dinner as well.

**Wednesday, 10.3.1999 / Lily**

We're going through Walden Macnair's wand. He's killed a fair amount of people, but I'm baffled when one of the victims that comes out of the wand is Remus' father Quintus Lupin. I join the team of Aurors who goes to the private gravesite, where Quintus and Fanny Lupin were buried. I try to imagine the happiness I will bring to Remus who really missed his parents so much!

It is incredible magic! I've seen it a number of times in the meantime, but darn it, it's getting more and more impressive. The grave magically opens and Quintus' body is pushed out, just like that. We catch him and the moment he gains consciousness we warn him that we'll put him into an enchanted sleep. We have to treat him carefully, because we know he's been through a number of torture spells before he was killed. The stretcher is ready, we place Quintus on it and take him to St. Mungo's where he's treated for his wounds and once he's stable and out of danger I call Remus on the Commumirror.

"Remus, it would be good if you could come to St. Mungo's immediately. We've just brought your father back!"

"Lily! Really? I'm on my way!"

**Remus**

Papa! Oh Merlin, I can't believe it. This is the sweetest bit of news I could hope to get! Even if it's only him for the moment, it's one important part of my social network back. I'm on my way to my office, I've only one class left, but I'll occupy them with some homework to be able to leave immediately. Sirius is at his desk and I tell him instantly.

"I'll clear it with your students and with Minerva, love, go and see dad! I'll be by later, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks, love! I'm off right now, I'm just giving Minerva a call…"

I do that while I go down to our flat. She sends me off immediately.

"That's such good news, Remus! You must go! Stay until he wakes up, I'll see that your students will be occupied. I'll unleash Albus upon them."

"Thank you, Minerva!"

I instruct Winky that she has to stay by the children for the moment.

"I don't know when I'll be back, but Sirius will be here for the night. I will send news over the Commumirror, okay?"

"I is fine like this, master Lupin. You is going to see your father is coming back well. The children will be fine."

"Thanks, Winky, I know you're doing your best. I'll see you when I get back!"

I kiss my children goodbye and I'm out of the castle in a moment. From the gates I apparate to St. Mungo's. In the meantime I know to which ward Lily's clients are taken. Upon inquiry at the counter they tell me to go to room 12 on the floor. I have to catch my breath to knock on the door and enter quietly. The sight is unbelievably wonderful! papa has been laid on a bed and seems to be in a deep sleep. Lily waits for me at his bedside. She gets up when I enter and we share a hug.

"Oh Lily, I still can't believe it! How is he?" I whisper.

"You don't need to whisper, he won't wake up for the moment, as he's been put in an enchanted sleep. The healers have found some internal damage, but nothing that couldn't be healed. We can actually take him home tonight – do you want to take him to Hogwarts or the Sunnegg? A Portkey will be made for that. Just before we leave they will prolong the enchanted sleep for another 24 hours to give him time to heal completely. We'll have to give him strengthening potions twice a day after that for about two weeks, then he should be just fine."

I smile. It's an easy decision. He'll be taken to the Sunnegg. Before we organise the Portkey I sit down at my father's bed and look at him. He's a bit pale, but otherwise he looks just fine.

"Oh, papa! It's absolutely wonderful that you're back! You so deserve to live on!" I say quietly.

Of course he doesn't react, he's so deeply asleep. But I can't help talking quietly to him and spilling my every feeling about his home-coming. Later on a healer comes into the room, greets me politely and tells me about papa's health condition and what we will have to do.

"I prolong the enchanted sleep for 24 hours. Then he'll either wake up or sleep naturally for a while longer. Don't be afraid if he still sleeps for a good long while longer, we've already seen that happening with other patients like him. I give you this strengthening potion. He needs about an ounce a day of it, which you can spread over two doses, one with breakfast, one with dinner. He'll need a lot of high protein food and a good amount of carbohydrates as well, in short, he'll need a fair amount of calories every day for at least a month. The potion has to be taken about two weeks. That's how long this bottle will last. Then he should come in for a quick check."

"Thank you so much. We'll gladly follow your directions."

"All these indications are also on the label on the bottle. I wish you and your father all the best, Mr. Lupin!"

Then Lily comes back and brings the Portkey, that will take all three of us to the Sunnegg. I lift papa out of the bed and the two of us touch the Portkey. We make sure that it also touches papa before we activate it. Within a few moments we land in the living room on the Sunnegg. Papa is still completely naked, I levitate him now and we float him up to the guestroom on the second floor. Lily marches ahead and magically prepares the bed. It's made within seconds. I place dad on it and cover him up with the duvet. Then I summon a chair and sit down. I only take the time to call Sirius.

"Love? I'm already at the Sunnegg with him. We were able to take him home within two hours. They only strengthened the enchanted sleep until tomorrow evening, so I'll be back in a moment as he'll be fine until then. It's possible that he'll wake up right at the end of the charm, but he could sleep longer naturally, so I'll return here after tomorrow's lessons."

"That's great, sweetheart, I'm so happy for you – and myself, I missed him, too!"

"I know. I love you!"

"Love you, too. And see you soon!"

"In a moment! Can you ask Winky to make something to eat for me?"

"Of course, love."

Hermione comes into the room. Lily's told her already. She hurries inside, hugs me and then looks at papa.

"So that's your father! He looks fine, Remus."

"Yeah, he does. I'm so happy, Hermione. It's such a wonderful feeling! He's been so important to me, he was always such a nice person."

"I'm sure he was. And now he will be again, you know!"

"I hope so! Rubbish, I **know** so! You'll like him. He was a lot like you minus the bossiness."

She grins and hits me on the arm.

"I'm not bossy anymore!"

"No, you're a sweetheart, Hermione, and I'm just teasing you. Would you be willing to watch him for a bit? Then I can go back to Hogwarts and teach my classes tomorrow and return tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes, I was just going to suggest that. Someone should be around him, we'll take turns until you come back."

"Thanks, Hermione."

**Friday, 12.3.1999 / Quintus**

I wake up in a comfortable bed. Something seems to be very strange – too peaceful – weren't there Death Eaters around the house just a moment ago? I try to feel and feel nothing in particular. It's quite dark around me, but there's a tiny light to my right. It's quiet, totally silent even. So someone must have saved us from the Death Eaters. I feel around, but I'm alone in a big bed. That excludes St. Mungo's. These bed sheets are just simply too soft and nice to belong into a hospital and the bed's too wide. I turn my head and notice that I'm not quite alone. Someone sits in a chair near my bed. I take a deep breath and try to remember what just happened.

Fanny and I have been horribly surprised by a group of five Death Eaters. Not for the first time, but until now we were always able to get rid of them. I know I have taken care of one or two of them and Fanny has brought down another one, when they were able to catch her with a Cruciatus curse and I was trying to pull her out of the way, but the fifth Death Eater caught me before I could get there. I can still hear her screams.

They started to torture me, too, and then everything went black…

I turn and lift my head. The figure in the chair looks up immediately.

"Papa?"

Remus. I'm relieved to hear his voice. That means I'm safe, but where's Fanny?

"Remus?" I croak. My voice sounds so raspy that I wonder how long I've been under the torture and how badly I must have screamed.

"Oh papa, you're awake! I'm so relieved!"

"The Death Eaters… we've been attacked… Fanny… how long have I been out of it?"

"That's a bit complicated, dad… you've not only been 'out of it'."

Remus turns on a light. I look at him and I'm shocked! He looks much, much older, but in a way he also looks very well. He's not so thin… how's that possible, I've only seen him a few days ago and he's been his old skinny self then?

"You see, papa, you two have not survived this attack. You were both killed with Avada Kedavra in the end."

"What?" I manage. "But I don't feel like I'm dead…"

"That would be because you're not dead anymore. To make this long story short I can tell you before anything else that we have found out that Avada Kedavra is not quite as final as one thought it was. In fact we found a method to bring back people who were killed this way."

Okay. So that explains why my son looks so changed.

"Okay. I got that. So how long have I been dead?"

He grins.

"Nothing ever really fazes you, eh? Well, I'll have to update you on a whole lot of things, papa. You were killed in spring 1981 and it's now spring 1999. Very shortly before Easter, to be precise."

Dear me! 18 years! He's almost as old now as I was when I was killed! And dear me, does that sound strange…

"You're right. That's a lot of time to catch up on. What about Fanny?"

"Well, that's the next explanation. Avada Kedavra is linked to the wand with which the curse was cast. In other words, we have captured a load of Death Eaters, have their wands, but we can only undo the curse once we find a brother wand of the wand with which the curse had been cast. That's not too difficult to do, not with Mr. Ollivander's sensational memory. We are quite sure that we have the best part of the Death Eaters caught this time. But you and mum must have been killed by two different Death Eaters. We're going through the wands one by one, so we can really go and look for those who will come out of it. And that's why you've come back already, but maman has not. You wouldn't happen to remember who attacked you?"

"They were masked… I didn't know them, Remus. And they hardly spoke a word."

"The one who killed you is Walden Macnair. He was able to get off and wasn't sent to Azkaban. He managed to serve as an executioner for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, so he could just go on enjoying his lust for murdering."

It's a sad moment. Who knows if they have caught the person who's killed my beloved… she might not get the chance to live on anymore. I don't know that I want to do it without her. Remus looks at me and promises:

"We'll find her, papa. I know how much you love her, so don't give up hope. We're doing this very slowly, because we want to find the people right away and help them back on their feet. We can also gather your memories into a Pensieve and that might speed things up."

"Who's 'we'?"

"The main part of the group to do this consists of Lily Potter and a few Aurors. You won't know them, they're all young. Lily has been killed about half a year after you, as has James. Their son Harry, was Voldemort's target. He'd heard a prophecy that said Harry was one of two children who could vanquish him one day and he wanted to get rid of these children early on. But Harry miraculously survived his killing curse with nothing more than a scar on his forehead. The curse was thrown back on Voldemort, putting him temporarily out of service. He's come into a new body when Harry was almost 15, and went right ahead trying to murder the boy, just to prove to his Death Eaters that he could. But he still couldn't. In the meantime Harry has fulfilled the prophecy which said he'd be the one to have the power to kill Voldemort. And kill him he did. Anyway, Harry's and Voldemort's wands are brother wands. They share the core – a feather from Dumbledore's phoenix Fawkes."

Remus explains to me how it was found how brother wands react when used in a duel against each other. How Dumbledore has gone into the sources to find out that the phenomenon of people coming back from death after Avada Kedavra has actually been seen before, albeit very a long time ago.

"So Voldemort is really gone now?" I ask.

"Totally and utterly gone. He's been killed with Avada Kedavra, too, but… his spirit was on the way of escaping again and Dumbledore was able to kill that off. I had the honour to see it all happening on site! And since we've already known by then we saw to it that the remains of Voldemort were actually burned to cinder and then thrown into the regular Muggle garbage. This was even possible, much to our astonishment. In any case it's become very peaceful lately. The few Death Eaters still on the run are chased after. The worst ones were actually fairly easy to catch."

"Okay, that's enough for me to know about the history for the moment. Now tell me about yourself… you look quite well to me."

He actually beams.

"I am very well, papa. I've really never felt better and the past four years have been perfect for me. After Voldemort's resurrection Dumbledore sent me to Switzerland to hide Harry and Sirius abroad. Sirius was still on the run from the Ministry, which is another long story, which I'll tell you after that. We've set up house and as soon as we were here Dumbledore informed us of attacks on the families of Harry's three best friends, who had all survived, but who Dumbledore thought were safer here with us. So we've made a safe house out of this old farmhouse, had the inside renovated completely and by the time the school year started we had eleven students in fifth year, from all four Hogwarts houses. We were joined by James and Lily, of course being over here we had not heard anything of their miraculous return, so we were all floored. Harry wasn't the only one who thought it possible that they were actually Death Eaters in disguise. But they were really our James and Lily Potter. In the meantime they have given Harry a little sister and a brother."

"That's wonderful, Remus! I'm so happy for Harry, but you and Sirius must have missed them even more…"

"We certainly did. Sirius – it was hardest for him. He still thinks that their deaths have been his fault. Anyway, Sirius and I got together again here in Switzerland. We had to rebuild the old trust in each other, which wasn't that easy, but we've found each other again and we're very happy. We both want to stay together for the rest of our lives."

"That makes me very happy, Remus. So you taught these students in all that time?"

"Until they took their NEWTS. They could have returned for their seventh year to Hogwarts, but most of them didn't want to. After three months here we got two more students, bringing the class to 13. Sirius taught them Transfiguration, Potions, Arithmancy and some Herbology, I taught them Charms, Defence against the Dark Arts, History and Ancient Runes. We did some Muggle Studies together and a bit of Astronomy. It was a fun time. The kids enjoyed it, too."

"I'd bet they liked you better than old Binns," I say with a grin.

"Oh, they were soon taught a lesson that my history lessons weren't going to be some hours of extra sleep. Sirius did a great job as well! After four years of Potions with Snape, they absolutely loved Sirius!"

"Snape? Wasn't that the boy who got to see you while you were still at Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

"Didn't he become a Death Eater?"

"He did indeed. Turned and came back to us, playing the spy for Dumbledore in the heart of the Death Eaters' Inner Circle."

"Oh."

"Still as unpleasant as ever. He's never changed. The most awful teacher you can imagine. Not only did he never give any child a chance if it wasn't in Slytherin, he allowed his students the greatest freedom while he punished all others who were only one millimetre out of line. Deducted points even when they brewed their potions perfectly well or gave the right answers. I don't think there was ever a more biased teacher than him. Anyway, after that – and after Minerva, as nice a person as she may be, she's a very difficult to understand teacher – they really adored Sirius. He's done a very good job and he really never favoured any student, not even his godson."

"So what are you doing now that the students seem to have left the safe house?"

"Well… you're going to like that, papa. We're both at Hogwarts. I'm teaching Defence. At the moment Sirius still teaches Potions, but he'll change to Transfigurations in September."

"That would mean Minerva McGonagall – if she still holds the position – gives it up?"

"Yep. She'll not have time enough to teach once she's taken over Albus' job and becomes headmistress. So Sirius will teach what he likes best."

"And does best. I've always been amazed what this boy achieves with Transfigurations."

"He's really good at it. He's made practically all of the furniture here."

Sounds like Sirius. This boy was an incredible talent in Transfigurations. And that Animagus of his… just amazing.

"I'm only here because we wanted someone who you know well with you when you woke up. After bringing you back you were put into an enchanted sleep, so you could be treated for your injuries and given a pain potion until you woke up again. They found a few internal injuries and healed them. Then they prolonged the enchanted sleep for another 24 hours. Since yesterday the sleep charm has been lifted and you slept naturally. That's why you shouldn't feel much pain now."

"Just a bit of a muscle ache really. Nothing very bad. That is really the nicest thing I ever heard from you, Remus. Not only do you have a job, it's a very respectable one, too. Though – isn't the position said to be cursed?"

"Yes. It was, too. By Voldemort. He wanted it but Dumbledore didn't want him. So he cursed the position, but that curse was lifted when he died. I've already been a victim of this curse once. I've already taught in this position for a year in 1993. Had to leave at the end of the year, because dear Severus revealed me as a werewolf. The school governors and all the other teachers saw no real problem in that fact, and they took my resignation, but actually told me they'd work it through that I didn't have to go. I didn't want that though. This time we were open and all students know that I'm a werewolf and while some of them didn't like that fact in the beginning they don't show any signs of uncomfortable feelings anymore. In fact, Sirius will tell you that I'm one of the favourite teachers of most of our students. I rather think he is though. He's made Potions popular again and I'm sure he's going to do it just as much in Transfigurations. We'll only have the upper forms, we're splitting the workload now. And I'll be Minerva's Deputy Headmaster."

What? Wow! Now that's never heard of! A werewolf who becomes not only a teacher, but makes a career!

"If someone deserves such a career then it's you, Remus! Did they lift the worst anti-werewolf laws then?"

"They did. I've got someone working at the Registry who works for the interest of the werewolves now, much more than that of the Ministry. She was one of my students here, a wonderfully resolute little lady named Mandy Brocklehurst. You're going to meet her, she still lives here. As do all of the other students, only two have moved to Auror training and are gone for the week. They still come home on weekends though. And all of them have become more chosen family than just students."

"Any other surprises?" I ask carefully.

The grin on my son's face promises more.

"Where should I start, dad? I have so much to tell you…"

He thinks for a moment.

"First things first. You are a grandfather now, papa. Sirius and I have two children, which were conceived and carried by Lily together with her little son Andrew. I have a daughter named Seraina; Sirius has a son named Dennis. They're therefore half triplets, sharing their birthmother, but having three different fathers."

"Oh Remus, how wonderful for you! How old are they?"

"They'll be just a year old in a few weeks. We love them to death, they're so sweet. It's been the most amazing moment to hold my babies for the first time. We were allowed to be present when they were born. And we'll be infinitely grateful to Lily and also James for giving this to us."

"That's lovely. That's three tiny Marauders though, Remus!"

"Oh don't worry, Minerva has properly made fun of us. Saying that she was glad it was us who will have to make do with them. On the other hand she's totally taken with them. Already laments that she won't be able to be properly detached and strict with them."

"You'll probably do. So what else have you up your sleeve?"

"Two things that have to do with the werewolf, papa. The first is that a potion has been developed in the mid-eighties, which allows us to keep our own mind if we take it in the week before the full moon. I have now a safety net of four people who can brew it for me; because I couldn't do it to safe my life it's so complex. So that takes care of the mind. Sirius has trained the whole Sunnegg gang to become Animagi. Including Lily and myself. I can now transform into the wolf at any time I want and especially just before the moon forces my transformation. I don't feel any pain at all and I can spend full moon nights with my loved ones. Don't have to lock myself in, nothing. It's probably the best thing that ever happened before in my life except for Sirius, the children and now getting you and hopefully mum back!"

I love my son. And I love that he has something so important, which must make his life an awful lot easier. It really makes my heart fly out to him.

"I'm almost speechless, Remus. Never would I have imagined you could become an Animagus yourself, you know…"

"Neither have I, papa. It was an amazing feeling, this painless transformation. Well, it wasn't all that painless for the others, but my body of course has made the shift many times before, only now I can actually influence it. I didn't want to try. Harry, James and Sirius talked me into it, and my, am I glad they did."

I try to sit up. It takes a lot of strength, which I seem to need to regain. So I let Remus help me and ask about my health.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about, papa, you're just weak and will have to slowly get the muscles back to work."

"Okay, I'll have to start training myself up. Any chance for anything to eat?"

"I should hope so, including a strengthening potion. – Dobby!"

A house-elf pops into the room. I stare at Remus. He's got a house-elf? Now that doesn't really go with the image I have of my son. When he notices my glance he grins and presents the little fellow:

"Papa, this is Dobby. He's our little helper around here. Albus sent him here from Hogwarts, because it was a bit much to keep house and teach thirteen students, he thought we should have some help around. Dobby is not an enslaved house-elf, he's getting paid and has days off. Though I hardly ever see him gone. But he's really here, because he adores Harry. And he likes the rest of us."

Dobby grins a wide grin at that and nods fervently.

"I is liking everyone here very much and I is very happy to be caring for my family, sir! What can I do for sirs?"

"You can bring my father a bite to eat, Dobby. He's hungry. I suppose an early breakfast would be very welcome."

"What's the time?" I ask.

"Shortly before six. I'll have mine as well, Dobby."

"You will be getting it in a moment, sirs."

Minutes later a full English breakfast sends its enticing aroma through the room. A tiny table with a tray is set down in front of me, with said breakfast and the promised potion. Dobby places a goblet in front of me. I look at Remus.

"Before or after the meal?" I ask and nod at the goblet.

"You can take it before and wash it down with the meal."

I'm swallowing the brew. I decide that I've had worse before. Then I start to devour this wonderful breakfast. I watch Remus for a moment and see that he's eating with a healthy appetite, too.

**Remus **

It's so good to speak with him again. I may have been closer to maman, but dad was important to me as well. He was always my wisdom, anything I wanted to know I only had to ask him. He was not an Unspeakable for no reason. I suppose he'll want to go back into that and I'm pretty sure he'll be welcomed back easily. While I eat my breakfast I watch him. He's really hungry, he's finished before me and that is saying something, he's always been an extremely slow eater.

I really have a hard time to explain how I feel.

"So you're going back to Hogwarts then?"

"It's the weekend, papa, but I still have a few classes today. Later on I'll help Sirius bring the children over. You take a nice long nap and I'll be back again, okay?"

"Yes, I suppose I'll do that. I'm already feeling quite exhausted. Don't know why really…"

"Being dead for almost 20 years might do that to you, dad… something to research for you later on! I'll take a short nap…"

I arrive at Hogwarts a few minutes later and find my bed at shortly before seven. Sirius is already awake.

"Is he awake?" he asks.

"He is. And he's fine, just still weak."

"Been up all night?"

"Slept a bit in the chair, but not much."

"Well, take a nap, Winky and I will look after the children. You're still excused today."

"Am I? Wow. Well, I'll take a bit more than a quick nap then."

**Hermione **

Remus has asked Lily and I to look after his father until he's back again tonight. I'm going up to his room after lunch and when I knock on the door I hear a faint "Come in!"; he's awake.

"Hello, Mr. Lupin," I introduce myself, "my name is Hermione Potter. Remus has asked me to look after you today."

"Hello, Miss Potter. Or may I call you Hermione? Just come in…"

"You may, Mr. Lupin, only it's Mrs Potter. My maiden name was Granger."

"Oh, I beg your pardon! I'm pleased to meet you. Please call me Quintus!"

I check on his well-being and ask him if he's hungry. Dobby gladly brings his meal up and while he eats we start to talk. I find it easy to speak with him, like me he's interested in a thousand little things and he's got an immense knowledge. I think, we must be soul mates in many of our views. I quickly realise where Remus' thirst for knowledge comes from. I mention that and he grins.

"Yes, I suppose he's got that from me and my wife. We were both rather bookish."

"Is it true that you were a Gryffindor?"

"That is true. What was your house?"

"Gryffindor, too…"

We both laugh.

"So you were one of Remus' students?" he wants to know.

"Had him for a year as Defence teacher in our third year and then three years here. He's partnered Sirius as the master of ceremonies at my wedding with Harry last year. I love your son to bits, Quintus, he's one of the most charming people I've ever met."

"So him being a werewolf is no issue for you?"

"No, not at all. I mistook a situation at the end of my third year for a moment, but was very happy when I found out that everything was fine. I had found out quite early what was wrong with him, but it really didn't bother me at all."

"It's good to hear that Remus has such good friends! We were so scared he'd have to spend his life all alone. We thought he'd perish once we wouldn't be there for him any more. But then he met Sirius and James and they both stood by him so firmly…"

"He's made many friends since, not only in the Order. He's one of the kindest people I know and definitely the living proof that prejudices against werewolves are unfounded. Mandy's tales about the change in the werewolves she's working with are another source for that proof. She's doing a great job! Mandy was a student here, too. She thinks that Remus and Sirius are more her fathers than her parents."

"Remus told me about her. He must have left a really good impression…"

"I'm sure he did. First thing after leaving Hogwarts Mandy did was move back in here and then she went straight to Amos Diggory and got the job she wanted. Diggory probably thought she was crazy to actually **want** that job, but she jumped in and started to make things better with very little funding!"

Quintus smiles. It's the smile we know so well from our beloved Remus. He really looks a lot like his father.

"Back when Remus had to be registered there was also someone who was rather agreeable with the werewolves. Horace Steeple. He was already quite old then, I suppose he died a long time ago. He really was very kind to Remus when he had to go in."

Time flows quickly when one's speaking with Quintus. He's so knowledgeable. He wants to know what I'm doing, too, so I tell him about our studying law and history.

"Good thing that, very good. You'll know your facts!"

"You already understood that Harry and I want to change a few things, haven't you?"

"Of course. You'll have my full support, too!"

"Thank you. Do you have an idea what you'll do?"

"I'll first see if I can get back into the Department of Mysteries. Very interesting place that, and I'd be right happy there again."

"You were an Unspeakable?"

"I was. Right up to our death. That was one of the reasons why the Death Eaters came by. They wanted some information."

"Could have gone to Rookwood for that, the idiots!" I remark.

"Rookwood? Augustus Rookwood? That bloody false thing! He'd **never** be suspected! How did that one come to the light?"

"After the downfall of Voldemort – well, the first downfall – they had a trial against Ludo Bagman. And he mentioned Rookwood, when they cross examined him at the trial. Said he was an acquaintance of his father's and he'd never knew that he would pass information on… Harry stumbled over Dumbledore's Pensieve in our fourth year and saw the memory Dumbledore had of that trial."

Quintus looks contemplative.

"Hm. Rookwood. Old wizarding blood of course. Ravenclaw. Had a son in Ravenclaw together with my wife. As I said, no one would have suspected him… did they take him out of commission?"

"Of course, but he had already passed on masses of information to Voldemort. This time when Voldemort started to get his Death Eaters together again and when the Ministry finally did understand that he was back they didn't even leave the Department of Mysteries untouched. Everyone was checked for Dark Marks, everyone was questioned under Veritaserum. I think, three or four Unspeakables vanished immediately. Some of them are still at large."

"That's good. It hurts to know that someone like Augustus would have fallen for Voldemort…"

Remus and Sirius turn up at half past four and both come into the room with their children. Sirius has a big smile on his face. I leave my seat for them and Remus comes to greet his father. He lets Seraina down on Quintus' bed.

"Hello, papa. Meet Seraina Lupin, your granddaughter. Seraina, this is your grandpapa."

"What a sweet child she is, Remus! Well done! She reminds me so much of yourself! – Hello, my little one. Come give grandpapa a little kiss?"

Seraina allows him to pick her up and after a moment of studying him she smiles. Remus looks relieved, because she's sometimes very critical with new people to meet.

"Aren't you the cutest little girl, Seraina! And what a lovely name you have. Papa and daddy have chosen well, I think."

Sirius joins them, puts Denny down on the bed and greets his father-in-law.

"It's so good to speak with you again, Quintus! I've missed you terribly."

Sirius embraces Quintus and finds himself in a tight hug.

"I understand, Sirius. It's good to be with you two again, too! Even though I remember precisely nothing since I saw that green light. But knowing you're both well and happy has made me very happy, too!"

"So, how long have you talked with our Hermione here? She's the resident master bookworm here, together with Remus and Lily of course."

Quintus laughs.

"She probably came in around lunch time, then we've just talked. Wonderful young lady she is, and knows a lot…"

"You'll find that on a simple challenge from Remus in Charms she invented a little thing, which is already completely indispensable in the wizarding world. It's called a Commumirror and it allows you to call anyone who has a Commumirror, too, over a little handheld mirror and then you can talk."

"What, like a telephone?"

"Yes, but without a wire. You're totally independent. She's a genius!"

"You've invented that all on your own, Hermione? Wow!"

"I've had an excellent teacher. And everybody in the house helped me…" I say, not wanting him to think more of it than it is.

"But you did the main work. And you had the ideas. It's been only two years since it's gone in service and already eight out of ten witches and wizards have one," Remus says.

"Wow again… that's great work, girl!"

As it's time to go to dinner we all get up. Remus asks his father:

"Do you want to try and come down to the dining room, papa? It'd be a bit less lonely…"

"Of course. Do you think I'll manage?"

"Sure. Though you'll certainly be very exhausted afterwards. But it might help you to get up… let me get you something to wear…" Remus says.

We leave the room to leave them privacy. I take Seraina. We settle down at the dinner table below and ask Dobby for one plate more. Then Remus turns up with his father, who's walking very carefully and leans on his son.

Quintus might be weak, but he's certainly alert. He looks around the people in the room and says with a smile:

"Now that I've heard a little about you it's easy to guess who some of you are. I'm very pleased to meet you all! Sorry to present such a sad sight…"

"Mr. Lupin! No one will think you're a sad sight, knowing where you come from," Morag protests.

"Well, I wouldn't know. As I've said to Remus, I have absolutely no memory of those many years."

Remus presents everyone. I'm sure he needn't repeat one name, Quintus must have them memorised as soon as he has learned them. He looks at Harry and smiles.

"So you are the lucky bloke who caught that lovely Hermione girl! Congratulations, young man. You'd better hold on to her, she's a real good one!"

Harry grins. He looks at me and replies:

"I know something good when it crosses my path, Mr. Lupin! It's very nice to meet you. Remus and Sirius have told us a lot about you. I do hope we'll find Mrs Lupin very soon!"

"You were the one who started it all, weren't you? Thank you very much, Harry – I may call you Harry? – you've done us all a great favour. I'm really happy to have a second chance. And to come back and find my son better than ever before since he's been bitten was the best thing of all."

It's going to be a lovely dinner.


	10. Of Horrible Surprises

A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long! The further I get in the story the more there is to edit to incorporate all the changes I made. And since I'm doing this simultaneously in German I really have to watch out that I'm writing the same things - in the two languages :-)

That said - enjoy! And I don't mind reviews at all...

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**Chapter 10 – Of Horrible Surprises **

**Saturday, 20.3.1999 / Hermione**

I've not taken the potion. Two days after our little bath together my period started. That would mean these days now can be the dangerous days… well, would be, normally, now I'm feeling strangely careless and as I'm pulling Harry in my arms after going to bed I try to work out if this is going to feel different, now that we actually want something to happen. I'm not telling him, I know he's fairly oblivious about the whole concept of the female cycle. Of course he knows the theory, but he's sort of surprised every time I'm telling him that my period has started and he's asked me more than once if I didn't just have it a few days earlier. Since he hardly knows when I'm menstruating I don't expect him to know when I'm ovulating.

But maybe I'm giving it away by my behaviour, because I'm pulling him on top of me. That's not usually my favourite position. He gazes down at me, puzzled.

"Since when do you like it this way?" he asks and leans in for a kiss.

"Occasionally I do… I do like to feel your weight on me," I remark.

"Mind you, I'm not complaining. Gives me some more control for once…" he grins.

I'll tell him. Afterwards. Now I can't really think of anything but feeling him. Three and a half years after our first sexual experiments we're a pretty experienced couple and we know exactly what buttons to press and when. Before we press those buttons we can just enjoy ourselves and feel.

When we finally collapse in a heap of limbs and hold each other for a last kiss before falling asleep I'm telling him:

"It's the days I could conceive right now, Harry… your last chance to back out if you prefer to wait with a baby."

His face splits into a wide grin. He pulls me even closer and places a couple of kisses on my neck and my mouth, then he whispers:

"No way! I'm daring, Hermione, and I can't wait until we hit!"

"Oh, Harry! I feel the same… I want to give that to you so much. And to myself of course. It will be so much fun to see our child grow up with your siblings and Sirius' and Remus' children! And hopefully with a few of our friends' as well… though we might have to try a few times, before we hit, mind you!"

"Who cares! It is somehow not the same when I know that you have no protection right now. And I really like that 'devil-may-care' attitude you have about it."

Harry 

She's hit me with that one! I could sing though… what an amazing feeling to be inside of her with the knowledge that we want to let happen what we normally prevent. I'm holding Hermione in my arms after the sex and we're kissing and caressing each other for a long time. I've always thought I was leaning to be very tender, but I think I'm even more tender with her at this moment. One of these days she's going to conceive our baby… in my mind it's already taking form! Not only an amazing, but still such a strange and already familiar feeling. I wonder why? We thought that being around the little ones in the family would help us wait until after the academy, but we have both decided we don't want to wait. So that must mean we're both ready to start the family. It's certainly too early to decide on the size for our family we want to have, but I know for sure I don't want an only child. And I have the suspicion that the same goes for Hermione. We know that we have a fair amount of time, so we can space out our children a bit. According to Madam Pomfrey it is quite normal to see a witch having children at the age of eighty. I'm getting a mental image of a pregnant McGonagall! Well, if her husband comes back alive it could even happen!

It's an incredible concept, but only now it becomes clear to us that we have the chance to live twice as long as non-magical people! Once I've understood that I've understood why it would be no problem to have children at such an advanced age. If you get to live until you're 170 or so then at sixty you've only spent one third of your life! I've never even thought about that, even though I knew that Professor McGonagall was over seventy, Professor Flitwick something over 110 and Professor Dumbledore has a good 150 years in his bones and still seems to be quite well.

Anyway… our sex has yet again another quality. It's nothing different actually, but I do think there's something like more 'depth'? More sentiment in any case! Hey, it's her who should be attacked by the hormones, not me, or is it? Or why am I so maudlin? Argh!

The word cherish has a new value in our relationship.

**Sunday, 21.3.1999 / Quintus**

I am happy to join Sirius, Remus and the little ones at Hogwarts for a few days. I still need my strengthening potions, I still don't know how I'll manage to go on without my wife, but for the moment I enjoy my sons and my grandchildren. What an enormous thing that is! I wouldn't ever have dreamed that I'd actually be a grandfather, but there are two little ones who are going to call me grandpapa, which I'll absolutely love.

Where I'll take residence I don't know yet. There are a few options. I might take over Remus' and Sirius' lovely cottage, which is in Essex and thus close to London. I'll go and have a good long talk with the old head of the Department of Mysteries tomorrow. When I contacted him a week ago he only replied to ask when I could start. That made everyone smile. I loved my work there, I am a researcher by nature.

Remus takes me up to Dumbledore's office to meet him. He's been too busy with preparations for his retirement to come down to the Sunnegg to visit. We're called inside the office, which I've seen a small number of times while my son was at school, and mostly because Madam McGonagall called us in to discuss some of the pranks, which the Marauders played.

"It is very good to see you alive again, Quintus," says Dumbledore kindly and we shake hands.

Then he conjures up some tea and we sit down around a small table.

"Thank you, Albus. It feels good, too, especially since I'm coming back to peaceful times. Seeing my son so happy is just the crown on everything."

"Yes, I would have to say that I've never seen him so happy since he came to school here."

"I was just thinking that I've only seen this office when he was in trouble. Which was thankfully rare."

"Only because they didn't catch me very often, papa," Remus throws in.

We all laugh.

"I had my suspicions more often about you, Remus, but there was usually a strange lack of evidence to prove anything," Albus remarks.

"That would be because I, unlike my three less talented friends, was quite skilled in not leaving any evidence behind, Albus. Easy to admit that now," Remus shoots back and grins.

"As long as you don't teach those little ones of yours how to do that it's alright," Albus resigns.

We laugh again and Remus has yet another comeback:

"You don't expect me to cut off the branch on which I'm sitting, Albus? They can learn that all by themselves – if they can."

"You must be very pleased to have grandchildren, Quintus, aren't you?" Albus asks.

"It's wonderful to have them. They're getting used to me and I'll love to see them often. Fanny and I always wanted more children, but then Remus was bitten, and we wanted to be there for him as long as he needed us and then there was the war and we wanted to wait until after the war. Well, that would be now…"

"Don't give up hope… it may take a while still, but if the wand that has killed Fanny is in the possession of the Ministry, she will come back," says Albus.

"That's what I have to keep telling myself."

"Have you already settled back in?"

"Only just about. There are still quite a number of things I have to purchase. I do have the basic supply of clothes and my new wand!"

"Which is the true basic I'd say. Do you know where you will live?"

"Not yet for sure. I might move into Sirius' and Remus' cottage, or I might stay in Switzerland, I don't know yet. I'm still rather easily exhausted. But I have seen my wife's relatives and it was good to see them. They were all very pleased and of course hope that Fanny will come back, too. I'm glad that Remus has remained in contact with them, if not very often."

I throw a glance at my son who just grins. I still can't see enough of him! How proud I am of Remus and how proud and delighted Fanny will be.

"In any case I'll go back to the Department of Mysteries. I'll see Tiberius tomorrow."

"Ah yes, it's still Tiberius Vance in charge there. He must be older than me!"

"What's your criterion to find that out? Whether you've had them as your students or not?" Remus asks cheekily.

Albus laughs.

"That comes close. It is certainly one of them. I have been at Hogwarts for so long… it really is time I'm handing over to the younger ones, isn't it?"

"That is for you to decide. You are perfectly in your right to enjoy some quieter times now," I tell him.

**Wednesday, 24.3.1999 / Remus**

Papa is going to stay at the Sunnegg for now. He's seen his old boss and will start working again at the beginning of June. Tiberius Vance, who is the great-great-grandfather of Emmeline Vance, has taken him right back with open arms. Once he's really fully recovered he'll go back to work. Well, it should be said that he is probably rather going back to his greatest hobby as he loves to do any kind of research.

Meanwhile I really dislike to leave my family behind to attend meals in the Great Hall. We've decided to start and keep the twins away from the main school. They're not supposed to grow up privileged, they'll have it a bit easier than other children anyway once they will come here. But it's hard to leave them behind. It's also hard not to share my meals with my lover. Sirius is certainly doing the right thing. One of us should stay with them and I'll skive dinner as often as I can.

"Remus, where are Sirius and the little ones?" Minerva asks.

"We're not taking them out here for the meals anymore, Minerva. They start to really take in their surrounding now and we'd prefer them to stay out of the main parts of the school. We want them to discover Hogwarts when they get here as students, that will be early enough."

"Ah! Very reasonable! You're right about that. It would only spoil it for them and they wouldn't even know."

"That's it."

"But why aren't you with them?" she asks on.

"I thought at least one of us should be out here…"

"You should be with your family, Remus! At least for dinner."

"I will be. I'm missing them awfully!"

Minerva laughs.

"You're one great and devoted father, Remus! I'm sure you're doing great with your little ones."

"Thank you, I think, we're getting on quite well with them. But so far they're making it quite easy. I really don't know what we did to have such lovely children!"

She smiles.

"They are quite extraordinary, Remus. Maybe because they have extraordinary parents?"

"Many thanks for your complement. I'm quite convinced they will be a handful sooner or later. But for the moment they are really still little darlings."

Neville and Pomona Sprout come to the teacher's table. Neville is all smiles. He's not even really taken his vacation, he's come right from his old job to start here with Pomona.

"Hello Neville! How did your first morning as a teacher go?" I ask while he sits down a few places away from me.

"Just great! All sixth and seventh years. Though it was a bit strange to teach them when less than a year ago they were still my classmates."

He starts chatting about his morning's experiences and I ask him a few questions. I'm glad he's found a new home here. I do think he will do very well as a teacher and he's really in his element. He'll soon be as much liked as Pomona.

**Monday, 29.3.1999 / Sirius**

Sitting at the breakfast table I hear an owl tapping on the window to the courtyard. I open it with my wand and the bird comes in, dropping a letter onto the table. It leaves again immediately. I pick up the letter and open it with my knife. It's from Gringotts.

"_Dear Mr. Black,_

_Since you have been acquitted we have waited for you to ask for our assistance in getting your family inheritance here at Gringotts in order. As you have not done so by now we thought it opportune to call you in to discuss our future cooperation as soon as you can see us. Please ask for the undersigned, as he's the one responsible for the Black family accounts. We will be pleased to receive you at any time._

_Sincerely_

_Tookook, responsible for the Black family vaults_

_Gringotts Bank"_

I decide not to let this slack and I'll go in today. I'll set some self study work and a fairly easy potion to brew for my students during my absence. Then I inform Minerva and Albus about my errand and Floo directly to Gringotts at half past one in the afternoon.

At the bank I first give my business to a clerk who then goes and gets Mr. Tookook. He introduces himself and leads me into a small conference room.

"Thank you for responding to our letter so soon, Mr. Black. You know what this is all about. We need to finalise the Black family inheritance. We know that you are the direct heir, so it all goes to you, but there's quite a muddle of vaults besides the ones you have been using. And we need some justification from you to know which vaults will actually be yours."

"I never even thought of contacting the bank, quite foolish really, I would like to apologise for any inconvenience I might have caused," I explain.

"Oh, think nothing of it, it really is not an inconvenience for us. But it might be for you though in the meantime you have gathered a considerable amount of interest by not touching the vaults."

"The main problem for me is the fact that I haven't set one foot into my family's house since I came back there after my fifth year at Hogwarts. So I really have to go and look through what's left of the papers after my parents' demise. Would you tell me what you need?"

"Wills, vault keys, deeds, anything that hints you are the rightful owner of these vaults. Here is a list of all the vaults we have found that are in your family's possession. If you can find any kind of relevant proof that these vaults are yours we can set up the contracts in your name again. Due to your imprisonment and the fact that there were no other direct heirs we couldn't get the business finished. As long as the main heir is alive, the Black family vaults are not passed on to any other person. In fact they remain blocked for anyone except the heir and that's why you had unhindered access to them so far."

I quickly scan the list and almost faint. There are about fifty different vault numbers. Some names I recognise, others I don't, but I take the list and promise:

"Well, I have my work cut out there. I'll see what I can find. Will you give me a few days to go over the available papers? I will have to dig into my father's study, a realm I avoided as best as I could when I was a child. So I really don't know well where to start searching."

"Yes, of course, now that we've spoken with you we know that something will be done about it. Would you please contact me when you're ready? You can just ask for me in the main hall of the bank again. Also please remember that it might be a good idea to contact your family's barrister and have him accompany you."

"Very well, I'll do just that, Mr. Tookook. Thank you for your assistance and advice."

Upon my return home I write two letters. One is to my family's law firm, which is Griffiths and Vaughan, an old, old law firm that my family has used over the centuries. I know they are clean of being Death Eaters as they have tried to stay out of everything by remaining rather sinister and inconspicuous. So I invite Mr. Ethan Griffiths, the current head of the firm, to come and see me tomorrow evening at Hogwarts for some family business related questions. The second letter goes to my own barrister, Mr. Lynton, who I took over from Uncle Alphard. If possible I want to transfer the family business also to his firm, but I'll see about that after my meeting with Mr. Griffiths tomorrow. I ask Mr. Lynton for advice how to proceed after seeing the family barrister. The letters go out and not an hour later do I get a call on my Commumirror from Mr. Lynton.

"Hello, Mr. Black! I am very pleased to hear from you and I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you that you are doing a good thing to get this all in order. I do wish to remind you that your contract with your partner and the funds you set up for your children will probably have to be adjusted later on."

"Hello, Mr. Lynton. Thank you for calling immediately. I was wondering if you or one of your associates would be willing to accompany me when I go to my ancestral home on Saturday for a first investigation. I hope to see Mr. Griffiths tomorrow and I'll ask him as well."

"Yes, I could certainly do that. I myself will be absent, but I can guarantee that you can fully trust our younger partner, Mr. Quigley, who, as I believe, you might remember from Hogwarts."

"I couldn't place him right now, but I'm sure I will once I see him. Was he in my year? I finished 1978."

"No, he must have been two or three years before you, and he was in Ravenclaw."

"Ah, then it might be that I don't remember him at all. But if you put your trust in him, then so will I, thank you very much, Mr. Lynton. I do think I will need some assistance to sort through what is left in that house."

"Then that's settled. I shall notify Mr. Quigley to contact you so you can fix date, time and meeting point."

Mr. Quigley is on the Commumirror a few minutes later and we determine to meet in the Leakey Cauldron at eight on Saturday morning.

The next caller is Mr. Griffiths. I have never spoken to him before and my first impression is a neutral one.

"Mr. Sirius Black?"

"Speaking."

"Good evening, sir. I am Ethan Griffiths and you have sent me an owl this afternoon."

"That's right, thank you for calling, sir. As we have never spoken before I was wondering if you could give me a short summary of your activity for the Black family in the past years."

"The last time we had anything to do was when we set up the will for your deceased father. It is kept here at our offices. I have already made a copy, which is ready to be sent to you any moment. Are you aware of your family's statutes and the meaning of the articles in it?"

"Only partly. I remember that my Uncle Alphard explained some of it to me, but I'd be very interested in a full copy also of the statutes. So my father made a will?"

"Yes. Even though the will is a matter of form only, as the statutes clearly state who inherits and what. Only personal belongings can be bequeathed to any particular person. Therefore the will does not contain any surprises. Your father had no other choice but to name you as the family's heir because according to the family statutes he could not disinherit you."

"Thank you for sending the documents then, I would like to study them. Gringotts asked me to help them finalise my inheritance and setting up the existing vaults in my name, which hasn't been done so far, so I need to go back to the family home to find all evidence and justification for the Gringotts vaults. Is anything of the sort kept at your offices?"

"Probably there are some. I would be glad to supply you with the necessary documentation. We'll be going to the archives to look for anything."

"Very good, I'll send you a copy of the list of vaults then to give you some information to know what you'll have to look for. I plan to go to Grimmauld Place this Saturday. Since my Uncle had his business with Messrs Lynton, Quigley and Blake I have used them as my personal barristers. One of them will be present on Saturday, could I count on you to accompany me as well?"

"Yes, I would like to be there, since I am representing the Black family. At what time are you meeting?"

"Eight in the morning at the Leaky Cauldron. It will probably be a larger party, as I will have some family with me to be able to go through the big house a bit quicker."

"I'll have your documents ready for Saturday and I shall meet you in the Leaky Cauldron then."

"Thank you, sir!"

Well, that's settled. Remus looks at me and says:

"That will not be pleasant. Better round up as much of the family as you can…"

"That I intend to do right now…"

I actually Floo over to the Three Broomsticks and apparate over to the Sunnegg to explain what's going on and get the support of most of the gang. We'll have James, Harry, Hermione, Blaise, Padma, Quintus and Mandy coming along. Lily wants to come, too, so Ginny promises to watch the children on Saturday.

"Thanks so much, everyone! I couldn't possibly go there all by myself, not even with the barristers. Meeting point is the Leaky Cauldron, at eight in the morning."

"We'll be there!"

**Wednesday, 31.3.1999 / Remus**

A 'blue moon' today. The second this year. That really doesn't happen very often, but if there's a blue moon in January there's always one in March as well. For some reason unknown to me these are always a bit more difficult than regular full moons. I wonder why, really, but every time I have transformed on a blue moon my transformations have been extremely violent. Now with the Wolfsbane potion and the Animagus transformation it shouldn't be as bad. I still cancel tomorrow's morning classes and give all those students extra homework to do in the periods they'd normally have lessons. That's no problem with the fifth years, I can call on the prefects to hold the class together and either order them to work in the Great Hall or in the classroom. Then the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff classes shouldn't be too bad either, these first and second years are eager to learn and curious. The third year Gryffindors and Slytherins will be a bit more difficult, so I check where the older students of these houses are in that period and find out that Sirius has the sixth years. I ask him to send two of the prefects to check on the class which I have ordered to stay in the classroom.

"No problem, love, I'll have them check on the kids."

The weather is ghastly, so we don't even plan to go out. It's been windy and rainy almost all month long, everything around the castle seems to be moist and even colder than usual. I'm shuddering at the mere thought of having to transform without my Animagus. I've asked Sirius to set an alarm for me before the moonset, so I can concentrate on keeping the wolf form beyond. Even though coming back to my human form is less bad than transforming into the wolf it leaves me weak and hurt and exhausted for hours.

**Thursday, 1.4.1999 / Remus**

It's been better than expected. Moony has been well behaved, I've slept most of the night and most of it next to my lover. I've transformed early enough for the children to still be around, but they're usually unfazed. They just seem to take that as a part of our family and since they know nothing else they just accept it and don't even think of being afraid.. I'm always a bit anxious when they come close, but as much as I feel of Moony during the full moon nights he knows very well that these are our 'cubs' and that he has to protect, not endanger them.

The alarm has given me enough time to concentrate on holding the wolf form past the moonset. That means I was able to transform back through the Animagus spell and that again meant no pain. There are no words to express my gratitude to Sirius, Harry and James for pushing me to try this. I now know that there are two ways of making life more normal for me and both work together smoothly. I still get the Wolfsbane potion from Sirius, Hermione and Ginny, they have continued to brew it in turns. Ginny has told me that she's making larger batches and that she's brewing it every month for the Werewolf Support Unit. Mandy gives it to those werewolves who can't afford it or brew it themselves. She has quite a number of werewolves on her list who go and pick it up every month at the Ministry. I think, Hermione has joined Ginny in doing that. The good thing is that they will keep the routine of making it. That and Ginny gets not only the money for the ingredients but also a small compensation from the Ministry, which gives her some extra pocket money.

Right after turning myself back I'm cuddling deep under my duvet again and fall asleep.

**Saturday, 3.4.1999 / Sirius**

It's so good to feel the protectiveness of my chosen family who don't want me to suffer from having to go to my old family home alone. It's a wonderful feeling if one has been out there bustled around without a will of one's own for so long. Others might feel smothered by such protectiveness, but I have got used to it fairly quickly. Especially since the gang's protectiveness isn't an oppressive one. So it's a good group of friends who meet at the Leaky Cauldron early this morning.

We take Seraina and Denny along. I know that the place will be dreary, but I think I will need their positive energy and their laughter.

I've already shown the scroll to my lover, now I hand it over to James, who gasps. Not only the amount of vaults is impressive, what's **in** those vaults is incredible. According to that list I own several millions of Galleons! Since one Galleon is about two ounces of pure gold I don't even want to convert the value into Muggle money.

"Oh dear," James whispers.

The others look at the parchment quickly and gasp, too.

"Wow, Sirius! You are one wealthy man," Blaise remarks.

"Classic understatement, Blaise! I won't ever be able to spend that much! I suppose I'll find a few good uses for some of that money. I'll talk to Amelia Bones about it, but that's not my first priority. First we have to search Grimmauld Place to find anything that links with those vaults. Anyone seen any of those two barristers yet?"

They both show up only a few minutes late. I suggest:

"Let's go directly to Grimmauld Place, then we can discuss everything at the study there. We take Muggle transport, since it's right around the corner from here."

We board the Tube at Tottenham Court Road and leave it at Chancery Lane. From there it's about ten minutes to walk until we get to the dreary square that is Grimmauld Place. It's not totally run down, but it has definitely seen better times. Nevertheless there are some nice Georgian houses lining the square, which have come down, but the structures are still clearly visible. I've always wondered why the Black family, as haughty as they all were, have decided to settle in the middle of a Muggle area. We pass No 11 and the next door is No 13. I have to make them see the place, because it's unplottable and covered with more than a simple 'notice-me-not'-spell. It is a large house, which was built in 1738, on the site of the original family house, which had been there since the late tenth century.

"The house is so well hidden that not even wizards find it unless they're shown. It's also unplottable and only a Black by blood can open the door. Let's see if they were able to bar me from doing so."

I walk up to the door and tap my wand on the knob. There's a creak and the door opens to the inside. A cloud of must comes out and I decide to leave the door open to let some air in. The moment we step inside and move a bit there's an incredible screech coming from one wall. What the fuck is that? Then I recognise the voice when she starts to scream:

"**FILTH! SCUM! DIRT HAS ENTERED THE NOBLE HOUSE OF THE BLACK FAMILY!!!! ARCTURUS WHERE ARE YOU WHEN YOU'RE NEEDED? OUT! OUT! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!**"

My mother. That ugly portrait of hers in the entrance hall has been enchanted to be a talking one in the meantime like all the others. Oh dear, that's going to be fun. Luckily there are two mouldy curtains that can be closed around the painting. I quickly close the door after all.

"Sorry, guys. Meet my lovely mother. Isn't she charming? **Shut up**, you old hag! Arcturus is dead as are you and you can't call for him. This house and all is mine now."

Remus helps me to pull the curtains closed. We mute the children as best as we can and move forward. Amazingly the house smells musty, but it's clean. Is there a house-elf still here? They're bound not only to the family who owns them, but to the house as well, so I start to look around and really, not long after we silence the portrait, one of them comes scrambling out of the staircase that leads to the kitchen in the basement. It's Kreacher, my own personal jailer back in my childhood. I grab him by one of his long ears and pull him into the nearby drawing room on the first floor. The others follow and Harry has the good sense of closing the door.

"Kreacher! What's my mother calling for Father?"

"I is not telling, Master, I is not telling!"

"Oh, you're not? You know that I'm the only remaining heir of the Blacks and as you so promptly found out I'm also your master. Will you deny a direct order?"

"Young Master is not ordering Kreacher, Mistress would be so angry! Master is still my master."

"The Mistress is dead, Kreacher! Has been for some time now. Will you deny a direct order? And what do you mean that the master is still your master? My father is dead, too."

"No, young Master. Master is ill, but he is not dead."

"I might not have been in my right mind in Azkaban, but I know that I was told when my mother and then when my father died! The Ministry has their death dates. Here is the family barrister who told me that my father has died, did you not, Mr. Griffiths?"

"Yes, according to all the information I have, Arcturus Black died in 1987."

"So what are you talking about him still being alive?"

I'm startled. I remember now that I never asked anyone for confirmation about that and look at Remus who shrugs his shoulders.

"I've seen the obituary notices ages ago, but I wouldn't remember when exactly. Certainly before you left Azkaban," he explains.

We all turn back to Kreacher.

"So, where is he, if he isn't dead?" I want to know.

"In his bed," he tells us.

So my father **staged** his death? Did he possibly stage my mother's as well? And why? Did they go insane after all? More insane than they already were, that is. I look at Mr. Griffiths.

"The best thing would probably be to go and see him," he says and shrugs his shoulder.

I nod. Yes, we'll do that in a short moment. I turn to Quigley and ask him:

"Do you think there is any chance to get our hands on some approved Veritaserum? Any chance of us being approved by the Ministry to use it?"

"Let me call the Ministry…" he says, but Mandy interrupts:

"Wait, let me call Jason Taylor, a DMLE barrister, he might be able to help us. He's in a position to authorise the use of Veritaserum. If there ever was a case of it being needed, then certainly this one."

"That's a much better contact than what I could have come up with, Miss, go ahead," says Quigley.

She calls Jason in. He joins us only half an hour later, with an appropriate vial in his hand.

"Hey guys. This must be the weirdest story I ever heard! I got back-up from Joanne, and she said we can go ahead. I can see that there are some colleagues already present, that should be enough neutral witnesses."

I'm glad we haven't gone to search for my father yet. We've kept rather quiet in the Drawing Room and discussed the situation. Mr. Griffiths has explained some of the articles in the family statutes to me, for which I had noted a question or two down. Now we all get up. I want them all with me, or I'll kill that old bastard. More witnesses can certainly do no harm.

The house is a black cavern! There are gas lights, which give a flickering light, but hardly enough to brighten up the huge entrance hall, staircase and corridors. It's just as I remember it to be, horribly dark, because there's not one window that is not covered by heavy dark green velvet curtains, which won't let in any light at all. We need to go up one more flight of stairs to reach the master bedroom on the second floor. Of course we can't fall over him all at once. I turn to Mr. Griffiths.

"Sir, may I ask you to go in first? He'll probably have a bit of a fright and I don't want him to just fall down and die – I want some answers before that. The last time I have seen him he's cursed me with a Cruciatus and I'm not about to repeat that experience. You are a neutral person, he should not break down right away seeing you."

"I'd be pleased to, Mr. Black. Please step back for a moment, ladies and gentlemen, so he won't possibly see you too early."

I watch as Mr. Griffiths enters. He looks around for a moment, then moves in and says:

"Mr. Black? I have to say that it is quite a surprise to meet you here… I was supposed to look around the house for some information about the Black family inheritance, since the Ministry decided that this needs to be finalised…"

A scream in my father's voice tells us that he's still rather shocked.

"Griffiths! Get out of my bedroom! How dare you to step into the bedroom of a gentleman!"

"I'm truly sorry, sir, but I could not possibly have guessed you would be in it. I expected it to be empty…"

"How did you get into the house? This house is unplottable! Only a Black by blood can show anyone here!"

"Oh yes, I was just sent ahead. It's your son who's here…"

My cue to go in as well.

"Well, hello, father! You're still there after all? Haven't you joined mother in hell yet then?" I say with the iciest, most poisonous voice I can muster.

"My son? You are no son of mine! You are disowned, and have been for I don't know how many years…" he screams.

"You forgot that you could disown me as much as you like, but you could not disinherit me, father. And since you are officially dead I am the sole representative of the Black family now. I could even kill you and no one would be the wiser, you know!"

"You wouldn't dare! You have a witness!" he hisses and tries to grope for his wand.

But I've already summoned it. He's been good with his wand, but he's been useless without. My father was only a carrier of strong genes, he himself was only clever, not powerful or strong.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, father. You stay right where you are and we'll have a few questions for you in a moment. Before that I present to you Mr. Jason Taylor, a member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and authorised to administer Veritaserum. I'm not sure if you already know about this potion, but it is a really powerful truth serum, which we'll give you now. I want the truth from you, father, enough of it to be able to let you rot in Azkaban for the rest of your miserable life. I can prove that you used an Unforgivable and you know what is at stake for those. Let me just give you two or three facts you might not know since you've buried yourself in here: your stupid Dark Lord is gone, dead, finished. We have caught the whole of his Death Eater scum and many of them are dead, including my horrible cousin. I know you've never been one of them, but only because you gave them Regulus once I was out of the picture. And Regulus paid with his life for it."

We manage to give him the three drops of Veritaserum that are needed to get the truth out of him. Until the potion works I look around. The bedroom is clean, but kept as dark as the rest of the house. I pull the curtains open to let in some light. Then I notice an opening I have never seen before in one wall. I'll have to investigate that later on. Right now I send Harry and Hermione to the library to look for anything that could help us.

"There should be a desk with some of the family papers and stuff. Look for something like the family chronicles or a book that might give information about the family tree. The Blacks were deep into that kind of thing, so I expect there is something. Don't touch the library books, many of them are charmed that only a Black by blood can open them. Just use a revealing spell and they'll give off enough of a response to tell you which ones not to touch."

"Okay!"

The two of them go off. Then I ask Blaise and Padma to go on and look through all the rooms on the upper floors. Lily and James take the twins and go downstairs with them to do the same in the rooms on the ground floor.

The rest of us remain there to question my father. Quigley sets up a parchment and a recording quill. I start the questions for my father. A few standard questions to be sure that the Veritaserum works and that he can't fight it.

"What is your full name?"

"Arcturus Orion Black."

"What is/was your wife's name and what are the names of your children?"

"Leda Black, three children, Sirius Orion, Regulus Alphard and Adara Bellatrix."

Mr. Griffiths and I look at each other immediately. Quigley, Jason, Remus and Quintus look equally baffled.

"I didn't know there was a third child," Mr. Griffiths says quietly.

"Who is Adara? When was she born?"

"Adara is my only daughter. She was born on 15th December 1988."

We're even more taken aback. 1988? That would mean that mother had not died when the Ministry informed me of her death either!

"Why did you stage your death and that of mother?" I ask.

"We wanted to have another heir. Unfortunately it was only a girl. Leda died a year after she was born."

"Where is the girl?"

"In there…"

Father points at the opening in the wall. Remus gets up and goes over there immediately. After a moment we hear a small cry and a few minutes later a little girl comes out, looking like my twin. She shies back again immediately, but since Remus is behind her she comes into the room. She looks dreadfully frightened. I let Remus handle her and continue the questioning.

"How did you treat her?" I ask.

"She is just as horrible as you are, so she has to stay in her rooms. I teach her to read and write. She is not going to be spoiled. She is going to marry a decent pureblooded man one day."

"What do you mean, she's just as horrible as I am?"

"She doesn't do right. She is not following my orders. She wants to go out!"

"Any sane person would want to go out of here. Do you have any contacts outside of the house?"

"I have not left my sanctuary in years. I believe it must be fourteen years by now, I have lost count."

"I want you to confirm that you have used unforgivable curses, including at least one or two Imperius and a Cruciatus curse on me, father. Is that true?"

"Of course it is true! You needed to be punished! You were not doing right, you needed to see the true way. I punished you with Cruciatus because you would not want to become a follower of our Dark Lord."

"Yours maybe, but certainly not mine, father. What happened to mother's body?"

"She is buried in the back garden."

"Seeing how similar Adara and Regulus are to me I only want to know if you used a spell to override mother's respective genes…"

"Yes. This has been done traditionally in the Black family. Normally you would have been informed of this spell when you got married. It is not a dark spell."

"Good. I think, we've covered the most important things. Just two more questions: where do I find Gringotts keys, deeds and the likes?"

"The keys are here in the desk, the deeds are in my desk in the study and some of them are in the library."

"That's it. Jason? How do we proceed, what do you suggest?"

"I have to quickly see with Kingsley, but he's probably taking him to Azkaban on the direct way. We have his admittance to having used Unforgivables and that's enough to send him off. I know you're sensitive in that point, but in his case there's not even a trial needed. We need to get the message through again that no playing around with the Unforgivables will be tolerated anymore."

"I have to say, I hope he rots there. Here's his wand."

I turn to little Adara and look at her. She's my little sister. If what father says is true and she's like me, then there may be hope that he hasn't been able to fully brainwash her into becoming a little pureblood bitch. It seems that Remus has managed to calm her down a little. She's standing close to the opening to her rooms, which seems to be closed now, because I see nothing of it anymore.

She wears a set of robes that has obviously belonged to my mother once and which has been shrunk to fit her small size. She has long black hair, which she wears in a plait down her back. Her eyes are the traditional grey of our family. She's as cute as a button! I sit down on a chair and ask her:

"Hi, Adara. I'm Sirius, your oldest brother. Do you know about me?"

She looks at me, but says nothing yet.

"I have come to clean up this house. I didn't expect to find anyone living here at all, I knew nothing of your existence, Adara. Were you at least taught how to read and write?"

"Yes. And he taught me other things, too. Astronomy and English. And the family history."

"Okay. You're not afraid of us, are you?"

Adara looks at us and admits:

"A bit. I've never seen anyone but my father and Kreacher."

"There are many people outside, Adara. You will learn about them soon. I will have to take you to my home, where we will prepare a room for you. Then you will get some nicer clothes, alright?"

"Nicer? Isn't this nice?"

"I recognise this one from my mother and she didn't have what you could call taste… no, it's not too nice, you'll like much more what we'll get you because it will be clothes made for children."

Merlin, but I'm still shocked! I have discovered in the course of an hour that my parents haven't died when the public thought they did and then find out that they have in fact left a little girl who they, well my father, locked up for all of her life. This is going to be very hard.

"Adara, may I call you Addie? You have a very lovely name, by the way."

"Thank you. You may. But why do you not want to call me Adara?"

"Addie is a pet name, much better for the little girl you still are. Once you're grown we can always go back to Adara, which is really a nice name."

"Okay."

"Well, then let me introduce you to the people who are here. Father did tell you that you and he are not the only people in the world, did he?"

"He did. What is wrong with him? I haven't ever been out here and I haven't seen him for a long time."

"He is ill. He will not be here anymore very soon, I'm sorry. He's treated you very badly as it seems. He will be brought to the wizarding prison, Azkaban, before the afternoon is over for the way he's treated you and for the evil curses he's used before. Can you tell me how you have grown up?"

"I have been in there all the time. Kreacher brought me to eat. Father has taught me and when I did not learn well he has punished me. That hurt a lot. He said I needed a lot of punishment. I don't know what I did wrong."

We all breathe in hard. I shake my head and turn to father.

"Am I glad that you'll be in Azkaban in an hour or two, father, else I'd have to give you a good cup full of your own medicine. Merlin, how could you mistreat a little child like that? You are one sick and insane man! I'll take Adara off your hands now, father, and believe you me, what's left of her childhood will be as happy as I can possibly make it for her! She'll be out in the light, she'll meet children of her own age and she'll learn of the bright side of life from now on! You sick bastard! I'd love to break every bloody bone in your body, you miserable old scumbag!"

I'm so angry! And I'm obviously not the only one. Even Griffiths looks disgusted, but for Adara's sake we all try to keep our calm. Finally we can guide Kingsley and two Aurors here, who take father directly to Azkaban, no other questions asked. Jason takes the protocol of the questioning and informs me:

"I'll see to it that the formalities are drawn up immediately. Since he's officially dead you are the heir anyway, just go ahead and clear everything with the goblins. If they should ask about this here, I'll send a copy of everything around. Can I just ask for all of your signatures as witnesses?"

We all sign the document and Jason leaves us. All that's left is to collect the different boxes and folders with the documents, which we find rather quickly. Down in the study we find the twins and I take Adara there to meet them. Lily and James stare at her, certainly baffled with her likeness to me:

"Who is that?" James asks.

"That, my dear James, is Adara Bellatrix Black, my little sister."

Two jaws drop. Lily comes forth and bends to Adara, to softly talk to her and soothe her. I explain to my friends what my parents have done.

"That's unbelievable, Sirius!"

"Isn't it though? I'm still so shocked and so mad at him!"

Then I turn back to Adara.

"These are Remus' and my children, Adara, Lily here is their mum, so they're twins, together with their brother, who's Lily and James' son they're even triplets. This is Dennis, he's my son, and this is Seraina, she's Remus' daughter."

"They are cute, Sirius," Adara remarks, much to my astonishment.

"Yes, they are. You can play with them, if you want to."

"What do I play with them?"

I roll my eyes secretly. I'm sure Adara has never really played. She'll have to relearn everything she had been taught, the poor dear.

"They have toys, do you see? If you sit with them I'm sure they'll come soon and show you their toys and what they play. Just be with them for a while and you'll see. They're very nosy and will check you out," Remus explains softly.

Adara nods and sits down on the carpet. We just watch for a while. It doesn't take long and the two little ones come crawling closer. They look up to us with the question in their eyes who this is. Remus and I crouch down and explain:

"This is your Auntie Adara, my little Marauders, so be nice with her. She wants to play with you, but she doesn't know what to play with you, so you best both show her!"

Our twins, being the open minded and curious things they are, soon take Adara in completely. I look at Remus and whisper:

"Who knows, these kids could help her out of that stupor, in which she seems to be. I imagine it must be very hard that all of a sudden people come into her life, when she's spent it practically alone in the company of two lunatics all those years."

Remus nods.

"She's a very lovely child. Looks like your mirror, Siri," Lily remarks.

"I know, that's what I thought when I saw her in that room upstairs. Father has used the same spell on her that Remus and I have used for Seraina and Denny. I have to admit that I'm really thankful for that, just imagine if I looked more like my mother! He said it's always done in the Black family… I didn't know that. But at least that one isn't a dark spell."

Hermione 

Harry and I enter a fairly well sized library. It's dark and we have to light our wands to find chandeliers that we can light. Once we have some better visibility I try to find the nearest windows, so I can let in some natural light. When I find it, I draw back the curtains and open the windows as well as the shutters. Sunlight streams into the room now. Harry switches the chandeliers off. After a first glance at some books he shudders:

"Wow, this is darkest stuff, Hermione! I think, Remus should be very interested in what's in here."

"We'll have to go through the books once. To find out what's better to be destroyed or safely locked away. This looks much more dangerous than even the restricted section at Hogwarts!"

"It does. Now what are we looking for?"

"Anything that looks like it could be a safe, desk or other storage system… and then maybe something like a book where the family births are registered," I suggest.

"Okay."

We go over the books first. We try the extraction spell we used at the Sunnegg library and four books come out of the shelves. I take them to a table to study them, while Harry searches the empty wall parts for a safe or something. His revealing spell actually brings forth some metal case that could be a safe.

"I won't touch that, it's certainly bound to the Black blood…" he says.

"That's surely sensible. We'll call Sirius for it. There's no hurry."

"No, there isn't. Found anything interesting?" he asks.

"This one here. Records every family member it seems. I'm about half through, start of 18th century…"

"Look at the end. Regulus should be the last entry!" Harry suggests.

I open the last pages and search for the last entries, one page for each entry. There's text… then I gasp.

"Look here, Harry! Dennis' name is inside! It seems to record every Black ever born!"

"Wow! But what's this? Look, here, right after Regulus and before Dennis! Adara Black, born 15th December 1988, to Arcturus and Leda Black."

"No idea. But let's look at Sirius' father…"

Sirius' birth is registered two pages earlier right before Bellatrix Black's.

"Sirius Orion, born 18th October 1959, to Arcturus and Leda Black. – That tells that Sirius' mother was also still alive then if she's recorded to be Adara's mother. And that means, Sirius has, or had, a little sister, Harry. Since there's no death date recorded we have to assume that she's still alive, too."

We quickly leaf the entries through until we get to Arcturus.

"Arcturus Orion Black, born 2nd May 1908, to Deneb and Solange Black. No death date."

"Not surprising, since he's still up there in his bed…"

We pick up this book and others and quickly head downstairs to tell Sirius of what we've found.

"We still don't know when his mother died, but certainly later than he was told. And what happened to the girl she gave birth to. There's no death date like with Regulus' entry," Harry summons the findings up.

"That's right, and that means she's still alive. There's no death date to Sirius', Andromeda's and Narcissa's entry either," I shoot back.

We find them downstairs in what looks like the study and go inside – only to find the answer to our question. There's a black haired girl sitting on the carpet that looks exactly like Sirius.

"We've found something, Sirius…" I call.

"We did, too. Not only did my father not die yet, my mother definitely lived longer, too. Meet Adara Black, she's my little sister," Sirius tells us.

I stare at the girl in awe. She's alive and well. I've been so worried from the moment I've seen that entry.

"I know about her! Here's a book that records every new born Black child. Even Dennis' birth is recorded, here the very last one!"

"Wow! I didn't know there was something like that."

"We just used the retrieval spell that we used at the Sunnegg. I used the search criterion Black family birth records and voilà, there it was! And Harry's found something that looks like a safe, we didn't touch it beyond revealing it."

"Ah, good. That will all be looked through in the end. We found Adara after questioning my father and then lots of jewellery and another box full of keys. These keys cover most of the list from Gringotts. Some may still be in any of the vaults to which we have the keys here. We've just got to get through the book to find links to the remaining four names. Remus plans to look up the Book of Names at Hogwarts to see if Adara's name is recorded. That's not usually done, but in this case…"

"Understandable," says James.

"Why did he stage his death, Sirius? It's so… I don't know… unnatural!" I ask.

"They only wanted to have another heir. No matter that they couldn't disinherit me, they wanted to have another boy. Unfortunately it turned out to be a girl. Then mother died when she was a year old, so another try was out of the question."

"That's horrible! Not that you have a little sister of course, but their motivation!"

"Don't tell me! I was so shocked. And now he's already on his way to Azkaban. He's naturally admitted the use of Unforgivables and that doesn't require a trial, not even a simple hearing. Life sentence to Azkaban, no further questions asked."

Jason has gone back to check the Ministry records. He returns with a woman he introduces as Mrs Hazel Wood.

"She's working at the youth department and will be the person you have to contact about getting custody over your little sister, Sirius. According to Ministry documents your mother died mid-August 1986 and your father died a year after that.

We shake hands and Mrs Wood asks:

"You claim they died later?"

"Indeed my mother did. I'll start with the beginning of this. I received a letter from Gringotts requesting material to be able to finalise my inheritance and to change all the Black family vaults to my name. So I decided to look for such evidence at my parents' house, which I hadn't visited since I left it after my fifth year at Hogwarts in 1976. I was officially informed about my mother's and then my father's death in Azkaban, but since I had lost all sense of time by then I couldn't remember when exactly that was. Coming here today we immediately found out that there was still a house-elf around, who told me after a while that my father is still alive, if very ill. We contacted Jason to get the authorisation to use Veritaserum on my father, who informed us that there is a young girl, whose name is Adara Black, my little sister, born in December 1988. She has been born to my own mother, thus making it impossible that Leda died when I was informed of her death," Sirius tells Mrs Wood.

"Do you accuse the Ministry of informing you falsely?" Mrs Wood asks defiantly.

"No, no, nothing of that sort. I thought that my parents actually staged those deaths to withdraw completely from a society which they thought was tainted by bad blood, blood traitors, scum and half-breeds etc. They used to have a good number of derogatory terms for everyone with less pure blood than their own."

"Ah!"

"Well, then my other young friend here found this book in the library. It magically records every birth occurring in our family. The immediate family only. See here at the end even my one year old son shows up. My father's entry naturally does not show a death date. My mother's death date is not recorded, as she's not been born to the immediate family of course. She's only recorded as the mother of myself, my brother Regulus and the little lady there on the carpet, Adara. Since Adara is only ten years old, that official death date of my mother's in 1986 must be false. I suppose my father was rather insane in his last years. Maybe the 'loss' of his 'Master' has unhinged him after all."

"So this girl over there is your sister?"

"Undoubtedly. She's my spitting image, too. Just look."

A few glances are going back and forth and she nods.

"Yes, the family resemblance is definitely there. You are her closest relative of age, will you take care of her? I know that you do have children already, don't you?"

"Of course! We're mostly living in Switzerland and at Hogwarts, but I'll take her along. Just two more years and she'll come to Hogwarts as a student anyway. The poor girl has been imprisoned more than long enough. Now we'll want to show her a few better things in life and let her out in the sunshine often. I couldn't let her know of course, but I was shaking with anger about my father's cruelty. I do hope he never cursed her. But I'm afraid he probably did, guessing from how he's treated me."

"I'll have her birth recorded and will send the necessary documents to you. Your mother's death date will have to be corrected with an estimated date. What I'd like to know now is what happened to the body of your mother's?"

"According to my father she's been buried in the back garden. I'll have to call for the house-elf to try and find out. He's certainly been the one who had to dig the hole."

Sirius

I do that and a while later Kreacher shows up.

"Master has called Kreacher?"

"Yes, and you took long enough to turn up! What happened to my mother's body after she died?"

"I is burying her, Master, as Master had requested!"

"Where?"

"In the back garden, Master."

"You'll show us where in a moment. Why didn't you say anything about Miss Adara?"

He looks at my sister with the same dislike he used to look at me. That tells me enough. He doesn't like her. And he doesn't answer my question at all. I sigh.

"Show us the place you buried the Mistress," I order.

We follow him out of the house into the huge backyard, which is completely surrounded by a very high wall. It is big enough to fit half a park inside. I can hardly remember it, because when I was a child I wasn't even allowed in this garden. Kreacher silently points to a corner.

"Do we have to have her exhumed?" I ask Mrs Wood.

"We can identify her through the earth I think. If the body is there we'll find it."

"Maybe I'll have her exhumed and buried properly in the family burial vault after all…" I sigh.

Mrs Wood nods.

"I'll have the place checked over. Can you grant me access to this house?"

"Yes, you can apparate in again, I'll leave the anti-apparition ward down. No one apart from us knows and I'll order Kreacher to stay in the house until this is done," I confirm.

"Thank you, Mr. Black. This must be very hard for you, too…"

"It's certainly not the easiest thing I ever went through and it was more than just a little shock, but I'm happy that I can help my little sister now. I want to give her at least a happy childhood as long as I can!"

"Good. That's it for the moment, I'll have the papers issued for your sister giving you the custody and will contact you about the identification process, then we can see about the relocation of the body to the family vault. Is it at Hogsmeade or in the cemetery in Diagon Alley?"

"Diagon Alley. Thank you, Mrs Wood, you can reach me by owl or on the Commumirror."

"Fine, thank you. Goodbye!"

Jason and Mrs Wood leave us and I turn to Adara.

"Well. I suggest we pack up what you would like to take with you, Adara. You'll not return here if I can help it. It was a prison for me and I suppose it wasn't much less than a prison for you."

She hangs her head a bit and then nods. I can't but pull her into my arms and hold her close. At first she struggles a bit, but then she presses her body to me and buries her face in my robes. I softly stroke her back and her head and promise:

"You'll not suffer anymore, little one! You'll come with us and learn to know many nice people and hopefully find a way to be happy. Will you let me help you?"

She nods into my robes. I tenderly stroke over her head and say:

"Good! So we go home and make your room ready and on Monday you go out for a shopping trip with Lily, okay? Will you be afraid to see many people?"

"I see people down on the road…" she says.

"Very well. They're a bit more real when you walk through throngs of them, but it's a normal day and there won't be as many as on a Saturday or so. Will you show us now what you'd like to take with you?"

She takes me by the hand and I follow her back to her little flat. Remus comes along since the children are under the gang's watch. Kingsley and the Aurors have already packed up my father. He'll not sleep as comfortable tonight, that's for sure, but I don't feel sorry for him. Probably he won't live long anymore anyway.

In Adara's bedroom there are only a few books and she picks some nightclothes. Then she gathers her toiletry and I conjure a small suitcase to put these things inside. The room is quite bland. There's nothing that should be in a child's room, no warmth, it's as bare as my own room was. The sitting room doesn't contain much more and she only picks up another book. No wonder she doesn't know how to play! Gods, had I only visited this place earlier. I almost feel guilty for not at least coming after my name had been cleared. It's been almost four years since then after all. I could have spared her at least three years of hell. And she didn't even know that she was in hell!

The tiny suitcase is packed, reduced in size and placed in the pocket of my robes. Remus offers his hand and Adara looks up at him and takes the hand. I give her my other hand and we leave that small place.

"Have you ever left this house before, Adara?" Remus asks.

She shakes her head.

"Never?"

"I can't remember," she says.

"Oh dear. Did you learn some geography?"

"No, what's that?"

"That's learning about all the countries in the world…"

"I've seen maps if that's what you mean?"

"That's a part of it, Addie."

I can see that we'll have some work having her tutored in the next year, so that she'll be able to start Hogwarts. I'm glad that we do have some time to do that at all, as she'll only actually start two school years from now. With a birth date in December it will be better to hold her back until the following September, that will be 2000.

Back down on the ground floor we gather all the Gringotts keys and the list, several of the books and papers that we still want to inspect more closely. I think, we've been very lucky with the keys. The last four names I'll try to find out, but if they're lost, who cares…

I look around.

"Are we ready to go home?"

"Definitely. I don't know about you all, but the air in here isn't the best…" says Harry.

We all laugh and go about closing all the windows we've opened, then the others leave the house through apparition. Hermione takes care of Denny and Padma has Seraina. I charm a book to be the Portkey that will take Adara and myself to the Sunnegg.

"This will feel very strange, Adara, but it won't take long, then we'll be far away from here, in Switzerland, that's a whole other country. Don't worry, you'll not be hurt!"

"Okay."

"Then step closer to me and we both touch the Portkey. I'll be with you."

She puts her hand on the book and I touch it as well, then tap it with my wand and say: "Portus!"

The Portkey takes us into the typical whirl and sets us back down in the living room at the Sunnegg. I hold up Adara and steady her.

"There we are. Now let's see what we can do about a room for you. But first let's introduce you to the family who lives here. We're a very big family as you will see!"

Ginny, Ernie, Morag, Neville, Parvati and Draco are at home. When I turn up with my sister they all stare with big eyes at the girl.

"Who's she?" Draco asks.

"She's my little sister and her name is Adara. I'm afraid she'll still be very shy, because she's really not used to people. Prepare for a very gruesome and rather morbid story. Let me first introduce you all to her, okay? Fine. Okay, Adara, let's start with this lovely young lady here who is Ginny Weasley. Then this is Ernie McMillan. Morag MacDougal. This is Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, he's your cousin once removed, Parvati Patil, as you can see she's Padma's sister. They are all living here, together with Remus and I and the four people you already know. And then there are Ginny's older brother Ron and Justin Finch-Fletchley who are probably out at the moment. And last but not least here are little Lizzie and Andy Potter, Harry's little siblings. I know that's a bit much for you right now, so take your time, you'll get to know them all slowly but surely. We also have a couple of guests fairly frequently. But there is enough space to give you your own room."

"She can have mine. I'm mostly at Ernie's anyway, Sirius," Ginny says immediately.

"That's great, Ginny! That would be perfect."

"She needs to be close to you, we're all strangers – yet. Hello, Adara, it's nice to meet you. We all love your big brother, so I hope you'll like him, too! He's a lot of fun and a good source for knowledge, too! Do you want me to show you the room?"

For a moment I feel Adara's hand hold tighter to mine but then the grip loosens, she looks at Ginny and nods.

"Fine. Come with me then, Adara! Do you have some luggage?"

"Not much, Ginny. Lily will go clothes shopping with her on Monday! I don't think she's ever received anything new. This is a set of robes reduced in size from one of my mother's," I tell her.

"Oh dear! I'll give you something more comfortable from my things, so you can go out in it and shop, okay?"

Ginny holds out her hand and Adara takes it. I smile. Ginny has an incredible way with children. She gives me a little wink, leaves the room with Adara and I can finally sit down and bury my face in my hands. Remus sits down next to me. The shock still sits deep. I can't believe what my parents did to her. It's a crime and it's so painful to know that I could have shortened that imprisonment if I had only…

"Stop musing, Sirius! It's not your fault and you couldn't know anything about it!" Quintus says tiredly.

"Quintus is right. That's just the kind of guilt we had about the other things, Sirius, and it was you who talked me out of it," Harry adds.

I sigh.

"I know, but…" I trail off.

They all know what I mean. I'm thinking what if… and I suppose that even they do.

"Who will baby-sit for us on Monday, so we can take Adara shopping?" Lily asks, to change the subject.

"With everyone at work or in school I suppose I will," Quintus offers.

"Thanks!"

**Quintus**

I've watched all that happened today with growing horror. I had known Arcturus Black, like most other pureblooded wizard did, like a very distant acquaintance. We talked a few times at the Ministry, but he probably wouldn't have remembered me. Today I was deeply shocked. Not only that he staged his death, but what he did to his daughter. I knew of course of many of the things he had done to his older son, but that he would repeat the same thing to another child, and a girl no less I wouldn't have believed. My heart flies out to this lovely child. I'm probably going to look after her for a few days until she can settle in at Hogwarts, because together with Lily and James I have the time to do it. She's really a cute child and I bet that in a few years Denny will look like her twin brother with that spell used on both of them. I'd like to find out just how much alike siblings like these are. Might do a little research…

**Sunday, 4.4.1999 / Remus**

After a night of sleeping over yesterday's shock Sirius and I are a bit more relaxed. He wakes me up and we enjoy our daily dose of our children's babbling. And that reminds us that all of a sudden we have a third child. Who's a bit older but needs a lot of tutoring in just about any subject. Sirius talks about that first:

"We'll hire a teacher for her, Remus. She needs to be taught in so many things and even though we will have less lessons soon we won't have enough time for that. I'll gladly pay a private teacher. I'll ask Madam Reeves, she's the current headmistress at Hogsmeade Primary, to give me a few pointers. Then we'll see that we have her busy until she comes to Hogwarts."

"Yes, I think that will have to be. She's certainly not a dumb kid, Sirius. And she has two years of time, with a teacher at her sole disposal I'm sure she'll be up to speed and ready to start Hogwarts."

"I think so, too. Let's get up and start showing her what living and having fun means."

Sirius grins. It's still quite early, but as the twins are awake already we have to get up anyway. We find our twins happily babbling and entertaining themselves. Denny beams at me when I go in and calls for me.

"Baba! Baba!"

So good to hear this. I love you, my son!

"Good morning, my sweet one! Want to get up and go to breakfast? That's the good boy! Come!"

Once Denny and Seraina are up and dressed I go up to Adara's room and knock on the door.

"Adara?" I ask softly.

She opens the door, already dressed in the clothes Ginny has prepared for her. Ginny's given her a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a Weasley jumper, to which all she has added a pair of winter shoes.

"Good morning, Adara. You're already dressed? You could have come down and have some breakfast! You don't need to stay in your room, you know."

"Oh! I didn't know. Good morning, Remus."

"Well, now you know for sure. We'll certainly send you off to bed in the evenings, but otherwise you can move inside of the house as you please. The good side is that we get to eat breakfast together now! Hungry?"

"Yes, I am."

"That's very good. You'll love Dobby's breakfasts. Or Winky's for that matter. They are great cooks."

She follows me down the stairs to the kitchen, where Dobby is at work and then out to the living room.

"You'll get used to this place pretty soon, I think. Here, that's your place at the table now."

We enjoy our breakfast, together with James, Lily and their little ones. Sirius and I have a bit of a hassle to feed the twins. Giving them bottles was definitely easier! Now we have to start teaching them table manners and eating with a spoon and a fork. Sirius and I cut the scrambled eggs and the bacon into tiny bits so they can pick it up with the spoon or the fork, which they try, but they still have a bit of a problem and scourging charms are required to resolve the mess in the end. Adara grins when she sees them.

"They have fun and look funny, don't they?" Sirius remarks.

"They are messy."

"Yes, I suppose they are. But they have to learn and that's not easy."

While we're still eating, Hermione comes from the kitchen. She's got her nose deep inside of a book, but looks up and wishes us all a good morning. Lily starts making a list of everything she will have to buy for Adara. I see that it gets very long. Lizzie looks at Adara with huge eyes. She asks her a few questions, which Adara can't answer and so she tries to hide behind Sirius. We have to coax her out again and explain to her that Lizzie can't understand that she doesn't know these things.

We take Addie out and get her used to people around her by visiting the zoo. There is a street musician playing the guitar and singing. We listen for a while and then I feel Addie's hand in mine.

"Remus, is that something only the Muggles do? I never heard something like this…"

"Actually there are lots of wizards who like music, too, we also have a wireless, just like the Muggles. But this here is certainly a Muggle. These are probably all Muggles here."

"Oh. Father said they are bad and must be eliminated… he wanted only pure-blooded wizards and witches to live."

"Let's just say that this is a somewhat twisted view and it would become very lonely on this planet. The world consists of mainly Muggles and a handful of wizards. We would have a very hard time to rot out all those Muggles, don't you think?"

"Yes, I believe that."

"Besides it's cruel. No one has the right to take the life of anyone. No one is better than someone else and certainly not because of his blood, or the colour of his skin or the amount of money he possesses. We should all let others live like we want to live. There is a multitude of creatures for a reason, Addie, we're not entitled to say that one kind has the right to exist and another kind has not," Sirius explains.

"So Father was wrong?"

"Yes, Addie, Father was wrong – very wrong. One day you'll understand that what he did to you was a crime. You have every right to be very angry at him. Even now that he's in Azkaban," Sirius says.

"He did nothing to me, Sirius, he only punished me when I was not good," Addie states.

"Didn't you ever ask to go out of the house?" Sirius asks.

"Yes, but he said I was to stay inside, because outside were the Muggles and they should not see me, I'm too pure."

Everyone who's around us rolls eyes simultaneously.

"See? He kept you in a prison. Isn't it much nicer out here? To walk freely as you like and to feel the sun on your skin? He denied you the contact with other people. We all need other people, Addie, human beings are born to be with other human beings. We can't be happy if we don't have others to be with."

"Oh."

"You'll soon know what I mean, even if you don't understand yet. You'll learn a lot of things in the next few weeks and months, because you have been missing out on so many things. You've never actually missed those things, because you've never seen, heard or felt them. But just like the music, there's a lot more to discover."

Once we're back on the Sunnegg Addie looks already a lot happier. She has definitely loved to see the animals! We explain to her that we have to leave for Hogwarts and that she'll stay here for a few days:

"We have to find out what to do at Hogwarts to give you your own room, probably we'll get the neighbouring flat next to ours and make a connection, then you could have a nice room there, too."

"Hogwarts? I thought you have to be eleven to go to Hogwarts?" Addie asks.

"That's right, but you'll still be there, sweetheart, because Remus and I are working there. We're both teachers, you know."

"Oh."

It's time for dinner and the others turn up from all sorts of sides. We have started the custom of serving a little aperitif before the meal, so we're all a bit early. It's half past five. Addie receives a glass of Coke, something she's certainly never tasted before and gets a taste of some Muggle aperitif snacks. We just watch that she doesn't eat too much of those. She's still wearing the pair of jeans and the shocking pink t-shirt, which Ginny has made for her and which suits her raven hair and her ice blue eyes perfectly. Sirius looks at her with affection and I swear he's already thinking of her as his daughter.

"One could think, Addie was your daughter, not your sister, Siri," Ginny teases him.

I laugh out loud.

"Ginny, great minds think alike, I've just decided to keep this observation to myself."

Sirius isn't fazed one bit. Addie looks a bit confused from us to him and back, but he just smiles and says:

"Well, I'm old enough to be her father twice over! I was almost thirty when she was born!"

"He's got a point there…" James says.

"Whichever, I'll act as her guardian, thus I might as well be her father! Thinking of our parents I'd have to say she's got bad blood, but then, so have I and look how I turned out! We'll be great, the two of us, won't we, Addie?"

Everyone laughs, so she tries it a bit, too, but I think she'll take quite a while to really be comfortable with all of us. It's hard to leave her at the Sunnegg, but Sirius and I have to return. We show her the Commumirror and promise to call her every evening.

**Sirius**

Once we're back at Hogwarts with the twins Remus takes the children and Winky to the flat and I look for Albus. I find him in the teachers' lounge where he talks with Filius and Minerva.

"Ah, hello Sirius! Did you have a pleasant week-end?" he asks politely.

"Hello everyone! Well, I wouldn't calling going back to no 12, Grimmauld Place pleasant… and indeed we got there and were shocked to the bones."

"No! What ever happened then? Come on, take a seat and do tell, Sirius. Can I tempt you with a shot of Scotch?" Minerva asks, obviously very curious.

I grin and nod. She hands me a glass with a good shot and I sit down with them.

"So what shocking story do you have to tell, Sirius?" Filius asks mildly, but equally curious.

I tell them what we found two days ago. They stare at me with open mouths and wide eyes and are hardly able to believe me. Minerva finally gets up and leaves the room, returning only a few minutes later with the huge Book of Names floating behind her. She puts it down on the nearest larger table and taps it with her wand:

"Adara Bellatrix Black," she says.

The pages in the middle of the book start to rustle and turn and after a while they split and Minerva looks down, finally beckoning me over and pointing with a finger.

"There she is…"

"Good. You can't even imagine how I felt when I saw her. She looks exactly like me! But father has confirmed that they used the spells like we used on Seraina and Denny and that this is traditionally done in the immediate Black family to keep the family likeness… I didn't know that or we probably wouldn't have used them ourselves, even though they're not dark spells."

"I'd say that's rather shocking," Filius brings forth. He really looks amazed.

"I've heard a number of stories about your father, Sirius, I even taught him right when I started here at Hogwarts and I wasn't impressed by his exploits, but I wouldn't have believed anything of your story if there wasn't the proof in the Book of Names!" he admits.

"Well, I probably wouldn't have believed it either. Now we'll have to make space for the little one…"

"You'd have to put the twins into one room together again, but you could also have the neighbouring flat, Sirius. We can have the house-elves renovate it in the next week and take down the wall around the fireplaces. They've been down before… the place needs a thorough cleaning, then the walls can come down," Minerva offers.

"That is most generous of you, Minerva, I gladly accept. We do want to make her feel at home! She needs people around her whom she can learn to trust unconditionally and for that she really needs a safe and stable private area."

"I agree with you, Sirius. Please get the house-elves in motion from on tomorrow morning, Minerva and thank you," Albus butts in.

Minerva has the house-elves under her as part of her job as deputy headmistress. She calls one of them and orders him to take a few of his colleagues and prepare the flat.

"It's the flat next to the one of Professors Black and Lupin, Stumpy, please take as many of your friends with you as you need to have it all done and neat by the end of the week at the latest," she instructs the little fellow.

"I is doing that, Mistress, I is needing three other house-elves to finish by Friday."

"That is perfect. They are assigned only on this job for this week then. Thank you, Stumpy."

"Yes, thank you, Stumpy. If you have any questions you can always come and ask either Professor Lupin or myself," I thank him.

"All house-elves will always serve Masters Black and Lupin! They is being old friends of the house-elves and they is never forgotten, sir!" Stumpy says.

I smile. He's still been a young house-elf when we were at school, but of course we were always amazed by the kindness of the elves here at Hogwarts. I'm sure this will go smooth and fast. Then I turn to Minerva, who stands there with a frown and a rather strict look on her face and explain:

"That's what you reap when you know how to complement the little fellows for their wonderful cooking and caring during your school time. You never know when it pays off to be friendly, Minerva! We only showed up in the kitchens and they piled the best food up on the tables in several levels! They love it when you love their food!"

She just shakes her head, sighs and then laughs.

"I just hope that your kids will be such a horror as you Marauders were! Then it will be my turn to laugh, Sirius. You do know you four were the bane of my existence then? And I had only just started to teach…"

As a belated sign of compassion I pat her on the shoulder.


	11. A Funeral and a Birthday

**Chapter 11 – A ****Funeral and a Birthday**

**Monday, 5.4.1999 / Hermione**

Lily and Addie come in when I'm already back home. They both look extremely exhausted from their shopping trip, which seems to have taken them all day. Lily smiles and tells me:

"Hey, Hermione! We're both entirely dead! But I think we've had a great time, didn't we, Addie?"

"I've never seen so many things in one place! It all scared me a bit."

"Yes, poor dear, I can understand that very well, I'd be frightened out of my mind from seeing all these unknown things, but you have been a wonderful companion all day! You hid it well and maybe you've already mastered it a bit?"

"I think so," Addie admits carefully.

"So you've shopped till you dropped or what?" I ask.

"I've had an indecent amount of fun spending lots of Sirius' money on this little one. We've been through every children's boutique we could find and through the department stores. We've spent money in bookshops and toyshops and in some other shops as well. You don't know how glad I am to have this ever-increasing bag with me. It's charmed bottomless and featherweight! And I think we actually might have managed to fill it. Would you take Addie up and help her put everything in her room?"

"But of course! Do you want me to help you with all this, Addie?"

"Please?"

"Of course I help you. So we can give Lily time to go and look after Lizzie and Andy."

I take Addie up to her room to get all of her new things ready for use. Together we remove all the price tags and unpack wrapped things. There is quite a bit of material to vanish in the end. But now her room looks like a girl's room should look. And she looks quite content.

That poor girl has been through hell and back and doesn't even really know it. I wonder what happens when she finally understands what has been done to her.

It's fun to help her to cut all the price tags off her new clothes and clear up the packages and put everything in the cupboard that has been cleared by Ginny. The weather is beautiful and all of a sudden Addie is very quiet. When I turn back from her dresser I can see her looking out of the window with her mouth slightly open. I position myself behind her and point out to the mountains.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" I ask softly.

She nods.

"They all have names. People have been around here for a long time and they looked at the mountains and gave them names. Some are a bit funny, others you wonder why they are called that way, then they were named again and again in the course of the centuries, but one thing remains the same always: these mountains will be there long after we are gone. When I look out there I'm always very much at peace."

"What's at peace?"

Now there's an immense question. I sit down on the bed and look at her. She continues:

"Is that hard to answer?"

"Yes, but only because it's so hard to describe. You may know within you how it feels, but everyone feels it differently. Peace is first of all the opposite of war. Do you know what a war is?"

"Fighting?"

"Yes. Basically two peoples fighting against each other. Or two groups of people or simply two persons. Peace is the opposite of that. Peace is mainly when human beings are happy with each other and themselves. When we walk out there and the only thing we hear is the singing of the birds and the insects around us humming and the sun shining we feel happy. That's a form of peace. So when you're really feeling good you're at peace. With yourself, with the others around you, with the world, with life, happy to read a good book, happy about a test with good marks, happy, because you're loved by the special someone and by those around you. Do you understand that?"

"Now I think I do. May I ask you another question, Hermione?"

"Any question, Addie. You don't need to ask if you may, just ask, anytime. Okay?"

Now she even smiles. It's that beautiful smile Sirius has and Denny is about to develop!

"Okay. I've noticed yesterday and today that you all sometimes look at me with a frown when I ask things. Why is that?"

"I think it is because you ask things we think you should already know. And then we have to remind ourselves that you haven't grown up like every child should grow up and we try to think about how to answer your questions. Because the questions you put often ask from us to explain things that are not visible. Like just now. Peace is not a word that describes something you can look at or pick up with your hands. We call that an abstract word. It seems that you have a total lack of knowledge about abstract things. So keep asking, we keep trying to reply. And don't worry about those looks. We're all sympathetic and know that you've been kept away from everything. You will learn all of that."

"So you think I know only about things that can be touched, that are real?"

"Not only, but primarily. We don't know what your father and Kreacher have taught you, you see. To be able to live in this world today you have to know other things than those you might have been taught. Yes, the 'real' things of course are as right in that world you've grown up as they are in ours. A bed is a bed, a book is a book and a spoon is a spoon, but the view at the abstract things is very different. What we can guess for example is that your father has certainly taught you that wizards and witches have to be of pure blood to be real wizards and witches."

"Yes, he said that every time I saw him. But Sirius says it's wrong."

"Well, let's put it this way. You've seen me doing magic this afternoon. Do you think it's in any way different from the magic Sirius does?"

"No."

"And yet my parents are Muggles. No one in my family is magical at all, but I am. If people like your father are right then I don't have a right to live, because I don't belong into the world of the wizards, but I also don't belong into the world of the Muggles anymore because I have magic. My magic is there and it's strong, so I could live in neither world. Do you think your father would have the right to just simply kill me because he doesn't like that my parents are Muggles and that I have the gift of magic?"

She smiles now and shakes her head.

"Well, there you are, Sirius is right and your father was wrong. And you are right as well."

"Thank you, now I think I understand it."

"That would be great. Do you know that Sirius already loves you very much? As do we?"

"That's if you like something very much, isn't it?" she whispers.

"Yes, Addie, that's precisely that. Did you ever have anything you liked very much?"

She shakes her head. Then she looks at me and says:

"Just the way I could cuddle in my comforter in my bed."

How sad!

"You should have a pet…" I suggest.

"What is a pet?."

"A pet is an animal that you keep, Addie, which can be your friend and familiar. I'll take you for a walk to farmer Gruber, our neighbour, they always have kittens around and you could play with them. I can turn myself into a wolf, that's like a big dog. Do you want to see that?"

"You can turn yourself into a wolf? I've seen pictures of wolves, but Father said they were killing people. Though after all I've heard from you all now I wouldn't be surprised if he was wrong again…"

"Well, I certainly don't kill anyone and we've already established that your father was wrong, haven't we? You don't need to be afraid, you can touch my fur. Look, here, don't be afraid!"

I change and sit in front of her, looking at her. She's of course a bit afraid, but when I gently nudge her with my muzzle, she starts to giggle. I butt her hand, still very gently, and she gets the idea. She starts to pet my head and my back and I lay my snout on her lap.

"Are all wolves like you?" she asks.

I make a vague gesture which makes her laugh.

"Not all of them, eh? But some?"

I nod. Then I turn back and answer a bit more completely:

"Of course the very few natural wolves that we still have here are very shy and withdrawn."

"I see. But I think that what my father talked about were werewolves anyway."

"Now that's something else entirely. Yes, werewolves **can** be killers. Ruthless killers even, but when they are people they are just as fine or not fine as anyone else. I mean they can be arrogant idiots or they can be fun loving, happy and nice people. Like Remus."

I throw a sideways glance at Addie to see her reaction about it. I know she has to be told and I think, I might as well do it now when she asks about them.

"Remus? Why do you mention Remus?"

She doesn't get the hint. So I'll have to be more blunt.

"Because he is a werewolf, Addie. But you have learned to know him since yesterday and I'm sure you will agree that he's a very nice person indeed, isn't he?"

"Yes, he's made me laugh, but what happens when he's a wolf?"

"Ah, then he's just as nice. You see, there is a potion that werewolves can take and it helps them to keep their own mind and thoughts and feelings, so they do change into the wolf, but they are themselves inside. So they do not attack. Other than his transformation Remus remains Remus."

"Oh. So he really is a werewolf?"

"Yes, he really is. And he has suffered from being one for most of his life. A while ago he learned to change into the wolf whenever he wants to, just like me. That's called an Animagus. Sirius is an Animagus, too, but his form is a huge black dog. Ask him to show it to you once. Anyway, Remus transforms before the full moon rises and then he's quite a happy camper, because he doesn't feel all the pain from the shape shifting."

* * *

**Tuesday, 6.4.1999 / Quintus**

I look after Addie during the day. She has grown on me within only a few days and like Sirius she's very warm hearted, I can hardly believe how nice she is after all that brainwashing from her father. She gets used to the people here in the house very quickly and we do some studying together. This girl is very gifted. I think she's like her big brother in that regard, she's sucking up knowledge easily. At the end of the week I'll take her to Hogwarts. Sirius and Remus are busy integrating the neighbouring apartment, so they will have enough space for all three children and I won't have to sleep on the couch when I visit them.

* * *

**Wednesday, 7.4.1999 / Sirius**

The morning mail brings an owl from Mrs Wood with Adara's new papers. Remus and I show them to her on the Commumirror after breakfast and tell her that she'll be getting a regular Muggle passport based on them as well. For the Swiss part we'll properly report her to the local authorities as a resident of the Sunnegg and she will get her papers from the police office for alien citizens as well after that.

Now we can start watching her learning what 'fun' means. She rarely laughs, but I can see that the amount of her smiles increases from day to day. My little sister is such a cute thing I would never guess she's the daughter of my own parents if not for her striking similarity to myself. I pull out some children's photos of mine to show them to her when she gets here on Friday. There were few enough that I had taken with me when I left my familial home, but about a dozen or so are still there. We practically look the same! Now that I know that Father has used the same spell on the three of us as we did on the twins I'm not so astonished anymore. Maybe Father was a bit insane but still better than Mother, who the heck knows? Or he was sane enough to recognise that Mother's looks weren't exactly what you'd want to pass down to a child. The frightening bit was that she looked so ugly, that she was completely crazy, but she had the sharpest intellect you could imagine!

Another part of the letter contains information about the corpse of my mother. According to the crystal identification device she died on the 10th January 1990. This corresponds with the time frame Addie has given us. The official death date of my mother has been adjusted at the Ministry. I'm free to have the body exhumed and buried properly in the family burial vault. I disliked my mother, but I certainly will not lower myself on her level and take my grudge as far as letting her rot in her own backyard. I intend to return this old Georgian house to what it probably was when it was built. And that means cleaning it from everything that was the last few generations of the Blacks. Should be hard and there's a lot of Dark Magic to be detected, and unfortunately I've forgotten to ask my father about the blood spells used everywhere in the house. If necessary I'll have some Veritaserum forced down his or Narcissa's throat to find out about the spells used – I'm pretty sure she knows about all of that. She was the only one remaining free after Bellatrix and I had been put to Azkaban, and my parents certainly trusted her.

I apparate to Diagon Alley and check out the family burial vault. It contains coffins of almost everyone in the immediate family back at least three or four hundred years. I even find Uncle Alphard here, because they might have disliked him and all but it didn't do to put him anywhere else. There is a space free for my mother. Somehow it stares at me with evil eyes, because its supposed to be occupant isn't there. I'll have it in my will that I will **not** want to be buried here! Or better still, start a completely new Black family vault at the Hogsmeade cemetery.

Then I remember that we'll have to make some adjustments to my will. I'll do that once all the Gringotts chaos is cleaned up and I'll have a part of it set aside in a vault for Addie. She'll be on allowance, I'll not hold her on too short a leash, but I want her to learn to spend money with reason, even if we're still showering her with lots of things right now. But at the moment it's still necessities.

I go and find the wizard in charge for the cemetery. It's an old coot of a man, rather mad I think, but he seems to be mostly okay.

"Good day, Mr. Wilson, I'm Sirius Black and I've just been to have a look at my family's burial vault…"

"Sirius Black?" he croaks, "Ah, you're one of **the** Blacks then, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. Have you been inside that vault in the past years?"

"No, I haven't. Not for at least twenty years. I can remember the last funeral though, must have been your younger brother, wasn't it? Are your parents still well?"

"My father is in Azkaban. And you should have seen one more funeral since then, my mother has passed, but not when the Ministry thought she did. She was just dug in the backyard of her house. I knew nothing about that until a few days ago. Now I want to have her buried properly in the family vault, which has her free space, including the name plaque, but her coffin isn't there of course."

"Now that sounds like a crazy story. We should have that organised within three days, sir, should we say you can have someone exhuming her next Monday and the burial will take place immediately? Do you want to have this publicised so any remaining friends and family can gather?"

"Next Monday should be perfect, but no, don't make this public. Who knows what kind of dirt this will blow up! Just a quiet burial. I'll inform the people who might be interested. They're not many, believe me."

In fact, they're only myself and my lover, Addie, Andromeda and Ted, and maybe Draco and Tonks. Apart from Draco these are all the 'outcasts' of the family and Draco would certainly be regarded as one, too, by now.

Everyone at our house already knows about it. But when I return from the Diagon Alley, I have to write a few letters. I start off with Andromeda and Tonks. I tell them all that's happened and copy that part of the letter to the next. Then I add a few personal lines and tell them about the funeral next Monday.

In the evening I get a Commumirror call from Andromeda.

"Sirius! Is that really true or is that one of your ghastly jokes?"

"Hi Andy. I wish it was a joke, believe me! Apart from the fact that Adara is a really wonderful little lady, it's more like a nightmare. She's already a lot more easygoing and happier. When we found her she was totally stunned of course and naturally held back with everything. She's opening up now and she seems to be a lot like me!"

"Oh my god! This is just simply awful. As much as I detested your mother, I wouldn't have wished anything like that on her."

"And that reminds me of my question to you, Andy. Do you know of any other relatives we would have to inform about this?" I ask her.

"Well, my mother. She's in the Janus Thickey ward at St. Mungo's though. Got a cell more like. She's pretty insane by now. You might know that dad was killed back before Voldemort was gone for the first time. There are some great-aunts and uncles, but I'd not even tell them or they actually do turn up and sneer."

"Sorry to hear that about your mother, Andy… I know the guy who killed your dad. Had to kill him that is, Frank Longbottom. Your darling sister Bellatrix got him back though. He and his wife Alice are probably just two or three doors down from your mother…"

"Well, I didn't exactly cry when dad died. Not much anyway. And even less when Bella was killed. If anyone deserved it, then it was her. I'm still shaking with anger about what that woman allowed herself to do and find it 'fun'!"

"We're rid of the lot of them. But I thought I can't let my old mother rot in her proper backyard."

"No, you can't and it's wonderful of you to think so. Proves you're a lot better than her. I'll be there Monday afternoon and I'll tell Ted and Nymphadora."

"Thanks, Andy! I've also written to Dora. Oh, and something more: you wouldn't know about the spell they used on a whole array of things at Grimmauld Place? You know, the one on the door for example, which makes sure that only a Black by blood can open the door with his wand? Unfortunately I forgot to ask father when he had the Veritaserum inside."

"That one I know. But as far as I remember it's not the only one used in there. Look up blood magic. Remus should probably know quite a lot about that stuff…"

"Okay, I'd be glad if you could show it to me one of these days so we can start to undo all of that rubbish. If we can't do that we'd be left with a house that can't be used nor taken down and rebuilt…"

"Narcissa might know more about it, Sirius, she was much closer to them than I ever was… or you might try to get it out of your father."

"She's the last resort though. Besides she's probably completely useless now. She's been at Azkaban for two years already, so she's probably not in a state to give coherent replies."

"True."

"And I hear that father is already quite near his death. He was already very ill when we found him. But if need be we'll have her transferred to the Ministry for interrogation. A couple of days out of the Dementors' watch should do the trick. Bella was 'quite' coherent, though not any less mad after she was out of there. Anyway, I'll see you on Monday then."

* * *

**Friday, 9.4.1999 / Sirius**

Papa brings Addie home. We've finished the work on the flat and have now a huge amount of space with three more rooms and another bathroom, as well as the living room space of the second flat. Only the fireplace in the middle remains of the separating wall. We've left two columns beside the fireplace that leave lovely arches. The fireplaces both have to be secured, but the one on our side already was, so that the little ones can't crawl any closer than a metre to the fire.

Before dinner we get the visit from our esteemed headmaster.

"Hello Albus. It's nice to see you. Can I offer you an aperitif?" Remus asks.

"Just a gillywater if you have, thank you very much. I was curious to meet Sirius' little sister…"

"Here she is! May I introduce you to my little sister Adara? Adara, this is Professor Albus Dumbledore, until the end of this term he is the Headmaster of Hogwarts," I say, while Remus pours the drink and hands it to Albus.

"Oh, so he's the man Father hated so much!" Addie states bluntly.

"Did he now? I never thought he'd be capable of really hating. I'm very pleased to meet you, Miss Black. You remind me of your oldest brother quite a lot. In fact, he looked just a little taller than you do now when he started at Hogwarts."

He shakes Addie's hand and she looks up to him, to find out if he's angry at her slip-up. But the familiar twinkle is there behind his glasses and she looks relieved. I have yet to meet a small child who would not trust Albus Dumbledore. Addie is no exception. She smiles shyly and says:

"I'm sorry, sir, I know Father isn't a very good person."

"I hear he is almost dead now, child, so let him rest. Do you feel well?"

"Oh yes, they're all so kind to me. Kreacher was never kind and my father wasn't either. Sirius has given me all these new things to wear and to play with. I've never played before."

"That's very nice of him, do you not think?" Dumbledore asks.

"It is. He is…"

"I should think that's what you deserve, Addie. After all you've inherited a part of that family fortune."

Addie walks off and rejoins Quintus who starts to read a book with her.

"I have no idea how it happened, Albus, but she's a good kid. She remained to be a good kid even with all the brainwashing my father seems to have tried on her. You have no idea what I felt when I noticed he hadn't died. And when he told us about Addie! I wanted to kill him! And I'll have Kreacher's blood for all of that."

"While I can understand your feelings, would you really have a house-elf killed for following orders?"

"He'll not change and I can't send him away. I want to clean that house if I can, Albus and there's really no space for him there anymore. I can't have him interfere with everything anymore. That leaves only handing him over to Diggory's department."

"Amos will ask for a very good reason before he'll have him executed, Sirius."

"Three or four of Kreacher's standard lines will do it, Albus, believe me! Only the fact that Kreacher is a house-elf and bound to the house and the family prevented that he killed for Voldemort. Azkaban won't do it either, because Dementors don't affect house-elves much at all."

"Yes, sadly that's true. It's still sad."

"I know. I don't like to do it, but it will have to be. Do you know that his innermost wish is to be beheaded and hung up on the wall of the staircase at Grimmauld Place with all the heads of other house-elves who were treated that way? Well, he'll get his wish to be beheaded, but I won't tell him he'll get nowhere near that wall! And then no new house-elves will go into that house before the walls aren't cleansed from that awful stuff. I'll not force that dreadful place on anyone, let alone a house-elf who has to stay there for most of the time."

"I'm quite amazed that you can see past things and give your mother a proper funeral, Sirius. Amazed and impressed. – Are you still working on your autobiography?"

"Yes, though it's been going slow so far and with all that's happened now it will go even slower for a while. We have a ton of notes already, but nothing really written down yet. Still going through our Hogwarts memories, too. We'll have a lot to do to write this all down and maybe even more to sort out what really goes in the book in the end. My years at Azkaban will be done fairly quickly after all that went on before and after. Twelve years lived in hell handled in one short, but most probably terrible chapter."

"I can imagine that it can't have offered much change."

"No, it didn't. Which is why I'll go through it with only some small bits. But revisiting some of those memories will still be important. For my own healing."

"You seem to be well on the way, Sirius. You have handled this shock very well, I'd say."

"Seeing as I gained a cute little sister who's probably more like an adopted daughter now… yes, I have."

* * *

**Remus**

We have no time to really work out the whole room for Addie, so she's placed in a bed for the night and promised the rearranging of her room for the next day. We watch as she goes to sleep with no further remark than a good night. Sirius looks at her sleeping form and smiles. I love him when he looks at a child like that. What a difference to his parents! I fall in love with him all over!

* * *

**Saturday 10.04.1999 / Remus**

A good night was had by all! Falling in love with my lover all over meant spending a good hour or so with some very intensive love making and left me all sated and smiling – probably right into my sleep!

At breakfast we explain the rules for Addie, which she'll have to follow here at Hogwarts:

"Unfortunately there are some rules you'll have to follow here, Addie. We don't want you to see the whole of Hogwarts before you actually come to school, it would spoil all the surprises for you, believe me! That's why you are only allowed in the teachers' quarters, nowhere else. There's loads of space here and in the large rooms for the teachers. And there's a large garden that's reserved for the teachers, where you may be as well. Inside of these areas you can move freely, just respect the other teachers' privacy. If you need anything you can call Winky. You'll not be all by yourself anyway, papa comes every day to teach you and in June Lily takes over from him until the end of the school year. If you feel ready you can go to school after the summer vacation. Hogsmeade Primary at Hogsmeade. We'll try to find some children of your age for you to meet and play so you'll not be exposed at once to a huge mass of other children you don't know and who'll wonder what sort of alien you could be."

"Do I have to go away from here for school?"

"Yes, but not far. Hogsmeade village is just ten minutes to walk outside of the Hogwarts gates. You can also go by Floo and return the same way. Do you think you'll be able to do that?"

"Maybe. Won't I be loads behind the others?"

"We'll see. You're learning without difficulty, Addie. Papa is all tickled and loves to teach you! If you continue like you do now you won't have any reason to fear the others. You don't have to decide right now anyway, it will still be early enough in a couple of months to inscribe you at the school."

"Okay!"

Before we have time to discuss more, there's a knock on the door. Minerva finds time to join us to meet Adara, too. I introduce the child:

"Hello, Minerva! This is Adara Black. She's turning eleven in December. Addie, this is Professor McGonagall, she's the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts and the head of Gryffindor House. From on the next school year she will be the headmistress."

"Hello, Adara, I'm pleased to meet you! So you're going to stay with Sirius and Remus here?"

"Yes, ma'am. May I?"

Minerva smiles and strokes Addie over the head.

"Of course, Adara. As you have already been able to see we have enlarged this flat considerably, so that you will have lots of space."

"Why don't we sit down for a cup of tea?" I offer.

While we sit down for the tea Sirius takes Addie to the new part of our flat and asks her, which room she'd like. The three bedrooms all go out to the courtyard.

"Take the big one, Addie!" Sirius suggests.

I summon one of the house-elves and ask her to bring some tea for us. The twins happily crawl through the now so much bigger area and looking after them, Minerva asks:

"I hear, you are going to tutor Adara, Mr. Lupin?"

"Yes. It's clear Remus and Sirius can't do it themselves, and they also need someone to look after her when they're in class. I'll also have an eye on the twins."

"That's good! If Adara turns out anything like Sirius, I expect she'll be a handful!"

We all laugh. Yes, I expect once she's comfortable with other children she might become a handful. She should be accepted well, too.

"I think, she will, and to be honest – I hope she will. She's got to have some fun after those ten years she's been locked up. She's a very bright child, Minerva, she's a whole lot like Sirius even. James said she's like Sirius was when they went to Hogsmeade Primary," I remark.

"Good. Studying alone with your father she should get to the level of the Hogsmeade Primary students well enough."

"We think so. She should be ready by the time she's coming to Hogwarts. With the birthday in December she'll only start in September next year."

Addie comes running back to us just as the house-elf returns with the tea.

"Remus! Grand-Papa! Come and look what Siri has done to my room!"

We get up and she's pulling me by the hand all the way back to her new room, where Sirius has been busy making her the furniture she wants and needs. The room is the same size as ours, so there's enough space for a huge four poster and a nice big wardrobe, a few bookcases and a large desk. He's filled her bay window with a nicely upholstered window seat and a tiny round table.

"Now you can do it like Remus, once you have some photos you can place them on the mantel of your own fireplace, Addie!" Sirius says and grins.

The bed is already made with the sheets, pillows and duvet we've brought from Switzerland. There are lovely light green and gold curtains on the bed. They're of course pulled back and Addie has already started to pile her stuffed animals on the bed. Her two trunks are both open and she starts to spread her belongings into the wardrobe and on the desk, on the sideboard and in the bookcases. Her desk is in front of the window next to the bay window, so she'll get a maximum of light to study.

"This looks very nice already, Addie! It will be really yours in no time."

"I need to have lived in it for a while, don't I?"

"That's what gives a room personality, Addie, you're perfectly right," Siri confirms and adds: "You've also got your own bathroom here, look!"

Sirius shows Addie the bathroom. She beams. It's quite a big bathroom, too with a large tub, a shower, a big sink and a toilet. There's a couple of cupboards, too and when Addie opens them, they're already fitted with a lot of fluffy white towels. She turns to Sirius:

"Do they have to be white, Sirius?"

He grins and shows her his wand.

"I don't think so, darling, what do you want them to be?"

"Blue. And purple and pink. And green…"

Sirius points his wand and a moment later her towels have rainbow colours. Addie beams and thanks him with a hug, which Sirius returns immediately. It's amazing how she's taken to him. One could think them to be father and daughter, they're so alike. Addie lets go and holds his hand, then she turns to me:

"Did he do a good job, Remus?"

"He certainly did, Addie. But what about the bath? Do you want it all white as it is right now?"

"Can I have it coloured, too?"

"Of course. How about…"

I think for a moment and then tap a bunch of random tiles to put some animals on them and soon her bath is full of little frolicking animals on her tiles. There are stags, rabbits, foxes, dogs, eagles, owls and squirrels. She looks at them and says:

"I love them, Remus, but now put a wolf there, too, please!"

I add a wolf. Sirius comes forth again and adds a forest, then the ground and the sky on the upper third of the walls. And finally he enchants the ceiling the same way the Great Hall is enchanted, so it shows the sky outside. Addie is floored and asks:

"Do you think I can see my star?"

"I don't think so, Addie, it's best seen in February, but you might not be able to see it without a telescope. Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, it's in the constellation Canis Majoris, just like your star, Sirius, and it's the 19th brightest star in the sky after the sun. Yours is the brightest!"

"Bravo, Addie, that would be a near perfect answer. I'm sure Professor Sinistra would be quite impressed," I commend her.

We return to the living room and on the way Sirius seals the fireplace in the new living room off, so the twins won't stumble in there by accident when we can't see them from the other side. Then we join Minerva and the children again. Lily and James have turned up in the meantime and chat with Minerva while Lizzie and Andy already play with the twins.

"Hey! Looks like your flat has somehow grown a few extra rooms!" Lily says with a grin.

"Yeah, it's huge now, isn't it? Go and see Addie's room and then her bath. Her bath mainly, it's a little piece of art!" Sirius replies.

"Will you show me, Addie?" Lily asks.

Of course, Addie pulls her over to her new room and bath immediately. Minerva looks at us:

"What have you done with it?"

"Let's just say that if she's taking a bath she'll think she's on a lovely clearing in a huge forest…" I say.

"Oh, that sounds really special!"

"It's turned out quite nice, and I think we can be quite proud of it. All started when Remus put a few animated animals on the tiles…" Sirius explains and laughs.

"Why that does sound quite interesting. Would there be a wolf and a dog among them?" she teases.

"I did put a dog or two there, but Addie asked for a wolf, too, so yes, there's a pack of them running around," I admit.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Uncle Alphard coming back to his portrait. He greets us cheerfully, as he usually does:

"It's nice to see you back again! I look forward to watch your delightful children playing around here again!"

"Hi, Uncle Alphard! There's one more now as you know," Sirius reminds him.

"Oh, is she finally here? When can I meet her?"

"In a moment. You've just missed her leaving the room. She'll be back in a bit."

"Very nice."

I see Addie coming back over.

"Addie, come over here, we'd like you to meet someone," I call her.

She comes over, curious, and we show her the portrait.

"Addie, this is our Uncle Alphard. He was our Father's next younger brother. – Uncle Alphard, this is Adara. It's just barely a week since we met her, but we all love her already. Father had her locked into a small flat at Grimmauld Place since she was born!"

"Hello, Adara, I'm most pleased to meet you! I'm sure Sirius and Remus will look well after you. They're two very fine lads!"

"Hello, Uncle Alphard. Father never mentioned you, only Uncle Rigel…"

"That would be Arcturus. We weren't on the best of terms, you know. They probably scorched me from the family tapestry…" Alphard remarks.

"…which I intend to remove from that wall altogether and if I have to scorch the whole thing!" Sirius says with a growl.

"Sounds like a jolly good idea… I think I'll have something to gossip to Phineas… wonder how he'll react!"

"Don't forget to tell us about it. I don't think he knows about it already, we didn't get to one of his portraits; and even though he usually hears the grass growing he didn't turn up in any other painting. He's terribly nosy," Siri says.

"Oh, I bet he won't believe me and then you'll have to put up with him coming here to see with his own eyes…"

"No problem, we can deal with him, I guess."

"Well, as entertaining as this all is, I'm afraid, I have a little something left to do. Thank you very much for the excellent tea, Remus," Albus says and gets up.

I accompany him to the door. I suspect that dear Albus doesn't want to miss out on the conversation between Uncle Alphard and Phineas Nigellus.

We spend the rest of the afternoon playing with the children, then Addie gets a first chance to use the bath. The twins get a bath, too, which they enjoy greatly. They're both quite 'waterproof' already and love to sit in the bath and play. Of course there's that little distraction called washing. They don't mind that so much, but we also have to wash their hair and that's a whole other thing! Both of them scream as if we were using Cruciatus on them. We aren't fazed by that screaming anymore, the whole procedure is so short that they can't be traumatised. To console them we let them splash around in the bath for a while after the washing is over. They're fun to watch. The tub is nice and big, but of course we don't put much water inside. I've read to my horror that only ten centimetres are enough to possibly allow a child to drown! They are sitting in the shallow water and play around with some soft plastic animals. There are some little tubs, too, but those are only interesting when one of us is in the bath with them and can help them to let water run from one tub to another. They haven't yet developped that fine motor skill. Both children still have their typical baby belly and sit in the water only with their amber necklaces, their legs spread out and their feet pushed together.

Ten minutes later I prepare the first towel. Siri holds it and I pick up Seraina. There's protest of course, but Siri wraps the towel around her and says:

"Sorry, my little Marauder, but now's the time to finish, so we can get you dressed in your pyjamas and eat dinner."

The next towel is ready on the thick bathroom carpet. I lift Denny out of the water and wrap him up.

"There's my little bundle! Let's get you dressed again, love!" I coo.

Denny giggles. He's quite ticklish and when we arrive in his room and I put him on the changing cushion he's laughing like mad, because of course I have to tickle his sides until he squeals and squirms in the towel. We both laugh and he cries:

"Papa, no mowe!"

"Alright, I stop now!"

To get his nappies on is taking me half a minute, then I pull an undershirt over his head, followed by a pair of socks and the pyjama overall and close the zipper on the front. Then I add a pair of baby sweatpants and a jumper.

"There you are. Leaves us with your slippers."

The flat here is warmed nicely by the fires burning in the fireplaces, but the floor is rather cold in spite of the thick wall to wall carpets and added rugs everywhere, so we insist that our children get used to wear warm socks and slippers throughout the year. While we have a couple of bay windows it's not the sunniest flat, we need a lot of extra light in here, because the sun doesn't reach the place for much of the day, even in summer.

I take Denny back to the living room. Sirius checks, that Addie is dressed again. She's allowed to wear her pyjamas and some sweatpants and a jumper over it, because it's cold enough in the castle. Sirius brushes her hair. Parvati has cut it to an even length and now it's a shiny mass of black tresses, very much like Sirius', only it's even softer.

* * *

**Monday, 12.4.1999 / Sirius**

Today is the day that we'll bury my mother. At breakfast we explain to Addie what's going to happen I the afternoon and ask her:

"Do you want to come with us or do you prefer to stay here, love?"

"Can I stay here, Sirius?"

"Of course you can. It's not going to be something nice, but I have to be there."

She stays back with Winky and the twins. Remus and I apparate to London in the afternoon and wait for the Ministry people to come and exhume the body. We're watching from rather far as the corpse is dug out. My mother is almost completely disintegrated already, but she's still put into a coffin. I'm very relieved once the coffin is closed and magicked away to the cemetery, where we meet up with Andy, Ted and Tonks.

"Hello Sirius!" Andy greets me.

We embrace and she says:

"Unpleasant business, eh?"

"You could say so. Watching the remains of my mother being dug out of our backyard wasn't a nice experience."

The coffin is carried to the family burial vault.

"Isn't it strange that all those years none of the family has ever been down here, Sirius? No one said anything, so I suppose no one has ever been here or they would have noticed the absence of that coffin! Two coffins, actually, because everyone thought that Uncle was dead, too. There's still some extended family left after all. And some of them are as stuck-up as these two were…" Andy muses.

"I've been wondering, too. But I've never heard anything."

Someone must have whispered something though, because three of those relatives turn up all of a sudden, looking very pissed. It's the ones that I would have at least expected to be looking after the place for a bit. I throw a last glance at the newly placed coffin and shove everyone out.

"At least you could have the decency not to make such a racket inside the vault!" I acidly remark to my great-aunt Shaula and her two sons Aldebaran and Deneb. "It's not my fault that my parents decided to hide from the world and stage their deaths. I couldn't leave mother 'buried' in her proper backyard now could I?"

"No, but you could have informed us at least!" Great-aunt Shaula hisses.

"Oh yes? What would you have gained? It's not like you noticed anything amiss. And you never cared what went on in that house as it seems! You know that you'll not inherit anything anyway. You can come and get the tapestry and the bloody portraits if you want, and I certainly won't mind to part with the bloody family silver, so go ahead and empty the house of that trash. The only two rooms I have sealed are the library and the study. All else is yours if you want it, because after all it's what you're interested in, not that coffin."

"How dare you? YOU left the family and gave up everything when you were just a brat!"

"I'm still the direct heir of my father, sorry, great-aunt, they could never disinherited me, they just loathed me. Thus I'm the head of the house of the Blacks. Had Regulus lived I would have expected to be officially disinherited, but then I learned that he couldn't do anything about it. Uncle Alphard has informed me about the rule to change parts of the statutes. You need all the siblings of the head of house to make such rules. One of them unfortunately was already dead. No changes possible. When I was locked up in Azkaban they started trying to make a new heir. I've found the product of their attempts. She's almost eleven years old now and has been locked into that house for all of her life! And you never even noticed anything of all of that! If I didn't inherit the family fortune, Adara would. As it is the two of us will share and after us it's my children and her possible future children. You won't even see one Knut. But the rest is for you all to take… I won't miss anything, believe me."

"You have to take regard of our rights!" Deneb cries.

"Oh, I have to? I'm afraid that our relation isn't close enough for that, Deneb. It's settled anyway, Father may still be alive, but he's officially been declared dead long enough for the inheritance to be settled. He left no will and hasn't written out any kind of legacy to anyone, so it goes to my sister and I and you know that this regulation is part of the family statutes. As I've said you're all welcome to clear the house of anything you want outside of the library and the study."

"I thought you were on Dumbledore's side? What do you want with the books there? It's all about subjects that you wouldn't touch," Aldebaran mocks.

"Which is why I won't let them out of the house unless it's to lock them up at the Ministry or destroy them. Don't even try to get in, the two rooms have been sealed off by Remus and not even Voldemort was able to take down **his** wards…" I spit.

"And something else, Aunt Shaula," I then remember, "You can take your puppet on the Wizengamot back, I'm going to claim my family seat. As I'm the heir your guy has no chance to stay on for the Blacks."

She snorts only, but she knows exactly that she doesn't have a chance. As soon as I claim my seat her man will have to go. That seems to be the end of the discussion, the three of them disapparate and I suppose they will try to get into Grimmauld Place, which leaves me cold, since Remus has already made sure to lock the study and the library. We haven't even started to look through all those things in there and I'll not have anyone out of that bunch pick up anything there.

When Remus and I arrive at Grimmauld Place a bit later we can hear great-aunt Shaula storming through the house and looking for valuables. Most of it we've already placed in the Gringotts vaults. If she finds further stuff she can have it. We've left all the stuff that was obviously charmed in some ways. Where we have been unable to take the charms or curses away we've left the things in their boxes and in the master bedroom. There's a lot of metallic stuff among those things and when I look for them later they're gone. She has indeed taken the complete family silver and most of those awful silver goblets and gadgets in the cupboards in the living room.

As a final goodbye my great-aunt has the wonderful idea to threaten me to contest my custody of Adara. I can't but laugh.

"You're already almost decaying, you old hag, you don't expect to get custody of a small girl? I, on the other hand, am a Hogwarts professor and have the best credentials from the Hogwarts staff and board of governors. Besides she has a choice and I'd say that the chances are less than nil that she'd choose you as her guardian. Don't even try, you won't get anything. And you'll have to pay for any trials you lose, too."

"We'll see to that!" she screeches.

"Why would you want custody of Adara, anyway? Discovered your love for children, have you? As if you'd even have an idea of the concept. Forget it! The judge would ask Adara and Addie would say Sirius and Remus faster than you can say the most ancient and bla bla bla… did you take the bloody tapestry down? You can also gladly take the portrait of my charming mother, I'm sure she'd feel better at your place than here."

"Let's go, Mother, he's obviously not going to move an inch…" Deneb tells her, he's the meeker of the two sons and he knows she hasn't any chance of getting past me.

"Listen to your son, great-aunt, he's sensible enough! I've given you the chance to take what you want, so now get out!"

They do get the hint and disapparate. Remus has been quiet through the whole thing, but I'm glad for that. It's not been very nice and I certainly didn't need it, but there's nothing I can do about them. I suppose she'll try to sue me for a part of the inheritance, but the Black statutes clearly say that if there is no will, the inheritance is shared by the remaining children of the deceased head of the house and only if there are none it would fall back on the remaining remote relatives. I suppose this was made to keep the family possessions in the direct line.

If there IS a will, it can only contain personal legates, things like furniture, paintings, books, jewellery, though the latter only when it was newly bought through the deceased's lifetime. A rule that I've just thrown in the wind with all those horrible things in the house that have gone out with Shaula. No one in their right mind would want them and no one will contest this event either. Of course she's left the tapestry and the portrait behind, both have no monetary value whatsoever. So she'll run against a very thick wall. Let her spend her money on such trials I have nothing to fear.

Sunday, 25.4.1999 / Sirius 

One year! Our children are one year old and today is their first birthday! Last night we've decorated the Sunnegg living room in the brightest colours and today we expect some of our friends for their first birthday party. James, Remus and I dress the triplets in chic baby-robes. Seraina's are a lovely forest green and Denny's as well as Andy's are a fiery red. Of course we'll take quite a few pictures. I have no idea whether the children understand what's going on, but it does look like they do enjoy the attention they get. We have to watch over them very well, because Denny, once he's noticed how he can levitate something, has tried it all over the place with smaller and sometimes larger objects. We have to prevent accidents! It's impossible to explain to a one year old that he can't do any magic yet, though of course he can. I can only hope it is a phase like Albus has assured us it mostly is. We're very glad that he's the only one of the three who can do that.

Arthur and Molly Weasley come in with their family. Bill, Fleur, George, Alicia, Fred and Angelina are with them. Everyone greets Angelina with glee and comments on how good she looks. Her baby is due end of July or beginning of August and she already shows quite nicely. She's more than halfway through the pregnancy and seems to feel perfectly fine.

"I'm still training – much to Molly's dismay, but I do think that a fit mother will have it easier when it's about giving birth! Of course our beaters keep out when I'm in the air, so there won't be an accident with a Bludger. But the flying and some of the physical workout is doing me a lot of good. My mediwitch tells me I'm perfectly fine every time I show up for the checks," Angelina says.

"And when will you get married?" Parvati asks.

"Already done. Just a short bit among Fred, myself, George, Lee, Katie and Alicia. We had a fun evening together, only the six of us."

"Wow! How did your families like that?"

"Not at all," Fred laughs, "but it was what **we** wanted and we had the feeling that what WE wanted was a bit more important than what the family and conventions wanted. Mum has Bill and Fleur's wedding next month, that's got to be enough."

"And let's not forget that Molly isn't the only dominant mother we have! Mine's another family animal. I have a whole number or siblings as well, three older and two younger, so we're marrying a big family together," Angelina points out.

A very strong young woman is Angelina. That's not the first time I'm thinking that, but I think, even if she's a full blooded witch, I'm quite sure that some idiots have put her down for having a black skin and being a Gryffindor. The Johnsons are very old wizarding blood indeed. Their recorded ancestry goes back three hundred years in Britain, but they have been magical for much longer. Angelina's youngest brother is a fifth year Gryffindor and her youngest sister Rebecca is a third year Ravenclaw. They both have the same dignity and strength as Angelina shows. Very likeable students.

"Alicia, when are you going to grace George with a baby?" Justin asks.

She snorts.

"Not any time soon, believe me! I'll have to replace Angelina for a while soon, she won't be top fit at the start of the season, and I'm first reserve, so there's certainly **no** hurry! Besides he's not mature enough yet. Neither is Fred, but who knows, he might grow up when he has to go with Angelina when she gives birth!"

"I'll have you know that I'm very much mature enough to have a baby!" Fred protests. "So much that I can't wait to meet the little one!"

"What do you prefer, a boy or a girl?" Mandy wants to know.

"Don't care at all. I just want the baby – and its beautiful mum – to be perfectly healthy. Whoever this is going to be it should be born with a love for flying! It's been flying around enough in mummy's belly!"

After lunch it's time for the cake and the presents. The triplets don't really know what to do with them yet, but they check pretty fast that they can tear the wrappings off and that something they would like comes out of it. They're being flooded with gifts. Of course both get one from Remus and I. We give them their gifts as their parents, so it's one for both of them from both of us together. Then there's their godparents. Harry and Ginny are treating Seraina with a plush dog that's half the size of Padfoot. Seraina squeals and hugs the dog immediately. Hermione and James give Denny something similar, but when Denny opens his gift he finds a plush wolf! Where did they find that, I wonder. Hermione notices my wondering look and explains:

"We had it custom made. Gave them a picture of Remus and told them that this was what we would like. Ginny and Harry did the same with Seraina's doggie."

"Wow! You surprised us as much as the children."

Then follow Quintus, James and Lily and all the other housemates. Even Fred, Angelina, George and Alicia have brought them something. Fleur can't stop praising them for their cuteness. She's very taken with all four of the children and keeps saying that she hopes to get such lovely and fine children. Bill looks a bit green thinking of becoming a father. Hermione also looks a bit green, but she's really sick it seems, as she has to leave the table and when she comes back she's still very pale. I'll have to watch over that young woman!

"Bill, you'll get married before you get to be a father!" Hermione teases.

"Yes, looks like I'll be there before you, Bill," Harry adds.

Remus and I aren't the only ones to look up, slightly astonished.

"What? Is there something we should know about?" James wants to know.

"Err… maybe… problem is, we don't know ourselves yet…" Harry says.

"How come? If I'm not all too wrong I've just seen Hermione go out and she did look rather sick," I remark with a smirk.

"Once we know you'll be among the first ones to hear about it, Siri…" Harry promises.

Hermione can't promise anything, for she's looking bad again.

"I thought it's called **morning** sickness?" she manages and runs to the nearest toilet.

This time Harry follows her to help her. They are back about twenty minutes later and both beam.

"Well, that was the final straw, we just did the test spell and it says I'm pregnant!!!" Hermione informs us.

Wow! All around us we're going to see babies born in the next years! This is going to be fun, first to see them grow up and then to probably teach them in a couple of years. We have to wait for a while longer to have them in our classes of course, but once they're at Hogwarts they're still going to be around us. I can see that Remus is equally pleased to hear this.

Everyone congratulates them of course. This is very good news.

The day is over all too soon. When Remus and I take the children up to bed and kiss them goodnight I'm thinking of the importance this day holds for us. Our own children are one year old. They've both changed our lives by 180 degrees, everything we once knew has been turned upside down, and our lives now circle around them. We don't regret that one bit! I couldn't imagine a life without Seraina or Denny anymore. They've developed a lot of their character by now. It's fun to be with them, even though it still takes a lot of our time and will keep doing so for a long while still. But Merlin, I know I'm going to miss it once I'm freed from this for a good part of the day or almost completely when they will change to their dormitories at Hogwarts. Actually I'm glad that now I won't get to teach them myself until they start their fifth year.

Addie has played along with everything today, but I think she hasn't understood anything really. She tells us that she's never known that a birthday is celebrated, only that she was born on the day. She's never done it in any case. No wonder. I suppose that father hasn't ever really spent time with her, just like he hasn't spent time with me or Regulus. He's been so crazy that he's never thought about what would happen if she'd be old enough to get her Hogwarts letter. How he would get her there and how he could stay hidden after that. Or how exactly he would find her that pure-blooded husband if he was dead to the rest of the world.


	12. A Weasley Wedding

Sorry for the long wait :-) Had a bit of a block for a while in editing and translating the story in German - as I want to post the chapters in both languages at the same time.

Thank you for the reviews and the favourite story additions - they are always uplifting and motivating

* * *

**Chapter 12 – A Weasley Wedding**

**Thursday, 6.5.1999 / Quintus**

It is such a joy to teach Addie. She's curious and wants to learn. She learns easily and seems to have fun doing it. I work to get her level of English up, teach her basic and not quite as basic maths and Latin, and I teach her some basic history as well, but of course not the twisted stuff she was taught by her father. We have set up a timetable, which we follow fairly strictly. I also give her some homework to do, all this to prepare her when she's supposed to go to primary school in Hogsmeade in autumn.

Some small breaks are held between the lessons. I take her to explore the teachers' wing and out to the garden, which is quite big and sunny. Addie learns to play! I think she's never really played before and now she only discovers what that means. We really have to get her some contact with children of her age before she goes to school.

She is very obedient. They must have conditioned her to follow every command, but I don't want to know how they did that. I start to give her opportunities to choose. Not more than two choices each time and she slowly learns to make decisions. At least it's nice to see her dressed in many different pieces of clothing and she mixes her things around, through which she learns which colours go together well. So far she doesn't seem to have any kind of taste. But now she comes up and asks if something looks nice on her.

* * *

**Friday, 14.5.1999 / James**

A fairly important Wizengamot meeting today. Decisions will be taken to work over the legal body or not. Sirius is coming down from Hogwarts to take over the Black seat. He's not welcomed warmly by the conservative faction. They know that they lose one vote more to the light side. They have been terribly weakened through Voldemort's actions. This time trials have taken place and people who claimed to be under Imperius were questioned under Veritaserum in fairly high doses. They were caught lying quite easily and have thus been punished worse than if they had admitted to their crimes. The Wizengamot has actually condemned some of their own, people who had sat in the Wizengamot for many years, more than one had received a life sentence in Azkaban. And not many of them could be adequately replaced. This means that a few of those seats now remain either unoccupied or occupied by family representatives, which supported the light side in the war. The Voldemort supporting conservative pureblood faction has shrunk to less than a quarter of the members. This has been the reason why I have brought in a few legislative motions, namely one that would open up the Wizengamot to one third of the members being witches or wizards who do not belong to the great old names. This act has been passed amazingly well. Details will have to be worked out, but it's in the works now, which is the most important part.

The Wizengamot is not only a governing body, it is at the same time a legislative, executive **and** judicial body! This is extremely unjust, because no input from the outside of this body will ever be taken into consideration and through the bleeding out of many of the old families we are simply forced to think over our legal and legislative system. Personally I would like to have the legislative power in the Wizengamot, but **not**a governing or judicial power. There is a reason why Muggle countries strictly separate these three domains. Of course there must be some control from one domain over the others. The Minister, who would become the executive power of the government cannot be allowed to decide everything as he or she pleases. The legislative domain has to control the government and the legal system must stand outside those two domains to keep some control of its own.

As a first step in this direction I have brought in a motion to have the complete legal body looked through. I want a group of professionals, lawyers, historians, Ministry employees, to compile every law that has been written and is still in use. Once they have compiled this information they should go over everything that's covered more than once and find contradictions, which are to be eliminated. If necessary I want to have laws that replace old texts, to reflect the actual time in which we live.

This afternoon we are going to vote for or against the motion. I have of course talked to everyone I thought would possibly vote for the motion and I'm quite confident it will pass. This will be work for some people for years to come, an important piece of work. Piece for piece they will have to look into the obscure legal body to find contradicting laws, which have provided so many dark wizards and witches with loopholes to escape prosecution. If this passes we will use the years until the task is finished to draw up ideas of a reconstruction of our legislative and governing system. Since I've spoken so often and with so many people about the subject of a new form of government and legislation, some of my fellow Wizengamot members have recently started to contact me and come forth with ideas. I will push the Wizengamot to build committees to discuss the different points and come up with solutions and ideas of a completely overworked legal and legislative form. I'm thinking of splitting the Wizengamot up into two chambers.

I'm still quite nervous when the meeting opens. The very first point on the list is the acceptance of Sirius into the Wizengamot. This passes without any problem at all. Not only does he have the right to take his place, he would be accepted on his merits as a Hogwarts professor alone. All the people around here have family members who go to school at Hogwarts and most of the students praise Sirius as one of their favourite teachers. I'm welcoming him on the seat, which I kept free for him.

"The next point on today's list of topics is the Legal Body Act, brought in by James Potter. You have all had ample time to read over the proposition and I know it has been discussed widely in all of our circles. I don't think it needs further explanation, does anyone else?"

Some old shrew wants it explained. I stand up and defend my motion. I explain the idea and the reason why this should be done. To provide the Wizengamot with a modern collection of laws, which would be the basis for future laws that might need to be written. I describe how many laws exist that contradict other laws and how often people have gone unpunished because of this fact. Clever lawyers have always been able to find those loopholes. I give the example of the Malfoys after the first war. I have prepared a good number of examples to provide the other Wizengamot members with the necessary grounds upon which to decide. When I think I've brought the message over I rest my case.

The vote passes and of the 80 something members in the room only 16 vote against the act. I'm pleased to bits. Even some of the really old codgers have voted for the motion. It's hardly a surprise that all dissenting votes come from the department of the Wizengamot, which has agreed with Voldemort's ideas if not with his practices. But this means that even many of the old Slytherin-families have voted for the motion and agree that something needs to be done to modernise our governing system.

"Well done, James! I can see you're becoming quite the politician here," Sirius remarks.

"I hope not! I want to stay on the ground, thank you very much, Padfoot!"

"But you're getting things in motion. You force them to think about things. You bring in ideas that are totally new and foreign to them and they still accept them and give them a chance. Some of them contact you about these ideas and about ideas of their own, as if you were their leader. Which means you're becoming a leader and **that**, my dear Mr. Prongs, that is in your genes!"

"Why, thank you, Mr. Padfoot. I'm speechless about such praise."

"You're welcome, Mr. Prongs, you're welcome…"

* * *

Wednesday, 19.5.1999 / Morag

I've been a good girl all morning, but after lunch I'm getting a bit tired of working. Since I have all day and all week for my work I'm getting on much faster than most of the other students and I've been able to receive new material a bit faster than others. By the speed with which I'm sending the material back and by knowing I have the whole week to do it the school has agreed to send new batches in intervals of three weeks instead of the four weeks for the others. It suits me, because I know that I'll be through it a lot faster. I'll be able to take the final exams a full year earlier.

When Nicole calls me I ask her:

"Are you studying this afternoon?"

"No, not much. Why?"

"Could you come over? I'm longing for you!"

"Well, if you come and magic me over that's no problem. By train it takes a bit long…"

"I'll be right there!"

Putting down the phone I apparate right next to her and then apparate her back to the Sunnegg. She laughs, because it's been less than a minute since I've put the receiver down. We take the time for a quick, but intensive snog.

"Hello, love!" she says.

"Hi. Want to go for a walk?"

She looks outside and shakes her head.

"Still too nasty out there."

"Yeah, I'm so longing for some sun. Look at the garden, we've had to neglect it almost completely. And everything is so wet in there. Only some tulips and daffodils out. They're the only ones tough enough to withstand this weather."

We sit down in the small living room, where it's cosy warm and cuddle. She's not spent much time in this part of the house yet.

"What's that room over there?" she asks.

"The study. Remus' and Sirius'."

"Oh. Forbidden territory for you then, eh?"

"No, not at all, they know we're not nosing into their desks, but the books are all available. We're even allowed to make free use of the restricted section of the Hogwarts library now."

"The restricted section? What does that contain?"

"Everything not deemed suitable for the younger students. You get to use books from there on a fairly regular basis in sixth and seventh year… – Accio restricted section," I call, pointing my wand to the room.

The three boxes containing that part of the library come flying out of the study. Nicole stares at them.

"How can you make use of those boxes? These books are so tiny… you'd have to use a microscope to read them."

"We have to use retrieval and enlargement spells. The books are all reduced to minimal size. Give me a subject and I'll get something out…" I say and laugh.

"What kind of things would I find in there?"

"Oh, basically everything we call Dark Magic, Muggles would probably unknowingly talk of Black Magic, though the two are not identical, but meaning similar things. Wizards don't tolerate every sort of magical practices, you see, and many are considered dark, most of those are illegal. So we read about that stuff but don't do it. For the most part."

"That about Voldemort and the Death Eaters?" she inquires.

"Among others. There were many dark lords and dark magic users before them of course. And of course there are still lots of Dark Magic practitioners who are nowhere near as bad as the Death Eaters. Those are really just the worst ones, because they aimed their Dark Magic at others to gain dominance. There's some who practice 'Old Magic' as they call it on a fairly regular basis without harming anyone else. Some of those practices contain Necromancy or forms of Dream or Blood Magic. Legilimency is another one which is considered Dark Magic, though this one is in the grey zone between legal and illegal magic."

"I could listen to you for hours, you know that? Now, what's Necromancy? Must have something to do with dead people…"

"Spot on! Basically bringing dead people back to life."

"Gulp! – You mean, you can actually do that? Just imagine some idiot gets the idea to let Hitler back into the world!!!" she says, shocked.

I sigh.

"I think, it's really quite impossible. But there have been Necromancers throughout history."

I decide to call for some books about the subject and retrieve them with a spell. About fifty books are hovering in front on me on that keyword. Nicole grins.

"I'd like to search the library like that! It would be considerably easier to find lots of sources!"

I grin and nod.

"It's been a very good day when Remus taught us this charm. Well, let's start with anyone of them. Engorgio!"

I tap the top book on the pile with my wand and it enlarges itself to an enormous volume. It's one of those old, old books, that have had dust inlaid of them for centuries.

"Doesn't look like this one has been used in a long time. It's fun actually, because Professor Dumbledore made a **copy** of the library, but seemingly he also copied everything inside the books. Let's hope this one doesn't screech or anything when I open it… though I know how to stop that if it does."

"Eww… that sounds scary."

"It's meant to be scary, so that students will be held off perusing the restricted section in the night. Not that it always does the trick, but then there's some books that have to be treated in a special way or they try to bite your hand off…"

"Aw. Better be careful then! I still need your hand for a while."

I laugh.

"Nah, if this one was a biting book then I'd have been bitten already. Worst now is a screech or some nasty fluid it could spit…"

"Bad enough that…" Nicole insists.

None of either happens, so I open the book and scan the contents. Only a part of the book treats Necromancy, other parts are about certain Blood Magic practices. But there are seven different techniques for Necromancy described, and none of them sounds nice! Nicole shivers when I read some of the more gory passages.

"Yowl! That was a nasty one… - but hey, I'm wondering… haven't you told me about all those people who have come back from the dead? Like Lily and James and Quintus? Isn't that another form of Necromancy?"

"I don't think it can be qualified as that. Basically it's a reversal of a killing curse. As this is an Unforgivable curse I would rather define this form of Necromancy, if you could even call it that, as a blessing rather than an illegal action. In fact it takes a very strange magical act to reverse such a curse and for many centuries it has been forgotten at all. The phenomenon itself is not even that rare – it is invoked when two brother wands, those are wands with the same core, like two hairs of the same unicorn, are forced to duel against each other. They won't do that. They will actually invoke the ritual, which then is usually interrupted before it can take effect. It's a bit complicated, but I will give you an abbreviated explanation. One of the wands will force the other to regurgitate every spell that has been cast with it – in a reverse chronological order. Any Avada Kedavra curse will naturally come out as well, releasing the soul of the person that was killed with the curse. This soul will go straight back to the body it once ensouled. It has been found that no victim of Avada Kedavra will actually decay, unless it is burned. The closest references to this phenomenon that Professor Dumbledore found, was dated in the early centuries after Christ and he found only one other reference, which was a case that happened in Egypt. I suppose the phenomenon that two brother wands can't be used in a duel against each other has been a well known fact. I'm sure many a wizard or witch has encountered it during their lives. But probably no one has ever fallen over another who had used this killing curse before they invoked the Priori Incantatem, as this act is named. There is an interesting side factor, as we have a very well known spell called Prior Incantatem, as you can see from the syntax it's almost the same. It's a spell that we cast on a wand to find out the last spell that has been cast with it."

"You're very good at explaining that stuff – why don't you want to teach magical history? You seem to know an awful lot…"

"Well… we had a horrible teacher at Hogwarts. The only ghost on the staff and he sounded just like it – droned on forever and ever and it was the most boring subject for everyone. Seemingly he wasn't any better than that even when he was still alive some two hundred years ago. It's said that he's died one night and just got up to teach after his "nap" without noticing hat he'd left his body on the armchair. But he never managed to stop my interest in the subject. My grandfather is a scholar and he's always worked in this sector for the Ministry. He really knew how to make me love the old stories. And then we got Remus as a teacher here at the Sunnegg and everything changed, I loved it even more. But I'd like to work with smaller children. – Want to have more fun? Then we put this gory stuff away and go up to the regular library and look through spell books. They're usually a lot of fun! See who finds the silliest spells… there are still tons of books we never took out of those boxes and you wouldn't believe some of the queer stuff you can find."

"Sounds right by me!"

I reduce the book again and return everything into the boxes, which I banish back to their spaces in the bookcase in the study. Then I take my wand and Nicole's hand and we walk through the house and up to the library. Retrieving some of the spell books we take them up to the common room and flop down on the sofas.

"Okay, silly spells…" she says and starts looking through the first book on her pile.

"Here's one," she says after a few minutes and reads: "Sitaro – spell to change anything to a self tuning and playing Indian Sitar."

We giggle and she asks:

"Can you demonstrate that?"

"I can try. Is there anything in terms of wand movements or images you need behind the incantation?"

"Nope, just this one sentence."

"Good…"

I point my wand at one of the sofa pillows and say.

"Sitaro!"

Within a second the room is filled with the sound of Indian Raga music. A while later James and Lily turn up and immediately join the game. They both grin when we tell them:

"We're looking for the silliest spells around…"

"Oh, now there's my hobby," says James and grins even wider.

"He's probably capable of more silliness than twenty other wizards taken together," Lily confirms.

"His only concurrence would probably be Sirius then…" I remark.

"Just **how** did you figure that out, Morag?" he asks.

"Having watched the three of you together for four years?" I ask back.

By dinnertime we're all exhausted from laughing so much. I think Lily had the prize when she found a spell to make your knickers sing.

"Oh, that would have been a good one to put on Snivellus," James exclaims. "Just how embarrassing can you get?"

Lily refrains from commenting. I know how she hated it, when James and Sirius mistreated Snape, but to be quite honest, I belong to those people who agree he must have deserved most of what has been thrown at him.

But she points her wand at James and makes **his** knickers sing! It's too funny, especially when she repeats it at the dinner table and everyone simply screamed of laughing when James' knickers start to sing all of a sudden. All except James that is.

Still, this was probably one of the funniest days I've ever spent in my life and James rounded it up by saying:

"Padfoot will be **so** miffed to have missed this!"

Friday, 21.5.1999 / Bill 

I wake up next to Fleur in our nice flat in the Paris wizarding area. This is the last day before we'll be officially joined together. Of course we've joined a while ago, going the proper way is more to please the family and everyone, but we'll make it simple and have a lot of fun afterwards. Dad has offered to take over as master of ceremonies. We've accepted both gladly, because we know he'll do it well.

The last few days have been crazed hectic. Mum and dad have arrived here three days ago, they're staying at the Delacours' house, which is where the wedding will take place. The house is big and airy and is located in the area outside of Arles in the south of France, where it will be nice and warm. For those who will stay in Paris for the weekend we have official Portkeys to take them back, should they not be in a condition to apparate anymore. Apparating will certainly be hard for our future Mums, Hermione and Angelina. I've heard a lot about Hermione's pregnancy through Ginny who's been here for a couple of weekends to help prepare things. The weather forecast for tomorrow is good, let's hope it stays that way, because we'll be celebrating outside.

I'm looking down on my soon to be wife who's still asleep next to me. She's been amazing since we've been together. Warm and happy and I do believe it must have been hard for her because everyone only saw her beauty. And then, as soon as they know she's part Veela they all back away in horror. I know I was close to doing that, but I wanted the friendship at least. I'm glad I didn't withdraw all the way, because once we were real friends it was easy to see the real Fleur. The one who's kind and generous and warm. Who's sparkling and charming. Yes, there is that Veela charm, but if it's not meant to catch someone in her nets, it's just immensely turning on. Once one's beyond that Veela thing one's being rewarded with a wonderful person. She lets that person out a lot since we've decided to get married.

I quite like my future parents-in-law. They are friendly people. The Veela part comes from her father's side, where one grandmother had been one. The family is quite large. Next to her parents Fleur has two sisters and a brother. She's the oldest of the bunch, twenty-two years old now. Then there's her brother Yann, who's twenty, her sister Marcelline, who's seventeen and in her last year at Beauxbatons, and finally Gabrielle who's thirteen and in her third year at Beauxbatons. Besides that she has about a dozen aunts and uncles on both the paternal and maternal side of her family with a fair amount of cousins. She's not close to them all and thankfully hasn't seen any need to invite them all. For the wedding there will be the immediate families, some of her friends from the French Ministry, mostly friends I've befriended too, since I've come here, my Hogwarts friends who she knows as well and some of our friends we don't know well or at all yet. All in all about a hundred guests. The large garden of 'La Belle Solitude' will hold them all easily. It's a lovely three story building of the local style, built in the seventeenth century and enlarged a little with a wing or two here and there in the following centuries. Most of it is baroque. That means bright colours everywhere, large rooms with high ceilings and huge floor to ceiling window frames parted in many small window panes.

Once Fleur is up, too, we get dressed quickly and pack our overnight bags to apparate to her parents' house. Our wedding robes are already there, certainly pressed to perfection by the house-elves. I always enjoy the place for its quiet peace away from the bustling city. Paris is wonderful of course and offers many quiet little places, but mostly it's noisy, busy and pretty dirty, too. Freezing cold in winter and burning hot in summer, but I take burning hot over freezing cold anytime. Having lived in Egypt for so many years it's still hard for me to adjust back to the cold.

* * *

Vendredi, 21.5.1999 / Fleur

Je me demande comment cela va se développer maintenant. Nous étions ensemble pour quelques mois et nous avons vraiment passé la phase de la méfiance, que j'ai senti si fort de Bill. Il a toujours eu peur de mon part Veela, c'était tout clair pour moi. J'étais si heureuse quand il voulait quand-même être des amis ! Je savais tout de suite que lui, c'était l'homme pour moi. Dès que je l'ai vu la première fois, dans cette petite salle à Hogwarts, je savais, que c'était lui. Peu après j'ai déjà senti sa méfiance. C'était dur à le laisser partir après ça. Mais j'ai entendu qu'il n'avait jamais une amante depuis qu'on se rencontrait ! Cette découverte était immense ! Il a du sentir quelque chose alors.

Maintenant – plus de tout cela. Nous sommes heureux ensemble. Il aime bien aussi ma famille. Ma famille l'adore ! Il est habitué à une grande famille, aillant cinq frères et une sœur. Que j'adore déjà d'ailleurs ! Ginny est une jeune femme extraordinaire. Je me réjouis comme mon père l'aime bien, parce qu'elle me rappelle beaucoup à mon père. Son humour, sa brillance, son intelligence est de la même façon que la sienne.

Enfin – nous nous en allons pour apparaître à La Belle Solitude. En regardant Bill d'un coté je me demande si nous allons avoir des enfants, et comment ces enfants vont devenir. Moi, blonde, yeux bleu-gris, lui, cheveux rousses, yeux bleu-gris… de nouveau des enfants roux ou des enfants blondes ? On verra.

Il me sourit. Qu'est-ce qu'il est beau quand il sourit ! Il a appris le français presque parfaitement entre-temps. C'est à moi d'apprendre mieux l'anglais. C'est assez dur ! Je pense que mon vocabulaire est assez bon, mais ma prononciation !

I wonder how things are going to turn out! We've been together for a good amount of months by now and we've got past the phase of distrust that I have so clearly felt from Bill. He was always afraid of the part in me that's Veela, that's been clear to me from the beginning. I was so happy when he still wanted to be friends with me. I always knew he was the one for me, right from the moment I first set eyes on him in that little room at Hogwarts I knew it was him. Only a short time later I felt his distrust. It was so hard to let him go after that. But I've heard he never had a lover since we had met and this discovery was an immense one for me. I knew he must have felt something right then.

Now – nothing left of all of that. We're just happy together. He also likes my family. My family adores him! Of course he's used to a large family, seeing as he has five brothers and a little sister. Who I adore already by the way. Ginny is an extraordinary young woman and I'm happy to see how my father likes her. She often reminds me of him, because their humour, their brilliance, their intellect is much the same.

Finally. We're apparating to La Belle Solitude. Looking at Bill from the side I wonder if we will have children. And what the children will look like. I'm blond with blue-grey eyes, he's red with blue-grey eyes, will they turn out more blond or more redhead? We'll see.

He's smiling at me. How beautiful he is when he smiles like that. He's learnt French almost to perfection by now and now it's up to me to improve my English. But that's hard. I think my vocabulary is good, but the pronunciation!

* * *

Friday, 21.5.1999 / Harry

Something – rather someone – wakes me up… when I open my eyes I can see the sun peeking through the curtains on the large window of our hotel. We've all got rooms at the Hôtel du Louvre in Paris, a wonderful hotel right next to the Louvre and the Seine on the Rue de Rivoli. We've been to book the rooms two months ago and booked one for Hermione and I, Ron and Justin, Draco and Parvati, Blaise and Padma and also for Sirius and Remus and the children. Mum and dad have a room with Lizzie and Andy, too. Hermione and I pay a large part for Ron and Justin, an early gift for their three year anniversary. We needed an excuse or they wouldn't have accepted it.

Draco invited the twins and Blaise.

Ginny and Ernie are staying at La Belle Solitude, invited there by Fleur who seems very taken with her sister-in-law.

Sirius and Remus have two small beds for the children added to their room, so have mum and dad. They've been able to take off Friday and Monday as well, so we do have a mini vacation and get some time to look at the lovely city as well as attend that fabulous wedding at the French country house of Fleur's parents. On the other hand they've asked if Quintus baby-sits Addie over the weekend, which he does gladly. He really loves that child!

Morag and Nicole stay at another hotel in the Montmartre area, together with Mandy and Jason and Neville and Hester. They won't be taking part at the wedding, but they wanted to share the holiday with us.

Hermione wakes up, looks at me and before we even have time for so much as a kiss she gets up and makes a beeline for the bathroom. I follow her to make sure she's alright, hold back her hair and softly stroke her back. Her morning sickness is getting better, but she still encounters it at least every second or third day. But she's fine otherwise, more active than I know her and she says the baby is perfectly well, too. I can't wait until I can see her belly grow more prominently. Right now she has filled out a little from top to bottom and her face is a bit softer I think, but otherwise there's not much to see. Oh yes, her eyes! They are shining with a new kind of a brilliance. The baby will be born in the first third of December. That day seems so far away, but I know when it arrives it will look like time just flew by. At least that's what all our seasoned parents around us tell us.

When she's feeling better again we return to the cosy bed covered in finest linens. The room is wonderful. Spacious enough, but not too big, and exactly the kind of plush and luxury we've been looking for. Of course we do like it that we only have to walk for about ten minutes to reach most areas of the 1er arrondissement. It's only seven o'clock in the morning now, so we have about an hour or so before we get up to meet the others for breakfast. We'll be waiting for the others to come from Montmartre to our hotel to decide what we want to visit. We have today, Sunday and Monday.

Since she's got it out of her system Hermione gets cuddly and we enjoy our regular morning ritual of making love before getting up, taking a shower and getting dressed. We both dry our hair with a spell, I braid hers into a lovely plait and then we take our bags and meet the others for breakfast. Mum and dad, Sirius and Remus are already in the restaurant, the children in neat high chairs playing around with their toasts. It's fun to watch Sirius and Remus feeding them. If something goes on the toast both, Sirius and Remus see to it that they cut it into tiny bits and push it right into the twins' little mouths, so it doesn't get spread over everything. They look lovely today, both in cute baby jeans and colourful t-shirts. It's already nice and warm being end of May, so we all wear sandals.

We're all looking our best. Hermione is wearing a lovely short summer dress with short sleeves. She has a small black leather rucksack type of a bag out of which she pulls a well sized travel guide for Paris almost as soon as we're sitting. The book is spelled to weigh near to nothing and the bag is most certainly spelled much larger than it looks. We decide on what to suggest to the others (should they have no suggestions of their own) as to how to spend the day. Hermione thinks it would be nice to start in the Tuileries, since the children were still awake and alert to run around for a bit. Sirius and Remus have strollers and their backpacks so we can reduce the strollers to pocket size and be able to use the Métro with the little ones.

"If I were alone I'd like to go and see Père Lachaise. That's a cemetery, but a very old one in a very special park. Loads of famous people are buried there, from Edith Piaf, over Jim Morrison to Oscar Wilde and Heinrich Heine, which was a famous German poet…" Remus remarks.

"Sounds intriguing!" Hermione says.

"But not ideal with the little ones. They want a bit of fun, I think," Sirius says.

"That's why I said 'if I were alone', love."

"And that's why I started off with the Tuileries. Then we could walk along the Seine to Ile de la Cité. There's Notre Dame cathedral, the Sainte Chapelle, the little market, place Dauphine and the statue of Henri IV. That's all around the corner from here. Then there's the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville and the area around," Hermione suggests, running her finger over a part in her book.

"Sounds good to me. It's the centre of Paris anyway. But either on Sunday or on Monday we'll see the Marais quarter! That's really worth the walk!" Remus says.

"Sounds all fine with me, we've never been here before after all. Well, 'Mione and I did walk around a bit when we came to look for the rooms. There's a square here just around the corner, which is very lovely, too… what's that again, Hermione?"

"Place Vendôme. Beautifully made octagonal square."

We're enjoying a lovely breakfast and wait for the others to turn up. Finally, at something past nine they show up and look around.

"Wow! Impressive place!" Mandy remarks.

"We've spoiled ourselves!" I grin. "How's your hotel?"

"Oh, it's very charming! It's just behind the Sacré Coeur church, a bit noisy but okay. Bit difficult to find an apparition spot, but we've made one out already. Best is the Métro stations," Jason comments.

"Great."

We spend the day almost the way Hermione suggested, but there are a couple of churches we go and visit and we ride around with the Métro a bit, much to Ron's amusement. Ginny and Ernie have joined us at lunch.

* * *

Ron

Merlin, it's an incredible feeling to wake up in this luxury place. No way Justin or I could have afforded it of course, but Hermione and Harry have been adamant they invite us and only accept about a third of the costs.

Justin pounces me the second I wake up. The bed we have is huge! At least a bit wider than a king-size bed. We've slept wonderfully, since the windows are soundproof. They need to be, because outside and right underneath our room is the Rue de Rivoli, one of the most active roads in Paris. And we look on the opposite side of the road and see the massive Louvre palace.

Someone's horny before getting up! I pull him down for a long, deep kiss and Justin starts caressing me all over. I stroke over his back.

"Good morning, love!" I mumble.

"And isn't it a wonderful morning? Look, the sun is out! This is going to be a great weekend, Ron! I was grateful, that Moody let us go for the two days extra!"

"Well, we do have the right for four weeks of vacation every year. So that wasn't asked too much."

"You're right of course. But anyway. And this amazing hotel…"

"This is great, isn't it? I hardly know how to behave among all those black suited people!"

It's true that this does make me a bit insecure. But I push this away when I turn to my lover. We have some time left before we have to get up.

Spending the day in the streets of Paris is great. We enjoy a lot of laughs and some 'Ahs' over the beauty of it all. Of course, Draco has been here a load of times in the last months, whenever he's had business in the French Ministry or so. What amazes me is that he knows his way around by apparition as well as with the Muggle transport.

In the evening we find a restaurant and share a nice dinner of French cuisine then we get recommendations to go out and dance. Remus and Sirius stay back though, they take it upon themselves to watch the children and prefer to have some time for themselves.

Tomorrow is Bill's big day and finally Mum gets one of her sons married off. I hope, she's happy.

* * *

Saturday, 22.5.1999 / Sirius

"Daddy! – Papa!"

Those two are getting clear in their calls for us lately. At thirteen months they don't really talk, but daddy and papa they've definitely figured out. The other names are more difficult. Lily they can say. Dobby works, too. Harry is still something like Ha'y. Hermione's is the most difficult one to say, she accepts a Monie for the moment. Ginny and Ron also sound quite rudimentary. They can't say James at all yet.

But they know the people in the family well!

At two in the afternoon Ginny turns up with the Portkey for us. The others will apparate to the house, but we need the Portkey for the transportation of the paraphernalia for our children. We find ourselves at a very lovely country home only moments later. Right after we arrive we're sitting down on benches outside in a nicely decorated garden. Everything is ready, only the bride, the groom and the master of ceremonies are coming in once the wedding starts. It's a very lovely ceremony, which is celebrated by Arthur for the most part, but one of Fleur's French relatives translates everything on the spot for the French speaking part of the guests. Remus and I hold the twins on our laps, because they've already finished their naps. Both are dressed in their lovely robes from their birthday, and both are a bit restless. But they're not the only small children around, so we don't shush them too much. James, Lily, Remus and I have taken our seats right in the back, so we can get up and go away if they get too loud. We're not the only parents with young children and I can see that others have done the same.

There's a great dinner followed by a great evening of lots of dancing. We enjoy ourselves very much. Both, Remus and myself have held back with the alcohol, we drink only a few glasses of wine, which is great. We can see that the Weasley-twins, Draco and their ladies sit with Fleur's brother Yann. Later we learn that Yann is now working for them at Dragon's Tales / Les Contes du Dragon. Since they're building it up in France this thing is now named in French and English.

We keep a balance between looking after our children and leaving them with other people so we can dance. Like other small children ours get a nice place to sleep inside, protected through silencing charms, so they won't be disturbed by the music and the party outside. We're checking up on them twice, but they're sleeping soundly. There's been a lot of relaxation on the teething front lately and even though they must slowly but surely feel the molars coming up they don't complain and usually sleep through it all.

Remus and I enjoy the dancing a lot. No one has a demand on us or not many people, so we have each other and we certainly don't spend any slow dances with anyone else. Bill and Fleur look wonderful. Both are dressed in silver coloured dress robes, Bill's are a shade darker than Fleur's, but they're almost identical. I've only met Fleur once before, but I have to say she's a really beautiful young woman. If her personality matches her looks then she's one hell of a woman. Harry says she's getting a lot nicer once one gets to know her. Her siblings and parents are certainly wonderful people and I've had a very humorous discussion with her father. Looking at the man it's easy to see where her grace comes from. He's eye candy, even Remus says so. But all in all we only have eyes for each other. He's wearing dark brown dress robes with gold embroidery and I'm wearing midnight blue robes with gold stars embroidered over the collar, parts of the sleeves and the front.

* * *

**Ginny**

I'm glad that the main part is over… being bridesmaid for Fleur wasn't all it's cracked up to be – she's got gorgeous taste in clothes, that's for sure. She's asked me to wear a set of silvery grey dress robes, which of course fit me brilliantly well! But it's been a bit more formal and more boring than Hermione and Harry's wedding. I wasn't part of the charmers this time. They chose dad, Mr. Delacour, Charlie, Dumbledore and Remus. An all male affair! Sheesh…

Bill looks splendid. Fleur's chosen colours of silver and grey fit everyone and so everyone looks good in the décor. She definitely does have a good sense of colour. She's also quite different here in her family's home than everywhere else – much more laid back and less feminine. Everyone in her family is as beautiful as she is so she doesn't have to make sure people love her for something else than that. Being one in a number probably eases the wow-effect she has on strangers. She tells me that she's hoping for children soon. Note that she said 'children', not 'child'. Well, if all of us are going to have multiple children, then this family will explode. Fred's already started to contribute. Should make daddy very happy. Should make mum happy, but with her it's different than with dad. She's lost her marbles a bit lately! I'm sure it's because we've all left home now and have all grown up. I thought she'd get busy doing something else than spelling the Burrow clean and cleaner every half hour. So far – no such thing.

Ernie and I have our place next to Fleur. He's chatting with her and I'm glad that he doesn't show any of the stupid signs Ron used to show around Fleur. Since he's with Justin it doesn't affect him anymore though.

"Fleur, may I ask you a somewhat personal question?" I turn to her.

"Depends. Ask and I weel see eef I can answer…"

"I was just wondering – I've seen the Veela effect you have on some boys, and now I see that this seems to have completely died out. Is it because you're with Bill? Is it because they are with someone themselves? Or did you simply turn off the charm?"

She actually laughs.

"It's a bit all of these?" she suggests.

"But eet is true, once a Veela – or part Veela like myself – 'as found love the charm does diminish. It maybe inside of us, I don't know. Since I'm only one eighth Veela I do have some of ze charm and ze beauty, but I couldn't turn into ze dangerous beast real Veelas can become when zey're really angry. So eet may simply be weaker. Does zees answer your question?"

"It does, thank you. Excuse my curiosity."

"Eet is okay, Ginny, I prefer you to be curious and know ze facts zan rhyme up some stupid zeories like many people do. Much more honest!"

"Thanks, Fleur."

Ernie interrupts and asks me to the dance floor. He's a pretty good dancer and we've been out dancing a lot in the past year. We enjoy a few rounds on the floor. I'm also dancing with other people, like Pascal Delacour, Fleur's father whom I adore! He's a bit similar to my dad – without the Muggle quirk of course, but he's very underestimated, in his case because he's the most handsome man anyone could imagine. It was his maternal grandmother who was a full Veela as I've learned. Seemingly the beauty of a Veela runs for a while in a family, if not all the powers. He's very charming, very witty and very jovial. Quiet and unassuming elegance would describe him best and if he weren't taken – I could lose my heart, honestly.

We have talked a lot on the weekends I was here to help prepare for the wedding. I had to tell him about Hogwarts, the Safe House, the war, and at one time the subject of the Marauders came up, so I had to recount some of their exploits. Living in the same house with three of the four Marauders obviously I heard many of their stories. He wants another one and I suggest he talks to James, Sirius and Remus.

"James, Sirius and Remus are attending here, I suggest you ask them for a few of their stories. Some of them are outrageous! McGonagall still shudders when she thinks of her two teachers as children at Hogwarts."

"Oh, you **must** introduce me, Ginny, I'd love to meet them."

"No problem!"

I guide him over to where Sirius and Remus dance.

"Sirius, Remus, may I introduce you to Mr. Pascal Delacour? He's Fleur's father. Pascal, this is Sirius Black and this is Remus Lupin."

We all come to a stop and the gentlemen shake hands.

"Dear Ginny has made the mistake to tell me a few of your stories about your early life as Marauders," Pascal says with a smile. "I just had to meet you and tell you how much these stories amused me!"

The two Marauders laugh. I let them chat and go back to the table where I'm not sitting for very long before someone else asks me to dance. It's getting quite exhausting really! But I love this type of exhaustion anyway.

* * *

**Sirius**

We're ready to return to Paris by midnight. The four of us with small children have to use the Portkey with the babies and the strollers. We get back to the hotel soon after our return and put the twins into their beds. Within minutes they're back to their deep sleep and Remus moves over to the bathroom where I join him only moments later. Just a few minutes later we're ready to go to bed, cover the children's bed with a one way silencing charm, so that we hear them, but they can't hear us. I crawl into the bed next to Remus. He pulls me into his arms right away. This giant of a bed will be real fun to play on. We've already had a bit of it the two nights before and don't mind to have a third and then a fourth night in it.

I pull him into a kiss. We both close our eyes and just feel. It's dark, but some of the light from the many street lamps finds its way into the room, just enough for me as I really don't like it all dark. A remnant from Azkaban that one! I've just had too much darkness there. But closing my eyes to just feel Remus is great. He starts nibbling on my earlobes. I can feel the nibbling right down to my cock. Back to another kiss. So he wants to be the dominant one tonight. Fine by me, I love to be the recipient of his ministrations. The nibbling continues, then I feel him transforming into his wolf form and licking his way down to my cock. I hold it up a bit and pull the foreskin back, so he can reach the most sensitive spots underneath. Feeling his rough tongue there almost makes me come too early. I can hold in and just concentrate on his licking. This tongue is giving me more intensive feelings than his mouth! He can suck me with his wolf snout, but not so well, because he can't really close his mouth around my cock, so he just continues licking. And has me climaxing within five minutes! I lean back and wait for Remus to come back, which he does after a few more minutes of licking my opening wet, so that he can penetrate right away.

Pulling my legs up I present him with a better angle, but he still pulls down a pillow and shoves it underneath me. I fold my legs around his neck and pull him down, he starts thrusting and I'm going out of my mind as soon as he hits my prostate for the first time. I hope it never ends. He seems to drill his cock deeper and deeper inside of me with every new thrust, but I'm pressing against him, giving him all the space inside he wants. I'm clenching my muscles to accelerate the building of our orgasm, to feel more and more of him.

Remus stops thrusting to come close and kiss me. Ooh, he knows exactly when to slow down to prolong the session! I'm only frustrated for a short moment, but now I simply relish the feeling of this hard muscle inside of me, Remus' weight on top of me and his sweet lips assaulting mine. He grips my cock in one of his hands and rubs it a bit. I yelp when I feel his teeth biting my shoulder. Slowly he starts to move again, building up the tension back to what it was before. And again, just before the point of no return is reached, he interrupts.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"I'm fine…"

"Just because of your position…" he mumbles and kisses me again.

I don't really care for that position, go on fucking me, for Merlin's sake! I haven't spoken it out loud, but he seems to hear it as he continues to push and this time, this time he lets us both come. I cry out his name as I can feel that last moment before complete and utter bliss overtakes me.

"Siri…" he moans.

Heat fills my body. I'm closing my eyes and suck it inside deeply. Gods, it feels so good. I wait until he stops thrusting and free my legs, let them drop and feel him collapsing over me. He buries his face in the hollow of my neck and mumbles sweet nothings, caressing me all the while and I let him until he falls asleep.

Gently I lift him next to me, so that I can pull up the duvet and cover us. I pull the pillow away from under my back. The room is air-conditioned so I'm shivering and Remus quickly cools down as well. I gather him in my arms, pull up the duvet and soon…

* * *

Sunday, 23.5.1999 / Sirius

…we're both waking up when we hear our children babbling in their cots. I lift my head and look around. Both of them have pulled themselves up on the wooden bars and within a minute we hear them both calling for daddy and papa. Remus opens his eyes and I can feel him smile into my neck.

"Wonder how long it takes until their cries of daddy and papa start to get on our nerves," he remarks with a grin.

I turn back to him and kiss him.

"Good morning to you, too, love."

He returns the kiss with a soft:

"Good morning, sweetheart. Do we allow them out of their beds?"

I nod and get up, removing the silencing charm as I approach the children's beds.

"Good morning, my little Marauders. I suppose you want out of your beds, eh?"

Both children just stretch out their arms. I free Seraina from her sleeping bag and put her on the floor, where she quickly starts crawling over to the big bed. Denny follows her as soon as he feels the floor. Seraina pulls herself up on the edge of the bed. She just about reaches to see Remus and squeals for him to pick her up. Remus rolls over, kisses her on her forehead and teases:

"Hello, my little one. Do I pick you up? What say you?"

Another annoyed squeal from his daughter makes Remus comply and he pulls her up on the bed, while I lift Denny. We take both of them in the middle of the huge bed. They're both only wearing their nappies and a warm top, because their sleeping bags provide them with extra warmth. We're covering them with the duvet, but neither of them gives us much rest anymore. Remus crinkles his nose.

"You're a bit smelly, both of you, let's get you into the bath!"

He gets up and moves over to the bathroom, where he lets some water run into the tub and adds a bit of bubble bath for the children. Then he quickly relieves himself and while we hear the toilet flush he comes to get one of the twins. I get up and pick up Denny. I also grab the bag with their bath toys.

First we take off their nappies and clean them, then we set them both into the five or so centimetres of water in the tub. Denny slaps his little hands on the water and splashes it. Sits and laughs at his sister who makes a face, because she got some of the water in her mouth. She spits it out disgustedly. Of course I've summoned the camera to take pictures.

We're taking pictures constantly. We must have taken hundreds of photos of them already. Remus always has quite a few of them on all of his desks and there are of course a couple of them on the different mantels of our different fireplaces. Some people think we're obsessively taking pictures of the children, but we feel the need of having something to remind us of how they were, when they were still so small. They're growing up so fast!

For about ten minutes the children happily splash around in the water, then we start to actually wash them. They grace us with their usual screaming fit because we dare washing their hair, but once that's over we allow them another while in the water. Remus watches them while I quickly take a shower and then get dressed, then I watch them while Remus does the same.

"Well, that's it, ladies and gentlemen, out you come and then we get you dressed!" I say and pick up Seraina. I've prepared a towel and warmed it quickly with a spell, so that she just shivers while she's coming out of the bath. I set her down on the thick carpet in the bathroom and dry her off. Remus does the same with Denny and then we take them back to the room where they get dressed. I pick a bright orange dress for Seraina. The weather is supposed to be warm today and sunny, so a summer dress will do. She gets sandals on her feet, a little hat on her head and that's it. Dressing her up is so much easier now that it gets warm. Pampers, summer dress, sandals, that's it for Seraina, Pampers, shorts, t-shirt and sandals, that's it for Denny. No meddling around with tights, underwear, double layer clothes and so forth…

Remus puts Denny into a pair of shorts, a thin t-shirt and sandals. We grab their carriers and stuff some sunscreen inside of one of the pockets on them and check that we have enough tissues, extra nappies, a water bottle for both of them and their pacifiers. Then we take both children on our arms and go down to the restaurant to have breakfast with them. We're getting a nice table at one of the windows to the inner courtyard of the hotel. The children get hot chocolate, Remus gets tea, I get coffee and we're sharing some croissants with butter and jam. The kids get half a croissant to just munch on and occasionally Remus or I give them a bit with some butter and jam. We take our time and occupy the children as good as we can while we wait for the gang to turn up. A few minutes after we've sat down James, Lily and their little ones join us. The young ones are up astonishingly early, but we've settled on a trip to Versailles in the case of good weather and we have to get there early to have a chance at getting through the palace without waiting for hours. Ginny and Ernie join us at the lobby of the hotel. They're bringing the food for the picnic we plan in the park of Versailles. We're on the train to Versailles at nine. The trip takes about half an hour. The triplets crawl over everyone available and change from one lap to the next. Draco tickles Denny and he laughs so hard that Remus is sure we'll have to change him right when we get to Versailles.

We spend a very happy day there. Being so early allowed us to go through the palace early and we dutifully admire the settings, the period furnishing and all the wonderful antiques. Remus, Lily and Hermione feed us with all the history about the palace. Then we go outside and start on the wonderful park. It's really beautiful. Unfortunately a fire has taken down a part of the forest that belongs to the park and Remus says some of the wonderful alleys are much too bare now, because the new trees are still so small. We don't really care, because we do find a wonderful clearing in the old forest with a lot of benches around a fountain. We find our spaces and Ernie and Ginny start setting up the picnic baskets, conveniently minimised to fit their rucksacks. There's a few bottles of lovely wine and some mineral water, lots of fresh baguettes, crude ham and salami of different sorts, hard boiled eggs, tiny pickled cucumbers, cornichons as Remus calls them. Then there are carrot and celery sticks and a few dips and several salads. We enjoy a superb meal courtesy of the Delacour house-elves and we take our time for it. At the end Remus and I change the twins' nappies and put them in the carriers again where they fall asleep pretty quickly. Their nap won't be as long as in their strollers or cots, but it will do.

We get back to Paris early enough to change and find a restaurant to have a fashionable dinner. We take the strollers along for the children, because we don't need to use the Métro, we walk around to the Tuileries, cross them and take the first bridge over the Seine, which happens to be the Pont Neuf, cross and then walk along the banks of the river until we are just opposite the cathedral of Notre Dame. Remus leads the way to an old bar with a restaurant where we can get a long table in a basement room and we're served excellent French food at a reasonable price. Draco asks Remus why we're coming here:

"Remus, why this particular place? There are dozens of restaurants out there…"

"This, my dear Draco, is probably one of the oldest restaurants in the world, well, buildings that held bars, pubs, restaurants for roughly 950 years. It was already a pub when the cathedral of Notre Dame was constructed and it's called Les Trois Mallets to remind of the workers at the construction site of the cathedral who came to eat and drink here."

I whistle. Special place then. Well, the food is good, tasty, nothing overly exclusive, but very well cooked. The kids eat with gusto whatever we put on their plates. They fall asleep in their strollers right after the dinner though and though the pub holds a piano bar we don't linger, the parents among us return to the hotel, so the little ones get some proper sleep. The younger part of the group decides to stroll around the Quartier Latin for a while longer and maybe go dancing or something.

* * *

Monday, 24.5.1999 / Hermione

I wake up early because my stomach is upside down – again! I can settle it before I have to vomit though. Good. I've got the trick from Madam Pomfrey. Wonder how she knows such stuff, she's taking care of children and teenagers and I don't think that very many pregnant women belong to her clientele. But I was thankful nevertheless. In two out of three cases I can do without the vomiting, and the queasy feeling passes by. Otherwise I'm just fine. Ten weeks, still another thirty to go.

When I cuddle back down under the duvet, Harry wakes up. He lifts his head and asks:

"Okay again?"

"Yes, Harry, the spell worked today."

"Good…"

He pulls me over for a kiss. It's unbelievable what this pregnancy does to me! I must have already quite a lot more blood that's pumping through my veins, and I react to a simple kiss from Harry. I'm turned on and I want him, badly. So far he's not said no to that hunger of mine. It always makes me smile, because he's still very careful not to do anything he thinks might endanger our baby. I have to assure him that it's still so small that there's no danger. If the baby survived the first month it's quite safe. He's getting all mushy and starts to think of names already. We both decide that none of the names used in our family will be reused, not even as middle names.

That reminds me of how James and Lily have reacted to the news. They are both quite thrilled of course and both have vehemently told us not to give the child either of their names. Lily had a few tears in her eyes she was so moved. Then James of course had to joke about the fact that they're getting all mushy about their first grandchild when they were barely 26 years old themselves! Lily took his illusion in a moment by reminding him that technically he was 40, even if he didn't live all those years. Upon which he looked very hurt and reminded **her** that he will only be 40 next March.

I crave breakfast now. This morning we have to clear the rooms and we can leave our baggage at the hotel until we collect it to reach our train tonight. We'll spend the day at the Marais quarter and at the Cluny museum when the children take their nap and finally we'll take them to the Parc Monceau. Then we'll collect our baggage and take taxis to the Gare de Lyon where we get to the train to Bern. We have left the cars at the parking house there.

* * *

**James**

I wake up when I hear Andy babbling in his cot. I'm glad that Lizzie sleeps on. I get out of bed and go to take the baby out of its bed and bring it over to ours. I cover Lizzie's cot with a silencing charm, so that she doesn't hear the rest of the family. Since Lily and I are both late sleepers we really miss our sleep in the morning. Lizzie finally starts to sleep in a bit, but Andy is awake at six every morning. He accepts a bottle of chocolate milk and settles down to play on the carpet for a while. It won't last long, but I'm trying to keep up my hope and crawl in next to my beautiful wife. She pulls me close and I nuzzle her neck and breasts.

"Mmmm," she moans softly.

I miss the sex in the morning, too… but we'd never have left our children behind to go on this outing. There will be other times when we get to sleep in and make love in the morning. Both of our small children are more important.

I'm still stunned that I'm going to be a grandfather. Dad would laugh himself silly, I'm sure! That reminds me how much I miss my parents. They were such wonderful people. Siri misses them, too. But he also laughs himself silly at the thought that I'm already going to be a grandparent. At my age my dad was not even married yet! He met my mum when he was 43 and she was 39. For magical folk this is an ideal age to start a family, but they had to wait for sixteen years after they were married until I came and mum had a number of miscarriages. They wanted a big family, but it never came to be! I know they spoiled me and that was the main reason. When Sirius came to us they spoiled him even more – but more with love than material gifts. Since mum was a Black and Sirius' great aunt, she didn't really have a problem to get custody of him for the short time until his majority. What's interesting is that she wasn't burned out of the infamous Black family tree upon marrying a Potter. Though the family is very, very old it's not entirely pure. There were Muggle-born or half-blood witches and wizards who married into the family at all times. That's why Sirius loved my parents so much. He was as sad as I was when we lost them to a horrid case of the flu. And they died just before we left school. We were really on our own upon leaving Hogwarts.

"What's on your mind, love?" Lily asks.

I smile.

"Just thinking. About my parents, becoming grandparents, how we lost my grandparents… all sorts of things…"

"Your grandparents – the ones you lost in your first year at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah – I never knew my maternal grandparents. Mum was a Black, an aunt of Sirius' mother. You know the Black's obsession with blood purity, but mum had nothing of it. She had three siblings, but lost contact with all of them, even though not all of them followed Voldemort and what's worse – for the person concerned anyway – was there was one who was a squib. Mum got into Ravenclaw and that formed her quite well. Not sure if I'm going to tell Harry about that though…"

"So that actually makes you an uncle of Sirius'"

"Yes, isn't it funny? We're still more close brothers than Sirius and Regulus ever were."

"After what I saw in Sirius' memories I do feel sorry for Regulus somewhat, James. He just didn't seem to have the courage to go against his parents' wishes."

"That's true. In hindsight I think even Sirius can see that. Though Reg managed to become defiant in the end. And paid for that with his life."

"Bad enough."

* * *

**Hermione**

The first part of the day spent at the Marais is impressive. This is one of the quarters that had been built mostly in the days of the reign of Louis XIII and his son, Louis XIV. All the houses are well kept and while the quarter had almost been run down for a good while they have been renovated perfectly well. Two of the city homes of French noble families have been put together to house the museum of the history of Paris. It's been named after one of the houses, the Hôtel de Carnavalet. It belonged to Madame de Sévigné, famous lady of the court of Louis XIV and society know-it-all of the period, a lady who left more than a thousand letters containing much of today's knowledge about the court of the Sun King. It's a very lovely house and some of the rooms, like the ballroom hold period furnishing and show lots of the clothes they wore in these days.

The second museum we visit brings us back to the Middle Ages. Paintings, Statues, Tapestries and lots of other exhibits are shown in the Musée de la Moyen Age, situated in the Quartier Latin and there in the Paris dependence of the Monastery of Cluny. This small cloister had been constructed on Roman thermal baths, which have also been excavated and are a part of the museum. Another part is a delightful little cloister garden.

When the children wake up we take taxis first to the hotel to pick up our luggage, then to the Parc Monceau, where we can play with the children until it's time for another taxi ride to the railway station. We spread on our reserved seats. Remus and Sirius put the children down on a seat each and the little ones sleep as soon as the train is in motion. Lizzie isn't going to sleep as easily, but the rides in the park and her day's activity have tired her out and so she just falls asleep at some point. James plucks her from the floor and places her on a seat.

I'm reading and Harry cuddles up to me to sleep for most of the trip. Ron and Justin are sitting on the row in front of ours and they, too are cuddling, but they take the time for a bit of snogging. James and Lily have the second group of four seats for themselves and the children. We others have seats like in planes, two next to each other.

* * *

Tuesday, 25.5.1999 / Remus

We have to get up very early. Sirius and I share the breakfast with the twins at seven thirty, to have time enough to apparate back to Hogsmeade. We take the children to our flat, where Winky waits for us already and then get dressed properly and pick up our teaching materials to go to class.

The Gryffindor and Slytherin second years are all in front of the classroom when I arrive. I quickly check my watch, but they're just all early.

"Good morning, everyone! I'm letting you in instantly."

I unlock the door and let them inside. I watch them taking their seats. They usually take the same seats in every class. These second years have shyly started to mingle a bit. I'm encouraging it by commending them if they do assignments together. The Gryffindors are certainly more receiving, but these Slytherins have started Hogwarts after Voldemort's demise and none are out of 'sensitive' families. Most of the kids are attentive, have their homework done well and leave a good impression. They're a lot more uptight than the Gryffindors though. I don't get half as many laughs from them. We're starting on the theory of some Dark Creatures and I'm doing Pixies with them right now. Those aren't that difficult to handle, if one learns how.

The morning advances quickly and I'm heading to the Great Hall for lunch. Siri is going down to the flat where the house-elves send the food to our kitchen.

The two periods with the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff seventh years in the afternoon are always quite tough. They are doing some research right now on necromancy. I've given them the lecture of the subject for three or four lessons and they're now looking up more in-depth material to write an essay. The fourth years I have after them have a test on the Unforgivable Curses. We've gone through the Imperius training again and this time many of the students were able to throw the curse off. I've cast it so many times in the meantime it's almost scary. But the result is really promising. Every one of those students will recognise what happens with them should they ever fall victim to this curse. It's really an awful thing and they now all know how it feels, even Sixtus has gained enough trust to let me put him under the curse. At first he wanted me to do this in the privacy of my office, but I told him that he could trust me ten times more in the middle of his classmates. I didn't want to do this with him all alone as I needed to have the witnesses. Only after a while did he understand that. He was not yet able to throw the curse off completely, but he showed signs. I'm thinking of moving Unforgivable Curses up to the fifth years from on next year to spare Kate from having to cast an Unforgivable. That means next year it won't be a subject at all.

I'm walking through the class and watch them finishing their questionnaires.

"As usual, if you're finished you can put it down on my desk and leave the classroom," I tell them.

Several of the Ravenclaws get up, a Hufflepuff or two follow them and they place their parchments on the desk.

"Bye!" they call back.

When the bell rings the last ones put their quills down and I collect the remaining parchments.

"Okay, have a nice evening!"

"Bye, Professor Lupin!" they call and pick up their bags to leave the classroom.

I pick up my briefcase and the pile of parchments, lock the door and go up to my office, where I put the parchments on my desk. It's been a fairly easy test with questions, so it will be corrected and graded quickly. Sirius is at the office, the twins are playing in front of the fireplace when I get in. I smile. How sweet of my lover! He knows about the grading I have to do, so he's brought Seraina and Denny up to the office, where they can be with us while we finish up our work.

I bend down and kiss him.

"Hello, my love!"

"Hi, darling! Do you have a lot to do?"

"No, it's not too much. I have the test from the fourth years and a short essay from my two third years classes this morning. You?"

"Just a test from the sixth years this morning. Third years got an essay to write for homework about shrinking solutions though."

I'm sitting down at my desk. After a while Denny comes crawling over to me and pulls himself up on my robes.

"Papa! papa the'e…"

Every day there are new words from them now. I put the quill down and pick him up to sit him on my lap.

"Hello, my little one. Sorry, I can't play with you yet, I've still got some work to do."

I read over the questionnaire and mark the mistakes. This test is graded quite fast, there are only sixteen students in this class. Then I start on the essay, which is short and even though I have all of the students it's done before dinner. Denny wants to get down again after a while. I let him go and watch him crawling over to Siri, who's started to read up some text for one of his next lessons.

* * *

Friday, 28.5.1999 / Minerva

Albus, Filius and I head over to the meeting quarters of the Order for our monthly meeting. We have reduced the number of meetings to one a month now. Most of the important Death Eaters have been captured and we're usually only exchanging news about the search for the elusive ones anymore. It's becoming a more friendly gathering of old friends, but I have the impression that many of the short time members are staying away more and more and we are left with most of the members from the first war and some more dedicated new members, mostly our very young friends.

Reaching the large reception room right in the bowels of the castle, but far away from the school houses in the dungeons we quickly open the windows to the inner courtyard and fill the room with fresh air. The house-elves have already brought in supplies of food and drink. Severus is already there, he greets us and takes a seat somewhere, Filius and Albus talk about some obscure magical artist I've never heard of and I just look out of one of the windows into the centre courtyard of Hogwarts castle. This was once one of the first reception rooms added to the castle and it has long since been almost forgotten, but in my opinion it's a shame. The room is quite large, very high, the windows are high and narrow, made with wonderful medieval stained glass, charmed to never break of course. I'd bet anything it's Rowena who made up this room. The fact that blue and bronze are the predominant colours in the windows is a dead giveaway. An ornately carved wooden door leads to the cloister outside, which is the largest of about ten or twelve in the castle. For the school we actually only make use of about 20 of the whole castle. I think, I'll organise tours around these parts of the castle for the seventh year students. It seems a shame they never even get to see these beautiful parts of the house.

Once again I marvel how our wonderful house-elves keep everything in perfect order. The castle's innate magic helps them of course, but they do such a perfect job! I wish I could do more for them than treat them well. Hermione would be very happy, that much is for sure.

Opening up the windows and the door to the courtyard and turning back to the room I notice, that my three fellow order members already present look as relaxed as I feel. These meetings have a much more social function these days. Since Severus never fails to make them I suppose even he likes the familiarity they give us. He probably does feel the sense of belonging and I'm quite sure the Death Eaters never gave that to any of them at all. I'm happy to keep the meetings up! After the first war it was somehow all just gone and forgotten, the Order more or less in shambles, but this time, we have all those old and new members still congregating and I enjoy this very much.

Analysing this for a moment I suppose that the reason why we're all still meeting is not only for the fact that many of our friends have come back to life, but also because we know that this time we really are rid of the monster that was Voldemort. And we are rid of his Death Eaters. Actually things can only get better in the near future.

Our fellow members from the outside of the castle come in one by one, in small groups or couples. I'm proud to see the complete Sunnegg gang, adults and young adults alike. Sirius and Remus come in with them as usual. The room fills to the brim with people. It is a joy to see that Molly Weasley has her boisterous baby brothers back. It's wonderful to see Fred and George with their two uncles, who have settled back in so well that they both already have a girlfriend. Molly of course pesters them to get married soon, but I'm not sure they're in a hurry.

Seeing Marlene and Peter, Quintus Lupin, Gideon and Fabian, Edgar Bones, and many others makes me impatient. I know Harry and Tonks move on slowly with the Priori Incantatem, but I can't wait to close Duncan into my arms again.

Everyone has always wondered back then why I married a man who was forty-seven years older than myself. Duncan and I were a whole story to itself, I believe. There are no words to express how much I missed him, in the first few years after his death and still today. He was so much more than a husband and lover. He was my other half, no matter how many years lay between us. I know that the only one who really supported me was Albus. Of course Duncan was a great friend of his, but that's certainly not the only reason. My own family certainly thought I was nuts. They all liked him well enough, but as an uncle of mine, not exactly as a husband. Well, technically I'll now be much older than he is, so things get evened out a lot.

My patience is running so thin. Very Gryffindor, I suppose. No matter what the people around me think, I **am** a Gryffindor, and I have almost all Gryffindor traits anyone can have.

Lily has her children with her, the Black/Lupin twins are there, too, as are several other children of order members. For the start of the meeting we all take a seat somewhere, very informally around the oval of tables in the room. Dumbledore as usual opens the meeting by greeting all the guests and their children.

"Let's get the business done quickly. Anyone who has a report, please stand and deliver it."

The usual procedure is that the first person to Albus' left starts the circle. Today it's Nymphadora Tonks, who sits between Bill and Charlie Weasley, but in my impression much closer to Charlie than his already married brother Bill. Fleur Weasley is not here today, but I hear she's been held up at the French Ministry and will arrive later on.

"Well, I'd best start at the best thing. We have caught Hyacinth Quirrell, the last of the Quirrells known to be a Death Eater. He's hidden himself very well in some reclusive area in Cumbria. His wand has been collected and will be tested for Priori Incantatem together with the others.

"I think, I should leave the report about that to Harry and Lily, and I believe Ron has been on more missions to find victims than I have been."

She sits down again. Hyacinth Quirrell. There were so many in that family who have fallen for the Dark Arts. Our fourth year Sixtus Quirrell's father is the youngest of six brothers and a large number of cousins. The Quirrells are old wizarding blood and have a large and very fertile family. They are also very torn apart as Sixtus' father and another brother are the only ones not practicing Dark Arts and more outspokenly against the Death Eaters. Sixtus himself has four sisters and two more brothers. They're all younger than he is, only one sister is already at Hogwarts, a first year Ravenclaw.

I remember Hyacinth Quirrell as a student when I started to teach at Hogwarts in 1970. He was a seventh year then. One of the many of his generation who quickly fell for Voldemort's promises and lies. He was a decent student and didn't really stand out. Well, that's one Death Eater less and presumably a few more lives recovered.

The next one to speak is Lily. She outlines the latest round of people who have been found back alive.

"Sadly I have to report that two Muggles, who were among the recovered victims, have yet again died almost immediately after coming back. They had been tortured too badly and their hearts gave out instantly. The good thing is that they died with their souls and will hopefully find peace."

"This is the third or fourth time you have reported about such an occurrence, Lily, do you think there is a difference between the Muggles you recover and the magical people? So far you have yet to tell us about any witch or wizard to die immediately after their recovery, " Albus asks.

"We are looking into that at the moment, as we've noted that phenomenon, too. It has probably a meaning, it seems that all the Muggles we have found again so far, there were only seven Voldemort killed himself by the way, have all been weaker and harder to nurse back or they didn't survive. Five of them have actually died, only the two he killed last have survived. They might have been tortured less, one of them had only been killed straight ahead, and he was still weak when he killed them. It seems to be a fact that Muggles are physically weaker when confronted with magic," Lily replies.

Interesting. The next part is even more interesting.

"We have now reached quite far back on Voldemort's wand. You know who we were able to bring back, you get the written reports. Taken from the names of the victims we are now recovering victims of the year 1971. The decade between 1970 and 1980 must have been the one when Voldemort killed most of his victims. We have reached a number of 128 by now. There are still almost thirty years to cover. In that regard I have a question for you, Albus: do you know when he started to show up after all his transformations and studies of the Dark Arts?"

"I think, I heard of the first victims that could definitely be counted as victims of Lord Voldemort in 1968. So there might be a period before that was relatively calm in that respect. He was also very active in the mid 1940's, when he served for Grindelwald. He vanished from sight almost right after I defeated Grindelwald and I haven't seen or heard from him for about fifteen years after that. Right when I became Headmaster in 1970 he came to ask for the job to teach Defence against the Dark Arts. When I refused he cursed the position and left to start his campaign. By that time he already had a good number of Death Eaters around him, a few of them still left from the days of their service to Grindelwald. He immediately started to pluck young people who left Hogwarts, mainly from houses such as Slytherin and Ravenclaw."

"Didn't people see that it was nonsense? How could he become so powerful after all?" Hermione asks.

"Many people probably did see, Hermione, but you see, he started to use his young Death Eaters as a terrorising squad. He sent them out to bully people into taking a pro-Voldemort position and those he couldn't bully he murdered. This way he found the large silent consenting part of the wizarding population. People who probably didn't like his views, but were too scared to do much against it. He promised power to his followers and taught them that they didn't need to care for the laws, they could do as they pleased. Which led to them really doing as they pleased."

Hermione only nods.

"Much like Hitler used his SA and later on his policy of denunciation, you mean?" she asks.

"Very much like that, Hermione. I would think, through Grindelwald he had direct access to these ideas, which he only later on used in his own way."

I can see many a young head looking puzzled. Unlike the Sunnegg gang who have enjoyed Remus' history lessons they know very little about Muggle history in general and recent Muggle history is further to them than the moon. We'll have to do something about it. The young ones need to know about more than goblin rebellions and what spell was invented by whom and when.

"Anyway, we have had to stop after every fifth or so victim to make sure we could find them all before they have to wander around not knowing where they are and what happened etcetera. That has slowed us quite a bit. There's some progress in the wand identification and so far only three wands made by Ollivander have turned out without a brother wand. People have been contacted and asked if they would either take part themselves or entrust their wand to an Auror to do it for them."

"How has the response been to that?" Severus asks.

Lily turns to reply directly to him. She grins.

"You wouldn't believe how many of them have spontaneously come forth and said they wouldn't let anyone else do it for them. I have had a few very enjoyable conversations in that regard. There was one lady, who must be way over 100, who said that it was the least she could do in the memory of her dead brother and sister and that she's glad that we do this. I really hope that her dead siblings turn up among those wands. Another admitted that he had not had the courage to really fight in the war, but that he felt this was a good possibility to make up for his cowardice. I could go on and on. Some people have asked what would happen and after my explanation of the spell they preferred to come and give the wand to an Auror. There's going to be quite a lot of mayhem at the Ministry for a while."

Severus only nods.


	13. Summer Days in Zanzibar

A/N - I know it's taken a while again - but here it is, the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews and thanks to those who added the story or its author to their favourites. It is great fun to write, but the inspiration is not always there. Or I know where I want to get but not how to get there :-) Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Summer ****Days in Zanzibar**

**Tuesday, 1.6.1999 / Quintus**

I'm really looking forward to start working again now. I'll miss little Addie, but we'll see each other on many weekends. I'm of course back to apparating from Switzerland to work every day, but I've done this before and it's not hard to do. After all, the kids do this just as easily.

I'm reporting to the department and to old Tiberius Vance. He gets up from his desk and greets me with a handshake and a heartfelt welcome back.

"It's good to have you back on the team, Quintus. The library could do with some of your tender loving care. I believe that it's become a chaos since you've left!"

"Not surprising. I must be the only systematic Unspeakable ever…" I grumble, but then thank him for the warm welcome.

"It's good to come home, Tiberius, I really look forward to work again."

"You mean to have fun?"

"Just about. – You know me too well!"

"That's what makes a good boss. – How is your son doing?"

"Excellent, Tiberius. I couldn't be prouder of him – he's been made Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts."

"What! And he's still alive to actually start that job?"

"Amazingly yes. I suppose the relative quiet upon that nomination was thanks to his students. Most of them love him very much."

"It's about time I met Albus for a little chat again. Been too long…"

"He'll have a bit more time now, I suppose, since he'll retire by the end of the month. He'll be pleased, I'd wager."

Tiberius shows me the office I can use and I start to make myself comfortable. He has a first job for me, too, which coincides with one subject I wanted to study more thoroughly myself. The magic at play in the Priori Incantatem of course, as well as the magic at play in Avada Kedavra. In fact there is a whole group of related subjects that go into this study.

"If you hadn't given me the order to do this I'd have asked you for it, Tiberius…" I admit.

"Thought so. And I thought I'd come forth before you ask. It's an important matter anyway and since you were a victim of one and profited of the other magic I would think you'd be the first to want to investigate further. We're a bit short staffed these days, there are not many young people who come forth and show interest in our line of work these days. And most of those who applied have had really terrible abilities in analytical potions. You know how important that is for our job. I've personally written to Albus several times to emphasise more on the subject, but for years we've just seen either politically impossible candidates or badly educated ones."

"The reason for that would have a name: Severus Snape," I tell him.

"I know. Albus never concurred to have this man under control. I was really at a loss, but we never noticed anything, and it turned out that Augustus Rookwood was a Death Eater. I certainly wouldn't have suspected him."

"Neither would I. It was mentioned and I was really astonished. Anyone else on the staff?"

"Thankfully only one – who vanished himself immediately after Augustus was arrested. Baruch Burke."

"I'm glad to hear that the department wasn't really infested. Burke was not bad at what he did, but I don't think he was that much of a use for Voldemort. Augustus on the other hand… must have been quite the shock for Barty."

"I suppose so. He was never quite the same after the sentence he had to give his own son. And only son, too, as you know. Became even more ruthless and was finally just shoved off to the Department of Magical Cooperation. That's when Amelia took over and cleaned the Department of Magical Law Enforcement out. Did a good job, she did, that gal! Wonderful woman…"

"How did you get along with Fudge? Is he any better than Millicent?"

"If he is then I haven't noticed in what way yet. May not be as scatterbrained as old Milly, but he definitely doesn't have the interest of the wizarding population in mind. Only his own. As long as he can hold on to that office he will!" Tiberius replies and there's a fiery glint in his eyes now.

Those are strong words coming from someone who's as mild as Tiberius Vance! I do believe that there is no love lost between him and Fudge. He confirms that:

"This man is responsible for such evil creatures making a career in the Ministry as one Dame Umbridge and some other rather questionable persons. He's blatantly given to and taken favours from just about everyone who was ready to pay for them. I have seen a couple of Ministers come and go, Quintus, but he's taking the top of the list easily when it comes to corruption."

Yuck. I'm so glad that the Department of Mysteries is keeping a bit outside of the Ministry.

"Since you say we're a bit understaffed, Tiberius, I could try to recruit for a bit. I know a couple of young people who are good enough to join us here – and who might be interested to do so. If you do want to hire that is."

"You do? You must have come around among the youngsters a bit, I suppose, what with your son being at Hogwarts…"

"Yes, I got right into a circle of wonderful young people! One or two of them come to mind actually."

"How old?"

"Very young. You might want to wait until they gain a bit more experience, most of them have only just started Avalon Academy. And you can expect better potions results in the near future… the new professors should do the trick, so that every student will be able to learn potions, not only the Slytherins."

"Snape gone then? Finally! I could have strangled Albus for keeping Snape as a teacher. We could have protected him in a hundred different ways, but Albus wouldn't hear any of it. I have had very little contact to the younger section of our world lately. As you know my closest remaining relative is Emmeline, and she's not very often around these days…"

"Where is she? I haven't met her yet. She must be right grown now!"

"That she is! Wonderful young woman she's turned out to be. I've practically brought her up. She's travelling. Now that there's peace reigning again she thought she might see something of the world before deciding on what she really wants to do with her life. So tell me – who would you have in mind? We could do with an apprentice or two."

"One very able young lady would be Padma Patil. Very analytical, very interested in a multitude of subjects, excellent work ethic. Another I'd also could imagine very well here is Morag McDougal. She's currently going through Muggle high school. A former Slytherin who was at my son's safe house for two years, then returned to Hogwarts and was resorted. She became a Gryffindor. Not a brilliant mind per se, but a very hard worker. High moral standard and a good sense of research. The young Potters, mainly Hermione Potter, but she's into studying law. I suppose she has a political career in mind. Muggle born witch who has been top of her year from her first to her last year. She was in Remus' safe house, too, otherwise she would have been a certain head girl of Hogwarts."

"Sounds like an interesting crop. I give you free hand to contact these three young ladies."

"Thank you, Tiberius."

So – before I really can start to dive into research I'll have a look at that library. It still seems to lack a librarian. It is exactly as Tiberius said: a chaos. I start to clean up and send a message to the whole department to ask everyone to bring back every single book they have, here or at their homes, so I can get that library in order. It will take a couple of days and probably four or more reminders, but they'll come back. Once I'll have the catalogue in order again I'll let them take out books again. One of the first things I allow myself to do is to post an ad to the Chronicle of Magic and look for a librarian. This owl is off on this very first day I'm back at work. By the evening I have already seen about half of the Unspeakables who brought back all the books they currently use.

"Thank you, Barberis, you can come back and take them out in about three days. I need to clean this chaos up here."

"Good to have you back again, Quintus, even if it's unhandy that I don't have my books at the moment… we didn't find anything anymore!"

"And none of you morons thought about hiring a librarian?"

"A librarian? Indeed not!"

"Well, I've taken that off your hand now…" I reply with a smile. "I will hire one."

"Ah! Sensible idea that. Could be mine – could be mine…" he mutters while turning around and leaving the library.

I grin. This department hosts about 35 Unspeakables and of those 35 at least 30 are utterly crazy. Most of them are closer in age to Albus than to me. I'm the youngest in this place and that by far! Rookwood was two years older than I and that Baruch Burke was about ten years older than I. Other than that, most of the people in here are really old. Time to train young people is what I say. I do expect them to die one after the other within the next twenty years. We need to get out of them what they researched and studied in the last over 100 years before they go. Young people in here would be perfect to lure their information out and to write it all down. They can all read perfectly well, but I sometimes suspect they forgot how to write.

I'm very busy until the evening. I finish up at five and return to the Sunnegg. The young people are coming in and I join them for an aperitif. Lizzie and Andy come and greet everyone who's coming home. I watch Harry as the young man picks up his siblings one by one to greet them and to play with each of them for a moment.

"He's doing **so** well with them. I can't wait to see him becoming a father…" says James next to me.

"He is one fine young man, James. You can be very proud of him, but I know you are."

"Oh, I am. He's such a wonderful character that not even the foul treatment he suffered at my sister and brother-in-law's place could destroy his naturally good disposition. Looking back I know now just how spoiled I was, Quintus! I really thought all the world of myself, but seeing Harry, who's never had anything becoming such a wonderful person – I am now taking care that I don't spoil Lizzie and Andy too much. I was on the verge of making my parents' mistakes with Lizzie at the start, but I believe I'm doing better now."

"All parents make mistakes, James. That's part of parenthood. It has to be, so that we can learn from our errors. Your parents were still very fine people, don't forget. You were just given to them very late in life and when they almost feared that they would stay childless. Dorea blamed her inbreeding family for that. So you were so precious to them that they spoiled you. On the other hand you didn't turn out half bad, "

"Oh, I won't forget that, I loved them to bits. Mum was a wonderful mother. She just didn't know when to be more strict with me. I suppose it was because she experienced too much of that at her home. But the result was that I really thought a lot of myself."

"Yes, that could really be said. Dorea probably had the same kind of childhood as Sirius had."

"That's why she insisted of taking him in when he ran away from home. She knew exactly where he was coming from and was very understanding."

We watch the children for a moment while we're quietly sipping on our drinks. Then I see Padma walking by and call her over.

"Padma, may I ask you something?"

"Sure, Quintus. Hi! Did you have a good start?"

"Yes, I did. A very good start – I'm cleaning up that hell they dare to call a library," I say with a grin.

"Uh oh…"

"I used to look after it in my time, but since I was gone they kept taking books out and pushed them back in no matter where – if they even took them back!, so when I got in there today I basically just cleaned up a bit. It's going to keep me busy for a while."

"Not that you hate working with libraries…" she teases.

"I certainly don't. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about in the first place. I was wondering if you could imagine becoming an Unspeakable. This department urgently needs fresh blood, because otherwise these old codgers start to die before they can pass their information and you need to start studying all over again."

"I've never thought about it. I'm studying transfiguration now, but I had a tough time deciding on my main subject. I basically just wanted to go to university, and didn't really know what I liked most."

"I would like to invite you to come to the department in your summer break and see if you like it. Just remember that I would have to memory charm you if you decide against working there. Though I find it the longer the more idiotic to be so secretive about it. I do have this idea that they do it so the old farts in there don't actually have to deliver anything and can just hang around. There are important and interesting facts of life and death studied that we need to let the general public know if they're interested. And most people there should finally start writing down their findings. There are at least two who have studied in there for more than a hundred years and have basically never written down a word."

"And you think I would be useful in there?"

"Very. I'll also go looking through the past few years of Hogwarts students who left school and see if I find more young apprentices."

"Keith Moon comes to mind. He was a classmate of mine at Hogwarts. We usually didn't know where his brain ended and then there's another girl, Luna Lovegood. She thinks so far out of the box you wouldn't believe it! But she's got a brilliant mind!" Padma tells me. "She'll get out of Hogwarts by the end of the month."

"Thinking outside of the box is one thing that is never wrong in research. Seemingly impossible theories can be the basis of some interesting findings. I'll talk to Remus about this girl. So, do you think you would like to come and look around for a bit?"

"Yes, I think so. See if I catch the research bug…"

I send a quick e-mail to Remus after dinner. When I check my mail just before going to bed I find that he's already sent a reply:

"Hi Papa!

Brilliant choice! She's a very different kind of personality, but she is kind and sweet – and highly intelligent. She's often been picked at, because she's strange to her classmates, but when you start to really talk to her you'll find that she's quite down-to-earth. I've just asked Filius about her career choices, but seemingly she didn't get very specific, so he basically suggested she should carry on with most of her core subjects and one of her chosen subjects on NEWTS level. She's done very well and has not had a problem with the amount of work. She's testing in nine subjects for NEWTS. I'm sure she'll pass most of them if not all.

So, after taking a short moment to speak with Filius and Minerva I would say, come up and speak to her yourself.

You might know that her father is Xenophilius Lovegood, the editor and publisher of the Quibbler.

Hugs right back, from Addie, too, she sends good night kisses.

Rem"

Very good. I print the answer and will take it to work tomorrow.

* * *

**Wednesday, 2.6.1999 / Quintus**

Tiberius grins when I show him the mail Remus sent me. He looks at the paper with a bit of a funny blink.

"That's not parchment…"

"No Tiberius, that's very simple Muggle paper… it's come right out of the printer. My son sent me this upon my question yesterday. Padma Patil actually dropped that young lady's name to me and I asked Remus what he thought. Since he's got a bit of an idea about the department he thought this…"

Tiberius reads and nods.

"Sounds like a good candidate. What about the other one?"

"Padma? She's actually studying Transfiguration at the Academy. But I invited her to come and see the department in summer."

"Transfiguration? I know for a fact that they do not often take apprentices for Transfiguration at Avalon…"

"No, they don't. But she's had an excellent teacher – my son-in-law."

"You don't have a son-in-law, Quintus. Or when did you pick up a daughter?"

I laugh.

"How about my son's life partner? They're as good as married and they've been joined a long time ago. He'll always be my son-in-law, whether they can actually get married or not. In any case Sirius is brilliant at Transfigurations, probably one of McGonagall's finest students ever."

"Very well. Then go to Hogwarts and speak with this girl. Merlin knows we could use some young staff members."

"I think so, too. Even if they'll only be assistants to the current Unspeakables. What can I offer them as a pay?"

"6000 Galleons a year maximum."

"That's not a bad salary at all for a starter. Gracious of you, Tiberius."

"The department is fairly rich. No problems. But it's time we get some stuff published again and these sleepyheads here don't write at all! Another reason why I'm so glad to have you back. Some fresh wind in here is badly needed!"

"I'll try to keep it blowing until the fire comes back. I'm off to Hogwarts at noon then."

Just before that time I apparate up to the gates at Hogwarts and take out my broom to fly up to the main door. It's open, as it's nice and warm already. I step into the big Entrance Hall and make my way to the Great Hall, where I can hear that lunch is served. When I come inside I see Remus at the head table. He sees me, too, and beckons me over to the table.

"Hello Quintus! How nice to see you," says Albus.

"Good day, everyone."

"Take a seat and eat with us, we've only just started," Minerva offers.

I find a place next to my son and he asks:

"Are you coming to speak with Luna?"

"Yes. Do you know if she already has an engagement of any sort?"

"I don't think so. – Filius, Luna Lovegood doesn't have a job yet, does she?"

"No, not to my knowledge. Would you really consider her for the Department of Mysteries, Mr. Lupin?"

"Yes, I think so. But of course I'd like to speak to her first."

"I think she'd do well there, papa. But I'm also a bit afraid that there's a danger she could just lose herself in there, too. She's already a bit of a loner here."

"I can see what you mean. We'll have to look after her then, won't we?"

I can accompany Professor Flitwick to his classroom, as Luna Lovegood's next class is Charms. At first I just sit and listen, look around and observe the young woman. She seems to cast charms easily. At the start of the second period Professor Flitwick asks her to come with me, so that we can talk. She gets up, gathers her materials, looks at me with great big eyes and follows me to some empty classroom, where I ask her to take a seat.

"Let me first of all introduce myself: my name is Quintus Lupin, and I'm coming to speak to you about the Department of Mysteries. Your name was brought to my attention first by Padma Patil, who said she was a year above you at Hogwarts and in your house…"

"That's right. What do you want of me, sir? Are you a relative of Professor Lupin's?"

"I'll answer the second question first, Miss Lovegood. Yes, Professor Remus Lupin is my son."

"He's one of the best teachers we have here, sir! Everyone likes him!"

"That's very nice to hear. I'm very proud of him, he really has done exceptionally well."

"Yes, I'm sure that not everyone would be able to live as well with lycanthropy as he does. My dad was very impressed!"

"He's certainly proven a few points. – So you don't have a problem with the fact that he's a werewolf?"

"Do you? Obviously not, or you wouldn't be proud of him, would you? No, I don't. I don't know anyone here who really has a problem. Some may be a bit afraid of him, but I wouldn't know."

"Thank you, Miss Lovegood. – Well, what I would like to ask you is: have you already thought about going into research?"

"Research? In what subject?"

"Just about any subject you like. The Department of Mysteries treats questions of deepest magical theories, life, death and everything between the two extremes and beyond. It desperately needs a few apprentices as it's hopelessly over-aged. So we are looking for young and interested people to join us. Would you be interested?"

"I'm not really sure if I would fit into that well… it's very nice of Padma to mention my name, but… you see, I'm a bit odd. I'm not like my schoolmates at all. They think I'm crazy."

"I don't think you are. May I ask you a few questions, Miss Lovegood?"

"Certainly."

I quiz her on a few themes and find that she does have answers to most of my questions – if sometimes not quite the ones I expect. But I'm beginning to see what Padma meant when she said that this young woman thinks outside of the box. She is not very fixed on facts in some areas. But in others she shows good basic general knowledge and has ideas when I give her a few prompts. At the end of our conversation I ask her:

"Would you tell me how we can contact you outside of Hogwarts? It might take a few days and I'd like to go through our conversation with my superior, so we can decide. It is well possible that we would consider to invite you to become an Unspeakable apprentice."

"I'd be pleased to, sir!"

She notes down her address and Commumirror ID and I take the scrap with a smile.

"Thank you for this very interesting conversation, Miss Lovegood. I will contact you soon."

I watch her leave the classroom. Then I get up and go through the school until I find my son's office. He doesn't seem to be back yet, so I go down to his classroom. I know that the current period must be about to end and really, just a few minutes later the bell rings. The door opens, the students come out of the room and I can go in.

"Hey there!" Remus greets.

"Hey there yourself. – That is a really nice young lady, Remus."

"She is. Bit of a lost soul sometimes I have the impression."

"Not shy, but held back at the start. She opened up quite nicely once I started to quiz her a bit. I think she could do well. I've also talked to Padma. She's interested to come and see the department during her summer break."

"Ah! Now there's someone who really would do well in there. Luna can be a bit of a sleepyhead sometimes."

"Well, that will help her to fit in with all the other sleepyheads in there. They're becoming awful, Remus."

He laughs.

"Must be bad for you."

"I don't know, really. I mean, it didn't disturb me before, now did it? It left me a lot of freedom. But these days I just can't stop thinking that one by one they'll just drop dead over their studies. How horrible is that thought?"

"Quite dreadful."

"Anyway, I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. I'll see you on the weekend?"

"Not sure. We have exam preparation. That will take a while."

"Ah. Well, then see you soon!"

"You too, papa. I can hardly wait for the end of the month, to go on our vacation!"

"I can understand that. Must be hard – all that work!"

"It'll be much better after the holidays! Six classes instead of fourteen makes a huge difference!"

"Understandably. Doesn't take much maths to see that."

"Of course I'll still have the whole Hogwarts household on my shoulder."

"You get along perfectly well with the house elves! Shouldn't be a problem."

"And luckily Filch has decided it's time to retire! We'll get another caretaker."

"Another squib?"

"Most probably. Must be someone who has no magical power over the kids, but who is able to discipline them anyway. We'll see."

"Good luck then. Bye, my dear."

"Bye, papa! Say hello to the gang!"

"Will do!"

I'm going out and almost stumble over Sirius.

"Well, hello there, Quintus!"

"Hi Sirius! How are things?"

"Very well, thank you. And you? Did you get a good start?"

"Very good start, thank you. It's really good to be back home."

"Great! See you soon then!"

* * *

**Friday, 11.6.1999 / Sirius**

It's exam time again. All the fifth and seventh years have another week to prepare, the first, second and third years are going through their exams this week. I'm having half a day for each of the two first and second year classes and a whole day for the third years. Next week it will be the turn of the fourth and sixth years. The tests are set up by ourselves and I've had to work them out if I didn't want to just copy from Snape. We've had the first years on Monday with a practical and a theoretical test. The second years came up on Tuesday, then the third years all of Wednesday. They've mostly worked very well as far as I could see. I'm now working through the whole load to grade. The mark consists of half the points for the potion they have brewed and half the points they will get for the theoretical questionnaire. The third years have half the points for the potion and then a quarter of the points for each an essay and a questionnaire. The same system is used for the fourth and sixth years.

Remus is working on his own tests. His practical stuff can be marked immediately, but there's a questionnaire and an essay for all forms, through which he's wading now. Especially the first years are a lot of work, since there are so many.

It's about five in the afternoon when there's a knock on the door and Albus pokes his head around it.

"I know you're quite busy, but do you have a few minutes left?" he asks.

"Sure, come in, Albus!" Remus says.

Albus steps inside and behind him Snape comes in.

"Severus is here to do some research in the library…"

"Come in! Tea?" Remus offers.

"Hello, Severus," I great him, get up and guide them to the other end of the room. The twins are here again and noisily play around this end of the room.

"Hello, Remus, Sirius," Snape says quietly.

Wow, he starts using first names! Working outside of the school must be doing him some good! Remus and Albus quietly conjure up some tea and we all sit down. I watch Snape as he looks at the children with huge black eyes. He doesn't know about them, I suppose, so I introduce them:

"I suppose you haven't met our children yet, Severus. The young lady is Seraina Lupin and that's her brother Dennis Black. They share their birth mother."

"Merlin, did you have to go and make more pests like yourself?" he asks.

I just smirk. We sit and as usual when we sit down it doesn't take long until the little ones want to climb on our laps. Seraina pulls herself up between Albus and I. He pulls her up on his lap and smiles at her.

"How are you today, young Miss Lupin?" he asks kindly.

She grins and babbles something. So far she's not been able to say Albus' name properly. The closest she's managed until now is something like 'Abu'. He doesn't mind, he's delighted that they like him.

"They really are delightful children, Severus and so far quite well behaved, I assure you. With the new system we are starting next school year they won't see their fathers as teachers before their fifth year."

"For which I'm actually quite glad," Remus remarks.

"I've heard you're the new Deputy Headmaster, Remus?"

"Yes. Next week we'll start on moving that part of Minerva's office up here. Her office will become one of the new Potions Masters' office. The old transfiguration classroom will then become the new Potions classroom, probably the one for the first through fourth years, because it's already a very big room. Sirius wants to keep his classroom as well as we want to keep our office together here, since we have plenty of space in here and it's so bright."

"Congratulations. You're getting to be a few firsts here…"

"First student, first teacher and now even first Deputy Headmaster, bla bla bla… in two years we'll have another werewolf student as Mandy Brocklehurst tells me. She has a ten years old girl under her care who will certainly get a Hogwarts letter."

"Shouldn't really be a problem if the child takes the potion."

"That's what we think. She'll probably transform with me though. At least until everyone is completely comfortable around her. And then she'll start on the Animagus training as soon as possible to relieve her from the painful transformation. If she can manage the Animagus that is. It has helped me beyond anything! Together with the potion the full moon nights just mean the transformation will take place, but it doesn't have such an impact on me anymore. – I just hate it if some of those little ones there pull my whiskers!"

"You mean, you let them near you?" Snape stares in shock.

"Yes, we do. They already know that Moony has teeth which are very dangerous, but they love to cuddle with him. We always let them be with him for a while, well, not now in summer, because they'll be asleep by the time he needs to transform, but when the transformation takes place before their bed time. And of course they're supervised, because Moony can't always keep them at bay without running the risk of catching them with his teeth," I say.

Since it's just after their nap, Denny and Seraina are rather active and don't stay in the same place for a long time. Denny moves to Severus and looks at him, then stretches his hands out, because if he does that so far everyone has kindly picked him up. Severus does offer him a hand and Denny pulls himself up. He can also walk by now and displays that proudly.

"How old are they?"

"Just over a year. That's why there's not much talking yet, but they walk and you see that they've perfected their crawling already. It's real fun to see them grow up."

"And we get to enjoy them as well. Only now Sirius and Remus don't bring them to the Great Hall for the meals anymore, so we have to come visit here to see them these days."

"So you have them fed in your flat or what?" Snape asks.

"One of us eats with them there. We don't have them fed, Severus. We do as much as we can ourselves. Winky watches them when we're in class, but we want to have as much as possible of their waking time. On the other hand we don't want them in the main school before they actually start Hogwarts."

We move on to other subjects and Snape asks about Draco.

"He's doing fine, Severus. He's working together with the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan and they're building a wizarding fun park in the French Alps. They want to have it open by next early spring. And he and Parvati Patil are engaged. The wedding is to take place in September I think."

"What! He's actually getting married to that girl? I thought she'd be just a phase…"

"Seems like she isn't. He's really in love with her and she's reciprocating, Severus," I say.

"Well, she's as good as anyone."

We talk about the gang and he actually tells us a bit about the job he now has at the Ministry, then it gets time to go to dinner. We all go downstairs to the Entrance Hall, where Remus and I turn to go to our flat.

* * *

**Friday, 18.6.1999 / Padma**

It's my first day at the Department of Mysteries. I'm apparating there with Quintus and he leads me over to meet Mr. Vance. Dear me, this man must be as old as Dumbledore! He looks me up and down and finally says:

"I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Patil. I will leave you to the able hands of Quintus Lupin, who will show you around and introduce you to the staff."

"Thank you, Mr. Vance."

Quintus grins when we go out and explains:

"Don't mind him, Padma, he's old and stuffy and he's somewhat a product of his Victorian century. He's almost as old as Dumbledore, but he's kept himself quite well, hasn't he? And once he gets to know you a bit he'll warm up considerably. I suppose he's only still here because he hasn't found a good successor yet and if you look at the people I'm going to introduce you to you will see why! I'm by far the youngest in the department."

The first stop is at an office that three Unspeakables share. They all look as dusty as the texts they seem to be working with. All also look like they're zombies!

"Good morning, gentlemen. May I introduce a future new member of the staff?" Quintus says, almost shouts.

"What?" one of them croaks while the other two look up.

"That hasn't happened since you joined the department, Lupin!" one of the two squeaks.

I have to hold back my grin.

"Well, it's necessary. Seeing you rotting lot it's very clear that we need some young staff. This is Miss Patil. She'll be here during her summer break from the Academy, where she's a Transfiguration student. Miss Patil's first job will be to assist some of you to finally write down some of your findings."

"You mean we have to write our findings down? Who ever said something like that? Been here for 83 years and no one ain't ever mentioned anything about writing!"

The man who asks this is a faint wizard with a very long pointed wizard's hat and robes like Dumbledore wears them, only his set is so faded that the stars on them are barely visible. He has the same kind of long beard and very similar half moon glasses, but none of the old teacher's twinkle in the eye.

"Yes, Barnaby, the idea of research is to write down what you found out. If you don't like it, go and talk to Tiberius. He'll tell you."

It is interesting that wherever we pass the conversations turn out to be about the same. Finally we arrive at an office where Quintus tells me to put down my things.

"This is my office. I have one for myself for the time being. You can install yourself here. Miss Lovegood will join us here after she leaves Hogwarts, which is in two weeks. And then we'll slowly but surely have to extricate all the information these near bodies over there have collected and once that's done they are ripe for retirement. That means we can then start to build up this department from scratch. I don't expect that to be before you finish your studies at the Academy, Padma!"

He grins at me. I get a bit worried though.

"Won't they look at you as a danger to their positions?" I wonder.

"I don't think they regard anything as a danger at this point. Tiberius is more alive than the whole bunch of these people. They don't have to work here anymore, they're all long past their retirement age, they could leave here tomorrow. But I don't want them to leave before we got some of the things they may have found out of them, written and possibly published."

"I see what you mean. They all live in their own world, don't they?"

"Exactly. But they know a few things and they have no right to keep that knowledge all to themselves. They've made loads of experiments besides their studies, so it will be your and Miss Lovegood's job to tickle that out of them, write it up and publish it in their names. Well, if they want it published under their names of course."

I gesticulate a crystal ball and say:

"Okay, so I foresee a lot of writing in my near future."

"Use a Dictaquill…" he replies, unfazed.

We both laugh.

"Oh, I'll interview them with a Dictaquill at work alright, don't worry. I think I might gain a lot of insight into their knowledge by doing that."

"Exactly. It will give the two of you a good head start for your research work later on. Don't forget to include their research techniques into your questioning."

"Hm. I had better get a catalogue of questions ready. I will pass them one by one and ask them a few basic questions, like when they started to do their research, what subjects they researched and then let them tell me about their respective fields of research. Then I'll go more in depth for the individual studies they made."

"Sounds like a good start. Also clearly ask about the results of their research and have them define whether these results are still theories or if they are facts corroborated through experiments. If they have no documents on their experiments you should insist that the experiments be made again with you and then properly document that."

The day passes quickly as I start to compile a list of questions. I'll try the usefulness of this catalogue on one of the Unspeakables and work out the flaws until Luna will join us in two weeks. Then I let her give me her input about the kind of questions and add some more of her own.

I also take some time to explore the vast area that's given to the Department. There is actually more than one library, in fact there are about six of them. While I explore the libraries for a bit I know that Quintus interviews applicants for the position as a librarian. I'll be glad if it's someone a bit closer to my age than the Unspeakables, who are mostly quite creepy.

During my exploring trip around the Department I've come across a small office, which seems to be empty. It seems to me like I could use this one for my interviews, so that I could talk to the Unspeakables without disturbing the others. I could decorate it to my taste and then set up my interview things… I go over to Quintus and ask about that little room.

"Quintus, do you think I could use one of those little rooms back behind one of the libraries to interview the Unspeakables? I could make it nice and comfy to make it easy and not disturb the other people in the offices."

"These are most certainly unused at the moment. I don't think there would be any problem if you want to use them. Do you want to make certain with Tiberius? He doesn't mind visitors at all, just knock on his door."

"Okay."

I have a bit of a funny anxious feeling to go back to the boss. I suppose I'd rather see Quintus as my boss here, so I hoped to have little to do with Mr. Vance, but when he calls me inside of his office he turns out to be a very nice person.

"Hello there, Miss Patil. What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Mr. Vance. I was just wondering if I could use one of the small offices behind the libraries? These seem to be unused…"

"Whichever you like, Miss. What are you going to use it for?"

"Well, Quintus wants me and Luna to tickle out information the other Unspeakables have collected over the years to have it written down. Seems they've never done any writing at all."

"Well I never! Jolly good idea. I could never get them to do anything sensible with the information they gathered. Good luck to you, girl."

"I'll redecorate the office for a bit and I bet a good platter of biscuits and their preferred beverage will loosen their tongues," I promise.

"Very good. Do that."

* * *

**Thursday, 25.6.1999 / Remus**

The leaving feast tonight! Sirius and I are both happy that this stressful year is over. It's been hard to work that much and have that little time for our children. But now it will be considerably better.

Minerva has moved all the filing cabinets to our office. There is the smaller one concentrating on affairs concerning the Gryffindors and there are the four large ones with all the students' files. There are all of the devices for the students' letters, especially the Book of Names, which records all the newly born children with magical talent. Sirius can't but quickly look up the twins, which are both there of course.

I'll have a lot of administrative work to do in the first week. I have to prepare the letters for the first year students. Minerva helps me putting the list and the letters together. There's a specially enchanted quill to write the letters and we use a dictaquill for the supply list. Two days are consecrated to the visits of the Muggle-born students. This year we'll have 48 new students, six of them are Muggle-born. It's my job to go and visit them now.

"Do you think you get it done, Remus? They usually ask for some magic to see and I'm usually using my Animagus for a first display."

"No, I think that I will be fine. Do you usually deliver the letters yourself?"

"Yes, but with an owl. Since we ask them to send their confirmation letter by owl they need to have one at their disposal."

"Okay. And what about helping them to Diagon Alley?"

"It depends. If they are fine with their child going to Hogwarts I usually go with them for the shopping. Then the visits occupy me for about three or four days. If they want to think about it I leave them very precise directions and give them the hints for the shops, Gringotts and so on… and because not all parents are wealthy I add a list with the cheaper shops."

I think, this is going to be a fun part of my new job! The first visit is in the London area, so it's going to be quick in case they want to add the shopping trip to my visit.

I watch the owl deliver the letter. It's a small house with a tiny front yard and probably not much bigger backyard. The owl flutters around a window on the back side of the house. About ten minutes later a man comes out of the house and passes me. A while later I ring the bell on the door. I have to wait for a moment, but then a woman who looks to be in her late thirties opens the door.

"Yes?" she says and sounds a bit irritated.

"Good morning, Mrs Snider. My name is Remus Lupin. I assume you have just encountered a very strange sight of an owl with a letter to your daughter Sarah?"

Her eyes widen and she asks:

"How do you know that? It's indeed what has happened! We thought it was quite the joke!"

"I'm afraid it's no joke, I'm the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts, the school we have invited your daughter to attend. I signed her letter. May I come inside and explain things more thoroughly?"

"How do I know that you're really who you claim you are?"

"Passport? Driver's license?" I offer.

"That would at least be something…"

I show her my passport. She nods, makes room and lets me enter. Then she shows me to a small living room.

"Summer break has just started, so my three are all at home now, it's rather messy, I'm sorry!" she says.

"Don't worry, I know that's not to avoid with three small children. Is Sarah your oldest?"

"Yes, she is. She's just turned eleven in April."

"Was there ever something strange or funny about her? Did she ever do things that no one could explain?" I ask her.

She looks around surprised. Then she smiles and says:

"Yes, yes, now that you mention it I can remember a few such things. My husband thought that she must have telekinetic talents. She can lift small things without touching them!"

"That's one of the most frequent forms of early magic such children display. Your daughter will be able to do much more than that once she's finished with her training at Hogwarts. Do you still have the letter?"

She blushes and says:

"Yes, but I'm afraid I have just torn it up…"

I smile and tell her:

"If you give me the shreds, I'll see to it that it's repaired…"

She gets up and brings the bits to me, then she goes to the staircase and calls:

"Sarah! Come down here, but this instant!"

A few minutes later a slim girl with dark brown long hair comes running down the stairs and cries:

"What is it, Mum? I was just going to call Belinda to fix a date… – who are you?"

The girl looks at me and at the shreds of the letter I hold in my hand.

"That's this funny letter that was just dropped by an **owl**! What are you doing with it?"

"Hello Sarah! My name is Remus Lupin, I'm the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts, I've sent this letter to you."

"It's true then? I'm really a**witch**?" she whispers.

"Yes, that's true."

I pull out my wand and say:

"I'll quickly repair this!"

With a quick Reparo-spell the parchment looks like it's never been crumpled or torn. Mother and daughter stare at it in wonder. Sarah takes a deep breath and looks at her mother.

"Mum, will you let me go?"

"Well, I don't know, luv, maybe we should discuss this with dad first?"

"Do we have to decide right now, sir?" Sarah asks me.

"No, you don't. We need a reply from you by the 31st July at the latest. You will need to send this by owl again. All you need to do is write my name and Hogwarts on the envelope and hold it out to the owl, it will take the letter. You will have owl visits every day until you give them a letter to carry back to Hogwarts."

Mrs Snider has looked over the school supplies and asks:

"These are rather exotic sounding things! Where do we buy them? Provided my husband agrees to let her come to that school…"

"I have a very detailed description written up and I can give you that. If you decide on the spot I can even take you there, because it's here in London. Only your daughter will see the entrance to the wizarding area though."

"Let me call my husband, he'll be back in a short time, if you have some time! I can't decide this right on the spot without him," she says.

"That's no problem, Mrs Snider, please go ahead."

While she calls her husband and just tells him that he's to come home immediately, Sarah sidles up to me and asks:

"Sir, can you show me more, please?"

"Yes, I can. Have you seen the book list you will need? There are quite a few subjects you will be taught and one of them is called Charms. That includes all spells you will learn. Though you won't learn all existing spells at school of course, but we at Hogwarts aim for the students leaving our institute to be capable to learn new spells on their own on the basis of the good amount of techniques we have taught. I'll show you a few, okay?"

Sarah's seen a range of useful spells to tidy up her room by the time Mrs Snider has convinced her husband that his presence is indeed very necessary. The room looks perfectly cleaned up and even the windows are freshly cleaned and the curtains look like they've just come out of the washer. Mrs Snider stares in surprise again.

"He's done that just now in a couple of seconds, Mum, without even moving one inch! – And I'll be able to do this as well?"

"All that and a **lot** more, Sarah. After all we don't only live by our household spells. Though personally I really think that household spells are one of the most enchanting branches of magic. I hate dusting, and I hate to wash dishes, so I'm really happy that a few waves with my wand are enough to grant me a perfectly clean apartment, which then consequently leaves me more time for the more valuable things in my life. Like spending time with my three small children."

"What are the other things?"

"Your other subjects will be Potions, that's learning to brew magical potions for many uses, transfiguration, that's changing something into something else…"

"That sounds interesting."

"It is. It's also quite demanding and often a bit frustrating in the beginning until you get the hang of it. Then you'll learn Astronomy, that's why you need the telescope. Herbology, that's something like Biology, but you will be working with magical plants. Then you'll learn History of Magic and finally you'll learn Defence against the Dark Arts."

"What's that last one?"

"I'll be honest and tell you quite frankly that like in your non-magical world there are some less savoury people around who will misuse magic for dark purposes. There are some nasty forms of creatures around, too. In Defence against the Dark Arts we cover all those things, so you will learn how to defend yourself should it be necessary."

"Creatures?" Mrs Snider asks. "What kind of creatures you mean? Animals?"

"Yes and no. There are animals among them, but there are many creatures that are mixed forms. That includes vampires, werewolves, centaurs, even goblins. Though with all of them you can't say they're nasty without knowing them. For I myself am a werewolf. You'll of course learn about that, Sarah, and many other things."

"You're a werewolf? They really exist???"

"They do. Unfortunately I have felt it far more often than I liked to. Though in the meantime I have a kind of medication, a potion, that helps me to stay calm when I'm transformed. I can also turn myself into a wolf any time outside of the full moon now and that is a very harmless creature."

"Show me! Please, sir!" she says.

"I'll be a real wolf, so don't be afraid! I can still understand what you say, only I can't answer until I transform back."

I transform and both ladies gasp fairly loud, but Sarah looks at me with interest.

"Wow! I've never seen a real wolf, well yes, at the zoo, but so close! You really look like one…"

I growl a bit and then I bark and howl for a moment. Then I transform back.

"That's bloody amazing!" the girl cries.

At that moment the door opens and Mr. Snider shows up. Mrs Snider quickly introduces me and shows him the letter. He reads over it and looks at me.

"That's you who signed this? And you're serious about that? She's done telekinesis for ages, so that's really magic?" he asks excitedly.

He reminds me of Arthur. I think I'll have to introduce them to each other.

"Yes, that's magic. We call that levitation and most magical children show this particular branch of magic as their first signs."

"But how does this come? I mean, she must have been born with it?"

"Yes, that's true. It's genetic. Every person alive has a certain amount of magical genes. Depending on the amount of them that are switched on in their body they show enough magic that they can actually do something like levitation. Though your daughter must have enough of those 'on' genes to actually be recognised as a magical child."

"And how do you know about that when you don't even know the child?"

"I don't until I open our Book of Names. There's a specially enchanted quill which records the birth of every child born in Britain and Ireland with enough magical genes to visit Hogwarts once they're eleven years old. The same letter is sent to all children, whether they were born into non-magical families or into families, in which magic has been present for centuries. Of course receiving the Hogwarts letter is a long awaited event in the life of magical children in magical families, while it means an incredible surprise for children like Sarah and also means an enormous change in their lives. Because let's face it, nothing in her life will be the same after this day. She'll be living between two worlds for now on and she'll learn to cope with that."

"This is still bloody fantastic!" he says and looks at his daughter. "You do want this, don't you, Sarah?"

"Yes, dad!"

"So, do you still need a written confirmation?"

"Yes, I do actually. It will be stored in her file. But just a short note will do and you can give it to me right away," I say.

"I'll do that just now, Mr. Lupin."

"And then we'll go shopping?" Sarah asks hopefully.

I look down at her and promise:

"Yes, then we'll go shopping. You'll need quite a lot of things."

We're on our way by bus and Tube a short while later. All three children are with us. Mr. Snider gets some cash at the nearest ATM to be able to change it into the wizarding money. At Charing Cross Road we leave the Tube and I show them the way to the Leaky Cauldron. Neither Mrs nor Mr. Snider can see the pub at first, but Sarah discovers it right away.

"There! Is that it, Mr. Lupin?"

"Yes, Sarah, that's it."

"It looks dingy!"

I grin.

"Just you wait until you're inside. Let's go."

I lead them all inside and only when we actually approach the door Mr. and Mrs Snider can see the entrance. We cross the pub and Tom of course greets me when I lead my group to the backyard.

"Hello, Professor Lupin!"

"Hello, Tom!"

I quickly guide the group to the tiny backyard and pull my wand to open the passage.

"Look at this, Sarah, so you will know it the next time. You have to tap this brick three times with your wand…"

I do that and the five people stare with open mouths as the bricks move apart and open up to an archway into the Diagon Alley.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley! This is the wizarding district of London. No Muggles, that's non-magical people, can see it unless they're shown like you now. Of course we will have to ask you to keep this secret from all of your acquaintances. We first go to change your money to wizarding currency. Be prepared to carry around quite some weight, because we're still using coins only. Gold, silver and bronze ones."

On the way to the bank I explain the money. Mr. Snider asks me how much he'll need for his daughter's supplies and how much the schooling costs. He and his wife throw very curious looks at the many people who are still mostly wearing robes on the streets.

"You only pay for the supplies. The schooling is free and works like the state schools, but Hogwarts is a boarding school."

"Ah! And where is it?"

"In Scotland. It's an old castle."

"And it's a boys and girls' school, isn't it?" asks Mrs Snider.

"Yes, of course. Has been since it was founded roughly one thousand years ago. The founders were two witches and two wizards, by the way. Witches have been much more emancipated than Muggle women throughout history."

"What about the many witch hunts? Weren't many killed?"

I smile.

"Unfortunately the ones who were killed were almost all Muggles. Some witches and wizards had indeed the bad luck to be killed, but never the ones who were burned. We have simple charms to freeze flames and then disapparate. So the Muggles really only successfully killed innocent people."

"Ewww… now that's ugly!"

"Absolutely. Especially since it hit so many good people! This is a very sensitive topic in the wizarding society, despite the fact that not many of us were killed through these hunts. But believe me, we aren't immune to our share of petty prejudice! And it led directly to the Statute of Secrecy, which came into effect in 1692 and hid the magical world completely from the non-magical world."

We reach the bank. While the Sniders wait in one line I quickly move to another after telling them that I would be gone for about fifteen minutes. In that time I'm down in my own vault to get some fresh supply of cash. I intend to have a look around Flourish & Blotts to get some reading material for the vacation we have planned. I meet the Sniders again when I come back from my vault. They are admiring the money they've got.

"Well, we should start with the robes shop. You can wear most of your regular clothes at school, but over them we wear robes as you can see. If you think that's too much clothing let me warn you, Hogwarts is a very old castle and rather draughty in winter. While the Great Hall, common rooms, dormitories and classrooms are always nicely heated the corridors are not, so you'll need warm clothes."

We stop at Madam Malkin's where Sarah is fitted with her school robes, a hat and a cloak.

"If you want to get her some regular robes as well you have quite a good choice here as you can see."

"Maybe later. At the moment she only needs the ones for the school, doesn't she?" Mrs Snider asks.

"Yes, that's right."

"Besides, I can take the pattern and sew her some myself."

Once the robes are off the list we go through the rest of it. All that remains at the end is her wand and the books. She has all of her new equipment in a large trunk, which comes fitted with little casters these days, so it's rather easier to pull. Mr. Snider does that and asks me:

"What about the wand? Is that something like the robes, needs to be replaced as she grows?"

"Oh no! I'm not telling you too much beforehand, you will see it. No, the wand can be something to be kept and used a life long. Some people have reason to change after a while, but mine for example is still the one my parents bought for me when I was eleven. And the witch or wizard must be there to buy the wand. It must match!"

"Ah! Sounds very mysterious!"

The mystery is solved fairly soon, as Sarah finds her wand quite quickly. She stares at it for a moment before she hands it back to Mr. Ollivander to pack it up in the box, which he gives to her with a polite bow.

"Well, all that's left now is Flourish & Blotts, that's the bookshop," I explain.

After three hours we're all done and outside of the Leaky Cauldron I wish the Sniders a good day. They head home and I head to my next new student.

With this work the first week of my summer break is being filled. For the remaining preparation I have to get the book lists for the next school year first and then the letters for the returning students will be sent out about three weeks before the start of the new term.

Another good piece of work is the preparation of the new students' files and the archiving of the departing seventh years' files. Minerva guides me to the school's extensive archives. It's a fairly large room in the dungeons, but far away from the former Potions Dungeons and also far away from the Slytherin dungeons. It's kept magically dry and I ask:

"Dear me! How many years back are those files stored?"

"One hundred years, Remus! Don't ask me why, but that's what is the rule. Anyway, all the newly archived stuff comes on these shelves, but first we have to push out the old ones."

It's done with a spell – no surprise there. A moment later we have a box of the size of a trunk in front of us.

"It contains the folders for every student in that year. 1899," Minerva declares and we watch as all the other boxes move up one space, finally freeing the one space needed for the latest box. Containing the box of the class of 1999, 38 remaining students all in all.

Minerva smiles and shows me the box before that. We quickly look at the files. There's Hermione's, which is quite large from all the extra credit work she did, all her honours and a few detentions and some point deductions. Minerva's smile gets wider.

"In all honesty, Remus, that girl didn't seem to belong to Gryffindor when she started. Then she got caught between Potter and Weasley and from then on… well, I have to say that if she'd never landed herself in any trouble at all I would have found her boring! She certainly gained, once she loosened up a bit."

"Minerva!" I say, mocking shock, "That's so unlike you! You're always the epitome of correctness and you're saying something like this!"

She actually snickers a bit and then she admits:

"Yes, yes, that's been my most important trademark, hasn't it? Well I'll be correct forever, but I do prefer people with a backbone. Hermione Granger had to grow hers, but grow it she did! It only endeared her to me more! I was a Gryffindor myself, after all. You don't even have an idea of the pest **I** used to be at school!"

"She's definitely a character," I agree, "And I'll hear all about the pest you were in your schooldays, Minerva McGonagall! I don't think I'll have to beat it out of Filius and Pomona."

"But it might become costly, Remus! They're not easily giving away my secrets. Now if Duncan was still around… **he**'d brag about them!"

We replace the lid on the box and push the latest one into the free space.

"What are we doing with the discarded box?" I ask.

"Would you believe that we're sending this to the Ministry? It's going into indefinite Ministry storage. I have the suspicion that they have stored the entire students and teachers' files since there is a Ministry. They'll make it tiny though. It's to be sent to the Department of Education, to the attention of Elizabeth Montgomery, she's the head there."

"Very well. Do we make it small already to send it? Looks a bit heavy for an owl…"

"We take it there, Remus. In person. Fix a date with Eliza, she's pretty flexible and usually you can go right away."

"Ah. Okay, will do."

Back at my office I send a letter to Mrs Montgomery and send it off with one of the school owls. After moving around in the dungeons I really enjoy the bright light coming through the four large windows of our office. And I do enjoy my next bit of work, preparing all the files for the new first years. 48 folders have to be named. Once the children are sorted I'll sort them into their respective drawers. Right now they're just spread over the available space in alphabetical order. That's the last thing I need to do today. Now I just have to wait for Mrs Montgomery to accept the proposed date for me to take the archive box to her.

I join Sirius, Addie and the twins, who are happily playing on the lawn of the inner courtyard. In a few days the five of us will meet up with Harry, Hermione, James, Lily, Lizzie and Andy to take a Portkey out of Diagon Alley to reach our vacation spot in a wizarding hotel on Zanzibar. We'll stay there for three weeks, and I'm really looking forward to get some rest. We'll do nothing but lounge in the sun on the beach, play with our children, read a few books and maybe write some on ours, enjoy the fresh air and otherwise do absolutely nothing.

At dinner I get the reply from Mrs Montgomery who is 'happy to receive me' tomorrow during the late morning. Good. That will all be done then.

* * *

**Friday, 26.6.1999 / Remus**

We can sleep in as long as the twins let us and Sirius gets up to get them out of their beds.

"Stay, Remus, you've been doing much more work in the last week, I'll take them!"

"Thanks, love!"

I'm quite glad to turn around and sleep an hour or so more. I finally get up at nine, eat something small in our kitchen and go up to my office to get my archive box and take it to the Ministry. I state my business at the apparition point and get my badge, my wand is checked in and I go to see Mrs Montgomery, who turns out to be quite a spirited lady of about 85 or so. She asks how Minerva is doing and tells me that they were classmates in their Hogwarts days, oops, strike 10 years off, Minerva has celebrated her 76th in late April. I hand over my box and tell her the latest gossip from the school.

"You sound like you're genuinely happy to be there, Professor Lupin!"

"Oh, I am! Though right now I'm really looking forward to have a few days of undisturbed vacation with my family."

"Baby twins, a pre-teen and full time teaching must be rather exhausting. I was lucky enough to have a couple of years off during the time I had little ones."

"Yes, we could have done that, too, but we didn't want to let Albus down. It will still be much easier now that we get the additional teachers."

"I can imagine. Well, I won't hold you up, Professor, it's been very nice meeting you! It's rare that I'm meeting such polite young people these days."

"Thank you, Madam! Well, I must be going anyway, we'll have a lot to pack for our vacation."

With that I'm departing and find my way back to Hogwarts in no time. We pack up what the children will need and prepare some of our own stuff, the Pensieve and the brooms. Then we take leave from Minerva, Filius and Pomona, who are still at the castle. We then fly down to the gates and apparate the children back to the Sunnegg.

* * *

**Saturday, 27.6.1999 / Sirius**

After a frenzy of packing our stuff for the vacation, last minute shopping of sunscreen, beach toys and a few books to read we reduce our suitcases and the strollers to matchbox size and place it all in a bag, then we pick up the twins, already nicely covered in sunscreen, take Addie by the hand and get ready to apparate to Diagon Alley. James and Lily, Lizzie, Andy, Harry and Hermione are going to be with us, which pleases us especially. Hermione is over her worst bouts of morning sickness and looks forward to the peace we expect on the island. We will stay on the eastern side of the island in a full wizarding dwelling, and we can't wait to get there now.

Harry and Hermione finally come down to the living room, Hermione chiding Harry for his tardiness, but he's only grinning, because we still have about an hour before we need to be at the station. We're apparating to the station and only half an hour later we arrive at our destination, a small place called Kiwengwa. We've been transported right to the reception area of the resort. We're then shown to our accommodation, which consists of three lovely cottages, all with an extra bed for the children. Addie will sleep at Harry and Hermione's cottage. All three cottages are next to each other, all three have two floors. Ours has two large four posters, one downstairs, one upstairs, but in addition to the regular curtains the beds are covered with mosquito nets. They are all furnished traditionally in beautiful warm colours and all the furniture is made from precious woods. The stone floors on the ground floor and the dark hardwood floor are covered with lovely Omani rugs. There's a tiny kitchenette and a fairly nice bathroom and the sitting area on the ground floor has two sofas and two armchairs. I really like the bed curtains and all the other fabrics around, they're colourful and are kept in olive, yellow, orange and rust shades.

"Wow, this is beautiful!" Hermione gasps.

"Isn't it, though? But it's really warm here!" James replies.

"Well, we can drop most of our clothes, I suppose," Remus remarks.

We spend the afternoon unpacking and getting used to the heat. Lizzie, Andy, Seraina and Denny are put to bed for their nap. We are happy that there are silencing charms, so we can give them the bed downstairs without any problem. We'll spend the evenings together at Harry and Hermione's cottage, so that the little ones will be left alone to sleep undisturbed. As usual we have a set of Extendable Ears through which we can hear if something should be amiss.

We wait for the children to wake up again. Then we quickly give them a new coat of sunscreen and apply some of it on our skin as well. All of us are in swimsuits and we just add a t-shirt and shorts to our basket. Harry blows up a ball and a few rings for the children and off we go to the beach, which is simply stunning. The sand is brilliantly white and the water a deep emerald, covered by a perfect dark blue sky. Where the sand beach borders the vegetation it's lined by coconut trees. The vegetation is tropical, as this place is just a few degrees south of the equator. We're all having a time to get used to those brilliant colours and the bright light. It's very warm, but there's a slight breeze from the ocean, so it's quite nice. We find the beach almost empty! There are a few guests of the resort, but not many. It's wonderful to put down some towels on the beach, leave our bag and take the children for their first touch of seawater. Remus picks up his daughter, I pick up my son and we both follow Harry and Hermione, who are already off in the shallow water with the wonderfully soft surf. The waves are not coming in high or forcefully like on all the Atlantic shores, they gently roll up the beach in soft rolls. Our children really like the water and we take them by the hand to guide their first steps. Denny squeals when he feels the water and pulls a disgusted face when he tastes it for the first time. I take him up to my chest and slowly walk out in the water.

"We're going to sway in the waves for a bit, Denny! You'll love that and we'll take care that you don't get much water in your mouth, okay?"

He nods and Remus comes to my side with Seraina on his arm. Both of us have to walk out for quite a bit until we can let go and let the water carry us. The kids get used to it and start to grin again. After a while we take them back to the shallow water, where Addie awaits our return. We let the twins crawl in the sand and feel the water running up on them. Lots of squeals ensue of course. We're quite amused and it's another opportunity to take pictures of our little ones.

Addie is a sight to see. At first she feels very self conscious in her new swimsuit, last leftovers of the rigid prudishness of father's upbringing. But then she starts to come out a bit and dares to go into the water. She plays with Lizzie in the shallow water and the two girls seem to get along with each other fine. James and Lily are in and out of the deeper water to have a good look at what their children do.

Harry and Hermione have their own fun and swim for quite a while. And then they snog out in the water for quite a while. And finally they join us again to play a little with the twins and release Remus and I so we can go and swim a bit as well. We're both out in the water quickly and then we get to enjoy some snogging time. Being gently rocked on the ocean waves and kissing is a great feeling!

We return to the hotel before it's time for dinner to get dressed. Robes, albeit very thin ones are the rule for the dinner to respect the mostly Islamic customs of the island, so we all get dressed in colourful silk robes. We find the restaurant of the hotel, which is really nice with a large area under huge tropical trees and in the middle of a lush garden. Of course it looks out to the sea. We're served a very nice grill of mostly fish with lots of salads and fruit. More fruit and sherbets are for dessert.

Shortly after dinner it's bedtime for the children. They're really tired and don't even last half a page out of a book. We can place them both in the big bed, which we charm so they won't fall out. We gently close the mosquito nets and watch out that it's really covering everything. Of course we've all received malaria prophylaxis, and we're still taking the potions here, but the nets have to be, or we would find too many bites. They're nasty in their own right, not even counted the possibility of malaria.

Remus has placed his potion on the kitchen counter. He's down on his last dose tomorrow morning, then tomorrow night he'll transform. I plan to take him out for a walk tomorrow night! To see that fat full moon on this beach, with very little artificial light disturbing us will certainly be quite nice.

But right now we're leaving our cottage to spend some time with James and lily at Harry and Hermione's veranda, who welcome us with a cool drink on their veranda. We've all sprayed our body with mosquito repellent spray, so we won't be bitten too badly out here. The stuff seems to work, as I don't have to shoo any mosquitoes away. We enjoy a quiet evening.

"This is great here! Just as good as our honeymoon on Fiji," Hermione comments.

"Great! It's also great that you've come with us. We're very happy about that, because it will provide us with the occasional babysitter…" I say.

Harry grins.

"That was one of our reasons to come along. Besides our liking that kind of setting here…" he remarks.

"So Fiji was similar?"

"Very similar. More bougainvilleas though."

I laugh. Well, there are other flowers here. I've seen magnolias with huge flowers! Tons of flowers I could probably never keep the names.

Lily and James bring their usual cheerfulness along. They're almost indecently happy and cheerful! As usual we talk about old times at some point and Remus informs Harry and Hermione – and Addie, who sits still up very late and has wide open eyes:

"You should have seen their snog-fests in our seventh year. The common room was usually empty in just a couple of minutes. And Mr. Headboy here used to smuggle Miss Headgirl into the boy's dorm all the time. Peter suffered from us, believe me. Back then I almost felt sorry for him. He had to put up with Sirius' and my nightly exercises and then in seventh year James and Lily added theirs."

Even though I'm more than glad that the rat sits in Azkaban not knowing anything about anything anymore I have to agree with Remus, that Peter was really patient with all of us back then.

"Didn't he have a girlfriend?" Hermione asks.

"Just very short flings and I'm not even sure if he even got past a bit of groping – ever. He wasn't very attractive, painfully shy and usually clammed up around girls," James says coolly.

"I see."

"I've been thinking about that and I thought it's possible that this was the reason why he turned away from us. I mean, we did help him with everything for school, but we really couldn't go and ask girls out for him. Maybe he expected us to…" Remus remarks.

"You mean he betrayed us because of sexual frustration???" Lily asks.

"Could be, couldn't it? That and he was looking for more power. More power would have made it possible for him to ask someone out. Besides he would have received permission to rape women whenever his boss was gracious. But in all the months he probably didn't dare asking anyone out either, because of the mark on his arm," I reason.

"That's the poorest excuse I could imagine, but it would fit Wormtail," James says.

"Well, he's been taken care of anyway," Hermione reminds us.

"I for one am very glad about that, though it must have been horrible…" says Lily.

"Well, the Dementors can't hurt him anymore, he has no bad memories that could become painful," I say.

Then we turn back to brighter subjects again. Hermione starts to show her pregnancy. Harry caresses her belly constantly and is all smiles. Lily and James watch this display with amusement. Lily turns to her husband:

"You know, Harry reminds me so much of you now! You were just the same when Harry was under way."

"Was he, now?" Harry asks.

"Well, if you turn out to be exactly like your father I don't want to be around you in the last month of Hermione's pregnancy, Harry, because James drove everyone crazy! Your Mum threw him out of the house three nights out of seven. He turned up at ours like a dog that had been kicked," I tell the young ones with a grin.

"That's so not true!" James tries to argue weakly.

"Oh, that's **so** true! I was even sorry to dump you onto Sirius and Remus, you were so bad! Couldn't wait, was totally anxious, always thought I'd fall or something and hurt myself and lose the baby…"

"But I didn't want anything to happen to you is all…"

"I felt like being a Sacred Vase or something – like the heir you expected was more important than anything else…"

"Now you're being plain mean, Lils! I was worried about you **and** the baby."

Lily grins and pats James' hands.

"Yeah, I know. But you were still insufferable."

We all laugh and Harry says:

"Meep! I promise not to become like that! Don't need to follow my dad in everything after all, do I?"

James scowls at him, but gives up quickly.

"Just take care of that grandchild of mine!"

"Aye, aye, captain, will do!"

"But as you saw he was a lot better to be around when I was pregnant with Lizzie and the triplets," Lily concludes.

"Agreed!"

Remus and I say goodnight relatively early and send Addie to bed, too. We're both very tired and want to get a lot of sleep during the vacation. Of course, once we're back at our cottage, we look after the children, but they are sleeping soundly under their canopy and the mosquito net. They look so cute, both of them. We check the spell around the big bed which keeps them inside, even if they start crawling around and go upstairs to crawl into our own bed. It's still awfully warm for us, so we just shed our clothes and close all the parts of the mosquito net really well. Remus snuggles up and I spoon him and then we're asleep…

* * *

**Sunday, 28.6.1999 / Hermione**

It's the first rays of sun that wake Harry and I. First thing is that I feel his hand on my stomach, slowly caressing it. I open my eyes and look at Harry. His eyes are still closed, but they flutter open when I start to stir and kiss him. It feels so very romantic, us in that bed with the mosquito nets, the old-fashioned African fabric canopy and the tropical morning rising. I look at the bedside clock and find out it's just before seven in the morning. I'll set the alarm for six thirty tomorrow to be able to see the sunrise.

"Morning, love…" I say softly.

"Morning, Hermione. I'm still mostly asleep. Just needed to feel you beside me."

I kiss him tenderly and reply:

"That's alright, Harry, if you want, then just go ahead and sleep in, it's early. I need to go to the loo…"

I do that and when I come back from the bathroom I look out the open window and the balcony. This is what we'll enjoy for three weeks! It's absolutely beautiful, can only be compared to the view we had during our honeymoon. We'll stay here throughout the vacation, but all three couples have booked a very special room at a very special hotel in Stone Town, the old town of Zanzibar. When it will be Remus' and Sirius' turn Harry and I will look after the twins and Addie. Of course we've also planned a few outings around the island, but mostly it will be time to relax under a sunshade on the beach. Harry and I have both brought some work with us, but it's only reading and we might be much too distracted to do much. When I turn back from the window and look to the bed I can see that Harry is asleep again. I open the mosquito net and slip into the bed again to cuddle up and get some more sleep.

**Remus**

I'm waking up because I hear one of the children calling. Smiling I get up and pad down the stairs to the large room, where the twins share their big bed. Seraina is crawling around and calls me, but when she sees me coming I get a big grin and a cheerful:

"Papa!"

"Good morning, my little sweetheart! You're already awake?"

I take off the spell and pick her up. Denny wakes up, too and comes forth from his blankets. They're wearing nothing but a thin t-shirt and their nappies. I quickly change Seraina, then I let her on the floor, then I change Denny and banish both nappies into the rubbish bin in the kitchen area. I take the children up to our bedroom and pull the net apart to let them on the bed. Denny crawls to Sirius and cuddles.

"Daddy! daddy!" he calls, but Sirius is still fast asleep.

I grin while I let Seraina follow her brother. Denny keeps trying to wake Sirius, but it seems that my lover really sleeps very deeply! All of a sudden, Sirius jumps up and growls, grabbing Denny and tickling him. Denny squeals and shakes with laughter after that. He giggles and giggles and Sirius keeps tickling him for a good moment before saying:

"A very good morning to you little ones!"

Both children get a hearty kiss on their cheeks and both of them return the hug.

"Are you guys hungry?" I ask.

"Hung-y!" Seraina confirms.

Somehow she's faster with learning new words than Denny. She articulates a bit better, too, and Sirius claims that I must have been that way when I was such a small child.

"Okay, we get up and go for breakfast soon."

I'm taking a quick shower and return to the bedroom, while Sirius vanishes in the bathroom. Half an hour later we're all dressed and off to the restaurant. We spend the day lazing around on the beach or in the cool of our cottage and go for an early dinner to the restaurant. I'm not sure about when the moon rises, but I don't think it will be before eight or nine. We get back at something after seven and to be very sure I transform and spend the evening in my wolf form. Hermione and Siri take the children to bed after a while and when it gets all dark, Sirius gets up and gives me a light slap on my back.

"Come on, old boy, we're going for a walk!"

"I'll baby-sit the children, Siri, you go for a lovely walk under the moon," Harry says with a grin.

"I'm coming along with you, if you don't mind," Hermione says.

Who says I'm going for a walk? I want to stay right here! But Sirius pesters me until I get up with a growl. He laughs and coos:

"Come on, Moony, you know you feel like a stroll!"

I sigh – at least it feels like I do and follow them. The two of them talk quietly while I'm walking along with them. The evening is really wonderful and Moony wants to howl at the moon, but I hold back. I nuzzle Siri's hands occasionally and he gives me a good caress of my head just behind the ears on my neck where I like it best. I don't know how long we're outside, but we're there for a long time and we meet quite a few other guests who were drawn out of their rooms and cottages by the full moon. Most of them look at me and give me a wide berth. That's when Sirius usually caresses me demonstratively.

Then we pass a couple with their children and to my dismay I discover they're students of ours. Jonathan Gibson is a fourth year Hufflepuff and Sabina is a sixth year Ravenclaw. Of course they spot Sirius immediately and greet him.

"Professor Black? Oh, it's so nice to meet you! Hello, Professor Lupin!" Sabina cries and her brother follows suit.

Her parents look a little bit weary, but seem to accept it that their children are comfortable with meeting a werewolf teacher.

"Hello, you two!" Sirius replies and turns to the parents. "Mr. and Mrs Gibson, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Sirius Black, have so far been your children's potions teacher and will be Sabina's transfigurations teacher from the start of the new term."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you, Professor. I hope, my children are well behaved at Hogwarts…" says Mrs Gibson.

"Much better than I ever was as a student, I assure you, Mrs Gibson! Though my partner here would probably tell you that that's a pretty easy thing to do. Due to the full moon you meet him in his alter form tonight… he's your children's Defence against the Dark Arts professor. Though Jonathan won't have him next year, only Sabina."

"I'm sorry, but it seems so silly to say, pleased to meet you, Professor to a wolf. No one would think he's anything but a tame wolf, the way he sits next to you!" says Mr. Gibson and grins a bit.

I growl. Not sure what I detest more, fear of me or mockery! But then Sirius says casually:

"Well, believe me, he's the real thing. What you see here is the workings of the Wolfsbane potion. Remus is like an Animagus right now, his own self inside of the wolf with some wolf instincts. Open your mouth a bit, Remus!"

I do and he places his hand inside. I gently close my mouth and he explains:

"If he'd bite down now and draw blood I'd start transforming next full moon. But there you see how this potion works. Remus would never do that. Were he without his potion we'd all been torn to shreds by now."

"Wow," Mr. Gibson says and continues: "My children have told me a lot about you, Professor Lupin and both really liked your classes. I do have the feeling they finally learned some useful stuff in that subject. With all respect to good old Albus Dumbledore he's never had a good hand with finding good people in Defence! Our oldest has been out of Hogwarts for two years now and the array of teachers he's had… come to think of it, you were one of them and if memory serves me right he said you were the best of the lot. Only one other held up. Alastor Moody or something…"

"If only it would have been Alastor, Mr. Gibson. It was a Death Eater polyjuiced as Alastor. Alastor himself would have done a growling, but good job."

"You know the man? I've only heard he did wonders as an Auror."

"Yes, I do. He's trained me as an Auror after Hogwarts."

"You must be a pretty good all-rounder if you change from teaching potions to teaching transfigurations at Hogwarts?" Mrs Gibson says.

"I think I am, Madam. Of course those are subjects you need to be good at to become an Auror. But I'm definitely better at transfigurations than at potions."

"And he's very good at potions. I've had him for three years and made an outstanding OWL and an outstanding NEWT with him as a teacher. In both subjects, by the way," Hermione says.

The Gibsons turn to her.

"This is Hermione Potter, she's been taught by Remus Lupin and I at a safe-house while Voldemort and his cronies were after her and several other students. She's left school a year ago and that's when Remus and I returned to Hogwarts. At the safe-house we tutored thirteen students of her year from all four houses and both of us had to cover all the subjects we could, especially the main subjects, so Remus taught Defence and Charms, I took over Potions and Transfigurations."

"Oh. Pleased to meet you, Mrs Potter. Don't we have you to thank for the Commumirrors? I thought your face was somewhat familiar," Mrs Gibson says, looking pleased.

"Yes, that would be me."

"What a wonderful invention. Is it true that you did this on an assignment for school?"

"Yes. Remus was my Charms teacher then. He thought he might give us something to tax our minds and invent some spells of our own. He's pretty good at that. It was a lot of fun!"

"Well, we must meet during the daylight then when you'll be back, Professor! I'm actually very content that my children have teachers with whom they're happy. It's so hard to motivate them to study these days."

"I think, we both have a few things up our sleeves that can be very motivating. You'll have an addition to your regular school letter, Sabina, which will make your sixth year look a bit less dull. Sixth year is so often disregarded as a pause between the two exam years."

"Oh, I can't wait! I've been good in transfigurations, but rather in spite of Professor McGonagall. Not to be disrespectful, but she is sometimes a bit hard to understand…"

"You'll be very pleased with Sirius, I can promise you that," Hermione says with a warm glance at Siri.

"Why thank you, Mrs Potter. Are you trying to flirt with me? I'm afraid I'm very taken, you know!"

"Knowing that your mate is going to growl at you any moment, I'd never dare, Mr. Black. And that's beside the point that Mr. Potter would probably make kebabs out of you, godfather or not…" she shoots right back.

Yes, I think, a little growl is in order here. Sirius laughs and puts his hand back on my head.

"Can't risk our poor children to become half orphans…" Sirius gives in.

We part from the Gibsons after promising we'd see them again on the beach.

Then we walk on, not looking back. I want to walk more when I'm human again, this is too beautiful out here. But for the moment I have enough and nudge Sirius to turn around. He looks down, his hand resting on my head.

"Got enough?"

I nod.

"Okay, we'll walk back."

We return and at our cottage we release Harry from his duty and go to our room to sleep.

* * *

**Friday, 3.7.1999 / Harry**

This is the weekend, Hermione and I will spend at a hotel right in the middle of the old town of Zanzibar. It's our first trip to the 'city' and when we get there with our rented car we both find it breathtaking. After a bit of asking around, many people here speak a bit of English, we find the place we're staying at for two nights. We get to our room and it's simply breathtaking. Old colonial style mixed with Arabic ornaments and colourfully painted African fabrics, the ever present mosquito net around the four-poster bed and a bathroom with some stone bathtub of a pretty enormous size for a Muggle hotel. The colours of the room are a rich earthy brown, white-washed walls, beamed ceiling, mahogany hardwood floor and ceiling, and the balcony as well as the arched windows are done with intricate Arabic latticework. There are windows, but they are all left open. There are no shutters, just thin curtains, but the latticework high balcony railings are covering quite well. The floor is covered with a rich carpet and the sitting area is roomy, with two couches and two armchairs. We're tired from the day's driving, so we just fall into the spacious bed and cuddle for a while, necking and discussing where to go for dinner. Stone Town offers a wide range of very nice restaurants and when we pass at the reception later on we get a few tips. We've showered and put on some light summer clothes, but Hermione is pretty well covered.

We find a good restaurant and order some seafood for dinner. Hermione doesn't eat anything uncooked, but she thinks our baby would have to love seafood and fish later on, because we're eating so much of it at the moment. We're waited on very well and we leave a good tip after the meal. I take Hermione's hand and we simply stroll around for a bit, admiring this very special atmosphere. It's probably very Arabic. A trademark for that is the fact that in many of the narrow alleys the houses have a front door and otherwise no windows at all to the street. We have to look up to see more intricately carved stone lattice. These lattice walls look like filigree.

"They want to keep their homes very private, but up above there they want to catch the cool night air, so they have few windows to open and close, but these grids where the wind can enter their homes. At the same time the grids work as a wind breaker, so it doesn't storm inside, you just get the breeze. That's typically Arabian," Hermione explains quietly.

I can see the point. Since almost all of the people here are Moslems, this makes sense. They want to keep strictly private. It's the reason why Hermione wears something light, but covering her arms and legs. She doesn't go as far as to wear a scarf around her head, but I can see that some people give her affirmative glances.

We're eager to return to this great hotel though and do so fairly quickly. The room is just wonderful. We have a feeling of being outside, but we feel perfectly private. It's these balconies…

We spend a night of lovemaking and in the end we both fall asleep very exhausted. I hold her very tight and like every night since she's told me I need to feel that womb which hosts our future child. As she's beginning to show her pregnancy quite prominently this baby becomes more and more real for me. She's in her seventeenth week now, as good as halfway through. Still, the beginning of December seems so very far away!

* * *

**Saturday, 18.7.1999 / Sirius**

Merlin, time just flew! This island is pretty big, but we've seen it quite well now, having spent a bit of time on the road to see the sights. We've been to the old town of Zanzibar, we've gone to different beaches, we've done a bit of snorkelling, and we've been to the forests to catch a glimpse of the local fauna. We've got a whole mass of new photos! I'll need to spend some time next week to recuperate from the heat and just busy myself with creating a photo album of the weeks spent here.

Remus is beautiful! For once he allowed the sun to reach his skin, almost all of it and he's beautifully tanned. He looks great! We've been doing a stroll every night, sometimes on four legs, mostly on two, hand in hand or arm in arm. There are no problems with clothes shed down to the swimming trunks in the holiday resort, but otherwise we respect the sensitivity of the local people and pull on light kaftans or wear covering western clothes.

Seraina and Denny both look like little brown hazelnuts. They have grown a bit and learned a few new words, even two in Kiswahili, the local language. Both learned to walk in the sand, which was a good training to walk more easily on solid ground. At almost fifteen months they're still crawling on all fours, with quite an agility even, but they start to prefer to move on two legs now. Addie has tanned even darker. Her grey eyes shine with happiness. We've spent a lot of time together and did a few specially child-friendly outings. I have a good feeling that her horrible early childhood will start to fade and that she's finally able to make herself happy memories.

Harry and Hermione look equally healthy. Hermione has started to feel the baby kick! She's been so excited about it and told Lily as soon as she could. The two of them have become such great friends. She's also mirrored her Mum about it and I think, Helen was almost crying.

We return to the Sunnegg and look forward to another month of vacation, but spending our time on that island was so much like being completely in another world! Of course we recommend it highly to the gang!

* * *

**Monday, 26.7.1999 / Sirius**

I take that time I promised myself and fill four lovely albums with the photo impressions we gained of Zanzibar. It was in every way as exotic as we imagined it would be and we didn't think we spent one moment too long there. My albums are soon admired by all in the family and even more so, my family at Hogwarts. Most of them have not much of an idea of how it looks elsewhere.

* * *

**Saturday, 31.7.1999 / Hermione**

Harry's birthday. He doesn't want parties anymore – hey, we're grown now. I quite understand, but he'll still have his favourite food for dinner. Most of us are around and we might go dancing. Have to enjoy our summer break after all! Not that we don't do some cramming through the days, we need it. We're reading some books that have been recommended and that we didn't have the time to read during the school year. There's a fair number of them, but I have mine done, Harry just needs to read two of them still.

Lily is working with Addie on some basic maths now. Morag and I have been to the bookshops yesterday to find some basic stuff in many different subjects and Sirius has written to Madam Reeves asking her for the school books that are used at her primary school. Addie needs to catch up on five years of school! I agree with Sirius that she best does that alone with a tutor and Lily will do great! Addie already adores her. She's astonishingly open to everything, but then I do think she has Sirius' superb mind. We know the Blacks have used the same spell Sirius and Remus used on Lily for their children. Sirius showed us some pictures of his brother and Regulus clearly looked clearly like Sirius' twin brother. According to Sirius he had enough of his mother's personality though. I dared to remark that in that case maybe his father wasn't the worst person, but Sirius cuts it off and tells me he actually was worse than his mother:

"Totally unreadable he was. You could never predict what would come. He was capable of a lot of cruelty, believe me, I've felt it, not only from her, but from him, too. He's cursed me with Cruciatus. That was the thing that made me leave finally. I wasn't going home after fifth year, but they insisted. We had been in the restricted section looking up the spell to make a Portkey just a few months before, in case something like that should happen. I couldn't escape them, they were both waiting at the station and I had to pass them. So they plucked me. And Regulus told them about Remus and me, even though there wasn't anything going on between us yet. That was the first round of cursing, by my mother, then two days later my father wanted to force me to join the Death Eaters. I said no and he cursed me. I was lucky they locked me inside of my room with my trunk and all and forgot to confiscate my wand. So I made a Portkey out of my alarm-clock, took my trunk and landed on the Potters' doorstep. Gave auntie Dorea the shock of her life. After that I've never seen that place again until a few months ago."

If anyone deserves to have some peace it's Sirius! What he's been through in his life is actually too much for one man. But that he's managed to pull himself out of all of this just proves the power within him.

We spend the day mostly outside. I'm sitting on a deckchair under the shade of the pergola we've built a while ago. We've planted it with vines, clematis and other climbers, which start to build a lovely cover in summer. Sirius and Remus take the children to the public bath over lunch and then to the Lueg for ice cream. When they come back shortly before dinner, Sirius tells us that they've arranged for a dinner at the Lueg for the next Saturday. He's inviting the whole gang there. We all check that we have nothing going on, but it's okay, so we'll drive up there for a lovely dinner. The Lueg has a first class kitchen, so the food should be great.

The dinner tonight is nice, we have candlelight and afterwards Harry has a few gifts to open. Some of the people go out to dance, but I'm too tired, so Harry and I stay at home and go back to our room for a bit of necking. I'm glad for a quiet evening. The baby has started to move and I can feel it quite well now. Even Harry can feel it from the outside and my belly has swollen quite a bit already.

"I love to see you right now, Hermione, you're so beautiful!"

"Not that I feel like that at the moment, love, it's so good that you tell me that! I really appreciate it."

I've had my share of mood swings, but they've not been too bad. I'm moved more easily right now and when I'm underway somewhere I observe myself looking after practically every pram I see. It gets a bit more uncomfortable to sleep now, but I'm lying on my sides and often use Harry to pull up one of my knees and lay it on his legs. Otherwise the pregnancy doesn't cause me too many problems. Apparating is getting a bit more troublesome, I have to concentrate more, but according to the healer I can do it until the last month before the birth. That means that I'll have to stay at home from on November. But since Harry records every lecture I'll have them in written. Keeping up to date shouldn't be a problem.


	14. Cleaning up Grimmauld Place

A/N - I know, it's been a long time! First of all thanks to all the reviewers, few as you may be :-D then - nothing more to say, just getting on with the chapter

* * *

**Chapter 14 – Cleaning up Grimmauld Place**

**Wednesday, 4.8.1999 / Remus**

We've returned to Hogwarts for some preparation work for the coming school year.

I'm up fairly early, only to find that Addie has been up as well. She tells me that Winky has made some breakfast for her.

"Good morning, Addie. That's good. I'm just having mine quickly, then I'll have some work to do."

"Can I come along?" she asks.

"That might be a bit boring, dear!" I warn.

"I can always come back to the flat if it is, no?"

"That you can do."

Winky brings my breakfast as well and I check the mail, which has come in. There isn't much, just the Daily Prophet, which I look through quickly. There's a letter from the Werewolf Registry. Those always make me a bit queasy, but this time it's an information about some of the newly changed laws that actually make things better for werewolves instead of worse. Thank you, Mandy, I know it's your doing! I leave it on the table for Sirius to see when he comes in for breakfast. I also leave a little note that I'm up at either Minerva's or our office and that Addie is with me.

"Okay, dear, let's go!"

Addie follows me out of the flat and through the corridor, out through the wall and then the tapestry. I ask her:

"Do you still remember the passwords, Addie?"

"Yes, the wall is Giant Squid and the flat is Seven Up."

"Very good. Remember those, please. When they change we'll tell you again. For safety reasons you're not allowed to write them down. But should you ever find yourself locked out and have forgotten the password you can always call Winky, she'll pop you back. So – now this is the marble staircase, which leads up to most of the classrooms, to the Gryffindor tower and the Ravenclaw wing. Down this door is the way to the Slytherin dungeons and on the other side it's to the Hufflepuff quarters. Which way you will have to go will be the Sorting Hat's decision next year."

"Sirius said one can give the hat wishes…"

"You can. But the hat only grants it if you fit. It's better to think where you don't wish to go."

"So the hat's still taking the decision?"

"Exactly. Sirius thought at the hat to get it over with and shove him into Slytherin already. But the hat didn't agree he belonged there. And Sirius was more than happy to go anywhere else. Harry thought at it not to put him in Slytherin and the hat told him he'd do well there and would find lots of support, but he didn't want to, so the hat put him into Gryffindor."

"What about Hermione?"

"She said something about the hat not really knowing whether it should put her into Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, and that she said herself she'd like Gryffindor. The hat noticed she needed friends and to lighten up a bit and obliged. Hermione is a very true Gryffindor. If need be she can be very courageous, and with time she's grown a great sense of humour."

"And you?"

"I was terrified that the hat could find out and put me into Slytherin, because I was a Dark Creature. And the hat quickly responded that I wouldn't last a week in that house and sorted me into Gryffindor and would you believe it used almost the same reasoning as with Hermione? But it took quite a while for that decision, too, because it kept thinking that Ravenclaw would possibly be the best house for me."

"Did it tell you why it still put you into Gryffindor?"

"Yes. It found too much mischief in my head."

She laughs at that while we walk up the marble staircase. Up on the fifth floor I open up the door to my office and show her inside.

"I'm sorry, but I can't give you the password to our office, Addie. If you want to find us in here you'll just have to knock. Now – I need my clipboard and quill…"

While I gather what I'll need to meet up with Minerva, Addie looks around the office and the pictures on the mantelpiece.

"I love your office, Remus!" she comments.

"Thank you, dear, I love it, too. Sirius and I wanted to share so we used this old classroom. Sirius needs sun and light a lot, you know."

"Why?"

"Because he had so little of it when he was a child and later in Azkaban. Let's go, I've got to go up to Professor McGonagall's office now to work out the schedules for the new school year."

Addie hops off a chair and follows me out to the corridor. We have to walk back down a lot of the stairs and then along another corridor.

"It's so huge here! Don't you ever get lost?"

"Most first years do once or twice, Addie, but there's always a ghost or the paintings, or someone else to show you the way back, all you need to do is ask for help. You see all these portraits? They'll gladly give you directions whenever you need them. – Here we are. This gargoyle watches over the door that leads up to the headmistress' office. Cadogan's pony!" I tell the gargoyle, who jumps aside. Addie takes my hand as we move to the rolling staircase and are carried upstairs. Some of the portraits on the wall casually greet us.

"Did you have to come here often when you were a student, Remus?" Addie asks.

"Not as often as Sirius and James…" I reply.

"Where is this office? This looks like it never ends…" she remarks squinting up.

"It's on top of a tower. One of the highest towers of the castle, though a tiny one. But the rooms are magically expanded."

When we reach the top I go straight to the oak door, which Minerva opens before I can even knock. We go inside and wish her a good morning.

"Good morning, you two. Social call or are you ready to work, Remus?"

"Ready to work. Addie wanted to come along."

I look around. I miss Fawkes on his perch, but of course Albus has taken the phoenix back to his house with him. Minerva notices my glance and smiles.

"Yes, I miss Fawkes, too! Sometimes he turns up to come and say hello now, maybe he misses us a bit, too. Well then, let's start at the table over there. I've made a table for every teacher, which makes it easier to plan than the classes. Then we can just put together the schedules for the classes from the teachers' schedules."

"Sounds logical to me…"

Phineas looks out of his portrait. I can see him staring at Addie. Then he points at her and asks in his usual blunt ways:

"Is that Sirius' little sister?"

"Well spotted, Phineas. She's his spitting image, so you'll forgive me for not handing out any points for your observance though…" I say with sarcasm dripping.

Addie snickers. Then she asks the portrait:

"I'm Adara Black. And who are you?"

"Your great-great-great-grandfather, brat. Phineas Nigellus."

"Oh. Pleased to meet you then. Why is there a portrait of you here?"

"He's once been a Hogwarts headmaster, Addie, all of them have a portrait here, see, even Albus Dumbledore is here already," I say and point out the latest portrait of a smiling Albus, who's eyes twinkle like their real counterparts.

"Good morning, Miss Black," Albus says.

"Good morning, Professor. Are you well?"

"Excellently well, thank you very much. I think, I will be off to Cornwall quickly to send Fawkes for a quick visit, I am sure you would be pleased to meet him."

With that, Albus vanishes from his frame and only returns half an hour later.

Minerva and I sit down at the table. For each teacher there's a large parchment. She's got her collected notes ready.

"Here, let's sort out the people and check the days they want off. I decided it would be easier to give you whole days instead of just hours during the day. Filius and Pomona have seniority and both of them would like Fridays off. You and Sirius are next in line and therefore I can give you the Mondays off. That leads to the new ones who have two lessons more than you per week, which makes 20. That still allows them to have a whole day off. Six of them, that's good, we can give Annis and Kate on Tuesday, Clancy and Waldo on Wednesday, Neville and Penelope on Thursday off. – That reminds me, you don't know Annis Limbury yet, she'll be taking over Potions for the fifth through seventh years. She was a Gryffindor, class of 1968, so you probably don't know her."

"No, I never met her, but I've heard of her," I say with a grin.

Minerva actually cringes.

"Yes, she was definitely spiritually related to you, as I heard from Albus. He even had the audacity to point out the fact that I seem to attract your sort!"

Now I have to laugh. Good old Minerva should just own up and return to what she was herself back in school!

"I suppose she'll probably be here soon, won't she?"

"Yes. In fact I've told them to inform us when they'll join us here, most of them have taken a few weeks off to have a vacation before they start here, Annis will come next week to start organising her office, classroom and stocks."

"Good. So that's for the full days off. We can start from there."

We fill in Filius' chart first. Looking at it I'm smiling, because it shows quickly how much more free time we'll have to use for the grading and lesson preparing. In Filius' case it's the whole of Friday off as well as Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. Monday he only has one lesson in the afternoon. Then we move on to Pomona's. Only two lessons per week and class, except for the advanced classes for sixth and seventh years.

Sirius and I are off on Monday the whole day, which extends our weekend nicely to three and a half days. I could kiss Minerva, as she sees to it that we don't have any classes on Friday afternoon. I've also got some free space on Wednesday afternoon, Sirius the same. This will be used for my deputy headmaster duties mostly. Thursday I get only two lessons in the morning, two in the afternoon, then I have some more time for correspondence and stuff. I don't have any lessons past half past three. Quite an easy schedule I find.

The last core subject we have to cover is Potions. Annis Limbury gets off quite nicely, too, her day off is Tuesday, no lessons on Wednesday, and she gets Thursday and Friday afternoons off, too. Now we move on to the core subjects for the first through fourth years, starting with Waldo Hawkridge, then Clancy Malvern, Neville, Kate Calverleigh and Penny Clearwater. Then we move on to the electives, which are a bit more work, since we have to weave them between the other classes and still manage to get a fair schedule for the teachers. Claire's Astronomy classes are only for the first and second years and take place at night, there are advanced classes for the fifth years with two lessons during the day and one at night. Most of the third years have Care of Magical Creatures as electives, so these are kept as stand-alone lessons. All those students who have chosen not to do this have a study period. Divination and Arithmancy is about half and half and luckily none of this year's third years have chosen the two subjects, therefore it can be divided and backed at the same time. Most students who have chosen Arithmancy have also chosen Ancient Runes. Muggle Studies has been chosen by only about a third of the students. Therefore we decide that Muggle Studies and Ancient Runes will also be stand-alone lessons and the students not taking it will have study periods.

Addie is cuddled into an armchair reading a book while we're working on the schedule. She's still very self-sufficient and doesn't seem to be bored for a minute. I'm amazed at how fast we advance with our work, as by lunchtime the teacher's part is done. All we have to do is to put together the students' schedules now.

"I'll do that in the afternoon, Minerva. It's only copying anyway, so it should be done very quickly."

"Good. I need you to collect the book lists from the new teachers, Remus, so we can send out the letters for the returning students. Here are the suggestions for the new fifth year prefects, you need to order the badges from Dervish & Banges, they're making them. We usually get them done within two days. Can you do this right away? Then we need to organise the first team meeting before the term starts, that will be a bit longer, as we've got a few points to clear with the new staff members and discuss changes we might implement. Basically I intend to go on the way Albus has stopped. You'll have to prepare the list of first years for the sorting."

I'm taking notes for everything I have to do. It's quite an impressive list, but that comes with the new job. After all I get paid twice as much for the job. Minerva smiles and says:

"Give it a few years and you won't need my reminders of what you have to do, Remus. You'll do it without thinking. Oh, and looking over those schedules I see that all of Wednesday afternoon is free for all, so we'll hold the team meetings every two weeks on Wednesday afternoon, please add that to the teachers' schedules."

"Will do!"

"Good. Let's go down to lunch."

We call Addie and walk down to the Great Hall for lunch. In the afternoon I'm busy writing out the schedules for the classes. I prepare one for every student according to their electives. Then I start on the book lists, for which I gather everything that's already known and then write letters to the new teachers to ask what they want to use as text books. I know Kate's, as we've decided on the books already.

I'm feeling quite accomplished by the time dinner comes along. It's still almost four weeks until the start of term and most of what I need to prepare is done already. I have to prepare the lessons still, but of course I'm going along with most of what I've already taught, so I have it quite easy there.

At dinner there's the flutter of wings and Fawkes comes to land on the back of Addie's chair. Everyone smiles at the phoenix.

"Hello Fawkes!" I greet the bird.

Addie stares at the phoenix. She tilts her head and when Fawkes hops on the table she asks:

"Is that the phoenix?"

"Yes, Addie. His name is Fawkes and he's very fond of being caressed," Filius tells her.

She starts to pet Fawkes who trills one of his lovely melodies. She smiles.

"He's beautiful! And friendly!"

"That's a typical phoenix trait, Addie," Sirius explains, "but only if the phoenix thinks you worth its time! They have an innate knowledge about the character of people and will only come to people they deem worthy."

"What's their criterion?"

"Your heart! You have a good heart and the phoenix will come to you. Almost all children can be sure of a phoenix's sympathy," I tell her.

"Is it true they never die?" she asks.

"I haven't yet heard of one who truly died. Every once in a while a phoenix goes up in flames and is reborn from its very own ashes as a little fledgling who's unable to do much, but he grows back quickly into the phoenix. Such burning days happen about every few years. In truth Fawkes is already thousands of years old."

"Wow. And what will happen to him when Professor Dumbledore dies one day?"

"Then he'll look for a new companion after a period of mourning. Phoenixes are very compassionate and don't take easy to the death of their familiars. No one can go out and choose a phoenix as his or her companion, phoenixes will always look for their suiting familiars themselves."

"I like him. You're a nice friend to have, Fawkes!" Addie says to the little bird.

Now there's another little property to a phoenix, which doesn't seem to fit their overall perfect beings, they're very vain. If someone tells them they're nice or beautiful they will simply suck it up! Fawkes is no different, he flirts with Addie even more once she's said she likes him. Which Addie finds hilarious. If he's taken to her and likes her back, which seems to be the case, I can imagine he'll visit her more often. As the bird is absolutely free and does what it pleases it is well possible we'll see him around at times.

**Ginny**

I'm awoken by the ringing of my Commumirror. Sleepily I crawl over Ernie to get my wand and summon the Commumirror to reply. It's Mum.

"Ginny! Angelina has gone into labour an hour ago. If you want to welcome the baby with us you'd better come to Witch Maternity Ward!"

I'm awake in moments flat!

"Oh, that's nice! I'll be there in a while, Mum!"

I look on the watch. It's close to nine. Ernie is just waking up and I tell him I'll be at Witch Maternity Ward until the baby is there.

"Do I have to come along, love?" he asks.

"Only if you want to get a peek at the baby, Ernie," I reply with a grin.

"I'm sure I'll get to meet the little one later on, Gin, if you don't mind I'm staying here."

"I'm sure no one will be offended, Ernie! See you later."

I take a leap to the shower and then get dressed and tell those in the house who are up already. I apparate directly to Witch Maternity Ward and ask about Angelina.

"Second floor, room six, Miss," I'm told and head up the stairs.

Witch Maternity Ward is a friendly building in Diagon Alley, with about twenty rooms and it's the standard place where wizarding children in Britain are born, unless the mothers decide to have their babies at home. Hermione plans to come here as well. I find the room soon, which consists of a waiting area and a closed off delivery room. Second floor contains eight such rooms and then there are two more floors with rooms for the new mothers and their babies. They usually stay on for two or three days after the birth, mostly to have a chance to rest, be waited on and get used to the baby.

Half of the family is already in attendance, mum and dad, Angelina's parents, whom I haven't met yet, George, Bill and two of Angelina's siblings. Alicia is there as well, as far as I know she'll be the baby's godmother.

"Hi Ginny!" they all greet me and George points with his thumb to the other room.

"They're both in there…"

Several hours later Ron and Justin turn up and another hour later, shortly before six in the evening Fred finally emerges from the delivery room, beaming and calls:

"We have a daughter! Come and see her!"

One by one we file into the delivery room where Angelina sits propped up against the mattress, which is in an upright position. She has the baby on her arm and looks exhausted, but happy. She beams no less than Fred in any case.

"Here, dears, meet Carolyn Alicia Weasley," Fred says in a soft voice that I haven't ever heard from him before.

She's cute! Angelina is black, so the baby in her arms now has a skin colour that looks like milk chocolate and she has brown eyes like mine. Her head is covered with reddish brown hair. Mum and dad are the first to get to hold her and they pass her on to Angelina's parents. All of us congratulate the new parents as quietly as we can.

"I'm so happy it's over. It wasn't quite as bad as I feared, but still… there was a point where I wanted to kill or at least hex Fred for having done that to me and somehow I conveniently forgot that I wanted it myself. But he's forgiven me already."

Fred just smiles. I'm quite sure that this small girl is going to wrap him around her little finger in no time.

"I'm just as happy it's over. But it was the most impressive thing I've ever seen in my life and I find her simply amazing!"

Mum is all teary of course. Carolyn is her first grandchild after all, so I guess she's entitled to be. I'm allowed to hold the baby for a while as well. Alicia passes her on to me.

"Gods, she's so tiny! I've already forgotten how small Denny, Andy and Seraina were last year! I hope you have as much fun with her as I have with Denny, Alicia! It's great to have a godchild."

"I intend to spoil her rotten! Baby-sit her whenever they let me and so on…"

"That's good! Exactly what she needs."

Angelina's older brother takes a ton of pictures. I'm taking out my Muggle mobile phone and take a few, too, so I can show them at home. After an hour I decide to leave. Angelina really looks like she needs some rest now. Apparating home I'm thinking that I'll be back in that building in only four months when Harry and Hermione will become parents. Heavens, there's so many of us, this is going to be one hell of a family once everyone starts producing offspring! Hogwarts beware! Gryffindor tower is going to explode in a decade or so.

That thought makes me smile. Draco and Parvati are preparing their wedding at the beginning of next month. They've decided to rent a ship again, but this time it will be the lake of Geneva instead of the one at Thun. That lake is about twice the size and has tons of mountains on its southern banks and tons of vineyards on the northern shore. That's going to be a very nice party.

When I get home I pass the news on to everyone and there's a great 'Yahoo for Fred and Angelina!!' from everyone around and then they want to see the photos I've taken. I'm quite sure that someone has already informed Remus and Sirius, too. They're at Hogwarts today and probably until Friday, when they come back, so we can all go together to our party on the Lueg on Saturday.

* * *

**Thursday, 5.8.1999 / Hermione**

Harry and I are busy today. First we'll go and see Angelina and little Carolyn in the Witch Maternity Ward, then move on for the monthly check-up and then we'll go and shop for a ton of furniture to put in the Stöckli. We're moving in there as soon as it's fully furnished. We can buy the stuff, have it shrunk and resize it at the places we want the stuff. I just love my magic!

Angelina is still tired, but happy and the baby is absolutely cute! She's not your typical Weasley, even if there is a shimmer of red hair on her head, but it would have been a miracle for her to look like all other Weasleys, given that Angelina is black and that this usually pushes through. But it's a lovely baby. She's even got a few freckles on her nose! I start to question Angelina about the birth and nursing.

"I can only tell you how it was for me, Hermione, which doesn't mean it will have to be the same for you! She's been due, not overdue, but due and she's quite big…"

"She looks tiny to me, Angelina, but then we had the triplets as an example and they were naturally a bit smaller. Yet they're already a year old now and I think it's gone from the memory so quickly how they really looked at the beginning."

"Well, she weighs just above seven pounds. That's a pretty lot, considered you've got to push that out of your body, Hermione!"

"Oh yes, I can imagine."

"When are you due?" Angelina asks.

"Date has been determined as the tenth of December."

"That's not too far away anymore, eh?"

"No. More than half the way through. How did Fred manage while you were pregnant?"

"Quite well actually. As exuberant as always, but he's hugged me lots and I really loved it when he pressed his ears on my belly and caressed me. How do you do, Harry?"

"Probably similar to Fred. Minus the exuberance… I'm trying to be different than my dad. Everyone tells us he was a bundle of nerves and drove everyone mad. He says it's so not true, but I think I believe the majority in this case and that would be Mum, Sirius and Remus."

Angelina laughs.

"I'm so happy for you to have your parents back, Harry, have I ever told you that? It must make one hell of a difference…"

"It does! They're fun to be with. And I love my little siblings. I think there will be more, dad wants his own little Quidditch team, you know."

"What fun! Multiples again, do you think?"

"That's up to them, I'd say. Not sure if they'll go for another set of triplets again though."

"That was a wonderful thing they did for their friends."

"It was. And with a lovely outcome, they're all so happy with their little ones."

While we chat about our lives I'm getting to hold Carolyn, who's really a lovely little lady and I long for the day when I meet my own child. Like Sirius and Remus Harry and I have decided not to know the gender before the birth. We're also still discussing names, too.

"I think it was a very nice move of you and Fred to give her Alicia's name as her middle name, Angelina," I remark.

"Alicia was pretty smug about it; it was a surprise for her. We didn't know her gender either, so we just decided that either the godfather's or the godmother's name would make for the middle name."

"Good thinking. That helps bonding, too. George is her godfather, no?"

"That was one easy guess, Hermione! Yes."

After an hour we have to go and see the healer to check our baby's progress and health. A few spells take care of that, the results are entered in my file and we're dismissed for another month. We walk through Diagon Alley to Gringotts to raid our vaults for money for the furniture and then we go through the three or so shops that sell furniture. I'm forever amazed at the old-fashioned styles wizards prefer. Of course I don't mind the four poster beds, they are cosy and warm, but wash basins and water jugs for the bedroom? All that's missing is the chamber pot! We'll have a nice modern bath, thank you very much. I also think we'll get the living room furniture at a more modern, though Muggle shop. But we get the dining room, the nursery and the guest room furniture as well as the study from the wizarding shops. Of course we'll still do a lot of our studying over at the library, but it's good to have a room to deposit things and a place to withdraw. We could have taken out most of the wall to make for a larger living room, but we chose to leave it. We'll just keep the doors open at all times.

The traditional large kitchen with a sufficiently large dining area takes up the back half of the Stöckli. The front half holds two rooms and both parts are divided by a small corridor with the staircase to the upper levels. The main door leads from the side into this corridor, which has a door to the left to the kitchen and the two doors to the front rooms. On the first floor are three rooms and a bathroom. All rooms are reached from the landing and the corridor. Another staircase leads up to a large room under the roof, which we'll use as our bedroom. A small second bathroom has been built in for us, new big dormer windows let in more light. For the beginning we'll have the baby up there with us, so the nursery will be set up there until our child will be old enough to sleep in its own room one floor down.

All rooms are quite nicely sized, not very large, but comfortable. There is a basement with four cellar rooms, which can be reached over a staircase outside next to the back door from the kitchen. The rooms on the first and second floor hang about one metre over the kitchen at the back. This makes for a porch with a cemented floor and some supporting pillars along the width of the house.

We use the two front rooms for the living room and our little study. Dobby and Winky only used the kitchen and one of the rooms on the first floor. They'll keep that room of course. Though Winky is at Hogwarts most of the time, Dobby doesn't feel overloaded with work. He grins, snaps his fingers and the job he needs to do is usually done.

We also have to organise the day-care for our baby. There's a day-care at Diagon Alley, which will suit our needs very well, I'll be able to pop in from the Academy for the nursing at all times. So the baby has been announced to go there from on mid-January.

I'm doing a lot of 'listening' inside – sitting and caressing my belly and the baby. It's moving quite actively right now, but then there's enough space left still. Sometimes Harry sits down with me to take over and then we're not even talking much, just sitting arm in arm. I suppose this is a bit like the quiet before the storm, when we'll have to be on our feet all day and half the night for the little one. And I'm also aware that this is the one chance when we can be so still and quiet together, a next baby will have an older sibling and we won't be able to enjoy this concentration. Makes it twice as special.

* * *

**Saturday, 7.8.1999 / Harry**

Shortly before noon we get ready to drive up to the Lueg. We pack friends and family into the cars (in the meantime we're up to four of them!) and off we go. The drive takes about half an hour through a lush green area. Hills covered with pastures or forests mark most of the Emmental. Where there are no forests cows graze on wide pastures. There are no flat bits here. The Lueg is on one of those hills. And the weather is excellent today.

We are therefore guided to a long table in the garden part of the restaurant, where we all take our seats. Mum, dad, Sirius and Remus get high chairs for the little ones. Addie sits opposite of them between Ginny and myself. Hermione takes her place on my left.

"Should have brought my parents along, too…" she sighs.

"Are you a witch or aren't you? Why don't you go and get them? We're eating à la carte anyway, so we can just wait another 15 minutes or so," Sirius replies.

"Haven't we heard that somewhere before?" I whisper over to Ron. We have just instantly looked at each other and grin.

"Yeah, methinks I am! Good idea!"

Just a few minutes later Hermione has side-along apparated Helen and George and brings them to the table. They still look a bit frazzled from the experience. We ask for two settings more and get them without any fuss.

"Hello, everybody! What a great surprise! Hermione has just caught us on the way out to eat lunch somewhere; never thought that somewhere would be not a few miles, but a few hundred miles away…" George laughingly greets us.

"Hi George, hi Helen!"

We welcome them at the table and introduce them to the people they don't know yet. Minerva has come along and Jason and Mandy are there. They all admire the wonderful area and while we choose our food a lively discussion about anything gets under way.

The food and company are excellent. It's been a nice idea of Siri and Remus to have a family meal like this and in summer, too. This way we can enjoy the mood and the food outside. I get to hear about Addie's adventures at Hogwarts. She seems to like the castle and after a couple of months there she's really feeling at home.

"Remus says that I can't roam the castle during the school year, but then I'll be more busy with studying anyway. I'll also have to eat at the flat with the twins," she tells me.

"I can see his point, Addie. All the other children get to see Hogwarts for the first time when they arrive for their first year. You'll already know a lot of it, so the surprise is kind of gone… and believe me, it's great fun to discover the castle as a first year. I loved seeing it for the first time when Hagrid showed us the view on that first night."

"Yes, but I don't mind. I have to wait another full year, even though I turned eleven last winter! But your Mum says I have to catch up with a lot of stuff anyway and I'll need the time to learn things. Sirius and Regulus both had to wait for almost an extra year, too, and Remus, he even had a full year extra, because his birthday is at the beginning of September."

"You'll do well. You've already started, haven't you?"

"Yes. But not the whole day. They think I'm allowed to have a bit of a vacation, too."

"Aren't they kind?" I ask with a grin.

We study the menus and choose our food. Ginny and I help Addie to find something. It takes a while until the first course is served, because we've ordered many different things, and we use it to chat. Addie feels more and more comfortable around us, she smiles much more often and slowly but surely the smiles lead to a laugh here and there. She's learned what laughing means with the first tickling war she's ever fought yesterday afternoon. Ron and Justin have come home and were in a bit of a silly mood. They started fooling around with the triplets and Addie got drawn in somehow and then they tickled her until she couldn't stand it anymore. In the end she declared that she **hated** Ron and Justin.

But I don't think so. The two only need to turn up and the kids start to grin and smile at them. I suppose Addie will give in to their charm as well. Ron is looking forward to his godchild. He treats Hermione like a queen right now, I've never seen him so courteous before.

**Sirius**

I look across the table and watch Addie talking with Harry and Ginny. She's getting so comfortable with everyone now. She's a child and like all children she's curious and wants to learn new things.

"Addie is definitely getting better, I think, what do you say, Moony?" I ask my mate.

"Yes, I think so, too. She'll take a while to adjust fully, but with those among us she's seen a few times already she does feel at ease."

"I so wish for her to get happy. It still breaks my heart what she's gone through without realising it. I fear the day when she does. I just hope it's before her puberty is striking full force! Or way after…"

"That's probably in vain, love. We'd better prepare a few good answers beforehand. It's a big thing to realise that her father has stolen most of her childhood for such a stupid cause."

I sigh. Then I turn back to Denny, who sits on my other side and see that he gets a few bites to eat. Remus takes care of Seraina and in between helping the twins we get a few bites in as well.

**Ron**

It's a really lovely day today and this is a nice way to spend it. After the lengthy meal we enjoy a lovely walk for about an hour before returning to the cars and driving back home. It's Justin's and my last weekend of classroom Auror training. From on Monday we're working with a team of experienced Aurors. I've been attached to John Hill and Margaret White. They've both been on the job for several decades of years. I'm to accompany them on their shifts, so I've received a list of shifts for the next month. Justin has a different plan, but we've still worked out lots of opportunities to be together. We don't have to stay at the Auror Headquarters anymore and have already cleared our accommodation for the new students of this year. Justin has been teamed with Kingsley Shacklebolt and Dean Crosby.

This will mark quite a change in our lives. This is the real thing now, not the simulations anymore and I'll finally see what it's all about.

The really good thing is that when we both have a later shift, Justin and I will be able to sleep in. We don't say no that! The job pays quite well, too.

* * *

**Monday, 9.8.1999 / Remus**

I return to Hogwarts alone today. Sirius has nothing to do, but I have to prepare the letters for the returning students. I've received all the booklists now and have the letter done by the automatic device, which also addresses the envelopes, then there are the booklists to be written out and copied and added. The prefects have been chosen, the badges go into the respective letters. Eight students in sixth and a handful of students in seventh year have an extra letter from Sirius with the offer for the Animagus course he plans to give for anyone interested. This takes most of my time today. Later in the afternoon all the letters are up in the owlery though and on the way to their recipients.

Once the letters are out I can prepare the staff meeting. It will take place on the Monday before the start of term by which time all teachers are required to arrive at the school at the latest.

At lunch I'm meeting the teachers who have already arrived over the weekend, Hjalmar Nilsson and Kate Calverleigh. I have the teachers' schedules for Filius, Pomona and Carla already with me. We've just sat down at the table when the door opens and Penny, Neville, Sybill and Waldo Hawkridge enter. Minerva welcomes them and they find space at the table.

"Are you all alone here? Where's your delightful family?" Hjalmar asks.

"I'm quite alone right now, yes, Sirius didn't have anything to do here, so we saved ourselves apparating the children back and forth. They're with him in Switzerland."

"I see. When's the staff meeting again? I'll be away again for a week in a few days..."

"On the 23rd."

"Oh, fine, by then I'll be back for sure. I'll get to see some interesting bits of runes in Heidelberg, where they've been found in an old wizard's cellar. He must have been about 180! In any case he was all alone, only three weeks after he had died did actually someone find him. Two months ago. Someone found those runes and I have been given the chance to see them firsthand."

"That sounds interesting. Do you have an idea what it's about?"

"Only that it's about some sagas. You know the area there is full of them!"

Neville has already received his rooms and his office. I approach Penny and Waldo Hawkridge after lunch:

"Hi, Penny! Hello, Professor Hawkridge! I'm Remus Lupin, Defence professor and Deputy Headmaster. I'm to show you to your new quarters if you'd like to follow me…"

"Hi, Remus! Very nice. Do I have an office already, too?" Penny asks.

"Pleased to meet you, Professor Lupin. I've heard quite a lot about you already…" Hawkridge says.

"Call me Remus, please. We're not overly formal among the staff."

"I'm Waldo then! Thank you, Remus."

"Will do, thank you! Well, if you'd like to follow me I'll show you the way and yes, you already have an office, Penny."

I accompany the two of them to the hidden entrance to the staff quarters and guide them through our long corridor.

"That password will change on September 1st. This here is my and Sirius' flat. I don't know if you've heard already, Penny, but we've received a third child to our family…"

"You have? Wow, so suddenly?"

"Remember when Sirius told you he'd have to work through his parent's house? We did and found that his father had not died when everyone thought he did, but was still alive. Sick, but alive. And his mother had lived five years longer than she had officially. The Blacks staged their deaths to try and produce another Black heir."

"And did they succeed?"

"Indeed. Only the child was a girl and when she was a year old her mother died, thus no more Black heir… Arcturus Black had imprisoned his daughter inside the house for all of her life and when we went to clear up we found little Adara Black, ten years old, the spitting image of her brother Sirius and the sweetest child you could imagine."

She stares at me, unable to say anything. For at least two minutes. I grin. She swallows and says:

"Wow. Now there's a shock!"

"Meanwhile we got used to each other, and she's a very nice child. Lily is taking over tutoring her as she has large gaps of basic knowledge and is not used to people, so we will not send her to the primary school and have her home schooled until she comes to Hogwarts next year. By which time her social skills should have been honed as well as her knowledge holes filled."

"Dear me, that's quite a story."

"Do I understand that right that you and Sirius Black are sharing your flat?" Waldo asks.

"Yes. We're a couple. We have two children of our own, twins who share their birth mother, while Sirius and I each sired one of them. They're fifteen months old. Which is why we have our flat down here, that's always been the family part of the teachers' quarters. In the past fifty years there were no families around, but with you young people, who knows who of you will move down here as well?"

"I'm definitely not in a hurry!" Waldo protests.

"Anyway, if you're in the mood, just come knocking on our door here and we'll share a cup of tea or coffee or a drink and chat. Now – here's the teachers' lounge. Sirius and I are rather rare guests here, because of our babies. But it's a very nice place as you can see. You have access to the large garden which is reserved for the teachers. Unless one of us lets the secret out how to get here there won't be any students here. And believe me, when I was a student we got to as good as every nook and hidden corner of this castle, but we never managed to get in here."

Penny laughs.

"Why does that not surprise me after what Sirius has told me?"

"Because he's told you, of course. Filch still trembles when he hears someone talking about the Marauders. Thankfully he's gone now and Minerva has hired a new caretaker. Who's warned, because we call our twins 'little Marauders'."

"Yes, I noticed."

"Well, you have to pass through here to reach the staircase to the two teachers' floors above here. The former Potions Master, Severus Snape, preferred to have his rooms down in the dungeons, Waldo. You're welcome to have a look at them, if you are someone who prefers to delve down there, too…"

"No thanks! I didn't mind Slytherin, but I do prefer some light! The classroom has been moved by Professor Black, hasn't it?"

"Yes, that's right, but since it's next to mine he wants to keep the room and change it to the Transfigurations classroom. We'll get you a nice room for sure. We have about thirty rooms that can be used as classrooms in this castle currently not in use. And that's only in the main castle, there are tons more in the not so frequently used areas."

"There will be a suitable one then. I'm not worried about that, but I also prefer to teach above ground…"

"I can quite understand that."

"I heard that Professor Snape brewed your Wolfsbane potion, Remus, sorry if I sound blunt, but do you need me to do that for you, too?" Waldo asks.

"No, Waldo, I have my sources. Sirius mostly makes mine these days and sometimes I get it from two of our former students or a friend of ours. So I have back-ups as well. In case this was going to be an offer I thank you anyway."

"I'm relieved, because I don't know if I'd have been able to brew it, to be honest."

"I know it's difficult. That's why I can't make it myself. I've been sufficiently good at the theory in Potions, but when I had to work with all those ingredients my nose would usually make me go bonkers."

"Well, you wouldn't either touch silver nor Wolfsbane, would you?"

"There's gloves for that, which would do quite well, but basically, no, I wouldn't of course."

We're climbing up a spiral staircase until we reach the second floor.

"On the first floor we have most of the teachers who have been here for longer. You will get rooms, freshly renovated and ready for you to do with them as you please, up here on the second floor. Ladies first, so Penny, this one is yours!"

"Thanks. Does it work with a password?"

"Yes. It's set for you to choose one. All you need to do is to supply the covering portrait with your name, your staff number, and say 'the new password is…' – only you can set it. The portraits are aware of the names and staff numbers, so there's no use trying it on other staff members' doors, by the way. I'm afraid that I'll have to know the passwords, for safety reasons, just in case one of you should once be stuck inside. I do keep them confidential though. Just send me a little note."

"Ah, fine. I'll do that right now."

"We leave you to it then. Waldo, your room is a bit further down the corridor. Well, rooms, really, because you have two bedrooms, a bathroom and a living room as well as a tiny kitchenette kind of thing. The fireplace is big enough so you can brew potions, just in case you need to. Here it is… same thing as I told Penny goes for your room, too! – I leave you to it. If you need any help or information, just call on me, I'll be here most of the days until the new term starts. You've seen my office already, it's the same as Professor Black's."

"On the fifth floor, isn't it? I'll find it if I need to, thanks. Do I contact you for the classroom?"

"Yes. And for the furnishing, call on Sirius, he's prepared the one you saw for your test lessons."

"I thought it was brilliant! No wonder he changes to Transfiguration, if that's been transfigured then he's done a marvellous job!"

"That's exactly what he did! It has become a bit of a speciality of his. And it's probably the only thing that marks him as a gay man," I reply with a grin.

"Yes, I wouldn't have thought him to be gay if you hadn't told me."

I spend the remainder of the day setting up the new passwords for the four houses, inspecting them all after that to check that the passwords work. The parchslip is added to the list of the first years.

As a last task I talk to the house-elves and ask them about the procedure for the menu plans.

"Each Saturday Professor McGonagall gave us the menu plans she had chosen for lunch and dinner once a week, Professor Lupin, sir, and the breakfast is always the same," one of them tells me.

"So that means I had to eat what Minerva picked? Well, that's fine then, I will give you the plans on Sunday evening for the week. And since I'm the one who chooses the boss will have to get used to a much more diverse menu from now on! I mean, I really like what you guys cook, but it does not contain too much change, does it?" I say, pleased with the prospect.

"We is cooking what you ask, sir. We is able to cook anything you like," the little helper claims.

"Excellent! Good little helpers you are!"

I'm really looking forward to choosing the food. Minerva is Scottish and that shone through the food at Hogwarts for as long as I can remember, but now the students and staff will get some more variety than just plain old English. I will leave the rich breakfast, maybe add a few little things, because that's what the students need in this cooler climate to get the energy they need for their classes, but lunch and dinner will see a much greater variety of foods. Southern cuisines will probably prevail, Mediterranean, but also Asian, making for a much lighter diet and tickle their palates a bit more than with heavy puddings and stuffing and thick gravies. Can't wait to go through my old cookbooks and get a few new ones. Actually that goes straight on my book list for the next shopping trip. To have a good excuse to visit my favourite bookshops is always good.

After talking to the house-elves I inform Minerva of my respective plans. She frowns at first. Scots don't like drastic changes, but I remind her of the dinner at Harry's and Hermione's wedding and ask:

"Wouldn't you like more of this lovely stuff on your plate? Our house-elves will do a perfectly fine job!"

"I should expect them to do that, Remus! I'll just miss my preferred food…" she says with a little pout.

"You'll survive that, dearest Minerva – from 1st September I'll get the ruling over what we get to eat!"

I grin and take my leave from Hogwarts for today.

**Sirius**

While Remus does his Deputy Headmaster job at Hogwarts I 'accept' some help from Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ernie, Blaise and Padma to go through Grimmauld Place once more. The first of many more times I'm afraid, but it has to be done. The gang's help will be really great help!

When we get there I call Diggory on the Commumirror and he sends someone to take care of Kreacher. I've already spoken to him and he told me not to worry, he'd take care of it. So within an hour after our arrival someone from Diggory's department arrives to take Kreacher away. I'm told that I have to actually release Kreacher by giving him some clothes. I do this and they vanish with the old house-elf. I'm really sorry, but I don't see any other way.

"Not nice…" Hermione says and sniffles.

"No. Not nice, you're right. Just no other way or he'd go and talk too much. Now I suggest we start by trying to get rid of all of these awful portraits."

To my surprise we can't take them down though! They're attached to the wall with a permanent sticking charm and one that we apparently can't undo. I conjure up something rather crude and definitely Muggle, a crowbar and a hammer and we try it that way. It's too much fun to hear my mother screech and scream, the crowbar does the trick perfectly well and we all laugh ourselves silly! But she's managed to have used a permanent sticking charm on her own portrait that we don't even conquer with the crowbar.

Hermione is the one who has the idea for the solution to this problem. She looks at the wall and asks:

"That's all panelling, isn't it?"

"Everything in here is panelled."

"Well, then she's attached to the panelling. Remove the panelling and she'll drop…"

"Worth a try in any case!"

We can't just remove the panelling. But the crowbar, this time used between panelling and brick wall, finally does the trick. Mother doesn't stop screaming, but it is of no avail, we just close our ears and laugh when the life-size portrait with the panelling comes off the wall and falls to the ground. We take it to the backyard and I tell Mother:

"That's all of you now, Mother! We'll burn this awful portrait on the spot. A new era of the Blacks has been started and I won't have my son and daughter enter this house to see all the old rubbish ever!"

"You're not going to burn me! You're **not**!"

She screams, but I point my wand and while she screams on I call:

"Incendio!"

And then I watch as the flames take care of what is left of my mother! Inside I'm burning, because I remember well, that as a child I never wished for anything as much as a real mother, one who would not be cold, cruel and distant, one who would hold and cuddle me, sooth my tears and laugh. I won't miss this one. She had given birth to me, but that was it. For a few short years I had Remus' mum Fanny, who was exactly what I had always wished to have and she treated me like a second son, just like auntie Dorea. How bitter the day when Fanny and Quintus Lupin were murdered by Death Eaters! The only solace I have to this day is that they never had to see Remus suffer after I had been cast off to Azkaban.

The screams have ended. Did she really feel that? It was probably just programmed into this portrait to scream. Merlin knows she did it enough in real life, too. I head back inside and from now on we treat everything on the wall with the crowbar and take things down. Everything is burned outside and by the evening the hall and staircase are cleared of all the rubbish. It's completely empty now.

"Okay. Tomorrow we tackle the drawing room…" I say.

We return to the Sunnegg and all of us vanish to take a good long shower or bath. Remus is back from Hogwarts. Lily and James have looked after the little ones. At dinner I look at Hermione who doesn't look too well.

"Stay home tomorrow, Hermione, and rather look after the children! We get along," I tell her.

"Yes, I think, that was a bit too much. I do have to keep calm for a bit. Thanks, Sirius!"

"No need to thank me, I have to thank you, sweetie! You've all been a great help. The hall of Grimmauld Place has been emptied of all the trash! My ancestors can all go to bloody hell now!"

Remus grins.

"Such language, Siri!"

"Couldn't care less, love, it's been almost like a nightmare! We couldn't take those portraits down, so finally I got a crowbar and we used raw human strength and did it the Muggle way! And look there, it worked. Would be my father's death to know that a simple Muggle instrument would take care of something no wizard could remove!"

The memory makes us all laugh again.

"It was priceless, Remus! We just took off all those portraits and heads of the beheaded house-elves!"

"And Kreacher?" Remus asks.

"Was picked up by Diggory's people," I say curtly.

"Ah. I see."

"Anyway, tomorrow we tackle the drawing room. That blasted tapestry must come down next."

"That might be more difficult, it doesn't have a frame…" Remus remarks.

"Yes, we'll have to find out how to do it, or we have to burn it out. These walls will have to be cleaned and painted anyway. Probably re-plastered as well. And if nothing else works, we'll just get the crowbar between the wood panel and the brick wall again."

"True."

* * *

**Tuesday, 10.8.1999 / Blaise**

Fairly early in the morning we reach Grimmauld Place again. Lily and James are with us today and look around with curiosity.

"Even the empty hall looks dreary, Sirius," James remarks, "I'm very glad that I never got to see this before we came here in spring."

"Well, you've never missed anything, Prongs! This is not a friendly place," Sirius says.

"No, it doesn't look like one. So – where do you want to get on with the work?"

"The drawing room right here next door. At least we don't need to tiptoe around my mother's blasted portrait anymore, we can talk and be noisy all we want now."

We step into the drawing room. It's just a bit dusty. Sirius guides us to one wall which is decorated with a huge tapestry containing the Black family tree. Sirius points to the bottom of it and stares, then he says:

"My mother has burned my name out of it when I left, but look! The line down and Denny's name is on it!"

Indeed there is Denny's name right on the bottom of the tree. I look for Tonks and find her as well.

"There's Tonks!" Padma says.

"And Andy has been burned out of it as well! Blasted people! But now let's see if the crowbar helps on this thing as well. I try to loosen a corner and you guys hold it if it comes away and pull while I keep loosening the fabric from the wall, okay?"

"Okay," we confirm.

Sirius gets the crowbar and starts going under the fabric, but of course he can't get it loose. We have to get the panels of the wall again and throw what's come off on the ashes of yesterday's trash to burn it with all the other stuff that will follow. In fact we decide to take the complete panelling down. It looks grubby and really not that nice to be worth saving.

There's a lot of old furniture in the house and no one will be interested in it, because there's nothing nice or even elegant about the heavy things. Everything looks centuries old, but it's not of a style that would be nice to keep as antiques. We open up all the drawers and take everything out in the middle of the room. Then the cupboards and bookcases get shrunk and thrown on the trash pile. There are several folders with papers which Sirius puts into a large crate in the hall. We add to that with everything other than old magazines or newspapers. We also find several photo albums and Sirius puts them away, for documentary reasons more than sentimental ones. Photos in frames are added to that pile as well. We reach the last sideboard and empty it. Now everything in the room is reduced to matchbox size and we put the stuff into another crate to take it out to the backyard, where it's burned in a nice bonfire together with the tapestry. In the end Sirius points his wand at the little mound of ash that remains and calmly says:

"Scourgify."

Inside the house we find a few nests of doxies and other pests, but we've soon taken care of those.

"Okay, now the library and the study we keep until last. You've already looked through the master bedroom, I think, we continue with all the bedrooms upstairs now…"

We all move upstairs, Sirius levitates the crate with the papers and photo albums and places it in the upstairs hall. This floor contains the master bedroom and the hidden flat, a huge bathroom and the library.

"I wonder about that little flat. I mean, there are the rooms here and then the rooms there, it must have been magicked in there somehow…" I say.

"Yes, I was thinking about that as well. Let's start with the main rooms first," Sirius orders.

Padma and I take care of one of the guestrooms. We look through the cupboards, but only find some linen, which seems to be in good order. Padma leaves to ask what to do with that. She comes back and says:

"Take the stuff out and pile it on the floor outside of the room, Sirius will think about it."

"Good."

That's what we do, then we reduce the furniture, which is as ugly as the stuff all around the house and add it to the trash crate in the hall outside. Harry brings some stuff from another room, as do Ginny and Ernie. James and Lily are with Sirius it seems.

**James**

Lily and I follow Sirius into the master bedroom. It looks like someone has gone through it before and searched it.

"My great-aunt has been here with her two sons after the funeral. I told her to take everything that she fancies. We'd already picked up all the important stuff, meaning the Gringotts keys and some jewellery. She must have found a few valuables still, because she didn't complain anymore. We reduce the whole caboodle and throw it on the trash pile…"

"With pleasure, dear Mr. Padfoot!"

We start shrinking the whole furniture until nothing remains except for a small pile of stuff, which we add to the crate outside. There is only a mirror left, which seems to be where the entrance to the little flat was. We're using a spell to detect passwords and find out it's covered with the words "Toujours pur".

"Geez, how predictable was that?" Sirius murmurs.

We go inside and try to find where the magical flat starts. After half a metre we've already found the point. Sirius tries a simple:

"Finite Incantatem!"

And we find ourselves pushed right back and in front of an unblemished wall! A pile of stuff from the flat has been spat out along with ourselves and is now covering the two of us.

"Wow… wouldn't have expected it to work, really!" Sirius grins, digging himself out from under the bed. He quickly disposes of the furniture along with the remaining bedroom furniture from the master bedroom.

"Neither did I! But it worked and Blaise and you were right, it was magical."

"It's gone anyway. And the room is empty, too. Next one…"

We move to the next floor, where there are eight bedrooms. Lily and I take one, Sirius the next, which is Regulus' room. We take our guestroom down completely without looking at anything in there. Then something happens and we hear Sirius screaming! Lily and I rush over just as Harry comes running, while Sirius falls to the floor, out of it.

"Shit! Is that a Boggart or a Dementor?" Harry shouts.

"Oh! Probably a Boggart, Harry!"

"Ah! Okay, step back a little, it becomes a Dementor for me, too!"

Harry lifts his wand and points it at the source of his discomfort, calling:

"Riddikkulus!"

While Lily already starts to help Harry I apparate to the lower floor and call the rest of the gang:

"We have a slight problem with a Boggart upstairs, can you come and help?"

They all come up the stairs and we face the Boggart in turns until it's so confused that it explodes. Ginny's is a handsome young man with black hair and blue eyes. She casts the spell and the young man is completely naked and sings into a microphone, blushes and tries to cover his privates. I look at her a bit astonished. What's scary in that young man? She calmly explains:

"It's sixteen years old Tom Riddle, James. When I was in my first year he got into my head through an enchanted diary, into which I wrote. I got the thing from Lucius Malfoy. Only knew that later on though…"

"Oh! The Chamber of Secrets thing, now I remember."

"Yes, that."

"Sorry, I was a real prat for stirring up such memories…"

Ginny gives me a smile and replies:

"Don't worry, the Boggart already did that, and I have to face them now and then to remember it's all in the past. I won't be able to forget it!"

Now we have finally time to care for Sirius. He's coming around, slowly, but once he's conscious again he starts to cry. I haven't seen Padfoot cry often, but I know how badly he's affected by Dementors, even Boggart induced Dementors. Harry sits down and pulls Sirius into a hug. Lily asks Harry:

"What did you do against your Boggart Dementor, Harry? It went too fast for me to see."

"Oh, I always imagine them tripping over their cloaks and ripping them off… during the Triwizard Tournament I had to face one and at first I thought it was a real one, so I cast the Patronus, but then the 'Dementor' didn't vanish, instead it tripped over its cloak, so that gave me the idea how to make it look ridiculous. Works every time."

"Could have told me that, Harry!" Sirius sniffles.

"Are you feeling better, Padfoot?"

"Not much. But I will…"

Sirius transforms and Padfoot lies down on the rug and closes his eyes for a nap. Harry pats his back and strokes over the silky fur. My son is amazing. I have noticed that in such stressful situations Sirius will turn to Harry much rather than me, even though we have been best friends for so long. If he can't have Remus, Harry is the one he'll turn to. I could be jealous, but I can see where their closeness comes from: for just shortest periods of time since Harry learned about Sirius' innocence they've confided in each other and now they have come to an even closer relationship. The years both of them spent in their own personal hell has probably shaped their relationship, but I can't begrudge them their closeness.

"Let's continue with the remaining bedrooms and then go home, I think, we have quite enough for today," Harry suggests.

We leave Sirius for the moment and finish the bedrooms on this floor, then take everything out to burn it. Coming back into the house it looks very empty. Most of the rooms have been cleared now. All that's left is the dining room, the kitchen in the basement, the attic, the library and the study. The rest has been done. We wake Padfoot. He looks around, transforms and gets up.

"Sorry about that! I think, I should have known that one or two of those blighters would turn up. A mostly unused house is an open invitation for Boggarts. The bloody thing nearly gave me a heart failure!"

"Let's go home. You need a nice hot bath and a long night with Moony now. We'll take care of the children meanwhile, alright?" Padma suggests.

"Thanks, Padma, you're the best! I think, that might just be the remedy!"

We apparate back to the Sunnegg to relieve Hermione. Remus is also back already and after hearing what's happened he gladly leaves us with the little ones to take care of his mate.

**Remus**

What the heck is that? I left Sirius in perfect health this morning and when I come back I find him almost a wreck? Gee! I summon our bathrobes from our bedroom and take him into the bathroom where I fill the tub with very hot water and add essence of lavender to sooth him. Sirius lowers himself into the tub and says:

"Come join me, Moony, I need you!"

I take off my own clothes rapidly and step into the tub, placing myself behind Sirius. He sinks a bit lower and I hold him close to me. Sirius lays his head on my chest and sighs. While I grab and dunk a washrag and start to gently stroke Sirius with it I ask:

"So, what happened at that blasted place? When I left you this morning you were perfectly fine and now…"

"Boggart…" is all he says.

"Dementor?" I ask.

"Spot on…"

"And?"

"And? I passed out! Bloody Dementors still get under my skin every time, even as Boggarts. The others all came and helped take care of it in turns I think…"

"Good. It's natural for you that your Boggarts turn to be Dementors, love. Did they think of feeding you some chocolate?"

"None available…"

I summon a bar from the kitchen and see to it that he nibbles some of it. He sighs and I can feel him relaxing a bit.

"When did it happen?" I inquire.

"About two hours ago. I transformed and slept afterwards…"

"Okay. Now, which do you prefer, a healing dose of children or one of sex?"

"Can I have both?" he asks.

"Yes, love, you can. It's dinnertime soon."

We take our time in the bath, though. I carefully wash his long hair, something he loves and after rinsing it he gets up. I follow him, not without giving his cock a quick caress.

"Mmm, hold that thought for later, Moony!"

"No problem, Padfoot."

We dry ourselves and get dressed again. Then we join the family for dinner and Sirius calms down considerably. We even take the twins to bed ourselves, in spite of several of their godparents offering.

"No, thanks, not tonight, I think, I need a bit of their happiness and love right now," Sirius thanks them.

I pick up Seraina and take her up to the children's room, while Sirius takes care of Denny. Once Seraina is dressed for the night and her sleeping bag mounted I'm sitting down on a blanket with her. Sirius and Lily bring Denny and Andy, and we look at a picture book together. The triplets start to recognise simple forms like cubes, apples, teddy bears and the likes and point at them. Sometimes especially Seraina can even say the word. Well, close to it anyway. When we're through the book I banish it away and pull my little ones close and kiss them goodnight. Sirius and Lily return and pick one of the boys up to put them in their cots. Seraina sucks on her pacifier and fondles the ribbon around the neck of her teddy bear in her fingers. She's asleep in just a couple of minutes. I get up and gently lay her into her cot. I'm still watching her sleeping, when Sirius turns to me quietly and says:

"Denny is fast asleep."

"So is Seraina."

"Let's fall into our bed, love!"

Not a hard thing to do. I've been quite busy today, assigning Annis' and Kate's rooms and helping them all to settle in. There were a good number of replies to the school letters and some enquiries from parents that needed to be attended to. Now I'm tired, but in a very loving mood. We undress quickly, cast our silencing charms and when I turn to the window, to close the curtains I can feel Sirius behind me. The window is wide open, since it's still very warm outside. Sirius embraces me and kisses my shoulder, then my neck, lets his hand run over my spine and starts to fondle my nipples.

"You've wet my appetite nicely in the bathtub, love," he whispers.

"That's good. I want you!"

"I want you, too, Moony."

He gives me a little push, so that I can't but hold myself up on the window sill. His hand moves swiftly over my back, giving a little pressure on all the spots he knows I react the quickest. There's one in the small of my back, ooh, that's the one, Padfoot! Pressing on this little nub in my spine undoes me every time! Pleasure shoots through my body and my cock gets really hard now. I take one of my hands away to touch myself, but he puts it right back on the sill.

"Sirius, anyone who's going out for a walk can see us!" I hiss.

"Don't think they will look up and expect us here."

The hand now moves to the cleft between my buttocks and immediately I spread my legs a bit wider. I swear, I can feel his grin in my back! He never stops caressing me. He's sucking my earlobe now.

"Nnng! Love it, Paddy, don't stop!"

"It'll only get better, sweetheart!"

Sirius lightly presses his body against mine and I can feel his erection, which makes me shiver with need and want.

"Want that, love… please…"

"Please, what? What do you want me to do with it?" he teases.

More kisses on my shoulders and back. Sirius worries my skin with slight bites and starts to suck, probably leaving a nice, big hickey. At least on my back it'll be covered. The hand wiggles to my opening and he starts to sneak a finger inside, swiftly pushing forward. My legs go a bit further apart.

"Perfect position, dear sweet Moony!" Sirius commends.

He summons the lube and starts applying it on my opening as well as his cock, then keeps on finger-fucking me for a little while, before finally plunging inside. He gets it all in easily. When he's all inside, he stands still for a few moments, leaning down and kissing my neck again. I turn my face and look at him. Not that I can see him well in this position, but he manages to kiss me on my lips for a moment. Then he slowly starts to push. I breathe in sharply. And lean forward, so that I'm now with my underarms on the edge of the window sill. Luckily the geranium pot on the sill keeps my lower half completely hidden from the outside! But I'm slowly so far away that I'm not caring for anything anymore, I look over my shoulder at what he's doing. Sirius has bowed his head and concentrates on thrusting in a steady rhythm that makes me shudder. I try to control my breathing to last longer, but as soon as he goes back on my cock with his hand I'm feeling my climax build up quickly. I breathe in deeply again. Even with the open window I get the scent of my mate making love to me strongly and I love it. I growl softly and wait for that wonderful moment which never lasts long enough, no matter how hard we try. Sirius doesn't make me wait today, he goes right through until he comes with a low grunt and a cry of my name. I close my eyes as he thrusts another few times until I find my own release. How I love this feeling of him filling me up.

I lower my head on my arm and slowly my breathing returns to normal and my pulse slows down. I still gasp a few more times. Sirius has slumped down on my back and folds his arms around my waist.

"You know, we could probably make it to the bed…" I suggest.

"Not sure…" he mumbles.

"Apparating?"

"Think I'd splinch."

I laugh. Then I push myself up from the sill, pushing him back in the process. He shrieks a little, holds tighter and both of us tumble down onto the floor.

"Now that wasn't very clever, Padfoot, how do we manage to get into bed now?" I chide.

"As long as you're in my arms I don't really care, Moony."

"But I do, we'll freeze! Come on!"

I can finally free myself from his grip and roll off him to turn around and get up. I go to the bed and look back to Sirius.

"Do I have to summon you, Siri?"

"Jolly good idea, Moony! Anything that spares me getting up myself."

He beams. I laugh, but then I call him:

"Come on, you can't be out of it that badly. I agree it was good, but we've had much more exhausting."

He sighs, but turns around and gets on his knees. Pushing himself up he comes over to the bed and drops down next to me.

"How do you expect a second round, if you're that exhausted from the first, love?" I tease him.

"I must be getting old! Used to be like that after half a dozen times, remember?"

"Don't think we ever managed that many… but we were 20 years younger then!"

"Would be nice though, wouldn't it?"

I turn to him and kiss him. His hand slowly glides over my arm up to my shoulder and his fingers tangle in my hair, while he pulls me close. I sigh into the kiss and close my eyes. Slowly we build each other up again. Endless kisses, slow hands over his back, his chest and kisses again. The wolf inside revels at the assault Sirius starts on my nipples with his teeth. He pushes me back on the bed and starts nibbling my skin. I continue to caress his back and just keep my eyes shut. His lips caress my chest and then he latches on to one of my nipples.

**Sirius**

Merlin, I love the taste of his flesh! I suck on his nipples, one after the other and catch them between my teeth. When I move from one to the other I look up into his face. He's got his eyes firmly closed and relishes the feelings he gets from my treatment. All of a sudden, the CD-player starts filling the room with piano music by Remus' favourite composer, Claude Debussy. I grin. He's just simply amazing! While I continue to caress him, we listen to the soft sounds of the Suite Bergamasque. Remus' choice of music is a fine one, I have to say. The music is dreamy and the soft sound of even the faster parts feel like the softest touches we administer on each others' skin. I lazily glide over his belly with my hand, down to where his wonderful cock has hardened again. I move closer and give it a few licks. His breathing accelerates again. I pull the foreskin back and give the head a few licks, cleaning it from the remaining seed. I can feel his hands on my back and it gives me goose-bumps. Soon I've swallowed most of his cock and suck. It takes a while, but once the growls start I know he's not far away from his orgasm.

"Yesss…" he hisses, "come on, Paddy, just a little more, yes! Siri!"

I love to feel him shuddering when he comes. His seed spurts into my mouth in two or three short waves and I swallow it down. I let my head fall on his abdomen, looking at this beautiful organ that gives us so much pleasure. I'm still not over missing this for fourteen long years. I close my eyes and simply relish in the flavour in my mouth and the scent in my nose that is the essence of my lover. Better than any perfume!

Before I can fall asleep he pulls me up and we find each other for another kiss. Then I summon a washcloth from the bathroom and he cleans my cock, rubbing it nicely in the process. I banish the cloth back and he starts to go down on me, suddenly quite alive and active, while he's kept so quiet before that I was almost afraid he had fallen asleep in the middle of my blow-job!

But now he seems wide awake! Without further circumstances he takes my cock into his mouth and starts going down, sucking and licking it. I tangle my fingers in his hair again. There's a faster piece on the CD again, lots of high sequences that remind me of tiny bells. I close my eyes, fill my senses with what Remus does to my cock and listen to the piano from the speakers. And I almost miss my climax! But only almost. I arch my back and push up, Remus controls me with his thumb, index and middle finger around my cock.

"Now, love, now! Oh, Remus!"

Slowly he lets go of my cock and turns back up to me. I sit up and pull him up to me, let myself fall back on the bed and feel him following me. It's still early, but we don't fight sleep when it comes.

* * *

**Wednesday, 11.8.1999 / Sirius**

Once more I have to go back to Gringotts, but this is to get everything settled now. I'm getting a statement of everything found in all of those vaults.

"Would you recommend to put all the money in one vault and all the valuables and whatever else is in those vaults in another?" I ask.

"It would certainly be a lot easier to handle, sir."

"Good. I still need several vaults. One hundred thousand Galleons go into two trust vaults in the name of Seraina Lupin and Dennis Black. I will keep the keys to those myself. One million Galleons goes into another vault in the name of my sister Adara Black. She's only eleven years old, so it will have to be another trust vault, which she can only use once she turns 17. My own vault requires two keys, one for myself, one for my life partner, Professor Remus Lupin. Then whatever is not money goes into a third vault, again in my name with a key for myself and Professor Lupin."

"That will be done instantly, sir, would you mind to wait for a few minutes, so we can arrange for the keys to be set up? Do you wish to keep your vault 711?"

"Yes, I won't mind that. If it's spacious enough…"

"Yes, it is. The vaults are fitting themselves according to what's inside as soon as the contents need more space than the standard size provides."

"Ah. Very convenient."

"I'll be back in a short while."

I really don't have to wait long until he's back with the keys.

"As you can see the keys are labelled. These two are for Professor Lupin, these are yours and this is your sister's. I have set up a trust vault with access for only you at the moment. It's another high security vault, since it contains a rather large sum of money. And finally these are the two other trust vaults."

"That's just fine, Mr. Tookook, exactly what I need."

"You will have access to your new vaults within two days, sir, we'll send you an owl."

"Thank you very much. I'll have to be back to look through all the personal effects in the vaults."

With that I'm apparating back home to the Sunnegg. I spend the afternoon playing with the little ones and Addie in the public bath. We stay there until dinner time when we're joined by Remus, Ginny and Ernie.

"Had fun?" Remus asks and kisses me.

"Lots of fun. I love the slide!" Addie says and grins.

"That's great, so we can go to the Alpamare with you now!"

It's wonderful to see the laughs coming to her now. We've watched the twins walk around and play in the sand pit, took them into the shallow pool and Addie swam alone for a while. When the bath closes at nine we take two sleeping babies and a fairly tired Addie home. On the way Addie falls asleep, too. Remus looks around and watches her.

"She's happy now, Paddy."

"Yes, Remus, I think so, too."

* * *

**Monday, 16.8.1999 / Sirius**

This is going to be an absolutely awful day. Two Aurors and an official from the DMLE, to my satisfaction it's Jason Taylor, accompany me to a place I really did not want to see again, Azkaban. The new head of the department, Ms McGovern, has assured me, that I would not have to go into an area where any Dementors would be around. My father and Narcissa Malfoy would be brought into two interrogation cells closer to the only entrance of the fortress.

So now the five of us and Remus sit in the boat over to the island, that was my 'home' for almost twelve years. Precisely those twelve years that I'm trying desperately to leave behind for good. Maybe this isn't so bad, I'll see how much I've healed. Still, it's going to be hard.

The boat is attached to the dock. I don't remember the day I've been brought in, I was unconscious all the way, but now that we approach the building the despair I felt when I woke up in that cell becomes tangible again. I don't even know how the building looks in this part, but the scent is bringing it all back again. A scent mixed of everlasting despair and cold cooked cabbage. Once smelt it will never go out of my mind. We enter the fortress through a small door. Right behind that are several rooms, the wizard guards inhabit those on their week-long shifts here at the prison.

One of them leads us to the cell in which my father is held for the interrogation after we've deposited our wands in the care of another guard. We all enter the cell. There's a small table and several chairs. Father looks close to death and completely out of his mind. He must be dying! He doesn't react to our presence at all. Not a word is coming out of his mouth to answer any of our questions. I look into his eyes. They're dull and almost closed. The guards look at me and I give up.

"We'll take him back then…"

"Where is he kept?" I ask.

"In one of the upper levels, but not high security. He's hardly a threat anymore. Still, the Dementors pass at least once every few hours…" the guard replies.

I nod.

We're then led to the other cell. If I hadn't known that the woman that sat in there was my cousin Narcissa, I would have had a hard time to recognise her. She looks like she's certainly never looked before! I'm not surprised and at the same time I am surprised at how bad she already looks. I know she has been put into one of the high security cells, but about two floors away from her husband's. Since she has nothing to keep the Dementors away, she's in a bad shape already. Not even the two or three hours away from them will do her much good. She stares at us with dull eyes, sunken deep into their sockets. I know that's how I looked when I got out of this place, but I'm still shocked. It's been about two years since her imprisonment and she looks like she's not going to make it for a very long time anymore. But she's still quite lucid. Sane enough to reply to my questions. We have two potions with us, a mind sharpening one and the Veritaserum, which will only be used if she refuses to give us the information we need.

Two Aurors keep her at their wandpoint.

"Sirius! So you're the reason they've shoved me in here. What do you want?"

She looks at me with disdain, just like she's done forever.

"Narcissa, I need something you should probably know. The blood binding spell at Grimmauld Place. What is it?"

"I don't remember!" she says, but suspiciously fast.

"You don't remember or you don't want to tell us?" I ask.

"I don't remember."

"Take this – it's a mind sharpening potion…"

"I don't want to!" she protests.

"I'm afraid it's not a question of want or not, Mrs Malfoy, we are allowed to force it down your throat if you refuse to take the potion," Jason informs her.

After a few more threats she takes the potion. While we wait for it to work she asks:

"How is Draco?"

"He's fine, Narcissa. He's getting married next month. He's working on opening a wizarding fun park in France next year."

"He's getting married? Already? Who is the woman he marries?"

"Parvati Patil. They have been together for almost four years already. You should know her parents."

"Ah. Yes, I think, I do."

"Do you remember the spell now?"

"Why do you want it? And why don't you know it yourself?" she wants to know.

"Because I've left the place at sixteen. It's not like I wanted to return there, but I had to clear up the whole mess of the Gringotts accounts. Do you remember when you've been there the last time, Narcissa?"

"Right after Auntie Leda's death. Why?"

"You were there after my mother's death? Only in the lower part of the house or have you actually seen her body?"

"No, I haven't seen her body, but why?"

"Because she didn't die then. They lied to you about her death. She died five years later. My father is even still alive, albeit just barely."

"What? You're putting me on! I know very well that I've received the news of his death! Only about a year or two after Auntie Leda's. Come to think of it I was told by the family lawyers not to go to Grimmauld Place… they said your father asked for no one to go there. They didn't give any further explanations beyond something like the house had sealed itself."

"Well, that would be because Father wasn't dead yet. They seemed to have withdrawn to quietly produce another heir to the family."

"Oh my!" She's shocked, but says: "Did they succeed?"

"No and yes. They had another child, but it's a girl. Because mother died a year after she was born there was no other chance. Father locked her up in the place and no one knew anything about her. Adara is going to be eleven years old in December. And father has taken residence here at Azkaban as well for his repeated use of Unforgivable curses. Since he was already very ill by the time we found him he's but a wreck now. I don't think he'll live much longer…"

"You really have no feelings left for your sire, do you?" she asks in a venomous tone.

"Really, Narcissa, what do **you** know about feelings? You married Lucius 'Iceberg' Malfoy and you did that with open eyes. Honestly. I tell you why I have nothing left for my sire: biology will only reach so far. Their treatment of me – and Regulus – was abominable. I would never do to a child what they did to me, even if a child of mine should turn out completely different than I would like to see it turning out. And I've heard enough from Draco to know that he didn't have it much better. Either it was showering gifts over him or whipping him half to death. I'll give that Lucius didn't know any better, but what good has it done? None. Draco learned to think for himself luckily. My own children will never be physically punished beyond a slap once every blue moon. They're not trying me enough yet to know whether my hand will really be safe when I get really mad about something, they're too small yet. But I shall never use my wand on them, never, Narcissa! I simply love them too much for that. You see the difference? My parents produced me – and Regulus – to have a heir to carry on the name. There was no feeling in that at all. My mother gave birth to me and then left me to the house-elves and nannies, she only cared that I survived, but how I survived was neither an interest nor a concern of hers. And Father was no better. I learned to talk because Uncle Alphard was around speaking to me, playing with me and telling me how much he liked and loved me. This is the difference, that is why I was capable of compassion and learned to love. If you don't understand that then you should not talk about feelings. Uncle Alphard offered that to all of us, Narcissa. It wasn't his fault that only Andy and I saw the value in it. - What about the spell now?"

"Oh, the spell… as far as I remember it was a short incantation, should be noted down somewhere. Uncle Arcturus told me before I got married."

It takes a while, but in the end we get the incantation. A 'short' incantation, ha ha! It must be about two lines long! Remus notes it down. We'll need a while to figure it out, but I hope we find something in the library books about it and I do hope we'll find a counter-spell.

"Thank you, Narcissa, you've been a great help."

She watches us leave the cell, again with the two Aurors keeping her at wandpoint. While we collect our own wands we see them guiding her back to her own cell. The robes she wears are thin now and won't hold up for much longer. She must be colder than I, because I doubt those silk robes warm her any.

We leave the prison behind. Remus looks at me and asks: "How are you?"

"Better than I feared, love. But they really did keep the Dementors away, so it wasn't too bad."

"I'm glad to hear that. You don't look like you've suffered too badly."

"I haven't," I confirm. Then I ask: "She doesn't look like she's going to make it for a long time, does she?"

"No, I don't think she does, but then it might be for her best if she dies sooner rather than later," Remus says.

I nod. It definitely would be merciful. After what seems like only an hour or so we reach the shore again and can apparate back to the Three Broomsticks, where we both have a drink before we return to Hogwarts.

* * *

**Wednesday, 18.8.1999 / Remus**

We're mostly back at Hogwarts now. Sirius has finished cleaning Grimmauld Place, even the study is empty now. All the papers and books, journals and some photo albums in there have been looked through and we found all of the used blood spells, so that we could neutralise them. Sirius only left the ones that make the house unplottable and invisible. Then we stuffed the stuff into crates and into the new vault at Gringotts.

The spell has been mentioned in three of the books in the library. Sirius uses the retrieval spell and we're really glad the library here responds to this spell as does the one at Hogwarts. One of the books is even one that I can touch. Thankfully the incantation for the counter-spell is only one word. Sirius first uses it on the door. Then on all the crates containing the books from the study.

And we do have to go back and check the library. Sirius has already emptied the safe, which contained some more jewellery and a few very questionable artefacts, which we have handed over to a research team at the Department of Mysteries. They will see if there are dangerous enchantments on those things. Dad is delighted that we offered him a possibility to look through all the library books we'll put in the vault. We've found several snuffbox-like little containers that smell of Dark Magic ten metres against the wind! We're tempted to destroy them, but finally decide to rather put them into the vault, where they can't do any harm. Then there are several signet rings that were certainly enchanted, these go with dad to the Department of Mysteries, too. We also detect a few dangerous looking vials. Sirius calls Snape on the Commumirror, glad that Severus even has one.

"Severus, if you're interested in some very obscure vials that we've just found at Grimmauld Place, then hop over. There are no apparition wards up at the moment, you can apparate right in, we're in the library."

"Vials? You've found old potions? I'll be there in a moment, Black!"

He does turn up only a few minutes later.

"Where are you?"

"Over here, Severus…" Sirius calls.

Severus finds us behind a few shelves and we guide him to the safe, where we've found five vials containing unknown substances.

"No labels, no dates, no nothing. If they have to be destroyed you probably know how to do that much better than either of us, Severus," Sirius says.

He looks at them.

"This one I think I know. It's an ancient poison… this one here I recognise as well. It's a truth potion, hasn't been brewed in the past one hundred years! Pretty powerful stuff, but doesn't reach Veritaserum. The other three I have to check."

"Take them all. Interested in any of the books here? We're still busy of getting all the Black blood spells off."

"I don't think, I have time to look through this," Severus replies, but I can see that he regrets it.

"Much of it will probably come up to Hogwarts, just the really Dark Magic stuff we want to put into a high security vault at Gringotts until it can be decided what's to happen to them. So it won't be lost," Sirius explains.

"Thanks!

As for the books in the library, Sirius has to undo the binding spells that bonded the books to the Black family blood. He uses the unbinding spell on each shelf we encounter. We check them for a few books I can't touch and check again after Sirius has used the spell. Once Sirius has cast the counter-spell, I can touch those books without a problem. They're almost all quite dark and many of them are probably very rare. We make a call at Flourish & Blotts and get to talk to Mr. Blotts, who agrees to come over and look at the material. He's delighted, after all he knows the value of this old collection of books. He picks the very rare ones out of the shelves and some of them we're willing to sell to him. We're holding back the darkest ones though. We're still glad for his information about their value.

What books are there and don't contain Dark Magic we collect for the Hogwarts library or keep it here. Some of the Dark Magic books can go into the restricted section. We have about ten large boxes full of shrunk books to take back to Hogwarts and another six or so to be put into the vault at Gringotts. That makes for about 30 of the contents of this large library. Once everything has been stuffed away we can actually have the house more thoroughly cleaned and refurbished.

* * *

**Friday, 20.8.1999 / Sirius**

We're back in Grimmauld Place to see how the renovation work has been done. Most of it is already finished and I'm amazed at the change that house went through. If my parents could see it they'd probably die on the spot.

All the rooms have been stripped down completely, were plastered and received a fresh paint, all of them a soft, light cream. We have the bathrooms and the kitchen renovated and all the fireplaces got an overhaul as well. The cellar has a pantry and a wine cellar, everything in there was torn out except for the long wooden table from the basement kitchen, which I didn't want to let go, then it, too, got a fresh layer of plaster and a coat of cream paint. The hardwood floors are torn out and have been redone in a lighter wood. All the ugly old gas lamps have vanished as have the terrible chandeliers. The knocker on the door is now the head of an eagle as we wanted something neutral. All the rooms have also received new windows.

I look at Remus.

"What do you think, Remus, did we get ourselves a new townhouse or do we sell it? I wouldn't ever have thought that I could ever like the place, but now it looks like something so entirely different, that I don't recognise it anymore," I say.

We walk through the four floors and inspect everything. The ground floor, which consisted of the huge drawing room, the formal dining room and the cavernous study as well as two smaller rooms has now been totally refurbished and where once was the study is now the new kitchen. One part of the old study and a larger part of the old drawing room have been converted into the new dining room, while the old dining room has become a small, formal sitting room and a new bathroom, and the remainder of the drawing room is the new family room. Kitchen, dining room and family room are all connected with archways. French doors in all three rooms let in a lot of light and open to a patio area in the garden. The two smaller rooms will be guest rooms.

On the first floor are the master bedroom with an attached bathroom, two further bedrooms and a bathroom, and the library, now fitted with large windows. On the second floor are about eight bedrooms and two more bathrooms. The old attic is now completely renovated, insulated and has also been painted in cream. A bathroom has been added. The basement where the old kitchen was has been turned into a normal room, which can be used as a big playroom or games room. Remus sighs.

"It's almost a shame to sell it, Siri."

I nod.

"Okay, we'll keep it and furnish it. That can take a while… It's been a good idea to have it connected to get electricity and a telephone and all. The room in the basement can be turned into a playroom. The old drawing room we'll furnish as a big family room."

"Won't you mind sleeping in your parents' old master bedroom?"

"They've hardly used it. Father used it, Mother used the smaller room on the second floor. I don't hope it will matter to me, love, because it does look so nice now. All that remains is the backyard. Should be friendlier once it's sorted out, too."

"Shouldn't be too much of a problem. We have time to do all of this though. Clear up before fall and decide on the lawn areas and put down the turf"

"And the roses and spring flowers, those need to go in before winter, too, but that shouldn't take more than a weekend or two in September."

We have a few ideas for the garden already. Remus looks at the wonderful new kitchen, which is Muggle- and magic-fitted. It's amazing what's become of that old study, which I feared so much as a small child, because that would have been the room where my father's most evil punishments took place. I can't wait to have this place furnished in lots of brilliant colours, modern furniture and regularly filled with a lot of music. Most of the decoration is done already, what's still lacking are curtains, carpets and pictures for the walls inside and the work on the garden outside.

"I want a snooker table down in the cellar room," I say. Remus grins, but then he suggests:

"We can make it a multi-purpose room, Siri, I'd like to have a study area, too…"

"There's more than enough space for that in the dining room or in the family room, love, where you'll have light flooding in… if there are toys and stuff down there in the cellar you'll have peace from the brood in the family room."

The decision to keep the house after all made, we return to Hogwarts and wait for the term to start.


	15. A New Era Starts at Hogwarts

A/N: Thanks for the reviews on my last chapter. The wait for this one was a bit shorter and I hope to have more chapters up in the next month. I've had a bit of a slump and didn't really know where I wanted to go with the story. Since it's meant to be an open end thing it's not always easy to go on, because at times I have a clear idea for a certain event and then I need to bridge time in the Chronicles until I get to this point. I hate to haste :-) Therefore it does take some time to work a good bridge from one high point to the next. This one is more like a little interlude:

**Chapter 15 – A New Era Starts at Hogwarts **

**Monday, 23.8.1999 / Remus**

We're still exhausted from the hellish day in the library at Grimmauld Place. Sirius and I have delivered the boxes with the books to Irma Pince who is delighted about receiving so many new 'old' and valuable books.

"Though it will take me weeks to get them sorted and catalogued. It's going to be a very fascinating job though, I'm sure. Some of those books must have been in your family's possession for centuries, Sirius! Are you sure you want to donate them all?"

"Absolutely. We're not sure what to do with the house yet. In the next several days it's going to be cleaned from top to bottom, then renovated thoroughly, and then cleaned once more. And we've kept many books back that might either stay at the library in Grimmauld Place, should we decide to keep the house or go home to the Sunnegg," Sirius tells her.

At lunch we meet the full staff of teachers for the first time. I introduce Sirius to Annis. She's a few years older than we are and has dabbled in potions ever since she left Hogwarts. She's one of now six Gryffindor teachers besides Minerva and me. Then there are five former Hufflepuffs, four Ravenclaws and only two former Slytherins.

Everyone enjoys the Great Hall while it's still devoid of students. For this first meal with the rest of the old and new staff together we've left Winky in charge our children to attend it both. It's a good opportunity to get to know each other and talk freely without having to watch out for eavesdropping students. Lunch consists of yummy Spanish specialities. Some of my colleagues have a hard time trying to adjust to the heat of the food. As the conversations and eating noises die down Minerva gets up and says:

"Well, since everyone is already here I would like to suggest going on to the staff meeting directly. Do any of you need to fetch some things at your quarters?"

Most of us do, so we decide to meet in fifteen minutes. I'm going to the conference room with Minerva. Both of us have readied the room this morning and I have my documents already on the table. There are a series of documents for each of our colleagues, which I'll pass on to them in the course of the meeting. They start to file into the room shortly afterwards and wait for us to assign them the seats. Minerva has the head of the table; I'm taking my seat at the other end. We've already set up name cards, so they each find their seats soon enough. Once everyone is sitting down, Minerva closes the door and starts the meeting:

"I don't think I need to stand to talk to you. Welcome to our first staff meeting. I have seen that you've all settled in or settled back into your quarters and I hope you feel well in them. If you need anything, all you have to do is talk it over with some of the house-elves or just do it. These rooms are your home here at Hogwarts; therefore it's you who have to fit them to your needs and wants.

"It's not totally new for me to be Headmistress as I have replaced Albus on several occasions. I've been Deputy Headmistress for many years and I know the school nearly as well as Albus did and what I don't know you can bet Sirius and Remus will know. Therefore I expect no problems in the transition from him to myself. I would like to remind you that everything that concerned me until now is now the responsibility of Professor Remus Lupin. That does not mean that I will be unavailable for anyone but him in any way. He's just in a very good position to decide what 

problems should be brought before me. Albus and I have worked very well in this way so again, no change here except for the different persons in charge."

To my surprise Minerva digs under the table and brings a Quaffle forth!

Since there are five new teachers on board I'd like to make a short roll call and everyone to introduce themselves. I'd also be interested in you telling me in a few words what you expect from me as your new Headmistress if you please. And then you can add the things you'd like to say to Remus as well. Shall we start with the senior staff? Remus, if you'd like to start, please… and when you're through you could toss this Quaffle to the next person of your fancy!"

And she tosses the Quaffle to me. That's not something she has told me about! Probably because she wants us to talk without preparation and spontaneously. Anyway, I sit up and make the start:

"As most of you know my name is Remus Lupin, I've had the honour of being promoted to Deputy Headmaster in June after only two years of teaching here at Hogwarts and three more of teaching a group of students in a safe-house. As a student I was a Gryffindor. Finished school in summer 1978. The subject I teach is Defence against the Dark Arts, which I studied at the Avalon Academy after finishing Hogwarts. From on this term I only have the three upper forms, which, let me tell you new people, is quite a relief. I think you will find me to be mostly quiet and easygoing. Hogwarts has always been a home for me, I'm very happy to have returned to this home for what will hopefully be a good long time a year ago.

I'm living together with my bond-mate Sirius Black and for those of you who don't know it yet we have two children, Dennis Black and Seraina Lupin, who are now sixteen months old and the apples of our eyes. Recently we have also taken Sirius' ten years old sister Adara under our care. If we're not here at Hogwarts we live in Switzerland in the house that we bought as the safe house and which many of you have already seen on a number of occasions. We are happy that most of the students we have had the pleasure to teach there are still living in the house as are our best friends who were given back to us, Lily and James Potter and their small children. Both of us are interested in many things and pursue a few hobbies. I think, that's about it for the moment, I hope, we all get time to find out more about each other.

Minerva, I can only say that I've been working alongside you for the past several months and it's been a great learning process and a wonderful, fun time. As for myself I'd like to stress that I'm going to be there for everyone as much as I possibly can."

I look around the table to decide who would go next.

"Well, let's continue with someone from the new colleagues – how about you, Waldo?"

Waldo looks a bit uncomfortable, but that's pretty normal, he probably thinks this is Gryffindor sentimentality. I grin inwardly when I try to imagine how Snape would react if he'd still be on the teaching staff. Waldo properly catches the ball, sits up even straighter and introduces himself:

"My name is Waldo Hawkridge, I've finished Hogwarts in 1983, Slytherin. Worked as a pharmacist since shortly after Hogwarts in Oxford. When I'm not working I'm enjoying my garden, mostly working with magical and non-magical roses. I was sought out by the Death Eaters to join them in the recent war with the Dark Lord but decidedly refused to have anything to do with them, so I had to flee abroad for a while. I have heard that one of your pupils has been the one we have to thank for our newly gained peace, Remus and Sirius, and I'd like to thank him through you for that.

"You will probably not see much of me outside of my classes, because I intend to use my free time around here to keep up with my garden at home and to study a lot. I'm very proud to have been chosen to join the staff of Hogwarts.

"Headmistress, I don't think, I have an opinion on you as Headmistress yet, but I remember you as our teacher and Deputy Headmistress well enough and I suppose your style will differ from Headmaster Dumbledore but certainly not work less well. As for Remus – I've already been quite impressed at your efficiency, patience and kindness. If that's how it's going to be while working next to you it will be a pleasure.

"I suggest the next one to speak is Madam Hooch…"

Minerva thanks Waldo and we all turn to Rolanda, who catches the Quaffle effortlessly and shows her girlish grin.

"Well, you know me, either as your former teacher or your colleague. I'm as boisterous as ever, as much as a former Ravenclaw can be, that is. While I loved to study as a student my real passion was always Quidditch and flying. To have been called to join the staff in 1968 by the then Headmaster Armando Dippet was a great honour and an even greater pleasure. Since then I have seen thirty years of students passing through my flying classes and have refereed their Quidditch matches. The greatest fun besides the refereeing is definitely to guide the students in building up their knowledge and skills in the sport as well as working with their teams. So far if anyone would ask me what I'm working I can always say I'm not working, I'm having fun. And I intend to continue to have fun for another while.

"Minerva – you know how pleased I was when you told me you were taking over as Headmistress. It's been a long while since the last time we've had a Headmistress instead of a Headmaster and I just wish you all the best. You have always impressed everyone with your strict fairness and while people might think you a tad harsh I'm quite convinced that you will become much more like Albus now that you don't have to teach anymore. And Remus – you're going to keep up just like Minerva did, my boy.

"That said I'm passing the Quaffle to one who actually knew more about Bludgers – Sirius!"

Sirius grins and catches the Quaffle, which Rolanda has thrown quite hard. I grumble something about not being her 'boy' anymore, but she just grins again.

"She's been on the receiving end of one of my Bludgers once, you know! Accidentally of course and I mean it! We liked Rolanda too much to harm her. The name's Sirius Black, my potions and transfigurations skills have brought me back here and like my mate Remus I hope for a good long while and I'll take over Minerva's Transfigurations classes next week. I've been on the Gryffindor Quidditch team for four of my years at school and I left it with a few sentimental tears in 1978 and two won Quidditch cups. The Daily Prophet has been filled with most of my misfortunes so I needn't say anything about them, I suppose. It's still a fairly sore spot though, which I'm trying to work out. I believe I'm on a good way though and with the help of my lover and my children, to which I now count my little sister, and my adopted family I think I'll put it all where it belongs – in the past. An experience I wish upon no one! You will remember and find me rather fun loving, up for a lot of nonsense and the odd bet, I love Quidditch like your next best wizard and try to see some matches here and there since I'm back in the free world and I usually go and watch those of my favourite team, the Holyhead Harpys. Our Headmistress has not only graced me with her classes, she's also entrusted her precious Gryffindors to me, and so the number of pranks might increase.

"Outside of work and Quidditch my children are my hobby. Some people describe me as 'rash' and not thinking things over, but the quick decision to have our twins was the best rash decision I've ever made and I'll never regret it. As Remus said, they're the apples of our eyes and we both love them to bits. To all of my older colleagues who might not know it yet I'd like to inform you that in a couple of months Hermione Granger-Potter will have her first child and that means there will be a few Potters, a Black and a Lupin at Hogwarts at about the same time again in a couple of years. So beware!

"Minerva, fear nothing. I'll keep them under control. You won't see them at your office as often as you sent me to Albus'! – What concerns Remus, I can only say that I know he's overly, excessively organised and manages to actually save time with his ways. That said I know he's going to be as perfect as Minerva in his work."

The others laugh, I blush slightly, Sirius looks around and his glance stops on Hagrid.

"Hagrid, your turn!" Sirius throws the Quaffle across the table.

"I'm not one ter speak much, so I'll make it short. Hogwarts Keeper of the Keys and Grounds for fifty years, Care of Magical Creatures teacher for six years, students and colleagues are always welcome for a cup o' tea at my cabin. Love everything that lives except You-Know-Who. Found that most kids 'ere are alrigh'. Professor McGonagall, I think you'll do your job as well as Professor Dumbledore did. Same goes for our Remus, who's one of the best lads I've ever had the pleasure to meet. – Neville, you next?"

"Thank you, Hagrid. My name's Neville Longbottom, I've had the pleasure of enjoying two years of the safe-house Remus mentioned before. He and Sirius were my teachers and both were great. I suppose I'm here thanks to their encouragement. I was a Gryffindor and finished Hogwarts a year ago. Now I'll be honoured to teach my favourite subject Herbology to the first to fourth year students. I expect it to be great fun and I hope to learn even more on the way. Like Madam Hooch I can say that I'll pursue my hobby rather than work, because plants and their treatment and keeping, growing and harvesting is what interests me most.

"Besides these interests I love to spend time with my friends and chosen family and my girlfriend Hester.

"Professor McGonagall, since I don't even have the slightest idea about the administration of a school I certainly won't state any opinion here, because I have none, at least none yet. I trust you and Remus will do your job well."

"Thank you, Neville, who shall be the next?"

"Professor Nilsson?" Neville announces and throws the Quaffle lightly in the professor's direction.

"Gladly, my dear boy. My name, as you all know by now, is Hjalmar Nilsson, I've been in Ravenclaw in my school days, of which I shall rather not tell you how long they are in the past! Come to think of it, it might be better to tell you that I've finished Hogwarts in 1902 and that was two years before my esteemed colleague and housemate Filius Flitwick! Telling you my age might gain me at least your respect for being an old fart. I teach Ancient Runes and from the number of new students I'm getting every year I can see that it is still quite a popular subject. Which of you has recently commented that I'm probably as old as my subject or even older? Very naughty!

"I have taught here for the past seventy years. I have had the pleasure of working alongside the Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick for all of these seventy years. Hogwarts is still a delightful place for me and a stable home. To be around the young ones has kept me alive through some really dark times and I'm thankful for them.

"Minerva and Remus, I think that you will make as good a team as Albus and Minerva did, simply because you fit together as a working team perfectly. I have no doubt you will do well. I have known you both for a long time and I have taught you both. You have a great sense of ethics and morals and that you have both been very happy students, ready to play a well planned prank here and there means that you both know where students of the happy-go-lucky sort come from and you'll treat them respectively. I think that Hogwarts is looking forward to a long and stable administration, which is what is needed after all these unstable years in the outside world. Your stance on things will form the next few generations of the magical population, and in a good way.

"May I pass the Quaffle, which I handled as a Chaser on the Ravenclaw team in my school days and as a captain of that team over to another fairly good Chaser, Carla Vector!"

"Got it, thank you, Hjalmar. – I'm teaching Arithmancy. The opinion of most students about my subject are usually divided squarely in half. One half thinks it's heaven, one half thinks it's hell. Those who know it's hell for them before third year avoid it like the plague and usually find themselves in the North Tower for Divination. Those who don't know it's going to be hell can often be brought around or they are suffering until they can switch the elective. But generally I get interested students who know it's a useful subject. I've been in Slytherin and have recently been made the head of Slytherin house. Not really wanting to stir up the reasons for all the wars in the course of this century I am working hard to get the old ethic, respect of all human and animal life, as well as some normalcy back to the house members. Sadly it has gone from bad to worse in the past fifteen years so I have a lot of work there.

"Minerva, as much as I liked Albus, I do believe that you will be a lot easier to read and to predict! You were wonderful to work with as Deputy Headmistress and I expect nothing less from our new Deputy. I'd like to pass the Quaffle to Clancy Malvern!"

Again, the Quaffle sails across the table.

"Since I'm one of the new ones I remember most of you as my teachers. I was a Hufflepuff, finished school in 1987 and left it to study Charms at Avalon Academy. Spent three years there and entered the Ministry in the Department of Experimental Charms where I've been working for the past almost nine years. I've invented and fully worked out a couple of new spells and I'd like to remark that I'm green with envy of one of your students, Professor Lupin, since I'd have given my wand hand for the invention of her Commumirrors! I know of all the new spells, because they're registered at the DEC. But I'm probably not alone saying that. In fact there were some old colleagues at the department who were really angry at themselves that they left this lucrative idea to a 17-year old."

"I've heard it a couple of times, thank you. Hermione Granger-Potter certainly is an exceptional student; anyone in here who ever taught her will probably confirm that. The only thing I did was giving her the challenge to invent something. The rest was all hers, from the idea to the invention. But this is another case, which shows the immense advantage that Muggle-born students have from those children, who have spent their entire childhood isolated within the magical world. She knows both cultures and can use and integrate them both for her own use. Of course she gets the financial benefit only in the magical world, but I already know of several Muggle-born students here who have given their parents Commumirrors for the easier communication between them and their families."

"I fully agree with you, Professor! Anyway, I'll start teaching Charms to the little ones in a week and I can't wait! It is a great honour to do this alongside our beloved Professor Flitwick and I can only hope to keep such a wonderful disposition and such great enthusiasm as Professor Flitwick had over these many decades he's taught the subject. – Professor McGonagall, if you're as efficient as Headmistress as you were in your function as the Deputy, then I think we have nothing to fear. I might suggest that you could ask the question again in a year? Professor Lupin, I've learned to know you as a very well organised and helpful person, I expect we should be getting along very well. Who will get that Quaffle now? Annis?"

Catching the Quaffle Annis looks around and starts her introduction:

"Okay. I'm Annis Limbury, during my time at Hogwarts I probably got back to Gryffindor tower late at least every third night, because I spent way too much time in the potions dungeons, doing extra credit work for my favourite subject. Finished in 1970, then treated myself a few years of studying in foreign countries, namely Sweden and Hungary where I worked for different masters as an apprentice. Met my husband Richard in 1974, got married and have four children, all of them are now here at Hogwarts, two in Gryffindor, one in Hufflepuff. The fourth will start next week, so I'll see what house she'll get in. When I got back from my studies I started at the Ministry, brewing potions wherever they were needed and finally got my Potions Mistress degree eight years ago. I've still been a Potions Mistress at the Ministry until I've come here now.

"Professor McGonagall and Remus, I'm also going to hold back with any opinion about you two until I get to know you better. However, I'm really not afraid of not getting along with you. I'd like to pass the Quaffle gently to one of my favourite teachers ever, Professor Flitwick!"

Since Filius sits right next to her she hands over the ball at him straight from hand to hand.

"Thank you kindly, Professor Limbury. As Hjalmar has already given away my age all I need to add is that I've spent a good part of my youth as a professional show duellist, before I found my way back to Hogwarts. A Ravenclaw, I finished school in 1904 and returned to it in 1918, so you can easily deduct that I've been a teacher for eighty years and they've been eighty very good years in spite of the shlamassel outside of the school. I have met some amazing young people during this time. It's always been a joy to teach the very thing that sets us apart from Muggles. Charms are charming and somehow I never had a problem with any of my students, because for some reasons my classes seem to be a lot of fun at all times, even with the theory we do have to treat as well. I became head of Ravenclaw house in 1938.

"Minerva and Remus, I've seen the way you two work and I have full trust in your abilities for a good administration. I wish for you that the school governors stay mostly off your backs!

"And now on to Claire!"

Claire sits on Filius' other side and gets the Quaffle handed over the same way.

"Thank you, Filius. I've been here since quite a long time. Actually I started teaching about ten years after I left school, in 1958. I've always been kind of a night owl and stargazing was my hobby, so I decided to make my hobby my profession and studied wizarding and Muggle Astronomy. It's not like we see any other stars than the Muggles. I've been a Gryffindor, rather of the quality of the Marauders and the Weasley twins…"

I can see, that Hjalmar, Pomona and Filius grin.

"…and I thoroughly enjoyed school. After my intensive years of studying at the universities I decided that teaching my hobby would probably be kind of fun, so when I got the first chance to get such a job, I took it. I still have a lot of fun doing this and probably will for another while. Along the way during my studies I met a fairly decent fellow and we had a good time, the result was no wedding rings, but two children who have finished Hogwarts a while ago and are both out on their own. My daughter has recently given me my first grand-child who is now the focus of my free time.

"Minerva, Remus, I second Filius' statement. I'm sure, the two of you will do a good job! This strange round thing is now tossed to another Quidditch fan, Pomona Sprout!"

Pomona laughs and catches the Quaffle amazingly easily for a person of her stature.

"I suppose, I belong to the older generation in here. I've been teaching Herbology for sixty-eight years. Coming from Hufflepuff I've gone on to study Herbology in several facilities, first in magical gardens, then in more medically oriented gardens, finally at a university. I returned to Hogwarts after a break, during which I've had my three children and started teaching. In the meantime I already have ten great-grandchildren and that's a truly wonderful thing. You'll see for yourself, once you get there, all you younger parents here.

"Children have always been the most delightful part in my life next to magical plants. Both need a lot of nurturing and I have always enjoyed doing that nurturing. I am now sharing this with one of my young friends, who will administer that very same love to plants and pupils alike and it pleases me a lot!

"Minerva, can I just say that you're doing wonderful work and that you will continue where Albus has left off perfectly well? And the way I know Remus I'm quite sure he'll be your very support.

"As for the Quaffle – oh yes, I do think, it's time for our resident ghostly teacher, so John, if you please…"

Pomona levitates the Quaffle over to Binns. I don't think he's ever done anything like this in his life; let's see what we can learn about him! I'm really curious and I can see that others look at him with the same interest.

"Seeing you young people here makes me think it would really be time to retire. Which I might do next year or so. I have finished Hogwarts in 1795 as a Hufflepuff. I have started to teach here in 1838 and taught ever since. I can't really remember when it was that I changed from being a living teacher to being a ghost teacher. It must have been about a hundred years after I started. There is really not much I can tell you about myself, because reading and teaching have basically filled my life.

"I'm following the general trend here and give you and Remus a lot of praise in advance, just from seeing your work as Deputy Headmistress so far, Minerva and Remus is prone to do good work by default. Now we have only a few of us left, so who's to be next? Miss Calverleigh?"

"I'm very tempted to hold you to your promise of today to retire in a year, John Binns! It's high time that some students here will find History as a fun and interesting subject again! I might even take it over myself.

Kate actually summons the Quaffle into her hands.

"Thank you, Professor Binns. I'm a Hufflepuff, finished Hogwarts in 1986 and went straight into Auror training. I've been on the job as an Auror ever since, but I've specialised in the research of the Defence rather than worked in the field. My colleagues would come back and start finding things out and it was my job to assist them as a more professional researcher. Thus I've gained a very broad range of knowledge in the field of the Dark Arts, which hopefully now enables me to pass it on to the first to fourth year students. I'm looking forward to my new work with a lot of enthusiasm and I've already noticed that I'll have a wonderful guide in Remus Lupin.

"Like some of you I've also loved to play Quidditch. I never liked to sit still for too long as a child, so Quidditch was one of my areas where I could spend some energy. I've played on the house team as a Seeker for four years. As a Muggle-born I have dabbled in several sports before I came to Hogwarts. Auror training gave me a lot of possibilities to channel my energies as well and to this day I love to do my daily dose of running. Which reminds me, Professor McGonagall: I would love to offer some physical exercise to those students who would be interested in keeping themselves fit. Do you think that would be a good idea?"

"I know that Minerva doesn't think much about these things, so I give her a wink that I'll reply to the question:

"An excellent idea even, Kate. Do you want to give me a little schedule of your exercising times? I'll post the note to the house notice boards and I'll also announce it at the welcoming feast."

"I'd be happy to, Remus, thank you. I'll give it to you tomorrow, okay?"

"That's just fine."

We have noticed the great difference between our students and those in Hogwarts with regard to their physical fitness. Ours were all much fitter and were keeping up with the exams a lot better than all others, and on both occasions, during the OWLS and even more so during the NEWTS. Sirius and I are convinced that the amount of time they have spent outside made all the difference. The rougher climate here makes that a bit more difficult, but still these students here are sitting inside much too much. It's actually high time, that something about that changes. Kate continues:

"I have been married to my wonderful husband Steven for eleven years and we have two children, a ten years old son and a seven years old daughter.

"Professor McGonagall, Remus, you have my best wishes for your work as Headmistress and Deputy Headmaster and I'm convinced you'll do a great job. I pass the Quaffle to Penny."

Kate throws the Quaffle expertly over to Penny, who equally expertly catches it, even though she's never played on the team.

"Thanks, Kate. I'm also a Muggle-born witch, was sorted into Ravenclaw and made prefect in my fifth year. I became head girl in 1993 and finished Hogwarts in 1994. I'm very happy to come back to Hogwarts and teach my favourite subject Transfiguration to the first to fourth years after several years of working for the Ministry. I decided that I'm not cut out for office work, I need to have a better purpose and when I read the ads for the additional teachers here I didn't think long and applied. I'm feeling very much at home already, not the least because of Sirius, who's become a very good friend quickly. Like Kate I'm really looking forward to start teaching next week. I do hope I can get along with the students well and will give my best! I enjoy watching Quidditch, but was never much of a player myself, though I do like to fly a broom like your next-door witch. Outside of work I really enjoy a good game of chess. I love crossword puzzles and I still do a lot of Muggle stuff like playing on the computer, having e-mail contacts with people all over the world and read lots and lots of books. Last year I broke up with my boyfriend of many years, so right now I'm between men and I'll see what comes along.

"Professor McGonagall, Remus, knowing you both as my former teachers, even if Remus has only been my teacher for a year, but he's really been the best, I also know that you will do a near perfect job. And I pass the Quaffle to Poppy Pomfrey."

I grin as Poppy catches the ball with a disgusted face.

"But I despise this thing! It's made too many students here to patients. As you all know I'm the school's healer, all of you younger people have probably gone through my clutches once or twice during your years here at school. The best for my patients is the thing I'm looking for and I tend to become over-protective of them. Remus can sing a song about that as he's been the one student I've naturally seen most often. To this day he probably remains to be my favourite patient. I've been married for over forty years now and my husband David and I have three children who are grown and some grand-children from two of them.

"Minerva, Remus, you and I being very old and close friends I don't think I need to say anything about what I expect from you, because I know you're going to do great work. As I said I do not like Quaffles, but I'll pass it on to Irma anyway."

Irma Pince. She's remained to be a bit of an enigma for all of us. She only thaws when she receives books. I don't know how old she is, but she seems to know the whole library by heart. And that's about the extent of what I know about her. So I'm perking my ears, when she starts to speak:

"Irma Pince, Slytherin, librarian, keeper of the books at Hogwarts. I have finished my study here at Hogwarts in 1937 and stayed on as an apprentice to the librarian who was here then. Books are my most valuable meaning of life. I thrive through books, feed from reading, drink from knowledge. That's it about me. Who's left? Sybill…"

That's all there is about Pince? Is she even real? Dear me, I mean, I dearly love books and reading, but I can't imagine anyone being that sick for them… how sad! Her knowledge is practically wasted, because Merlin knows she's not passing it on to the students. Reminds me of the old codgers in the Department of Mysteries. Papa complains about them just about every day and how much of a waste of time and space they are for the same reasons. Rather egotistical, too! It's one of the most important parts of my life to pass on my experiences and knowledge to the next generations. They will be parting to continue their research from where the knowledge they learned from the older generations ended instead of just going back and relearning all that has already been researched once before.

Trelawney's voice lacks the smoky timbre she uses to impress her students when she speaks to the teachers only.

"My name, as most of you know, is Sybill Trelawney, I've come to Hogwarts to teach Divination in 1980. I've been a Hufflepuff when I came to Hogwarts as a student. I've suffered a lot from being misunderstood when I was a child, but I learned to live with my Gift and made it my profession early on. For the past almost twenty years I have been allowed to see several students with a great Gift for Seeing of themselves. I do not concern myself with the daily hustle and bustle of the school much, only rarely will you see me leave my tower. But I do believe that you will do fine work, Minerva, and you as well, Professor Lupin.

"All that remains is passing the Quaffle to Professor Smith – last, but not least!"

There are more positive surprises at the table. When she's not putting on an act for the students she can sound eerily normal! And I don't notice any sherry in her either. I don't believe she's stopped drinking, but maybe she's downsized her consumption of the stuff lately.

Quentin catches the Quaffle and sets off:

"My name's Quentin Smith, I've come here four years ago and I'm still pretty much a fledgling compared to some of our seasoned colleagues on board here. But I have to say it's been four years of fun. Teaching Muggle Studies is an often underrated subject, because it contains so much. I have to carefully choose from everything the Muggle world represents to give the students a well rounded image. There was nothing I could use from the teaching plans of my predecessors as their idea of the Muggle world was rather queer in my humble opinion. So it has been a learning experience for me as well as I've collected facts and interesting bits and pieces from the Muggle world to teach. Over all I can only say that I'm having a great time, that I enjoy the students as well as my colleagues and the general feel of Hogwarts. I've been a Muggle-born student as well, but I have two siblings who both got the gift of magic, too, one of them is a seventh year Ravenclaw this year. I've finished Hogwarts in Gryffindor in 1992.

"Minerva, Remus, I'll just add to everything that's been said that I think you are probably one of the best matched teams of Headmistress/Deputy that has been at Hogwarts in the past hundred years. Glad to be working with you two! And now I believe that the Quaffle goes right back to you, Minerva."

With that he throws the Quaffle back to our boss, who catches it easily with one hand only.

"Thank you, Quentin. Yes, I might say a few words myself, shouldn't I? Gryffindor, I finished Hogwarts in 1932, went abroad for several years, then came back and met my husband. We got married in 1942, but only two years later he was one of the first victims of Tom Riddle, whom most of you probably rather know as Lord Voldemort. A year later I started teaching Transfigurations at a small school in Norway, where I stayed until I was called to Hogwarts in 1969 to replace Albus Dumbledore when he became Headmaster. I also took over the position as head of Gryffindor house then. After the death of the Deputy Headmistress 1971 I became Albus' Deputy and that's how I spent the last almost thirty years. It's been a trying time, because it covered the first and second rise and fall of Lord Voldemort, who has caused much suffering outside as well as inside of the school.

"It is a great pleasure for me to be able to start out as Headmistress in a time of regained peace. I hope that I will still see many students passing through this castle, curious for knowledge and fun.

"I have been a chaser and captain of the Gryffindor house team in my own school days and to this day I really enjoy watching a good match.

"Well, that has been a very nice round, I'm glad I went through with this little game. Even if we haven't said very much, I do hope we all learned a little something about each other. Now let's move on to the more work related subjects. I believe Remus has already passed all the schedules to everyone? – Good. If you have looked at them you might have seen that the students have study periods on Wednesday afternoons. It's been kind of a coincidence, but when Remus and I found that almost no one had any lessons we cleared this afternoon for the staff meetings every two weeks. I don't want to make a big affair out of it, but it is a good way to keep up with the goings-on at the school, especially among the heads of the houses. Among other things to speak about I would like to keep this as an opportunity to speak about students and their behaviour. In the past we have had many students who misbehaved or who did not get along well and we have let this pass because we haven't spoken about such things. I would like you to speak up in these meetings, no matter whether it concerns students from your own house or other houses. Teachers who are not heads of houses are asked to mention their own observances as well and bring in their own reports. There will always be difficult students here, but together we'll find better measures to deal with them. I don't want it to become a pillory, unless a student has misbehaved maliciously and deliberately, but **all** students have to learn that they will have to bear the consequences of their actions.

"As we find ourselves in a time after a long lasting war, even if it was asleep for some time, we should also take the opportunity to think about necessary adjustments in the teaching methods, in the school dealings, subjects, general themes, everything that concerns school life, which might be due to see some modernising or general overhauling. I am open to every and all suggestions and will take them to the Ministry Education Board and the school governors alike. Hogwarts is over a thousand years old! We have traditions we all love and cherish, which we keep because they are old and which we embrace, even today, in the full knowledge that they are old. But there is much that is outdated and even obsolete. Please think about such things, write them down for me and suggest amendments! Together we can bring this school up to standard!

"Because as much as I adore Albus Dumbledore, I would not call him a renovator! The quality of the education has been lowered in the past fifteen or so years, and I wish to bring it back up. But I would like your suggestions covering every aspect of Hogwarts: the classrooms, the houses, the dormitories, the building itself. You are welcome to discuss your suggestions either amongst yourselves or with me before making them public. As long as you look around you. I think even Hogwarts itself would love to get a face lifting!"

Almost as an affirmative we hear the beams and rafters of this room crack and shift! I think Minerva **feels** Hogwarts now that she's headmistress, and on a whole different level than before. And the magic ingrained in the building makes it almost sentient. I've often felt like Hogwarts actually communicates with those among us who are open to receive her communication.

"I think there are two general things I'd like to throw in right now," Sirius speaks up. "For one we should offer more constructive ideas for the free time of the students. We don't interfere at all with what they do outside of class, which I find generally okay, but we might get a better grip on many of the more active students if we channel their energies with specific offers for their pastime other than Quidditch practice. Which is very exclusive here in Hogwarts, as it's just for the house teams; the others do absolutely nothing for their own personal fitness. Therefore other sportive activities come to mind at first as Kate already suggested. And we should add something cultural to the mandatory syllabus. Something like popular culture, where especially muggle-born students can teach pure-blooded students and vice versa about each other's backgrounds. That might help create more understanding and could be a good influence especially on those pure-blooded students who are growing up so isolated and brainwashed. Overall I think that traditionally students have been left to themselves too much. I don't wish to control them 24/7, but I would like to have more influence on their development. Especially positive influence, actively giving them a better understanding of positive thinking and open-mindedness. Across the houses most importantly. There's no use running in open doors with the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. It has to be shared through all houses to even out some of the strict separation that the house system creates."

Filius looks delighted. He nods enthusiastically and adds:

"Very good idea, Sirius! Something that's close to the hearts of the children and will help them overcome prejudices! I am all for it! Start with something inconspicuous as dancing lessons for the older students. That's where most of the need for repair is at the moment!"

"And games afternoons or evenings for everyone. Especially non-competitive games," I add.

"That is something I've been thinking about already, Sirius, thank you very much for your input. I think it's especially nice that it's coming from you! Not every child with your background has left it behind so successfully, and I suppose you have been able to do it because you were exposed to other views early on. I will also carry this to Madam Reeves over at the Primary School, because I think that this influence should take place early on. Filius, the dancing lessons will be done right away. That's something we can arrange in two weeks, your games times, too, Remus," Minerva agrees.

After that we discuss a lot of the preparation work for the start of the term. The meeting lasts most of the day, so we head back to dinner directly from there. Sirius and I check how the twins and Addie are faring. Lily and James are around, they're doing fine. Addie has done some lovely drawings and gives one of them to me.

"Thank you, Addie! That's a very nice drawing, you know!"

It's a really lovely drawing of a Chinese Fireball flying over a green meadow. I look around and decide that the piece of wall between the two doors to the inner courtyard will become the exhibition wall for our children's drawings. Then I pin Addie's first one up. She's made another drawing for Sirius and that one follows right away.

* * *

**Wednesday, 1.9.1999 / Remus**

The last minute work finally done I get time to go to our flat, take a shower and get dressed in the usual formal garments we wear on feast nights. Sirius gets dressed next to me and sighs.

"I wish I could be out there with you when you receive the new first years, love! Just watch…" he says.

"Do you know I've got a bit of stage fright for the first time I'll lead the Sorting?"

"I can imagine. But you'll love every minute! How many new ones do we get?"

"Forty-eight."

"That's not bad."

"I think it's about the average. Last year was a fairly strong year. Wonder how this year turns out. Well, are we ready?" I ask.

"I think so, let's say goodnight to the children."

We go over to the living room and pick up the little ones who will be taken to bed by Lily and James tonight and then we give Addie a kiss.

"You'll be in bed by nine, young lady, okay?" Sirius reminds her.

"Lily is here, I know I will," Addie says with a grin.

"Good. She'll be strict enough. Have a nice evening, sweetie."

"You too! Hope, the Sorting goes well, Remus!"

"Thanks, Addie. And sleep well!"

We leave our quarters and walk through the corridors over to the Entrance Hall. I have already put the stool and the Sorting Hat into the little chamber behind the teacher's table. The staff starts to assemble at about the same time the returning students arrive from Hogsmeade station. Many of them greet us with a wave of their hand, with a smile, a grin. I almost stumble over Jennifer Finch-Fletchley, by now a third year Gryffindor.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jennifer. Welcome back! Did you have a nice summer?"

"I did, thank you, sir! Good evening, Professor Lupin. Hi, Professor Black!"

"Hey, Jenny!"

She's off to the Gryffindor table, where a gaggle of her classmates and friends assemble closer to the door. As usual, the Great Hall looks magnificent for the start of term feast. 

Standing next to the entrance I throw a glance at Minerva, who has taken the seat in the middle of the teacher's table. I'll be at her left, with Siri next to me. To the right sits Filius Flitwick, then Pomona Sprout. Poppy has taken the place next to Sirius. I look at Sirius, who's a picture of a man! He wears a pair of black satin trousers and a white shirt with the collar left open and draped over the collarless black silk dress robes. His hair goes just below his shoulder blades, that's where I usually crop it for him, but it's back to that wonderful shiny mass of silky tresses that I used to know. What's left of his years of torture are several lines on his face, but when his face started to fill out again, some of the worst ones of those lines have vanished. The remaining ones only make him look more interesting. I have to pull my gaze away from him, because looking at him like that always has a certain effect on me. So I turn back to watch the students filing inside of the Great Hall, eagerly chatting about their summer vacation and what they expect of the new year, homework, boy- or girlfriends and general gossip. It makes me smile. Sometimes I think we have to really give them a good shake, to wake them up and look around themselves, so they can see things going on in the world around them. But I cover the politics for the sixth and seventh years in Defence now, especially since John really doesn't do a very good job in teaching it to them in history. I think, I will tell Kate to encourage the kids to bombard Binns with questions during their history lessons, which should be the very thing to drive him into retirement. After 160 years no one could talk of an early retirement.

I'm drawn out of my musings when the last students seem to have come inside from the Entrance Hall. I look for any stragglers and then close the double door from the outside. Soon after I can hear Hagrid knocking on the main door. I open it and he says:

"The firs' years, Professor Lupin!"

"Thank you, Hagrid; I'll take them from here!"

Hagrid smiles at them once more and goes inside to join the staff at the teacher's table. I turn to the children, my, are they small! Why am I thinking this every year?

"Welcome to Hogwarts, children. My name is Professor Lupin and I'm the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts. Come inside, so I can give you a bit of information."

The children file inside of the Entrance Hall and I lead them over to the chamber on the other side of the door to the Great Hall. I open the door and watch them scramble inside. I look around. They have all donned their school robes and look presentable.

"Well, what's waiting for you now is an important rite here at Hogwarts: you will be sorted into your house, which will be your home here at the school for the next seven years. You'll be in class with your housemates and your classmates from another house, you will share the dormitory with your housemates in the same year and you'll spend your free time mostly in your common rooms. The house provides the family for you while you're here. There are, as many of you already know, four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. All four of them have their merits and have brought forth great witches and wizards through the centuries. You can expect to find friends in your house once you will be sorted. But don't forget that there are also nice people in the other houses, so don't be afraid of making friends across the borders of your own house, too! You can always meet up with them in the library or in the Great Hall. Now, we're getting ready for you in a few minutes, please wait here patiently until I come and get you."

I have to go over to the Great Hall to set up the stool and place the hat on it. Then I return to fetch the children.

**Minerva**

It is a strange feeling that after more than twenty-five years someone else than me picks the first years up. When I see Remus leading them into the Great Hall though I'm beaming, as he's really going to do a good job. His warmth and affection for everyone shines through everything he does, even if he still keeps his distance to people. Forty-eight new pupils assemble in front of our table facing the other students. Remus stands next to them and we wait for the Sorting Hat to sing its little song.

**Sirius**

Hagrid comes into the Great Hall and sits down at his usual seat at the far left end of the teacher's table. Poppy sits next to me and says:

"I can't believe that Remus is going to come leading the first years inside and do the Sorting ceremony. I'd never have thought he'd be teaching here one day, let alone become Deputy Headmaster. I just wish Fanny could still be here and see it. She'd cry tears of happiness, Sirius. And I'm sure Quintus is so proud of his boy."

"I'm sure she would. She really did everything for him and loved him to bits! And Quintus is extremely proud! He wants my memory in the Pensieve! James is taking pictures under his Invisibility Cloak."

Poppy can't hold back a grin.

"Sounds just like him. And just as typical that Quintus wants to see your memories. I still haven't given up the hope to see Fanny again, Sirius. I still miss my friend!"

She's not the only one; in fact I tell her that she can join the club! In know how much Quintus longs for her and Remus, too, of course.

But I'm so proud of Remus! I was so afraid he'd back out of the chance to become Deputy Headmaster and I'm so happy he hasn't. It certainly wouldn't have been cowardice, but he would have thought he didn't deserve it!

He's now lined up the first years and steps next to them while the Sorting Hat sings its song. The hat has returned to sing a cheerful text, more cheerful than I've ever heard it before, but it still maintains the importance of the unity amongst the houses. Well done, hat!

In a way I'm missing Albus on his usual spot. Minerva looks more regal, and her presence is probably just as charismatic as Albus'. Well, we'll have to get used to it. Over the vacation we've been to visit him at his house in Cornwall on two occasions. He's coping well and says that he'll enjoy some solitude for a while. I'm not sure I believe him though. He's much too used to be around the wizarding youth of Britain and I'm afraid he will miss the intellectual challenge he met here at Hogwarts with the teachers and visitors. Though he gets lots of visitors in Cornwall, too, he does have an extended family after all.

The song is over and everyone applauds. Remus steps next to the stool and looks at the first years:

"You've heard it. I'll call your names; you come forth and put the hat on your head. And when it announces your house, just follow the noise and join your house table. Anderson, Basil!"

A boy with straw blond hair steps out of the line and walks to the stool. He picks up the hat, sits down, puts the hat on his head, where it drops down to his nose as usual and a short moment later the hat announces:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The first new student is for my own house! We all applaud and Basil runs to the table almost in front of where I sit.

"There's your first new student, Sirius…" Poppy remarks.

"In fifth, sixth and seventh year we used to look at the students and then bet what house they'd be sorted to. The one with the most correct guesses won two Galleons."

"That's an ages old sport, Sirius," Minerva remarks.

"We didn't think we'd invented it. It was fun, nevertheless…"

"I bet it was mostly Remus who won," Minerva teases.

"Actually no, it was even Peter who won once. Back in fifth year I think it was."

"Drats."

Minerva doesn't like to lose a bet.

One after the other Remus calls the new students to the stool.

"Atkins, Harvey!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Banks, Sylvia!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Beckenridge, Benita!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Bryanston, Selina!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Selina hops off the stool, drops the hat on it and takes a sprint to the Gryffindor table. She's an adorable doll with chestnut hair and seems to be quite happy to have been sorted into Gryffindor. There's a fourth year boy by the same name in the house, and the fact that she greets him happily proves my idea that they must be siblings. In any case she's beaming.

"Clancy, Marcus!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Clearing, Shannon!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Dryden, David!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I'm getting a steady stream of new students into my house. I smile at all of them, because I'm pleased for every one of those children who will join that cheerful bunch up there in Gryffindor tower.

"Elvaston, Michael!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Fenwick, Bruce!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Frost, Arlette!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Glover, Holly!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Keller, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Limbury, Brianna!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I turn my head to look at Annis, who applauds her daughter's sorting and winks at Brianna, who sits herself beside the last girl sorted into Gryffindor, Holly Glover. Then Annis looks over to me and calls:

"You take care of my kid there, eh?"

"You bet, Annis!"

Then there's the next girl in line to be called:

"McKinnon, Diana!"

McKinnon? There are still McKinnon-children? Peter and Marlene have left immediate family behind, who must have reproduced later on. Wow. I'm glad to hear that. Diana is sorted into Gryffindor as well and then I notice to my astonishment that there are two more. They seem to be triplets! That's going to be fun, especially since all three of them, Elizabeth, Diana and Mary are all sorted into Gryffindor. I'm grinning. The two boys look a bit forlorn in the sea of seven new girls already sorted into Gryffindor.

******Remus**

Have fun with those triplets, everyone. They look like a happy-go-lucky bunch! One of the next names on my list brings back memories of old as well, as it's a Prewett. The sturdy boy is sorted into Hufflepuff. It seems to be a year of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs again, as so far there are very few Slytherins and only slightly more Ravenclaws on my list. As the houses are announced I'm noting them down behind the names. I'll have ample time to sort the files tomorrow morning. Four more boys get sorted into Gryffindor. And then it's Sarah Snider's turn.

"Snider, Sarah!" I call.

She looks at me and smiles when she comes forth and puts the hat up. The hat doesn't take long to decide:

"RAVENCLAW!"

I mark an R behind her name and smile at her when she joins her table. There are three more students for Slytherin, two girls and a boy. In the end there are only six new Slytherins, but sixteen Gryffindors, eleven Ravenclaws and fifteen Hufflepuffs.

The Sorting over I place stool and hat back in the antechamber and return to take my seat next to Minerva. Who gets up and announces:

"All my announcements will be made after the dinner. Enjoy it!"

She gives the sign for the food to arrive on the tables and all of the new Muggle-born and many of the wizarding first years sit there and look as astounded as I did when I saw this for the first time. I help myself to a good portion of röschti, combined with fresh salad and cheese. I have asked the house-elves for one of my favourite Swiss dishes for tonight's dinner and they have come up trumps with their delivery: the röschti has been fried crisply with added bacon cubes, the Gruyère cheese is perfect as are the big sausages. We're getting a fairly decent red wine to our food and some water at the side. While we eat we enjoy the usual dinner conversations.

"You've done well, Remus," Minerva says.

"Thanks, Minerva. It felt foreign somehow… not you!"

She laughs.

"Ask me! I couldn't but think it should have been me! I felt so out of work… but then I thought it must have felt like that even more to Albus who was Deputy Headmaster for over forty years before he replaced Dippet. And I had a lot of fun watching."

We laugh. And give the children enough time to enjoy their food as much as we do, but finally the plates are wiped clean and the leftover food vanishes. The students start looking in Minerva's direction. She gets up and calms the noise:

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. As you have already been informed, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore decided to retire. I have taken over as your new Headmistress. Any kind of question, problem etcetera that you used to ask me about would now have to be directed to our new Deputy Headmaster, Professor Remus Lupin."

I get up and I'm happy to hear the applause especially from the older students. I sit down again. Minerva continues.

"Much has changed about the teaching staff this year! Most of you have probably wondered at the number of teachers at the head table this year. I'm happy to inform you that we have decided to split the workload of the teachers with a core subject; therefore we have a couple of new teachers to welcome to the staff. We have a new Potions Mistress, who will be teaching the fifth through seventh years: Professor Annis Limbury!"

Annis gets up and receives a nice applause. The same goes for her five other new colleagues. I'm quite pleased that Neville gets a huge applause from the Gryffindor table.

"Professor Kate Calverleigh will teach Defence against the Dark Arts to the first through fourth years. Professor Penelope Clearwater will teach Transfigurations first through fourth years. Professor Neville Longbottom takes the first through fourth years in Herbology and Professor Clancy Malvern will teach Charms first through fourth years. And finally Professor Waldo Hawkridge will teach Potions first through fourth years."

After all the new colleagues have been welcomed warmly Minerva concludes:

"And finally, since I have abandoned my post as such we needed a new head of Gryffindor house. Professor Sirius Black will be the new Transfigurations teacher for the fifth through seventh years and head of Gryffindor house. May Merlin have mercy on us."

"Oh thank you very much, Minerva!" Sirius mumbles and gets up.

But he gets a huge applause from all four house tables, most of all of course from the Gryffindor table. The Gryffindors must be happy to be rid of the very rigid and strict Minerva. All students of course know why Minerva makes the remark, they have learned to know Sirius over the past year and most of them, even the Slytherins are quite happy with him. He's been the victim of a few pranks, but has mostly taken it with good humour, handing out a few point losses and a few detentions, but he really dislikes giving detentions, because he needs to sit through them as well. As it seems the students think he's a fun teacher and usually behave themselves in his lessons, because they don't like to make him angry. His easygoing reaction on their pranks also led to the students not playing him any further ones, because it's no fun if the pranked teacher doesn't react.

"Quidditch teams needing to replace players who left school last term are asked to contact their heads of houses to fix dates for try-out sessions with Madam Hooch.

"This year we will pick up something that seems to have been lost for a while and will offer a ballroom dance class for those sixth and seventh year students who are interested. Please talk to your head of house about them.

The staff is busy cooking up a few ideas on several things, beginning with inter-house activities and ending with additional subject offers, all of which will probably be started next year, but we will keep you informed and we might seek your input on certain questions. Be prepared to be more included into such decisions and offers. Especially the prefects will be asked to help with the distribution and collection of questionnaires. Participation is free.

"And that concludes my announcements for the beginning of the term. As usual I recommend watching the notice-board in your common rooms for further information throughout the school year. Once again I welcome you all back and wish you all a good term! You can return to your houses now."

** Sirius**

I get up and watch all the students scramble out to the Entrance Hall and from there in the direction of their houses. I give the Gryffindors a couple of minutes and tell Remus:

"Well, I'm going to have a quick word with the bunch of them. I'll come right down afterwards, okay? I'll have a pretty full morning tomorrow."

"Fine with me. See you in a while!"

I kiss him quickly and set off, up the stairs that I used to walk so many times and going a bit down memory lane. I actually catch up with the kids who are just filing into the common room. I haven't been in here since I've returned to Hogwarts and it makes me smile when I realise that the Fat Lady can't be very happy with me. When she sees me coming, she cringes.

"Sorry, my lady!" I say quietly, "I hope you can see it in your heart to forgive me!"

"Professor McGonagall has told me you have replaced her as head of Gryffindor house, so I suppose I'll have to! Though I really thought of retiring!" she says with a grim expression.

The last students still outside stare at the two of us and I sigh.

"I'm really sorry, I was out of my mind back then, my lady. I really didn't mean to hurt you in any way. I'll tell you how the story ended one day, but for now, just let me tell you that I regret attacking you!"

"It's a while ago, Sirius Black."

I hold the portrait open and Byron Johnson, Angelina's brother, looks at me and asks:

"What's she referring to, Professor?"

"Unpleasant story, believe me. You might ask Angelina, I'm quite sure she remembers well. She was a fifth year then… now, in you go, I'd like to have a word with the bunch of you all!"

The last students outside of the door get in and I follow them. The common room looks the same as I remember it, with a blazing fire in the huge fireplace, the squashy sofas and armchairs and the many tables and chairs scattered across the room.

"Can I have your attention for a moment, please? And can you check that everyone is around?" I call.

The bustling stops and Cynthia White, a sixth year prefect, says:

"I'll check the girls' dorms and send everyone back down."

"Good, thank you, Cynthia. Byron, could you do the same with the boys?"

"I'm off," the boy says and runs up the stairs.

They find a couple of house-mates who have already departed upstairs. I tell them all to sit down somewhere and then say:

"Well, I thought it might be appropriate to talk to you a bit, since I'm taking over the house from Minerva. Sorry to keep you up for another while, as it's already close to ten o'clock. As you must know I've been a Gryffindor myself, and I've had a reputation to be a rather mischievous and lively one – as are most of you I know, or assume with you first years."

Laughter of almost everyone in the room confirms that Gryffindors will understand Gryffindors almost always.

"And you little ones are my first concern, since you've only just arrived, much of all of this is probably still a bit much to take in. You can always speak up to your house-mates. I don't think anything in the loyalty among Gryffindors has changed since the days I have gone in and out of this common room…"

I look at the older students who all hastily confirm that.

"… Thought so. You'll love being here, I'm sure. The hat hasn't sent you to Gryffindor for no reason. But that's what I'd like to talk to every one of you. I'm proud to be a Gryffindor and so should you. But you shouldn't let your pride move further on to become prejudiced against other houses – well, mainly ONE other house. I have done that. My classmates and I may have had more reason than you could have, but it was still inexcusable. Unfortunately almost all of my Slytherin classmates turned out to become Death Eaters and some of them, my own cousin among them, belonged to the most bloodthirsty, cruel followers of Lord Voldemort. That I knew about their predestined path and hated them all the more for it guided a lot of my behaviour as a student. Some of our pranks were not harmless and they were not really funny either.

"So – when you will have to deal with Slytherins in the corridors and you'll see many of them as you will share all your classes with them this year, try to be on your best behaviour. Don't irritate them, don't challenge them, don't threaten them, best ignore them. Though, I do recommend for you little ones to meet them as you would meet members of any other house. For more than fifteen years, Slytherin house was headed by a person who was a former Death Eater. To all of his students he was still a loyal Death Eater. He was forced to try his best to prevent his students from becoming Death Eaters by default while still acting the loyal Death Eater. I don't know how many of you know that Severus Snape was a spy for Professor Dumbledore. Those who didn't do now. That is mostly why his house was contaminated and why the students in Slytherin were very unpleasant characters to deal with.

"Slytherin, however, has received a new head of house in the person of Professor Carla Vector and those of you who are taught by Professor Vector will know that she has a similar character to Professor McGonagall's. She is doing her best to return Slytherin to what Salazar Slytherin originally sought in his ranks. Not cruel, bloodthirsty criminals, but young people with ambition, willing to work to reach their goals and yes, maybe the slyer and definitely cunning types. But that alone doesn't make them evil and who knows, if they're not provoked, the mood between the two houses may be altered and improved and the Slytherins will see a motivation to step on a lighter path.

"It sounds like I'm asking too much of you, but give them a chance to get over the last war. There are still five years worth of Slytherin students who have grown up in the atmosphere of a house that was considered a snake's nest of junior Death Eaters. Some of you have witnessed a whole year of Slytherin students to be expelled from the school because they joined the ranks of the Death Eaters. But we can only change things, if we are willing to work together and change them. Muggle psychology says that no one can change another person's attitudes. One can only change one's own attitude.

"If you should have problems, and if you can prove you have not been aggressive, but have become the victim of any aggression, please come and talk to me. Don't take revenge. I have open ears and will take action. You have every right to ask why Professor McGonagall hasn't done that. Her hands were mostly bound in the past twenty years, because Professor Dumbledore didn't allow her to take real actions, we can only guess why he did this, but it's been done and there is not much we can do about it but let it pass – for the past! That was then, this is now and now we will do something.

"But that's enough about this sombre subject. I felt the need to talk about it because no one ever did that with us when I went to school. What they did was stomping out the little flames of the little explosions and that never did any good. I'd like to prevent the fire before it even starts smouldering. Will you guys help me doing this?"

"Well, if the Slytherins are doing the same, I'm all for it," says Martina Bell, one of the more mischievous fifth years.

"I can tell you this much: Professor Vector is talking to her Slytherins at this very moment about this very subject. None of us is against a certain amount of house pride and house rivalry, it's one thing that keeps us thriving, but nevertheless we can't keep encouraging a small guerrilla going on here at Hogwarts. That's why if there are any complaints from the Slytherins, they will be investigated just as thoroughly."

"Okay, I for one promise to try!" says another of the prefects.

And then slowly, I get the promise from everyone around. I smile at them.

"Good. That's all I ask. Now take the little ones to their dorms, they look dead on their feet. Have a good night's sleep, because your classes will start in the morning! Oh, and I meant to say that you might see me around here a bit more often than Professor McGonagall, and that my turning up here does not mean a catastrophe or something just less bad happened. Okay?"

They all nod.

"Thank you all. Good night then, everyone, off to bed you trot! I'll see you in the classroom."

They all wish me a good night, too, and the last thing I see before turning to the portrait hole is the prefects taking care of the first years, showing them to their dormitories. It makes me smile. This house has given me warmth for the first time in my life when I came here. I would have had a hard time with the other children's attitude against the Black family had it not been for my close friendship with James. I hold the portrait hole open just a little bit longer to leave James time to leave the exit after me under his Invisibility Cloak. He really wanted to come along and hear my speech. While I'm going back down the stairs he says:

"You know, if someone had taken more care of us, and even more of the Slytherins for that matter, back then, who knows, maybe much of those horrible things had never happened."

I sigh.

"I know. Took me long enough to realise that every adult was at fault for at least a part of the things that happened here at school. I'm trying to do better, even if there's no new Dark Lord in the vicinity. It's going to be a very slow process, but with Carla we have an utterly uncontaminated person acting as head of Slytherin house and she intends to walk the path with me. Filius and Pomona never had those problems. Not to the degree at least. Slytherins have always tried to stomp over the Hufflepuffs, but those are usually too down to earth to be intimidated that easily. And Slytherins do have at least a bit of respect for the Ravenclaws. Gryffindors are just too volatile and storm off at the slightest provocation. Most of us take a long time to learn, James. I myself included."

"I know. And I also know I'm as much at fault as others. I've certainly been as arrogant as your next best Slytherin. But Sirius, we've both learned our lessons with time."

"We were still children, James, and no one kept telling us, we were basically left to our own devices in that tower up there, unless something happened Minerva really couldn't let go. Which is why I'll be up there sometimes, even if it's just once a week. I'll give them a person to 

talk to. I don't want to be a head of house that is so distant that they only see him when he's got to dole out punishments. I want more, I want their trust."

"You'll probably have to work for that, Sirius."

"This is why the first and second years will be the ones where I really start. I want them to see me as a father figure, someone they know they can go to if they need to."

"You just love children!" James remarks, grinning.

Well, he states the obvious. I wouldn't have given much of a thought about any children other than Harry and whatever siblings he might have received back when I was very young. That baby had conquered Padfoot the moment he had been laid in my arms for the first time. All I can do now is smile. Teaching at the safe house has probably been the moment when the would-like-to-be-father in me woke up. And yes, I truly like children. And while I'd have to wait for the first years now to grow up and come to my lessons I don't want to wait to get to know them. Penny will teach the little ones and she'll do a good job, but I still want to know them.

If there is one thing I'd have to say Minerva did wrong as head of her house it would be her distance. It's in her character to remain distant to everyone, even though she has a huge heart. It's certainly also caused by her life's story. Being Headmistress will probably soften her down, but her time as head of Gryffindor definitely was a bit unfortunate, as it went over the two wars. She was excruciatingly fair, but she tended to only turn up at the tower when something really bad happened. It was always a very bad sign if she showed up there. Not many of the students got through to her and asked her advice. This is a shame, because she could have given excellent and often surprising advice. Most students think she's a cold person. Minerva isn't cold, but she thinks she must remain correct at all times. This includes not showing any kind of favouritism. She can't handle feelings very well. If she shows them, she thinks herself weak. I'm very happy to have found out that she is as warm and loving as most other people. In any case she shows it whenever she's with the twins.

We arrive at the flat. I give it the password and enter. Remus sits by the fire and reads. He wears his rusty red dress robes tonight and looks striking. He looks up and my heart plummets down right into my genitals and beats faster as always when I get to see him after a shorter or longer absence. It's amazing to still feel this deep down in my loins after so many years. His smile is what I live for. I can feel James' smirk next to me.

"You're still awestruck, every time you see him, you know!" he says and grins.

"Yeah. And you know what?"

"What?"

"I never want that to stop, James, EVER!"

"Good feeling, eh?"

"You bet, mate!"

I sit down next to Remus and pull him into a lingering kiss that just gives my cock the last kick it needed. Damn, I'm hard and we should go to sleep, because both of us have lessons first thing tomorrow morning. When we part, Remus smiles again and says:

"What brought that on?"

"Love you. When I'm coming in and see you it's just like I've fallen in love with you this very moment. You're beautiful, you know!"

"How nice of you to say that, Padfoot. Do you have anything to do left?"

"No, not tonight."

"Let's look how the little ones do and go to bed then. How was your speech with the Gryffindors?"

"Pretty good, I think, ask James, he was there, too…"

We get up and go to the end of the flat, to throw a quick glance at Addie. She sleeps, snuggled into her duvet, holding her teddy and the pillow. We pull the curtain on her bed closed again and leave the room on tiptoes. I gently close the door. Back at the other end of the flat we first check on Seraina, then on Denny, but both are just as wonderfully asleep.

After wishing Lily and James a good night and closing the bedroom door behind me, I remark:

"You know, after that bumpy start with the twins and their impossible sleeping pattern they do very well now, don't you think?"

"Yes, we rarely have to get up these days. It's great. I'm glad they are improving so well."

* * *

******Thursday, 2.9.1999 / Remus**

After a night of lovemaking and undisturbed sleep we're getting up at seven. Once I'm dressed I go over to look into the rooms of the twins, but both of them are still asleep. Winky is in the living room and asks if I'm taking my breakfast here.

"No, I'll go over to the Great Hall, thank you, Winky. Has Miss Addie been up yet?"

"No, Professor Lupin. Do you wish Winky to go and wake her?"

"No, dear, you don't have to wake her yet. She can sleep for another half hour. Mistress Potter will come soon and she'll take care of that."

We have set up another table in the back part of the flat for Lily and Addie to have enough space for their lessons. Today Addie's first real school day starts. She seems to be very excited, because next I know her door opens and she comes out of her room, still very sleepy, but with her slippers in place. She sees me and comes running.

"Good morning, Remus! School starts!"

I laugh and tousle her hair. She hugs me and I say:

"Yes, Addie, school starts. Are you looking forward to it?"

"Yes! Auntie Lily does great and I'm sure I'll learn lots."

"You will."

I wait for Sirius to show up and when he does we both wish her a good start of school with Lily and take off for the Great Hall to eat our breakfast there. Before I can start mine I pick up the schedules for the students and get them ready for the prefects of all four houses. I place the schedules, sorted by years and names at the end of each table for the prefects to pick up and pass to their housemates.

Tea, croissants, butter and jam await me today. There's also a nice big glass of orange juice. I've been quite early, so apart from Sirius and me only Filius, who's a notorious early riser and Hagrid are there. The others turn up one after the other and the day, and the term, starts for good.

After breakfast I'm going up to our office. Sirius tags along, talking to some students who have questions. He's starting his day off with the sixth year class. There are several students who have been offered to train as Animagi in this class. Sirius thinks it would be fun to pep up the usually rather boring sixth year. This is normally one of the most casual school years, even though there is always a lot of material to learn. But it's between the two big exams, so most students take it a bit easier. All those who had scores of over 80 in their Transfigurations OWLS or sixth year finals last term have received the offer of the Animagus training. Minerva had been willing to offer it to all students in sixth and seventh year, but the school governors have put their feet down, demanding it be an exclusive thing. I know that of the 45 sixth years eight have received a letter and among the 39 seventh years there were six.

"Professor Black, may I ask you a question?" one of the Ravenclaw sixth years approaches Sirius just before we go up the stairs to our office.

"Yes, sure, go ahead, Tania."

"I was just wondering where we have to come for the Animagus course?"

"Transfigurations classroom."

"Oh, good! How many other students will there be in that class? I was ever so excited when the letter contained that extra bit. My Mum was out of her mind and my dad thought it was brilliant!"

I grin. Sirius does, too, and tells her:

"Well, that is for me to know and you to find out next Tuesday. There's a reason why we do keep quiet about this."

"Why? I don't really see the necessity, unless we're not registering."

"You do register. In fact, all of those among you who have received the letter and will take part in the training are already pre-registered at the Ministry as Animagi in training. You'll learn about the rest next Tuesday in class, alright?"

"Oh, that's good then. Thank you."

"See you in a moment, Tania."

We both gather our materials for the lectures and leave for our classrooms. Most of my seventh year students have already arrived. This ought to be an interesting year, I've never taught Gryffindors and Ravenclaws together, but both houses usually contain bright and interested students, so this should be fun.

"Good morning, everyone, please take your seats. Thank you! – Now, this is NEWTS class and I'm sure I needn't remind you that you'll have a lot to work. I suppose this is the first time that your two houses are taught together, so why don't we get to know each other a bit better?"

We play a short introduction game and then I'm outlining for them what subjects we'll cover in class. There are some really heavy things in the syllabus for this year. We are covering the more atrocious aspects of certain blood magic spells and Necromancy. To lighten the mood a bit I am teaching them magical wards and more advanced shield spells and duelling spells. I'm watching them taking notes. After one year I know them all quite well, so I spot those who are prone to almost nodding off if the lecture goes on too long. I pull them back in with a few pointed questions, usually to their neighbour first, as a warning. They've figured that out, so they keep each other alert.

There are ten Gryffindors and nine Ravenclaws in this group and they seem to get along. My next class are the Slytherin and Hufflepuff sixth years, ten students in each house. There are two 'contaminated' students among the Slytherins, John Wilson and Sabrina Dunston. These two have behaved reasonably well in the past year. I don't know if we have been able to catch them, but I think a year under Arabella's and now a year under Carla's headship will already have done them some good. Both ladies have no sympathy left for Voldemort or his followers and both are very capable to get their opinions across.

It's going to be quite a bit of duelling and lots of theory for those students this year.

******Lily**

James and I come to Hogwarts early as promised to be with the children through the day. We bring along Lizzie and Andy and while I teach Addie, James can babysit the little ones easily. This is going to be a fun job and I love it already. Addie is up when I get to the flat shortly before eight, but Sirius and Remus have already left to go to breakfast and their first lesson.

"Hello, Auntie Lily! I'm up already!" Addie calls when she sees me.

"That's fine, Addie, good morning! Did you have breakfast already?"

"Yes, I did. When do we start?"

"As soon as you are dressed, little one. Go and put something warm on."

"Muggle or wizard?" she wants to know.

"Whatever you feel like, Addie."

"Alright!"

She's back ten minutes later, neatly dressed in jeans, t-shirt and jumper, wearing warm socks and her slippers.

"Very good. Let's start with maths then."

Through the morning we work through different subjects. She's sucking it all up and reads and writes really well already. She'll be easy to teach and I'll probably get beyond the regular 

primary school stuff for her, but then I'll probably engage Morag to do it, since I'm not too adept with some of the subjects. Right now we work on some simple mathematics.

When Addie is reading or writing or doing her exercises I call Lizzie over and start to teach her the first letters and numbers. She won't sit still for a long time, but I know she's already eager to learn, so she can just as well do that while she's here.

Then I turn to something more creative and start to teach Addie to read musical notes and sing. I have brought a keyboard along, which I've bought for this purpose. Trying to remember my piano lessons I teach her to read the notes and play the melody on the keyboard. She has quite a nice, clear voice and she learns a song during the lesson. I am not too surprised, I remember that Sirius was very musical and used to sing very nice, too. Lizzie also takes part in the singing, but she's still very off key!

"This is neat, Auntie Lily! I like doing that," Addie says.

"Great, we'll do lots more then. There's so much stuff around and loads of scores are available. You sing nicely."

******Remus**

The first two lessons are over, I lock up the classroom again and return to my office, where I take my notes from last night and sort the folders for the students into the different houses. Then I write down the lists of the new students for Filius, Pomona, Sirius and Carla. That's done quickly and I can turn to today's mail and work through the correspondence, mostly letters from parents. This early in the term there are only two letters and those are done quickly. I file away the original letter and the copy of the reply into the correspondence folder. Then Sirius comes back after his double class with the Slytherin and Hufflepuff fifth years.

"Hi, love. How did it go?"

"Loved it! I really liked teaching potions, but it's a lot more fun doing Transfigurations," he says brightly.

I look over at him. He does look in great spirits. He sits down and picks up the list of Gryffindor first years to fill into the prepared folders. He's already got about a dozen folders out, but now he needs four more. That done he adds the names and puts the folders away into the file cabinet. Then we have a little time to go down to our flat and see the children. Both and Andy come crawling quickly when they see us coming in. They haven't had much of us these past few days and I laugh, when I pick Denny up from the floor as he greets me with a grin and raised arms.

"I'm amazed that you even still recognise me, Denny! I've only seen so little of you in the last days."

"Papa!"

"Yes, my love, tell me, what have you been up to all morning?"

Not that I get a very good reply yet, but James gives me an account of what they have done. I carry Denny over to the sofa and sit down with him, but almost as soon as we sit he wants to leave and get something to play. I imagine that Sirius should have been like this sparkling high spirited child, rattling off the words he already knew all over the place and learning new words 

every day and remember what I've seen in his Pensieve. I glance at Sirius, who listens to Seraina's babbling and hear the words ball and b'oom and both of us start to grin.

"You haven't really put her on a broom, James, now have you?" I ask.

"'Course I have! It was fun, wasn't it, Seraina?"

Seraina nods eagerly. I shake my head and ask James:

"And how did you sneak by Lily?"

"Right out the door here. She was concentrating on working with Addie. So I took them out and placed all three of them on your broom, but I held it of course. They couldn't have gone anywhere."

"I wanted to be the first to do that, James!" Sirius pouts.

"Well, you were the first with Harry, I decided I needed to steal it from you," James says and grins.

"Oh you! Shame I can't throw anything at you as it would be a really bad example for the little ones!" Sirius mutters.

James laughs.

"Don't worry; they'll just love it when you take them. I didn't ride with them yet anyway, I only held the broom straight. Seraina squealed all happily and Denny just loved it. For Andy it wasn't the first time anyway, I already took him on the broom in spring."

"There's my children!" Sirius says proudly.

"Hm, hm…" I make.

"Yeah, your children, too, I know!"

Denny is back, showing me his plush wolf and wants on my lap again. I lift them both up and he snuggles close. It's past the time they should be napping in the late morning. And it's already late enough that we keep them awake for lunch. We'll take them to sleep right after the meal, which we eat as soon as Lily and Addie have finished their work for the morning. They both look very satisfied. We sit down at the kitchen table and Winky brings up the food. While we eat, Addie tells us about her morning. And then she wants to know all about the feast the previous evening. We tell her everything.

While Lizzie has learned to eat quite neatly we feed the triplets and as soon as they've had their fill we take them to their afternoon nap. I'll have two, Sirius will have three lessons in the afternoon. Therefore we have a bit of time to chat and play with Addie and Lizzie for a while after the triplets have gone to sleep.

"I'll be back at half past three, Addie, Sirius about an hour later. Then we can play some, alright?"

"Alright, Remus."

* * *

****** Tuesday, 7.9.1999 / Sirius**

The first long weekend. It's great that Remus and I are both off by lunch time on Friday and then only have to be back by Monday evening. Over the weekend we've been looking around for furniture for some of the rooms at Grimmauld Place, starting with the kitchen, the dining room and the family room. Remus and Winky love the kitchen already. It has a ceramic tile floor, a modern kitchen combination containing the whole Muggle stuff that makes up a kitchen and even a huge fridge. The pantry is more wizard-like, the cooling charms in it keep stuff for quite some time before anything starts to rot. Given that we aren't here all the time that's certainly a good thing, because we can keep the pantry stocked. We have given the kitchen a country style, all earth tones, copper pots and pans on a big potrack above the island counter in the centre of the kitchen, beech wood for all the furniture.

The colour scheme continues into the dining room, where all the furniture is also made of beech wood. The family room on the other hand has a feature wall with a bright red coat of paint, the rest of the walls are painted in a soft cream. The furniture is prematurely cream for the fabrics and again beech wood for the wooden parts of the furniture. All the cushions on the sofas and armchairs are clad in rainbow colours, red, yellow, green and blue. Next week will be the turn of the family bedrooms.

Now I'm really looking forward to this afternoon. All the students who have received a letter with an offer to take part in the Animagus training have accepted, so I'll have eight sixth years and six seventh years. There are three Ravenclaws, three Gryffindors and two Hufflepuffs in the sixth year group and one Ravenclaw, two Gryffindors, a Slytherin and two Hufflepuffs in the seventh year group.

"Ready to produce a couple of new Animagi, love?" Remus asks and grins.

"Quite. I'm so looking forward to do that!"

I'm getting my material together, the notes we've made during the training at the Sunnegg, the book, with which I'm working through the theory and go down to the classroom. Tania and Sabina are already waiting, together with Martin Hayes, the third Ravenclaw in the group. While I let them inside I can see, that Gregory Simmons, Steven Fisher and Geraldine Michaels, the three Gryffindors are coming through the corridor, closely followed by their Hufflepuff colleagues Helena Bykova and Irene Gray.

Once they're all inside I close the door and push all the tables out of the way and conjure a load of cushions on the floor, then I welcome them.

"Hello, everybody, it's great to see all of you here at a slightly different kind of school. You are all quite courageous, as this is not only quite a piece of magic; it's definitely a dangerous bit of magic when you attempt it for the first time. Would you mind to give me a short bit about yourselves and why you decided to follow the offer made to you?"

They all present themselves shortly and tell me why they think it would be interesting or cool to do this. To me, only having fun doing it is a good enough reason, I'm easy in this way… I'm content and tell them:

"Well, I'm going to show you what you are aiming to do."

I transform. Then I do some of the typical Padfoot antics and play the dog. I can see them all smiling, some of them grinning and return to my human form.

"Professor, what was your motivation to learn this?" Geraldine asks.

I sit down on a big cushion, cross my legs and reply:

"I was part of a great group of four friends. One of them suffered from being a werewolf. Yes, I'm talking about Professor Lupin. The worst thing for Remus about having to transform once a month was that he had to be all alone. Back in the days when we were at Hogwarts there was no Wolfsbane potion available yet. It's a more recent development. So Remus was taken outside of the castle and was locked up in the Shrieking Shack every month. This, by the way, got its name from his screaming through the painful transformations, not from extremely violent spirits. That story was just a rumour Dumbledore spread. He was pretty good at spreading rumours, too. My other friends and I couldn't stand to see how Remus suffered. We were determined to find something to help him and while reading up every possible source we found that werewolves generally do not attack animals, but humans exclusively, while real wolves would practically never harm humans. So we decided to become Animagi. We succeeded early in our fifth year and from then on we stayed with Remus through his transformations."

"Wow," says Irene.

"And did that really help? I mean, his transformations must still have been painful, weren't they?" Tania asks.

"Yes, that of course was something we couldn't take away. The true help was that he wasn't alone. He was a lot calmer and he stopped hurting himself. A werewolf who is locked up without the sedation from the potion will try everything to get out of his confinement and will run against walls, doors, anything. The bloodlust demands it to hunt and since nothing is there to be hunted and killed, the werewolf turns on to itself. Seeing Remus on the mornings after his transformations without the potion was heartbreaking. Madam Pomfrey was always able to heal broken bones, gashes all along his arms, legs and chest immediately, but he'd usually lost a lot of blood. The blood replenishing potion is wonderful, but it takes about two days to fully work. It made me learn healing spells, so I could help him after Hogwarts. When he was with us in our animal forms, he used to be much calmer and there were no injuries."

"That's an amazing story, Professor," Helena whispers.

"It's one I'm quite proud of, if I may say so myself. We were unregistered Animagi, but we figured that there were a lot of others who hadn't registered either. In the meantime I'm registered properly of course. Back then was a terrible war raging and our Animagus forms provided us with a lot of stealth and helped to accomplish some difficult tasks. Therefore we planned to be registered – once the war ended. – Did anyone among you look up the presently registered Animagi?"

"I did," Sabina says, "and I was going to ask you, because Professor Lupin is on that list, too."

"That's right. It started out as an experiment and we fully expected him to be unable to do it, but he managed the transformation as an Animagus."

"He's a wolf, too. Do you think, he became a wolf because of his werewolf?" Sabina asks on.

"Yes, I do."

"Does this help him in any way?" Steven wants to know.

"In fact it helps him immensely. The Wolfsbane potion keeps his mind clear, but the Animagus transformation allows him to forego the painful werewolf transformation. Why do you think would that be? – Don't hold your hands up in this class, please, just speak up, okay?"

"Because the Animagus transformation is painless?" Martin asks back.

"Precisely. At least after the first few times. In fact Remus didn't think it hurt at all, but he's got a very high pain tolerance from his thirty-five years of transforming painfully. For him that was nothing at all, while our students did feel quite a bit of pain in the beginning. When I transform into Padfoot, then I feel nothing anymore. The transformation is swift and I could do it in mid-jump and still land correctly on two or four feet."

"Padfoot?" Irene asks and grins.

"Oh, yes, Padfoot. That's the nickname I got tagged with. For looking like the Grim and having these huge paws. But this Grim here is a rather playful and loving one. Remus got off worse though, you might have heard me calling him Moony already…"

They all laugh.

"Well, then it's time to get to the start of this. You'll have to cram a lot of theory and a really long line of spells. We'll be using the same method I've used for my students at the Sunnegg, which is the name of the big farmhouse in Switzerland, which was the safe-house for Harry Potter and several other students of his year. The method requires two potions, though the first one is just to feed your curiosity, but it's a good training for the real thing: the potion required for your initial transformation."

We're diving right in and I'm giving them a summary of what they're going to study in the next few months. They're quite amazed that they will transform relatively early.

"If we're to transform that soon, why do we have the subject for a whole year?" Gregory asks.

"Because the initial transformation is not the biggest part in the game. That you can turn yourself into an animal doesn't make you that animal. The rest of the year will be used for you to really train to become the animal that's inside of you. You will learn its behaviour. It won't help you anything to look like a dog, but to behave like a human."

After the double lesson with the sixth, I have all the seventh years. As soon as they have all passed their initial transformation I'll have them together, so they can learn to hold their form over several hours and train to become their animals.


	16. Another Stroll down Memory Lane

**Chapter 16 – Another Stroll Down Memory Lane**

**Sunday, 19.9.1999 / Hermione**

It's my birthday today and we're spending it at the Merry Den, which is the name Sirius and Remus have bestowed on Sirius' old family home at No 12, Grimmauld Place. Of course the address remains the same, but the house looks nothing like it did when I saw it for the first time.

During the past two weekends they have furnished the house. Sirius and Remus occupy the master bedroom on the first floor. The twins' rooms are on their floor as well, Addie is one floor further up. The eight rooms on the second floor have been furnished as bedrooms with a four poster each and some additional furniture to make them comfy. There is not a single room in the whole house that's not covered in a coat of soft beige paint. The beige is complemented with colourful carpets, rugs and curtains. The furniture is stylish, but solid and friendly. Most has a country feel that I really like. The big family room has different areas now. Around the big fireplace is a classical sitting area, next to it seems to be a playground for the twins, there's a big round table near the windows and sideboards as well as bookcases run along some of the walls. The windows and French doors open to the small bit of garden on this side of the house. I think if the Blacks of old could see the change on this house they'd all be shocked to the bones.

I love the kitchen. It's situated next to the dining room. An archway has been broken through the wall to connect the dining room with it. Another such archway leads from the dining room to the family room.

Some of Remus' favourite cookbooks have taken residence on a long shelf on the wall to the dining room. The kitchen itself has turned out lovely. The walls are painted in very light ochre, which fits perfectly with the light brown stone top on the beech wood units. There are dozens of wooden cupboards and cabinets painted in olive green. Sunflowers and poppies are painted on many of the cabinet doors. The big window lets the light flood in now and is covered with only a white gauzy curtain. Even that has a summer theme. I find Winky working here, humming happily.

"Hello Winky!" I call.

She almost flies to me to say hello.

"You look like you really like this place, Winky?"

"Oh, I is loving it here, mistress, it's so beautiful. And so lovely. Master Lupin has done everything to make work easy for me here; do you see the steps everywhere?"

"I do. How considerate of him! Can you reach everywhere then?"

"Most everywhere. What I can't reach I is doing with magic anyway."

"Good! I'm glad you like it. You would have been scared had you seen the house before."

"I is seeing it once. I is having to take something here for master Barty, many years ago!"

She shudders visibly as she tells me this.

"Poor you! I hated to see this place before. But now it looks completely transformed."

"But now you must leave the kitchen, Mistress Potter, because we is cooking your birthday dinner. You is not supposed to see that!"

I smile.

"All clear! I'm getting out of here right away!"

She gives me a friendly shove in the direction of the door. Harry and I sit with Remus, Sirius, Quintus, James and Lily in the family room and talk, while the children are playing around us. I have apparated my parents in as well. Remus shows us his crop of the photos from Draco and Parvati's wedding last week. They are showing us on the ship on the Lake Geneva on that wonderfully bright autumn day. The ship had been decorated in a harvesting theme to represent the season. It covered the harvesting of cereals and fruits, represented by sheaves of wheat, grates filled with apples and grapes, lots of sunflowers and bright yellow, red and olive tablecloths, napkins and dishes. It was magnificent and I loved the wedding clothes of Draco and Parvati, too. Both wore matching turquoise dress robes. They looked stunning of course. Since Draco isn't so pale anymore he wore the turquoise just as well as Parvati.

We're talking about the wedding and how much fun it has been. When I see some pictures of the twins I grin:

"They've been at two weddings before they've even turned two!"

"Three even, yours included. And there will probably be more, the way things look…" Sirius remarks.

"Do you think so?" Harry asks.

"Did you see Neville lately?" Sirius asks back.

"Not very often. He's usually coming to the Sunnegg on Wednesday evening."

"He and Hester are really close lately. She's practically moved into his rooms at Hogwarts," Remus tells us.

"Wow… Ginny and Ernie are really thick still as well. But I think they want to wait until they're out of Avalon before they get married," I remark.

"Oh, and let's not forget Mandy and Jason," Harry throws in. "What's the bet they will be the next ones to tie the knot?"

"Well possible. I'd love to see them getting together for good. They're a great couple!" says Lily.

"Are you getting comfortable at the Stöckli?" Sirius asks me.

"Yes, it's so cosy! Just perfect for the beginning of our family."

"Good."

The rest of the afternoon is spent chatting and playing games, while some of the gang come in one by one. Mandy and Jason join us first. By tea time most of the gang is there and I get to blow out my nineteen candles on the cake and open my presents. The little ones are there to help me with that, ripping into the paper with gusto. They're spoiling me! Many things I get are already lovely little baby things, which are very welcome of course. I'm moved to see those tiny 

things. It seems like Andy, Seraina and Denny are already so big compared to these tiny pieces of clothing!

I can feel the baby kick several times a day and it's a wonderful feeling. Sometimes it's pretty rough, but it tells me that the baby is fine and strong. Harry's hiding his anxiety about the birth and all pretty well, he's giving me a calm appearance. But I'm not so sure he's all that calm. I'll see it when it's time and when I'm about to enter the delivery room. He'll see for himself then that it's not the end of the world but the beginning of life and I'm quite sure he'll not mind too much. I can't wait for it. Soon! I'm through three quarters of the pregnancy now. I'm allowed to apparate for the next six weeks, then I'll have to stay home, use a Portkey or the Floo network.

"Hermione, didn't you say you're not allowed to apparate anymore a month before the birth?" Sirius asks me.

"That's right."

"I've been thinking about that. Do you want to stay here for the time? You can still floo to the Academy or take the Tube…"

"You know, I think that's a brilliant idea. Then I can still attend lectures…" I reply.

Then I look at Harry.

"Yes, I agree. That would be a wonderful idea."

"Thanks, Sirius, we'll stay here then."

"Choose one of the rooms upstairs. Or take one down here… the two rooms here on the ground floor remain to be furnished, we could decorate one for the two of you. Then you don't need to walk up and down the stairs either."

"We'll do that, Siri. Thank you for the hospitality. This is nicely close to everything and I can use the Tube, so I won't have to apparate at all and don't need to bother with the Floo either."

**Remus**

I bet this is the first time this house witnesses a light-hearted party like that. We've invited the gang to Hermione's birthday to show off what has been done to the house. Draco and Parvati are the only ones missing, as they're still on their honeymoon. They chose to follow our choice of holiday area and went to the same place we were on Zanzibar.

The house is really nice now. We have deliberately exaggerated a bit on the beige paint. Except for the kitchen/dining room all rooms are done in beige. We have added a lot of colour with the fabrics and much of the furniture is painted in colour, so that there is enough to distract from the beige walls, but we needed a bright colour scheme for the house. We'll decorate the walls one by one with paintings, posters and photos.

I'll finally get around doing more about my cottage than up to now. We've only sent Dobby or Winky there to keep it clean, but now I'll check what furniture I want to keep and maybe use at the Merry Den. I don't really know what to do with it right now other than it might be a good home for papa. It's one of the few things that belong to me alone and I'm reluctant to just sell it. This way I might have something to pass down to my daughter when she grows up. Right 

now all I can do is to see that it doesn't fall into disrepair. It's still a lovely little house and I'm quite fond of it. But it means that over all we now have four residences. Of course we're at Hogwarts most of the time, but I think it's important that we don't lose our roots elsewhere. I certainly don't want to give up the farmhouse, as the Sunnegg is the place with the fondest memories I have of all my life. Never before have I lived so carefree and happy! Three years of teaching the gang, exploring Switzerland with them and living together again with my mate without pressure has been the best time of my life yet. Our life has changed so drastically, but it's now become very calm. Sirius and I are involved with the school and our children, but it's a great challenge. We can see what we achieve. We do something useful. And we enjoy being with each other for as much of the day as we can.

* * *

**Monday, 20.9.1999 / Remus**

The gang has gone home fairly late last night. Justin and Ron who are on an early shift today have slept upstairs in one of the guest rooms. They're joining us at breakfast now.

"Good morning everyone!" Ron calls.

"Morning Ron," Sirius says and pushes the coffee pot in Ron's direction.

Seraina, who's already up and active, crawls over to Justin and gets picked up immediately.

"Hey baby!" he says and kisses her on the cheeks.

The baby giggles and cuddles close to Justin. He keeps her on his arms and sits down at the table. She starts to babble something to him and he tries to figure out what she says, but there's not that much sense in what she talks yet. Then I hear:

"Who's this, Seraina?" Justin points at Sirius.

"Daddy!" Seraina squeals.

"And who's this one?" Justin points at Ron.

"'On!"

"Good! Who am I?"

"Saina!"

She can't say her own name yet and she doesn't understand the concept of 'I' and 'You' yet.

"No, sweetie. Who is this?" Justin points at himself.

"U-tin!" She says promptly. She knows her loved ones, even if she can't say their names properly yet. But Justin seems to have understood her very well.

"And who's that one?" He points at me.

"Papa!" Seraina doesn't even look.

"Very good. Who have I not asked you?"

"Mummy an' unca 'Ames…" she says and looks around after the two.

"Good girl! You're a clever one, Seraina!" he commends her and earns himself another giggle and a grin.

It's one of the simple games Seraina loves to play. She can even associate the people who are couples already. Sirius looks over at her and is pretty proud.

Ron and Justin leave for work and Sirius and I plan to go back to the Pensieve. That means that Addie, Lizzie and the triplets will be under Winky's supervision, but they don't mind. Addie is doing some written work that Lily has assigned her. We go up to the library. In one of the sunnier corners of the library we have set up our study and a reading corner. We have left all the bookshelves, just painted them in a creamy colour and we're starting to fill them with lots of books now. We have ended up keeping most of the books of the old library, but having given away many of the dark ones and put the worst into storage means that there are considerable open spaces. By copying our other books and taking them here has already filled most of these spaces. But of course the library is huge. It fills the whole length on the left side of the house. We intend to take a lot of the copied books from the Hogwarts library here and set them up to fill this really wonderful old library again.

We have brought our notes and have started to dictate everything into the computer to store it securely. The Pensieve is set up again on the small table in front of the sofa.

"Your turn again, Moony. We left off when you just moved to Switzerland…"

I remember. So I sit down and put the wand on my temple, think the incantation and pick memories from the spring of 1966. I'm six and a half years old and it's my first day at the new school. We are living at the outskirts of the village, in a farmhouse. The village is on the eastern edge of Bern.

_My mum checks that I'm dressed properly. We share the breakfast with dad. He's in no hurry, as he apparates to the Ministry and he only starts work at nine, while I have to be at school at eight in the morning. The way I have to walk is not too long, I take about twenty minutes. It's late April now and the last snow has melted completely. Mum gives me a tote bag containing my slippers and I slip into my Wellingtons for the way to school. Then I put my jacket on and she helps me into the school backpack. It contains only my writing equipment, pencils, crayons and stuff. There is also a small black writing board and chalk as well as a little sponge._

"_Don't I need school books, mum?" I ask._

"_You will get them at the school. It's a bit different than in England, you don't own them here; the school provides all the books on loan and you'll get all the paper you will need. Those will be all yours though."_

"_Ah. Alright then."_

_Mum adds a little sandwich for the break, puts on her coat and smiles. Dad gets up and hugs me._

"_Have a good start of term, my little one! And enjoy yourself!"_

"_Thanks, dad, I will!"_

"_That's my boy!"_

_Mum takes my hand and we walk out. It's already light outside and we chat while we walk to the school. When we get there, many other mothers and a few fathers are coming with their children. My aunt Carine meets us with my cousin Céline. _

"_Hey there! Good morning, Remy! Will you be a good boy and look after Céline?"_

"_Maman! He doesn't need to look after me, besides he's a year younger! Just because he's a boy…!" Céline protests._

_Mum and auntie Carine laugh and lead us inside of the building. The teacher, an elderly woman, welcomes us and tells us to sit down anywhere we like. The desks sit two each, so I ask Céline:_

"_May I sit with you, Céline?"_

"_Okay. But can you take the place on the outside, so I can sit across the aisle from Denise?"_

_Céline points at a girl who I know is her friend from the nursery school._

"_Do you want to sit with Denise? It's okay, you know…" I say._

"_Yes, I'd like to. You know what? You sit here and we'll be just next to you!"_

_So I take my seat at a desk in the row next to the windows, Céline and Denise take the next desk in the middle row. There is a third and a fourth row next to those two and there are about five desks in a row from the front to the back of the room. It's a big class of over thirty pupils that file into the room. With all the parents along it fills the room up quite nicely. But only minutes after the lesson has started the parents start to take their leave. _

"_Do you want me to come and fetch you home after school?" mum asks me._

"_No, mum, I know the way."_

"_Okay. I'll have your lunch ready by the time you get home then! Bye, love and have a great start!"_

_I watch her leave. _

Sirius

_Little Remus sits alone at his desk, but he doesn't seem to mind. There are at least thirty children in the class. The elderly teacher greets and welcomes them, then she goes through the roster to learn to know each of them. She gives them cards with their names and tells them:_

"_Please keep this card on your desk until I know all of you well. When you want to change and sit somewhere else take it along please. I will give you a while until you are settled, then I would like to ask you to remain at your chosen desks. Let's start right away then, okay?"_

_All the pupils seem to be fine with that, so the teacher tells them:_

"_Fine. Now, please open your desks. You will find all the books you will need in the desk. Please be careful with them, they belong to the school."_

_We watch as Remus gets the little blackboard and the chalk pencil out of his backpack and the class starts to write the first letters. It's an easy exercise for Remus who knows how to read and write already. So the teacher comes to his desk, sees what he does and asks him:_

"_Remus, I have been told that you already know how to write quite well. Is that correct?"_

_Remus nods and smiles._

"_That's great. Would you like me to show you the next step to connect your letters and write script?"_

"_Yes, please!"_

"_Fine. Then you'd better put this away, that's not easily done on the board, I give you some lined paper. Get out a pencil, please."_

_Remus gets to do his first exercises and happily works his way through them. The other children watch him in awe, but don't comment. _

_Then the bell rings, announcing the break and the teacher orders the children to put on their shoes and jackets again and go outside. Remus follows that order with all the other children. Those who know each other already from the nursery schools start to play immediately. Remus is the only one who has not been to nursery school, so he knows only Céline. But she takes him with her group and introduces him. He plays with the other children, but he is the way I learned to know him later on. He only talks when the others ask him something. He's already conditioned to hold back, to keep himself in check and to be controlled at all times. _

_After the break the teacher starts a music lesson with the class. They learn and sing a song together. Remus seems to really like this; he looks happy and quite relaxed. After that there is a period of maths with basics about calculating and addition. The children get a bit of homework and are released for the long lunch break._

_Remus packs up, takes all of his books along and leaves the classroom with the other children, sits down on the long bench in front of the classroom and puts his boots back on. He places his slippers neatly under the bench and puts his jacket on, then the backpack. He skips home most of the way and reaches the farmhouse soon. _

"_Mum! I'm home!" he calls._

"_Hello, Remus! Did you like your first day at school?"_

"_Oh yes!"_

_Remus shoots off telling his mum all about the morning's lessons while he drops the backpack and the jacket, pulls off his Wellingtons and replaces them with his slippers._

"_Did you get any homework?" Mrs Lupin asks._

"_Yes. Just a bit of writing and something out of the arithmetic book. I'll do it right after lunch, okay?"_

"_Perfect, Remus. Sit down, I'll dish out immediately."_

_The memory then shifts to a few weeks later, when Remus brings a letter to school to inform the teacher he would be away from school for the next two days. She opens it, reads it and looks down on Remus._

"_Tell your mum, that I've noted your absence. I hope you get well quickly!"_

"_Thank you, ma'am."_

_Remus looks very pale, but works well at school. He is visibly tired, but his face glows, because he loves it at school. It's still quite playful schooling, but the children get pulled in more serious work quickly. Remus gets to read some books for his age group while his classmates study the basics of reading. Other pupils know how to read a bit as well, but none of them is as far as Remus. He is far ahead in reading and writing and he knows a lot about the natural sciences already, but in everything else he's starting just like the other children. _

_The memory shifts again, it's the morning after the full moon, Remus has just woken up in his bed. Mrs Lupin has healed most of his wounds already. The rest heals fast, but Remus needs the blood replenishing potion, which usually takes two days to get his blood back to the needed amount. Remus eats little in this time, which is the reason for his being so thin and small._

**James**

I can only think it again and again. Remus is just about the cutest little child I've ever seen and that includes my own sons. It's not only because he's so small, he's really a fine looking boy. He reminds me of porcelain, he looks frail, but seeing him running around on the big square next to the school with the other children shows he's a tough little fellow. Well, anyone who has to go through what he goes through every month would be extremely tough. We go through some good times for him. At school he has no really close friend, but he gets along with all of the children and he's not completely alone. He doesn't keep away from the other children either.

_It's now Remus' first summer in Switzerland and he discovers the public bath with his mother first and he learns how to swim. He seems to really like the water and his mother has her hands full to keep him away from the river Aare. The bath is situated on the banks of that river, which looks like it flows quite fast. But we can see heads in it, it's a very warm day in July, so there are quite a few swimmers enjoying the cool water. _

_Remus seems to enjoy running into the water of one of the more shallow pools. He learns to swim quickly. On some days the family is complete, when Mr. Lupin is with them. Some of the laughter has come back to Remus, when he's with his parents and when they play together. _

There are many memories like that from now on. The first school outing, sports lessons, school and Remus at home, mostly reading or playing. Remus learning how to play chess with his father. If it weren't for the transformations, this would look like the happiest family on earth.

It's amazing that the cover story Remus' mother used with the school authorities works perfectly well. All the children in his class know that he will be ill of a rare blood disease caused by the full moon once a month and they don't even question it further. Remus gets more and more at ease, because no one asks about this mysterious illness. He is an excellent student, in almost all subjects even though he's the youngest pupil in the class. He frequently helps others when they ask him. He grows a bit, but slowly and even in his fourth year of schooling he's still by far the smallest in the class.

_On a day in late February Remus goes for the exam to move on to secondary school. If he passes he will change to another schoolhouse. When he returns to school on the next Monday his teacher calls up three names and tells those students, Remus is of course among them:_

"_You will not need to go to the aural exams as you three have already passed the test in your written exams. Congratulations. The rest of you will have to go back to the aural test next Friday. Don't worry, I'm sure you will do well!" _

_A next memory takes us to the spring vacation, which Remus spends mostly at home, reading a lot. Then a new memory comes up. Remus rides his bike to the new school, which is a bit farther away than the primary school. He leaves the bike at the appointed spot and goes into the building, where he is informed about his classroom:_

"_What is your name?" a teacher asks._

"_Remus Lupin, sir."_

"_You have been put in the B-class, Remus, that's one floor up, the first room. You will have to walk back to the left to find it. It's marked with a Roman V and a B."_

"_Okay, thank you."_

_Remus walks up the staircase, turns to the left and finds the room quickly. It looks almost the same as his primary school room, with the pegs for his clothes along the outer wall and a long bench running underneath. Remus finds out that this class will be almost as large as the one in primary school, when all of them are sitting at their desks, again two per desk he counts twenty-five students besides himself. The teacher is a nice, still fairly young man who welcomes them._

"_I will be your teacher in German, French, History and Geography."_

_The usual distribution of the school books and a lot of notebooks takes place. The class stays in the same room for all of their subjects, the teachers come to the class rooms. Remus loves the new challenge and enjoys that he gets more homework and can delve deeper into many subjects. Of course he has a great advantage in French, an advantage he's glad to share with his cousin, who's in the same class again. The two of them already speak French fluently and read it a bit. _

_When he gets back home at lunch he talks a mile a minute about the new school and that he likes it a lot more. He has the first afternoon off. Mrs Lupin sits him down at the dining table and teaches him English. He learns as eagerly at home as he does at school. In his free time, Mrs Lupin already starts teaching him basic magic, even though he isn't allowed a wand yet. _

_The memory shifts. It's a dinner one evening before Remus' eleventh birthday._

"_Is there anything specific you'd like for your birthday, Remus?" Mr. Lupin asks._

"_Broom, broom, broom…." Remus begs._

_Mr. Lupin laughs._

"_Should have known! You're growing up ways away from the wizarding world and still dream of a broom…"_

"_Oh, please, dad! Yours is so slow! Besides, Yves and Céline have received one, I've seen them myself!"_

"_Okay, I'll see what I can do, child. You really deserve it; you've done so well in school after all…"_

_Remus' face lights up and he hops up from his chair to go and hug his father. Then the memory fades and another one comes up. It's Remus' birthday and he actually does get a broom, which makes him dance around the house of happiness._

"_But __**no**__ using it inside of the house, Remus! And you can only ride it here with a disillusionment charm from your mum, is that clear?" Mr. Lupin reminds Remus._

"_Yes, papa! Same rules as Auntie Carine's. Thank you so much!"_

_Both parents get huge hugs from their son._

"Hey, I didn't know you were so keen on brooms, Remus!" I remark.

Remus grins. He looks quite happy with those memories. During his time in Switzerland there's really not much that plagued him. He didn't mind having no close friends, just colleagues. He played football with them, rode his bike with them, but hardly ever invited any of them home or was invited by one of them. But he was content that people didn't mistreat him for being a werewolf. Still – what a huge difference to everything we have seen in Sirius' memories. I look at Sirius. He's all smiles.

"I love to see this, Remus. You look content in almost all of these memories. There's the pain of the transformation, but otherwise you look like you have a real life."

"Yes, I was quite content. I didn't expect more of my life. I was ready to go through whatever schooling I could get in the Muggle schools, because I didn't expect to come to Hogwarts."

Unfortunately it's getting late and we have to go and take care of the children again. Remus and Sirius prepare them to Floo back to Hogwarts, while we return to the Sunnegg a while later.

* * *

**  
Friday, 24.9.1999 / Lily**

We're back at the Merry Den and back with the Pensieve. Remus and Sirius want to get on with watching those memories to start writing the book. We go back into the Pensieve as there are still a few memories from that summer before Remus' eleventh birthday.

_It's the summer holiday, which the Lupins spend for a good part in their house in England. The full moon comes up. Remus is still outside and has forgotten time while he explores the forest. When his parents try to get him inside he starts to transform already and so they have to back away. They watch from behind the window how Remus shifts his shape. Quintus intends to stun the wolf to put him in the cellar as soon as he's fully transformed, but Remus is out of the edge of the forest as soon as the transformation is over. Luckily he is still a young wolf, so while he seems very attracted by the human scent that permeates the area he also seems to be terrified by it and so he runs off into the forest. He doesn't maul himself in this night, because he's too busy running for most of it. After hours of running around he finds some water and laps it greedily before finally falling asleep. The memory shifts again to the next morning when he wakes up, completely naked, because the transformation had made short work of his clothes. He is curled up in a bed of leaves under a beech tree when Quintus and Fanny find him. _

"_Oh thank Merlin, you are well, love!" Fanny cries._

_She checks him and the only blood she finds on his body comes from a few scratches._

"_Looks like you went through some brambles there, sweetie," she says, brushing the fringes out of her son's face._

"_I'm sorry, mum! I should have been home earlier, but then it went so quick!"_

"_I know. We'll have to be more careful, love. If that would have happened in Switzerland, where we're so much closer to our neighbours… I'm so glad you ran into the forest! Your papa wanted to stun you, to take you down to the cellar, but you were off so fast we couldn't follow you. We just hoped you wouldn't meet anyone! But it doesn't seem like you did. You'd certainly show blood traces."_

"_I don't remember, mum. I think I just kept running."_

"_I'm relieved. Come on, let's take you home."_

The memory ends here. We get to see some other memories from those days. Fanny takes Remus to collect herbs again. They go on outings with Quintus to London, even to the Department of Mysteries once.

Remus empties the Pensieve and fills it with the memories of the first three months of his twelfth year, then the second three months, most of which are filled with school, meeting friends, going to the boy scouts meetings, playing football with other children. Remus is practically never ill outside of his transformations. He's never late for school; he's never found not to have done his homework. He's read himself almost through his parents' library. Then we get to see the memory of the day the first term of his sixth year at school ends.

_All twenty-six students in Remus' class run out of the classroom after they have emptied their desks and take down their clothes from the peg outside. The class has moved one classroom on. The children are happy because now they aren't the little ones anymore. Remus all but runs home happily. He has six weeks of summer holidays ahead and he looks forward to them. As much as he likes school he does enjoy the vacations as well. He rushes inside of the house and drops his stuff next to the door, then calls:_

"_Mum! I'm home!" _

_Then he rushes up to his bedroom to drop everything on his desk and bed. He races back downstairs and asks:_

"_Mum, can I ride my bike for a while still?"_

"_Hi Remus. Just half an hour, then you should come back for lunch. You'll have to pack; we'll be off to England after that."_

"_Oh. Okay!"_

_The memory shifts. The Lupins have made themselves comfortable in their house near the forest once again. Remus enjoys a sunny afternoon on a clearing reading a book. He checks his watch and after a while he gets up and returns to the house. He steps inside through the back door to the kitchen and stands still, frozen on the spot. There's a visitor sitting at the kitchen table with his mother and they are talking animatedly. Remus stiffens immediately. This is a stranger, it's England and so far he's only met unfriendly adults here, especially those who know he's a werewolf._

"_Come inside, please, Remus!" Mrs Lupin calls softly._

_She knows what is going on inside of her son. So she pulls him a bit closer, turns to the visitor and introduces the boy._

"_This is Remus, Professor Dumbledore. Remus, this is Professor Albus Dumbledore, he's the new Headmaster of Hogwarts."_

_Remus' eyes widen. He looks like a walking question mark. But then he remembers his manners and holds out his little brown hand. _

"_So you are Remus. I am pleased to meet you, young Mr. Lupin!" says Dumbledore as he takes the proffered hand._

"_I'm pleased to meet you, sir."_

"_And what a delightfully polite young man you are. I am sure you are wondering at who this old fellow is, do you not?"_

**Remus**

So much for accurate memories. Somehow I've had this scene slightly different in mind. It seems that a Pensieve can only be tricked consciously.

_I see my younger self smile and tripping from one foot to the other. Of course I knew about Hogwarts, but it had been clear from the moment I was bitten that I would never go there. So why did the old codger come here?_

"_What do you wish from me?" I ask with a small voice._

"_I would like to know if you are ready to start your magical education at Hogwarts come September."_

_I can see my eyes growing even wider, then I'm looking from Dumbledore to my mother and back. I'm unable to say anything. So I look up to mum and silently ask for her opinion. I remember that feeling so well! I had been shocked to the marrow of my bones. Mum nods and says:_

"_If you want to go to Hogwarts, Remus, then you shall go!" _

_I turn back to the Headmaster and say:_

"_Yes sir, I think I am."_

"_That is just fine, Remus! In this case I have something for you here," Dumbledore says, pulls the letter out of his pocket and hands it to me. I take it with trembling hands. Then I feel like I have to say something about my lycanthropy:_

"_But, sir, I'm a werewolf…"_

"_I know about your affliction, Remus. But rest assured that we have a solution that will keep everyone at Hogwarts, including yourself, safe during your transformations. Only the teachers and the school's nurse, Madam Pomfrey, who will take care of you before and after your transformations, will know about you. I have heard that you have an excellent mind and a good amount of talent, Remus. It would be a shame to waste such talent, do you not think? Your mother tells me that you are doing very well indeed at your school."_

"_Yes sir, I love to go to school."_

"_Well, then it is settled. I shall welcome you to Hogwarts on first of September then, shall I?"_

_I smile the widest smile possible and nod eagerly._

"_Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"_

_The memory shifts to the same evening at dinner. Papa is coming home and I pounce on him with my letter, before he's even halfway inside of the house. When he sees the green ink his eyes widen._

"_Remus, is that… a Hogwarts letter?" _

"_Yes, papa! I'll go to Hogwarts!"_

"_I can't believe it! – Fanny! Have you seen that?"_

_Papa rushes into the kitchen and kisses mum, then she says:_

"_Yes, of course I did. At three this afternoon the new Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, has come to see us. He has replaced Dippet in the midst of the last term, when Dippet died of a heart failure."_

"_Yes, I'd heard of that before."_

"_I don't think, Dippet would ever have accepted Remus to the school, but you know Dumbledore. So much more interested in everything and he's so open-minded."_

"_Yes, I don't think I'd have understood Transfigurations ever if not for him," papa laughs._

"_Anyway, he told me they would take Remus. Of course he said that there would be precautions, so that Remus can transform safely. We're to go up to Hogwarts to see the procedures in August."_

"_But that's great! Remus will get a wand and that's a very good thing!"_

"_It is. Dumbledore has told me that he will clear everything with the Registry. Remus will only have to report there during the summer vacation every two years like until now for the renewal of his registration."_

"_Papa, are adult werewolves not allowed a wand?" I ask._

"_Well, yes, they are, when they have been bitten after their schooling. No one can forbid a fully trained witch or wizard to carry a wand, as long as they don't break a law. And as long as they abide the laws werewolves are allowed to have a wand like everyone else. But many have never been allowed a magical education. In fact I don't know if there ever was one before you who was allowed to get educated at Hogwarts. And without that you're not allowed to have a wand – legally. But that goes for every other witch or wizard as well. You must have a minimum of five years at school and have passed your OWLS to be allowed to keep your wand."_

"_I see."_

_The next memory is our shopping trip to Diagon Alley. I had been prepared to live in the Muggle world completely, so my parents had never taken me there before. Of course it's quite impressive now. I have always worn robes at home, Muggle clothes to school. But now I was _

_fitted at Madam Malkin's shop for the school robes. They were made from a very heavy, yet soft wool fabric, all black. I received a cloak and a pointed wizard's hat._

"_What do I wear under the robes at school, maman?"_

"_Whatever you like. Jeans or something. You can take your favourite clothes. Rather warm things, because it's usually quite cold at Hogwarts. It's a very old castle after all."_

_We go from shop to shop and of course the two shops I'm most excited about are the wand shop and Flourish & Blotts. At the bookshop I'm allowed two books beyond the ones on the list. Then we head on to Ollivander's. The old man greets us and I'm getting to try the wands until the right one comes up. It felt like Ollivander was giving me a once over very critically and wondering whether he should really sell one of his precious wands to a Dark Creature or not. I felt like he knew what I was and he proved that he did when the wand which responded to me was one made of beech and had a core of a unicorn hair._

_Ollivander looked at me strangely and mumbled, while he packed the wand into one of his lovely boxes:_

"_Curious, curious! Innocence is not reserved for humans alone. You must be meant for good deeds, my boy, because the hair in your wand comes from a unicorn that was a day old foal. The wand chooses the wizard and if this wand has chosen you, I can only expect you to bring innocence and friendship to those who will cross your path. But this is a wand that gains its power from the pureness of the forest and its most innocent inhabitant. They can both be ruthless if they see no other way, so anyone who shall become your enemy must beware themselves."_

_I still shudder when I remember this. It was the first time since I had been bitten that a wizard who knew what I was, had said something that friendly to me. My hands were shaking when I took the bag containing the box from him. Mum took it and said:_

"_Why, thank you, Mr. Ollivander, that was a very nice thing to say. I do think that Remus has lost nothing of his innocence, in spite of that bite which has changed his life. I can't even tell you how happy my husband and I were when he got his letter."_

"_Albus Dumbledore has excellent judgment of people, Mrs Lupin, he certainly knew what he did when he accepted Remus into Hogwarts. I hope you will have a very good time there, young man!"_

"_Thank you, sir."_

_With that we left the shop and went back to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo back home. Maman wrote to the school authorities in Switzerland to take me out of the Muggle School because I had been accepted to a boarding school. I sent an owl to Yves about it. He had been accepted to Beauxbatons, and would follow his older sister there when I went to Hogwarts._

**Sirius**

_Remus' memories of the weeks before his parents went up to Hogwarts with him are all showing a very itchy child. He's restless and has a terrible transformation in August, which leaves him weak for four days. But then his parents take him to the Three Broomsticks at Hogsmeade, from where they walk up to the school. Remus is deeply impressed and I think, his _

_heart must have beaten twice as fast than normal. Quintus Lupin knocks on the main door. A middle aged teacher opens and introduces herself as Professor McGonagall, the new Transfigurations teacher. She guides the family to Albus' office. _

"_Ah, there is our young werewolf. Come inside, please! Quintus, Fanny, it is a pleasure to see you."_

"_Professor, it's wonderful to see you again. We want to express our gratitude about Remus being accepted to Hogwarts. He had accepted his fate to continue at his Muggle school and not come to Hogwarts at all. You can imagine the happiness you caused with your letter. We have never told him much about it, because we thought he would never go, but since your visit he's read the complete Hogwarts, A History. Twice!" Quintus says and grins._

"_Why, that is wonderful, Remus! But please, you do not need to call me Professor anymore, please call me Albus."_

"_Thank you, Albus, we will."_

"_Well, then let us talk about what we have in mind to keep our students, staff and Remus safe on the full moon nights. I would like to show you presently. Is that acceptable to you?"_

"_Yes, please, sir," Remus says._

"_Very well."_

_Dumbledore leads his guests out of his office and to the hospital wing. _

"_There we are. This is the hospital wing, Remus. You are to report here no later than four thirty in the afternoon before the moon rises."_

_Remus nods and follows Dumbledore inside. Madam Pomfrey comes out of her office._

"_Remus, this is Madam Pomfrey. She will be taking care of you. Poppy, may I introduce you to Quintus and Fanny Lupin and your future protégé Remus."_

_Poppy looks down at Remus and smiles, then she quickly shakes hands with his parents._

"_I'm pleased to meet you all! Would you kindly meet with me and tell me what you do to alleviate Remus' pain and tell me how his transformations usually pass? I know very little about werewolves and I'd like to be able to really help him. I hear you are a healer yourself, Mrs Lupin?"_

"_Yes, I am. I've taken some notes, which I've got here for you. Can we go ahead with the procedure now and then we sit together?"_

"_Absolutely. I'm taking over from here, Albus, if you wish."_

"_Yes, Poppy, thank you very much. Would you come back to my office for some tea when you are through this?"_

"_Yes, Albus, we will be back, thank you!" Quintus says._

_Albus leaves them and Poppy turns to Remus:_

"_Well, little lamb, let me explain this to you then. You can come to me on the afternoon before the moon rises as Professor Dumbledore has just told you. I will guide you through a hidden exit to the place where you can spend the full moon night. It's through here."_

_She guides the family to the exit and shows them through. Then she leads them to a tree, standing a bit outside of the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Poppy stops in safe distance, and then she says:_

"_If you try to get too close to this tree it will lash out, because it is a Whomping Willow. There is only one way to still it and that's using a long branch like this and prodding a knot on the trunk. I will get a little closer now, you see?"_

_The willow shows its usual bad temper and because all the branches are flailing around the trunk becomes visible. There is a very prominent knot visible on the lower half of the trunk. _

"_Yes, I can see it, Madam Pomfrey," Remus says calmly._

"_Very well, Remus, now watch what happens when I prod it."_

_Poppy proceeds to press the stick against the knot. The tree is stilled immediately._

"_Come close, quick. Once you're under it you won't be hit anymore!" she calls. _

_The Lupins all run under the tree and see that a fairly big hole has opened up beside the trunk. _

"_This is the entrance to a secret underground passage, Remus. You will go through it and when it ends you will enter a house. Come along!"_

_All four get into the hole, slide down and find themselves in a tunnel. Poppy, Quintus and Fanny all light their wands. Then they walk through the passage, which takes them twenty minutes and end up in the Shrieking Shack. _

"_This is an old abandoned house on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. It's been prepared that Remus can move inside of it as he pleases, but he will not be able to get out. Not only are all the windows and doors barred it's also been warded so well that no one will be able to remove one of those boards on them. Remus, you'll come inside here and put this trapdoor down, then you won't be able to get out anymore as soon as you are a wolf. Even the most cunning wolf could not lift this particular door. As soon as you close it, a bolt will lock it from the other side. You will have to turn this ring three times to open it again. As a human you can accomplish this most easily, but as a wolf I'm pretty sure you won't be able to do it. Even if you did get into the tunnel you couldn't get out of the willow. So all you have to do once you are in the tunnel is walk in here and close the trapdoor. Then the house is yours. This is the cellar, but if we go up here you find some nicer rooms. We have tidied them up, so it's clean. The house will be cleaned before and after the full moon. When you come around in the morning you can rest in one of these bedrooms here. I will find you here and take you back to the castle. Is that alright?"_

_Remus nods and says:_

"_Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. That is very easy to keep."_

"_I think so, too. I'm sure you will do well. You have been locked up every full moon since you were bitten, haven't you?"_

_Remus throws a quick glance to his parents, but nods again._

"_Yes, I have."_

"_Poor sweetheart! I'm so very glad that you are allowed to come to school. Let's go back to the castle now."_

_She shows the way out again and the memory shifts to when they return to the castle a good half hour later, cleaned up from all the earth that sticks to their clothes. Poppy takes them back to the Headmaster's office, where they are served some tea and biscuits and cake. Remus happily munches on a thick slice of chocolate cake and listens to the adults talking about life and politics. _

_After an hour Dumbledore addresses Remus again:_

"_So, are you all ready to come to Hogwarts then, Remus?"_

"_Yes, sir, I am."_

"_That is very good. I do wish you an excellent remainder of the holiday and I shall look forward to see you on 1__st__ September then."_

"_Thank you, sir."_

_The memory shifts again. We get to see the Lupin family on the morning of Remus' departure to Hogwarts. The trunk is packed; he drops his monkey into it and closes the lid. He packs some books into his backpack and presents himself downstairs in the kitchen, all dressed and almost ready to go. Fanny makes him sit down and eat a good breakfast, then the family floos to the Leaky Cauldron, from where they take the Tube to King's Cross station. Quintus has taken care of Remus' trunk for the journey to the station. Only when they get to the train he returns the trunk to its intended size. First they find a compartment, where Remus can sit. There are a gaggle of other first years around and Remus takes a seat among them. Quintus returns his trunk to its original size and then he and Fanny take their son outside once more and wish Remus a good trip and a good start of the term. _

"_We really wish you all the fun we had at the school, Remus, don't just dig yourself into your studies, meet other children, please. Will you promise that you try to make friends?" Quintus asks._

"_I'll try, papa. But I have to keep the secret…" Remus says in a very low voice. _

"_Yes, that is going to be difficult. It remains to be seen if you can really keep it up in your dormitory, but do your best for your own sake. You can't use the same excuse as with the Muggles, in the wizarding world that's much too obvious, but I'd recommend using excuses that you are ill anyway. Just without the reference to the full moon."_

"_I will do that."_

"_Any excuse will do. I know it's lying, but for once you will have to do it to keep up the image. We do wish you will be able to finish your education here, because you'd have a much better chance of getting through in your life if you're allowed to use the magic you have. And always remember, Remus, that we both love you and we'll think of you every day," Fanny says._

"_I'll owl you tomorrow to tell you what house I'm in," Remus promises._

"_Great, Remus! We're looking forward to that! Now go inside, the train leaves in three minutes!"_

_Remus gets a big hug once more, then he climbs the high steps and vanishes inside of the carriage. He finds his compartment again, takes off his backpack and sits down._

"_Hi! I'm Lily Evans. What's your name?" a redheaded girl on the bench opposite of Remus asks._

_He looks up._

"_Hi Lily. I'm Remus Lupin."_

"_Pleased to meet you. This is all very exciting, isn't it? A steam engine! I wouldn't have thought that there are still steam engines used in England. Thought they're all electrified or run on diesel these days. But I find it so romantic!"_

_Remus looks at her a bit closer and asks:_

"_The way you sound it seems you're a Muggle-born witch, are you?"_

"_A what?"_

"_Are your parents non-magical people?"_

"_Oh, through and through! But they've been so fascinated when I got my letter. Why?"_

"_Well, my family is all magical. My father is a wizard and my mother is a witch. There have only been witches and wizards in our family for centuries with only the odd squib now and then and some who married inside who were Muggles or Muggle-born…"_

"_What's a squib?" Lily queries._

"_Someone without any magical gift born to a magical family."_

"_Ah, I see. So you know lots of magic already?"_

"_Not very much. We all start at the same place at Hogwarts. I do know a bit, I mean, I hear my parents cast spells every day. But I only got my wand a few weeks ago and mum made very sure I couldn't get to it before today. You're not allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts until you're seventeen, you know…" Remus explains._

_There are three other occupants in the compartment; all will be sorted to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw later on. I can see Hope Foster being one of them and a boy who later came to be the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. The third was a boy whose name I can't remember anymore, but who introduces himself, outing himself as another Muggle-born student:_

"_I was just as excited when I got my letter! My parents didn't think it was real and threw the letter away. The next day there was another letter and then two and then a dozen of them. Then my parents read the thing more thoroughly. And then we were visited by a Professor of Hogwarts who explained about going to Diagon Alley and shop for the equipment. It was great! Oh, my name is Harvey Chapman by the way…"_

"_Nice to meet you, Harvey."_

_The memory fades after a while and comes back when the train stops at Hogsmeade. All the first years get out and I can see myself and James being quite far in the front. Remus walks _

_somewhere in the middle of the whole group and gets into a boat with Harvey and the soon to be Hufflepuff boy. Then I see him again in the line of the students, waiting to be sorted._

**Remus**

What was it again the Sorting Hat said? Oh yes, I remember the conversation now.

'There is our little werewolf! Welcome to Hogwarts, Remus. Where am I going to place you?'

'I hope, not in Slytherin…' I thought.

'Why on earth would I place you in Slytherin? No, that would not do at all. In fact, I believe you wouldn't last two weeks in that house. No, little one, you can't possibly go there, so never fear.'

'I thought, because I'm a Dark Creature…'

'Well, you can be a Dark Creature, Remus, but you know, it's not who you are. Not yet. You choose whether you will become a Dark Creature and until you do Dark Magic with evil intent you are far away from being a Dark Creature. Once you mistreat other humans or animals you'll be quickly on the path to being a Dark Creature, but I don't see that in you. Didn't your parents tell you that? I had the impression that they love you very much?'

'Yes, they love me and yes… kind of, I just had a hard time believing them. Everyone else seems to think that the bite made me a killer by default. So where do I go?'

'Yes, back to the job on hand. Hm. I see a very, very interested and good mind. You love to study, don't you? You're doing your homework well and thoroughly. That would call for Ravenclaw, but then… there's also lots of laughter in your head. You like to be carefree and you know what? It takes so much bravery to even come to school here for someone like you, I think you should be placed in… GRYFFINDOR!'

_After the hat shouts Gryffindor I'm getting up very dizzy. This has been a very uplifting little conversation and I know that I will memorise it together with the things Ollivander and Poppy Pomfrey had said. I know now that not only my parents can look beyond my werewolf, but some other people, too, and that experience restored a part of the trust I had lost._

_I watch my younger self join the Gryffindor table, grinning happily and sitting down next to Sirius._

"_Hi Remus! I'm Sirius Black."_

**Lily**

_Remus stares at Sirius. Then he holds out his hand and shakes Sirius' and the two of them follow the Sorting. I sit opposite Sirius and look at them, not participating much in their conversation. But they hit off from the start. I remember that evening very well. To me it felt like I was spun into a cocoon, with so much to see and experience that I was dizzy. _

_However, I watch as Remus quiets down considerably as soon as James joins the table. James asks Sirius how he has been able to avoid being sorted to Slytherin and Peter wants to know why on earth Sirius thought he'd be sorted there._

"_Because all my family has always been there. You have no idea how relieved I am not to be there!"_

"_I'm glad I don't have to be there, that's for sure…" Peter says._

"_Same here. My dad's been in Gryffindor and mum's been a Ravenclaw," Remus says._

"_Only a small handful of exceptions and they have all been in Ravenclaw. I must be the first Black to be in Gryffindor," Sirius tells us with a grin._

_But I can see that James looks worried. I don't understand at that time, I'll only understand later on._

We all come out of the Pensieve and notice that Harry and Hermione have come in. They have the twins on their arms, Lizzie and Andy on their hands and grin.

"Back digging in memories?" Harry asks.

"Yes, we are. Hi there."

"Hi. Are we welcome for the weekend? We'd like to decorate our room."

"Of course! I saw you put the furniture in…"

"Yes, but we've really just dropped it in there. We'll have to organise it a bit now."

"Good!"

We decide to make a stop until after dinner, when the children are in bed. Dinner is a lively affair and we have some trouble with the triplets, who are tired and cranky. We take them to bed and after that we return to the Pensieve. We allow Addie to join us, because these are still pretty nice memories. Harry and Hermione come along for the ride as well.

**Hermione**

_We are in the boys' dorm. It must be their first year, from Remus' point of view. He's already awake and cuddles with his monkey under the warm blankets and comforter. What a cute child he was! If I could I'd step up right now and cuddle him, because he's so sweet. He pushes his sleep tousled hair out of his face and slowly crawls out from under his covers. He wears a pyjama with cute teddy bears printed all over it. We see him pulling the curtains of his bed open, and then he climbs out of the huge bed. He finds his slippers, picks up his clothes and pads over to the shower. The other boys are still fast asleep when Remus returns, fully dressed, and wakes them up. He waits for them in the common room and they arrive at the Great Hall for breakfast together. _

_It's clear to see that they aren't very familiar with each other yet; only James and Sirius seem to be friends already. In the middle of the breakfast the owls arrive with the morning's mail. Sirius gets a blood red envelope and stares at it in shock. It's a Howler and within a moment we _

_hear Mrs Black screech. Sirius stares at it, pale and shocked. He looks like he wants to vanish into the ground. The whole school stares and listens, there are snickers at the Slytherin table and as soon as he hears Mrs Black's voice, Dumbledore aims with his wand and destroys the Howler. _

_It's still awful for Sirius. Remus turns to him and says:_

"_Don't think anything of it, Sirius, the best is to hold up your head high and not react to anything anyone says!"_

_Sirius swallows hard, throws a grateful look at his new friend and thanks him:_

"_Thanks for that, Remus."_

_One of the prefects gives them their time-tables and they check it to find out what their first subject will be. The four boys take the way back up to the Gryffindor tower under their feet and collect the books they need for the day's lessons. Someone shows them the way to the Transfigurations classroom, where they arrive just in time. _

_We get to see several memories from their first months at school. One morning in early December Remus gets a letter from his parents. They tell him that Quintus has to attend a symposium that takes him abroad and so they apologise and ask if it would be alright for Remus to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas. Remus isn't too happy, because he thinks that all three others would go home. But after James has left early he finds out that Sirius doesn't want to go home for the break:_

"_I'm staying here! If I go home I'll only get in trouble for being sorted into Gryffindor. So I can just as well stay here. Uncle Alphard has written to me several times already, that is worth more than seeing my mother for five minutes!"_

"_Oh, then it's not so bad that I have to stay here over Christmas, too. My dad has to go away and mum goes along, it would be a bit difficult to take me along…" Remus says._

_Then we see the mostly shared memories of the two boys almost alone in Gryffindor tower. It's fun to see those now in Remus' point of view while we have watched it from Sirius' Pensieve at the end of last year. What I find fascinating is that there are different things Remus remembers than Sirius. His perspective shows the same events, but in a different way. I still remember quite well how they played and spent their time together in the common room and how tenderly they treated each other. That's obvious in both sets of memories._

There is much to write down. Remus dictates it to the dictaquill and says:

"It's going to be fun to compare that to the notes from the memories Sirius has noted down of these events."

"Wonder if you find differences. People usually perceive things very differently from each other," says James.

"And memorise them differently. That's true, it will be interesting to see if and how these memories are noted down differently."

_Lots of memories in class, in the common room, in the corridors and the Great Hall, outside on the grounds, pranks played. We move swiftly over them, Remus just dictates some of them to the dictaquill and notes them down. Among them is the memory of the first full moon at the school. It's Sunday, Remus' birthday, too, and when they get up from the table after lunch, Sirius looks at Remus and says:_

"_You're so pale, Remus, you okay?"_

"_No, not very well… if it doesn't get better I'll go to the hospital wing."_

_When he feels himself unobserved a while later he slips out of the portrait hole and goes down to the hospital wing. We follow him and Madam Pomfrey down to the Whomping Willow and when the moon rises later on he's transforming. It looks pitiful! I want to cry when I see that. I haven't seen him transform without the Animagus yet and here I have to watch how his body gets practically torn apart and put together again into his wolf form. It's terrible. He screams and it's clear to see why._

Sirius pulls Remus into his arms. Remus closes his eyes. He knows how it feels and looks; he doesn't have to see it. Addie turns to me and buries her face in my robes.

"That hurts so badly…" she sobs.

"It's a memory, Addie, and it's over, Remus doesn't have to suffer like that anymore! We're all very glad for him…" I mumble soothingly.

_That first transformation all alone and away from home and on his birthday is taking its toll on him. Remus loses conscious after two hours of raging around in the house and we get the memory back when he wakes up in the hospital wing. His wounds are healed, but he looks deathly pale. Poppy Pomfrey looks down on him and says:_

"_Your mum has warned me and has explained to me what I have to expect, but really, Remus, it's twice as bad as I expected. You poor child, I think you must be one brave and strong little fellow to get through all of this once a month! I admire you."_

_She caresses his cheeks and holds the small hand for a moment. _

_Then Sirius, James and Peter wait for him when he gets back to the dormitory in the evening. He still looks rather out of it. They all ask him:_

"_What's wrong with you, Remus? You just vanished and when we went to the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey told us that we couldn't visit you!"_

"_I really wasn't very well. It's getting better now though."_

_It's all the boys can get out of him, so finally they stop pestering him._

_Then we see the same small hand determinedly hold his wand during one of the next Charms lessons and successfully cast his first spells. He does well in all of his subjects, even if it is hard for him to catch up after the full moons._

_To watch the four get through their first year is really fun. They become good friends in that time. The day comes when they approach Remus and confront him to tell them about his werewolf. His eyes remind me of a deer caught in the headlines of a car. Instead of the predator he's the venison caught by the wolves. But once they have talked it all through their friendship only grows deeper._

** Harry**

_The first train ride of the four together. They talk about their plans for the summer, only Sirius is quiet. He knows what waits for him. Grimmauld Place and his terrifying family. At the station he can barely shout a quick goodbye to the others, before he is hauled away from them and Portkeyed home. _

_Remus on the other hand gets the welcome from his parents and time enough to say goodbye to James and Peter, before he, too, is taken back to Switzerland with a Portkey. As soon as he gets there he starts telling them stories about the past year at Hogwarts. His eyes shine when he tells them about his friends. At dinner he gets very quiet though. Mrs Lupin asks:_

"_Do you want to go to your room, Remus? You look very tired. I know that the full moon will be in three days."_

_He shakes his head. He remains silent the next morning, too, and now his parents look worried. Fanny strokes Remus over his head and asks:_

"_What's wrong, love? You sounded so happy yesterday, then all of a sudden you shut down. Did something else happen at Hogwarts that hurt you?"_

_Remus shakes his head._

"_No, mum."_

"_So what is it then? Your transformation?"_

"_No…"_

"_Well, you know that you can tell me everything, love, yes?"_

"_Yes, mum."_

_She leaves him alone after that. The memory shifts until after the full moon and only when she has healed all of his injuries he starts to tell her. _

"_Maman, my friends… they… they…"_

"_What is it with your friends? One of them has written you a letter, by the way, it came this morning, but you were still out of it from the transformation."_

"_Really?" _

_Remus' face lights up and is completely changed. _

"_Yes, really. So what about them?"_

"_They know. They figured it out. Sirius did, that is. And he told James and Peter."_

"_Oh dear. Did they confront you with it?"_

_Remus nodded._

"_But they still want to be my friends, maman. They don't mind."_

_Fanny smiles. Then she casually summons Remus' letter and gives it to him. But when he reads the letter, his face changes again._

"_Bad news?" Fanny asks carefully. 'Maybe his friends have changed their minds', she thinks for herself._

_But his reply astonishes her._

"_Mhm. Maman, I think, Sirius doesn't have very nice parents. The first morning, after he's been sorted into Gryffindor, his mother sent him a howler. He was too scared of them to go home over Christmas. And he barely got to say goodbye to us at the station on Friday. I'm afraid that he is hurt. Read this!"_

_Fanny looks shocked. She knows the Black family of course and once she knows that Sirius belongs to this particular branch of the family she's not too surprised. She's only astonished that the child has been sorted into Gryffindor. We get to read the letter over her shoulder._

"_Hi Remus! _

_By the time you get this you'll have transformed back, I guess. It hurts to think of what you go through. I've been thinking of you all night and I really hope you are healing quickly. Don't write back before that's the case._

_I got 'home' fast and was duly chastised for the Sorting Hat's decision to put me into Gryffindor. Said the wrong thing, but darn it, I __**am**__ happy in Gryffindor and just because they hate it I'm not going to lie about that. So I got dad's special treatment. _

_Now I can't do much else but read and do my homework. Got any books to share? In the family library I won't find but Dark stuff and I don't want to read that. Besides most of it I'm not even allowed to touch. I suppose that this will be different in the years to come, I'm quite sure that they'll force me to read the stuff. I'm so happy to have Tom here; he's really the only friendly soul around here. I can write to you guys. And Tom takes all letters from Uncle Alphard directly to me, so that my parents don't get to see them. I have to hide them well though. If they knew he's writing to me they'd… sigh!_

_I can't wait for the break to be over! I only wish I could get out of here, but I'm not allowed outside of the house alone and no one will go with me. You know, we have this huge garden out in the back, but I'm not even allowed in there! Regulus is unbearable. Snickered the whole dinner through, when I got home. I get one more year free of him at Hogwarts…_

_So I hope you're doing much better than I and enjoy your vacation. I'd be damn happy if you could write back now and then. Will you? Only once you're up to it of course._

_Hugs_

_Sirius"_

_Dear me! Fanny looks even more shocked._

"_This sounds awful, Remus! And it's even worse that I don't think there's anything we can do to make it better for him. Except for you to send him books to read."_

"_I know. And I will. James has told me that Sirius' younger brother Regulus is such a pest that he goes and tells lies about Sirius left and right to his parents and that at least half of the punishments Sirius gets is caused by Regulus' lies. They believe Regulus everything. So I suppose this hasn't started only now. They must have treated him badly ever since."_

"'_Special treatment'. That sounds like his father beats him up or curses him…"_

"_I think he gets cursed. Severus Snape made a remark once to rile Sirius up. Something like he could use Sirius' mother's favourite curse on him. Sirius blanched after that. It can't be good news."_

"_What does this Severus know about that?"_

"_He's in Slytherin. And he's been one of the children Sirius' mother thought should be friends with him, so she had him and a few others brought into their house to play when Sirius was small. Through Sirius' cousin Bellatrix, who's the same age and also in Slytherin Severus still got invited there regularly when they were at the Hogsmeade primary school. So I suppose Severus has witnessed such a punishment once or twice. Severus came to school knowing more hexes and curses than many a sixth or seventh year, mum!"_

"_Oh my!"_

"_I used to think there could not be anything worse than my werewolf transformation, but now I'm not so sure. I mean, I have you and papa and you both love me and you're kind to me, so even if all others would be mean to me I'd still have a place where I can be happy. But Sirius… he has to be away from home to be happy!"_

_Fanny nods. Then she says:_

"_Remus, you are an amazing child, do you know that? There's so much love and compassion in you. I'm quite sure that Sirius has felt that already, that's why he writes to you. Will you write back to him?"_

"_Of course! As soon as I can sit…"_

"_You have greatness in you, love! Get up when you feel ready. Would you like some soup?"_

"_Yes, please maman."_

"_Coming up…"_

_Fanny hands the letter back to Remus, who reads it again and then he looks around his room to find out which book he could send to Sirius._

"_I'll best ask him first."_

_As soon as he feels up to it he gets out of his bed, pads to his desk and sits down to write an answer for Sirius:_

"_Hi Sirius!_

_I'm sorry to hear you've had an encounter with your parents. I hope you don't mind, but my mum has read your letter. She sends you her love. _

_I'm sure I have a lot of books for you to read. But since I don't want to send something you might have read already, I'm adding a small list to this letter. Just hook off what you've read and I'll let you have the others one by one, okay? Never thought I'd serve as your personal library one day…_

_The transformation is over for this month. It means I'll have to spend three transformations at home, the last one just a couple of days before we return to Hogwarts. But it's okay, it's almost a week, I'll be fine by then. Wouldn't want to miss the train ride with you guys._

_There's not much else I can write to you for the moment. Got here well and I'll be out to go to the swimming pool a lot as soon as I'm well enough. In between I'll do my homework and read a lot._

_I hope you're well and until the next letter!_

_Hugs right back_

_Remus"_

_He gives the letter to Tom, who is off in an instant._

_In the next weeks we see a lot of letters arriving at the farmhouse and Remus eagerly writes letters back to his friends._

Remus copies some of these letters down to include them into the book. He does it with a fairly bitter smile, because we can see that Sirius mentions the beatings he gets every time, even though he never outright tells Remus about them.

"He never said anything until he actually left Grimmauld Place," Remus tells me.

"Well, you wouldn't have said anything either," Sirius complains.

"Probably not."

"I knew that I did not deserve their treatment, but at the same time I felt guilty for knowing this, because I thought the way most mistreated children think. I thought that maybe I was that bad and that maybe they were right in putting me down," Sirius admits.

_The Lupins return to England before the August full moon. Remus spends it in the cellar there and after he's recovered they take him to Diagon Alley to shop for his supplies. He's grown a bit and his robes are getting too short. Mrs Lupin passes them to the second hand shop and gets new ones for Remus. On the first of September both parents take Remus to the station to see him off to his second year at Hogwarts. They meet James and his parents there. Remus can introduce his friends to his parents. Sirius is there already and he doesn't look any healthier than Remus. Still he asks:_

"_Are you alright, Remus? It's only been a couple of days and you're still so pale…"_

"_You're not looking any better than I, Sirius! What happened?"_

"_Don't ask! I want to shoot them to the moon, believe me!"_

"_I believe you. Well, I'm okay, just lost a lot of blood."_

_Then they're back on the train, share their news and make plans for the coming year. It's discovery time and the four boys make good use of the Invisibility Cloak to sneak around the castle and prank anyone who gets in their way. _

**Sirius**

Memories of Remus' first summer vacation during our years at Hogwarts. I'm almost crying when I see his parents and how they treat him. It's certainly thanks to them that Remus became this wonderful, loving and endearing man. They showed him that his life didn't end after the bite.

Second year was wonderful. We were children, unencumbered by anything, not aware of the danger growing somewhere around us.

_One of the next memories shows the four of us in a Charms class. James is showing off his talent, but he's really quite good at the spell we just learned. We can see Lily shrugging and doing it even better than James. He grumbles something and Remus grins._

There are a couple of memories like that. They spread from September to early December, when James, Peter and Remus write home that they would like to stay at Hogwarts.

_We sit at the breakfast and watch as the owls come in. James and Peter get their replies. James reads the letter and grins. _

"_I can stay. Mum and dad will go on a vacation, because I want to stay here," he says. _

"_My parents say 'no'," says Peter and looks disappointed, "they say I have to come home, because they want the family together at Christmas."_

"_Oh shucks! Would have been great, if we could have been all four together."_

_The memory shifts to the next evening when Remus' parents' owl raps on the window of the dormitory. He picks the letter from the owl and reads it quickly. He smiles and passes the letter on to my younger self. I read it again over my own shoulder._

"_Dear Remus,_

_We will certainly allow you to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas, if that's what you would like to do. But know that we will miss you a great deal and our Christmas will be a little less happy. Write back to us and tell us which of your friends are staying there, too, please._

_We're of course happy that you want to be with your friends, and you will see that it is a wonderful thing to have them. Cherish them, Remus! But I know I don't need to remind you of this, you surely do that anyway, it's just that they are so important for you to have._

_Is there something in particular you'd like for Christmas? Tell us that, too!_

_Lots of love and a tight hug_

_Your maman and dad."_

"_Your parents are so nice, Remus!" my younger self tells my friend._

I have to admit that I was mighty jealous of him for having such a wonderful pair of parents. James' were cool, too, but the Lupins meant warmth, love lived and shown to each other, 

security, openness and honesty. Anything a child out of a family like mine lacked. I wonder what would have become of Regulus had my parents treated us differently.

**Remus**

I smile at the letter. My parents were so torn between wanting me back home and letting me go. But they recognised how important it was for me to build up a network of friends. People who would like me for who I was, not for what I was.

We're in and out of the Pensieve, writing down everything we can see and even if we produce a flood of facts, we'll have a lot to pick from, which will give us a whole new image of our own lives. Second year was bliss, only the transformations worried me. Unlike my dorm-mates the other students didn't seem to notice a pattern in my disappearances. For them it was easy to hold up an image of being ill that often, especially since I had my friends to cover a lot for me. But it also led to problems at the end of the year, because my sickly condition earned me a lot of mockery from one side:

_It's about a month away from the end of the school year. A memory shows me walking alone down the stairs to the dungeons for a potions class. I'm early, because it's the first class in the afternoon after the full moon. I'm looking as tired and pale as usual after my transformation and so I don't notice the group of boys that approach me on my way. I jump when an icy voice talks to me from behind._

"_Oh, look! It's the sick boy! He who never seems to be healthy at all. I wonder what they do with him up there in Gryffindor tower! He must be the toy for them, don't you think?" _

_It's Evan Rosier. He's with Rodolphus Lestrange and Severus Snape. The others snicker and Severus continues:_

"_And he never says a word! Hey, cat got your tongue, Lupin? Where are your stupid friends?"_

_I try to just ignore them and walk on to the classroom, where I sit down and make myself ready for class. The Slytherins have followed me and continue to taunt, but I keep my mouth shut. It takes about five minutes, and then Sirius, James and Peter come into the class room. Lily is right behind them, her friend Dari Sanchez right at her side and she hears the Slytherins:_

"_Lupin, you can't keep your mouth shut forever. You're just a weak little thing! Can't stand up for yourself, you have to wait for your friends, don't you? Poor little baby Lupin, ever so thin and tiny…"_

_Lily comes into the classroom and hisses at them:_

"_Oh so big with your dirty mouths, aren't you? Picking at one who's alone, while you're three! I call that cowardice of the worst."_

_Sirius and James stare at her. Dari grins. Lily sits down in her usual spot, watching as Peter and James take a seat at a table behind her and Sirius joins me on the table behind theirs. _

"_What was that about?" he asks._

"_Just their usual stupid taunts. I'm ignoring them."_

"_You do that, but you will see where it gets you, Remus. Soon they won't only taunt you; they'll start cursing you, because they'll think you're a push-over."_

"_That will be early enough to do something more drastic about it. Like having them punished. If I get cursed by them I will end up with Madam Pomfrey, and you know what she thinks of me."_

_Sirius grins._

"_She thinks you're the sweetest little boy anyone could ever meet!"_

"_Precisely. And if I tell __**her**__ what happened she'll be quick to tell the headmaster."_

It didn't take very long. I was mostly around with my friends, but there were the odd times when I had to go somewhere alone.

_Barely three weeks later, just after the exams I have to take something down to Hagrid's cabin. On my way back to the school I can smell something wrong, but just before I can draw my wand I can feel a curse hitting me from behind. It's the full body bind and not ten seconds later Snape, Rosier, Avery and Wilkes come running and roll me into the water of the lake. I get scared, because this is getting really dangerous. Luckily for me they have been seen by Hagrid, who is still outside. He comes running and pulls me out of the water, but the four Slytherins are gone already. _

_It was awful! I really had been very close to drowning and when I finally come to at the hospital wing, Dumbledore sits next to my bed. He looks sad and even a bit angry._

"_What happened, Remus? Hagrid has found you in the lake, held by a full body bind."_

"_I went to take something to Hagrid and on my way back I was cursed. They pushed me into the lake."_

"_Do you know who did this?"_

"_I don't know who cast the curse, but it was Wilkes, Rosier, Avery and Snape."_

"_This is not exactly a schoolboy prank anymore. And it's a grave accusation you are making, but Hagrid saw the boys vanish and he named the same boys. I had a hard time believing they could do this, they're only second years, but you corroborate what Hagrid said. They will be punished for this." _

_Later we hear how the four are punished. They would not be allowed to go to Hogsmeade come third year for all of the year and two hundred points were taken from Slytherin. But I think Dumbledore must have done some talking to them._

Sirius and James took that incident very badly. They were both so angry about the Slytherins! I implored them not to do anything stupid and luckily the beginning of the vacation ended the incident.

The next series of memories are partly Sirius' and partly mine. I take a deep breath before going into the Pensieve this time. We hold hands while we look at the memories.

_The same thing as after the first year happened again this time. His mother was there waiting for him and Portkeyed him away within two minutes after leaving the train. My parents, James' parents and even Peter's parents stare after them. My mother blinks and says:_

"_Oh my! Poor Sirius! Do you think there is a chance that we could invite him to give him some relieve from his family?" she asks the Potters._

"_None. We have tried quite a few times, while he went to Hogsmeade Primary with James. They wouldn't ever allow it. The problem is that I am actually a Black. In fact, Sirius' mother is my niece, and his father is a cousin once or twice removed, but since I married a Potter they aren't on speaking terms with me. I think that the poor boy has to spend his whole break at their place, a dark hell in the centre of London if ever I saw one. He isn't even allowed out in their huge garden," Mrs Potter replies._

"_That's so sad!"_

"_He looked as bad as I do after a full moon when we came back to Hogwarts after the last summer vacation, mum," I tell my parents in a low voice, because Peter's parents don't know about my werewolf._

"_I know that his parents aren't exactly kind with him, I've met them a few times. He might be even worse off next year, because his younger brother will also start Hogwarts," Mr. Potter says._

_Since no one is in a hurry, our parents decide to have dinner together, which gives James and me more time together. The Pettigrews bid goodbye and leave from the station. Our parents shrink our trunks and things and take us to the Leaky Cauldron for a nice dinner. _

"_This would be so much better, if Sirius could share it with us," James remarks morosely._

"_I think so, too. I miss him already."_

"_We'll write to him often! I sent him a couple of comics last year, and there's still a lot he hasn't read, so I can send him some more."_

"_I'm sending him books. He read at least ten last summer!" _

"_Wow. Then he must be really bored!"_

_The memory shifts. Sirius and his mother arrive at Grimmauld Place. Sirius vanishes up to his room as quick as he can. We can see that he gets out of his school robes, which he hasn't bothered to take off, and puts Tom's cage down, letting the owl out and fly to his perch. _

"_We're all alone again, Tom. This is going to be very long again. I wonder what summer is like? It's not like I can go outside and see for myself and there's hardly any sun coming in here…"_

_Sirius drops on his bed and spends most of his summer reading. I have already given him a few books, which we have wisely camouflaged, so they wouldn't be recognised as Muggle books without opening them. _

_He goes down to the dining room just in time for dinner. His father takes notice of his return with a sneer and his brother starts his taunts the moment Sirius sits down. _

"_Can't you shut up for a minute, Reg?" Sirius asks, irritated._

_As soon as he can he leaves the table and returns to his room with some food for his owl. At least they seem to leave him alone in his room. _

_The next memory is a few weeks later. My parents have allowed me to visit James for the two weeks over new moon to the first quarter of the moon in July. The Potters are very kind to me and James and I enjoy a lot of fun, spend most of our time outside flying our brooms. James is determined to get into the Quidditch team, so we train with the Quaffle. Sometimes Charlus Potter, James' dad, plays along as a Keeper. _

"_You're going to try out for the team then, James?" I ask him at dinner one evening._

"_Of course! I hope I get in. There are two Chasers leaving, and there's only been one reserve last year, so I might have a chance."_

"_You should try out as well, Remus, you are a very good flyer," says Mr. Potter._

"_Oh, I wouldn't dare! What if a match falls on a full moon? Much too far out in the open for me."_

"_It's a shame that you have to hide your condition. It's outrageous that people like you are treated that way. As soon as people know about your werewolf they treat you as if you would kill them the next second. You shouldn't have to think of something like this and just go and try out for something you'd be very good at, Remus," James' father hisses, enraged._

"_I know. But I can't change it, so there's not much I can do. I'll just support James!"_

"_It makes me mad, too, Remus," James says._

"_Thank you both! I live on for people who, like you, see the person in me and not the beast."_

_But that's really the only shadow on my summer break and we both enjoy our time together a lot. We tell Sirius in our frequent letters what we are up to, but we know it hurts him even more, because he can't be with us._

**James**

_In the next memory we're back at Sirius'. He opens the window to let Tom in, who brings him a letter from Remus and I. He smiles when he opens the letter. We have made it extra long, so he has something to read. But as soon as he's through it the smile vanishes from his face and is replaced by a dull expression. _

_He looks bad. I'm sure he has landed himself with several beatings from either of his parents, but they aren't even turning up in his memories anymore. He has dark rings under his eyes and because he's not allowed out of the house his skin looks pale, almost translucent. _

"_At least James and Remus have fun for a while, Tom. If I could only get out of this house."_

_But he seems to be stuck. One of the next memories shows Sirius getting the Hogwarts letter. His marks are fabulous, he is in the top five of every subject, but that doesn't seem to impress anyone in his family. He is quite happy though. _

_The pile of letters he's received from Peter, Remus and I as well as from his uncle Alphard is growing rapidly. He gets a visit from Andromeda, the oldest of his three cousins on his mother's side, but she has a bit of bad news:_

"_Hi Sirius. I'm coming to say good-bye. They have decided that I'm not welcome anymore here in the house and at home."_

"_Why? Because you and Ted want to get married? Have they gone completely mad now?"_

"_Of course. Ted is a Muggle-born as you know, that's more than enough for them to burn me out of the blasted tapestry. So if you want to stay in contact, send Tom now and then and I'll write to you, okay? They'll know my owl and probably intercept the mail."_

"_It's half a miracle I still have Tom at all. He's really my only friend here now. I'll miss you, Andy."_

"_I'll miss you, too, Sirius. Hang in there, okay?" _

_Andromeda hugs Sirius and rocks him softly and comfortingly. It's easy to see that he's close to crying. She caresses him over the head and says:_

"_Don't let the bitch get the better of you, Siri. She's a bloody little nuisance and nothing more, just like Regulus, only worse."_

"_I won't. I've been third best over all last year, Andy. She must be way below that… and you know what? They didn't even take notice of my good marks. Sometimes I don't know why I even keep trying."_

_Andy grins._

"_Well done! You don't need their approval, sweetie, tell uncle Alphard, I'm sure he'll be very pleased to hear it."_

"_I have and he was. Even Phineas didn't have anything to complain."_

_Then Andromeda looks serious again._

"_Do keep trying, Siri, simply for yourself. There are others out there who love you, that's your friends, and uncle Alphard, myself and Ted… those people are worth ten times as much as your immediate family. You can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends, and yours are really great friends."_

"_They're the best, Andy. I miss them so much."_

"_That's something you can't change now, Siri, but one day you will be able to, and that day isn't so far away anymore! Now I have to go. I'm glad they even allowed me to say goodbye to you, I thought they'd just throw me out of the house. And I know that you're stuck in here. But if you can sneak out I would meet you in the park and show you the way to where Ted and I live. Maybe you can manage to come by sometimes. I'll be there every afternoon at two until you can come."_

"_That would be great. I'll work something out."_

_After Andromeda's leaving he has truly no one left on his side but his owl. _

_The memory shifts back to Remus, who has to leave us and return to Switzerland. He's happy though and even though the full moon awaits him he seems to feel better than ever before. The memory shows us Remus after his transformation. Mrs Lupin has healed him and he's happily eating his soup. While he eats he tells her everything we've done during the two weeks he was at our place._

We're rushing through a flood of memories through this break. Remus returns to England with his mother for the shopping trip to the Diagon Alley, where he meets Peter and me.

_Remus looks quite well. We have fixed this trip to do our shopping well before we have to go back to Hogwarts, because the full moon will be just four days before we leave for school. To make sure, Remus is still in good spirits Mrs Lupin meets up with us four days before the moon. _

"_Have any of you heard from Sirius in the last week?" Remus asks._

"_Nothing. I'm really worried. Who knows what kind of misfortune he's met now," my younger self says. _

"_He's written to me about six times since the end of last school year," Peter says, "that's more than ever before."_

"_But nothing for a whole week! I'm worried, too!" Remus insists._

"_It's certainly not a good sign. But we have to do the shopping," I hear myself take the lead. _

_As we come out of the apothecary to walk to our final destination Flourish & Blotts we meet Sirius, who is with his mother and younger brother. He looks worse than Remus after a transformation. And he doesn't even acknowledge us. I'm not too astonished, after all he's with his mother, but still, all three of us are shocked._

"_At least we know he's still alive. And since his mother takes him shopping he'll be back at Hogwarts at least…" Peter remarks cynically._

"_But that's about the only positive thing! Have you seen how he looks?" Remus asks._

"_Not good. But that's no reason to not even greet us!" Peter says._

"_Well, I don't think you'd greet unwelcome friends if your torturer is right there with you! You don't know his mother!" James yells at Peter._

"_Really, Peter, he looks that way because he's with his 'family' – personally I start to wonder who the monster would be; myself or Sirius' parents!" Remus says._

_The memory shifts to Sirius. It's again Grimmauld Place and he's in the library, looking outside with longing. He sighs, gets up and goes to try again to be allowed outside at least for an hour or two. _

"_Mum, can't I go outside to the park, please? I'm not going to play with Muggles, I just want to get out and some fresh air. Please!"_

"_I know what you do as soon as I let you out, Sirius. The answer is no. And don't you dare sneaking out!"_

_Sirius hangs his head, turns around and walks back up the stairs to his room. He drops down on his bed, but as he makes contact with the mattress he winces. He knows that on this day there's no way he can sneak out._

_But two days later he tries and gets out of the house. He quickly walks around the next corner and to the park. Andromeda waits for him there. He grins and is happy to see her. It's early afternoon, so she says:_

"_I'll show you how to come to me through the Muggle Tube, Sirius. I'll give you the Muggle money you'll need if you ever want to come over. Not this year anymore, but you're growing and soon it shouldn't be such a big problem anymore. Here, we need to go to the nearest station."_

_Andromeda shows him how to buy the ticket and what train he has to take. It's an adventure for Sirius, who never gets out of that dreadful house. Fortunately it is a sunny day, so he really enjoys his little excursion. Andromeda hurries though, to get him back again before tea. She knows if he's late he'll be punished. She shows him the way from the Tube station to her flat. They have time for half an hour of talking, and then it's already time to get Sirius back home. Andromeda accompanies him again. She can't go all the way to the house, but leaves him around the corner. Sirius sneaks back inside, but as soon as he's there he gets caught._

"_What did I tell you about sneaking out, Sirius Black? Where have you been?"_

"_You said I was not to sneak out, but that was the day before yesterday. And I've been to see Andromeda."_

_He looks straight into the wand, which is pointed at him. He grits his teeth when his mother hits him with the boxing hexes. She doesn't stop before he slumps down on the floor._

_The memory shifts and we're with Sirius after he has woken up again. He sighs and winces. The blows have gone to his whole body, only sparing his face. He weeps silently. Once again I'm wondering what kind of people his parents were. Who would hurt their own child this way? _

_Another shift of the memory shows Sirius and Regulus on the day they leave for Hogwarts. Both have their trunks and owl cages ready. Sirius looks a bit better, but I suppose his worst bruises and wounds must have been healed. There's still a lot of pain in his eyes. The boys are handed a Portkey to the platform, both parents apparate there. Sirius ducks away from them immediately. He doesn't even say goodbye, he takes a straight line for the train and vanishes inside. _

_Just a moment later we shift to Remus' memory of our arrival. He's come to my place the night before and we are both together with my parents. Remus discovers Sirius' mother, but no Sirius is around. We can see Regulus being gently shoved into the train and then the Blacks disapparate. _

"_Uh, oh… no Sirius," my younger self mumbles._

"_Maybe he's inside already. I'm sure he got out of their way as soon as he could," Remus says._

"_Possible. Let's take this inside and look!"_

_Both of us say goodbye to my parents, who hug both of us, then we get inside of the train. Walking through it from the end, we find Sirius in the third compartment of the last carriage, brooding there all alone. Remus opens the door with a huge smile._

"_Hey, Siri! It's so good to see you again; we were so worried, because we hadn't heard from you for so long!"_

_Sirius looks up and grins. His whole countenance changes and he looks alive again._

"_I'm sorry for not even saying hello in Diagon Alley, but she would have gone crazy if I had…"_

"_It's okay, we thought it was something like that."_

"_Wish I could have gone with you guys. But she wouldn't let me out at all. I sneaked out just to go to the park a couple of times."_

"_Poor Sirius!" Peter says, closing the compartment door behind himself._

"_I had to get away from them before they hung Regulus on my back! The brat can find his probably soon to be Slytherin friends, he doesn't need me."_

"_Well done," my younger self says._

_And then the memory moves to Remus' impression of the sorting. Regulus is the fifth child to be sorted. The hat isn't on his head for more than ten seconds, when it announces him a Slytherin. Sirius snorts. _

"_They'll be happy that at least one of us could follow in the family's ways. I really wish I could get away from them."_

"_You will – one day you don't need to go there anymore!" Remus assures him._

* * *

_**Saturday, 25.9.1999 / Remus**_

_This has been another pretty long day. We've worked on those memories for most of it. Now I'm dog tired, but there are our little ones, who need to go to bed first. I'm taking care of Seraina, put her in her pyjama and help her brush her teeth, then she wants her bedtime story, so I take her up to her room, where she picks the book and the two of us make ourselves comfortable on a big pile of pillows and blankets in one corner of her room. She places herself on my lap and we look at the book, which is not yet a real reading, as most of the content of the book is only pictures, but I'm talking to her about them, she looks with her eyes and follows the contours of the objects in the pictures with her finger._

_After about five minutes she's almost asleep. I offer her the pacifier, which she sucks in and then I put her favourite teddy bear in her arms, kiss her and put her into the bed. By the time I've covered her, the little one is fast asleep. How I love her! She's quite demanding when she's awake, but once she's tired, she goes to sleep without any problem._

_Denny is almost as good. Sirius caresses him for a few minutes and then he can get up and leave the room. Both of us are very thankful that the children sleep so easily. Not only for our own sakes, also for the children who really relax and recover well for the next day's activities. And we both hope it lasts for a while longer._

_We return to the library and to our work on the memories. Our pile of notes is growing and we know we'll have to drop many little things and shorten things by far. But I'm reading over them and I understand the therapy part for Sirius. This is a lot that he has most probably thought completely lost. Many things he can see from my point of view, but I've heard him gasp a little quite a few times through those last memories, when they showed the happier parts. The visualising brings them back to him, too._

_Sirius and I fill the Pensieve with memories from the first days back at school of our third year._

___We're sitting in the train and plan a couple of pranks. Sirius looks much more alive again, now that he's out of the clutches of his mother. He doesn't look particularly good though. He's pale and seems to be rather tired. _

_"__They leave me alone – well, most of the time anyway, but I'm not allowed outside and it's very hard to sneak out, because someone seems to always watch the door. It makes me stir _

___crazy to spend almost all of my summers locked into that house! It's like a bloody prison!" Sirius moans._

_"__You're getting older, Sirius, soon you'll be able to leave them for good!" my younger self says._

_"__Still so long until then, Remus! I'll need to have a job before I can really get away from them. And I'll never go back to them ever once that's the case!" _

_"__Until then let's spend the time with a bit of mischief," James says. _

_"__Like what?" Peter asks._

_"__I don't know yet. But how about getting the help of the house-elves for a bit of food 'poisoning' for the Slytherins? Something that will turn their faces an ugly shade of neon green…" James suggests._

_"__That's a good one. I don't think we've done that yet. We'll have to find the necessary potion though."_

_"__Shouldn't be much of a problem, matter of looking it up in the library…" Sirius says with a dismissive shake of his hand._

_"__As long as it doesn't hurt them any other way I'm in," I say._

_"__Then we need some good new hexes when Snape attacks us! He's brought up so many of them it's scary!" James mutters._

_"__He's seen a good few before he even came to Hogwarts. And he's learned them easily, because Narcissa gave him her wand quite regularly," Sirius tells us._

_"__I really wonder why they so like to be cruel to others. I mean, how much pleasure can you get from seeing someone suffer under your treatment? I think it's really sick!" my younger self muses._

_"__I have no idea. I only know that the kids in my family's circle see lots of it and get to feel lots of it," Sirius says with a bitter voice._

___The memory shifts to the Welcoming Feast at Hogwarts. The Sorting is already through and everyone is busy eating as much food as they can. It must be Sirius' memory. He's looking over at me. I'm sitting opposite of him, next to Peter. Lily is on my other side. She throws some pretty nasty glances over to James, who looks at her with a bit of a different attitude than the years before._

_We all grin. He's been falling for her in his third year! But then he hasn't found out yet, that he might have to work a bit to get closer to the lovely Miss Evans. Lily now interprets that look on James' face differently as well and is amused. Sad, too, at least a little._

_"Could have saved us all a lot of trouble if I had only recognised you meant what you expressed on your face, James…" she mumbles._

_"Oh, Lily, that's so sweet of you to say! Love you for it, really!" James remarks, pulling his wife close._

_She's actually blushing._

_"Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to go to bed now. I'm pretty tired from all of this…" I say._

_We're all off to bed. And we know that we'll continue tomorrow and then on Monday until we're through looking at those memories. It will take a while still. There's so much that shows up in the Pensieve, and sometimes there are real surprises. The good thing is that we won't write things that didn't actually happen. Our Hogwarts years were such an integral part of our lives that we can't just step over them in one short chapter. Though we could probably make a very funny book up with the 'Tales of the Marauders' alone. It makes me grin, but then I wouldn't want to take this out of the story of our lives at all. This book will need some comic relief or it will be entirely dark. At least until the day we left England for a while._


	17. Minerva's Joy

**Chapter 17 – Minerva's Joy…**

**  
Tuesday, 12.10.1999 / Minerva**

Lily calls me on the Commumirror.

"Good morning, Minerva!"

"Hello, Lily! How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Increasingly busy it seems, alternating between teaching Addie and helping with the resurrected people. Today James does the teaching. Would you come down to St. Mungo's? We've just brought in your husband. He's not too badly together, considering he's been under the earth for fifty plus years. The same cannot be said of Riddle's father and grandparents – his father was already disintegrated. Riddle's used his father's remains to recreate his own body, so that's understandable, but his grandparents were still complete. They woke up, but never even gained consciousness and then they went right back under. I suppose they'll decay normally now."

I close my eyes and my heart skips a few beats. Then I take a few deep breaths and nod.

"I'll be right there, Lily. Which ward?"

"We're taking them to Spell Damage. They have prepared three permanent rooms that we can use and we've enlarged them so we can place a few patients there. Most of them just need a few days of rest and extra nourishing food as well as some muscle stimulation. Duncan is still in an enchanted sleep; we charm them for a few hours and then just let them wake up naturally. That has become the easiest way to help them back."

"Okay. I just have to inform Remus to take over until I'm back."

"See you in a moment then! Even if he's still asleep – he'll feel that someone he knows is there with him."

The moment I've waited for since last year has come. I am calmer than I expected, but still very much excited, and I almost run down the spiral staircase. The Gargoyle jumps out of my way and I notice that my brisk step has a new spring in it. Remus' classroom isn't too far away and I knock sharply.

"Come in!" he calls.

When I open the door he looks at me and it seems like he understands at the same moment.

"Remus, you're in charge for a moment, I have to go down to St. Mungo's. They found Duncan!"

"Wow! That's great, Minerva, just take as long as you need! Just keep us posted. And if there's something for which we need you I know how to contact you."

"Thank you, Remus, I will."

Before I leave the castle I check my reflection in a mirror. I use the Floo from my office to get right to the hospital. My heart is beating so fast it's almost exploding now. My knees are almost weak when I move up to the Spell Damage wards, where Lily awaits me and takes me to one of the rooms she's mentioned.

"He's going to be fine, Minerva. But remember that you've lived a good fifty-five years and that he'll have a lot to catch up. He may not even recognise you."

"Did you have that already?"

"Oh yes. The longer the victims have been dead the more often. We had some people lately who have no relatives left at all. They're still here, recovering and we try to find them people who will take them in and help them back into life."

"Oh dear… anyone of my family or Duncan's family already there?"

"Just you. We've contacted them, but asked them to wait until you've talked to him. You have time with him alone, don't let them hurry you, he's all yours for the moment."

"Good, thank you, Lily. Can I see him?"

"Of course. He might still sleep for a few hours, but he's just fine."

"Thank you so much, Lily. I don't even know how to say thank you to you and Harry. What you've done…"

"Nothing to thank me for, Minerva. I'm only happy that I could help with all this. It's so rewarding to do this to other people after I got this incredible gift of a second start in my life. The light side of the wizarding world has now gained back many of their old allies and I'm sure we'll be finer for it."

"You've done a great job, Lily. With what you're doing right now you'll prove to the wizarding world that you don't have to have old blood to really belong to it. You are an amazing young witch, and I have great respect for you, Lily."

She just shows me into the room and points at a corner near a window with curtains partitioning the bed away from the other beds. Some of them have curtains around, too, but many are open and unoccupied. A quick count tells me that there are twelve beds in this room, all with a good amount of space around them, marked out by the floor length curtains. I pull the dark blue velvet aside and head into the space, closing the curtains behind me. The sudden stillness tells me that there's a silencing charm in place to grant full privacy.

Inside I find a bed surrounded by a nightstand and two chairs. Duncan looks exactly as I remember him. He's sleeping peacefully and he looks comfortable. I take a seat on one of the chairs beside the bed and slowly reach for his left hand. Dear me, he even still wears his wedding ring! I had hung mine on a chain around my neck a few years after he died, worn underneath my robes. The memory that wearing this ring on my finger brought was becoming increasingly painful. So I let go of his hand now to nestle the chain off my neck and take the ring away. As soon as I have it off the chain I look at it and push it over my finger. It still fits well. I take his hand again. He turns his head to me in his sleep.

I wait patiently for a few hours until he wakes up. It gives me time to gather my thoughts and reminisce. He starts to stir and stretch, then his eyes open. I gaze into the stormy grey eyes I missed for so many years. He blinks a bit, then looks around and sees me.

"Mother? What are you doing here? Where's Minnie?"

I smile. The only one who was ever allowed to call me Minnie without being instantly hexed.

"You think, I'm my mother? Thanks so much, Duncan! – Welcome back, love, you've been out of it for quite a while. What do you remember last?"

He shakes his head and his eyes get big. Then he thinks for a moment and then:

"Battle… we had them cornered, but then Grindelwald came from behind. I don't remember much, except lots of Avada Kedavra curses…"

"…of which one hit you, dear."

"But then… where am I? Are you really Minnie? You look good, but so much older!"

"I know, Duncan, don't worry, you can say it. I know I look older, it's because I'm really a lot older than when you were killed. You'll have to catch up with 54 years of time passed since you died. And yes, you're alive again, in spite of that curse – or right because of it. That happens frequently these days since we found out there's a way to give Avada Kedavra victims their lives back."

He stretches out his arms. I just let everything go and find space next to him. He offers his arms, holds me tight and I sigh. He knows instantly that it's me who needs to be consoled, not he. He knew nothing of the time he was out, I had to live alone all that time.

"I've missed you so much, love! I've seen all those happy couples and couldn't find any happiness again for myself. I never found anyone else I could love as much as I loved you."

"It's okay, my life. Just let it all go, let it all out, child, I'm here to hold you and be with you. You caught up to me in years and we'll start new. We still have a good bit of time to spend together."

I nod. I nuzzle into his neck and find his scent again, so very masculine and most of what I felt for him is flooding back into me. I've forgotten so much about him in those many years, even though I tried so hard not to forget. I hope we can start again. I hope he can find his space at my side, and I want him to be there, to share everything that makes my days.

"So how have you been in those many years, Minerva? Have you done well for yourself?"

"I think I have done excellently even," I tell him with a cheeky grin, "I'm only the Headmistress of Hogwarts now."

"Wow! That is fantastic, my girl. How have you done that?"

"Albus became Headmaster in 1970 and needed someone to teach Transfigurations. He remembered me and asked me to the job. I had never really found anything that caught me; I had already taught Transfiguration at a Norwegian school for a decade or more. Now this teaching job at Hogwarts was a job I really wanted, so I accepted the offer. I also became Head of Gryffindor house and after two years I got the Deputy position. I've held those functions until the end of last term."

"Well done! Albus certainly chose well."

"He taught me well before, Duncan."

"Did you ever complete your Animagus transformation?" he wants to know.

"Of course I did. I've been an Animagus for a good fifty years now. Cat."

"Very good."

We are left alone for a good long while and so we can quietly talk about all the things that need to be said. I'm catching him up about my life, which doesn't take all that long, considering that the most I have ever done is teaching. I also tell him about the friends I've had at Hogwarts for so many years, catching him up on Filius, Hjalmar and Pomona. And then I have an idea.

"Duncan? Would you like to come back and teach Defence against the Dark Arts again?"

"Don't you have a good teacher in the subject?"

"An excellent one even, but I know he'd also love to teach history. We still battle with John Binns to finally leave that position to a teacher that can really cover history and not only goblin wars… one who can draw parallels to the Muggle history and can show where the paths are crossing and why."

Duncan laughs out loud.

"You mean you're still all terrified of that ghost? He's harmless!"

"Yes, he is, that's why we can't force him out and we'd never exorcise a perfectly peaceful ghost. We'll let him do what he's done in the past 200 years, but he'll do it in an empty room. Remus Lupin is a wonderful teacher and I know he loves history and would finally give the students a history course that would grip their interest. You could come back and teach your subject – though only to the students fifth year up. We have had a bit of a baby boom and the need for more teachers came up, so this year we've started with five new teachers for the first four years. Oh, so much has changed and so much has changed for the better now…"

"You're all eagerness, little one! That was what always drew me to you, you know! You're so vivacious. You're all life and I always loved that Gryffindor temperament of yours!"

I have to grin. Yes, and he'll bring all that back into me. I let the Marauders and the Weasley twins think I was all stern and no fun, but in my own time at Hogwarts I was pretty notorious myself! I had a temper that matched Harry's in his worst days and I was every bit as impatient and stormy as Sirius during most of my years in the school. I loved to cause my bit of mayhem, and often enjoyed it when others had to live with the results of my mayhem. If these young people ever learn about that I suppose I'll never live it down, and with Duncan back they will probably learn to know me from a completely different side.

"I suppose now that I have thankfully turned the Deputy Head position over to Remus I will become more of that again, Duncan! I plan to, anyway, with you by my side there's really hardly another way, is there? But while I was teaching, and especially as the head of my house I felt obligated to be strict and at the same time fair. I hate favouritism and I wouldn't allow any of that in my time as head of Gryffindor house. Loyalty is an important Gryffindor trait after all."

He still looks very exhausted, but the grin is right back in his face! Oh, I love him, when he looks that way. He's James Potter and Hermione Potter combined, in every way. He's 70 years of age now, I'm 75, we have half of our lives still to live and thank Merlin for small favours, I could have stayed a widow.

"You will like Remus, Duncan; he's one of a kind. He used to be one quarter of a very infamous group of pranksters, but he's combining his sense of mischief with an immense work ethic, always has, and he was clever enough hardly ever to get caught."

"That sounds like a very likeable fellow then. Gryffindor?"

"In every sense! A bit of Ravenclaw in him, too, as he grew up as the son of a Ravenclaw mother and an Unspeakable. And he had a very isolated childhood."

"That sounds mysterious…"

"Do you know any Lupins?"

"Most of them Ravenclaws. And some quite stuck-up. But some of them are okay, I think. I remember that I taught one named Quintus, he was a Gryffindor though…"

"That would be Remus' father. It's quite public knowledge now, so I can tell you. Remus is a werewolf. He was bitten when he was still a very small child, just before he turned five. Only because of the fact that Albus was made headmaster in the year Remus was due for Hogwarts did the child get a chance to come to school. And he was brilliant! Shy at the start and only when his friends, the other three of the quartet, guessed his secret and still accepted him he started to thaw. He then became quite a sparkly teen and a very well bred one. I made him prefect, because from the four Gryffindor boys in his year he really was the best. James Potter made head boy later on. Peter Pettigrew was the only one in their group who couldn't hold up intellectually and in probably all other senses either. He always followed them. Then there was Sirius, a Black who had been sorted into Gryffindor, the Black heir on top of it. We thought the hat had made a mistake at first. His parents were furious and bombarded Albus with letters that the boy needed to be resorted into Slytherin. Albus asked Sirius, but the boy knew at only eleven years of age where he belonged to. He was happy where he was and didn't want to go into his family's preferred house."

"Sounds like you'd be very attached to these four…"

"To be quite honest, at the time they were the bane of my existence, first only as their head of house, but then also when I made Deputy Headmistress. And now I'd have to reduce the quartet to a trio. Long story though. Remus and Sirius are now both members of my team of teachers. I swear Sirius is better at transfigurations and conjuring than Albus and I! He's not even thinking, he makes anything out of nothing and a pebble."

"Wow. No wonder you show respect. Even to a wizard of a family as dark as the Blacks."

"Sirius takes his first name literally, Duncan. He's an absolute and unwavering bright soul. There was a time I would have called him the worst traitor I could ever have imagined, but I'm so glad we were all wrong. Still the same long story, don't ask me yet. And better discuss the history part with Remus; you'll know why I wish he'd teach that instead of Defence. He's the born teacher. The children love him and they adore his teaching. And he loves history."

"So I'd do him a favour? Well, why not? I could be with you this way, all the time and I'd do what I always liked to do. Who's the other teacher?"

"A very nice young lady named Kate Calverley. We have a wonderful age mixture in the teaching body these days, from just out of school to over 100 years of age in the case of Filius and Hjalmar."

"Times really must have changed then. You actually have a teacher only just out of Hogwarts?"

"Yes, we do. Teaching first to fourth years in Herbology. I think you do know Augusta Longbottom, don't you? She's about ten years older than I am, so you probably have taught her."

"Yes, I do."

"It's her grandson, Neville. Neville looked hopeless when he came to Hogwarts. He was an inadvertent danger to himself and all around him, a darling of a boy, but **so** little talent. Except for Herbology. He's been the best student in his year in this subject. Pomona always defended him and she always said that he's better than he seems. Then we had to hide him from a Death Eater, and brought him to the safe house that Remus and Sirius kept for us in Switzerland. The two have brought out whatever power was in the boy and he bloomed! The best proof of their quality as a teacher. Neville even managed to become an Animagus, like all of Sirius' students who were with him at that place. Sirius taught a whole class of thirteen students, plus his partner Remus and Lily Potter, James Potter's wife. And yes, he's of course one himself. Another long story for later on and one you will enjoy a lot!"

**  
Duncan**

There's my sweet little Minnie! She's still every inch as bubbly and restless as she ever was, even if she's now 75. I can't wait to meet all these people who must be very close friends to her if they're the ones she tells me about first. Not even a word about our families!

"Hold it, sweetheart, you're running way ahead of me! What about our families?"

"Your two brothers and their families are still around. My parents, my siblings and their families are still around. They're the same as ever, Duncan. Hogwarts is so much my home now I hardly give them a thought! They finally stopped bothering about ten years ago. I see some of them about once every few years and as far as I'm concerned that's enough. It might be different if I'd have had children, then I'd probably have had something to talk about with them, but I didn't and so after a few years on my own feet I had nothing to tell them anymore, we were all just quietly moving apart."

I have to laugh.

"You're every bit as you ever were, love; you don't seem to have changed a bit!"

She looks serious very suddenly.

"Actually I have changed a lot. Just wait until you get there and meet my Hogwarts and beyond chosen family and you'll soon notice that they see me quite differently."

"But you like some of those former students so much you made them fellow teachers…"

"Yes, I did, but don't think that they weren't the bane of my existence as a young teacher here at Hogwarts! They really were driving me almost crazy."

"Really? And what happened to Albus? Is he still alive?"

"Oh yes, he's fine. Wait, just a moment…"

She fishes for something in her bag, then calls a name into a small mirror and hands it over to me.

"Here you go, Duncan, speak to Albus!"

"What's that lovely thing?" I ask.

"It's called a Commumirror. You can speak to Albus with it. He can see you, too…"

Indeed, I can see Albus' face in the mirror. White hair! How old he looks, but the blasted twinkle is still there in those eyes.

"Albus! How wonderful to be able to speak to you. How are you?"

"What a wonderful surprise, Duncan! It's good to see you back, too. I am very fine, but how are you?"

"I don't really know. Just weak I guess. After all I have practically no functioning muscles…"

"That should be treatable. You will have to give yourself time to heal. Is Minerva with you?"

"Yes, she's here. We'll have to meet soon! I'll probably be here for a while if the healers here haven't changed their tactics a lot since I was last in this place."

Albus chuckles.

"They shouldn't let you out before it's good for you. A long time has passed since that battle!"

"I suppose. But knowing my Minnie's impatience she'll probably drag me out of here as soon as she can…"

"…and hand you over to Poppy Pomfrey, the nurse at Hogwarts, who won't let you out of bed for a month," Minerva throws in.

Albus laughs now. That nurse must be a dragon!

"Anyway, come see me here, Albus, or we can meet somewhere…"

"Of course, Duncan, I wouldn't miss that for anything in the world. But you have to take good care of yourself, get well soon, my old friend."

"I will, Albus. Minnie has already told me all sorts of things about her Hogwarts family and I cannot wait to meet them. She sounds so enthusiastic."

"She must be – you're her everything and you're back now."

She certainly does everything to make me feel comfortable. I'm still very confused and I expect it will take me a bit to sort everything out. In the next few hours she brings me up to speed and replies to all my questions. I'm getting aware of the many years that have passed and what I have missed. The only really good side of the long time that has passed I can see is that we've caught up in years. In fact, in years lived she's even a bit older than I now, but that doesn't really matter. It wasn't the young girl I fell for, but the wonderful, vivacious, headstrong woman Minerva always was.

* * *

**Thursday, 14.10.1999 / Minerva**

I can go and pick up Duncan. He's certainly still quite weak, but the healers give him a clear bill of health. All he'll need now are his strengthening potions, rest and lots of good food. I take some fresh clothes for him and set them down on the chair next to his bed. We have talked about much of what happened in the long time since he was killed in the past two days. Remus has forbidden me to return to Hogwarts before I could take Duncan home, so I've had some time to bring him up to speed.

"Hello, love! You're coming home today," I greet.

"Hello, my life. So you're serious about leaving me to that dragon of a nurse you seem to have up there at Hogwarts?"

I have to laugh.

"She's one of my best friends, Duncan. But before we go I'd like to introduce you to the person who made it possible that you can continue your life."

"Yes, please! Obviously he's doing a splendid job!"

"Yes, he has done. His job is now done, there are others who are still involved and we still do expect a few people to return."

I open the curtain and call Harry in. He comes with Lily.

"Duncan, this is Harry Potter and his mum, Lily Potter. Harry and Lily, please meet my husband, Duncan McGonagall."

Harry steps up to the bed and shake's Duncan's hand.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, sir! The first time I've heard about you was last year, when I enjoyed a dance with Minerva at my wedding. That was also when I learned that Tom Riddle had killed you."

"Tom Riddle, eh? I remember that I saw him at that battle. Barely out of Hogwarts back then. Not a pleasant sight at all."

"He was an overall very unpleasant fellow. Probably worse than Grindelwald," Harry says.

"Well, he was a bit cold, but that was rather normal for a Slytherin. He could be very charming, too. I was his Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, you know."

"Ah. So you knew him?"

"I did, as a student, but not beyond that. What became of him?"

"Lord Voldemort. That's what he called himself. Tried to gain world domination with the aim to rot out everything that wasn't pureblood wizard or witch. Never mind that neither he himself nor some of his innermost circle were no purebloods themselves. In any case he's been dealt with in the meantime."

Well said, Harry. Duncan snorts.

"Anyway, when Minerva told me about you I really started to think. I had received my parents back out of that very same wand, so if I underwent the Priori Incantatem ritual again with someone else holding the other wand I could certainly free more people out of it. My mum had the same idea at about the same time. She then coordinated all the actions with this spell, to give her team and the St. Mungo staff time to treat every individual person. For the past year we've gone through the ritual many times, because we needed to go slowly to be able to find the victims and assist them back into life. You are one of the last ones out of Voldemort's wand."

"Minerva has explained the process to me. Very fascinating. I expect that curse will quickly fall into disrepute now, if people can be brought back this simply…"

"I could imagine that's the case. They'll have to find something else now."

I leave Harry to visit with Duncan for a while and head off with Lily to the cafeteria for a quick tea.

"He's really looking good, Minerva! I'm so happy for you."

"It's an amazing feeling, Lily. You know what it meant for Harry when you returned, but I don't think you can even imagine what it means to me that he's been given back to me. To marry him almost broke my family away from me. His family wasn't too impressed with the match either. Old Scottish clans with a huge load of old issues, you know. They just weren't going to let go of the old grudges. And when he was killed… they all thought I'd 'come to my senses' again, you know the way insensitive relatives can talk sometimes. Well, I didn't, after all when have I ever been unreasonable? The loss made me choose my own path and seek independence from them even more. Now that he's back – he'll fit right in that path!"

**Lily**

It's amazing to hear Minerva speak a mile a minute! I've never yet seen her sparkling like this. But I've always thought that something like a volcano has to be under that calm exterior, now I know it. I knew she was a very independent person; she always seemed so controlled, superior, a person you didn't want to cross. I respected her. Not that I don't respect her now, on the contrary, but in the past two days I've seen her change to a slightly different person, probably back to the sparkling being that now sits opposite me, beams and looks thirty years younger. More light-hearted? Yes, definitely. And laidback, too. No one I know would have described Minerva McGonagall as sparkling, but right now she's beaming and she's lively in a way I have never seen her before. That truly shows the impact the return of her other half has. Bloody Riddle has taken away half of her life, but now she'll have it back. Hogwarts beware!

**  
Duncan**

What an extraordinary young man! What honest modesty and what quality in this person, I am sure he knows what he's achieved, but he simply wants to continue an undisturbed life, not too many reminders of the plague that's followed his early life, the plague that this Voldemort creature and those Dursleys were. The time flies while I talk with Harry and finally Minerva comes back with the young man's mother and the discharge parchments. The Potters take their leave and I can get up and get dressed. I'm still very weak, so I have to be patient with myself. Patience is not one of my main traits I'm afraid, I'm far too much of a Gryffindor. The potions have already done a great job so far and every day I'll get better now. It will be an intensive time and I want to learn to know all those people Minnie has told me about and soon! Fifty years is a long time! Half a century of magical and probably even more so Muggle inventions and developments that wait to be discovered. Talking with this young colleague who would like to move on and teach history about his lesson plans and whether he even really wants to leave his position. But teaching again would be nice; I'd be right back doing what I loved to do.

Oh, but where to begin?

Minnie helps me getting dressed. We leave by Floo and land in her office. It's very different from the last headmaster I remember. Minerva's taste is dark oak with lots of tartan decorations and scattered lights – I notice they're not candles anymore and their light is absolutely brilliant.

"The lights surprise you? They're the work of my favourite transfiguration student ever: Sirius Black. As much as I disliked the boy outside of my classroom, inside he was always pure genius. He's set up these lovely halogen lights throughout the castle in the meantime. No more torches eating up all the oxygen in the halls, no more gloomy classrooms! These are simply brilliant. He's even hidden them in something that still looks like torches in the halls, but the light is much brighter now. And the children won't ruin their eyes in the dark classrooms anymore. He even supplied it to the dungeons and they've lost much of their horrible darkness. Not that the oldest Slytherins were happy about it at first, but it's done the little ones a lot of good."

"Sounds like this is a really gifted fellow…"

"He definitely is that."

I still have a hard time to let go of my preconceived image of the Blacks. I had Cygnus as well as Arcturus as my pupils and though teachers aren't supposed to be biased I really couldn't get over the fact that both of them were absolutely horrid characters. And Arcturus' brother wasn't any better, though there was also Alphard, who was a delightful exception.

Minerva's private quarters remind me of our first home. Everything has a warm and homey feel, even though it's a bit sparse in my opinion. Something that might change soon. I like my knick-knacks around me and I like my surrounding cosy. Minerva knows that and never said anything against it, so she won't now I'm sure.

Harry was the first person I met in the past days who told me about the Minerva McGonagall of today. He told me how he thought she wasn't a person you wanted to cross upon his first eyeful of her. How this perception had been confirmed in her very first lesson, how Minerva was always excruciatingly fair. He actually said excruciating and explained why he used the term. It seems that my sparkling, bubbly, prank-happy Minerva has become a very strict person with the years. He said she was a stickler for the rules and was the one responsible that things still ran their course in Hogwarts, while Albus actually lost the touch a bit and kept teachers around that were at best sub-standard. I can see that happen. Albus was always a bit queer and some things that happened in his life, and which he usually caused himself, shaped him this way. He must have become more lenient towards others, but from what I heard from Harry he also kept his cards close to his chest when he shouldn't have.

I think Minerva's true character will be ready to surface again. We have been a very happy couple, and I intend to do everything I can to bring that happiness back to her. If she's happy, the sparkles will come back as well, I'm sure. And I'm equally convinced she'll add her own part to my efforts.

She takes me through her quarters and then back to the main castle. I know these halls so well, I take the way to the hospital wing under my still very weak feet. The way is long and I'm tiring quickly. Minerva walks next to me, but she notices and we sit down in an alcove for a moment.

"I'm so insensitive – we should have flooed to the hospital wing," she says, scolding herself.

"We'll get there, dear, we just have to take it slow."

"I'll levitate you if I have to," she says with a grin.

"No thanks! I'm not going to return to Hogwarts in such an undignified way!" I protest.

Five minutes of rest later we move on. On the staircase to the last corridor we meet a young man who seems to be a teacher.

"Minerva! Can I help you?"

"Hello Remus! I'd thank you to give Duncan a little support…"

"Of course! I'm Remus Lupin, sir, I'm most pleased to meet you!" he introduces himself.

"Minerva has told me such a lot about you in the past days that I feel like I know you already. May I call you Remus? And please, do away with the sir, my name is Duncan."

"Gladly, Duncan."

Remus lets me use him as a crutch and soon we enter the hospital wing. Minerva shows me a bed, where I can sit down. I have to admit that I'm completely out of breath! As Remus gently lets me go I can see a small, slightly round woman coming out of the healer's office. Ah! That must be the dragon then…

"Minerva! You should have flooed in!"

"Hello Poppy! I noticed the moment I led Duncan out of my office that I should have done that… Poppy, please meet my husband, Duncan. Duncan, this is Poppy Pomfrey, our school healer. Have a look at him, Poppy, basically he got a clean bill of health, but naturally he still has to build up muscles."

"I would expect this. I'm very pleased to meet you, Duncan, it's wonderful to know that one of my closest friends gets her happiness back."

"Nice to meet you, Poppy. I have to admit that I have become a bit scared, because I've been warned that you were something like a dragon…"

She laughs.

"Must have been either Remus or Harry, they were probably the two students who had to endure my treatment the most often. I don't think I've made a lasting good impression, sadly…"

Remus holds up both hands and grins.

"Wasn't me, Poppy! I've only just met him in the corridor. Remember, I've had to hold the fortress in Minerva's absence."

The roguish grin on his face looks very warm though. I have to say that my first impression of this man is a very good one. He seems to be easygoing and kind. I can hardly believe it that he should be a werewolf.

"Well, obviously they've given me an entirely wrong idea about you, Madam Pomfrey!" I think flattery would be the best course here.

"May I tend to you now?" she asks in a no-nonsense manner.

"Of course!"

"I'll leave you then," Remus announces.

"Would you like to come up for tea, Remus? And bring the rest of your lovely family along?"

"That would be nice, thanks, Minerva. Four thirty?"

"That's just fine."

He leaves and Madam Pomfrey conducts her examination of my health. She seems to know what she's doing; the exam is over in half a minute.

"I can only confirm the diagnosis of the St. Mungo healers. I just like to get a quick overview myself, so nothing will be overlooked. I have your potions here, Mr. McGonagall, please see that you take them as prescribed. This one is a basic nutrient, to speed up your body's own rebuilding. This one is a muscle tonic; it will help you build up your muscles again. Once you've taken it every few hours you should do something physical, be it walking, lifting a few weights or whatever you'd like to do."

She winks at Minerva and says:

"By the way, sex is a highly recommended physical activity, too… uses most of your body's muscles."

I grin, Minnie blushes!!! I can't hold back and laugh.

"That's it; this is so not going to happen, Duncan McGonagall!" Minerva says calmly.

"You're only hurting yourself, love," I say.

Methinks, Madam Pomfrey enjoys this entirely too much. But she re-iterates:

"I was serious about it. Anyway, this one here is going to help renew your blood. You should take a spoonful with your evening meal, it works overnight. It will slowly build up fresh blood cells, while old ones are purged from your body. Has been found to help recovery, too. That's it! You can stay here or leave with Minerva, whichever you prefer, Mr. McGonagall."

"Could you call me Duncan, please? And thank you very much!"

"Of course I can, Duncan. Call me Poppy then, almost everyone does. Though some take longer to learn. Remus was frequently here and he and his friends called me with my first name long before they actually should have."

"I take it he would have, wouldn't he? Is he really a werewolf, Minnie? I've never seen one that looked this healthy."

"He does now. For many years we were very worried about him, weren't we, Poppy? All those years Sirius was incarcerated in Azkaban were very hard on him. He wouldn't touch Sirius' money while he believed him guilty."

"And when he was a student he was as thin as a thread! Every transformation in his first few years turned him into something horrid! I hated it when I had to go and pick him up in the Shrieking Shack, when I found him in a pool of blood, with wounds all over his body and sometimes broken bones, too."

"Then his friends became Animagi and were able to spend the full moon nights with him. You wouldn't believe they managed to do that right under Albus Dumbledore's and my eyes unnoticed, but they did. Of course that blasted Invisibility Cloak James sported helped them a lot! But they really helped Remus. He hardly injured himself anymore and seemed much calmer," Minerva continues the tale.

"That was back then, but then they left school, straight into war! Very bad time. In the end three of his best friends were dead and the fourth seemingly responsible. Remus could never really handle it and was completely lost for a few years."

"Until Sirius managed to break out of Azkaban. Albus offered Remus the Defence against the Dark Arts position and Remus accepted. He looked like a whistle could blow him away. Of course we knew that wouldn't be the case, he's always been very healthy apart from his transformations. But of course these took a lot out of him. He saw himself forced to leave Hogwarts after a year, because a certain greasy git had told his students about his affliction. Remus didn't want to wait for letters from angry parents who didn't want their children exposed to a werewolf teacher. He never really acknowledged the many letters we got from parents who wanted us to call him back. When the students told their parents about him at home they wanted us to re-instate him, and it's true, he was the best teacher we had for the subjects in about three decades."

"Albus then sent him to his other home country, Switzerland, to keep Sirius and Harry safe outside of the country. They found this lovely farmhouse, which they still have, I'm sure you'll get to see it, too, soon. They had it renovated when Albus sent a few other students there. Within about three or four months they had thirteen students in that safe-house. Sirius and Remus taught the students and they did a splendid job. They were able to renew their relationship and now they're the proud parents of a cute pair of twins," says Poppy.

"Sirius taught Remus to become an Animagus, too, Duncan. He can now turn into the wolf whenever he likes, and that takes away all the pain of the transformation. There is also a potion that helps werewolves to retain their own mind during the full moon forced transformation. You can walk up to him and play with him, cuddle with him, he's perfectly peaceful. You just need to remember that he's still contagious if you catch a bite. But he is not aggressive anymore. Even the students don't fear him anymore."

Wow. What a great invention! That potion sounds like a real gift for a werewolf.

"That sounds like a miracle, Minnie!" I remark.

"It's almost like a miracle. But basically it was easy to achieve. It started with the fact that his parents loved him to death, in spite of the bite that changed his life. Then he found friends here. He found really close friends and built up a network of people who would stand by him. That formed trust and to be trusted by others formed a normal person. He'd never willingly endanger anyone. Remus actually proves that it's **our** attitude towards werewolves, which decides whether they will be people or monsters. I suspect that treating them like normal people would tend to let them be normal people."

I have to rethink a lot of my own prejudices against creatures like werewolves now. I don't think I've ever hated them, the truth is that I never really met one before. I've only repeated the standard lessons about werewolves in my classes. These will be completely scratched of course, because the emphasis of these lessons was basically laid on how to recognise and how to kill them. No room for antipathy or sympathy at all, just the cold hard facts about "creatures", which are actually people in their everyday lives.

"I know what you think. I went by these very same prejudices you're just mulling over now, Duncan. Then came the day when Dumbledore told me that with taking office as headmaster he would accept the young werewolf who was on the list of first year students of that year to Hogwarts. My first reaction was fear for the other students, the teachers, even the house-elves. And then he gently told me that a child with a terrible illness was no monster. And I started to think. And the next thing I know is that this very child with this dark curse on him was sorted into the House of Light, my own house. I thought long and hard about it and decided that the little one must have been so very brave to even face a school full of potentially hateful people and that he was certainly sorted to the right house. Finding friends was the most important experience in Remus' early life. He knew he could count on his parents' love, but he was resolved to go through life alone, because he didn't expect anyone would want to befriend him. But he learned that he was well liked in his own house as well as in others. The Slytherins of the time were something else, but they were practically – and sadly – all little Death Eaters in the making, that was fairly easy to see. The Black sisters, Cygnus Black's daughters, ruled the school for a good part, two of them anyway. The third sister was cast out as she married a Muggle-born wizard."

I smile and admit:

"Yes, I was just thinking that I would probably have to change that part in my teaching… maybe I shouldn't even attempt to do it again…"

"What you should do is talk to Remus, love. As you noticed there is some mischief in him as well, but he's a confirmed bookworm and has an extensive knowledge about many things. You'll find him a wonderful discussion partner. Just open your mind."

I hope I can find my place again in this world. The attitude of the time seems to be very different from the one fifty years ago. And even then it had already changed a lot since my childhood. This century seems to have seen a great many revolutions in many areas. I grew up in the last decades of Victoria's reign and enjoyed my first manhood in the Edwardian times, before that crazy grandson of Victoria's tried to throw Europe into chaos. And then, as soon as this one was resolved and a couple of monarchies were done and gone, that other crazy Muggle, egged on by that even crazier wizard Grindelwald became intent to eradicate the whole world. Not exactly what everyone needed. To me it meant that I had a wonderful youth and lived on the edge of a terrible war in my early manhood. As a wizard I was not pulled in to fight in the Great War, nor the second World War, but we weren't that isolated not to notice Britain's struggle. To my parents and family it was a struggle that didn't concern us since we were wizards and, in this case even more importantly, Scots. Looking back I'm not so sure about that anymore either.

I will have to relearn not only the history I missed. I will have to relearn my whole being! It is a daunting project, but I know with Minerva at my side I will be able to do it. I still know many of the teachers here at the school, and some of the teachers I've even still known as students, while quite a few were born long after I was killed. I'm not coming back to a world I don't know at all, I just have to fill in the blanks.

It seems that Minerva has asked the full staff of teachers for tea. They start to trickle in right on time. I'm almost teary-eyed when I reacquaint myself with Filius, Pomona, Hjalmar and some of the others. I'm delighted to see the many young teachers. Remus arrives with his partner and their three children.

"Duncan, this is Sirius Black, my partner. This is Adara, Sirius' sister and the little ones are Dennis, Sirius' son and Seraina, my daughter. They're sharing their birth mother with her own little son, Andrew. And their birth mother is Lily Potter."

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Sirius! It's refreshing to see someone like you emerging from that family."

Sirius shakes my hand firmly and snorts.

"That family is almost dead to me, believe me! There are very few people in the bunch that are nice. My little sister here and my cousin Andromeda and her family. You probably taught my father?"

"Oh yes, I did. I'm sorry to say that he never went beyond average, but behaved as if the whole castle belonged to him and his brother Cygnus was about the same. There was one who was a Ravenclaw, who turned out to be a very decent fellow if memory serves me right."

"Uncle Alphard. He was a great chap. He and Great-Auntie Dorea. She really helped me when I was a kid. But let's not talk about my family, I'm rid of the worst ones of them. It's wonderful to meet you, Duncan. We didn't hear very much about you, I think Minerva never really got over your death. But we've seen her in the past few months, when she knew the day came closer when your soul would be freed from that wand! She seems rejuvenated since that happened!"

"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. I was so confused I thought she was her mother when I first saw her. I don't think she was pleased."

He laughs. He looks very nice. I have to force myself to remember that the man in front of me has spent twelve years of his life in Azkaban! I don't even want to start to imagine what he must have suffered in there, being incarcerated without having committed a crime! What a horror it must have been. I let my glance go over to the girl at his side. She looks like Sirius does, like most of the Blacks do, and her eyes shine of the same warm grey as his. She smiles a lot. That certainly leaves a very good impression. The small children don't seem to be much older than a year. Sirius has his son on his arm and the boy is yet another typical Black. It seems like they can do what they want, the children all look like peas in a pot, black hair, grey eyes. The little one leans his head on his father and looks quite tired.

"Your son looks exactly like you, Sirius. I wonder how that family likeness is carried on so strictly. It has made me wonder many times to be honest."

Now he gives a bark of laughter.

"I only recently learned that it's a spell. It's performed on the mother while she's still pregnant and will give the child either the mother's or the father's outer appearance. It does play with the genetics in that regard; it's not like a glamour at all. I performed this very same spell on Denny's mum before I knew about it or I probably wouldn't have. We mostly did it to protect the identity of the twins' mother, but in the end she stayed their mum as well. You'll meet Lily and James Potter soon, I'll bet…"

"I actually met Lily Potter today. She's your son's mother? What did her husband have to say to this?"

"Oh, we were all four in it. Lily wouldn't have made the offer without knowledge and approval of James'. He's my best friend, more like a brother than a friend, and he was all for it. We're more than just grateful. We love them even more for their friendship and we're certainly all family now. James' mum was my great-auntie Dorea, so we are already related. The twins are actually two thirds of a set of triplets and you notice that they share their birth mother. The spell we used did nothing to their personality or character. The three of them are actually quite similar in their characters. Their very strong mum has left her marks in them."

"That is probably the ultimate proof of friendship," I admit.

"Definitely. It could have torn us all apart, but it brought us even closer," Remus agrees.

As soon as everyone sits somewhere the two men let their children down on the carpet and produce something for them to play. I smile as I see them crawling and toddling around to go from one teacher to the next. There are now other children in the room, from several of the younger teachers, some in their Hogwarts robes. Minerva introduces the people I don't know yet:

"Everyone, this is my beloved husband, Duncan. He was Hogwarts' Defence against the Dark Arts teacher when he was killed, so he knows several people here very well still."

We then go from one person to the next.

"Duncan, this is Annis Limbury, she has recently started as our new Potions Mistress and she teaches the fifth to seventh years in Potions. These are her children, Margaret, she's in seventh year, Charles, he's a fifth year, Brianna, she's just started as a first year and Kevin, he's in sixth year."

Three Gryffindors and one Hufflepuff. They're a very nice family of bright young people. As we start to chat I soon find my first impression confirmed. But there is something that is very apparent here. These children are much more confident and forward towards adults than any of my peers or I would have been. We were taught so much respect for our elders and grew up in a time where children were not to be seen or heard that it is refreshing to see these wonderful young people so open and straightforward. These children are very naturally a part of the family to which they belong, not just behind the scene, but right with them. I think I like it.

Tea is over, I'm getting very tired and Minerva orders me to bed. I have no complaints and the last thing I know is that she smiles at me, checking I'm well tucked in. I'm not a baby anymore, Minnie!

* * *

**Saturday, 16.10.1999 / Parvati**

Just one more year – then my basic training as a healer will be completed. I'm really looking forward for the time when I'll be able to choose what to do. Will I go and become a healer on my own or will I stay at St. Mungo's to specialise? I have no idea yet. Maybe I'll get more ideas as I go on the rotation through the different wards. Draco thinks of moving to France to live near Dragon's Tales. I think that would be a good idea. I won't be through with my education before Dragon's Tales opens its doors, but I might become the company healer, I'm quite sure there's lots to do in that field there.

Saturday. It's almost the end of my shift today. I've been through lots of training with patients in the first weeks of the second year of my training. In fact I've got a really heavy head from all the spells I've learned in the past two weeks. Diagnostic spells for general check-ups have been the main focus, so I'm now doing precisely only that during my Saturday shift. Every Saturday we're open for general check-ups. I'm off tomorrow and on Monday and I can't say I mind. Draco's waiting at the Sunnegg for me to return tonight, we want to go out.

My wand glows brightest yellow when I check a young woman. I have to check the table for this kind of yellow upon my lung checking spell. Oh dear! That's not good. To make very sure, I'm repeating the spell, but the result is the same. My supervisor looks at me and nods. She has done the spell on her own and I'm trying to remember what exactly it will mean. In any case I have to refer her to another ward in the hospital.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Snatch, I'll have to pass you over to the second floor, the Magical Bugs department. Please take this information to the healer-in-charge there, Madam Herriot, she'll be able to diagnose you more completely than we can do here," I explain to the patient while I quickly scribble the necessary information on a small parch-pad and rip off the sheet. I show it to my supervisor for confirmation and she nods again.

"That is correct, Parvati."

I pass the sheet to Mrs Snatch, she takes it, sighs and leaves. She's the last one I have to check today. I'm very happy to leave now. I've seen quite a lot of patients today. A general check consists of a short question/answer part, where we inquire about the patient's impression of their own health, then we start casting the basic diagnostic spells, one for the skeleton, one for the blood, brain, joints, muscles and tendons, and finally one for each of the organs. If we find something we hand the patients to the respective departments or recommend special healers. If not, we're able to give the patients a clear bill of health.

St. Mungo's has to do this for all the wizards and witches who can't afford to go and see a private healer. There are still quite a few of those up and down the country. We also function as trusted healers for many wizarding institutions to check over their prospective or hired staff. Sometimes an employer wants to be sure about the health of a future co-worker, so they can send them to us for a check-up and we can give them a written bill of their health. Today I've had a case of a werewolf who applied for a job at the Ministry. The Ministry can of course check the Werewolf Registry, but they have at least stopped the standard question in their interviews with job aspirants. It's one of the few things that has made life a little easier for werewolves and it's one of the many little things Mandy has achieved in her supportive work. Mandy has fixed the date with this particular werewolf to have him checked when I'm here. Registered werewolves who are keeping a close contact with the Support Unit are now allowed to keep quiet about their affliction if they so desire. Once employed, they are protected from being fired for being a werewolf, but they are required to inform their employers for the necessary full moon arrangements. Crafty Mandy really is a genius in getting these changes through. She's been able to convince many people about her ideas and has created more trust on both ends. She's also put James up to working at the legislation in the Wizengamot, of course, and his status and influence have helped them sailing through the voting. I bet she'll reach saint reputation among the werewolves up and down the country soon. She has sent the werewolf today, because she knew I was working and I'd keep his secret if he was healthy. I was able to give him a clear bill of health with a wink. If he gets the job he'll be fine. I'm also sure that I can convince other healers to get past their own prejudices and start acting professional when it comes to treating werewolves.

Apparating home I'm thinking what a blessing the Wolfsbane potion is. Now that Mandy is after it she has a couple of potions researchers working on an improvement of the potion. She thinks there should be a way to reduce the amounts of doses. Hermione already found the way to improve it taste-wise through the Aspartame. This has been noted and all written recipes contain her extra ingredient by now.

"Hey!"

Draco wakes me up. I look up, but he's got me in his arms before I can really register I'm home. His lips are on mine the moment I do notice where I am. We kiss and when he lets go he grins.

"You've been somewhere else, love, I wonder where?"

"Nowhere important, Draco, just thought about some things at work today. Good things, by the way, nothing to worry – Hey, I've also been thinking about when I'll be through with my training… I could work for Dragon's Tales. You'll surely have to have a couple of trained healers around there…"

"That's a jolly good idea! In fact we will have a healer who will start when we open up. A small hospital ward will be part of the main building. And we'll need at least two or three more. So you can expect to have a job after your training."

"Great. That should make it possible to work even if we'd like a baby…" I offer.

He stares at me.

"Do you want that?" he asks in a small voice.

"Of course I do! Don't you?"

He grins again.

"Who am I to say no to an heir, Parvati? Honestly, I think I really do want children. But only after you're finished with your training and after we have Dragon's Tales started up and working. I'm sure that at least in the beginning I'm going to be very heavily involved on site and I do want to take part in bringing our children up!"

"Perfect. That gives us a little more time for ourselves. My training is going tougher now. My head seems to be spinning with all those spells I've learned in the past two weeks. I'll go through all levels now to see all the different wards and learn the spells needed to take care of those patients. And I know now that while Madam Pomfrey is super good as a healer, she's getting a rather limited sort of clientele. You wouldn't believe what's passing through St. Mungo's sometimes! In another life you'd probably have called them all riff-raff."

"You can give me an idea when we're out… let's go and change!" Draco says.

"Yes, I'm already on the way," I reply, untangle myself from his arms and turn to go over to our side of the house. "Someone coming with us tonight?"

"Mandy and Jason. And Harry and Hermione. I've booked a table for eight in any case, so if anyone else comes along, there will certainly be space enough…"

"Good."

I'm taking a quick shower, wash my hair and when I'm nicely refreshed I'm wrapping a towel around myself and dry my hair with a spell. Brushing it always takes a while, because it's so long. Then I apply my magical make-up and go back to our room to get dressed.

"Draco?!" I shout.

He apparates in.

"You called, my lady?" he asks with a ridiculous chivalrous gesture.

He makes me grin, but I manage to ask:

"Where are we going at all?"

"Hogsmeade has a new nightclub. Can you believe it? There's a nightclub in Hogsmeade. Anyway, it's offering dinner and dance, so I thought that would be quite nice, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes, that's a good idea. So, what am I putting on then…? – What are you wearing?"

"The dark smoke grey dress robes with the silver and blue sparkles…" he informs me.

Good. Then I pick a set of turquoise dress robes that compliment his smoke grey ones. When we're dressed up we meet the others in the living room.

"Hi Parvati. Work okay today?" Mandy asks.

"Yes, I think so. Your guy turned up promptly, by the way."

"Is he okay?"

"Perfectly healthy. We've given him a clean bill of health."

"Good. He needs that job. He's been looking for work for a year now. He says he'll inform his supervisor of his lycanthropy, but only when they are convinced he's doing his job right. I promised to assist him in that when and if he needs me to. But with the new legislation in place he should do just fine."

"You're doing a great job there, Mandy!"

"I love my work… and seeing all the difference it can make I think I'm doing important work, whatever my parents think about it."

"You're still smarting about that, aren't you? I would in any case…" I say.

"I'll admit it hurts. I suppose Draco knows how it feels when you have to separate yourself from your parents completely. I can't even stand to be with them for five minutes. Luckily my siblings start to take my side now and don't cut me out."

"Yeah, that's no fun! At least you have sympathetic siblings, so still some family left! My closest relatives are Aunt Andromeda, whom I practically don't know at all and cousin Tonks. Both not people who I can run to when I need family. Luckily I've still got Sirius, too. Are we meeting your bloke directly in Hogsmeade?" Draco asks.

"Yes. He's working today, so he said he'd apparate right up to the place," Mandy confirms.

She looks lovely tonight. She's got her brown hair open and wears dark crimson dress robes. Harry and Hermione turn up. Both wear forest green dress robes. Hermione has her dark grey wool cloak over her arm. She's getting really round and says:

"Well, we're ready. This marks the last weekend I can actually apparate! After that I have to stay at home! I'll return right to Grimmauld Place tonight and take over my room there. That will at least allow me to attend my lectures at uni…"

"That's why I've invited you today, madam," Draco admits, grinning.

"You know, that sort of takes us a huge step closer to the birth," Harry remarks.

"Hi all! Wow, you're all looking swell! Where are you guys off to?" Ron asks.

He and Justin have just apparated in from their outing today.

"To that new nightclub in Hogsmeade. We have two more reserved spaces, want to come along?" Draco asks.

"You mean, that Hog's High Night thing?" Justin asks.

"Exactly."

"Wow! I've heard that it's still quite difficult to get access to it! How long will you give us to make up?"

"Five minutes!" Draco says.

"We're in!" Ron grins, apparates over to their room and Justin follows him, laughing.

We wait for another couple of minutes, but after only ten minutes both of them are back again, both in neat black dress robes.

"Fastest shower we ever took together," says Ron.

"Shut up and apparate! That was way too much information!" Mandy says and smacks him over the head.

"It's true though! No need to ruin my hair-do, you know!"

We all laugh and apparate over to Hogsmeade, where we meet Jason who's waiting for us in front of the entrance to the place. He pulls Mandy into an embrace and kisses her. Then we all go inside. Draco presents himself and we are being led to our table.

The menu offers a good choice of foods. We pick our dishes and then the conversation turns to what we're doing at the moment. There's a lot of bantering and joking and of course a lot of laughing.

"How do you feel, Hermione? Can't be that long anymore now, can it?" Jason asks.

"Well, it's still seven weeks. I stop apparating now. It gets a bit difficult. And I'm really getting round… won't keep me from a bit of dancing though!" she says.

Jason laughs.

"You're still looking very good, don't worry! And I'm sure Harry thinks so, too."

"Not that I'm insecure in that department, Jason. After all he wants it as much as I do. We're just both wondering who will provide the friends for our kids to accompany them to Hogwarts?"

"We might… though not for this one of course," Draco says. "I expect you to make a bunch of them, so a bunch of ours will probably be of about the same ages."

"Really? You're thinking of having children?" Harry asks.

"Not before I'm through training, but right after… sure," I confirm.

**Hermione**

"That's great!" I say.

I wonder how they'll fare as parents, but I could imagine that they'd do quite well. And Draco certainly looks smug about the prospect of an heir. I'm quite sure he'd like the family name to live on. Why shouldn't he? I mean, he's got a few not so savoury characters in his ancestry, but that doesn't need to bother him when he looks to the future. He's already started to empty out Malfoy Manor and the house will be completely destroyed once he's taken out all he wants to keep, mainly the contents of the library and some valuable and beautiful antique furniture.

Once the meal is over we start getting up and dance. I can't do that for too long, but I'm determined to enjoy this last evening out for a long time. I expect to stay home and look after our child for a while, but Harry is equally determined not to leave me alone with this. The little one is kicking quite a lot now and Harry loves to feel the movements. We still don't know the gender and we don't want to know either. I feel that this would be like opening a Christmas present before Christmas! So we've chosen girls' names and boys' names.

"I love you…" Harry whispers into my ears, while he pulls me as close as he can with the bump between us.

I have to watch my steps carefully and get it wrong at times, but we only laugh about that, because my balance has changed so much. At eleven we join the others at the table. Ron and Justin are both still dancing.

"Well, we have to go. I need my sleep these days."

Harry and Draco exchange a few looks, Harry grins and I ask:

"Who am I thanking for the wonderful evening?"

"Draco!" Harry reveals.

"Thanks, Draco! That was really a lovely evening."

"You're very welcome. Needed to celebrate that last time you can go out before the little one makes an appearance. I suppose you'll both be homebound for a while after that."

"You're right about that. Have a nice evening everyone!"

"You too, Hermione. We'll be seeing you at Grimmauld Place occasionally…"

"That would be nice."

Harry gets my cloak and we say goodbye to the others. Then we apparate to Grimmauld Place. That's the last time I'm apparating for a couple of weeks. Luckily the Academy is just two stops on the Tube away and the same goes for the Diagon Alley. Everything else that I need to reach I can reach either by Floo or Muggle transportation. Though I'll shun the Floo, because with my big belly I really don't like to spin around the way Floo forces me to. If need be I can always call a taxi. Probably I won't need to move around at all, after all our needs are all covered by the house-elves at Grimmauld Place. And finally Dobby or Winky can pop me around, too.

* * *

**Sunday, 17.10.1999 / Hermione**

Today we've organised the birthday party for both our boys who turn 40 this year, Remus, whose birthday was on 5th September and Sirius, whose birthday will be tomorrow. It takes place in Hogwarts, in a large meeting hall in the unused part of the castle. Lily, James, Harry and I have organised this huge thing. We expect an impressive turnout of guests, the whole family and Sunnegg gang of course, my parents and a whole slew of friends, from the Prewetts to the Weasleys, the Tonkses and the McKinnons. In the afternoon it will be socialising and partying with the children, then dinner and finally dancing.

Harry and I apparate to my parents' home in Greenwich. Later on we'll have a Portkey for the whole company to get to Hogwarts.

"Hello, my dears! It's so lovely to see you!" mum welcomes both, Harry and I.

"Hi, mum. It's nice to see you, too, as always. We'll stay at Grimmauld Place until the baby is born now."

"That's great!"

"You can come and visit there, though you'll have a hard time seeing the place at first. It's unplottable and therefore even invisible for wizards. But we'll take you there once and once you've actually seen it you will see it again. Kind of like the Leaky Cauldron…" I explain.

"Oh, that's a relief. Because I can go there now and I see that one every time and wonder how I could ever miss it before."

"That's what Grimmauld Place is like, only that the same notice-me-not charm there works on Muggles and magical folk alike. It's in the middle of Muggle houses. The place isn't too pleasant, but the house is great now. It used to be so dark and depressing, but Remus and Sirius have had it renovated and every wall in there is bright cream! There are lots of colours to go with the cream on the walls, too. It looks really nice," Harry says.

Mum inquires after the pregnancy.

"You look well, Hermione. Are you feeling well?"

"Very well, mum! Once my morning sickness was over I felt a lot better. Now I just have a bit of a back ache sometimes and sometimes my feet are a bit very big, but nothing that doesn't go away if I hold up my legs a bit. The healers at the Maternity Ward are very good."

"What do they do? I'm interested in how it's done in that magical world of yours…" dad asks.

"Well, there are a couple of spells. Routine diagnostic spells, about six of them. They do that and if everything's okay we just talk about how I feel and so for a moment, then I'm dismissed. From now on I'll have to show up every two weeks."

"And the birth? How will that go?"

"Same as with Muggles, mum. We're also doing about the same kind of preparation. Harry and I show up at the Ward for regular Lamaze classes, breathing techniques and the likes… there's even a wizarding La Leche League. So this is a thing that's going very similar. Of course there would be pain killing spells instead of chemical stuff. These are certainly better, because they take care of the pain only, they don't make you sluggish as the chemicals do. They also have spells to induce the birth if necessary. That's of course a lot better than the chemicals as well. Harry will be with me, but I'd love it if we could have you there as well, mum."

"Can I get there?"

"Sure, why ever not? In fact it seems to be normal that a few people attend the birth at this ward. We'll give you a call and you can floo over to Grimmauld Place and from there to the Ward with us."

"I'd love to, Hermione. Not only am I very curious, I'd be very happy to await our grandchild together with you two!"

"I'd love to have you there with me, mum! And of course Lily will be there, too."

"Excellent!"

"Hermione, did you ever transform while you were pregnant?" dad asks.

"Only in the beginning, up about until the third month, then I stopped doing that. Didn't think it was a good idea. And now I certainly won't do anything so foolish."

We get a good moment to chat while dad drives us to Grimmauld Place. It will help them finding the way the next time they come for a visit. We're pointing the way and it takes about forty minutes through the whole town and right into the heart of it. Dad and mum look at the place with wide eyes.

"This really looks rather derelict," mum remarks.

"Yes, it does. Most of the houses are empty now, but they will be renovated in the years to come I've found out. The local council has received a lot of money to bring the houses back to their former glory. They're all grade 2 listed buildings, so developers can't just do anything to them, they have to keep them in style. You'll see how beautiful they once were when you see our renovated building. But whoever comes here won't notice us at all with these strong charms around the house."

Dad parks the car, which I charm to look a lot less than it really is. Just to make sure that no one thinks it would be worth stealing. Dad grins.

"Good one, that one, daughter!"

I grin and show them the way to Number 12. The door is now keyed to open for all wands it recognises, like mine and Harry's. We go in and now that my parents can see it, they're quite impressed.

"You should have seen it when it was still the 'noble and most ancient house of Black'! Everything reeked of Dark Magic in here!" Harry says with a grin.

Seraina comes running out of the living room as soon as she hears Harry's voice.

"Harry! Harry!" she cries and Harry catches her and lifts her up.

He gives her a kiss.

"Hey, Seraina! How are you today, little one?" he asks.

She chirps something, not everything is readable though. The twins are learning new words every day now and it's fun to hear them rattle down their repertoire.

"Who's that little princess there? Why, aren't you the loveliest little lady?" my dad coos.

Harry looks up to him and replies.

"That's our little Seraina! You haven't seen her often yet, have you?"

"No, only about three or four times so far. She's certainly turning into a lovely little one."

"And a sharp one, too, believe me!"

We all go into the living room, where we're greeted by the rest of Seraina's family. Addie is sitting on the carpet in front of the coffee table and is playing a wizarding version of Backgammon with Remus. Sirius sits on the carpet and plays with Dennis, who's learning the basics of putting Lego bits together, which he's received from Ron and myself.

"Hi!" he says, looking up.

Harry lets Seraina back on the ground, where she joins her brother and her father again to continue playing.

"Well, my little ones, our guests have arrived, so you'll have to play on your own for a while," Sirius says.

He gets up and greets my parents.

"Hello, Sirius! It's good to see you again. It was god to send Harry and Hermione over to show us the way and the house," dad says.

"Hello Helen, George! You're most welcome!" Sirius answers, still completely oblivious to the preparations taking place at Hogwarts.

Remus is up as well and greets mum with a hug, dad with a handshake and invites them to sit down on one of the other sofas around the large coffee table. While she sits down mum says, looking around:

"This is really a lovely family room, Remus! You've done well with your renovation, I suppose. Her­mione says it's been like a black hole in here…"

"That's what it was. Everything was dark, the curtains and shutters always closed, no daylight, dark walls, dark furniture, it was horrible. This is why we were looking for the contrast. We wanted to sell the house, because Sirius doesn't have one good memory about it, but once we saw what had been done, how it's friendly and inviting again we thought it would be a shame. For now we use it for the weekends, as it gets harder to apparate with the children. We can floo here. So it's becoming our weekend house, while we'll go to the Sunnegg for vacations and breaks. And some weekends of course, especially when it's warm, because here we won't be able to let the children out. Poor Addie trembled when she came back here for the first time after we had taken her away."

"Who is Addie?" mum asks.

"Oh, you don't know yet? Well, Addie here is Sirius' little sister. Addie, these are Helen and George Granger, Hermione's mum and dad."

"Hello, Addie! It's nice to meet you. What a lovely young lady you are," says mum.

Addie has warmed up to meeting new people. She shakes my parents' hands and smiles.

"And how old are you, Addie?"

"I'll be eleven in two months."

"Oh, that's great! I loved being eleven! Do you like it, too?"

"I don't know… I like school with Auntie Lily."

"That's good. You've got your very own teacher? Now that's what I call a piece of luck…"

My mum treats most of the children in my parents' dental clinic, so she is really good in talking to children who are a bit insecure and warming them up. Within minutes she's encouraged Addie to tell her all of her little secrets. In the meantime Remus tells dad Addie's story.

"When we had to come back here to look through the documents and clean up the mess that the 'deaths' of Sirius' parents has left we found out that his father hadn't died, even though the Ministry had the respective information! And that his mother had not died when she was officially declared dead either. They had staged their deaths to produce another 'clean and pure' child. Addie was that child. The poor sweetheart had been locked up in a secret little flat inside the house and she'd NEVER been outside in her life before we've found her. Can you believe it? In the meantime she's opening up quite nicely. She's got a lot of Sirius' spunk and spirit. We love her a lot and luckily she's taken to us very well, too."

"Wow! Bet that made for quite the story in your wizarding rag…" dad says.

"Not yet. It might become public one day, but we definitely want it to be as late as possible. We have the child to protect. Even if she's opening up she's still very fragile. We have of course received custody over her, since she's Sirius' sister. So now we have three children."

"Which I'm sure you enjoy a lot!" dad suggests.

Remus grins.

"Not going to say no to that, George!"

"What happened to the old Mr. Black then?"

"He was sentenced straight from his bed to Azkaban. We could prove he had used Unforgivable curses, which warrants a life sentence, no further questions asked."

Dad swallows hard upon that but Remus explains the reasons why the law is as it is.

Harry keeps throwing surreptitious glances at the grandfather clock. Hogwarts and the guests will be ready at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Usually we have a very late brunch on weekends, so no one misses lunch and neither Remus nor Sirius notice anything amiss.

Especially to while the small kids away until we go to Hogwarts we have asked Winky to prepare a few plates with small and light sandwiches. I'm sitting on a sofa between my parents and drink the atmosphere of our wonderful family in.

It's days like this one I'm trying to burn into my memory. I'm keeping a diary and on such occasions I'm getting pretty sappy in it, but there's just so much that goes through my mind, so much love that I feel for my chosen family. And there's just as much love I'm feeling from the others for me. Sirius and Remus are really looking forward to our child as well. Of course one could say that it's too early, because we've both still a lot to learn, but we'll be working anyway, so why should we wait? Just like Remus and Sirius we're going to be there for our child as much as we'll be able to. We have two lovely examples of committed parents right in front of us and we'll happily pick up ideas from them. I intend to copy shamelessly, if they do something that makes sense to me…

It's great to watch Seraina picking up her little bits of cucumber sandwich.

"That's nice stuff, isn't it, Seraina?" I ask her.

Hearing her name she looks around and grins. She's got that beautiful baby grin, in the meantime she shows about fourteen of her milk teeth. Once Seraina finishes her sandwich, my mum picks her up from Sirius and looks into her mouth to check on them.

"Very lovely teeth. You do brush them already, don't you?" mum asks him.

"Of course. We actually have done that from the moment she got them. Before we've tried to leave the sugar out of their diet. Though we do it with water only. We'll only start on the toothpaste once they can sit still while we're brushing their teeth," Remus explains.

Mum checks Denny's teeth, too.

"Well done. Dennis' teeth look good, too."

"In case of a problem we've got the healer right next door, Helen. Poppy is good with repairing teeth. You should have seen mine after I got out of Azkaban. No one cared for our health there and of course there wasn't any water not for drinking. So my teeth were in ruins after twelve years of no care whatsoever," Siri tells mum.

For demonstration he opens his mouth a bit.

"Wow. Just a spell, I suppose? Don't let that become known or anyone will want that instead of painful dentists' treatments," dad says with a laugh.

"You'd be out of work in no time, that's for sure, dad," I tease.

"Not really a problem, I'd just impose on that rich bitch of a daughter I've got," he teases right back.

"That'd save me a house-elf," I continue.

He grins.

"You wouldn't use me for your slave!"

"Of course I would. Work for your keep. Fair trade, don't you think?" I'm acting severe now.

Mum snickers.

"He's far better at housework than I am, so I'd be safe…" she says.

**James**

Minerva has chosen a hall, and we're getting ready for the party. It's a huge room, about half as big as the Great Hall, but it's nothing like it. This one is at the back of the castle on the third floor, it's completely panelled, and the panels are all nicely carved, it has a couple of windows out to the courtyard and loads of huge mirrors on the walls. A wonderful parquet floor and very soft, huge Aubusson rugs make it warm and cosy, in spite of the size. One side has the tables for the food buffet, in the centre we have the dinner tables. Chairs with upholstery matching the rugs are set up at the tables and along parts of the walls. The rugs on the back end of the room will be removed to have a smooth dance floor later on.

We have quite a bit to do to decorate the room. The house-elves prepare the food and drinks, so we can concentrate on the rest. The guests will arrive until one thirty and the birthday boys with the rest of the family will come in half an hour later. I'm hoping for a big surprise, but I'm quite sure both of them have no idea of our preparations.

While we're setting up the decorations we have to watch out for Lizzie and Andy who are constantly between our feet. They want to help, too!

I've met Duncan today and when he started to talk to Lizzie for a bit she opened up to him immediately. He's a very nice man and I'm really happy for Minerva. She's bloomed! I have never seen her this sparkly, hell, I've never seen her sparkly before! Duncan has built up some of his muscles in the meantime and doesn't tire out in minutes anymore. He even looks forward to a dance or two with his wife tonight. I was almost shocked when I arrived this morning to see Minerva wearing her hair open! I always thought that bun must have been a part of her head, it always sat so strict and perfect.

**Remus**

Harry jumps up all of a sudden and goes outside. When he comes back he carries a long rope and calls:

"Everyone, please grab on to the rope!"

Rope? Is that a Portkey or what? Sirius and I look a bit bewildered, but the rest of the family in the room gets up without asking any questions, so we pick up our children and grab the rope as well. Looks like there's something going on somewhere…

…minutes later we're arriving in a beautifully decorated room. It's already full of family and friends! The moment we arrive, everyone starts to cry:

"Surprise! Surprise! Happy birthday, Sirius, happy belated birthday, Remus!"

Sirius and I look at each other and start to grin. We have both more or less forgotten what a birthday even means! And this is our 40th, too! Usually we don't make a fuss about it, there are more important dates we mark. But it is a wonderful surprise and we love our friends for organising it.

In the next few hours we enjoy our socialising, everyone finds space at the tables without any plan, people mingle and we talk and play with the children once they're done with their afternoon naps.

The dinner is great, with loads of good food and wine and after that all parents take their children somewhere to sleep. Music has been organised, too, so we get to dance.

I really enjoy dancing with my man! Sirius and I fit perfectly; he's got great style and moves so smoothly it's wonderful to follow his every move. He's not always leading, sometimes I do that, but when there's a quick step it's definitely Sirius who leads. There's not much space for the others while we're dancing that, because we cover a lot of ground. In the end the two of us fall into bed absolutely spent! What a day that was, what a splendid, wonderful, great day we've had, thanks to our best friends, their son and daughter-in-law.

* * *

**Monday, 18.10.1999 / Duncan**

Finally I'm getting a chance to talk with Remus alone. After the party he and Sirius had decided to stay at Hogwarts for the rest of their free time. In the afternoon Remus turns up in the teacher's lounge where I enjoy some quiet time, reading. I look up when he enters. He has a book in his hands as well.

"Hello, Duncan!"

"Hello, Remus! Come on over, share the sofa!"

He sits down and I put my book down. I've never been afraid to speak up, but in the past week I've observed Remus for a bit and couldn't vocalise my request. The gossips I pick up from the students have him and Sirius firmly on the top of their list of favourite professors. They praise them as being fun, easygoing, and helpful. They like them for teaching them lots and sometimes things that aren't absolutely necessary to know for their lives, but things that are pure and simple fun. I ask him about his curriculum, how he's organised his Defence classes. He tells me with all the details I need. Yes, there is much I'd have to change to get in line with the current views and experiences.

"The course is still in disarray in my humble opinion. Kate and I are working hard at getting it up to speed, but much of it is still formed by the two latest wars. I'm getting a bit weary of it to be quite honest. I mean, the emphasis should be laid back to more theory and the fighting should recede to the background again. There's enough dark stuff without having to add the aggressive part of duelling."

"Minerva told me you might be interested in teaching history?" I ask, straight out.

"I would love to do that, actually. You know poor old John. He really isn't much of a teacher, is he?"

"No, can't say he is. Not when students have taken his lessons for an opportunity for some extra sleep for over two hundred years."

"But there's the problem. He's also a sweet person and even though he's a ghost you wouldn't want to hurt him or worse, exorcise him, after all he's perfectly peaceful. But he just won't step down."

"Have you asked him?"

"Not lately. He's been asked more or less directly several times, but he pretends not to hear anything."

I have to laugh. Good tactics there, John!

"Though last summer he's hinted that he might be ready to retire."

"Take him up on that. The students would profit from a better history course, I'm sure of that. How many have taken this subject for their NEWTS?"

"An average of three or four per year. Twice in the past thirty years he's had only one student."

"Wow."

"Just like we're lacking good potions masters because of the nearly two decades of Snape's teaching we also match historians because of Binns. I have talked with the WEA and they say they don't really interfere with the teacher's chosen subjects for this class. If I taught it, it would become a mixture of history, magical and Muggle alike, and some politics as well as an effort to raise the students' awareness for everything that goes on around them. Most wizards and witches are much too complacent with things going on around them, when they should actually be up on the barricades! They should be the ones controlling the Ministry! But if they're not directly concerned they're just either blasé or disinterested."

"Why don't you give it another try? You're passionate about the subject and you're captivating when you talk, I'm sure that hardly any student would fall asleep in your history classes."

He laughs.

"No, I actually received fairly good marks from my students on the Sunnegg for that. I have my own special methods for that, too, you know. I watch for those who might doze off and I usually bombard the students with questions about the material when I find some who are in the danger of getting lost. Basically integrating the students into the lecture has been a good way to keep them alert, too, don't let them sit and listen to you forever, include them, activate them, that will never leave you with a bored student! They retain more of the lecture as well. I have had enough Dark Arts for a lifetime, to be honest with you. I wouldn't mind to hand it over again."

So Minnie was right. He would be ready to change.

"I could take over from you…" I offer.

"You could. And I'm sure you'd do great! Let's keep that in mind if we can actually get Binns to step down. And please, I'd be very happy if you helped with the new lesson plans and spread of the material over the years."

I'm really happy! I'd love to go back to teaching, I've always done well in my profession and to be very honest, I'm missing it a great deal now. I would never take someone's job away, but knowing that Remus would like to change the subject he teaches makes it possible. I'm equally happy to be invited to help with the reorganisation of the lesson plans.

"It would mean that you'd have a bigger workload again though, Remus…"

"First to fourth years have one lesson, fifth years have two lessons, six and seventh years have three lessons per week. 18 lessons per week, as the sixth and seventh years can be taken together into one class. Exactly the same as I have now."

"Go for it then!"

"You'd love to teach again, wouldn't you?" he asks.

"I would. But don't do it for me, do it for yourself. If you're not completely sure it's what you want then don't do it."

"No worries, Duncan, I wouldn't step down if it wasn't what I wanted. Cultural themes have always been my main interest and history is one of them."

"Well, then we'll do something about it during the remainder of this school year! Especially working through the teaching plans and getting the material to the WEA."

"I agree. I think it would be good for all of us to talk to John together."

* * *

**Wednesday, 27.10.1999 / Minerva**

Today's staff meeting has passed, but I have asked John Binns to stay back, Remus has stayed back with me. It's going to be a hard thing to do, but I ask John to retire from teaching, again.

"John, you've been here at Hogwarts for so many centuries already, but still we would like to take you up on your word last summer at the full staff meeting when you remarked that maybe it was time to step down from teaching. Can we ask you to leave your spot to a younger teacher?"

"But Minerva, what is the problem?"

"John, you have died a couple of decades ago, that is one of the problems. You are a perfectly friendly and peaceful person, but our students don't learn anything from you. Only one out of a dozen just barely manages to stay awake in your lessons. You teach antiquated subjects and you are entirely inflexible about the newer history, which you never even touch. Not one new historian has been educated in the past sixty years and the only two who actually do study at the Academy have to practically search their material alone in the books, because there are no professors available who could teach. The Department of Mysteries is populated by all senile old men and women apart from Quintus Lupin and an new apprentice. This cannot continue, John. If you do not step down willingly you will teach in front of an empty class from now on. We won't stand in your way for that, but the actual teaching will be taken over by Remus starting next school year."

"There is not much I can say about that anymore then, is there?"

"I'm afraid not, John. However, we do not want to lose you as an inhabitant of our castle. We do want you to stay with us."

"You just don't want the students in my classroom anymore. – I can't say I didn't anticipate this when you took over, Minerva, and the students' interests must come first, so I will step down."

I'm so very relieved that I can only say: "Thank you, John! I wish I could hug you now."

We can finally start planning the new History course and Remus gets to work on it. He will slowly bring Duncan to his classes so Duncan can take over smoothly.


	18. And Harry's Boy

A/N: I don't have any kind of a good excuse for the long delay. I was simply uninspired and unmotivated to write. In spite of that a few efforts the latest chapter has sprung up and here it is. I hope you're still going to like it, even if it did take me ages to finish it. The next one is on good ways, too!

* * *

**Chapter 18 - …and Harry's Boy**

**Thursday, 11.11.1999 / Quintus**

I'm evading the dreary November weather by apparating to the wizarding library in Alexandria. Egypt is still nice and warm, great! I think I'll stop somewhere on my way back for a bit of swimming in the Mediterranean. It's still very comfortably warm on its southern shore.

But – there's work calling. I remember that Albus mentioned to have read about some cases of the Avada Kedavra resurrections in Egypt, so I'm hoping to find something here in Alexandria. Bill Weasley knows this library very well, but since he's used his curse breaking here to find treasures, he's almost completely foregone all curses possibly used on humans. I have been here before, but it's already a while ago, I barely remember where to apparate. And lo and behold I'm landing outside of the building. At least I can see the building, so it's only hidden from the Muggles. I find the entrance and talk to the receptionist, a middle-aged Egyptian wizard, who looks at me a bit weary.

"Hello, my name is Quintus Lupin, I'm working at the Department of Mysteries of the British Ministry of Magic. I'm currently researching cases of resurrections after Avada Kedavra curses…"

"… I don't think I've ever heard about something like that," he throws in.

I grin.

"Well, I should know, I've actually been a victim of an Avada Kedavra curse in 1980, but I've been resurrected early this year…"

"You don't say! Really?"

"Really. I was just wondering if you could guide me to the section of your library where you keep documents about any form of curses on humans."

"You'll have to consult the local receptionist, it's on the fourth subfloor. You will find the staircase behind that door over there."

He points me to an ornate door with an ornate plaque directing to the floors below the ground level. Fourth subfloor? Wow, I wonder what the other floors hold!

"Very well, thank you very much."

Walking down a long-winded staircase that takes about three turns for every floor, I finally reach the door that says Subfloor 4. It looks like they have many international visitors, because the information isn't only given in Arabic, it's also there in English, French and Spanish. Very user-friendly indeed and also quite modern it seems.

I enter through the door and reach a small lobby with a reception. The receptionist greets me:

"Hello, Mr. Lupin, I see that you found us. The entry receptionist has alerted me to your arrival. What can I help you with?"

I explain my current topic of research:

"Have you heard about the many victims of Avada Kedavra who have been brought back to life in the UK lately?"

"Yes, I have seen that in the Daily Prophet and also in this new British publication, the Magic Chronicle. Not that the prophet seems worth a lot, but since the much more serious Magic Chronicle and other newspapers have also reported on these cases the information seems to be genuine. Are you doing some research on that?"

"Yes, I'm looking to document all cases that have ever been described earlier, so I'm going through every library I can. I know that we have had evidence of at least one case in Egypt. My goal is to try to find out if there is a way the curse can be neutralised or if one can actually find a shield that can be cast permanently, which would protect from the curse."

"That is ambitious, sir. But it seems to be a noble cause."

"It may be a noble cause, but it's also completely and utterly egotistical, because I'd like to find a way not to become a victim of the curse again myself," I reply with a grin.

"Oh, so you have been brought back yourself? Do you allow me to ask you some questions?"

"Yes, I am. Go ahead, ask away."

"Do you remember anything from the time you died until the time you woke up?"

"Zip, zilch, zero. Nothing at all. Actually it felt completely weird, because when I died I was in the middle of a heavy fight with Death Eaters and had been badly tortured before they killed me. Then I woke up in a perfectly peaceful bedroom and my first thought was that someone had found us and freed me before the Death Munchers could kill me – I was with my wife who was already dead, that much I remembered. Until my son explained to me that about 18 years had passed since my death. More than weird that feeling was, believe me."

"Oh dear, yes, I would think that this was an immense shock! And your wife? Do you know what happened to her?"

"They had already killed her when I was killed. Sadly we have not found her again yet. We don't know whether she'll ever turn up again, but of course we're not losing hope just yet."

"So how did it happen, how did they find out how this works?"

"Little Harry Potter was kidnapped and used to resurrect Voldemort several years ago. That is, his blood was used and once back, Voldemort wanted to prove to his Death Eaters, that he could put away with his menace easily and duelled the child. His bad luck was that his and Harry's wand shared wand cores, were brother wands."

"Ah, Priori Incantatem!"

"Precisely. If Priori Incantatem is invoked through two fighting brother wands it establishes a connecting beam of light between the wands and if a number of light beads on the beam connect with one of the wands that wand will be forced to spit out all spells, until the spell is broken. Now if that wand was used to cast an Avada Kedavra curse, it will come out like all other curses, but not only that happens, it also frees the soul of the person or persons killed with the wand. When Avada Kedavra is cast, the soul of the victim is captured inside the wand core. So these souls and with them a spirit shadow come out and take the straightest way back to the bodies they belong to. We also found out that none of these bodies have ever disintegrated! Once reconnected with their bodies the souls bring the life back to them as well. I've actually been able to see it happen to some others."

"Fascinating! I'm sure it must have been extraordinary."

"It was. Most pleasing experience, too, especially since these people, like me, receive a second chance to live their lives, but now in peaceful times!"

Together we start searching for possible references and case studies. Dumbledore's one example of the phenomenon is also documented here at Alexandria, which corroborates what he said about it and some deeper digging brings up more than half a dozen more examples. I'm allowed to copy the references and note down the complete case studies. I think I'll try to find more records elsewhere. The Avada Kedavra curse is over five thousand years old, so there must be more records elsewhere. The wizard librarian guides me to Khartoum, where I find more references.

From Khartoum I'll hop over the Red Sea to Sana'a and Aden, where even more obscure scrolls and book references come up and then I'm referred on to the Antiques Museum in Jerusalem, which apparently has a magical department. This is a fascinating library, I know, but for today I have enough. I'll be back there and also in Damascus, Amman, Istanbul and Athens later on.

* * *

**Friday, 12.11.1999 / Minerva**

How I love going to bed these days. Duncan and I cuddle and enjoy a bit of lovemaking before going to sleep. That leaves me sated and ready to sleep, but tonight I ask sleepily:

"What say you, love? Do we just go on like that or do we plan on some – hopefully less stuffy – more McGonagalls?"

"I've always wanted children from you, Minnie, you know that…"

"Yes, but unfortunately we had put it off. I've often regretted that decision, believe me. Would have been nice to have a living reminder of you, love."

"I just thought you should still enjoy your youth, sweetheart. You were so bubbly and eager to learn more, I didn't want to nail you down with a baby already."

"I know that. And I supported it back then. But now – I mean, I still have a good ten to fifteen year span left to have children, but I'd prefer not to wait out until the last moment."

"Well, then the best time would be now, I suppose."

"I think so, too. Besides I do want to sic my offspring on the Marauders, they've given me the hell of a time when they were at school, so that's going to be a little revenge. I'll snicker while they have to get along with little ones from my gene-pool!"

Duncan laughs.

"You can't be that cruel, Minnie! You were more than a handful, and they're still clueless about that…"

"Oh, Filius has regaled some of his favourite tales, believe me. Like the day when we dressed all the armours in the house with tutus."

"That would have been perfectly funny and innocent, had you not also given them an opportunity to whistle at every passer-by and talk to them in the worst language a common street hooker could let out. I thought the headmistress was going to die of shame then and there! For days after the event she wondered wherever you and Lizzie could have picked up such language."

"Sheesh! And it was her own good self who had gone to take Lizzie out of that orphanage! It was a near miracle that the girl had still been untouched by the time she was finally allowed to leave it for good. And look what's become of her – only the head of the Wizarding Education Administration."

But it's my turn to laugh. That was a wonderful prank, actually, and the old stuffy goat deserved it for all her medieval views of the world. Macauley was her name and she was the predecessor of Dippet, both old purebloods who were living exactly the way they were brought up. Horrible people who would never really think of their own.

"She should have died of the shock actually. Stupid, stuffy old bat of a woman she was. I'll never know how she ever became headmistress in the first place. She was a nightmare!"

"That she was and a bigot to boot."

"Of the worst sort. The one who never learns to think, and what's more, act on her own behalf. She was the good little token woman who would always listen to what the Governors and the Ministry ordered her to do."

"For some reason I can't imagine you'd do that," he remarks with a chuckle.

"No, I don't. I do consult them and Lizzie has been my best friend since my schooldays, but it's me who decides and I stand tall for my decisions. That has been the case since I took over as Deputy, by the way."

"How does Remus work with that?"

"Oh, he knows exactly when to come to me for decisions and when to decide himself. He doesn't bother me with stuff he thinks he can do of his own competence. That's what I love about him, we really work as a team. Remus has perfectly intact instincts and he has learned to use them. If he comes and asks questions then they're mostly to solve technical or administrational problems."

"That's the impression I gained of him. I'm happy for you to have someone competent to work at your side."

"Yep. I'll still have a lot of fun watching how he'll have to educate little Minervas or little Duncans."

"Well, I suggest we start to work on that then."

"Already do. I haven't bothered to take the potion or use spells, as you may have noticed. And there's that nifty spell that will get me to ovulate…"

"Want me to cast it?" he asks immediately.

"Thought that'd get your attention, love… I'm mid-cycle anyway, so that's just an added chance. Go right ahead!"

He grabs his wand from his nightstand and casts the spell. He hardly leaves himself time to replace the wand on his nightstand before he pulls me in his arms and kisses me passionately. I stroke over his body and can only wonder about his newly found strength, because, blimey, he's already getting hard again…

**Duncan**

Honestly? I can't wait! I never wanted to rush her when we were newly married, she was only very young at the time and I wanted her to be happy and enjoy her time as a young adult. Merlin knows the times were worse than bad, so I didn't want to nail her down with a house full of kidlets. Now, however – there can be no doubt we both want this. I want her to be occupied with a bit more than statistics and reports to the school governors. And she'll be happy to have her own children, finally. Our reunion is as delicious as it always is, with the added bonus that she'll most probably be pregnant after it. Can't wait to see her crisp body swell with the new life inside of it! It must be deeply ingrained in all of us to do our utmost to sire offspring, I think, but then I plunge into her and forget all rational thought.

**Sunday, 14.11.1999 / Minerva**

I join Poppy for our usual tea on Sunday afternoon. Pomona shows up as well and I'm very happy to see that Rolanda joins us, too.

"You're beaming, Minerva! I haven't ever seen you as happy as in these past few weeks," Poppy remarks.

"Yes, I suppose I do show it, don't I? But I've had to wait for so long. And of course I never expected something like this until a year ago, so I just buried my memories of Duncan and lived a life. Not that I had much of one, anyway."

"You're definitely radiant now, Minerva. It's good to see you so happy and cheerful."

"And maybe even more happy and cheerful if we've been successful, Poppy. I want to have a child and had Duncan cast the ovulation spell on Friday."

"Oh, lovely! I won my bet then," she replies with a grin.

"What bet?" I demand to know. There's a flutter going on and I'm not in it? How can that have happened?

"Well, Sirius claimed you'd have a go at getting pregnant within the first six months after Duncan's arrival and I held against you wouldn't wait more than two months. Remus thought you'd hold out for a bit longer and so the bet was started. Looks like I've won the pool!"

I can see that it would have been a bit hard to place my bet on that.

"Should I test it?" she asks.

"Already?"

"Yes, there's a spell that reacts as soon as the egg is impregnated. And that must have been a couple of hours ago."

"Go ahead then," I beckon her, keeping for myself that this egg could have potentially seen a few more visits of sperms since Friday night.

Poppy casts the spell and starts to grin.

"Looks like that's been done. If you use the spell, fertilisation takes place almost certainly. Using it is like giving the egg the command to call for any sperm that happens to pass by."

I can't help it, there's a tear forming in my eyes, in spite of her quip. Then Poppy asks in a very cheeky tone:

"Do you want to know how many and their genders?"

Shock! Did I just hear her say 'how many'? Only one, please! That'll do just fine!

"Did you just say 'how many'? Tell me it's only one, please, Poppy! And no, I don't want to know the gender."

"Just teasing you, sweetie. It is only one and I'll keep the gender for myself, it's much too early to tell that anyway, it's still neutral right now. You are right not to want to know before, that's much better."

"It would be like opening a birthday present before your birthday! No way I want to deny myself that surprise."

Pomona and Rolanda both hug me and felicitate me.

"All the best, Minerva, I'm so happy you will finally get that wonderful part of being a woman. There is really nothing as significant as creating a new life. You and Duncan deserve that," Pomona whispers in my ear.

"Thanks, Pomona. I know that I'll be able to count on you ladies, especially if the offspring I produce will be anything like myself when I was at Hogwarts."

Pomona snickers.

"That would be well deserved payback, Minerva. You've been a nail to my coffin when I just started to teach! Dear me, just thinking of the creatures you brought in this castle gives Hagrid a run for his money."

"I never thought of raising an Acromantula in a cupboard, Pomona!" I protest weakly.

"No, but the Kappa in a fish tank was a close second. Not to speak of the Moke colony in the back greenhouse with the pond," she replies promptly.

Poppy laughs straight out.

"I never heard of that one, do tell, Pomona? Any more such lovely beasts around the house?"

"Well, she did constantly feed all stray cats in Hogsmeade and around and I suppose she's been the one responsible for the bat colonies in our belfries. In fact, our dear Minerva has, in her time, taken care of just about every stray animal she's found around the house. And most probably the Forbidden Forest, too…"

"I could not, and still will not, let any animal suffer. Ever. Hagrid is a good friend in that and he's taking good care of the ensemble of creatures in the Forest. So there." I pout.

All three of my friends just keep laughing.

"I wonder what we could get for a photo of a completely and utterly dirty little Minerva with tousled hair coming out of her plaits, taking care of her little zoo…" Pomona muses.

That naturally causes another rouse of giggles, to which I turn my nose up and reply primly:

"I'd wager a bet that no one would believe you that's me."

"A bet! Come on, ladies, that's a challenge," Poppy calls.

I groan. I shouldn't have said that… I simply should not have said that…

So I take flight – to the laughter of my friends of course – and look for my husband. Just as I look into the teachers' lounge, before going up and possibly having to come back down, I run in on Neville and Hester, but all seems not to be too well between them, because for a moment I overhear her hiss:

"I've had it up here, Neville, ever you've come to Hogwarts you're no fun anymore. It's always just the students this, the students that…"

Uh oh, I might have to have a little talk with Neville and offer some sympathy and maybe consult. Anyway, Duncan's not here. The Marauders are in London, so I pass their flat and move up the stairs to the Gargoyle entrance to my office and private quarters. I suppose when I run inside of our living area Duncan already guesses what I'm going to tell him, because he rises from his armchair, drops the book and catches me as I rush up to him.

"Hey there, my love! Did we manage?"

"We did, love! We did indeed!"

His embrace gets so tight I almost lose my ability to breathe! He doesn't say a word for a while, not even a quip of any sorts, which tells me more than well enough how he feels. Finally, after several minutes of him kissing me he moves a hand down over my belly and whispers:

"Hello there, Justine or Justin…"

I smile. He's just given our baby a name.

* * *

**Tuesday, 30.11.1999 / Harry**

Very early morning. Hermione wakes me up when she climbs back into the bed. She has to get up at least twice every night and then she has to make herself comfortable on the bed again, which takes her about ten minutes. I help to place all the different little pillows around and underneath her to make it the most comfortable for her. That belly of hers almost scares me! Her nipples have started to leak an almost clear liquid two days ago, but she tells me that this is normal. She says it's pre-milk. To be quite honest, I'm getting quite tired of the pregnancy and hope that the little bugger comes out of there soon! That has a lot to do with the fact that the space around my wife in bed has become a bit scarce. Where she's usually cuddling up to me because I'm warmer (men are always warm!) she now keeps her distance, because she couldn't possibly stand any more warmth. For the same reasons she pushes away the duvets, only to pull them violently back over herself ten minutes later when she's cooled out in this lovely, but rather fresh bedroom. Those are the moments when I pray that it won't take long anymore.

I'm not the only one who thinks that, by the way. Hermione is probably equally tired, because she really carries around a lot of weight. She's given up coming to lectures, because she's getting bumped into and bustled too much in the tube. But I don't mind to go alone. I'm still recording all of our lectures and since we have the same ones she gets the recorded lectures a day later.

Our friends start pestering us whether we don't have any baby news yet. Fred and George come by regularly and Angelina has shown up with Carolyn once or twice. It'll be fun, because our baby and Carolyn will go to Hogsmeade Primary and Hogwarts together. Couldn't care less that this is still a decade away. Carolyn is a little cutie, who starts baby babbling now. She gurgles and grins. I think I'm a bit taken with babies!

Both sets of mums and dads spend a lot of time at Grimmauld Place. My mum's of course still teaching Addie, but she comes by most evenings on her way home to the Sunnegg. Remus and Sirius are here with the children for three days every week. They usually return to Hogwarts on Monday afternoon. Addie isn't completely off on Monday, mum teaches her a couple of subjects. On Monday she brings Andy and Lizzie along.

So we're a nice group of people to sit down at dinner on some evenings. Tonight it's Hermione's parents who are around with the two of us. Winky serves dinner very happily and sits down at the table with us.

"What did you do today, Hermione?" Helen asks.

"Harry and I went to see the delivery room at the Maternity Ward. I think it looks mostly like a delivery room in any Muggle hospital with maternity wards. Just without all the emergency electronic stuff. Whatever is needed could be done magically. Mum, will you come? Harry and I want you both there, but I want you in the delivery room as well as Lily…"

"Would I be allowed to come?"

"Yes. I can have a whole party there if I want, but I really want Harry, you and Lily with me. And dad if he wants to…"

"I'll rather take my waiting post outside, sweetie, you'll have your husband and your mum and that should suffice, don't you think?" George asks.

"Just didn't want you to feel unwanted, daddy!"

George grins.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll be happy to walk circles outside with James and come in and meet my grandchild later on. Can't wait to be honest."

"It's not that I couldn't use some other male in that oestrogen overloaded affair, dad…" I dare to joke.

Hermione and Helen only grin, but George sticks by his word.

Sunday, 5.12.1999 / Harry

Hermione and I walk over to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Good morning, everyone!" Hermione greets.

"Hello there! Slept bearably?" Remus asks.

The children grin from their high chairs. Hermione sits down at her usual spot. Somewhere there's a Commumirror, which rings, and Sirius summons it, because it's his.

"Any news on Hermione and Harry's baby?" I hear Ron ask.

"Nope, not so far, sorry, Ron. Are you doing well?"

"Just fine. I'm off today, thought of coming over…"

"You're welcome, just hop inside."

"Err, Sirius… there just might be news..." Hermione remarks.

"**What**?" Everyone jumps and I feel the adrenaline pumping into my veins.

"I've had a few twinges that are most probably real."

"Did you hear that, Ron?" Sirius asks.

"Yeah, I did! I'll inform the gang, I'll call in an hour or two and if you're off to the hospital you can tell us, okay?"

"That'll be done!"

"Yay! The first baby of our gang's coming! All the best to you, Hermione!"

"Thanks, Ron!"

The communication ends and I look at Hermione. She hasn't said anything since getting up. However, she was awake when I woke up. She smiles back at me, but I'm starting to get very nervous. Of course, we've prepared ourselves well, read a couple of books, too, but I'm feeling the blood rush through my inner ears and it sounds terribly loud! My hands start to tremble when she says:

"Well, I think I'll forego cooked breakfast and suffice with a cup of tea and some orange juice."

"How do you feel?" I ask.

She sounds so self-assured. I wish I could be like that. But I'm on the outside, she feels it all and she's completely in control.

"I'm feeling fine, Harry. But that's bound to change sooner or later. I'll need your help and I know you'll do just great. Okay? Not scared?"

"Scared shitless, to be honest. I'm loads more scared than standing out there getting a shot at Voldemort, believe me!"

"I love you. I'll be fine. And you'll do fine," she assures me.

"Do we go in after breakfast?" I ask.

"No hurry. This is going to take a while. We're going to measure the time between contractions. Healer Thompson said to call when it starts and not come in before a time difference of fifteen minutes between the contractions. Forgotten?"

I sigh. Of course I've forgotten. I'm sure I'm going to forget a lot of things.

"Can I use your Commumirror, Siri? Since it's here already?" Hermione asks.

"Sure! Here!"

Hermione calls her mother.

"Hermione?" I hear Helen reply.

"Hey mum! You're going to meet your grandchild today, how's that?"

"Yes! We'll be over in a moment. Are you going to the Maternity Ward by Floo?"

"Portkey. We'll be able to go all at the same time this way. But not for a few hours, I think. I'll feel okay waiting here for a while."

"Good!"

An hour later the doorbell rings and Addie runs to the door to welcome my parents.

"Hello, Uncle George! Hi, Auntie Helen!"

„Hey there, Addie! Are you excited about the baby, too?" mum asks.

"Oh yes! Auntie Hermione says I can come to the hospital, too!"

"That's going to be quite the party there, then. You can hold my hands, I'll probably need it, Addie," says George.

We all laugh. Addie certainly takes it seriously and promises:

"Don't worry, Uncle George!"

I start to concentrate on Hermione. So far she's not felt uncomfortable. She's telling me that she's just feeling twitches and they're still separated by about half an hour, so I'm not worrying yet. The day moves on, some of the Sunnegg-gang are apparating in and once Parvati is there we have at least a healer in training around who assures us that Hermione and the baby are both doing fine. My nerves are running amok, but I do try to keep my worries in check. Mum and dad are turning up, too, with my little siblings in tow, of course. Mum's going to be there with us as well. Dad jokes that he can see enough of his own children being born, he doesn't need to get white around the nose by seeing others' popping out. We all laugh, because he's shown amazing nerves on both occasions, so we're not quite convinced.

Hermione does a lot of walking around. She has put a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt on, to feel as comfortable as she can. She's feeling it and it gets harder now. I'm at her side when she wants it, feel her hanging on my shoulder heavily to relieve some of the pains. But she's looking up to me confidently and once the contraction wears down she breathes in a few times and lets go again.

The feeling and the mood in the room is amazingly tight. As soon as Hermione turns to me I completely lock out everyone else in the room, yet I can feel them around us. Our family and friends seem to enclose us in a cocoon of their love. They give us all the encouragement we need to concentrate on the arrival of our little one. We both feel completely safe within their circle.

It's getting later and we reach the fifteen-minute intervals. They're already waiting for us at the Ward, so Sirius sets up the Portkeys for those who can't apparate. My in-laws, my parents, Remus, Sirius, Addie, myself, Hermione and the twins get to touch it, all the others who will wait for the baby outside of the delivery room will apparate. Being eight adults we can hold Hermione up, so she doesn't tumble down after the landing and also watch out for the children. All is going well, even if it's been one of my worst Portkey rides ever. It's just a few seconds though and we manage to stay upright in the reception area of the Ward. We're welcomed by the healer on duty who records Hermione's personal information. Apart from my close family there are Sirius, Remus, Ron, Parvati, Draco, Justin and Ginny who are with us and are going to wait and entertain the children.

"Hello, Mrs Potter, Mr. Potter! Welcome to the Maternity Ward! What a lovely big family to help you along you have brought with you. We'll have to go through the annoying forms stuff quickly, then we'll take you up to the delivery room. You're the only one today, so you'll have most of the staff to your assistance!"

"That's great. Can we do it quickly, please?" Hermione asks.

"Of course. Here – can you fill this in? Or do you want to do it, Mr. Potter?"

"Please, Harry!" Hermione says.

"Okay, I'll do this."

Remus steps up to stand in as Hermione's holding pole, while I grab a quill and fill in the personal information of my wife.

"Name, first name, birthday, father of the baby… hey, Hermione, do you know who the father of that baby is?" I tease her.

"Well, if it's not you, I wouldn't know who was the lucky winner…" she shoots back.

"Darn it, I need to fill this in…"

"Just mention my husband. He's that strange fellow with the funny hair…"

"Well, I can do that."

The healer, Jane Olson grins.

"Haven't seen that many wives who would actually fill in the name of the father if it is another than their husband, but would you believe that at least half of them are cracking jokes about the fathers?" Jane says.

The form also asks for the name choices. When I get to that part I shoo everyone away and cover them up while I quickly write them down. It's going to be a surprise of course. I hand Mrs Olson the form, she picks it up and leads the whole party to the second floor, where the delivery rooms are. There's a very lovely waiting area with a few squashy sofas and armchairs and coffee tables. It's a big semi-circular room. Six doors are leading to the six delivery rooms the Ward has. We're led through one of them, while the others make themselves as comfortable as they can. Hermione is checked up quickly behind closed doors. Jane is perfectly happy with the progression of the birth.

"Hermione, would you like to get some very light robes on? You will almost not feel them, but they will keep you warm enough."

"Yes, please," Hermione says and starts taking off her clothes.

Mrs Olson gives her something that looks almost like my Invisibility Cloak. It's like a tunic, amazingly light and soft.

"That's it. You will feel much better than having anything that still clings to your body. The fabric is charmed to warm you up. Now you're free to wander around as long as you'd like."

"Thanks. You're right, this feels fantastic!"

**Helen**

I'm looking around curiously. The room looks like a spacious bedroom. It has a large window to a courtyard. The weather today is rather grey in grey and it's been a cool day. The room's colours are a lovely light olive green and most of the furniture is oak wood. There's a fairly wide bed in the middle, which doesn't look any different than beds in normal hospitals, it's bent upwards in the middle, has very solid looking handles and there's a prolongation at the lower end to lay the baby down for the first check. For the moment, Hermione is still allowed to mingle with us and walk around as much as she likes.

The healer has declared her fine and says that the baby is very well. She's using nothing but a few spells for that. It won't cease to fascinate me what these people can do with their magic. It has become much more real to me since the day I was able to start seeing my daughter use hers on a daily basis. I can't but ask Mrs Olson:

"What would you do if there are complications?"

"You are a Muggle, aren't you?" she asks right back.

"Yes."

"Well, basically we do the same things the Muggles do. We'll sedate your daughter and get the baby out by a section. But it will be done magically. But that's most probably not going to happen. This baby will be born naturally and just like any other child in the world, Muggle or magical."

"Good. I'm just curious."

"Oh, that's perfectly fine, Mrs Granger! I think it would be strange if you weren't. And right now we still have plenty of time to chat. I'm happy to answer all your questions."

She smiles. I'm thankful, because she doesn't make me feel inadequate. Lily comes through the open door. The healer keeps it open so we can all still move around freely.

It takes another three hours until Hermione finally decides it's time to lie down on the bed. It can be turned in any direction she'd like to position herself. At first, she's lying on her side, the tunic like garment still on, but with time, she asks:

"Can I take this off, Jane?"

"Yes, of course you can."

Mrs Olson closes the door now, winking at the people waiting outside and Harry starts to look like a caged animal! He's held up wonderfully so far. My daughter is a pretty tough cookie, I think, because she's moaned a lot, but there hasn't been any screaming so far. She refuses to get painkilling spells. Lily and I support her in that decision, which seems to be harder to uphold now as there are contractions every minute. They're still opening contractions, Jane tells Hermione.

"You're almost there, Hermione. Just another centimetre! Then I'll allow you to push."

Hermione nods. Slowly but surely she does let out the one or the other scream. They get more frequent pretty quickly now, because the contractions come one after the other with no intermissions anymore. Harry looks panic-stricken. I move over to him, while Lily takes my place holding Hermione's hand on this side of the bed. I grab Harry by the shoulders.

"Don't think of her in pain, Harry, just hold out! It hurts her, but it will be over soon! The screaming helps her. Okay?"

He swallows and nods.

"Yes, okay, but I can't see her suffer like this! Why won't she accept the spells?"

"Because she can do it, Harry! She needs to, you know. Let her be stubborn on this."

"Good. I trust you, Helen."

"There's my good son-in-law! You'll see, it will be worth it. Because your baby will be all awake and alert, not drugged."

"Would the baby feel the spells, too?" Harry asks the healer.

"Yes, Harry, I'm afraid, these spells do sedate the baby, too."

"Ah. Okay. No spells then, as long as Hermione doesn't want them."

He's **so** brave.

"Good decision, Harry! The power of giving life is a source of much of our force, you know. The opportunity is rare enough in one lifetime and it has been disheartening to see how it has been taken from us women over the centuries. These days the excuse is that we should not have to go through the pain, but it's just the same a method of keeping the knowledge that it is indeed a power from us women. Hermione will be thankful to you for leaving the decision entirely to her."

"It's magic, isn't it?" Harry asks, more Jane than me.

"Yes, Harry, it is and your mother-in-law is very right. She doesn't need to be magically gifted to know this kind of magic. It's given to all women, magical or not."

Lily supports Hermione, too. She probably has the impression that her hand will break soon, as Hermione really presses it. Jane keeps checking the baby's condition and she's still smiling. To me it seems like everything is going quite smoothly for a first birth. Hermione is only nineteen, she's strong and she's fit, so I think that this will pass well. Another half hour goes by. I look at the clock. It's close to midnight now.

"Well, Hermione, I'd say you can start pushing when you feel the next contraction."

Hermione sits up and the back of the bed is following her, to give her the hold she needs for this. She's able to push down easier this way. Harry keeps wiping the sweat from her forehead and eyes. We've braided her long hair into one thick braid, so it won't get in her way. I notice how she breathes in and starts to push.

"Just a little – yes! Do you feel the baby coming down?" Jane asks.

Hermione lets the breath go and slumps a bit.

"Yes," she pants.

"Good. It's in the right position, so with the next wave it should come close to the neck of the uterus. That's when your real work starts!"

She's really in pain now. How I feel with you, my love! While I watch you, hold your hand, I'm thinking back on the day just over nineteen years ago when I was in that very same situation and a look over at Lily tells me immediately that she's thinking of the same. We have time for a quick smile for each other. Lily was twenty then, just a year older than my girl is now, but I was thirty-five. We had decided that we wanted to settle down and build up our practice before we had a child. But now that I'm fifty-four, I'm still feeling like a very young grandmother. I wonder, how Lily and James feel about this, because technically they are only twenty-five now and they have small children of their own.

"Now, Hermione, I want you to breathe in and push! Push! Push! Very good. Push hard! Yes! Hold it! Breathe out!"

Hermione's head falls back on the mattress, but she can't rest. I can see the little head poking out now and I know it's a matter of minutes!

"Very good! You're doing this, Hermione! Now again, breathe in! And push! Again! More! Just a bit more! I can get the head now! Very good."

It's just taking a few minutes more and there's the head. Harry can't decide where he wants to look, so he looks at Hermione, then to the baby, then to Hermione…

"There we are! Wonderful, everything looks very much alright!"

Jane lays the newly born down and cleans the respiratory pipe, then the baby starts wailing a bit. It's a boy!

"You have a very fine and healthy baby boy! Congratulations!" Jane says in that moment and places the baby on Hermione's belly, so she and Harry can get a few minutes to learn to know their baby before the cord will be cut and the baby will be packed up in a soft blanket.

"Wow – Hermione! I love you so much!" Harry whispers and kisses Hermione.

How I love that young man! On instinct he's done the right thing – thought of Hermione first! I know he'll be a very loving father and I can't wait to see his interaction with his new son. Lily and I both smile as widely as we can. I feel tears rolling down my cheeks. Then I take the first real look at the little boy.

"What's his name?" Lily asks softly.

"Nevin Ronald," Harry says.

"That sounds quite nice! I like it! Congratulations, you two! I really wish you all the best now," Lily wishes them.

I follow suit:

"Yes, I love the name, too. Congratulations! You've done a fine job, Hermione, and it's almost over now!"

Hermione is not really noticing anything apart from Harry and little Nevin. The baby looks really well, he lifts his little head already and turns it to his father's side. Harry and Hermione both caress the tiny boy. I remember my other job to take pictures, so I'm quickly heading next to Harry and get the camera out to take a few quick pictures. Harry has given me a magical camera, which seems to work almost like ours, in any case I only have to focus and press on the button. We'll have to take several still photos as well, otherwise George and I can't show them around. But that can wait until later.

"He's so cute!"

Harry gets to cut the cord. It's not done with scissors, though Jane has just used some clips to stop the blood from flowing through the cord. Harry smiles, pulls out his wand and points it at the cord. He mutters the words to a spell and I watch in awe how the cord vanishes between the clip and the baby's navel. All that remains is a perfectly finished navel. I remember that I admired this before, when Lizzie was born.

"Wow! How practical. You won't have to bother with that extremely tender bit in the beginning."

"At least not so much. It does have to heal a day or two, but it isn't a problem," Jane tells me.

She watches for the afterbirth and helps Hermione to get rid of it while she still holds Nevin on her chest.

"Ouch!" she yelps.

"Not the nicest bit after all you went through, is it?" Jane asks with a smile.

"Could do without it… that stings!" Hermione mutters.

But her attention goes right back to the little boy. He's completely calm now. His little hands are still balled to fists though and he needs to be covered. Jane quickly picks him up and wraps him in a soft towel, then she hands him back to Harry, so he can hold his son for the first time.

"My little one! I longed to see you for so long now! How I love you already, Nevin! There's a huge bunch of people waiting for you out there, do you know that? They're all impatient to see you. But first we want you and mum cleaned up, don't we?"

That's what happens in the next few minutes. Jane waves her wand and all traces of blood or other fluids vanish. Hermione is cleaned up and her internal wounds get healed with another spell. She sighs in relief.

"Oh, that's good! It's only the sore bones now! Thank you, Jane!"

"You're very welcome, girlie! You've done a very fine job there. Now it's time to give little Nevin a bath and then a check-up and then some clothes. Harry, if you'd come over here!"

Harry is allowed to give Nevin a bath, then Jane does a more thorough examination of the baby, this time checking the joints, the bones, the testicles, the fontanel, looks into the eyes and the ears. She checks the reflexes, weighs and measures him and with all those activities I finally think I find the parallels to the Muggle world again. Finally there and two more spells and then Jane beams.

"Well, there's your perfectly healthy little baby boy, Harry! You can get him dressed now. Do you need help?"

Harry grins.

"No, I think, I'll manage! I've only had good exercise with my little siblings and half siblings in the past one and a half years."

"That's perfect! Go right ahead then!"

Harry does just that and ten minutes later he puts the baby on my arm.

"Here, Grandy, that's your grandson!"

He's so cute! I lift Nevin up, so, that I can see his eyes, just in case he opens them. Which he does a while later. They're Harry's eyes! They are still a bit murky, but I bet they will be green. There's not much hair to see, and what's there looks dark brown. He's got a cute button of a nose and lovely round ears. This is an amazing feeling – a grandchild… not that I expected one that soon, they actually surprised me a lot, but I suppose it had to do with the way Harry had to grow up. He needs to have this with Hermione. He needs to learn that something like a harmonious life is possible.

Lily comes close to have a better look at our grandson. I happily pass Nevin on to her. I look at her. She grins and says:

"Wow, what a feeling! Being a grannie at barely twenty-six! See if someone gets that done! What an incredible feeling, Helen! It's so amazing to see the next generation."

"It certainly is! I'm happy to be a fairly young and still fit grandmother."

"Yep, a really nice thing. To think that they will be going to school with their aunties and uncles, quite funny, too, don't you think?"

After a while Lily hands Nevin back to me. I hold the baby for a while longer, until Hermione gets up from the bed and gets dressed into some comfortable clothes. The healer makes her a compliment.

"Well done, Hermione! You're in perfect health. But now you'll have a bit of work again. It won't be long until Nevin gets hungry!"

I walk up to Hermione and give her Nevin. She takes her son on her arms.

**Hermione**

What a feeling! It's over, I'm feeling perfectly well now after Jane healed all the remaining wounds. There's only a lingering ache from the whole shifting of my bones during the birth. But I'm upright, I'm okay, now I can rest a bit. Though as soon as the door will open there will be the 'family'. Harry takes everything we brought together and puts it in the overnight bag. Then we look at each other and he says:

"Ready to face them?"

"Are we ready, Nevin? – I think so, eh?"

Jane grins and opens the door. I walk out next to Harry, who's put his free arm around my shoulders. Mum and Lily follow us. We see the people out in the hall sit around. Some of them are talking, some are sleeping. Remus watches a sleeping Seraina next to him. We quietly walk there. It takes a moment until the first one of our friends notices that we're there. It's Sirius, who looks up from the magazine he's reading. He jumps up.

"Hey! Look who's here! You let us wait for a long time, you two!" he whispers.

He's with us the first and hugs me together with the baby.

"Congratulations, Hermione! Looks like a job well done."

"Thanks Sirius. And please let me introduce you to Nevin Ronald Potter."

"Awww! Oh, but he's cute, sweetie! Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks. I'm on my way to lie down though."

Dad walks up and smiles, James comes close, and then I'm surrounded in moments flat. That does tire me out quite a lot and so I tell them:

"Would you mind to let me go and find my bed, then you'll be welcome for another moment or two…"

"Of course! What are we thinking!" Sirius says and frees a path for me. He's grinning broadly.

"Thanks, Siri!"

I'm very happy to find the room that has been prepared for me, only one floor up. It's quite a nice room. I pass Nevin to Harry, get out of my bathrobe and almost jump into the bed. Ah! That's good. That's when Nevin decides that he's waited long enough for food and starts to wail. Jane comes up to the bed and helps me to let Nevin suckle. Wow! Another amazing feeling. Until he bites me!

"Ouch! Nevin! You don't bite mummy!" I chide.

"Bite? But he doesn't have any teeth yet..." Harry remarks, baffled.

"No, but his gums are well capable of accidentally biting," Jane explains, chuckling.

Yowl, this hurts! He's suckling on, but loses the nipple. I have to help him grasp it again and of course that hurts again. But I'm inhaling a bit sharper and bite my lips until the little belly is full. Doesn't take very much of course, even though I do have milk already. It's been running for a few days already. When Nevin's finally done, we're both quite exhausted. I'm really looking forward to some sleep.

"Sleep, love! You need rest now," mum says.

"Thanks. I'd love to…"

"No problem. We'll take Nevin with us for a moment, he looks full and happy and he'll sleep mostly, so you have some peace. I'll be back in a while…" Harry promises.

He kisses me and I pull him close. We have a son, I still can't believe everything went so smoothly!

"I love you, sweetheart."

"Love you, too, Harry."

**Harry**

I kiss her once more and wish her a good night. Then I watch as Hermione falls asleep. I let her sleep and take Nevin from mum's arms to finally present my son properly to his new family. It's amazing how this feels. Gosh, there's half of the Sunnegg-gang, Remus, Sirius, Addie, mum, dad and my in-laws… and all of them are beaming. I sit down with the baby on my arm and now I can't hold the tears back anymore, they're streaming down my cheeks. Addie must have been asleep, but she's awake now and Sirius lets her through to come and see Nevin.

"Oh, he's so cute, Harry!"

"That he is, Addie! If you sit down next to me you can hold him…"

She's sitting down in seconds flat. I have to grin through my tears, while I let her hold Nevin for a moment. That's a lot of stress for my son in the first few hours of his life, but I think he won't be harmed. It's all a bit overwhelming for me, too, but so much love and happiness accompanies me right now. I think, we both enjoy the bath in all of that happiness. Couldn't care less for any sappiness.

Dad and George come closer now, too. They both take a turn in picking up the baby for a few minutes. Dad sits down on my other side and says:

"You have no idea how happy I am for you and Hermione, Harry! You have just burdened yourself with a lifetime worth of worries, but with about twice the amount of learning experiences and love! Let alone the fun part!"

I grin. And still there are tears in my eyes. The next one who says something has a very quiet voice. One which I love to hear in such a moment.

"A feeling that doesn't compare to anything else, Harry, isn't it?" Remus says.

Since George has Nevin right now I just pull Remus into a hug and feel his arms around me. He can feel my tears, too.

"Albus said to us when the twins were born that we were taking home so much happiness and that's what it was! You'll find that you do the same, Harry, and if there's anyone who deserves all the happiness there is to find it's you."

"I love you, Remus! So much! And I know that I love that little button there already as much as I love his mum. You guys will have to help me not to become overprotective…"

Remus laughs.

"We will! Get yourself another one sometime soon and you'll find that over-protectiveness will vanish a bit…"

"We'll have to get along with Nevin first, I suppose."

"Darn, if we don't try it once more after all, Harry! Your son's already captured my heart!" George says as he hands me Nevin back.

Helen snorts.

"You should get so lucky," she teases her husband. "You don't hit the gold mine that easily anymore at our age!"

"You don't know that. We always thought one was enough for us and never even tried..." George retorts.

"Just imagine how that kid would feel – having a nephew that's older!"

"That will happen to Nevin in any case when we decide on our next one," dad throws in.

"What, don't you have enough yet?"

Dad and mum shake their heads and grin identical grins. That's scary!!!

"Nope. All we have so far is a Seeker and two potential Chasers, Beaters or Keepers. Still some work to do to assemble our very own Quidditch team," mum declares.

**Mum**! Dear me, they aren't going to actually do that, are they? That'd give me as many younger siblings as Bill Weasley has! On the other hand – they're still so young, it's understandable. And then dad adds:

"This world can still do with a good number of new Potters. We are, after all, a very old magical family, that had been almost killed off and so we would like to ensure it's living on. And we would love to spread it a little."

Okay, I admit I hadn't thought of anything like that, but I do understand it now.

After the immediate family it's the friends' turn. They are all thrilled.

"So what's his birthday now, was it still the fifth or was it the sixth, Harry?" Parvati wants to know.

"It was the sixth. At 0.38am to be precise," I tell her.

"Duly noted."

I grin. I bet she's going to come up with a horoscope for Nevin. I don't really mind that, birth horoscopes are quite interesting matters. Parvati is a pretty good astrologer.

I give them all an hour of time, then I have to take Nevin up to finally get some real rest.

"I think, I need to catch some sleep, too… so does Nevin. Can you all come back again later? Hermione will be here for another night…"

"Of course. You must be nearly down on the ground with exhaustion."

I pick up Nevin and the two of us join the woman we both love most in the world. There's space enough in the bed with Hermione, so I can put Nevin in his cot and lie down next to my love.

* * *

**Monday, 6.12.1999 / Remus**

Little Nevin is born on St. Nicholas Day, how lovely. In Switzerland we celebrate this as a children's day and a 'St. Nicholas' comes by in many households where there are children. When I was a child St. Nicholas used to come with his donkey, laden with sacks containing peanuts, tangerines, gingerbread, nuts and apples. Children would have to recite poems and the person playing St. Nicholas would give account of whether the child had been good throughout the past year. And of course there was either a reward in the form of a bag full of those nuts, apples, gingerbread and tangerines or there would be a reprimand. The festival is celebrated commemorating St. Nicholas, a man who was born in Patras and lost his rich parents early on. He shared his inheritance and became known for his love of children in particular. He looked after many orphans and was canonised shortly after his death.

I think that's a nice birthday to have.

Harry has taken the baby back to Hermione's room and will stay here for the next two nights as well. We return to the Merry Den to get some rest and are all lounging about most of today. Even the triplets and Lizzie are a bit less active, they also feel the lack of sleep last night.

**Lily**

After another short visit with our new grandchild in the late morning James and I do what we should have done ages ago, we check on his family's old manor house, which lies on a small hill just north of Cardiff. This place is magically hidden and practically a piece pushed inside of a few square metres of Muggle land. It feels rather strange to know that within these few square metres there exists an entire huge estate on a high plateau. Weather permitting we see all the way down to Cardiff and the Bristol Channel. In the other direction we can look up the wonderful Rhondda Valley, which stretches from just outside of Cardiff northwards up the hills. We have Lizzie and Andy with us and apparate to Seaview Manor. The wards let us pass smoothly. As soon as we arrive in the entrance hall the house's elves are lining up, all excited and giddy that finally someone is showing up again.

"Master James and Mistress Lily! You is back!"

The little flying object that embraces my thighs is Dagobert, the old head elf, also the father and, as I think, the grandfather of some elflings around the house. I grin and hug him back, even with Andy on my arm. Dagobert lets me go and looks at the boy.

"Where is Master Harry, Mistress?"

"He will be here with us soon, Dagobert. It's good to see you again."

"Mistress is dear to us. And Master James! We is hearing stories about you, and we is waiting. The house is ready for the family to come inside again."

"It's good to see you again, Dagobert, thank you for keeping it spotless. It looks fantastic. These two are Elizabeth and Andrew, our youngest. You will see many children around the house in this and the next generation, Dagobert, we're going to fill this house with love and laughter again!"

"Oh, Master, this is wonderful news! We is hoping you is coming back."

"We are currently living in a wonderful little house in Switzerland, it's hard to go away from there, Dagobert, we have found our family again there. But this year we'd like to gather the whole family and friends here in the Manor for Christmas. Including our first grandchild."

"You is becoming grandparents?"

"Yes, very early this morning Harry has become the father of a son, Nevin. Both the baby and the new Lady Potter are doing very well. That's why Harry isn't with us at this time."

"That is being a nice reason, Master. We is preparing the young couple a suite with a nursery then."

"Thank you, that's exactly what they will need. Now – can one of you take over with Lizzie and Andy? You could show them the playrooms?" I ask and two or three younger elves immediately step up and take the children with them. I know they will be in good care.

James and I start looking around the house to find out what its current state is. As it's huge that will keep us occupied for a while. But the dear elves have indeed kept it spotless and it's not only habitable, it's in prime condition.

"I'm feeling a bit bad for not coming home earlier, Lils," says James.

"Yes, I'm feeling the same, but there's not much we can do about it. We've enjoyed our cosy farmhouse, haven't we?"

"We have. But as I'm getting more involved with the Wizengamot we've got to have a place where we can represent, we couldn't possibly use the Sunnegg for that, as nice as it is. This here will be back to its old glory. We can remove the war protection under which it still lives. It's more formal in some places, but I do think it's time to pick up on the old traditions. Let's go and see mum and dad's portrait!"

"We should start having one or two of our own, James."

"We will. There's an official portrait I have to leave at the Wizengamot's also. So I'll be forced to commission one. If I find a good painter we'll have a portrait of just us and a family portrait, as well as a formal portrait of Harry and Hermione."

I pull out the planner I had already prepared with such things and start adding little notes about our To Do lists.

"I fear that we do have to come out of the Sunnegg and come back home, James."

"I agree. Not that we won't go back there with relish. We've spent such a happy time there since we came back, haven't we?"

"Yes, we did."

As there's movement around the house the portraits start to wake up from their time induced sleep. I think that it takes a family in a house to keep a magical house and its many portraits alive. I do suppose that once our children get older and start taking over running through the corridors and the big rooms it won't take long and at least some of the people in the portraits will wish to go back into their old sleeping state. Closing up to the formal portrait of my parents-in-law, we take each other by the hand. Charlus is the first to notice us. I can see him giving Dorea a little shove. A grin spreads on his face.

"Dorea! Look! We have some pleasant visitors, this house seems to come back to life, finally – I was already afraid that they have all gone!"

"James! Lily! Where were you?" Dorea asks, exasperated and excited.

"In our graves for almost fourteen years and then in Switzerland," James says with his worst grin. While Charlus sees the humour, Dorea is not quite as impressed. Still, she grins, and looking at her painted face, I recognise much of what I can see in Sirius's face. They are quite closely related and visibly so.

"Where he's right he's right though, Dorea. Voldemort has killed us on Halloween 1981. Dumbledore had dumped Harry unceremoniously on my dreadful sister and her even worse husband's doorstep after my sacrifice saved my son from being killed the same way we were killed. While in Hogwarts, there was a Triwizard Tournament and someone entered Harry, even though he was only a fourth year student. He managed to get through it though and when he and a fellow champion reached the final item, first they decided to share the prize and pick it up together. Someone had made the item into a Portkey and sent them straight to a rudimentary Voldemort thing, kept by Peter Pettigrew. He immediately killed the other champion and used our son to get Voldemort a new full body. As soon as this one was back, he called his Death Eaters to show him how he could now kill Harry. He then forced Harry into a duel and I'm very proud to say that my son managed to duel Voldemort to a stalemate, which was practically a victory for our boy. Because they had brother wands, a Priori Incantatem spell occurred, and once Harry noticed what he had to do, he forced Voldemort's wand to regurgitate every spell Voldemort had ever cast with it. Whenever a Killing curse was regurgitated a shadow of the killed person appeared. Now I know that this wasn't just a shadow, but an impression of the killed person's soul. And since these souls returned to our bodies ASAP we crawled out of our graves – after almost fourteen years... the shock you can imagine," I explain.

James' parents are sufficiently impressed. Dorea claps her hand over her mouth and releases it slowly.

"That's horrific! Not that you two are back, of course, that's really wonderful! But the rest... Poor Harry!"

"Not to worry about that anymore, mum! We're back and that's what counts. Once back on our feet we joined Remus and Sirius, who had taken over to guard over a group of fifth year Hogwarts students, among them Harry. They had taken refuge in Switzerland, which is where we have stayed for the past four years. If you could see the place, you'd love it as much as we did. But now we plan to return here for the most part. This house needs to be filled with life and love again, wouldn't you agree? I expect we'll bring a few others with us on the way. We have already brought our two youngest children, Elizabeth and Andrew. They are three and one years old and will certainly add some life to this house. Harry will follow soon; he's with his young wife right now. Hermione has just had her first baby last night, so you are now great-grandparents."

"Now that is the kind of news I like to hear, sweethearts! But what about Voldemort?" asks Dorea.

"Is gone. Just simply gone. Dumbledore and Harry took him on and sent him to his final grave, from which there is no returning for another time."

"That's great! I expect to see that the Potter family will once again spread out to its former glory! That's fantastic, James! I do hope you will pick up the family seat at the Wizengamot?"

"Already done, dad! It's one of the reasons why we're coming back here. The Sunnegg, the place where we live in Switzerland, is very nice, and scenic, and even spacious, but it's not a place to use for representative purposes. We'll be off much better here for these functions."

While we bring the portraits in the house up to speed about everything that has happened in the past years and of which we know the children are pampered by the house-elves. There are seven house-elves and they have kept the house in ship shape fashion, really top notch. They'll be receiving really nice Christmas presents for that wonderful work. I have wandered off for a moment, now I listen up as Dorea asks James:

"What happened to my family?"

"Most of them are gone. Sirius found his father still alive at Grimmauld Place, when a group of us went there to go through the papers left there to solve all inheritance matters with the Goblins. While he was at Azkaban he was informed of both his parents' deaths, so you can imagine the horror for all of us to find out the man was still alive! Though he really was deathly ill at the time. And we found not only his old man still around, but found out that his mother had survived for five years longer than her official death day! Not a ghost either, because they had gone on and produced another child, a girl named Adara, who is now eleven years old, in just a few days that is. She's now living with Siri and Remus and is turning out to be a sweet little Sirius in her own right!"

That renders even Dorea speechless! It takes her a moment before she asks:

"And the rest of them?"

"Sirius is now the head of the House of Black. He's taken his Wizengamot seat, much to one of his old great aunt's displeasure and has chased off her puppet she's had settled in there. With some other new and younger members the Wizengamot actually starts working as a legislative body rather than an asylum for doddering old fools from both genders. Though there are some people there who aren't all that old, but they behave like tattered old men. Anyway, Sirius and Adara, together with Andromeda and her family, are now the core of the Black family. Oh yes, nearly forgot to tell you. Our little Andy has two half siblings, who are Sirius' and Remus' twins Seraina and Dennis. Which means that Sirius has a legal heir. Lily and I thought it a good idea to give them their own children, Lily has carried them to term and given birth to them. They are really cute triplets!"

"Wow. What a nice thing to do, Lily! You will have to bring them in some time, James!"

"Oh, I will, don't worry. We'll be here for Christmas, the whole extended family! You'll meet so many people your ears will ring from all the new names!" James tells his parents' portraits.

"That's great. This house has always been full of life, love and laughter, it should see happy times again," Charlus remarks.

"It should. And it will, dad!" James promises.

After that we check up on all the available rooms. The manor is huge and has about six bedrooms for the core family alone, and at least another twenty in the rest of the house, the reception rooms, library, kitchen and so on not included. I take notes on things needed to bring the house up to speed and ready for the modern times. It's already been fitted with electricity and telephone lines, that just has to be brought up to speed. Much of it can be left to the house-elves, but the technical stuff needs specialised professionals, which I plan to bring in very soon.

Before we leave, we take the two children into the library, where Charlus and Dorea's portraits are currently placed. We'll probably move them to the living room and replace the portraits of Charlus' parents, who still adorn the wall above the main fireplace there. We don't really know them and will be more familiar with James' parents closer to us. The children are getting used to having the portraits talking to them; they're actually very polite. Charlus smiles and says:

"Can't wait to meet Harry! If your little ones are already this nice..."

"Harry is an entirely different personality, Dad. He's been forced to live with Lily's sister after our death, practically until we came back! And they not only detested him for being a magical child, they abused him emotionally and allowed their own son to terrorise him. When we met him, Remus and Sirius had only just taken him to Switzerland and he was thawing considerably, but it took Lily and I both a good year to get through to him. He was so insecure that he cast silencing charms over his bed just so Lily wouldn't get up and lose sleep to go to him and help him with his nightmares! A Potter – insecure! Can you believe it?"

I have to grin. That really is an almost preposterous notion. Obviously, James thinks he's the archetype of a magical Potter. He's still the cocky kid sometimes, not that I'm too enamoured with this trait, but it does define my husband. I only tolerated it so easily because there's not a malicious fibre in him. He may have been an arrogant prat, but he's overcome the self-righteous notions he's had back at school. I even forgive him for being mean to Snape, since I've seen Sirius' memories of the berk!

* * *

**Monday, 13.12.1999 / Sirius**

Lily looks after all the children today so that Remus, James and I are able to go and get Addie's birthday gift. She'll be eleven years old in two days. We're going to get her a broom as she's become quite interested in Quidditch lately, so she'll finally learn to fly. Next Saturday we'll give her a little party at the Sunnegg, and we plan to offer her to choose godparents among the gang. We have talked to them all and asked them if they'd be willing to stand in. All of them promised they would if Addie would choose them. My sister knows nothing of this as of yet, but she knows that the twins have godparents, and that little Nevin has them and she's asked me whether she has any or not. Since I haven't found any such evidence I told her that most probably she has not, since apparently no one knew about her existence before. That made her sad and I want that sadness to be wiped from her face completely!

We enter Quality Quidditch Supplies and first browse the shop a bit. We look through the books on one shelf. There are some players biographies, autobiographies and general books about the history, about the rules, volumes treating the positions specifically and titles for the coaches. Remus picks up a general title and looks through it. It's written for kids and looks really nice.

"Add that one, love, it will be fun for her to read and learn all the rules. We don't know what position will grab her interest yet, so this should do well," I tell Remus.

"Yes, I think, this is a fun book, too. I'll add this one about the Harpies, it's a standard already and I'll ask Angelina for the signatures of the team and the coach," Remus says.

I could kiss him for having this great idea. We've taken Addie to two matches by now and she's had great fun. She's learned to know the team through Angelina, so she should be happy to get a signed book. A salesperson comes to us and asks:

"Can I help you, sirs?"

"Yes, you can, thank you very much. We're looking for a good broom for an eleven year old who is only learning to fly. Not too racing, but not an old ladies broom either," I explain.

"Hm. Is that eleven year old rather a timid child or rather a daring one?"

"We haven't really decided yet, but she shows signs of a rather gutsy little thing."

"Okay. Then you might look at this Cleansweep model here. It's a Keeper's broom actually, very good for lots of turns, not too fast, but quite sturdy. Should be very solid for a first broom."

He shows us a nice, rather short broom resting on its exhibition hooks on the wall. Cleansweep Eleven Keeper is etched into the stick. I check the build and think it looks quite okay. James examines the broom critically and nods.

"Looks quite okay…"

The salesperson takes it off the hook and hands it to us, so we can get a good feel of it. Personally, I find it a bit heavy. James takes it in his hands and balances it over his index finger. He looks a bit critical about the weight as well. Feeling our indecision the sales clerk takes the broom back, and guides us to the Nimbus brooms.

"If you prefer the Nimbus brand and don't mind the greater expense we could offer the Nimbus First Experience, which is made especially for young children to get a good start learning. It has an acceleration and elevation stopper, which can be extended until the child has learned to fly. You can extend the allowed speed and elevation in steps. With the final extension, the First Experience corresponds to the Nimbus 2000. That should still be good enough even if the child gets a place on a Hogwarts house team. Additionally it has a number of safety charms, preventing most of the common reasons that cause falls. But the broom is considerably more expensive than the Cleansweep."

"I would be fine with that," I say, following the young man to the wall where the Nimbus brooms are on display.

James looks quite thrilled. He inspects the broom, lifts it from the hooks and weighs it, then asks:

"That has a good feel. So you extend the speed with spells?"

"Yes, the necessary charms are added in the information sheet. Not a Firebolt, but this is a very nice broom indeed."

We look at three other brooms, but decide on the First Experience. I'm paying for the broom and Remus gets the books and a Harpies Quidditch outfit. James grins.

"You **do** like Quidditch after all, Moony!"

"I never said I didn't! I just didn't have the time to watch each and every one of your practices!"

No, he needed his study time. It used to be time for him spent on his own which he needed, too. As much as we loved to spend time together, everyone needs some alone time and Remus took it when we were in practice.

Our purchases made we're taking the gifts back to Grimmauld Place and hide it in our room. Remus vanishes with the book to see if he could get Angelina to sign it.

He's back two hours later and beams. Up in our bedroom he shows me the first page and I can see that all seven of the main team and some of the reserves have signed. Addie is a great fan of Christine McAllister and will be extra pleased to see that her signature is there, too. Angelina has even added a little dedication for Addie. We wrap the gifts in sparkling red paper and put gold ribbons around the presents.

* * *

**Wednesday, 15.12.1999 / Remus**

I wake up just before the alarm goes off. Sirius is still sleeping next to me, so I kiss him awake. He moans a bit, but I chase him up, because I want to make sure we're up before Addie. We have decorated the flat with colourful balloons and a big sparkling 'Happy Birthday Addie' on the wall. We manage to be up before the child and sit at the breakfast table, drinking our tea when Addie opens her door. She looks into the big living room and sees the decoration. She's still in her pyjama and looks rather sleepy.

"Hey, look who's up, Remus!" Sirius says with a grin.

Addie comes to the table and leans on me, giving me a good morning hug and kiss.

"Hello, sweetheart, and a very happy birthday to you!" I tell her and give her a hearty kiss.

She beams, looks up to me and says:

"This looks great, Remus! I've never had anything like that!"

"Neither had I, love, that wasn't in the Black family program. You're eleven years old today, little one, how does that feel?" Sirius asks.

Addie rushes over to Sirius, who opens his arms to give her a big hug, too. She returns it and climbs onto his lap, leaning happily on him. Sirius holds her tightly.

"Like getting closer to going to Hogwarts!" she cries.

We laugh. She's been deprived a proper education until recently and now it seems like she's starving for knowledge. She's draining Lily of hers and reminds me of a sponge with a huge capacity. Every day we come back from teaching and she's there telling us what she's learned while we were gone. Lily says she only gives her homework because Addie loves doing it, not because she needs to work through what she's learned during the lessons. We're thinking of getting her music and language lessons. Lily is already doing Latin with her, the basis anyway, but the girl seems to have no problem with it at all. But most importantly Lily teaches her methods to learn and study, because in spite of her brilliance she will reach a point where things won't just fly into her brain, but will have to be worked out and studied.

"That's good. Next summer you'll get your letter," Sirius promises.

"I can't wait. Having my birthday in December sucks, because it means I have to wait extra long…"

"We know the feeling, love. Remus and I both had to wait for an extra year, just like you, even a few months more, remember, Remus missed the cut-off by only five weeks. So we're sympathetic because we both hated it, too. But that gives you some extra time to study other things which you won't get to learn at Hogwarts, like an instrument and languages, Addie. How about that?"

"Could I? I can do some bits on the keyboard auntie Lily has brought along…"

"The piano then? We can get one for you if you'd like. There's one at the Sunnegg in Morag's room and there is more than enough space at the Merry Den to set up a piano. And we have enough space here, too, so you could practice wherever we are…" Sirius says.

Addie's face lights up. She loves Lily's music lessons and since the start of term she's learned a good number of songs. I really think Hogwarts does a poor job on cultural education. Actually the only subject with a chance of learning anything like musical things is Muggle Studies. But Quentin doesn't have much of a musical knowledge beyond knowing about composers, song lyrics, pop and rock music.

"I'd love that," Addie replies quietly.

"I'll look into finding a teacher for you. They need to come here for regular lessons. But maybe we could pass the idea by Minerva to offer some quality music lessons here at Hogwarts? Then you could continue when you start coming to school here," I tell Addie.

"That would be great, Remus! Where are we going during Christmas break? Are we staying here?" she asks.

"We're going to the Sunnegg, love. And you'll have a little party on Saturday for your birthday. Which leads to my next question: do you want your presents from us now or on Saturday?" Sirius asks.

"Can I get yours now?" she asks shyly.

"But of course! You'll get a bunch on Saturday from everyone else anyway. Here they are, sweetie!" Sirius cries and reveals the pile of our gifts. There are some from Minerva, Poppy, Filius and Pomona as well.

Addie has received a lot of stuff in the past months. But apart from the few toys and games there were clothes, books and other necessities, so seeing that pile of gifts, wrapped to make them surprises really makes her happy.

"Can I open them?" she asks.

"Of course you may!" I say.

Addie jumps off Sirius' lap and goes over to the gifts, picks them up one by one and looks at the wrappings, then the tags and finally picks Sirius' first, because the form of it already makes it quite obvious to what it contains. She doesn't tear it open, she carefully removes the wrapping, which makes me smile. That's a sign that she's appreciating the way the gift has been wrapped. I bet she never received anything new and truly of her own. Seeing the long, slim case with the Nimbus logo she starts to hoot and opening it she looks really happy!

"Yay, my own broom! Thank you, Sirius, thank you sooo much!"

Sirius gets another big hug and kisses on his cheeks. He grins and tells her:

"It's a special broom to help you learn to fly, love, the speed is not too high yet, but we'll be able to make it faster over time and by the time you're allowed to have one at Hogwarts it will be quite a fast broom."

"I can't wait to start, Siri! When can I?" she squeals.

"Not before Saturday, I'm afraid. We have a bit of something to do until then. But Friday afternoon we leave for Switzerland and then we have until the start of the new year. But it's going to be pretty cold!"

"I don't care!"

"Very good. That makes you a tough kid!"

Addie holds up her fist and Sirius meets the small fist with his big one. They look at each other in a decidedly sibling way which I find adorable. Sirius loves her like the twins, but there's a different quality, there's a fraternal thing in there, something that can only exist between siblings who are fond of each other. Something conspiratorial, some kind of a bond that's hard to explain. But it's there and it makes them a special 'team'. She regards me in a much more parental way. I can feel love and respect from Addie, tenderness, too. It's a completely different thing to her relationship with Sirius. She respects him as her guardian, but she loves him as her big brother, who's always ready to play with her. Seeing them fooling around and Sirius going down on her level to be an equal with her is great fun. I know he'll probably be like that with our growing twins, too. Right now, I'm glad to see that he gives Addie this very special attention.

Addie turns to my gift. It comes in two parts, the books and the outfit. Again she opens the wrappings carefully and squeals when she sees the clothes. And she is even happier about the books. She comes and hugs me.

"I love that, Remus! Thank you! I really like the Harpies; I'll have the book read by Saturday, I'm sure!"

"You will, I'm not betting against that, Addie. Look inside!" I tell her.

She opens the book and her eyes get big. She follows Angelina's dedication with her finger and looks up to me when she's finished.

"I went to see them at their training to ask Angelina for the autographs, Addie, and they all gave them happily. See, they're all there: Aggie, Madeline, Christine, the O'Leary sisters, Angelina and Maureen. Even Alicia, Sheryl and Benita from the reserve team signed."

"I'm so happy! Thank you, Remus, that's a really great gift!"

Winky serves the breakfast, but Addie continues to open gifts. The next one is Minerva's. It's a small animated stuffed dog. Looks like a Scottie to me, a black one. A small tag on the dog's red collar says to start the animation needs a keyword, which is 'Run' and to still it, Addie has to say 'Quiet'.

"Run!" she says and the dog starts moving around, trotting in that typical Scotch terrier way, wagging the tail all the while and barking. Addie beams again.

"I love it. Can I come and say thank you to Auntie Minerva, please, Remus?"

"I think so. How about tonight for dinner? You can come to the Great Hall with us."

"I can? Thank you, Remus!"

Addie gets a book on fairies from Filius, a gardening kit from Pomona and a book about girls and their growth from Poppy. That one is a very nice book, from which she'll get a lot of valuable information about the growing up of a young witch. She shows it to me, and looking through the table of contents I see chapters treating her health, hobbies, menstruation and all that goes with it, boys, make-up, and even legal subjects. There's lots of stuff in there that we won't be able to tell her and I will thank Poppy personally for thinking of it. She shows it to Sirius, too. He reads over the chapter titles and his eyes start to show a mischievous glint.

"Of course Remus and I can tell you all about boys, Addie!" he says.

"Hm," I clear my throat.

He looks at me innocently. Then he grins.

"What? She'll need to know all about them soon enough! You don't want her to become a wallflower, now do you?"

I laugh.

"Paddy! I'm dead sure there's not the least bit of danger for that! She's lovely and she'll be beautiful. I rather expect she'll have to fend the boys off!"

"That's better than not being interesting, my dearest Moony. That will give her choices!"

I chuckle and point out that we're celebrating her eleventh birthday, not her fifteenth.

"In any case I think, the book is brilliant, Addie."

We only have time to eat a quick breakfast and then go to classes. I have the Slytherin and Hufflepuff fifth years in my first double lesson and then another double lesson with one of my favourite classes, the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw sixth years. We're going to practice some shield charms.

At the Great Hall, I tell Minerva:

"Addie wants to come and thank you for her gift. I said she could come to dinner tonight…"

"That's just fine, Remus. You know that your children are welcome here anytime."

"I know. We just don't want them to become over-privileged."

"I can see that. It will make their integration much easier when they come to school."

"That's it. We need to make a difference between Hogwarts as their home and their school. Is there anything you need me to do for you today?"

"No, nothing, except for anything unexpected, of course. But I know you'd handle that just fine. Because I will be out of the castle, I'm needed at the Ministry, as it seems. Amelia has asked to see me and I'll visit Elizabeth Montgomery while I'm there."

"So you'll be out all day?"

"Pretty much. I take the opportunity to go out and have an extended lunch with Elizabeth."

"Have fun then!"


	19. And yet more Memories part 1

In this chapter and the next there will be discussions about Black family affairs - I had this written long before the Black family tree was published on places like the Harry Potter Lexicon (a plug here for this site, it's my saviour whenever I write, because I'm looking up things there so often it's not even funny ), therefore some of the things I wrote do not correspond with the actual family tree as shown there. I had some names different and some relations. The biggest difference apart from the names is that Alphard is a younger brother of Sirius' father, not his mother's. And his father is the head of the house, not his mother.

Keep that in mind if you review and wish to point out that there are differences. I'm aware of them, but have taken the freedom to change some things to suit my needs.

A quick thank you for the reviewer **Bastet **- your review has made my day when I received it, thank you. Unfortunately, you didn't send it signed into , so I couldn't thank you directly. I'm very glad you like my descriptions; I try to bring over what I see in my mind's eye and if that works for at least some readers, I've reached an important goal!

* * *

**Chapter 19a – And Yet More Memories (part 1)**

**Sunnegg, Saturday, 18.12.1999 / Sirius**

Christmas break! We've arrived at the Sunnegg yesterday in the late afternoon, now we're enjoying the party Ginny and Hermione have set up for Addie's birthday. She has been allowed to choose the food, and after that, there's a huge birthday cake. Most of the gang are here, though Draco and Parvati are missing, because there's still so much to do at Dragon's Tales until the park can be opened in mid-April. The two are also overseeing the construction of their new house fairly close to the park. They plan to move there as soon as it's finished and furnished.

We haven't seen Harry and Hermione since Nevin was born. The little one is a cute baby. Both his parents seem to enjoy the free time from university they still have with him. They haven't gone back since he's been born, and will be starting again in mid-January. While they will be in lectures, Nevin will stay at the Diagon Alley day-care centre.

Right before we get to the cake, I get everyone's attention. When I have it, I turn to my sister.

"Addie, before we move to the cake, we'd like to give you another present. Remus and I thought it would be nice for you to have a godmother and a godfather, and have talked to everyone here. You get to choose them. Anyone here in the room apart from Remus or I is ready to become your godfather or godmother. I want to give you some time to think about whom you would like to choose, Addie; you don't have to give us your choices just yet. Unless you make them quickly of course. Would you like that?"

Addie looks at me, quite baffled, then she slowly starts to look at the people around the table. I think, she'll choose Ginny or Hermione for her godmother, but I have no idea who she likes best for her godfather.

"Any one of you?" she asks.

They all grin and confirm that. Addie gets up and walks around the table until she's next to Ginny.

"Ginny? Would you be my godmother?"

"Yes, Addie, I'd love to!" Ginny replies simply and pulls Addie into a hug.

"Thank you, Ginny. I really like to have you as my godmother."

"That's great! And I'll like to have you as my godchild."

And then I'm really astonished, because Addie walks straight to Justin and asks him:

"And will you be my godfather, Justin?"

"But of course, my little lady! I shall love to have you as my godchild!" he exclaims and hugs her, too.

Addie returns to me and whispers:

"Thank you for this gift, Sirius! That's a very nice one, even better than the broom!"

I have to grin. That means something; she already loves that broom, even before she's started to fly it. James grins, too, he has watched her itching fingers to go and try it out on her own. But that will be for later on. Now she gets to blow out candles on the first birthday cake she's ever had. Winky and Dobby have made it and it looks lovely, like a Quidditch pitch and the candles are eleven of the fourteen players. It's not easy to blow them out, even though there are only eleven candles, because like the players they fly around the pitch. But she manages and we tell her to wish for something as a reward.

I'm still amazed about her reaction to our gift. Until she met us, she's never had an idea of material values; her remark proves that she understands that there are valuable things that can't be measured in money. I love her even more for that.

And then there are all the gifts. I can see that the couples have given her presents together, which is a good idea. There are some lovely clothes, books, toys, games. She'll be busy through the break, that's for sure. I think that in just a week's time there will be loads more gifts. It's not really fun to have a birthday that close to Christmas.

All who come out to fly get dressed in warm clothes and so does Addie. Before we go out I'm casting warming charms over us and then she can finally grab her new broom. I take mine, the others take theirs and we all go outside. We cast a round of disillusion charms so no Muggles will see us flying. And then we give Addie her first flying lesson. One student, six or seven instructors, now there's a sight! But it's fun and she's a quick learner, here too, not only in the academic field. She's delighted to go up, but her broom is still quite slow and has a height barrier as well. One, which I can lift to a lot higher in the course of the day. I won't allow her above ten metres for the time being though. She'll only have that barrier taken away when she starts Hogwarts and Madam Hooch allows it.

It's a short, but a fun afternoon. The sun goes down just after four o'clock and we return inside to a 'Zvieri', as teatime is called here (AN: from the figure four, at which time it's usually consumed) of hot cocoa and more cake. The cocoa is warming us nicely as the heating charms have worn off a while ago and we're all pretty cold. We have some snow outside and it's very windy and generally ghastly.

After dinner, I finally get time to go and look at the cottage next to the farmhouse. Harry and Hermione have decorated it in warm colours, mostly soft beiges and browns, with some either autumn red or forest green fabrics and other colours. Their bedroom on the top floor looks lovely. It's nice and big, covering most of the floor. There's a new en-suite bathroom nestled into their master bedroom.

It looks great. A large tub, a classy looking double shower and a really lovely combination of a double sink and a futuristic looking loo. There's a full-length mirror on one side of the bathroom wall.

"It looks great!"

"It does, but I'm definitely glad this mirror can be cleaned with magic!" the ever practical Hermione comments.

They keep Nevin's cradle and his dresser up here for the time being. Hermione points at it and says:

"We've decided to keep Nevin in here as long as I'm nursing. It's hard enough to get up at night, but it's a lot easier to have him right there with us than to have to pad down to his room and up again and then down and up again to take him back there. This way we're much quicker. But we've noticed he needs changing at night, so we do that by candlelight. This way none of us wake up fully and everyone can usually go back to sleep easier."

"Sounds reasonable to me…" I say, "And that's why we kept the twins as close as we can. But now they're sleeping nicely."

"Nevin wakes us at least three to four times every night… I think we'll need a time-turner, just to go back and sleep enough."

"Don't be noisy, but don't be too quiet around him. He needs to learn to sleep properly, even with some noise. I think if he gets it too quiet he'll be in trouble once you give him a sibling. If he learns to sleep with some noise around he won't make trouble when you have to care for a new baby. The twins have learned to adjust in that regard. Even though we gave them their own room when the teething trouble got too much for us."

"Sounds quite reasonable. But that might give us a hard time until he is used to it. I'll keep it in mind though, thanks."

"One other thing we learned is that we want them to sleep during the night more than during the day, so when they're down during the day we don't take the same care on keeping any noise down as we do at night. They thank us by being more tired and sleeping better at night."

"Ah! Now there's something I hadn't thought of. It would be an easier start to get him used to more noise, too."

"I bet the day-care will be good for him in that regard."

* * *

**Seaview Manor, Friday, 24.12.1999 / James**

We've fled from the dreadful weather in Switzerland. For days, there's been nothing but rain and more rain, wind and altogether too warm temperatures. It's almost uncomfortably warm! We've brought the family, Sirius, Remus, the children, and even some of the pets over to Seaview Manor for the Christmas holiday. Harry and Hermione, who have settled in with little Nevin in the meantime, see the house for the first time. Sirius and Remus see it again for the first time in over twenty years! We've had a few renovations going on and now the house is top notch with all mod cons of the era. There's even a TV-room and having learned to like what computers can do we've installed a small network of them. A young Muggle-born wizard with respective knowledge that I met at the Diagon Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes outlet has helped us setting it up. I've now got used to all those little Muggle technologies at the Sunnegg and there's no way I'm going to pass up on these things here at Seaview Manor. I've definitely heard several portrait people snicker all over the place, mainly my parents.

Lily has already been here to oversee the decoration of the main reception rooms. The elves have done it the way it's been done for generations of Potters before and Lily has only watched over the whole procedures to familiarise herself with the family traditions. She's been quite a bit teary-eyed when she's come home from these sessions. For us it's been more the solstice than the Christian Christmas we've celebrated, but in the past few generations a mixture and both Yule and Christmas have found entrance to the traditions. For the moment, the living room with all the gifts is closed off and we assemble for the Christmas Eve dinner in the great dining room.

I've always been impressed with this room when I was a child. Especially around the time of festivals and feasts, it's been decorated magnificently. The Potters seem to have had a penchant for colourful celebrations throughout the ages, as most of the decorations have always been bright and cheery. Right now, we have all sorts of colours, red, yellow, green, and blue, for the table as well as the ornaments around the room. The cutlery is all gold plated, the dishes a crisp white, but the rest of the table complements a red tablecloth with colourful napkins and ornaments. The candles come in the same four basic colours. I can remember big Christmas parties with many guests when I was small. I think I'm going to start that again, too, but at first Lily and I have to start living in this house again or such a party would turn out shallow.

The crystal chandeliers have been electrified in the past two weeks. It's another part of the modernisation, together with a brand new kitchen full of top-notch Muggle appliances next to the magical ones. We only forewent the fridges, because no fridge can do what magical pantries can! While food in fridges holds for a while, food in a magical pantry stays completely fresh for as long as it's in there, because the pantry automatically puts it in stasis, which stops any altering through bacteria. But the kitchen now looks very warm and friendly with a new big round table in the middle and all lovely units around the walls.

Since we've come back here, old Dagobert has insisted one or two of the Potter elves should assist Dobby on the Sunnegg! Kind of told us that no Potters could or should be without at least one of their elves anywhere.

Anyway. We've celebrated the day before yesterday with the Sunnegg gang, now it's just the core family and our closest friends, but still, I'm quite happy when I look at the people assembled at the table. Lily and I sit in the middle of the long table, with Harry and Hermione on Lily's side and Andrew and Lizzie on my side. Sirius and Remus are on the other side opposite of us with their two children. Addie sits next to Seraina and as guests we have Minerva and Duncan as well as the Grangers, the Tonks family and Quintus Lupin. As it's Christmas Eve Nymphadora brought Charlie Weasley along, who seems to have become her steady partner now. She moans a little knowing that she has the Weasley clan's family Christmas awaiting her tomorrow. Methinks Ted keeps teasing her about it.

It's a wonderful party! The first of what I hope will become many, many parties that we'll have in this house. We talk about all things family, politics, Hogwarts, friends, sports... whatever comes to our minds. There's lots of bantering and even more laughter. Once we've eaten, slightly early because of the small children, we move on to the living room. The candles on the Christmas tree are alight, and compete with the glittering sparkle of the live fairies. There's light in the eyes of the children as well, as the reason why we celebrate the season is explained to them. For us it's not a religious thing. Granted, we do use the symbols and tradition, but in a way, I always see it more as a time at the end of a year to be spent with the nearest and dearest. I'm sure this circle will expand in the coming years, as we make more close friends. For the moment, and mostly due to our living in another country, it's been the beginnings of friendships upon which we intend to build.

* * *

**Harry**

I've never even known we've got an ancestral home! It was slightly overwhelming when Dad took Hermione and I on our first stroll through the house. It's also slightly vexing that Dad and Mum never even lost a word on it until now. Though I'm beginning to understand that it simply didn't mean that much to Dad, because he hasn't lived in it long enough to understand its significance, especially once my grandparents had died. I'm familiarising myself with the family legacy now, but I find it rather disconcerting to find these things out only now that I'm an adult. I should have been brought up with all this knowledge. Mum understands my feelings, it's still a lot for her to take in as well; she didn't have much time with my grandparents to learn about these things. Luckily, we have Dagobert. He's wonderful and even Hermione enjoys his lectures and what he tells us about the history of the Potters. He knows an awful lot more than Dad does, that's for sure. Dad in his nonchalant ways just waves it off and says that he never really cared about it all.

Hermione and I were almost taken aback at the suite we now call our own. There is a walk-in wardrobe that is already almost twice the size of my room at the Dursleys' house! The brand spanking new bathroom is half the size of the huge bedroom with a tub that's sunk into the floor and is big enough for the whole family. I think I will be able to swim in it! There's a beautiful double shower and a 'his and hers' sink and a toilet. The whole bathroom suite is white enamel with gold plated armatures. Fire red terry cloth towels are placed in gold plated holders throughout the bathroom and even the mirrors have that slight golden sheen on them. Oh, and while the bathroom impresses like a more modern Muggle installation the mirrors are definitely magical, because they talk! Not the usual foul-mouthed or haughty kind that we get at Hogwarts, granted, but they still leave their comments about what they think we should look like.

Finally, the bedroom itself holds a four-poster that's at least good for four people! It's definitely antique! Not a low bed, but on the contrary a high one that you almost need to reach with a footstool or something. Hermione's just about managed to sit on it with the tips of her tows just barely reaching the floor. The bed itself is beech wood, carefully carved, painted in ivory and gilded, with a heavy dark blue velvet canopy, from which the lighter damask curtains are hung. I'm happy to note that on the bed there are a few modern dawn duvets and pillows, all with beautiful covers, fitting the main colour scheme of the room: blue, ivory and gold.

There's an ornate crib placed on the foot end of the big bed, which looks like it's held generations of Potter babies! Mum's told me that I've been in there for the first ten or eleven months of my life before it's been brought back to the manor. It seems only right that it should now hold my eldest son for his baby time.

Other than the bed there are a few fitting pieces of furniture, a small writing desk between two of the three grand windows and a group of antique chairs around a round table in front of the third window. There are a few dressers and of course the fitting nightstands.

In short – I love the room! I think Hermione does, too. We've slept fantastically well in that bed and getting up in the morning is going to be a drag, because we don't want to leave this bed! But Dad is waiting to show us around the whole house, which is rather a small castle than just a house. In fact, there are smaller houses than this in Switzerland that are called a castle!

The house consists of a main part in the centre and two slightly slimmer wings out on both sides, one continues as an extension of the main house, the other on the right end is bent to the back of the house at a right angle. The main part contains all the state reception rooms on the ground floor, the library and less formal drawing rooms on the first and the state bedroom suites on the second floor. The wings have all the other bedrooms and some specialised rooms like the ballroom on the ground floor of the bent wing. The side points to the garden and the ballroom is in a wonderful position with tall windows and a number of doors leading outside to a patio and then the gardens beyond.

Of course, Hermione has pouted at first that there is a whole slew of house-elves on the premises. But she's soon noticed that these elves have a certain countenance and self-esteem that others outside of Hogwarts usually lack, in any case the ones who are treated the way the Malfoys treated theirs. Ours are not only proud to belong to the Potters, they speak up when they think they should do so and do not punish themselves! Once again it becomes clear what kind of a travesty the Malfoy approach to life in general was.

Not that we're spending that many thoughts about these things! We're learning to know the ways in the house and also take a short trip outside. For that, we also take Nevin along. My son is very well behaved when we go outside with him. He feels the pram, sucks on his pacifier and off we go, him asleep in seconds flat! What a sweet little boy! But the moment we step back inside and he feels the warmth he wakes up and loudly demands Mummy's milk bar. We're just right for tea, so we join the rest of the family at the living room next to the library and Hermione lets the little one suckle. It's great to see her and Mum together! They are the best of friends, which astonishes no one, as they've already all told me ages ago that Hermione reminds them strongly of my mother.

Once he's eaten his fill, it's Daddy time for my son. I pick him up from Hermione and keep him on my arms until he goes back to sleep. I'm really glad that I've had the opportunity to get baby trained with my small siblings and half siblings. They're very interested in the baby, especially Seraina who still stares at Nevin in wonder. I can't wait for my godchild to grow up a little more so we can do more things together and more comes back from her. She's such a sweet little one. Quintus keeps telling Remus that she's exactly as he was at her age. And looks quite longingly at the small children.

Actually, Quintus is great with children. He's got a very soft way of treating them and Lizzie and the triplets love him as much as Addie loves him. In his care, they all feel safe and sound and well loved. I so hope that we'll still find his wife, she must have been a grand lady, Remus and Quintus both reminisce about her occasionally and even Sirius often remarks how nice she was.

Minerva's husband Duncan is fun to be around, too. Where she's all clipped elegance and perfected correctness he's quite bold and I've yet to see him with a face bereft of a laugh or at least a smile. I don't think he does any other program than being in a good mood. Like all of us he's been giddy ever since he's come back to find out that there were peaceful times to enjoy and he makes full use of these circumstances! Nothing like 'Carpe Diem' I guess, and that as long as it's possible to do. Makes me smile every time I even think of it.

Before dinner time rolls along we are playing some games together while others just sit and enjoy a book or a chat. The floor of the big room is already littered with the children's toys, but before we go down to eat we engage Lizzie and Addie, who are already old enough to help to clean up again. Of course, we're helping them, but they have to learn to clean up after themselves.

I have seen what clearing every single little grain of sand from a child's path does to a child, and we don't want to see our children this spoilt. The last I've heard from my cousin is that he was expelled from Smeltings and Vernon had to pay a hefty sum to place him in another school. He barely passed his GCSEs and I doubt he did very well on his O-levels. Not something I wish for my children. We will guide them softly, but firmly. In my opinion and limited experience they need at least some barriers and hurdles, otherwise they won't learn how to climb them.

At dinner, I listen in to some bantering between the Marauders and Minerva that starts after I've asked her why it was that in Gryffindor tower the girls could enter the boys' dorms, but the boys were locked out of the girls'.

"The idea was probably that at this age the female of the species is generally better behaved and more reasonable than the male, Harry," she replies with a smile.

Upon which Sirius throws a glance over to my Mum and shoots back:

"Hm. More reasonable may be, but not any less randy and hormonal than the teenage males, Minerva. There was a certain head girl of my acquaintance who wouldn't hesitate to hop in her boyfriend's bed. Silencing spells and velvet curtains on the bed will be very helpful to keep out nosy others... she claimed that what the two of us could do she could do just as easily."

"Oh! The first name of that head girl wouldn't have started with an 'L' and ended with a 'Y', would it?"

"Not sure about that, but the two letters in the middle were an 'I' and an 'L'..." Remus says and grins.

Everyone at the table laughs while Mum blushes.

"The sins of the youth... seem to bite us firmly in the backside, James," she says.

"Who cares, Lils? We've had our fun and I for one I'm glad about that, because we didn't have exactly much time together before... besides, I do think this thing is a bit old..."

"That may be, but it's in the magic of the castle, James. Nothing I can do about it," Minerva claims.

"Personally I think it's not so bad. Demands some creative evasion plans from young couples," Duncan throws in. "They've been able to find them at all times since this school has been started, I'm quite sure."

"I agree. Besides, those who are a bit clever know that the staircase only recognises boys when they actually step on them. No one is stopped from flying up," Dad offers, smiling.

Now Minerva sputters:

"Only the rules! Flying is strictly forbidden inside of the castle! It would only be for emergencies that I'd not persecute anyone caught!"

"Good that you won't do it retrospectively then, eh?" Dad replies, and grins. Probably, because he's drawn a bit of the old Minerva out.

"And even better that she's never caught us," Sirius whispers.

More laughter erupts all around the table.

I think it might be time to return to our home permanently. I know we've only just moved into the smaller house, but this should be our home. If I wasn't able to grow up here, at least it should be granted to my siblings and my children. As long as I live in Switzerland, my parents will do so as well. Dad has loads of responsibilities here and shouldn't have to apparate from so far away for each of his engagements. As much as it pains us we'll return to the Sunnegg more for vacations from now on.

* * *

**Saturday, 25.12.1999 / Lily**

It's time to move back here. We have to re-establish the Potter family here in the UK. After all, it's a very, very old family and has always had its place in the magical community, and it deserves to receive the prominence back it once held. That will probably be more James' part than Harry's, but our son won't mind to take his place behind his father's back, he hates the attention he gathers anyway. Hermione tells me that he's never liked the fame he has. She knows it's mostly due to the way he's been brought up, but it's now deeply ingrained inside of him and we won't force anything. That's probably where Harry is more like me than his father. James loves nothing as much as being the centre of everyone's attention. I think the constellation couldn't be better for a good father-son relationship, if Harry is no concurrence to James whatsoever. They're now very close in age, and they will probably live very long lives; Harry will be glad not to have to take over too many family responsibilities and instead take care of his own family. He has opened up a great deal in these past four years and he'll continue to get better. We have quickly gathered that he'll be a very dedicated family man! He never minds to look after the children and blooms when he plays with them. Who knows, maybe Nevin will be the next after James to represent the Potters to the outside world.

We celebrate the traditional Yule with presents under the tree in the morning and a big Christmas dinner. It's open to all of our friends from the Sunnegg who want to take part and bring guests, as we've planned it buffet style, everyone just picks from the offerings on the huge table. It looks like a Swedish Smörgåsbord with all the foods that fit the season as well as some lovely specialities from all over the place. There's a breakfast section with the traditional British fry-ups, there's bread, butter, jam, honey and cheese for the more Swiss type of breakfast foods, followed later on with lovely dishes in a large variety as the feast draws out well into the afternoon and evening.

Many of our English friends turn up in the course of the day, spontaneously invited via owl post. Looking over the many people that grace our halls I see exactly the kind of picture I imagined seeing in the future. These rooms have been built for this exact purpose and they should see many more such feasts in future!

It's nice to see some of Harry's former schoolmates from Hogwarts. Among others, Susan Bones has brought around her parents and there are some more of our friends from the Order who have returned from the dead.

At four o'clock in the afternoon Dorcas turns up. She's actually still at St. Mungo's, where I've visited her regularly. I'm happy to see that she starts coming out of the hospital now. She isn't fully restored, but she does look a lot better than when we first brought her in. I hug her tenderly and greet her.

"It's great to see you, Dorcas! Come on over, here's food and there's company. How are things looking up for you now? Can you leave the hospital?"

"Yes, if I want to I can leave it. Medically I'm fully restored. My problem persists in the head more likely, they've given me a clean bill of health. I just don't really know what to do now. You remember that I used to work for the Daily Prophet, but once I've looked at two or three issues I knew that this is not the newspaper, for which I would like to work again."

"No wonder. It's a bloody rag! Why don't you talk to Peter and Marlene? They're over there... and until you've found a place you can always stay here with us."

"That's sweet of you, Lily! You know that I have not family left at all. I gladly take you up on your offer if James doesn't mind."

"Oh, I'm sure he doesn't mind. And even if he did mind he won't be allowed to mind, sweetheart."

I lead a laughing Dorcas over to Peter and Marlene.

We're all sitting around stuffed to the hilt with the gorgeous foods. None of us moves for what seems like hours, but we have a lot of fun nevertheless. Sirius and James play the prats for the kids who keep giggling like fools. I look through the many tall windows out to the park and already look forward to summer, when our little ones can invade the garden and play outside to their hearts' content. As I'm sitting near to the fireplace, I suddenly hear the soft voice of my mother-in-law from her portrait:

"Ever since I've come to this house there was never even one party as happy as this one, Lily, I hope to Merlin that this is only the first of many more. At your first appearance here the two of you have brought back laughter and merriment, and I'm looking forward to watching over many more feasts like this one!"

"Thank you, Dorea. There will be many more, I assure you! Have you seen how James has bloomed? He's the heart and soul of the party again, as he was back at Hogwarts. It's his life!"

"Yes, that's true, it's entirely him. He only really feels good amongst a big bunch of people. But Harry's completely different, isn't he?"

"No wonder. He's been drilled for ten years to be unseen like a house-elf. Not something he could easily overcome, I would expect. But I do have the impression that he wisely stays out of being competition to James. He's happy to vanish in the crowds around James. As Dumbledore knew how much Harry despises his fame he's allowed him to shrink back into anonymity by pulling all the attention on himself when they finished off Voldemort. Albus doesn't mind being known by everyone so it wasn't exactly a sacrifice on his part," I reply with a grin.

"Very good. That serves everyone's ego."

"Exactly. And it was good, too, that he got together with Hermione so quickly and thoroughly, because it prevented the teen magazines to exploit his fame and feed the hope for little girls to angle the Potter heir one day. He has his Hermione and she's everything he needs. At some point, they'll be ready to come out, grow into their own and make their own history. James already knows that if he needs something he can always ask Hermione. He knows that either she knows straight out or she knows where she can look it up. That's what she studies at the moment, anyway."

"I thought she's studying the law? Don't they have to learn the laws by heart?" Dorea asks with a frown.

I laugh.

"Yes, she does. But that means that for the most part she has to know where in the books she finds what she needs. They don't learn too many paragraphs by heart. But they still suffer, because our body of laws is much more complex and nowhere near as well structured and logical as the one of the Muggles. James and Hermione get along with each other perfectly well. While she used to be a terrible stickler for all things rules, she's softened in the past five years. Minerva told me that she liked her from the start, but that she liked her even more when she stopped reminding Harry and Ron of the rules at every step and correcting them for every other word. She prefers people with a backbone after all, even while she herself watches the rules strictly."

Now Charlus speaks up and tells me with a grin:

"I knew a very different Minerva, believe me, Lily. I was still a tiny, easy to impress young Gryffindor when I met her. She was a prefect at school. Dear me, one had to wonder how she ever managed to become a prefect at all seeing what kind of pranks she used to pull in her time. So whenever I received a letter telling me about James' latest prank or misbehaviour I used to remember vividly her own tricks and pranks and dismissed the complaint. I always knew he'd turn out well one day. As she did in her days, he brought home exceptionally good marks and that told me that he took his studies as seriously as his fun. And that's what Hogwarts is all about after all, it's giving the children a chance to study, have fun, be a child and grow up. Children who know the difference between the two and understand the importance of both elements are the ones who will turn out the best in life. They become healthy, mature adults with a sense of humour. The others usually become grumpy old people."

"It took me a long time to understand, Charlus," I admit.

"True. But you learned in the right time for you. It's the same with Hermione. She was probably only too grown up for Hogwarts. The two boys gave her back some of her childhood. That's why she's a well-rounded young woman now. I'd bet that she'll be a wonderful young mother as well."

"Still a bit anxious, but I suppose that's what we all are with our first baby. She'll learn to distance herself when distance will be needed. Who knows what I would have done wrong if I had been the one to bring Harry up. Now I don't have any big problems when I have to decide how strict I have to be. Lizzie already knows exactly in what areas I'll stick to the rules and where I'm more lenient. The triplets know that, too."

"Exactly. Just as it should be, my dear child," Charlus says kindly. "You're happy, aren't you?"

"Exceedingly happy, Charlus! I can't even tell you how much, but there are moments when I just silently cry tears of happiness. James thought it peculiar at the beginning, but he understands now."

"If there is ever someone who deserves all this happiness it's you, my sweet child. You will be the magnet that draws your dear ones home to this place for many years to come. The Potters couldn't have asked for a better daughter-in-law than you, you have a heart, mind, courage, passion and you love, Lily. I can't imagine a better kind of personality than this."

I almost blush under my father-in-law's praise. He's just described my most beautiful traits, but I'm sure I do have a few less nice ones. I do believe these are my dominant traits though. In any case, as I think about the Potter family I'm convinced that there were other such nice personalities in the family history. Charlus pulls me from my musings once more, saying:

"The Potters have traditionally been a lucky family, Lily. Yes, there was this bad string, because a mass murderer brought us to near extinction, but seen over the centuries all Potter men and women have had a special sense to find the right partners to their sides. There's nothing more important than that. We have also passed this sense on to our successive generations and we all know about it. It may seem arrogant at the beginning, but the perseverance leads to the right goal. Once welcomed into the family all partners immediately understand, even the ones who withstood for a while or even a long time like you. Believe me that such resistance makes the conquest doubly precious. But that's also why we are such a solid family. Because we do believe in the quality of our partners, and not their 'right' blood. We want to live together not just in the same house. Just like all dark families, even many other light families have never understood that, and look at their genetic health these days!"

I nod. He's very right; I mistook James' then rather plump courtship for arrogance. I admit that I suspected he'd let me down once I gave in. But I think that I understood after even the first few kisses. I certainly understood how he worked when he had eyes only for me, but at the same time, he never guarded me jealously. He just became very, very tender and even to this day he leaves me complete freedom. And his courting never let up; there isn't a day when he doesn't do or say something that lets me believe in his love absolutely. As I can rely on his love I give it back to him in kind, which has let us become an ideal couple in love and in marriage. I've certainly stopped worrying about our future a long time ago.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the party, I even find an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with the portraits of my beloved parents-in-law. I'm so happy I sigh.

* * *

**Sunnegg - Sunday, 26.12.1999 / Justin**

Since I've been on duty over the holidays, I've returned to the Sunnegg every night. Now that it's Ron's turn to work for several days, we'll mostly stay here and when he's off, I try to get a few times on the ski slopes.

I wake up to more wind. The weather has been consistently bad during the past week, we've been inside most of the time, much to Addie's dismay, who would have loved to go and fly some more. I hope, it's better over in the UK now, but I'm not holding out for that. It has been extremely windy, much too warm and it rained continuously for the whole week, both here and in England. I have been on duty on three days including Christmas day, but now I'm off for six days. Ron will have to work today, tomorrow and then two more days next week. But we will get some time off together. He's got to be at Auror headquarters at nine, so the alarm goes off and the radio starts at just before seven. We catch the weather report:

"…and finally there's a warning for very strong winds today, which are expected to reach top speeds of one hundred to one hundred and forty kilometres per hour, especially in the alps and on the edge of the alps. There will be more rain throughout the country; the highest amounts are expected in the east, while the western part will probably be mostly dry…"

I tune it out and turn to Ron, who's half-awake and says:

"Morning, Justin!"

"Morning, love. That sounds like nasty weather around here…"

"Doesn't say any nicer things for Britain. Margaret said she's heartily sick of the rain by now."

"I can understand her, because I know the feeling, I've got it, too. If this goes on I'm going to rust."

We kiss and enjoy our usual morning quickie, and then we both get up and shower.

"You don't need to get up, Justin! You can sleep in, remember!" Ron says.

"I can just as well get up now. Otherwise, I'll be wide awake when you are sleepy tonight. If it's dry, I might apparate over to Draco's for some skiing. See if there is any snow."

* * *

**Seaview Manor / Sirius**

What a great Christmas we've had. It's been so long since I've been here with James and while Auntie Dorea's absence still hurts a lot I'm just glad I'm back and with James and Lily.

The triplets are still crawling a lot, but now they do start to run around and do a lot more on two feet. We have to keep things up high, but then Denny often floats them away from their spot. So we constantly use summoning charms for scissors or quills. Seraina hasn't shown her first signs of magic yet and we're both very glad for it. It's hard to tell Denny to stop it, but we do. Kindly and patiently, repeatedly. It's pretty tedious, but it's difficult for him to understand why he can do the magic, but isn't allowed to do it yet. Which is why we're not angry with him, but we still have to tell him off, because he could be a danger to himself. To be honest, his power is frightening. I'm sure it's Lily's fresh blood that makes the difference. The Blacks used to be a very powerful magical family, but the strict inbreeding of the past two centuries have started to show effects in the past three generations, worst in my mother who was all mouth and very little magic. The first time some fresh blood is entered into the mix and now we have this child that starts to do magic at only a year old. The genetics at play are simply amazing!

There's a scary lot of wind today. Just around lunch, the wind blows a lot of stuff around and we are looking outside with a bit of worry. Remus turns on the radio and we keep hearing information about the storm called 'Lothar', which races across Europe with speeds of over a hundred and forty kilometres per hour. The news is full about the damage it's done already and keeps doing. We are anxious that it might hit our forest near the Sunnegg, and Justin tells us on the Commumirror that there's a scary amount of noise and that he's sure some of the trees there have gone down just as they do in France and Germany, the other two countries mostly hit by now. We're sure that our huge glass windows and doors of the living room are still unbreakable though.

The storm is still going on strongly as we return to the Sunnegg in the late afternoon of Boxing Day.

Seraina gets scared of the noise from the wind and comes crawling to me. I pick her up and hold her on my lap to sooth her.

"Daddy! Loud!" she cries.

"I know, love, that's the wind. It will blow over after a while. Want to go and take your nap with me?"

She nods.

"Okay. Let's go then!"

I'm taking her up to my bedroom, change her nappy and take off most of my clothes, then I let her crawl under our duvets and follow her. I don't mind to sleep for a bit, so she cuddles close and both of us go to sleep.

* * *

**Remus**

This is one hell of a storm. I don't think I have ever seen anything like this here in Switzerland. Though there are often strong winds, especially in spring, when the 'Föhn' melts the snow, but like this? It's getting really scary. Sirius has taken Seraina up to our bedroom for her afternoon nap. I'm grabbing Denny and take him up to his room, change his nappy and remove some of the outer clothes.

"Ready to sleep, sweetheart?" I ask him.

He nods. But as soon as I put him into his cot, he cries. I close the curtains and close the door, so it's quite dark, and then I take Denny on my lap on the rocking chair, slowly rock and hum in a low voice. It takes a few minutes until he falls asleep. Only when I'm sure he's deeply asleep can I put him into his cot. Then I quietly leave.

* * *

**Monday, 27.12.1999 / Hermione**

It's quiet this morning, the wind has finally ceased over the past night. But the news reports today are full of the damage 'Lothar' has caused. In the canton of Berne roughly a third of the trees in the forests are down. The costs for the clearance will be in the millions and probably take years. A couple of people died, mostly hit by falling trees. A couple of stretches on the highways had to be closed, again mostly due to fallen trees. Tons of shingles that have been thrown off the roofs, some roofs are completely gone; greenhouses have been smashed by the dozen. And that's only the local bit.

Harry and Sirius take a broom flight over our forest and find that it has mostly withstood, but there are a couple of cracked and fallen trees, here, too. They fix it with a lot of Reparo spells.

Half of Europe has suffered from this storm. In the beautiful park of Versailles, where the fire of 1991 has already wreaked havoc they have counted about ten thousand uprooted or cracked trees. Many of those trees had been planted at the end of the seventeenth century! What a loss. Luckily, not many human lives were claimed. Damage on things is sad, but reparable, but lost lives…

I'm holding my baby tightly while I wait for Harry and Sirius to return. Nevin has been very restless yesterday, I'm quite sure he feels the weather a lot. It's like there's electricity in the air, my hair was even frizzier these days than it usually is. The storm seems to have reached its climax yesterday; it's considerably calmer today.

"Hopefully this is over now, love," I mutter, while I carry Nevin around.

He's hungry, but it isn't time yet. He has to be patient for just another ten minutes. So I walk around the big living room with him until it's time. I need to get him on a predictable rhythm if I can, so I will be able to go and feed him between lectures. I won't mind to miss lectures though, Harry records them anyway and I can read them later.

Finally, I can sit down somewhere and feed Nevin. It's still an amazing feeling and I'm still getting used to be his source of food, but he has done very well indeed. I have to help him to grab the nipple properly, but that will soon be a thing of the past I'm sure. Harry is fascinated watching me feeding our son.

"Food, glorious food… you seem to like that, love," I whisper.

His tiny hand rests on my chest and he works hard on the nipple. It's such a big job for such a tiny person. But his eyes are closed and he suckles and sighs happily in between some of his sips. I'm told that with the first few sips he gets most of what he needs already, the rest is just extra and cuddling. In any case, the milk is a bit more fluid in the beginning, probably to still his thirst before his hunger and then he gets the more nourishing bit.

Once Nevin is fed Harry is there to take him on his arms. It's great to see him so involved. Harry beams every time he sees Nevin from far. His green eyes sparkle. Nevin's eyes will be the same green, but I think he'll have his grandmother's red hair. There isn't much hair yet and it's dark, but I'm quite sure that's going to vanish. There are already some fresh strands growing and those seem to be reddish. James hopes that this means he's spared the wild growth on his and Harry's head. We'll see… Harry's and my wild hair combined can actually only spell hair trouble for any of our children. I'm sure there are worse things.

* * *

**Saturday, 1.1.2000 / Remus**

"It's high time to go to bed or we will be dead when the twins demand to get up in the morning," Sirius whispers into my ear.

Oh yes. It's half past one and we need to sleep or… the party is still going on, Harry and Hermione of course have left a while ago as they have an even harder time with lack of sleep than we do if they don't go early. So we wish everyone a good night and join James and Lily to go upstairs to get our minimum amount of sleep.

Only to be woken by a happily babbling Seraina who calls us from her room a few short hours later. It's time to get up. I sleepily open my eyes and listen to my daughter who hums and sings and calls:

"Papa! Papa! Saina up!"

"She's calling you, love!" Sirius says with a smirk.

I glare at my lover, but I swing my legs out of my bed and go over to find Seraina standing at the railing of her cot, grinning from ear to ear and stretching out her arms. She has dropped everything the moment she's seen me come in.

"Good morning, my little sunshine. You certainly are ready for the new year, aren't you?" I greet her and lift her out of her bed. Then I take off the sleeping bag and change her, wash her quite thoroughly, too, as she doesn't smell like roses, then I get her dressed. I take her over to our bedroom and lift her on the bed, where she starts to crawl all over her Daddy. Serves you right for making fun of me, love!

Sirius groans, but he sits up and hugs her.

"Hey, little one! Have you slept well?" he asks her.

We listen to her sounding like a twittering bird and have to grin. She really starts to talk now. In that regard, Denny is far behind her. They're so different, these two. Denny is better with his magic and he moves better than Seraina, she's doing better in her overall development and her speech. I slip back under the duvet for a while. As long as Seraina's happy just to be with us on the bed, we're going to stay put. I love the cuddling time anyway. It's when my little girl is closest to us. She loves the cuddling time, too, playing peek-a-boo with her Daddy.

When it's Denny's turn to wake up it becomes Siri's turn to get up. I yawn and get up, too, pull on my bathrobe and pick up the clothes I want to wear today, and then I take Seraina on my other arm and head down to the bathroom. I get dressed, while Dobby watches Seraina, then it's time for breakfast and after breakfast, it's time for the children to get their teeth brushed, a procedure, which both of them like just a little better than washing their hair.

Addie comes downstairs, too. She sleeps in a little longer now and comes down in her pyjama with one of her stuffed animals in her arm. Every day she's more like any normal eleven-year-old child, not like that near zombie she was when we found her. She's still a bit sleepy and wishes us all a good morning, before dropping her stuffed animal and sitting on her place. Even while Winky puts a plate with her breakfast in front of her, she still yawns. I grin. She doesn't even have an idea how much she reminds me of Sirius when we had just met at Hogwarts. He used to be up and bright early in the morning, but the yawning started around the time he got to the breakfast table.

"Good morning, Addie. And happy New Year!" I say.

"The weather is a bit better today, love, we can go flying again," Sirius promises.

"Oh yes! I'll get warm clothes on then! When do we go out?" asks Addie, very awake all of a sudden.

"Either before or just after lunch…" Sirius suggests.

"Anything… just soon!" Addie says.

We decide to go after some of the young people show up for breakfast, so we have someone to look after the twins. I'm going along, but after half an hour, I return inside. It's colder now and I prefer the warmth of the huge fire in the living room fireplace and watching the little ones to flying around in that ghastly weather. I'm sitting down on a sofa in front of the fireplace and pick up my book, but as soon as I've started reading, I am assaulted by my son who wants to play. I pull him up on my lap and he starts to tell me a complicated story of a ball, but I don't quite understand what happened to that ball. But I do get it that he means one of the billiard balls.

The gang has bought a Snooker table for the living room for their Christmas present to each other and us. Thanks to the blessing of cable TV, we have all discovered or re-discovered the fun of Snooker in the past few years and watching endless hours of matches has made the game a favoured sport for most of us, even Draco, who's so far firmly preferred all winter sports. Consequently, Harry and Draco have ordered a full-size Snooker table for our living room. It sits proudly in the centre and is a proof for the size of the room, as it still only takes a small part of the room.

Blaise, Padma, Parvati and Harry are currently trying their hand at finding good angles and getting the balls down. A cue-rack has been mounted on the wall underneath the stairs and next to it is a blackboard where they note their points. Hours of watching Snooker on the telly have given them a bit of an eye for it, but now they're trying their hands at getting the right speeds or spins on the balls, which is a lot more difficult. Blaise has Seraina on his arm who watches for a while how her godfather fares.

Dennis points over to the table in his tale about the ball. I get up with him and go over to try and find out what has impressed him so much he made such a lengthy story out of it. Padma grins and says:

"I managed to actually shoot one over the edge of the table! I've still got two left hands here… I can see very well which ball I want to take on, but…"

I grin. Yes, that 'but' causes quite a lot of problems, sometimes even to the best players.

"Are you actually playing a match?" I ask.

"Not really. We're still figuring out the best moves and so. We try to work through positions and situations to find out the best way of going about them, and learn the shots," Blaise explains.

I watch them for a while, Denny on my arm. After we left Hogwarts Sirius and I had spent a lot of time playing Snooker in pubs. I still love the game a lot.

Harry has managed to pot two reds, a pink and a blue, probably with more luck than skill, and now he's split up the reds in all directions with a shot that's definitely been too strong. The blue is down though and he looks at the table to find the best red to go on. The cue ball is close to the side cushion. There are several reds close by, but none he could pot. The only option is one ball planted on the side cushion about forty or so centimetres away from the pocket. Harry sees it and sighs.

"Well, there's nothing for it, I have to try that one…" he says and prepares to lean over the table.

He's right handed, so he has a chance if he gets the right spin and angle. The red ball bounces off the head cushion, kisses the other side again and stays on the side cushion again, directly in front of the pocket, but the cue ball has spun back a little and is behind another red.

Parvati is next in line.

"You can try a plant with that red there… should be working since the red is an inch away from the pot, Parvati," I suggest.

"Well, I could try, but knowing my skills so far I won't be very successful," she says with a grin.

She doesn't have any other option but to play safe, so she takes it on and actually manages to pot the red. The other red ball spins back and gives the cue ball a double kiss, and now she's snookered behind it for the coloured ball.

"Duuuh…"

Dennis looks a bit bored and wants back down on the floor. He goes over to the corner where the toys are all stored and picks up something to play. I keep watching the gang and after the table has been cleared, they decide to have a match.

"Do you play along, Remus?" Padma asks.

"Well, I haven't played in almost twenty years, but yes, why not?"

I pick up a cue and we decide who will start. It's to go over three frames only, because we'll certainly need a lot of time. And to give everyone the opportunity to play we will change from one pair to the next after each frame.

"We could use a sixth player…" Blaise muses.

Ginny and Ernie sit at the table playing chess, but Morag is there and offers to play, too.

"Good, then it's Remus playing Blaise, myself playing Harry, and Parvati playing Morag, okay?" Padma asks.

We agree and she notes the pairings down. While two of us play, a third one counts the points and someone else notes them on the board. We spin a coin to find out who opens the first frame. It hits me, so I pick up the cue ball and put it to the right of the brown ball. I aim for the outermost red in the triangle of red balls and catch it lightly. I even manage to bring the cue ball back down to the D where it lands just off the cushion. Blaise doesn't look happy at all.

"You opened like a pro, Moony!" he moans.

"Pure luck, Blaise…" I object.

"Well, there's nothing for it…"

"Play safe, there's nothing on, but the red has gone out far enough to play safe," Parvati suggests.

Blaise nods and he hits the red, but the cue ball splits a couple of the other reds and brings the black out of commission. That's going to be rather difficult. After about three exchanges between us, I can finally get a go at one of the reds with a chance of coming back on the pink. I try to get the best angle to move on. Red is down in the left corner pocket and I get the cue ball with a bit of an angle on the pink, so that I can possibly reach the next red.

"One," Padma counts.

"I'm going to take the pink to the right middle pocket and hope that the cue ball spins right back to take on that red to the left corner pocket," I explain.

I aim carefully after I've decided on the angle and now it's for the right speed. I manage to get the pink down and even get a fairly good chance at the next red.

"Seven," Padma counts.

I look at the balls and figure that I could free the black if the white gets the right angle. But my red kisses the cushion and stays safely out of the pocket, while the cue ball misses the black by a few centimetres.

"That's seven for Remus, Harry…" Padma says.

Harry notes that down.

Blaise tries to get my red, hits it, but the shot has been too strong and the ball doesn't go down. I can then pot it, get the black free and manage to take two more reds with the black. But the third time I'm attempting to get the black down I miss the pocket.

Blaise can finally score a few points by hitting the pocket with two reds and two blacks before he misses the next red. The frame takes for a while and I win it with a twenty-point margin. Blaise grins and declares:

"You've had a bit more practice, I guess…"

"I did. And I'm just finding out that some of it isn't lost. But you're doing quite well. Being used to pointing with a wand only helps here, I think."

Harry and Padma take the next frame, which Padma wins, and then Parvati plays Morag. They're still at it when Sirius, Addie and Justin come back inside, all three rather hungry and cold. They all hurry to get changed, as it's almost time for lunch. Morag and Parvati join us, leaving the frame shortly before its end. Morag leads, but not by much.

We're sitting down to lunch and after that, we continue our matches. It's really fun and I think we all learn a lot. Every time a "foul and a miss" is called we're happy that unlike the Muggles we can just restore the game as it was magically. I'm winning the tournament, but they are only just learning so I'm feeling a bit like 'robbing the cradle'. Sirius watches us, amused and Addie thinks the game is 'way' cool.

I have to say that I'm having a lot of fun rediscovering my lost skills. I never played once Sirius had been locked away. Like everything we had shared before I would have given it up because it all reminded me too much of Sirius. But now...

"I think, we might set up a table at Seaview Manor as well... there is a billiard room available after all, we just have to put a real Snooker table in there," James comments.

* * *

**Sunday, 2.1.2000 / Sirius**

I'm waking my lover with a slow kiss. His eyes flutter open and he tries to focus while I trail down his throat with my tongue, taking my time until I land where I find his heavy cock, already hard with his usual morning erection. I nibble it for a bit and hear his hoarse moans, still very sleepy, but already hot for the pleasure I'm giving him. I pull the foreskin back and wrap my mouth around the head, covering my teeth and sucking him inside.

"Aaah, oh yes!" he hisses.

Merlin, I love to hear him this way. I continue to go down on him, take him in almost fully. It's impossible to reach down completely; he's too thick for me to take so deep down into my throat. But I'm sucking him hard and because he's not as alert as he usually is, he's coming fast. With a cry, he lets go, and I swallow the semen that spurts out and slowly pull back.

"Good morning, love," I say softly.

"You've just left me a puddle of mud…" he complains, "How can I possibly get up now?"

I grin. Then I apparate right next to the bed, push the duvet away completely and carefully pull his legs over to drop them on the ground, then I declare:

"Like so…"

He makes a show of being unable to lift himself, so I pull him into a sitting position, but as soon as I let go he falls back on the bed.

"Nope," he says.

I'm taking his hands again and start to pull. Only to feel him pulling me down on him. I almost fall down, but somehow he gets us both back on the bed, me on top of him.

"Thought you were nothing but a puddle of mud?" I ask.

"'Course I am… you know what happens to people who step into a swamp, don't you?"

"They tend to sink in…"

"Precisely. Sink!"

He rolls me around on the bed and I feel him on top of me, slightly grinning. Then he kisses me on the tip of my nose. Then on my lips. Then he deepens the kiss and I'm sinking into that swamp fast. I'm closing my eyes and just feel. He starts caressing me all over. Kneeling over me, he gets down to my cock, which is hard and waiting. He picks it up and gives it a few good strokes. I moan and then I hear him casting the cleansing and then the lubrication spell and smear the stuff on my cock and his opening, then he lifts himself up and comes down on my shaft. I replace his hand to hold it up; he just pulls his cleft a bit apart and slowly fills himself up with my flesh. No more preparation than the bit of lubrication! I open my eyes and stare up at him, but he just comes down slowly, impaling himself completely with my cock. Aw, this is so good! It will always be this good! I'll never get enough of it.

"Ah. So good, love…" I moan.

He sits still for a while, just moving a bit. Then he starts to rock, and then he moves up and down. He's placed his hands on his feet behind him and now only pushes up and down with his thighs. Each time he moves, the muscles in his butt tighten and give me even more friction. I grab his cock and start to stroke it. He's half-hard again, but under my strokes, he gets stiff in no time. I can't close my eyes anymore now, the feeling is just too good and the view is incredible. Remus dances on my cock and slowly my moans turn to screams.

"Just a bit more, Moony! I'm so close now!"

And then I come and he doesn't stop, just goes on until I give his cock the last little shove he needs to come himself. Spent, he falls back, bending my cock back down, but it only hurts a moment. He lies between my legs, breathing hard and slowly unfolds his own legs. I stretch out my hands and he takes them, pulling a bit to get up. Then he lifts himself up from my cock and drops down next to me. I only have the strength to pull him close and kiss him. He takes a deep breath. I can feel his hand snaking around my waist.

"Love you," he mumbles and falls asleep again.

I get a few minutes to look at him before Seraina calls for us. I'm so glad for one-way silencing charms. The little ones sleep right through every noise we make in the bedroom. I'm pushing a few strands of Remus' hair out of his face when I hear Seraina. Before Remus wakes up I'm getting up, pulling on my pyjama trousers and going over to the children's room to lift her out of her bed and take off her sleeping bag. Since she's definitely not smelling very nice I'm taking off her nappy and clean her immediately, before putting her into a pair of baby sweatpants, a t-shirt and her slippers. She holds on to me while I go over to the bedroom to pick up my clothes for the day and my own slippers. I take Seraina down and leave her under Dobby's watch until I've done my morning trip to the bathroom. After that, we both share breakfast.

Later on Remus turns up with Denny. And still later, we decide to do some more work on the Pensieve memories. As usual James and Lily are ready to accompany us. We leave the children with the gang and head over to the small living room, where we set out the Pensieve on the coffee table.

"Whose turn?" I ask.

"Still yours…" James claims.

"You know, it's fifth year, we might just do it both at the same time," I offer.

"Okay…"

We've moved on lots, but as we're going through the memories and watch them, a lot of time goes by, I think we have to get on with them quickly. The editor has been informed as to what we're doing and he doesn't mind the delay, especially once he'd received a look at our stack of notes, which we'll have to wade through to put the book together in the end. Now we're picking memories from our brains of the first four months of our fifth year at Hogwarts.

* * *

**Lily**

_Hogwarts Express. They sit together and have the usual fun, the usual conversations about pranks they want to play as soon as the Welcoming Feast is over. Nothing seems to be amiss at all between them. But if I look at Remus and Sirius, they have already begun to throw glances at each other. They're fifteen, will be sixteen in just a few weeks._

_The next memory shows us a deserted hallway at Hogwarts. Sirius is running to the marble staircase, when he's accosted by Severus._

_"I know why you're in a hurry, Black! And I'm going to rat on you… costs me nothing to tell Professor Slughorn that you're out at night, you know…"_

_"Oh, really, Snivellus? And where am I going?"_

_"Out of the castle."_

_"Forget it, if you haven't noticed before I'm running to the staircase up to Gryffindor tower."_

_"You are hiding something, and I'm going to find out what it is. And then I'll have you expelled, Black!"_

_"If you'd rat on us about what you think you have to rat on us you'd only ridicule yourself, Snape."_

_"It's something with Lupin. I know, because he's always missing. Almost every month… so where is **he** going?"_

_"You really expect me to tell you something like that?"_

_"You will. Because I know something about you which you wouldn't want **him** to know, now would you?"_

_"You know precisely nothing, Snape! Leave me alone…"_

_Sirius turns around and continues to the staircase, climbs the first few steps, when an icy voice says:_

_"Oh, so you wouldn't mind that I'd let the whole school know you're a poof, would you?"_

_Sirius stops, but shoots back through clenched teeth:_

_"Couldn't care less, Snape, go ahead all you like!"_

_"But you certainly would make a stop if I told the rest of the school that you're after Lupin, wouldn't you?"_

_Sirius slowly turns around and says:_

_"Even if that were the case, Snape. The only one who'd be laughed at would be you. So go right ahead. – Anything else?"_

_"I don't know what you're hiding, Black, but I want to know. And you're going to tell me – Imperio!"_

_Snape has cursed Sirius with an Imperius! I can't believe what I hear and see! The next thing I see is Sirius being taken aback and looking like he's feeling perfectly happy._

_"Tell me, Black… tell me now, where Lupin goes to… come on, tell me!" Snape whispers._

_"Remus will be going to the Whomping Willow in a short while… he'll press a knot on the tree with a long branch. Easy to see… just do the same, there's a tunnel under the tree. You just need to follow…"_

_Snape grins, whispers a quick "Obliviate!", takes off the spell and Sirius shakes his head, running up the stairs, not noticing Snape going out of the castle. It takes a while until Sirius remembers that he's given away Remus' secret. Remus has left already and he meets James and Peter up in the dorm where the two prepare to follow Remus to the Whomping Willow. It must already be quite late._

_All of a sudden, his head shoots up. He cries out:_

_"James, I think, I've just done the most stupid thing in all of my life! Snape! He knows where Remus is tonight!"_

_He's a complete mess and James looks at him in shock._

_"What? How can he know? And how do you know he knows?"_

_"He's got it out of me… I've almost forgotten! I don't know how that happened, I just…"_

_"Sirius! Are you out of your mind? What happened?"_

_Sirius shakes his head. He tries to remember, knows something's happened, but he doesn't seem to remember._

_"I… I don't know… James, I don't remember! It happened just a moment ago, I know that much, I know he's held me up, but I can't remember…"_

_Sirius breaks down on his bed, but he gets roughly pulled up again by James._

_"Come on! We have to clean up your mess! Peter, go get Dumbledore!"_

_Peter runs to Dumbledore's office, while Sirius and James sneak out of the castle and run down to the Willow at top speed. James reaches it first, gets hold of a branch long enough to still the tree, goes down and runs along the tunnel, only to catch Snape on the last curve before the Shack._

_"Turn around, Snape! Now! Come on, out of here!"_

_"What's this, Potter?"_

_"Out of here, Snape, come on! Now! Trust me, you don't want to see this…"_

_But Snape sees the first bits of Remus' transformation and recognises what this means. His eyes widen._

_"A **werewolf**? Lupin is a goddamned werewolf! Dumbledore allows a monster to be in the school? He'll be sacked for this…" Snape starts to rage, but James pulls him away and forces him back through the tunnel as fast as he can._

_Sirius meets them when they're about halfway back through the tunnel and helps to push and pull Snape out of the hole and away from the tree, where they're held up by Dumbledore. Peter is nowhere to be seen._

_"Severus, Sirius, to my office!" Dumbledore tells the three boys._

_The memory shifts. Sirius sits in front of the headmaster's desk with tears in his eyes, while Snape rages that he's tried to murder him. Dumbledore asks Sirius quite gently what he's done, but Sirius keeps shaking his head, only remembering that he's had a confrontation with Snape earlier on._

_"I can't remember, Professor! I can't remember what I've said!"_

_I can see his despair. It must be horrible not to remember something, but knowing something has gone on. I suppose Snape botched his memory charm, which made Sirius remember only that there was something to remember, but doesn't know what that was anymore._

_"Severus, what did he say to you?"_

_"He held me up when I was going back to my house, telling me that I surely wanted to see something special. Then he told me how to get past the Whomping Willow. I didn't know he was trying to have me killed by a **werewolf**!"_

_"Did you really do that, Sirius?"_

_Dumbledore looks a bit suspicious. He knows that Sirius is rash, but he also doesn't think that Sirius would just give Remus' secret away like this. Sirius shakes his head._

_"I don't know, Professor, I wish I could remember! It's like a pad on my brain, I just can't remember…"_

_Dumbledore throws a quick glance at Severus._

_"I shall check you for memory charms, Sirius."_

_Dumbledore casts the spell, then his eyes get wide, and he casts another spell, which probably erases all memory charms that have been performed on Sirius. Snape looks very worried now. He's stopped raging about Dumbledore letting a werewolf stay at Hogwarts._

_"Ah yes. A not so well placed memory charm indeed. Now, do you remember?"_

_Sirius shakes his head again, then he nods._

_"I know we've had a confrontation. He's held me up and asked me where Remus is vanishing. He told me he'd rat on me for being gay if I didn't tell him. He even threatened to tell the whole school I was after Remus if I didn't tell him. And I told him to go right ahead, then I turned to go back up the stairs and then I heard him mutter a spell, but I don't remember exactly what that was. Sounded something like imp… imper… something. It wasn't loud enough to hear properly. And after that, I only remember walking back to our dorm. And then I remembered that he knew where Remus went, but couldn't say why I knew that he knew…"_

_"Very well, Sirius. I will speak with Severus now; I can promise that he will not tell anyone anything about Remus."_

_Sirius looks up, hopeful. Then he asks:_

_"What's my punishment, Professor?"_

_"There will only be a punishment for being out after curfew, Sirius. Twenty points from Gryffindor for each of you three. And you will tell Remus about the incident tomorrow."_

_Sirius breathes in sharply and quietly replies:_

_"I deserve more than that, Professor. Thank you."_

_The memory shifts. Sirius finds his bed in the dormitory, pulls the curtains closed and curls up in a ball. Then we see him again in the morning, when James and Peter wake him up, screaming at him how stupid he has been._

_"You betrayed Remus, Sirius, how could you? How could you tell Snape – **Snape** above all people – how he could get past the Willow! I guess, there's more of the Blacks in you after all. No, don't even start to find excuses; I don't want to hear them!"_

_James rants on for a while and doesn't even notice how dejected Sirius looks. Sirius just stares ahead and there's a tear or two stealing out of his eye, but otherwise he remains quiet. James, his usual prat self, is already dressed and pulls Peter out of the room. Sirius sighs and gets up. Once dressed, he takes his book-bag and goes down, out of the common room and to the hospital wing. He knows Remus is already back there and looks for Madam Pomfrey._

_"Can I see Remus, Madam Pomfrey?" he asks dejectedly._

_"I'm afraid not, Mr. Black, he's really in a terrible shape today. Much worse than usual. Come by after dinner, maybe he'll be awake by then."_

_Sirius hangs his head on this news._

_"Yes, Madam, I'll do that."_

_She smiles._

_"You're a really good friend, Sirius. He needs someone like you."_

_"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Sirius mumbles, turns and goes to the Great Hall._

_He sits down at the Gryffindor table for his breakfast, but as far away from James and Peter as he can. I can see myself looking astonished about that. James and Peter glare at him._

* * *

**James**

My goodness, Padfoot! He's cursed you with an Unforgivable and you haven't even told me! I look at Sirius, who seems just as astonished. Actually, all three of us Marauders stand there with jaws dropped and finally Remus says softly:

"An Unforgivable? Merlin, Paddy, why didn't you ever tell us? We'd have forgiven you in an instant! Unlike my students none of us knew about the Unforgivables before our seventh year!"

Sirius shakes his head.

"Would you believe me that I didn't know? I'm sure that this part wasn't in my conscious memories. But it is pretty clear now why Snape kept his mouth shut. Ratting on you would have sent him straight to Azkaban, I guess," Sirius says.

"You bet it would. It's good that Snape seemed to have botched his memory charm slightly, just imagine if you hadn't said you didn't remember," Remus exclaims. Then: "I'm so sorry, love…"

Sirius smiles:

"Apology accepted, even though it's not necessary. I thought I had given away your secret, even though I didn't know why and how. It's Dumbledore's fault, you know… he could have told me what that spell was."

"I suppose he didn't want to give us extra ammunition against Snape," Remus says.

_The next memory shows us Sirius going back to see Remus in the evening. When he gets there Remus smiles at him, glad to see one of his friends._

_"Hello, Sirius!"_

_"Hi, Remus."_

_Remus looks worried at once. He knows Sirius inside out and can quickly tell his uneasiness. He apologises:_

_"I was out longer. There was something odd yesterday. I don't know what it was, but it seems I have treated myself worse than normally…"_

_"I know. I also know why. Somehow, Snape found his way in there. He saw you."_

_"**Snape**? But… but… how could he have known how to get through the tree?"_

_Sirius looks up with a sad expression. He sighs. He is well aware that the next words can cost him his friendship with Remus, knowing what happened now makes it easy to observe. Then he tells him tonelessly:_

_"Because I told him how to."_

_"What? Sirius! What have you done?"_

_"He pestered me with lots of nonsense until I told him. I don't know how he got it out of me, I didn't want to tell him, Remus, really… James and I got him out of the tunnel in time and Dumbledore got him to keep quiet about everything," Sirius blurts out._

_Remus just glares at him._

_"Get out of here, Sirius! Do you know what you did? If I'd have killed or changed Snape, I could be executed! Are you aware of that? Get out!"_

_Sirius bolts from the room, almost leaving the door open, runs out of the hospital wing, leaving a perplexed Madam Pomfrey behind. He runs up the staircase, takes a turn and runs up one of the lesser used towers until he reaches the top, throws himself on the floor and starts to cry, shaking with sobs until he finally falls asleep, totally spent._

I feel guilty seeing this. I throw a sideways glance at Padfoot, who swallows, but otherwise stays calm. Remus puts his arm around his mate and pulls him close.

_The next memory picks up from Remus' point of view. I can see Peter and myself visiting him and discussing it with Remus. The three of us are all outraged at the nerve of Sirius, ratting on his best friend like this. For by that time Remus had replaced me as Sirius' closest friend for a while already. Sirius and I were more like brothers, while the two of them were friends._

_"He told **Snape**! Imagine the nerve of him!" my younger self cries out._

_"James saved Snape's life, Remus! He'd got a glimpse of you, but James got him out of the tunnel!" Peter interjects, still in awe._

_"Thanks, James. You've saved me as well, you know!" Remus says._

_"I know now! Dumbledore has talked to me tonight and told me that he'd been able to convince Snape to keep it a secret."_

_"How can he be sure that Snape won't say anything? I still can't imagine that. Sirius said he wouldn't, but it's Snivellus!" Remus wonders._

_"Haven't the foggiest. Guess, he might have something on Snape though," James waves this away._

_"Must have. – I'm so **mad** at Sirius!" Remus says._

_"That's just a bit of how mad I am at him, Remus!" I growl._

_"Did Dumbledore punish him in any way?"_

_"Only took sixty points for being caught outside after curfew. Twenty for each of us three." Peter says._

_"We think, he doesn't want anyone to ask questions about you, so it's hushed up," I add._

I'm blushing when I hear this conversation. I'm ashamed that none of us have even stopped and really talked to Sirius. It may have been partly Dumbledore's fault, as he never told any of us the real reason why Sirius had given away the secret.

_The next memory shows Remus back at the common room, studying with Peter and me at a table. There's nothing to see of Sirius. It must have been several days after the full moon. Remus has recovered but in those days, none of us noticed anything about Sirius still being with us except for lessons. And in the lessons, he usually sat alone in the back of the room._

_The memories shift and we can see now where Sirius spent his time. He's got his schoolbooks and a couple of other books I know very well with him in that tower room. He keeps mumbling the Animagus spells until he's sure to have them down. We watch in awe how he goes about his initial transformation with no one around, and seemingly with no scare of something possibly going wrong. We have finished the potion just two weeks before and already know what animals we will be. I watch as he drinks the potion, points his wand on himself and starts to recite the spells, one by one, steady and correctly. We can see Padfoot coming to life for the first time. Sirius shifts back with a big smile on his face and transforms again, and then back again and then he repeats the process several times. He's got a mirror set up in the room, where he can watch himself. He stumbles a bit on four legs at first._

_Again, the memory shifts. This time Sirius comes into the common room, sees us at a table and heads directly to the dorm. He closes his curtains and takes out his homework to do it on his bed. I can see tears rolling down his cheeks and the next moment I can see him shift his shape to Padfoot. He whines a bit._

_Another shift of the memories shows him sneaking out of the castle after a short run-in with Moony and me. He vanishes in the shrubbery behind the castle and comes out as Padfoot, running into the forest in the north of Hogwarts. He runs for hours until way after curfew, then sneaks back into the castle and up to the dorm. Which is locked. He sighs and creeps back down to the common room, where he curls up on a sofa._

_The memory stops when he falls asleep, but comes up again the next morning, when Dari comes down the stairs from the girls' dorm and shakes him awake._

_"Hey, Sirius! Why are you sleeping down here?" she asks._

_"Guys locked me out…" he mumbles._

_"Better get out of the way, before Lily catches you! She'll give you an earful about staying in the common room for the night, you know," Dari says softly._

_"Yeah, I'd better get out of the way… thanks for waking me up," he replies, gets up and slinks up the stairs to the boys dormitory, not stopping there though, but up the tower until he gets to the top, where he drops down in a window seat._

_He's too late for History of Magic after that, but he manages to sneak inside the classroom without being noticed by Binns._

_I know that this has been about three weeks after the 'incident'. There are a few memories showing Remus, Peter and myself. They're from Remus' point of view and watching him now I can clearly see how unhappy he is for having lost Sirius' friendship and how much he longs to have him back. But we all give Sirius the silent treatment until it's almost too late. I watch Sirius sneaking out of the common room one evening just after dinner, which he missed. He hasn't eaten properly for weeks, I supposed at the time he was sneaking down to the kitchens to get his food directly from the house-elves. Remus gets up and pulls his cloak on, then he follows Sirius with a small distance. He is pretty good at not being seen nor heard, our dear Remus. He can see where Sirius goes, and then follows him into the shrubbery, where he watches how Sirius changes to Padfoot and runs off to the forest. Remus stays behind, his jaw almost at his feet._

_He returns to the castle. I can see how Remus wanders the halls for a while, before he has put himself together and returns to the common room. He sits back down to finish his homework._

_"Where is he?" I ask._

_"Out. Lost him," Remus replies._

_"Oh." I say._

_The memory fades out. The next is at least a few days later when Remus passes Sirius in the common room and stops him:_

_"Where are you going all the time, Sirius?"_

_Sirius doesn't reply. Remus doesn't stop asking him until the Christmas break starts and as both of them are staying at the castle, Remus has quite a lot of opportunities to pester Sirius. Finally, he tells Sirius that he's followed him. School is already back on, so there are a couple of people in the common room. Sirius runs up the stairs and Remus follows him again. Catches Sirius on the top of the tower and keeps asking._

_"Yes! So I'm an Animagus, okay? What do you want, Remus? Can't you leave me alone?"_

_Sirius takes flight again, pushes Remus to the side, runs down the spiral staircase, through the common room and he's about to reach the portrait door when Remus calls him:_

_"Sirius! Don't go, please!"_

_Everyone present in the common room turns around to watch them. Sirius stops, turns around and finds Remus just behind him._

_"Sirius, I was shocked when I saw you. Don't go… or let me go with you…" Remus says softly._

_Sirius gives a small nod, but Remus sees it and the two clamber out of the portrait hole and start down the stairs. They walk through the halls and out of the castle. It's icy and none of them is really dressed for the cold. None of them is talking at all. They walk away from the castle and once out of the view and on the edge of the forest, Sirius transforms. Remus just stands there, unable to say anything, but then he breaks down and hugs the dog tightly. He cuddles and caresses that dog, completely forgetting that it's Sirius underneath that black, shaggy fur._

_"You're a right Padfoot, you know!"_

_Sirius hasn't only been the first of us to transform, he's also the first of us who got his nickname. Of course, it stuck; it was the perfect description. The two of them return to the castle and the common room, which is now almost empty apart from Peter and me who wait for Remus and Sirius to come back. Sirius slinks past, up to the dorm. Remus stays behind._

_"We've made up. You should, too, now," is all he tells us before gathering his things and following Sirius up the stairs._

_The memory shifts. I know it's the next morning and we're all feeling very awkward. I look after Sirius who has vanished into the bathroom. I follow him and sit down on the bench opposite the shower stall he uses._

_"Sear!" I call._

_"What?"_

_"Remus says you made up…"_

_"Sort of…" he mumbles._

_"Can we… can we start over?" I ask._

_I've bloody missed him. I can't see how he's walking around with that broken heart of his. He looks out of the stall, pushing the curtain a bit aside._

_"What?" he asks again._

_"Can we start over, too? I miss you…" I admit._

_Sirius' face brightens up. He looks relieved and asks:_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"I missed you, too… thought you'd want nothing to do with me anymore. Blacks and all…"_

_"Sorry for that. I know it was low…"_

_"Forgiven…" Sirius says and turns back to his shower._

_For the first time in weeks, we're back at the Gryffindor table together. It gives the others in the school something at which to gape. Remus sits down next to Sirius. In the memory, I get a view of the teacher's table where Dumbledore looks at our group and smiles._

But there is one thing I can see in the following memories and indeed in all memories that follow: Peter never really made up with Sirius. He was quite put out in fact, because while Sirius and I were on the outs with each other he's taken a bit of Sirius' place at my side. And he definitely hates that Sirius is back and he only has my side because Sirius and Remus are as thick as thieves again. Peter always thought himself to be in competition with Sirius for my affection, and to be honest there would have been no doubt: Sirius was my best friend, best mate, best brother. Peter wasn't competition. He was unimportant in the big picture. Peter would always have been second best, third best after Remus, actually. Lily never liked him. Harry was always whiny at best as a baby, when Peter had him on his arm. Which was very rare anyway.

_When we're back studying the initial Animagus transformation the next time Sirius just calmly shows us his dog form. Peter almost faints. Sirius has done it all alone! Of course, all of us had several vials of the potion, who knows how often we'd have to try it. We watch Peter struggle. I finally manage it after three attempts. Peter has to try about half a dozen times more, but then he manages, too._

_

* * *

_

**Sirius**

To watch that short fall-out between us friends is almost harder than to watch my parents abusing me. I remember this as a gut-wrenching time and I'm really mad at Dumbledore for not telling us that I had not given away Remus' secret out of spite or for a prank, but against my own will. I have never really realised why I had told Snape and knowing now that it was because I had been the victim of an Unforgivable curse – cast by a fifteen year old! A fifteen year old, mind you, that took every opportunity to paint me blacker than my name! It makes me really mad. Dumbledore could have spared all four of us so much heartache. All he would have had to say was that I had not done it out of my own will. It's amazing how much that still hurts because it's the one thing in my life I regret most of all. Though since seeing that memory, I have to say that I don't feel like I have to beat myself up quite as hard about it anymore.

_The next few memories all have one thing in common. They show how awkward it was, how much we had to work on getting back that trust. How much sadness remains in me. I have told Remus about the dog, but I haven't told him what he means to me and how scared I was to have lost his friendship._

_The new year has already become February, when we're finally ready to join Remus in the Shrieking Shack for the first time. We tell him the evening before the full moon. We're all in our dorm, preparing for bed._

_"Remus, the days you are going down there to the Shack all alone are over!" I say._

_"What? You can't come along, you know that!" Remus counters immediately._

_"Oh yes, we know that very well, but it will not be **us** really, who will go with you," James says with a grin._

_"What do you mean, not really you?" Remus asks, confused._

_James transforms right in front of him and Remus can hardly believe his eyes. Then he sees Peter shrinking and morphing into the rat and finally myself as the dog. He cries:_

_"What have you done? All of you are Animagi? That wasn't just Sirius' crazy idea?"_

_We all transform back, laugh and I say:_

_"No, Remus, it's not just my idea. We've looked it all up. Since we knew, there was no cure, we looked elsewhere and found out that werewolves are no danger to other animals, unless they actually hunt and eat them for food. So we decided to become Animagi, so we could come with you and be with you while you're transformed. You'd have no human scent in your nose, only us as animals. You won't be alone anymore."_

_Remus looks from one to the other, tears welling up in his eyes, and then breaks down completely. He sobs and asks:_

_"You did… did this… for… me? I can't believe you…"_

_I step up to him, sit next to him on the edge of his bed, throwing my arm around his shoulder, and declare:_

_"We don't want you to suffer more than you have to, Remus. I solemnly swear that I'll be with you from now on through every one of your transformations, unless it's impossible for me to make it to you."_

_Remus turns to look at me, one of the first times I can see that loving glance in his eyes. Only then, I had not been able to recognise it for what it really was. But he cries into my shoulder for a good while. After a while, I can finally tuck him in and go to my own bed. I pull the curtains tonight, because I don't want the others to see that I'm getting rid of an erection. Thank Merlin for silencing charms._

_The memory shifts to the next evening, when we sneak out of the castle under James' cloak and find ourselves at the Willow. We hide the cloak in a box under a bush. Then we all transform and Peter runs to the Willow to prod the knot. We vanish into the tunnel and follow Remus. He's still human, lets us in through the trap door and closes it. We can hear that three bolts shoot across on the other side, fastening it securely. Remus points at the handle, which he lays flat._

_"In the morning either Madam Pomfrey opens from downstairs or I am up and turn this thing three times and that pulls the bolts back. Couldn't do that in my changed form…" he mutters as an explanation._

_We all nod._

_"Are you really sure you want… it's bloody dangerous. What if I hurt Peter?" he wants to know._

_As a demonstration, Peter shoots off and vanishes under some rubble, then runs up the wooden wall as quick as a mouse. He sits on one of the rafters and squeaks. The room is high enough that Remus would not be able to reach the little rat. He sighs and sits down on the worn rug that's on the floor. Then he shrugs his shoulders and says:_

_"Well, I guess Sirius is big enough to keep me from doing something to you, Peter…"_

_He gets up and starts to undress, putting his clothes neatly out of reach, along with his wand up on the rafter next to Peter. He looks at the rat and warns him:_

_"Don't you dare nibbling on my wand, Wormtail!"_

_There goes the next nickname. James transforms back and exclaims:_

_"Now you've given two of us a cool nickname, I want one, too, Moony!"_

_"I'll think of one, James..."_

_"Cool!"_

_We wait for the inevitable. It's the first time I'm seeing him transform and I am howling while I watch this. It's cruel! It's unbelievably terrible and it was shocking to watch. I know we were all horrified back then. But it is over after a while and then there is the wolf, more brown than grey. I thought he was beyond beautiful. Padfoot is up first and tentatively moves closer to the wolf that menacingly shows a mouthful of glistening, scaring teeth. He growls, but Padfoot goes down in front of him, flat on his belly, giving a sign of submission by turning on his back and presenting his throat and his belly. Moony sniffs, and then allows Padfoot to rise, while Moony moves on sniffing out James and Peter. He doesn't even mind them too long, but returns to Padfoot. Moony nips Padfoot and initiates a wrestling match. The two roll around, nipping each other and barking and yipping all the time. Padfoot is amazed that the wolf is unable to bark as such. What comes out of Moony's mouth is more of a yip every time. I remember how even in the Padfoot form I found that highly amusing._

_We move on to the next memory. It shows us how Padfoot nudges Moony up to the bedroom and onto the bed just before moonset. Remus transforms back on the bed, amidst the three animals who are now his pack. He moans in pain and I transform as well, to give him a bit of a backrub. I check Remus over._

_"Just a few scratches, Remus…" I murmur soothingly._

_"Get out of here, before Madam Pomfrey comes," Remus groans, still overwhelmed from the pain of the transformation._

_"We will. Let me cover you up, it's bloody cold in here…"_

_I place the sheet and the wool blanket on the bed over him, then the three of us leave before the expected arrival of Madam Pomfrey. We can already see her coming from the castle and quickly vanish in the bushes where we've hidden James' cloak. He covers us. We wait until Madam Pomfrey has gone down into the tunnel before sprinting up to the castle._

_The next memory takes place in the Great Hall. A beaming Remus joins us for lunch. He's never before been that early, so this really has been a good transformation._

_"How are you now, Remus?" James whispers._

_"Still a bit stiff, but okay."_

_On our way out of the Great Hall, we catch Snape and send a good hex after him, making him slip on the floor and take a bit of a fall._

_"Stop that!" Remus says._

_"Aww, Remy, let us have some fun…" James pleads._

_"That's not funny," Remus claims._

We come out of the Pensieve to note down whatever we can remember. We've filled a long roll of parchment today and decide to go on for another few hours on the next day. It's time for dinner now, so weall join the gang again over at the big living room.

* * *

**Monday, 3.1.2000 / James**

I'm really looking forward to watch the next half year of Sirius and Remus' memories! It's those awkward days when I felt something change in Padfoot. The way he never seemed to pay any attention to his female admirers, who were following him like the tail of a comet. And how I then one day accidentally saw the way Remus looked at those girls with disdain! I knew that Remus was interested in Sirius a good long while before I suspected that Sirius was gay! I had been sent back to the dorm before I could hear what Snape had said to Padfoot, so I had no idea he swung that way. As I have been brought up by liberal parents who always said that love is the important factor I never minded gay people. But I had never met any until then. And now I saw Remus…

_I try to remember when that was. Looks like about March in fifth year. The four of us are sitting in the library, heads buried deep in our books because the OWLS were upon us. We had only two more months or so to cram! Peter groaned every day, he had every reason to be scared. Remus wasn't as willing to help him as usual, because he was meticulously working on his own revision. I think Remus had literally planned out every single hour outside of lessons, eating and sleeping for his revision. Colour coded! It was probably the one of two times during the reign of the Marauders that Hogwarts was completely safe from stupid pranks. I was quite determined to do well on my OWLS, so I worked. Sirius took it a bit easier he was confident he'd know most of what was asked. Enough to earn him OWLS, so he studied, but didn't overdo things. Peter probably worked most. He was glad that Remus had set him up a schedule, which he followed quite religiously._

_Sirius sits there, reads, and doesn't notice Remus, who's staring at him. He doesn't notice that there's a gaggle of girls populating another round table just behind us, and that they're probably all whispering about Sirius' good looks. I don't think they would have discussed Sirius' perfect manners, because while he had them, he didn't exactly display them towards the girls._

_I turn my head and see Lily and some of her friends, some Ravenclaw girls, sit at another table near us, working quietly. I remember, what I was thinking then: If only… but she's made it quite clear what she's thinking of me…_

_The memory shifts. It's a Transfigurations class and we're working on something new. McGonagall has given us the lecture, we've already started to work on the practical training. Sirius and I try once and get it right, then we try it a couple of times more to get it perfect. Earns both of us a couple of points for Gryffindor and a rare smile from Minerva. As soon as Sirius has it down, he turns to Remus to give him a few pointers and sure enough a moment later Remus has it down. He looks up to Sirius, who sits next to him and smiles. It's one of those brilliant smiles, which no one gets but Sirius. I remember thinking that the git didn't even notice he's the only one who gets them._

_I don't know whose point of view that last memory was, but the next one is clearly Remus'. He's heading down to the prefect's bathroom, gives the password and seems very glad that the room is free. He locks it and undresses very quickly, filling the tub as he does so. It's obvious why he's in here in the middle of an afternoon, once he's stripped down to his boxers the bulge in it gives him away. He must have come straight from the library. I hear him mutter under his breath:_

_"Damn it, Sirius! Do you have an idea, what you're doing to me? Now I'm losing at least an hour of revision time…"_

_He slides into the tub and hisses as soon as he's got his hand around his cock._

I look at Remus standing next to me, but he's just burying his face in Sirius' shoulder. I can't see it well, but I'll bet he's as red as a tomato. Lily and I snicker.

_The memory is short; we can just see him draining the tub and rushing over to the showers, then come back with a towel around his waist. He spell dries his hair, dries himself off and gets dressed. His school robes hide a lot of his quite lovely body. He's grown a lot in that last year, his shoulders are broader, he's developed muscles on his arms and has a well-modelled chest. His light brown hair still has traces of gold and there's the odd greyish strand in it already, too. It's only half long, just below his ears and loads of it falls into his face. He looks boyish still, but I've always thought he has a face like one made of porcelain. I'm sure it was because he was always so pale. In any case, he reminds me of one of those Meissen porcelain figures my Dad loved to collect. He'd fit perfectly well into one of those pastoral scenes._

_He runs out of the bathroom and up to the common room, where he picks up his books and goes up to the dorm to study on his bed. And that's when I see that Padfoot looks after him. I think that was when I noticed why Padfoot didn't look at girls._

_Padfoot sits and reads through his third year Defence textbook. He's almost done with it._

_"This is so going to be easy! That's at least four subjects I'm not afraid to lose out on. I only really have to revise Herbology, Arithmancy and History. What about you, James?"_

_"About the same I'd say. Add Divination…"_

_"I knew why I didn't take that. Ancient Runes is better."_

_"Be glad you didn't. That old hag makes me sick every time I have to climb up to bloody North Tower. I'm going to drop it as soon as OWLS have passed. I'm only glad I've taken three electives. Still leaves me with Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy."_

_"What are you going to take for NEWTS classes?" Wormtail asks._

_"Well, all that I can. I'll see where I get what OWLS first. But I shouldn't have a problem with Transfigurations, Charms, Defence, Potions and the electives. I'm glad I can drop History and Herbology, much as I really like good old Sprout it doesn't make her subject much more interesting… I intend to drop anything that gets me a lower Owl than E."_

_"Same here. But I might add Muggle Studies. It's the only subject you can pick up any time," Sirius says._

_I can see that he throws surreptitious glances to the staircase up to the boys' dorms and then sighs. Poor dear!_

_The next memory is Remus' again. Remus, who works almost non-stop between meals and classes. Though I know, he doesn't even need to in most subjects I know he obsesses about the OWLS. He doesn't only have to prove himself; he has to prove to everyone else that he's capable of holding up and following the classes. None of us really makes fun of him. Occasionally I hear one of us telling Remus to lighten up a bit, since he was the last one among us who needs to study that hard. But he waves us off._

_Then the memory shifts to Sirius, who's in his bed, curtains drawn, and he's writing something on a piece of parchment. This being a memory we can actually read what he writes:_

_'My sweet love_

_How is it that I walk through the day without seeing the sun in the sky or the flowers in the grass or even the trees growing leaves again outside when I'm seeing you in front of me? You're filling up each and every one of my senses._

_My sense of sight when I see you next to me. Everything around you gets blurred, there's only you my eyes can behold._

_My sense of smell when I get a whiff of your scent, like freshly dug earth, like the forest with its thousands of scents, like air, fresh and clean after the rain._

_My sense of hearing when I hear you talk. It sounds like music! It's my greatest ambition to make you laugh, because your laughter is the most wonderful sound in my ears. I think there would only be one thing better and that would be the sound of your voice telling me you love me._

_My sense of touch when I am allowed to hold your hand for whatever reason I can find. Your hands are so delicate and yet so strong! They caress your cat with the softest of touches yet they hold your wand in a firm grip._

_My sense of taste… that's the sense I find nothing to write about, because it will never be, my love, you will never allow me the sensation of your taste. I bet it would be sweet on my tongue, like the chocolate you let melt in your mouth, like the tea you like to sweeten. I bet it would be sweet on your lips, the remainder of whatever sweets that have entered your mouth and I bet it would be nice and salty in the crook of your neck, which I would love to lick and kiss and nip…'_

_Sirius lies there on his belly, quill in his hand, nibbling at the end of it, then he throws the quill away, screws the inkwell shut and crumples the parchment. The text is quite poetic, I think, and it doesn't really give away the recipient of his love. Now it's very clear, but had I found it back then I would have started to guess the person through the hints he's given. There were quite a few people in Gryffindor with a cat and there were quite a few of those who loved sweets. I probably could have reduced the options to about three of the people in our house and Remus would have been one of them._

I throw another glance, this time at Remus and I can see that he smiles. He's read the text and now it's up to Sirius to blush. I grin.

"That was lovely, Pads! Even though you never gave it to me, thank you! I love to be all of that, you know!" Remus tells Sirius.

Sirius kisses him. Then he looks at us and admits:

"Gods, there's going to be embarrassing moments in the next few memories!"

We leave the Pensieve to dictate the impressions to the endless amount of notes we already have and I ask:

"Are you going to take even more meticulous notes for the years after Hogwarts? Methinks you're spending an awful lot of time with this…"

"I want to. I think I also need to see this so closely, to remember that there **were** happy times that we all have been close. Remember that this thing is also part of my long-term healing therapy. Looking at it now I can see Wormtail being the follower and not much of his own person, what about you guys?" Sirius asks.

"Yes, but he followed us into the adventure of becoming Animagi and he's surpassed his fright of Remus' wolf form to join us in there…" I object.

"That's right. I just wonder if there will be anything, any hints we should have interpreted right…" he wonders.

"I expect that will be the case, Sirius. But we were all so immersed in everything we didn't. It's as easy as that; hindsight and all," Lily remarks.

"Let's get through this first," Remus says.

"Yes, let's…" I agree.

It's so futile to think about past mistakes and missed opportunities. We have to stick to the facts as they are.


	20. And yet more Memories part 2

**Chapter 19b - And Yet More Memories (part 2)**

**Lily**

_We return to the Pensieve to start on the last two months of that school year, the last rush of revision work and James' numerous attempts to make me go out with him. They're coming up whenever we see a memory when Remus or Sirius have witnessed them. James was so plump about them, but of course he was fifteen, he was bound to be awkward and lack elegance. As for Sirius and Remus…_

_It's the last day before the first OWL exam. We sit at the Gryffindor table and I'm only a few seats away from the Marauders. It's as it usually is, James and Peter on one side of the table, Remus and Sirius on the other. They're talking about the free day that was granted to us today. The first subject tested on the next day would be Defence and the three other boys try to convince Remus that he's the best in the subject anyway and no way would they let him spend the last free day before the OWL ordeal studying._

_"But I have to…" he protests._

_"You have to get rest. You know that the moon is waxing and it's just two days until first quarter," Sirius tells him off in a low voice._

_"Yes, and so?" Remus insists._

_"And so? It will be full precisely on the evening of the last exam! You'll be exhausted and you won't be nice with yourself, love! Under no circumstances will I allow you to do anything today but take a walk around the lake and lounge on the grass or on your bed or in the common room. And that's final," Sirius says with determination._

_He hasn't even noticed his slip-up, but Remus certainly has. He stares at Sirius open-mouthed and whispers:_

_"You've called me 'love'…"_

_Sirius blushes deep red. He looks at Remus shyly. Remus decides to allow Sirius the lead and concedes:_

_"Okay, I'll not work today. But if I get failing grades you'll be responsible, Padfoot!"_

_"You won't, Moony. You won't fail. You simply can't, you're too good…" Sirius babbles, then gets up and leaves the table quickly._

_Remus stares after him. James looks across the table and says, amazingly softly:_

_"You might want to follow him, Moony…"_

_Remus swallows hard._

_"Do you think I really should?"_

_"If you like him back you really should!" Peter adds._

_The sun lights up in Remus' face. He quickly gets up and runs out, looking for Sirius. We follow him as he rushes through the Entrance Hall out the doors, scanning the area for either Padfoot or Sirius. He spots Padfoot, already trotting along the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Remus sets off after him. He reaches the forest shortly after that and calls out for the dog:_

_"Padfoot! Padfoot! Come on, Padfoot; don't run away! Please!"_

_Padfoot stops, peeps around and watches a very puffing Remus come closer. He plops down on the ground next to the dog and starts stroking the thick fur._

_"Sirius," he whispers. "Sirius, come back out, please! I was just shocked and couldn't believe what I've heard. Please, Siri, come forth, I need to talk to you!"_

_He does come back and Remus tells him:_

_"I don't mind you calling me that, Sirius! You're my best friend and I love you, too. Don't ever be afraid to show us you're caring for us, that's just what people like your family do! People like the Slytherins. We're all warm hearted, we care for each other and it's perfectly alright to call people 'love'. My Mum does it all the time!"_

_Oh dear! That was the wrong thing to say, Remus! But it seems to sooth Sirius and they return to the castle to spend the day with the others._

_The next morning comes without mercy and we're sitting in the Great Hall over the tests which occupy us the whole morning. As soon as it's over, we're allowed to go out in the sun to catch some breath before the practical test in the afternoon. I watch as Snape, nose deep in his test paper, walks out of the castle and in the same direction as the Marauders. The four of them sit under a huge beech tree, while my younger self and some of my friends are on the edge of the lake. Snape sits down not far from them. They seem to be bored and all of a sudden, I see Sirius and James closing in on Snape, who, for once, doesn't seem to have followed them on purpose. They start hexing him and I get closer to stop them from doing him more serious harm than hurting his pride. A bunch of people is grouped around them. Even two Slytherins are there, laughing along with the Gryffindors. I'm sickened with what I see, but once I've helped Snape and have released him he calls me a Mudblood and that he's in no need of my help._

_"Oh well, I won't bother the next time then, Snivellus!" I sneer, even using the boys' ugly nickname._

_When my group and I have marched away, James repeats his actions of before and Snape is hanging in the air again, his robes falling down over his head._

_"Anyone want to see how I pull Snivvely's pants down? Or rather – up?" he grins._

_"Eurgh! James, that's disgusting. Even with a wand you don't want to touch THAT!" one of the girls says._

_But before anything further can happen, we're all called inside for lunch._

_"The mess call saves you for now, Snivellus," Sirius tells Snape._

_They drop the Slytherin unceremoniously and head off to the Great Hall. Remus catches up with them and tells them off mildly:_

_"That wasn't all too elegant, you know… he'll just find more reasons to make our lives hell. And who knows if he doesn't go and tell… you know what."_

_"Sorry, Remus. It's just that he keeps following us around everywhere and we're just trying to get him off our backs. He's a worse nuisance than Regulus is!" Sirius whines._

_But during lunch, I walk over to the Slytherin table because I notice Snape and Regulus with their heads together. This Pensieve is simply wonderful! It's amazing how much details a brain registers unconsciously._

_"Tell your mother something nice about your damned brother, Reg, and then watch how she's treating him. He's a poof and I know he's got something going with Lupin. If you tell her that you'll be in for a treat…" Snape whispers._

_So that's how he pays Sirius back. He's telling Regulus things about him. We have had our suspicions before, but of course, we've never had any evidence._

_More memories about the exams. The seventh years are working NEWTS, we fifth years are working through our OWLS and all of us moan under the pressure. Actually, the tests are long and we have to go through them fast, but the questions aren't overly difficult. It's just a really big, fat lot._

_On the last day of the exams, the boys exit the Great Hall as fast as they can as soon as they're allowed to. They vanish through a door down the stairs to the Hufflepuff house and turn left into another corridor. Then they visit the kitchens and have the house-elves prepare them a few picnic baskets. Laden with food and drinks they sneak out of the castle and down to the Whomping Willow. They look around and once no one looks in their direction, James tells Wormtail:_

_"Okay, Wormtail, quick!"_

_Wormtail prods the knot and they quickly vanish under the tree and into the tunnel. They make themselves comfortable in one of the upstairs rooms, which seems to be like an old ladies' sitting room. Remus tells them that he keeps this door locked so he wouldn't destroy the furniture in there._

_Together they discuss the exams and wait for the full moon. Remus leaves at about five to present himself at Poppy's._

_"Ah, Remus! It's good that you remember. No later than eight tonight, okay?"_

_"Okay, Madam Pomfrey. I'll go down directly."_

_"Good. Watch out that your friends aren't seen," she warns him._

_He looks up, somewhat shocked._

_"I know they accompany you to the Willow, but it would not be good for you all if they were seen doing that. It's rather suspicious if the four of you walk there and only three return, isn't it?"_

_"Oh! Yes, of course. We'll watch out…"_

_"Very well. Have an easy one, Remus!"_

_Poppy hugs Remus, a hug he returns with a smile, and then she releases him and lets him go. It looks like a ritual the two of them share. I've seen Remus share it with his mother, in some other memories. He returns to the Shrieking Shack and awaits the moonrise with his friends._

_It's the first time since they spend the full moon night together that they venture out of the Shack. Remus doesn't close the trap door. Once he's transformed, James and Peter go ahead, while Sirius holds Remus back until the two other animals are certainly close to the Willow. Then Padfoot darts ahead, never letting Moony pass him. Prongs, with Wormtail on his head between his impressive antlers, awaits them and he and Padfoot take Moony between them._

_It's fascinating to watch Moony! This is the first time since he's been ten that he's outside on a full moon. He stands still, his nose up in the air and sniffs. Then he starts darting in the direction of Hogsmeade, but Padfoot is there and nudges him over to the forest. Securely inside of the Forbidden Forest, they find enough to do to keep Moony occupied. He's like the bear in a giant honey pot! He runs around, sits back on his haunches and howls. His howls come in short bits, but he does it repeatedly. He keeps digging around in the earth with his nose and then his paws, rolls around in the leaves on the ground, he doesn't even think of turning on himself. Sirius helps him along and sends another few howls to the sky. Abruptly Moony looks around and starts wrestling with Sirius. When Prongs tries to come close, he's being growled at with bared teeth by Moony. James withdraws immediately and keeps standing guard. Moony doesn't even look at Peter, but I suppose, the little rat up there is scared shitless._

_The whole short summer night through they're racing through the forest, seeing quite a fair amount of magical inhabitants of this strange area. Sirius always keeps a lookout for the position of the moon in the sky and finally initiates their return to the Shack at about four in the morning. They're all quite tired by now and just about make it in time before Poppy is expected to show up. She doesn't come in before seven, so the three Animagi have time enough to sneak out of the tunnel._

_

* * *

_

**Sirius**

_The next memory shows us the four of us saying goodbye on Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross. I'm pulled away and Portkeyed home immediately. As soon as my mother, Regulus and I have reached Grimmauld Place, Regulus turns to Mother and says:_

_"Mum, there's something you ought to know about Sirius."_

_I stare daggers at Regulus. Mother turns to him and asks:_

_"What is it, dear?"_

_While Regulus starts to tell her, I move back to the door, my trunk still in my hand, unfortunately not fast enough._

_"He's got a… **boy**friend, Mum! He's a bloody poofter!"_

_"What? – **Sirius**!" she shrieks, turns to me and starts off:_

_"Is that true? Is it not enough that you surround yourself with lowlife scum and Muggle-loving riff-raff? Must you go and shame us with being queer?"_

_I let the handle of the door go. I stand up straight and tell her:_

_"I'm gay, mother, so? Yes, I do have a boyfriend. I love him more than my life. If you don't like it – I don't care, you know!"_

_I know it's not the full truth. Yes, I am gay, but I don't have that boyfriend yet. But I gladly tell everyone and their brother that I love Remus with every fibre of my being. Though I'm not ready to tell him to the face._

_She looks like she doesn't know what to say, but then she hits me with a curse. It's her favourite boxing hex, the one that blows harder than her fist would ever be able to and my arms go around my stomach to protect my body as well as I possibly can while the blows are hailing down on me. I go down on my knees and curl into a ball. Not one sound comes out of my mouth. I have expected something like that of course and there's nothing I can do, as I'm not allowed to use my wand. Regulus stands there, with a smug grin on his face and calmly picks up his trunk to go up to his room. That's how it always was, whenever he has brought the trouble over me, he watches and loves what he sees, and then calmly leaves the site. I'd love to murder the little brat almost as much as I'd like to murder Snape! Only the thought that I would never do such a thing keeps me taking the blows until I finally can't take them anymore and pass out._

_With that, the memory fades. The next one is probably going to be even more horrific. I know what's coming now. It's my father blowing up on me about joining the Death Eaters. I was always convinced he was so keen of having either Regulus or I join them in order to avoid having to do so himself. He's not been the cleverest of sorts, but he was clever enough to know that bowing to some 'Mudblood' of the likes of Voldemort – for my father was well aware that Riddle's father had been a Muggle – would only mean becoming a slave. And he was a Black – no real Black would bow to a Mudblood. Having two sons meant one of them could be spared, join the Death Eaters and the other could take on the family tradition. Since they favoured Regulus, they wanted me to be their 'contribution' to the cause._

_And there it comes. I see myself waking up on the floor of my room after one of the fairly frequent beatings I've received in those few days after my fifth year. My prospects of really good grades don't impress them at all. Regulus getting an average A on his exams seems much more important. Even worse, he's passed with a warning that if his grades slip even more he would have to repeat a year and, failing that, would have to leave Hogwarts. I'm sure Regulus managed to take that part from his report so our parents haven't even seen it._

_The door opens and Father enters, throwing a cold look down on me and asking in an even frostier tone:_

_"So, did you have enough? Are you going to behave? You are to join the Dark Lord's ranks in a few hours, you'd better get up now and prepare!"_

_When I don't move, Father tries to use the Enervate spell, with little effect. Still, I pull myself up and say:_

_"I'm **not** joining those Death Eaters! You can't make me! Besides, it's a crime! I'm not a criminal now and I don't want to become a criminal either."_

_"I'll teach you to talk back, Sirius Black! **Crucio!**"_

_For two minutes, I'm put under the curse. I writhe and scream. Then Father leaves and locks the door from the outside. For a moment, I'm unable to move, still feeling the pain and the shock. But then my brain registers the fact that I'm locked in and that I'll be forced to become a Death Eater if I can't get out of here within a couple of hours. I don't care for the Underage Magic bla bla for the moment and dive into my trunk for my wand. My trunk has barely been touched since I've come 'home', so there's nothing that holds me back here. I look for Tom's cage, call my owl from his perch and tell him to fly to James'._

_"I'll be there, Tom! Just go, please!"_

_I open the window and let the owl out. Then I look around the room and grab what I think I will need or want and stuff everything in the trunk. Thank heavens for those enlargement charms on these trunks, so that they become bottomless. I throw everything inside I can find in my wardrobe which still fits me, the pictures on my desk, the books, Tom's cage and my broom. Then I pick up my alarm clock and program the Portkey as I've learned just a few months ago. Remembering that we've joked about me having to flee from my ancestors' house once and learning this… I sit down on my trunk so it would come with me, grab the clock and tap my wand on it._

_"Portus," I whisper and the next moment I vanish and land on the front steps of the Potters' house, which I have only seen on pictures, but for this very purpose. Then I'm out of it._

_The next memory is when I come around and James who sits cross-legged on my big four-poster bed grins at me:_

_"Padfoot! Finally! Mum was so worried! I go and tell her you've come around!"_

_Never have I seen such a relieving sight as James' grinning mug right then. He races out of the room, only to return a few minutes later with a smiling Auntie Dorea._

_"Hello, Sirius! I'm so relieved you're awake. You've been out of it for two days and we've had quite a bit of work to cure the after effects of the Cruciatus curse on you. How are you feeling?" she asks._

_I swallow._

_"Okay, I think. Just a bit sore. And a bit dizzy…"_

_"That's alright then, the potion has worked. It will be over in maybe another day. Charlus will have a couple of questions to you about that Cruciatus curse though. Are you ready to answer them?"_

_"I think so. – Was there an owl because of my underage magic?"_

_"Yes, there was, but don't worry, as soon as I'd looked at you a bit closer we've established that getting away from an Unforgivable curse was regarded as necessary self-defence, so there will not even be a hearing. You're off that hook."_

_I'm even more relieved and I must have shown it for she smiles and ruffles my hair._

_"You're going to be alright, Sirius, for now you stay here…"_

_She hugs me and I thank her into the embrace:_

_"Thank you, Auntie Dorea. I don't ever want to go back there!"_

_The memory shifts and now it's Mr. Potter who sits on my bed. We're alone and he looks at me with a grave face._

_"I need to hear your story, Sirius, even if it should be very painful. My wife has found that you showed all signs that victims of the Cruciatus curse show and she's convinced that someone has put you under that curse. What happened?"_

_"My father wanted me to join the Death Eaters. He's tried to beat me to agree. When I still wouldn't agree he did curse me with… Cruciatus."_

_Mr. Potter nods and says:_

_"That's what I expected. You know that we have to take this on, Sirius? We can get you off the hook from the underage magic by informing the board of governors that you have strictly used a spell for self-defence, to get out of a life-threatening situation. They only know you used a spell and we claimed it has been the spell to summon the Knight Bus which got you to us. We can't tell them that you've made a Portkey, Sirius, as that would bring you into big trouble… but the use of a Cruciatus is a capital offence and we have to prosecute whoever we catch."_

_"Please… can't you just say that he cursed me, but not with what? I'm scared of what would happen if we did take this on. I'm dead sure they'd get him off the hook! You know how much influence Father has on the Ministry…"_

_"Unfortunately I do. Are you sure?"_

_I nod._

_"As long as I don't have to go back there…"_

_"No, I think, we can prevent that. Maybe they're not all too keen after all, because no one has tried to get you back so far. I agree that they would probably hush it up and in little over a few months you're coming of age anyway… we'll gladly provide for you, Sirius. You deserve some relief from them. From what my son tells me it hasn't been easy for you at your home."_

_I see my younger self hanging my head and whisper:_

_"That would be the understatement of the century."_

_Mr. Potter lifts up my chin._

_"Has this happened before, Sirius?"_

_"Not with Cruciatus, sir. But I've been unconscious quite a few times."_

_Mr. Potter sighs. Then he carefully hugs me and promises:_

_"You'll not have to suffer from them anymore, Sirius. We'll see how they react once they've found out you have left your home and will go from there. Dorea is ready to give them her opinion of them and she is the aunt of both of your parents, as you know. So far they haven't burned her from the tapestry so her word is bound to mean something at least."_

_The next memory is of a visit from Uncle Alphard two days later after he's received my owl. He's there immediately and talks to me and then to Auntie Dorea, who's joining us in my room._

_"Dorea, you have no idea how relieved I am to see Sirius out of that house. He has been mistreated from the start and I have been kept away, so that I could not help him. I will provide for everything he needs to buy for school and please tell me if you want me to give you anything while he stays here. Clothes, books and the likes. That's two out of five children of my family safe!"_

_"Thank you, Alphard, but we gladly provide for him. Over the years, I've heard some horrific stories about Sirius' home life. You're quite right, he deserves a reprieve."_

_"Just tell me. I'll come up with his pocket money at least. I'm sure you prefer to stay here with your friend, Sirius, don't you?"_

_"If I may, Uncle Alphard. I just want to stay in contact with you, too!"_

_"Of course, dear! Now that you're out of that awful place, I'll be happy to come and see you regularly. I'll be on a business trip to Switzerland next week; I'd gladly invite you and James for that if you want to come…"_

_"Switzerland? – That's where Remus lives…" I breathe._

_"Is it? Well, write an owl to him and see if you can visit your friend, the two of you, and then I'll take you! Do you know where exactly it is that Remus lives?"_

_"He says it's close to the capital…"_

_"Berne. I have business in Zurich, but that's not far away, so it won't be a problem to drop you off there if Remus' parents allow it."_

_Auntie Dorea looks pensive. She tries to remember if there's a full moon during the next two weeks. I watch myself telling her:_

_"Don't worry, Auntie Dorea, there's none for the next four weeks, it's just passed…"_

_She nods, understanding, then she smiles._

_"Then I can't imagine Mr. and Mrs Lupin having anything against you two visiting, Sirius. Shall I write them the owl?"_

_"Please, Auntie!"_

_"I will then. Will we remain in contact, Alphard?"_

_"But of course, Auntie. I have to leave on Monday and will return here about a week later if the negotiations go well."_

_"Lovely. I'm sending Fanny a letter then."_

_This was, of course, a great turn of events. I recover from the curse in another day or two, with the help of several potions from my great-aunt and then the owl from the Lupins comes back, telling the Potters, that James and I will be very welcome at their place._

_I watch the happy dance the two of us perform through the spacious Potter atrium. Mr. Potter watches us, too, and grins._

_Then Uncle Alphard comes to pick us up and we Portkey to Switzerland, where we arrive in the Lupins' living room. They welcome the three of us and thank Uncle Alphard for dropping us off safely. Remus is there with gleaming eyes and looks overly happy to see us during his otherwise lonely vacation. He pulls us up to his room, which has been fitted with another bed, so that the three of us have enough space to bunk._

_"Because we have my aunt, uncle and cousin here we have to share my room, so one of you will have to share with me, but the bed should be big enough…" Remus remarks._

_"Sirius can do that! I'm snoring…" James decides immediately._

_Then we get images of that happy week together with Remus. We learn to know his cousins, Céline, Yves and Sabine, all three quite nice. The father of the other cousin who is there is a diplomat, so he and his family are living abroad, but they are in Switzerland at the time. Remus tells us that they always stay with either his aunt Carine or his mother. The cousin's name is Melina and her mother is another sister of Mrs Lupin's, but her father is a Muggle and she is a Squib. We never tease her about it and she is quite a nice girl. She's just a few months younger than Remus and I. Her parents and Melina hold the two guest rooms in the house, which is why James and I have to cram into Remus' room. Not that we mind though. Mrs Lupin gives James and I a potion, which helps us understand the others and enables us all to talk together._

_The seven of us are off to the forests, playing broom tag, listen to Remus' Muggle records, visit the town, the animal park, go swimming and one day Mrs Lupin even takes us to the mountains by train and we get to cross the lake of Thun by ship._

_I remember this as pure bliss! I had never even been around England, but now these wonderful days in Switzerland were a dream come true for me. James and I dread the day we have to go back to England, because it's so good to be together with these friendly people. A few owls are sent back and forth and Mr. Potter finally agrees to come and pick us up another week later._

_More fun. We talk with the three magical cousins of Remus' about Beauxbatons, and compare it to Hogwarts. The education seems quite similar. Their school sounds awesome. We visit them in their home, meet their parents and get to see their school robes and things._

_In the middle of the time spent in Switzerland, we find three school owls at the breakfast table one morning. They bring the OWL results and the school letters._

_"What are you waiting for, boys, open them!" Mrs Lupin commands with a smile._

_Melina sits there and asks:_

_"What is that?"_

_"OWLS!" Remus moans._

_"Come on, Remus, you're not afraid of your grades, are you?" Melina teases._

_She may be a Squib, but she's obviously spent enough time in the Lupin household to know a bit about the wizarding world. Remus shoots her a glare and sighs, then he slits his envelope open to pull out the contents. Three pieces of parchment come out. James is a bit further gone, he's just unfolded his grade sheet, when he fists the air!_

_"Yes! I've got eight!" he exclaims._

_"Is that good?" Melina asks._

_"That's pretty good, Melina. I've got eight, too, James!" Remus says, much calmer now._

_"What's your grades?" James wants to know._

_"O in Defence, History and Charms, E in Transfigurations, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. A in Astronomy and Potions."_

_"Potions? You have an OWL in Potions? Wow, Remus, that's great!" I cry out, studying my own grades._

_"And you, Padfoot?" James asks._

_"Ten. O in Defence, Transfigurations, Charms, Potions and Arithmancy, E in Ancient Runes, Astronomy, History, Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology," I tell them._

_They all stare at me. That's ten OWLS and I get five Os. I grin and they start to hoot._

_"Wow, Sirius! I wouldn't be astonished if you've beaten Evans with that!" James cries._

_"That is a really fine achievement, Sirius," Mrs Lupin compliments me._

_"Absolutely. You're a top student if you get that many OWLS. Congratulations, Sirius!" Mr. Lupin follows suit._

_"Thank you! I'm floored! I expected good grades, but I wasn't half sure about Herbology and Ancient Runes…"_

_"For what little you worked…" Remus grumbles._

_"You've done very well yourself, Remus. Look at that score sheet! It tells me that you've only just failed the rest of your subjects by very close margins. Now you'll be able to concentrate on your NEWTS level subjects and you'll certainly do even better then!" Mrs Lupin consoles her son._

_"Yeah, I know. But I failed them and that makes me angry!"_

_"Don't worry, you were doing sensationally well, and those tests were right before the full moon," I insist._

_"That's one reason why I'm angry, Sirius," Remus sighs. "But don't let me put you down, you've done great! I'm glad one of us four is up there giving Evans a little push!"_

_"That should be my line, Moony!" James says._

_I grin. But then I get a bit angry, when I remember:_

_"To think that Regulus' prospect of just about scrambling enough points to move to next class was worth more to my parents than my prospects of scoring among the best for OWLS! They must be completely unnatural parents."_

_"Just wait until you get the official ranking…" James warns me._

_"I'm in the top quarter, that's for sure. What do most people get? Five, if it comes high, six OWLS…" I shoot back._

_The next image is James and myself travelling back to the Potters' home and taking our stuff up to our rooms. The memory shifts and we're sitting in James' bedroom, idly talking. The next year should be easy again and we discuss the subjects we'll take. Then, quite surprisingly, James asks me:_

_"You like Remus, don't you?"_

_"'Course I like Remus, James! We all do, don't we?"_

_"Peter and I don't like him the way you do, Padfoot."_

_"What do you mean?" I play rather dumb._

_It has been quite easy to shrug off Snape's threats to tell everyone about my sexual orientation. I could have held my head up high and just shrug. But James talks about liking Remus that way, so he's suspected that I might be in love with our friend. I can feel my face heating up._

_"I've seen how the two of you look at each other. Wasn't hard to recognise that it's the same way I look at Lily."_

_"We look 'at each other'? Remus looks at me?"_

_"Sirius! Are you dumb or are you just acting dumb? You've just scored **ten** bloody OWLS and you don't even recognise your best friend looking at you 'that way'? Come on!"_

_"No, I didn't. But I'd be glad if he did," I admit._

_James grins._

_"Do you want me to poke around a bit when we're back at school?"_

_"You mean ask him what he feels?"_

_"Yes. I'm quite sure about it already, but maybe he doesn't dare making a start. You know how he is. He's probably deathly scared to lose your friendship if he mentions anything."_

_"Merlin, James, what do you think is **my** problem? Exactly that! I don't want to blubber out something only to learn that it's disgusting him!"_

_The memory shifts after James' reassurance that he thinks nothing of that sort will happen. We're at the Lupins' kitchen table in Switzerland. Remus is alone at lunch with his Mum._

_"Is there something between you and Sirius, love?" she asks him._

_Must be just after we've left. Melina isn't around, which gives mother and son privacy enough to talk about these things._

_"**No**!" Remus protests._

_"But you'd like it to be, wouldn't you?" she pokes._

_Remus hangs his head. Then he sighs and admits:_

_"Yes, but that doesn't mean he'll ever… I don't want to lose his friendship, Mum! If I say something… you know how the Blacks are, they've certainly hammered it into him that it's unnatural and abominable or something…"_

_Mrs Lupin grins slightly._

_"The way I've learned to know Sirius a bit better in the past few days I'd reckon this would be the very thing it takes for Sirius to think it's the most perfect thing in the world, love."_

_Remus looks up. He smiles a bit, then he swallows and agrees._

_"It would, wouldn't it? But Mum, what if…" he stops._

_"What?"_

_"If I would prefer boys, would you be angry?"_

_"No, Remus, I don't think I would be angry about something that would make you happy. You have a hard enough time to be happy and the circles you can move in with ease are small enough. That you'd love another boy would certainly not make me angry or unhappy. And I like Sirius…"_

_"He's nice, isn't he?" Remus says and gets a dreamy look._

_Mrs Lupin grins again and pats him on the back._

_"You'll work things out, love, you always do. I'm proud of you, you know!"_

_"Thanks, Mum."_

_"Have you boys made up a date to go to get your school things already?"_

_"No. We'll wait after the next full moon…"_

_"Good."_

_After that there are a couple of memories of Remus spending more time with his cousins and of James and my time together at the Potters'. Uncle Alphard visits us a couple of times, but even I can see that he's not looking well. Despite him being Father's younger brother he's looking like he's ill most of the time and he confirms it when he comes to supply me with money to buy my school things. I need new robes, and I have to fill up the Potions kit and of course there's the schoolbooks, parchment, a couple of quills and other little stuff. He gives me a purse with almost a hundred Galleons._

_"This is for your school year and for your school things. I think, it should cover it, shouldn't it?"_

_"More than that, Uncle Alphard. I only need about ten Galleons."_

_"Well, the rest is yours, Sirius. – Now, do you already know when you will be going to Diagon Alley to shop?"_

_"Yes, next Tuesday in a week."_

_"Fine. Can you spare about two hours of that day for me? I'd like to take you and Andromeda to my barristers."_

_I stare at him wide eyed and he just smiles._

_"It's just a precaution, to make sure that you and Andromeda will get what will belong to you both. I don't want anyone else of the Black clan stretch out their greedy hands after what I've gained over the years. – Sirius, this is an important meeting. I am not healthy. Over the years, I've contracted a number of nasty bugs on my many travels, and not all of them have been healed. They've done some damage to my internal organs that can't even be healed magically as it seems. For that reason, I don't know how long I'll be alive to help you along. I want to make dead sure that you are independent from your family. The Potters are looking after you well and they have promised to do so until you leave Hogwarts. Probably even beyond! Now, don't you be sad about that, I'm still here and I'll try to hold on as long as I can, okay?"_

_I look at the only adult in my immediate family I can respect and love with fear in my eyes. Now that I've just found him again, I don't want to lose him! But I nod and promise to meet him at two in the afternoon at Florean Fortescue's._

_"Very well, Sirius. I'll tell Andromeda to meet you there, too."_

_The next memory is of our meeting Remus and his parents in the Leaky Cauldron to go shopping. Remus looks quite well again after the full moon. He smiles as he usually does and we wait for Peter to arrive and then set off to do our shopping._

_"I only have until just after lunch. Can we have a late lunch at Fortescue's? My Uncle Alphard has asked me to meet him and his barristers just after two…" I ask._

_"Yes, of course. My Mum already told me. We'll go home and your uncle will accompany you home," James assures me._

_"Oh, good."_

_"What does he want with you?" Peter asks._

_"I think, it's something with his last will. He wants some things cleared in Andy's and my presence. You know Andy, my cousin? She's Bella's oldest sister and the only one in that family who's normal," I explain._

_"Oh."_

_"Let's go now!"_

_We move from the pub on to the shops, go through them and pick our stuff up. Finally, we all drop on a couple of seats around a big table in the cool ice cream parlour. That's where Andy finds us a short while later. She's with her husband and presents us her little daughter, Nymphadora, who's a cute button of seven years now. I haven't even seen her yet. Andy introduces us and takes a seat at the table._

_"We've had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, but we'll share your dessert!" Andy says brightly._

_Nymphadora's little nose scrunches up happily and we all blink, because in the next moment she doesn't have black, but electric blue hair._

_"What's **that**?" I ask, pointing at my niece._

_Andy spells the hair back to normal and chides her daughter:_

_"Dora, what have I told you about control? You can't do that in public; not even unintentional!"_

_"Sorry, Mum!"_

_Then Andy tells us that her daughter has been diagnosed to be a Metamorphmagus and explains that it means she can turn herself to look anything she likes._

_"But it's quite hard for her to hold herself in and not change into anything else in public yet."_

* * *

**Remus**

_It's Sirius' memory. Sometimes it's hard to say, but since we follow Sirius and the Tonks family, I know it's his. I watch him go, longing in my eyes, but I act cheerful._

_"Do you know the way, Andy?" Sirius asks._

_"Yes, Sirius, that's why Uncle Alphard has gone there directly. Come, it's not far."_

_They walk along Diagon Alley, and about half the way through Andy turns right into another little street, then she knocks on the door of a house about four houses into the alley. The door is opened for them and Andy presents her little group:_

_"We're expected, my name is Andromeda Tonks-Black; this is my husband and my daughter and my cousin Sirius Black."_

_"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, please enter right here. You are indeed expected. I think, the gentlemen have just finished their conference," a young wizard greets them. I recognise a former student of Hogwarts, who has left about two years earlier, a Ravenclaw._

_"Thank you."_

_The group is led into a conference room just a moment later. Next to Sirius' uncle, there are three men of different ages. Two are definitely quite old; the third is about Alphard's age, around sixty. They all stand up when the young people step into the room. Uncle Alphard goes to them and greets Andromeda first, after kissing her hand and her cheeks:_

_"It's a pleasure to see you, dear! How are you?"_

_"Hello, Uncle Alphard! I'm perfectly well, thank you. Rather unlike you, it seems…"_

_"Yes, it doesn't look good. Feel a bit sad about the prospects of leaving this world before my dear brothers do, but there you are. Nothing doing about it, I'm afraid. Well, let me do the introductions then. These are the three barristers currently involved figuring out what I own and dividing it among the two of you. This is Mr. Lynton, this is Mr. Quigley, and this is Mr. Blake. Dear friends, this is my niece, Mrs Andromeda Tonks-Black, her husband Theodore and their daughter Nymphadora. And this delightful lad is my nephew, Sirius Black. They will be the recipients of my fortune."_

_"That'll please the rest of the clan…" Sirius mutters, but offers his hand with a polite greeting to the three barristers._

_Alphard and Andromeda laugh out. Then Alphard says brightly:_

_"And we're here to prepare that joy for them all and to prevent any surprises for you when the will is read. I don't know how familiar you are with inheritance laws, Sirius, but let me tell you that I actually **have** to leave all closest relatives something or my will could be contested. The minimum that needs to be left to a family member is one Knut and the farthest relative it has to be left would be the immediate family, any siblings of the deceased and their offspring. And it does not include married partners. In other words, I have to leave a Knut to my brothers, my nephews and my nieces, since I don't have any children of my own. It will be a sad day when I can't see their faces as they get their Knut! Though I'll hopefully already wake up in my frames and watch from there."_

_Mr. Lynton seems to be the chief barrister and he takes over the lead, still chuckling. He guides the party members to their seats and remains standing at his own place._

_"Now then, let's start this meeting. We have young Mr. Quigley over there to record the procedures. This is a meeting to familiarise the future heirs of Mr. Alphard Black, Esquire, with their future inheritance. Mr. Black's intention is to make sure that both heirs are in the know about the contents of his last will, written, signed and certified in the rooms of this law office today, Friday, fifteenth day of the month of August in the year 1976. I will proceed to read the will to the concerned parties, namely Mrs Andromeda Tonks-Black and Mr. Sirius Black. Should you have any question, please interrupt me at any time, ladies and gentlemen."_

_The reading of the will takes some time, for there is a long list of personal legates and then the parts pertaining to Andy and Sirius. From the list of legates and the two main parts of the will I can see just how wealthy Alphard Black is. Once the personal legates, which are not usually money, but more personal possessions and artefacts from Alphard's estate are deducted, Alphard leaves Andy and Sirius half a share of the estate each. Because of his numerous business relations there are a good number of points to be covered in regards to the execution of the will._

_After half an hour of reading, the end is reached and the barrister inquires if there are any questions. Andy and Ted have some and they get their replies. Sirius has one, too:_

_"If Uncle Alphard should die before I'm of age – who'll be in charge for my part? My parents?"_

_"Merlin forbids, no! We're not doing all of this to leave them even as much as a sniff of the estate. The trustees for your share will be the Potters, who will be allowed to set the access you gain to your inheritance, if the case comes up before you reach maturity. They will discuss this with us of course."_

_"Ah. Good. Just as long as my parents have no way to stretch out their grubby little hands to this. I think, they've more than enough already. More than they deserve anyway."_

_"We expect the will to be contested by both sets of your parents, but we've been very careful not to leave them anything that would allow them to get through with such a claim in court. It will probably be settled out of court even. No sane barrister would accept to take this will to court. It would ruin his or her career for sure," Mr. Lynton says with a twinkle in his eye, not unlike Dumbledore's, but probably without the underlying Legilimency._

_Sirius grins._

_"Then I'm happy and hope that we don't have to come back here for many years. I'd rather have my uncle than his money."_

_Uncle Alphard throws a very loving glance at his nephew. What a nice thing to say! He certainly reaches the hearts of the three barristers for they all smile brightly at him._

_"That's much better anyway, isn't it? Thank you for coming, I think we have now done what we could to prevent anyone from trying to steal from you in the future."_

_Everyone gets up and the barristers guide their clients to the door, where they shake hands with all of them._

_"Mr. Black, it's been a pleasure to get your business as usual. I hope, like the young master Black, that we will not have to read it again for a long time."_

_"Thank you, Mr. Lynton, so do I."_

_Alphard waits until the others have said their goodbye as well, and then he leads them through Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron. They don't hurry, but enjoy their time together._

_In the next few of Sirius' memories, we can see quite a lot of Alphard Black. Sirius is delighted to see him often and tells him of all the Muggle books he's read since then and how he's come by them. My name gets mentioned quite a few times and I'm quite sure that the elderly man has picked up a few hints as well._

_"Sirius, how have your parents reacted to your flight?"_

_"Strangely not at all. It's as if nothing happened, no letter, no Howler, no nothing. Maybe Father has understood that the Cruciatus he used could be his downfall if I decide to talk."_

_"I have another theory then. They have probably found out by now that they can't disinherit you. Must have been a hard bit to swallow. The Black family is generally ruled by very strict family statutes. Every law in there can only be changed if the ruling head's generation of siblings is complete and can vote on it and the vote has to be unanimous. In our case that would be your father, uncle Cygnus and myself. And our oldest sister Vega, if she were still alive."_

_I can see the grin spreading on Sirius' face._

_"That must have been very hard for Regulus to take! He's so keen on getting the family inheritance!"_

_"Well, you'll be able to snatch up most of it. The Blacks have always been wealthy, Sirius, but at a time they've been so at each others' throats that they started to disinherit once too often and when there was only one male heir left to procreate he was reasonable enough to have these few laws added to the family statutes. It prevents disinheritance of an heir and no change of some of the points in the statute without the consent of the full number of siblings in the head of house's generation is permitted. The only exception from that law is if a sibling died before reaching maturity. Which is not the case as Vega died in childbirth, and she was well over twenty then."_

_"That means that I couldn't change anything in the family statutes without Regulus' consent?"_

_"Exactly. In your case, it would be completely against your personal interests to have any change anyway, and you're safe from him trying to change something, too. It also means that upon the death of your father you will be the head of the house of Black."_

_"Brilliant. Thanks for your explanations, Uncle Alphard."_

_"You're very welcome, Sirius. I'm glad you've grown into the young man I'd hoped you would! I noticed from the start that you're someone different from my brother and his terrible wife. Sorry to speak about your mother like that, lad, but she's far worse than your father, even if he did use the Cruciatus curse on you."_

_"Don't I know?" Sirius mutters._

_Alphard grins._

_"Just believe me that the Blacks weren't always like this, Sirius! They were always proud of their pure blood, but that alone is nothing bad. It only becomes bad if family members put themselves on higher levels than others purely because they think their blood is better than that of others and that beyond this fact they don't have to prove themselves at all. I notice that your excellent school scores set you apart from them as well and that you've got a fine group of friends, stick to them, they'll replace your family very well."_

_"I will, Uncle Alphard. Thanks for all your help and support!"_

_"Again, you're welcome. I'll see you when you come back for the Christmas break, Sirius!"_

_The next memory is of our meeting at King's Cross, where we get to see a glimpse of the Blacks, but apart from a glower, Sirius notices nothing from them. When we board the train, he explains the reason:_

_"They're mad; because they have found out they can't disinherit me, because I'm the heir. They'd have to kill me, if they want Regulus to become the heir. That's what my uncle said, anyway."_

_"That only means you're now in danger of being murdered by your own family," Peter remarks._

_"I don't think so. First of all, Father's a bloody coward and furthermore it would be a bit too obvious since my fall-out with the family has become known. It wouldn't exactly help if Regulus would be locked up in Azkaben, would it? I suppose, he thinks he can leave it to Regulus to get rid of me himself much later. He wanted me to become a Death Eater mostly so that he didn't have to, you know and might have hoped the Death Eaters would soon get rid of me. I've seen right through him. Bloody Voldemort. As if I wanted to crawl in the dirt at his seam! Blacks command, they don't take commands! And Reg's the same coward as Father."_

_James grins._

_"So, you want to rule the world in your own right or what?"_

_"Are you crazy? I just want to live! Ruling the world would be much too exhausting. And boring, too."_

_A shift of the memories brings us to the dorm, where we discuss the schedule, which looks a bit different for most of us. Peter only has five subjects, we'll see him in Charms, Transfigurations and Defence. Sirius has dropped History and Herbology. That means he has the same schedule as I have, he only has Care of Magical Creatures where I have History. James still has Divination instead of Ancient Runes. Apart from that, he has the same schedule as Sirius. It also means we've still got quite a load. The three of us still have seven subjects._

_Lily is in almost all of our classes. She has made ten OWLS, like Sirius, but he's managed an Outstanding more. She fumes that one of us ranks before her, but Sirius is third overall in the year and he's left Snape seven places behind, which puts him in an excellent mood. Not surprisingly two Ravenclaws are better than Sirius, by one OWL and both have six Outstanding OWLS. I'm just at the end of the top ten, but still one place better than Snape. James is one place ahead of me because of his higher amount of Es. I'm happy with the result. I have topped Defence. Sirius tops Transfigurations and shares the top spot in Potions with Snape and Lily. They have the same number of points in this subject._

_The school year starts. I particularly enjoy Arithmancy and Ancient Runes now, as these two subjects aren't very popular and many students have dropped them, but that gives the remaining ones the opportunity of a more intensive learning experience. I see several memories, from either mine or Sirius' point of view, because we both loved those classes._

_Then there's one of my memories when James catches me in the dorm and stops me from going out._

_"Remus? May I ask you something?"_

_"Sure. What is it?" I ask, turning back to him._

_"Do you still like Sirius? I mean, 'that' way, you know?"_

_I can see my younger self blush and stutter._

_"What… what do you mean 'still'?"_

_James grins and reminds me:_

_"Well, you remember the day when Sirius called you 'love' and we told you to follow him if you liked him?"_

_"Oh. That. So that's what you meant then…"_

_"Of course. We hoped that the two of you would get together, but seemingly, nothing happened. I just thought I'd ask…"_

_"Will you tell Sirius?" I hear myself ask._

_"What if I do?"_

_"I don't know. Yes, I like him. Would you mind that very much?"_

_"No, not at all. I mean, it's obviously not my thing, but it doesn't gross me out."_

_"But if you tell Padfoot he might not want to be my friend anymore…" I object._

_"Remus, we've become Animagi for you. Even if Sirius doesn't swing that way, he won't stop being your friend. He might just be a bit awkward at first. But I know he really likes you, so I wouldn't worry about it."_

_I watch myself sigh. Then James lets me go. The memory changes. James finds Sirius in the library where Sirius checks some books for a prank we want to pull. We need a potion and a couple of spells for it, so Sirius does the research and tells James of the potions ingredients he needs. James is usually the one to go and nick them from the students stores and sometimes even from Slughorn's private stores._

_"Sirius, you needn't be afraid of losing your friend. Talk to him. Soon!"_

_Sirius looks up and smiles._

_"Really? What did he say?"_

_"That he likes you. And he thinks about you what you think about him. Better seek an opportunity to talk to him soon."_

_"Thanks mate! You're the best brother ever, James!"_

_"Glad to be of help. Wish that someone could help me! Lily is just as disinterested as ever."_

_"Give her time, James. We're strictly not allowed to hex Snape anymore, so we can act like we're behaving…"_

_"You're right about that. Have you found it?"_

_"Yeah! There's a potion that can make your skin crawl but won't leave any permanent damage. It's just a question of feeding it to the Slytherins so they'll feel the effect during the day or during the night. If we add a colour spell, then I'd suggest during the day. Young Bill Weasley has offered to slip them the drinks in the kitchen. He'll just pour the potion into the juice jugs."_

_"Now there's a promising lad! He's a second year, isn't he?"_

_"Fine lad if ever I met one! Second year, yes. I promised him a bag full of sweets from Honeyduke's the next time we get to go to Hogsmeade," Sirius explains and grins._

_"Great. I'd say during the day then, so Bill can slip down to the kitchens before everyone else is up. How does it feel on the skin?"_

_"Oh, harmless. Just like some soft waves lapping at the shore, but over a period of up to twelve hours, depending on the concentration of the potion. It's probably more in the head than a real feeling. A cup full of undiluted potion would be enough for a full day a few drops make you feel it for a few minutes. We can test it easily."_

_"Good. Then we put the spell that Remus found on the food. Do you think Bill can do that?"_

_"Yep. He's almost a prodigy with Charms. Tells me he's been the best in his year in Charms and Defence. He sounds like a brilliant kid."_

_"Great. I'll teach him the spell then. Let's go back to the dorm."_

_The next memory shows Sirius brewing the potion. A very young Bill Weasley with short red hair, freckled face and clear blue eyes sits on one of the armchairs in the dorm, watching Sirius. James is there, Peter is there and I sit on the window seat, studying._

_"Just one more ingredient, like so-ho. Done! Now we've got to let it cool down a bit. I take a bit out to cool it quick. Who wants to try it? Just a drop or two, so it won't be longer than a minute!" Sirius calls cheerfully._

_No one seems to be particularly interested. Sirius grins, puts a few drops on his tongue and swallows the potion. After it takes effect, he grins._

_"That's great! Nothing hurts, nothing itches, you just get a feeling like you're under the shower and water is running all over you! Have that for a day and it must be getting pretty annoying, I'll bet. Come on, guys, do me the favour and try it yourselves! It's fun!"_

_Bill finally steps forward and Sirius gives him two drops. Bill starts to giggle and squirm._

_"He's right! It's really nothing bad. Why's this thing been invented, Sirius?"_

_"No idea. But the silly kinds of potions out there you wouldn't believe! We've even come across a potion that makes the hair in your nose grow long, can you believe it?"_

_James, Peter and myself do Sirius the favour and experience, what we have in mind for the Slytherins. I grin and admit:_

_"Yes, no one will charge us with cruelty for that. But what's the spell?"_

_"Oh, nothing worse. Only that they will be 'showered' in the colours of the rainbow in the same rhythm they will feel the water on their skin. Only on their skin, too, but it will give them funny heads and hands…"_

_"Okay. When do we do it?"_

_"Tomorrow morning alright, Bill?"_

_"Yes, sure. Can you come wake me? Only if I set my alarm, the others in the dorm will wake up, too…"_

_"'Course! I'll do it," James promises._

_Then he starts teaching Bill the spell._

James laughs and remarks:

"If you put that in your book and Molly reads it she'll be mad at Bill even after all these years! I bet that Bill has forgotten about this a long time ago."

I'm not so sure. Young Bill Weasley was quite impressed by the Marauders and in our sixth and seventh year, he hung around with us quite a lot. I don't think he's forgotten about that.

"I'll make sure to warn him about it then. He'll probably laugh his head off," I promise.

* * *

**James**

_The memory shifts to the next morning, when everyone arrives at the breakfast table. Bill grins just slightly, like he'd be very happy to see us. We're not showing any visible emotions other than our usual chatty selves. We take a seat close to the second years around Bill and wait for the show. Which starts as soon as the first people at the Slytherin table take their first few sips from their goblets containing juice. Bill has worked perfectly. The spell on the food only works after a time delay and together with the potion to prevent the Slytherins from noticing something foul too early. But once the spell starts to work half of Slytherin house starts looking at each other and several shrieks are audible. I watch myself slapping my hand together with Bill – under the table._

_Everyone apart from the Slytherins grins. The teachers of course try to find out what has happened to the students and don't need help to understand that they're victims to a prank. But since no one apparently seems badly harmed or even injured McGonagall tells the Slytherins to just grit their teeth and wait until it wears off. She's seen enough of this kind of pranks to know that it does wear off. I grin, because this time we'll get away with it._

_We're going to our lessons with happy faces and even Lily seems to enjoy the colourful display of Slytherins. Snape passes her and throws her a:_

_"Get out of the way, Mudblood!"_

_"Seen one too many rainbows, Snivellus?" Lily asks._

_And everyone who hears it laughs straight out. And I like her even more. So much for Saint Evans. We file into the Potions classroom, passing Slughorn and take our usual places. There are six Gryffindors left in this class. Lily usually partners with Dari, Sirius partners Remus and I get together with another Gryffindor girl, Melanie, one who's a bit less outspoken than Lily or Dari, but we get along well and she's pretty good in Potions._

_"The instruction for today's blood replenishing potion is on the board, you can get right down to working," Slughorn says happily and everyone scrambles around to get the ingredients._

_We all work on the potions quietly. I can see Sirius carefully helping Remus, who's great in theory, but has a lot of problems in the practical because of his hyper sensitive nose. A good thing in partnering is that a stronger student can really help a weaker to keep up their grades. It's never even been a question that among us Gryffindors the stronger Potions students support the weaker ones and Slughorn supports this attitude. But he never forces students to work together and thus students choose their own partners. I surreptitiously check who's with whom in Slytherin and see that Snape partners Bellatrix Black. They're the two strongest Potions students in Slytherin. Then there are Wilkes and Avery, who stick together and they would never separate. Typical. Both of them could help the weaker classmates, because some of them are abysmal. We have long since stopped exploding their cauldrons, because the Slytherins who are a bit weaker in this class will indubitably do it themselves. Amazingly Lestrange is one of them, I really have no idea how he has found into this class._

_I watch my younger self concentrate on our potion. It comes along just fine, clears in three phases as it has to and finally takes on a red colour when we add the main ingredient, which is the powdered Mandrake root. All we have to do is wait for a few minutes and extinguish the fire. After that we're just sitting behind our potion waiting for the period to end. Remus, Sirius, Lily and Dari reach that point, Snape and Bellatrix do, Wilkes and Avery, too, but the rest of the Slytherins seem to be in trouble. Slughorn passes and fills samples into glass bottles, labels them and sends us along to clean up._

_"Well done, most of you. Miss Evans and Miss Sanchez, Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin, Mr. Potter and Miss Chaucer, Mr. Snape and Miss Black, Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Avery - you have done so well that all of your potions can be handed to Madam Pomphrey to be used in the hospital wing. Please bottle them in these large glass containers here. The rest of you - please clean your cauldrons."_

_Several large vials float to the back of the classroom and the students called fill them and label them before depositing them on Slughorn's desk._

_He may have had some annoying traits, but old Sluggy was always a fair teacher who taught everyone, not only his Slytherins._

_We're getting to the next memory. It's obviously a Saturday in October as we're outside in the morning. Actually I can just see myself head off to the Quidditch pitch and Peter is nowhere to be seen, so Sirius and Remus are by themselves. They go for a walk along the forest, and as soon as they're away from everyone's sight, Sirius transforms and starts digging in the freshly fallen leaves, puts his nose on the ground and sniffs his way along. Remus watches him and laughs._

_"You really are a dog, Padfoot. Incredible. How about playing fetch?" Remus suggests jokingly._

_Padfoot storms off and comes back a little later with a smallish stick in his mouth and an expectantly wagging tail. He sits down and drops the stick. Remus holds his belly he's laughing so hard._

_"You can't be serious, Paddy! I've said that as a **joke**!"_

_Padfoot tilts his head and nuzzles Remus' thigh, licks his hand and looks up again._

_"Oh, you big puppy, you!" Remus cries, grabs the stick and throws it._

_Padfoot races after it. It's gone quite a bit and Remus enjoys watching the huge dog run gracefully, retrieving the stick for another chase. This time he's off with the stick and almost catches it before it falls. It's fun to watch. Remus walks slowly until he reaches the gates, where he turns and returns to the castle. But he still follows the edge of the forest. Sirius finally changes back and pants._

_"Brrr, I need a shower…" he says._

_"I'd say so, too. Come on, we'll take advantage of the prefects' bathroom!"_

_Remus hurries back and they find the bathroom empty. They frolic in the huge bathtub first, still in their underwear, but then Remus suggests washing all the dirt and the soap away with a shower. They do that. But as they're pulling on the soft terry bathrobes, Sirius holds Remus back before he can open the door._

_"Remus – there's something I need to tell you… can we sit on the benches over there for a moment?"_

_"Sure…"_

_They sit down and then Sirius looks down on his fiddling hands and says:_

_"I know that this will sound weird, but please give it some consideration… maybe you've noticed that I've not given any attention to all those girls who are interested in me."_

_Remus nods._

_"It's… I… well, it's that I… don't fancy them. Girls, I mean."_

_"So you're gay? Prefer boys?"_

_"Not even that. Just one boy… you, Remus."_

_Remus looks up immediately. The smile in his face widens and he tilts his head just a little. Then he admits:_

_"Well, that is good, because… well, I thought you did, but I wasn't sure. I – Moony has known for a while longer, but I have known for a year that I love you. That's why it hurt so much when you told Snape… it hurt twice, because I had to live with Moony raging inside that the mate he chose didn't want to become our mate."_

_"I loved you then already… I thought I'd never even be your friend again, Remus, I thought I'd break apart after that. But I couldn't stop thinking of you, and I know very little as much as I know now that I'll always love you."_

_"Oh, Sirius! I love you, too! I've hoped that you would come out, but I've always thought you never would… and I'm a coward, I didn't dare to. Friendship's too valuable to risk..."_

_He can't say anything else, because Sirius has turned fully to him, pulls him into his arms and kisses him. Just a chaste kiss, but as soon as they feel their lips they deepen the kiss. Five minutes later Remus straddles Sirius' lap and they're in a nice and hot snogging session. They do have to come up for air at some points and during one of those mini breaks Remus pants:_

_"Up to the dorm?"_

_"Yes, please!"_

_With a bit of trouble they both get up and gather their things, then they run up the stairs through the common room and up to our dorm. Wormtail is there, but when he sees them coming in hand in hand he takes flight._

_"I'd better leave you alone, eh? Do you know where James is?"_

_"Quidditch pitch! It's training time!" Sirius calls and just waits until Peter has closed the door behind them. It takes a while until they've both calmed a bit down from their run up the stairs._

_"Your bed or mine?" Sirius asks._

_"Mine. That's farthest away from James and Peter," Remus suggests._

_"Okay."_

_They drop their dirty clothes into the hamper and slowly go back to Remus' bed, where they open the sashes of their bathrobes and let them fall off their shoulders. There are smiles plastered firmly on both their faces and I think they are making for a nice couple. Sirius pulls Remus closer and holds him, then he plants a tender kiss on his forehead._

_"I love you, Remus."_

_"I love you, too, Sirius."_

_They climb on the bed and are soon immersed in another snogging session, but this time they send their hands wandering over the other's body. Remus still thinks of closing the curtains, then they lie together in a reddish half-darkness and keep snogging and caressing. Sirius rolls himself on top of Remus and starts rocking his hip, rubbing his own against Remus' erection. Being young boys it doesn't take them long to come and then Sirius drops his head down on the pillow next to Remus' and both fall asleep._

_The next memory shows them in the evening, just before going to bed. Sirius puts on a pair of pyjama bottoms, Remus does the same, but Sirius tells Peter and James:_

_"My bed can be used as storage room from now on…"_

_Then he climbs into Remus' bed and pulls his new boyfriend close. Remus looks up once more, wishes everyone a good night and pulls the curtains._

_"Hey, use a fucking silencing charm in there, do you hear me?" Peter calls._

_"We will – when we need to!" Remus assures him._

_Shortly after that the light is out and they go to sleep._

* * *

**Tuesday, 4.1.2000 / Sirius**

We're lucky that school only starts again next Monday. That gives us almost a full week more of vacation. We're checking the Quidditch schedules and find that the Harpies play against Puddlemere on Saturday, so we quickly reserve a couple of tickets. We'll return to the Merry Den on Thursday, then use the Floo to the Harpies stadium in Wales.

We're using today for some more work on the memories. Addie is around and wants to see some of them, too, and then Harry turns up and so we are a bit crowded, but more people to see means more to remember when we note things down. It's an interesting experience, because everyone remembers things differently and so it happens that we disagree about the way we take the notes. That clearly proves the theorists right who claim that the memories of eyewitnesses are always questionable, because our brains constantly trick us all.

Remus and I pluck a few months' worth of memories and place them in the Pensieve. We all take the hands of someone else and hop in.

_Sixth year. Right after Remus and I have come together. I can see us leaving Gryffindor tower the Monday morning after it happened. We haven't told anyone yet outside of our dorm, but we come down the stairs hand in hand and of course, we're noticed almost immediately. A few of our housemates gape, then grin, and then one of them starts to hoot._

_"Hey, look at the newest couple around the house! Aren't they just cuuute!"_

_I notice the collective groans of some fourth and fifth year girls when they see the two of us. James, who's walking right behind us, grins._

_"Sirius! **You** are gay?" Katherine Boyle cries out._

_She's been one of the girls who tried to wake my interest most in the past few months. I remember I was pretty glad to have her off my back. Remus glares at her and puts his arm around my waist, probably to give her a clear sign, that I'm his possession now. I respond by putting my arm on his shoulders and pressing a quick kiss on his forehead._

_"Afraid so, Kath. And I've just landed for the rest of my life, thank you!"_

_"How dare you steal Remus? He's **ours**!" a few of the girls protest._

_"Sorry, he's mine now. And I'm probably even more his, because he's such a possessive little blighter."_

_"Shame on you both! Who are we supposed to like now?" another girl says, but the laughter in her eyes clearly tells us that she doesn't care at all, just wants to take part in the teasing._

_I think that's one of the qualities that made me feel so much at home in Gryffindor tower. The bantering, the warmth, the openness and the readiness to accept others the way they are, the laughter and joking, all these things embraced me and pulled me in. In Gryffindor I wasn't an outsider like I'd been in my family, I was right in the middle of them, one of them._

_I watch as we move on to the portrait hole and then through the corridors down to the Great Hall for the breakfast. News travels fast and by the time Remus and I sit down on the spot we usually occupy people already seem to know that we're together. There are curious glances from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. The Slytherins stare, then Regulus starts to shout his 'boos' and some other Slytherins immediately assist him. Our younger selves try not to care for them and put food on our plates. But I can see Dumbledore now, who throws a look at Slughorn and the professor gets up and goes over to the Slytherin table._

_That shuts them up quickly. He may be kind, but he's still the head of Slytherin house and he keeps up the standards that his house always commanded. And he has more authority within his house than people who judge him by his usually easy-going behaviour would give him credit._

_"Black, would you kindly inform us why you initiate such abominable behaviour?" Slughorn asks._

_"Because my brother isn't only a blood traitor. He thinks, he can defecate the name of the Blacks even more by showing around his **boy**friend…" Regulus replies calmly._

_"Has he not left your family?" Slughorn asks silkily._

_"Yes, he's left the family," Reg admits, holding back his contempt. He can't very well let Slughorn know that I'm still the heir._

_"Then why would you bother at all? That will be fifty points from Slytherin for an idiotic display of unnecessary family pride, Mr. Black. And you will report to me tonight for a detention."_

_Slughorn turns around and sits down at the teacher's table, leaving the students of his house behind in a baffled stupor. I remember that he didn't openly favour them, but usually he didn't openly punish them either. So this brought a few minutes of complete silence to the Great Hall. Then I see Lily calmly pick up her knife and fork and eat her poached egg and toast. But I do think I detected a bit of a grin on her face._

_The Marauders look at each other and then start to grin, too. And after five minutes, the old Great Hall sounds as it did every morning when students were filling it._

_

* * *

_

**Harry**

Snape would probably have found a reason to give the Slytherins points for that… I notice that the memories we're watching now fall in a period of complete calm and think that Remus and Sirius certainly deserved that bit of heaven before the hell on earth broke loose for them.

_They're sitting together on one of the squashy sofas in front of the fireplace. Remus leans on Sirius and holds up the book they're both reading. Since he's the smaller of the two boys he usually sits on Sirius' lap and doesn't seem to mind at all that in doing so he resembles the numerous girlfriends on their boyfriends' laps in the common room. I notice that a record player on one of the sideboards smashes lots of Muggle rock music into the common room. I even recognise some of the stuff now, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Allman Brothers and loads of others, mostly rock, very little pop. At first I'm quite sure that Mum would veto the stuff, because she might feel disturbed in her studying, but I soon notice she's one of the owners of the records and is probably responsible for the charms on the record player to even work. And then I remember that Sirius even mentioned something like that once. I look over to him and see him smiling._

"Oh that was such a good time, Lily! It was amazing how you had loosened up over this summer break! We really started to like you then…"

Mum looks a bit embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, that I was such a nerd before… I really was a self-righteous bitch sometimes, wasn't I?"

"Just a bit…" Dad teases her and pulls her into a hug.

"Terribly. But when you started dancing on the coffee table in the common room we forgave you instantly!" Sirius teases.

She's blushing now! Dancing on the coffee table? **Mum**? I have a hard time believing that, but Sirius just nudges me and promises:

"Just you wait…"

_One of the next memories shows us the Marauders moving to the fourth floor, looking around and vanishing behind a mirror as soon as the coast looks clear. They seem to have dropped their stuff after classes and now they're using one of the passages down to Hogsmeade._

_Dad and Peter are ahead, Sirius and Remus follow, holding hands. The corridor looks rather derelict and is extremely dusty, but the footprints in the dust tell me that several people have used the passage. They rush down a long spiral staircase until they must be under the main floor of the castle. Then they follow another corridor, which has several corridors leading off from it and reach a door at the end. Dad gives it a password and opens the door. They are now in an underground tunnel not unlike the one beneath the third floor. Minus the slide of course. We walk with them and reach the end of the tunnel, which emerges in the cellar of the Three Broomsticks. How practical! The four boys move up the stairs and when they reach the bar, Dad pokes his head around the curtain, which separates the staircase from the main bar:_

_"Psst! Madam Rosmerta!"_

_Madam Rosmerta turns around and grins. She winks with her eyes, looks around and nods to the back of the pub. Dad nods back and moves on to a room behind the main pub. A moment later Rosmerta comes in and asks:_

_"What would you like?"_

_"Butterbeer, three cases. And how about some whisky?"_

_"You didn't get it from me!" she declares and leaves to get the drinks. "Here – two bottles are more than enough for you young folk! And you'd better only drink the butterbeer! Twelve Sickles, please."_

_Dad gives her the money and the boys return to the castle. An hour later, the two bottles are hidden in their dorm and they're on their way down to the Halloween feast. Once they're dismissed from the tables they tell a few choice people about the whisky in their possession and assemble in the sixth years' dormitory to devour the forbidden stuff. To my astonishment, I see Mum among the small crowd, which consists of the Marauders, Mum and a friend of hers, and what seem to be three seventh years. The bottles are shared and handed around in the circle and for their age, they get more than enough alcohol to be quite nicely plastered. Remus almost eats Sirius up in his drunken state. Sirius is sitting cross-legged on Remus' bed, Remus on his lap and they enjoy such an intensive snog-fest, that I can see Sirius covering Addie's eyes._

The rest of us have to grin. Addie squeals and claims that she gets to see enough of Remus and Sirius live every day - and others, mind you - not to be impressed by them back then! Sirius looks amused, but says:

"That's a bit much for you little one, believe me! You don't want to see those things just yet, you'll have to wait for a couple of years!"

"But that takes so long!"

_But such incidents start to come up more often in the memories now. On Christmas Eve happens what Sirius has already mentioned. There are only seven students left in Gryffindor after the Christmas break has started, Remus, Sirius, Dad, Mum, two fifth years and a seventh year. They play some teenager games while sharing another two bottles of firewhisky. Mum has put up some music._

Remus nudges me and says with a big grin:

"As soon as 'Child in Time' starts watch out for your mother!"

I recognise the music now. It's Deep Purple!

_The piece Remus has mentioned starts with a few simple chords on the organ, but only a few notes into the tune Mum gets up and starts to dance. She must have had quite a bit of the whisky by that time, because it's very late and they have been sitting around for most of the evening. She mounts the table and starts to move, shoving whatever gets in her way off with her feet. Dad just manages to catch one of the bottles and some of the others grab goblets and glasses, but a few of them drop off. A Daily Prophet and a couple of books follow, then Mum has the table at her disposal and hops around with closed eyes. The others watch her. Sirius and Remus start to dance, too, and then everyone is on their legs, Mum still miraculously on the table, until she makes a wrong step and lands right in Dad's arms._

_The memory fades out when they start to lose consciousness._

_And returns on Christmas morning, when they find themselves on the sofas and carpets of the common room. All around them the house-elves have already cleaned the mess. Remus is the first to wake up and he looks at Mum who lifts her head from a sofa cushion and starts to moan. It seems they've had a bit more than other times. Mum grabs her head, then she looks queasy and then she is up in a moment, runs up the stairs to the girls dormitory and I suppose she must have been pretty sick._

_She has woken the other six occupants of the common room. And all of them decide that they would go and get some more sleep before tackling their Christmas presents._

_

* * *

_

**Lily**

Oh, those first few hangovers! Every time we swore we'd never drink that stuff anymore, but we repeated those parties again and again. It was the one Christmas break I spent at the school and it was a memorable one. I was one of only two girls who had stayed at Hogwarts, the other being a seventh year, who luckily wasn't as stuck up as I had been. We've had a lot of fun during that break. Until three days after Christmas, when a few letters reached Sirius.

_We are sitting together at breakfast when the usual post owls arrive. An important looking barn owl brings a letter for Sirius. He looks at it and pales._

_"Siri? What is it?" Remus asks._

_"That's from uncle Alphard's barristers, Remus! And that one is from Andy."_

_"Do you want me to open them for you, love?" Remus asks softly._

_Sirius hands them over wordlessly and nods. I can see that there are already tears in his eyes. Obviously, he expects what news he will hear. Remus opens the first letter. I have heard Sirius talking about Andy and know that it's a she and she's his cousin. Remus starts to read:_

_"Dear Sirius,_

_I'm sorry to have to write the following words. I know you and I would have wished him a much longer life, but last night uncle Alphard has passed on. I have been with him to the end and even though I knew it would happen, I never expected it this soon. I cried and cried, Siri and I'm still crying writing this! He's been such a good man and I know you and I will miss him like hell! I don't expect to cry like this when the day comes and I lose my father, isn't this just the worst thing to say?_

_Anyway, I've been at his bed and I've held his hand, because I felt I had to do it, I couldn't just leave him alone as he told me to do a few days ago. We knew you and James were staying at Hogwarts and he told me not to call you away from all the fun you surely have. I wanted to spare you to see him die, Siri._

_But now you should probably come to London immediately. I'll await you at the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow at two in the afternoon. I'm sure if you show the letter you will receive from uncle Alphard's barristers to Professor Dumbledore he'll let you come for the funeral and the reading of the will. The funeral will be the day after tomorrow and the reading will take place just a day later. Then you can return to Hogwarts._

_Love always,_

_Your cousin Andromeda."_

_Remus smiles and adds:_

_"P.S. Dora sends her love, too! – And it's signed by Dora herself, Siri."_

_Sirius cries silently. Tears are streaming down his face. Remus looks up and sees Professor McGonagall coming to the table, looking worried._

_"Black, what happened?" she asks with the softest voice she can use._

_"His uncle died last night, Professor. The only adult in his family who liked him and who provided for him," Remus explains, opening the second letter._

_He quickly reads over it and turns to Sirius:_

_"It contains the news, the date and time of the funeral and asks for your presence the day after the funeral for the reading of the will, Sirius."_

_McGonagall sits next to Sirius and says:_

_"Do you wish to go to the funeral, Mr. Black? I'm afraid you will have to face your family…"_

_"C.. could Remus come with me, Professor? I'll have Andy and Ted Tonks, so I won't be alone against them, but I'd like to have Remus with me…"_

_"Could I go, too, Professor? I'm sure my parents would allow it, in fact I expect them to go to the funeral in any case," James pleads._

_McGonagall smiles. She knows how close the boys are and promises:_

_"Sirius, you can go. I'll fire-call the Lupins and the Potters tonight and see what your parents have to say, but if they allow it, you two can go, too. It's a nice gesture, Potter!"_

_"I know you probably can't reach my parents, but I'd like to go, too, if I may, Professor… like them I'm of age and I know for certain that my parents would give their consent," I hear my younger self say._

_The professor looks baffled. So far, I have been about close to the Marauders as the moon is to the earth, but I think being with someone at a funeral, when a beloved person has had to leave them is important for them. Sirius looks at me quite astonished, too, but he smiles through his tears._

_"Thanks, Lily," he mumbles._

_"You might better warn Mrs Tonks about an invasion, Black."_

_"We'll probably stay at my uncle's house. That's where the reading will take place… and it's huge. More than enough space. None of my other family will stay there, believe me, except for maybe auntie Dorea and uncle Charlus."_

_"Fine. I shall tell you tomorrow morning."_

_McGonagall leaves and the Marauders get up from the table to accompany Sirius back to the common room. He returns to the dormitory and only Remus follows him. Sirius cries for most of the morning, until he falls asleep. Remus sits next to him, holding him and rocking him softly until he feels Sirius is asleep. In the evening, all of them pack a small bag with clothes and robes for the funeral. James is sure his parents will allow him to go and Remus is just as convinced._

_The next memory shows all of us the next day. Professor McGonagall is back and informs the three of us that we have our parents' permission to accompany Sirius to the funeral._

_"You are to be back by New Years Eve, which is in four days. Mrs Tonks expects all of you at the Leaky Cauldron at two o'clock. You can walk down to the Three Broomsticks to use the public Floo there."_

_We're all off before lunch and leave for the Leaky Cauldron. Of course, we're too early, so we eat lunch there and wait for Andromeda to turn up. She arrives on time and hugs Sirius first, before she even greets us. He's got quite puffy eyes and sniffles, the tears flowing again._

_"Oh Andy! I so wanted to see him again next summer!" Sirius sobs._

_She quietly rubs his back and holds him. James goes over to Tom to pay for our lunch, then Andy tells us where we have to Floo. We're off one after the other and find ourselves in the entrance hall of what seems like quite a big townhouse. Andy apparates in and tells us:_

_"Ted, Dora and I moved in here two months ago – because we will inherit the house and because we didn't want to leave our uncle alone in here, deathly ill and only surrounded by house-elves, however sweet they were looking after him. He didn't mind the family and I know that Dora particularly delighted him when she showed up in his room. She is missing him already. Anyway, I've got rooms prepared for you, and I'll just show them to you now, okay?"_

_She moves ahead over a staircase up to the first floor, then another floor and through a corridor._

_"Here's one, here's yours, Sirius, here's one and here's one. Pick your rooms!"_

_"I don't need an extra room, Andy, I'm staying with Sirius…" Remus declares._

_Andy grins._

_"What! Has he finally made a move? Or have you been the one to take the first step? That's quite wonderful, you know! Can't wait to see Aunt Leda's face. And my mother's! Don't expect them to be nice though!"_

_"I don't. I know what Sirius suffered when he went home last summer and Regulus couldn't wait to tell his mother about Sirius being gay…" Remus whispers._

_"Aww! How could we two become the nice people we are with such hags as mothers, Siri? We must be miracles!" Andromeda jokes._

_Sirius grins a bit._

_"Yeah, I agree. Must be! Just look at Reg…"_

_"And Bella! She's the greatest of pests!"_

_The memory fades. The next one must be Sirius' as he's being led into the room where Alphard Black is laid out. He's looking well, just like he'd sleep. Sirius holds his breath though, I think, he's never seen a corpse before. Andromeda leaves him alone to have time for his last goodbye._

_The memory shifts again. Now it's the day of the funeral and we're with the party to accompany the deceased to the ritual burning. The ashes are filled into an urn, which will then be deposited in the family vault of the Black family in the Diagon Alley cemetery. There are coffins lined up in the vault as well as niches to place urns. It looks like it's the same thing in the wizarding world as it is in the Muggle world, a part of the dead are buried in coffins and a part of them prefer to be burned. It's an amazingly short procedure and I notice that Sirius is glad for it, as most of the Blacks have turned up, probably in the hope of getting a good bit of what Alphard Black would leave. They remind me of a group of crows. Sirius looks a lot like his father, but there's a big difference, too. It's mainly the light that's in Sirius, his openness, where the rest of the family looks sombre and dull. Even Regulus is there, sneering at Sirius and even more so at us. Mrs Black makes a horrible scene because I'm there and she already seems to know I'm Muggle-born. But Andromeda has taken the lead in the procedure and she shuts her aunt up amazingly successfully._

_Amongst the many guests at the funeral are the Lupins and the Potters. It's a pleasure to meet them. There is a wake after the funeral, which takes place at one of the restaurants in Diagon Alley, but none of the Black family is invited apart from Sirius and Andromeda herself. I get to speak to James and Remus' parents, who are all delightful people and who are examples that there are very nice pureblooded wizards and witches out there. As it is with all funerals and wakes, the mood lightens up as time moves on and I hear stories about Alphard that introduce me to the person, even if I never knew him personally before_.

* * *

**Sirius**

_Mother screams at Lily and I look at her apologetically, but Lily quite calmly turns her back and disregards the old hag. Then Andy comes over and tells Mother to shut up and not disrupt the ceremony._

_"You didn't have to come, aunt! You didn't even allow him to enter Grimmauld Place anymore, you've burnt all of his portraits in the house, now you trample in here and expect a friendly welcome? Stay away if you can't accept uncle Alphard's friends. Or shut the hell up!"_

_Andy's bluntness shuts my mother up for a moment. The funeral takes place and is very short, for which I'm glad. We move on to a restaurant, where we hold a small wake among us, and some of uncle Alphard's friends, who have joined us here. He's had quite a lot of friends, most of them as eccentric as himself, so after a while, it gets quite nice and we hear a lot of stories about him._

_Then the next day after lunch the house starts to fill, this time with family and only about three of uncle Alphard's friends. The barristers have come in before lunch and have shared the meal with us. The living room has been made ready to seat all the people who are invited to hear the reading of the will. My friends stay in the smaller salon for the duration of that. Andy receives the other family members and sends them to the living room. I have already taken my place there and watch them coming in, see how greedy they look at everything in the room. I don't even look at them. Contrary to them all, I know what we will hear in that testament. Finally, the barristers seem to be convinced that everyone is there. One of them has a purse where I expect him to keep the Knuts which will be handed to the relatives who will receive nothing else. Mr. Lynton gets up and says:_

_"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We have gathered here for the sad reason of Mr. Alphard Black's demise and the reading of his last will. My partner, Mr. Quigley will now start the reading."_

_The expectant faces soon turn to red bulbs as the assembled Black family gets to hear what uncle Alphard thinks of them and at the end Mr. Lynton picks up the purse and a list and calls every person on that list by name to receive their Knut and sign the parchment receipt. Andy has told me that this is quite a frequent treatment of unloved relatives, so my 'family' probably knows there's nothing doing. It doesn't stop Father, Mother, uncle Cygnus and aunt Augusta from refusing to take the Knut and sign, so I think, they will actually contest the will. But Lynton just hands them their copy of the will and winks at Andy and me. If they show this to any barrister, no one will take it to court. The list of persons who receive a Knut is attached to the will. Even the signatures of those who accepted the Knuts have been copied already._

_Once the family is out of the house, we can breathe again. Mr. Lynton hands me a Gringotts key._

_"Mr. Black, I'm pleased to hand you a key to your brand new Gringotts vault. The cash in your uncle's vault has already been shared between you and Mrs Tonks. I will hold back the Knuts for all those who refused to take it, but I don't think you will miss those," Mr. Lynton says with a bit of a roguish smile, before turning to Andromeda and giving her a key, too._

_"I shall keep the both of you updated about the process of your relatives in contesting the will. Most probably it won't go beyond asking for the advice of some barristers. No one in their right minds will touch the case, not even Knockturn Alley rogues. And after a year and a day the chance of contesting a will expires if no claim has been placed with a court."_

_After that, we're left alone and return to my friends. I'm not any happier at having lost my uncle, but at least I will be independent, I'm of age now, so I'll be able to look for a place to live as soon as I leave school. And I will have time to decide what I want to do with my life, apart from spending it with Remus of course._

_The memory moves on to the late evening, when we are discussing these things before going to bed. Remus of course already worries about the NEWTS and what professional prospects he will have at all. He expects to have just as much difficulty as other werewolves have to get and keep a job._

_"In the end you might be happiest with a Muggle job, love. I understand that you want to do something and not become a social case. I wouldn't like to see you in such a situation, love. You should be able to do anything, you're so good at everything you do. But for all the times you might be out of work, you're mine to take care of. I will do it whenever it's unavoidable. I know it will be hard for you. But I want to be there to nurture you back to life when they treat you badly. I want to be there for you," my younger self promises Remus._

I was sincere then. I meant every word and Remus knew very well that I meant every word. Now we know what happened that made it impossible for me to be there for him like I promised. I dread to see his memories of the years spent mostly alone. I reserve myself to see the memories, before I wonder whether the friends in the Order have let him down or whether he left them. Unfortunately, I think he rather left them, because he trusted them, but couldn't accept charity from them the way he could take it from me.

We leave it at that for the day. We've got a lot to note down again and do it thoroughly. We've developed a certain routine by now, everyone adds what they remember beyond the notes added by Remus and I.

But we also need some of the day to spend with our little ones and decide to go on as soon as the children are off to bed. We meet the gang for the aperitif and find some of them have friends with them who all find space at the long table. We're introduced to the people we don't already know.

Sharing meals with so many people guarantees lots of discussion topics. One of them is usually politics, which is a bit less exciting now that things have returned to a normal ebb and flow. The Ministry is still being rebuilt, but I hear that there are a lot of efforts of bringing things back to a better way than under Fudge. Madam Bones is very busy achieving improvements in most of her departments.

We sit down to eat. I have Denny next to me who starts to eat with his little fork and spoon by himself, but he's still rather messy. Seems normal to me, they are still learning after all. To make sure he actually gets something in his mouth I feed him a spoonful now and then but let him work it out for himself between the bites.

"Daddy, look!" he calls me and shows a spoonful he's cooped up.

"Well done, love, now you have to put that in your mouth!"

He tries and before he can drop everything, I help him a little. He chews and beams. Every time he manages to do something himself, he's showing this special grin. I love to see it. At the same time, it makes me sad, because I should have been like that, too, and the painful memory of the degree of neglect I had to suffer as a small child just won't leave me alone. But I shove those thoughts to the farthest recesses of my mind. I can't change the past. I can only do my best to make it better for my children and the memories from my own childhood are standing so clearly in front of me to help me.

That includes Addie. She's quickly becoming a sparkling character, the little lady. So and so many generations of nobility of course do leave their marks in the genes and now that she's encouraged she shows her qualities. What I like most in her is that she does it without becoming arrogant and conceited at the same time. Right now she's placed between Ginny and Draco and tells them about some of the memories in the Pensieve. She has lost most of her timidity to speak to others. It was a natural timidity, given that she only knew Father and Kreacher in her time at Grimmauld Place. It's already gone now. But of course, we won't know for a while what damage really has been done. Children have an immense capacity of healing themselves. She might have built up something inside of her as her mental protection. I'd like her to have a chance to meet other children of her own age rather sooner than later. At the moment, she's spending most of her time with adults and that makes her precocious. She should have some kind of a childhood with mindless playing times and chatter with other girls of her own age. She'll otherwise have a problem to find friends.

Oops! While I've been woolgathering, Denny has promptly dropped a few spoonfuls of food on his bib. I pull my wand to clean up, then give him the spoon back and he tries again. Every day there's a little progress. When we've started out two months ago to let them eat with their cutlery there were three spoonfuls of food coming from us for every spoonful they've managed to put into their mouths themselves. Now we're reaching about two spoonfuls from us to one they can manage themselves. Soon I hope they will be eating by themselves, even if it will still be messy. They're still used to picking up things with their hands.

"Try again, little one!" I suggest.

He does and gets better, maybe because I'm watching. But he grins and it's that grin that melts my heart down every time. I'll have to arm myself to meeting this when he uses that grin after having caused mischief of any sort! I'll probably have to admonish him, leave the room and laugh somewhere else, so that he doesn't hear how he's amused me with his antics. It won't do for us to encourage him, because if he's anything like me he won't need encouragement to cause mischief.

After dinner, we enjoy a good cup of coffee, tea for some of the people in the room, and slowly relocate away from the table. There's lots of billiards being played. One of the guests has experience in playing three-ball billiards and explains the game to the others who give it a try. Remus and I watch how the lids of our children get heavy and decide it's time for them to go to bed. Seraina comes to me and cuddles. That's always a sure sign that she's ready to go to sleep. I take her on my lap and she presses herself to me, mumbling:

"Daddy, Saina tiwed."

I love the way she calls herself Saina. Denny uses it, too, and I wouldn't be astonished if it would stick between them.

"So I'm taking you to say goodnight and then to bed, sweetie?"

She nods.

"Okay, go give them kisses!"

Seraina leaves my lap and slinks around getting her goodnight hugs from Papa, Mum and Uncle James, all of the gang, Addie and her siblings, then I lift her up and take her to bed. Denny holds out a good bit longer, but he'll sleep longer in the morning, too. They're of rather different temperament in their sleeping patterns, our little ones.

As soon as I have read her story she mumbles:

"Chawwa lingua, Daddy!"

We've learned a song in the language from which her name derives and she absolutely loves it. It's in Romanic, the first line is "Chara lingua della mamma, tü sonor rumantsch ladin…" (Dear language of my mother, melodious Romanic from Ladin) and we have to sing it for her almost every night now. It has only three short verses and is nice and slow, so we're usually through it quite quickly. She seems to like the sound of the language a lot, even if she doesn't understand the words. And by the end of it, our little one is usually fast asleep. There are no words to express the amount of love I have for these children. It flows easiest when I see them asleep. It's the most peaceful view I know, and whatever the day with them has brought, watching them asleep will wipe everything away. I just wonder if my parents were aware of what they missed, but I know they weren't or they wouldn't have brought Regulus and me up the way they did! Thankfully, Addie has been spared most of what I went through. Sometimes neglect can have a good side.

I'm also learning an actual lullaby in Romanic, a song called 'Dorma bain' ('Sleep well'). Since we've spent some time in the Graubünden and have given Seraina her name originating from up there I've started to look a bit into the culture and that special language of this area. The history goes even farther back than the Romans, but they have given the area the culture it has to these days. In the places where the people speak Romanic they are also mostly catholic and almost all of the old churches in the many small villages there are from the Romanic period between 700 and 1000. Life in the mountains has formed the lifestyles, and the farmers are mostly cattle breeders. They use the Alps to feed the cattle over summer, while they make hay from the pastures in the lower areas. Like Seraina, I find the sound of the Romantsch very pleasing. There is a very old tradition of choir singing in the area and for that reason there is an abundance of songs in this language. Some of them have become very popular outside of the area as well. The whole of Switzerland has a rich tradition of folksongs in the four languages and many Swiss German dialects as well.

Lily brought music into my life and I loved it from the start. Music was something completely unknown and probably looked down on in my parents' views. It's logical, after all, in Germany there was the saying that you can join all people who make music, because bad people do not know any songs. And my parents were bad to the core. But I learned to sing in primary school. Our teacher used to do a lot of that with us and I know that I loved it. It's only coming back to me again slowly. Lily's keyboard, which is more an electric piano, which she brought to Hogwarts to teach music to Addie has done us all a lot of good and motivated me to re-learn some of the songs I knew when I was a child and to add many new ones.

It's a lot of fun!

Remus has loved music from earliest childhood through his mother. She always played lots of music from vinyl records, anything from French singer/songwriters to modern pop and rock music from the 60s and 70s. She also played a lot of classical music, sang and played the accordion.

When I get back down to the living room, Remus is just getting ready to take Dennis to bed. I kiss a sleepy little boy goodnight and watch Remus leave with him. Half an hour later, my mate is back and we can return to another hour or two of memories.

Sixth year was probably the most light-hearted time I spent in my life apart from the past years in spite of the loss of my beloved uncle. Remus and I discovered our love and our bodies, Lily became a friend, if not yet James' girlfriend, school went great and there were no greater worries than Quidditch matches, tests and the end of year exams. Going through the memories of this school year is a good basis to bear the memories of the gruesome war years we were to experience as soon as we left Hogwarts.


End file.

Harry Potter