I OWN NOTHING!
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FINAL CHAPTER: THE UNEXPECTED!
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The months seemed to slip by; August turned to September and September into October. The leaves began to turn from bright green to bright orange, red, and yellow as they died, and fell from the frost covered branches.
A golden leaf broke from a tall oak, towering high above a wedding. It fluttered toward the cold Earth, floating gracefully toward the guests. It landed, settling on a head of bright red curls.
"Oh, Gin, you've got a leaf in your hair." Hermione whispered to the maid of honor from behind her.
She clutched a bouquet of white lilies to her dark green dress, as she eyed the leaf that was gently moving with the autumn breeze that swirled around them.
"What," Ginny hissed back, moving her glove covered hand discreetly to her head, in an attempt to dislodge the leaf.
Ginny's husband glanced up from next to the groom, upon hearing Hermione's whisper. He opened his eyes wide, begging for them to remain quiet.
"The ring please." The white haired Minister asked standing importantly in front of the May and Sirius.
Harry stepped forward, his back straight, and a grin spreading over his face. He held out the small green velvet pillow to Sirius, who grinned at him, and took the small silver band from it.
The guests were silent, as Sirius gathered his thoughts. He stared at May a moment. Her now short black hair was pulled back in an elegant up do. A thin diamond encrusted headband was wrapped around it, giving it a glittering quality. Her soft pink lips formed a smile, as she searched his eyes. He smiled one last time, before opening his mouth to begin his vows.
"May, before I met you I was a fool. I had no direction in life, and I really had no purpose. I just followed my friends around, and that's not what I would consider having my own life. But that all changed the moment I met you. I suppose I have James and Lily to thank for that. If James hadn't suddenly sparked a sudden interest in Lily, I probably would have never met you. This is just added to the long list of things, which I have Lily and James to thank for. May, you taught me to love, and what it truly meant to care for someone, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. I can't remember what my life was like before I loved you, and I don't want to. The thought of you was one of the only things that kept me going for those thirteen years stuck in Azkaban."
A tear fell from May's eye, as she stared up at him lovingly. He smiled, and reached up to wipe the tear away with the pad of his thumb.
"I love you, May, and to prove that, I'm going to slip this ring on your finger." He smiled, as he lifted May's hand, and slipped the sliver band over her left ring finger, grinning madly.
May's knees began to feel like jelly something she hadn't felt since her Hogwarts days. Tears began to traveled down her cheeks, as she looked up at Sirius. He was smiling back at her.
"Sirius," she started choked up with tears, "You don't know how scared I was when you and the Marauders befriended Lily and myself. We were so sure it was a prank. Even most of the student body thought it was a prank. I remember consoling Lily because she was scared out of her mind that you and James had a mind to prank us. But then something happened, you stuck around," her tears remained constant, "and that prank never came. I remember the night that I knew I was in love with you, I was the point where I was sure that it wasn't a prank, it was the night you told Cindy that you were in love with me in the Common Room. I've loved you since that day, and I'll love you forever more."
She turned to Ginny, who handed her the ring, which she slipped over Sirius's finger, smiling.
"Do you May Kristin Delfin promise to honor him, love him, obey him, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" the Ministers voice asked above the silence.
May nodded, smiling at Sirius, "I do."
"And do you Sirius Black promise to honor her, love her, and obey her, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," he said, never more sure of anything in his life.
"Well by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
Sirius and May grinned at each other.
"You may kiss the bride."
May flung her arms around Sirius's neck, hugging him tightly. He chuckled, and hugged her back, before pulling back slightly, to rest his lips against hers.
His hand went up to rest on her cheek, and for a few moments, they were lost in each other.
When they pulled apart, May was blushing scarlet, and Sirius was grinning widely.
"Let's go luv," he whispered in her ear, and led her out of the backyard of the Burrow.
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"The wedding was beautiful!" Ginny gushed, from next to Harry, later at the reception.
"Oh it truly was! May. Your grandmother was crying though out the entire thing." Hermione put in.
Ginny giggled, "no real surprise there, she was crying at the rehearsal dinner."
"Yep, that woman cries at anything." May leaned into Sirius, who planted a kiss on her neck. The dinner appeared in front of them, at the high table. Remus sat down in the next to May, with a loud sigh. His blonde hair, now speckled with gray was a mess on top of his head, and he was breathing harshly, like he'd just finished a marathon.
"Had to use the loo." Was his excuse.
"Still fashionable late? Just like graduation, huh Moony?" Sirius smirked. "Well at least you made it to the wedding, you know since you were a groom's man and all."
Remus blushed, and picked up his fork to start on his chicken. "God, Sirius, I just went to the bathroom."
Sirius laughed, and clapped his friend on the back. "I know mate, where's Amy, by the way?"
Remus blushed harder, and pointed to the desert table. Amy was spotted piling cookies on her plate. She turned toward the head table, grinning.
"May, where did you get these cookies? I can't get enough!" she asked when she was close enough.
"Hogsmead bakery."
Amy nodded, and plopped herself down between Remus and Sirius.
"The wedding was beautiful by the way, May and Sirius." Amy said, before biting into one of the cookies. "And everyone seems to be having fun at the reception, and just look at all the dresses that I've sold!" she exclaimed joyfully.
Unfortunately, she said this just as May was taking a sip of her red wine. Laughter began to bubble up in her throat. Her eyes began to water, as she tried to force the wine down. Her face grew red as she finally managed to swallow the mouthful of wine. She crumpled on the table, next to her dish, in a fit of hysterics. Sirius's eyebrows came together, as he watched his wife shake with mirth.
"It wasn't that funny," he said, massaging her back.
There was a giggling to May's left just then. Ginny held a delicate hand over her mouth, as she too burst into laughter seeing May fall apart. The two laughed for a moment, and Sirius got a feeling in the pit of his stomach, it was like Lily and May laughing together again. He watched them, laugh for a couple of minutes before sharing a bewildered look with Harry above their wives heads.
"Whoa, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, won't.." May took a deep breath, and ran a hand over the skirt of her dress. "Won't happen again."
Ginny nodded, trying not to crack a smile, which was bursting to be let out.
"Well, that was fun." May concluded, picking up her fork again.
The wedding party stared at them in silence.
Ginny blushed, and looked down at her plate, a smile playing on her lips.
"Insane." Ron said from a ways down the table. His arm was around Hermione's shoulders, and he was shaking his head, as he watched them.
Harry, Hermione, Sirius, Remus, and May all burst into laughter.
"Oh I don't think they're insane, just having a good time." Amy said, picking up the last cookie on her plate.
They laughed harder.
"Well, at least someone's on our side!" Ginny huffed, but with good humor.
Harry wrapped his arm around his wife. "I'm on your side, luv."
She slapped his arm away. "You weren't a couple seconds ago."
They laughed again.
"What was so funny anyway?" Ron asked, leaning over Hermione to see them better.
"I don't think they remember, dear." Hermione said, pulling on his arm to get him to sit back in his seat, like a mother, reprimanding a child.
"We just wanted to say.. Happy marriage!" Fred and George Weasley said as they stumbled over the to head table, and stood in front of Harry and Ginny at the table.
"Thanks, but you're a few months late." Harry said, cracking a smile.
"A few.hic..months.you say?" Fred asked.
Ron visibly rolled his eyes at his brothers. "You're drunk!"
"Are not!"
Ron chuckled, before it turned into a booming laugh. "Go...eat..or something," he tried.
"George!" Alicia Spinnet ran up to him, and grabbed his upper arm. "Come on! You big prat! You too Fred."
"Aren't you going to.. Congratulate.Harry and Ginny here?"
May and Sirius chuckled, as they watched Fred and George being glared down.
"Harry and Gi.Are you mad! This is Sirius and May's wedding!" Alicia repremanded.
"That explains May in the white dress and Ginny in the green." Fred said, stroking his chin, which was missing the long beard.
"Yes, you dunderheads!" They each received a sound smack in the head, before they were both swept away from the table by their ears. "I am so sorry about them!"
"No explanation needed." Ginny giggled.
"Really." Ron agreed.
"Lily and James would have liked them." Sirius said with a chuckle, watching them being pulled to their table, and sat roughly down.
May giggled, "yes, they would have." A flame of some sort flicked and built in her eyes. "Hey, why don't we tell them stories about Lily and James!" May said excitedly. "I bet they haven't heard many."
Sirius grinned, "I've told Harry a bit about James, but you probably know more about Lily."
Harry leaned over the table to regard May happily; his arm was wrapped around Ginny's shoulders, while the other hand was gripping a glass of champagne. "I would like that."
"Well, they met at Hogwarts obviously, they..just sort of met, when the Marauders here decided to befriend Lily and I." May attempted to start the conversation.
Sirius cut in, clanging his glass on the table. "You don't know what you're talking about." Sirius said with a smirk.
"What do you mean?" she asked her eyes narrowing.
All those at the table present leaned in, to listen to Sirius.
"They met in the Common Room, on the last night of our sixth year."
"Wha.at night?" May said loudly.
Sirius held his hand up with a smile.
"Lily was up, curled up by the fire."
"Crying." Remus put in, bringing a piece of chicken to his mouth.
"Oh yea, she was crying, wasn't she."
"She was always being harassed by her sister, Petunia, I'm sure you are aquatinted with her, Harry." May put in.
Harry shivered and nodded.
"Afraid to go home, she was, every year, she'd become depressed, and withdrawn, that must have been her problem when she was in the common room. Go on Sirius, I don't think I've heard this part." May said quickly.
"Well, anyway, we were just coming back from putting the finishing touches on the animagi potion when we came into the portrait hole, to find Lily Evans, curled up and crying by the fire. We were shocked to say the least. We'd never seen Lily Evans show any kind of emotion, she usually kept her guard up."
May snorted. "Usually?"
"Anyway! We were worried that she had heard something about us being animagi, and I think we scared her." he scratched his head. "Never really thought about it, but.she flew upstairs, and after that moment, James needed to have her around. It was the oddest thing, after seeing her cry, it broke his self control, and he needed to know more about her or something." Harry leaned on the table, his own chicken forgotten. Ginny leaned on his shoulder, also listening in.
"And believe you me, James made sure he learned more about her. Gosh, you had us going there for a good couple of weeks. We were dead sure you were pranking us. Why in hell would 'THE MARAUDERS' ever hang out with us?" May exclaimed.
"Aren't you glad he did though? If he hadn't made an effort toward Lily, you would have never have met me!" Sirius said charmingly, and leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek. She pushed him away with a snort.
"Yea, glad, anyway, needless to say, they fell madly in love, got married, and had you." May finished, looking at Harry.
"You know I actually walked in on them probably right after that last one."
"Stop! Right there! We don't want to hear it!" May shrieked, causing many guests to turn and look in their direction.
"WHAT? I'm just retelling memories, and that happens to be the funniest one."
"What about the one in the kitchen the day they told us Lily was going to have Harry?" Remus asked, looked up with a grin at Sirius.
"Oh that was a good one, but not as good as the one I have."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Perv."
"Agreed." May laughed, and kissed Sirius's cheek.
"I am hated."
"Oh, Sirius, shut up." May laughed, and the whole table joined in.
"What was my Mother like?"
"A loser." Sirius said simply, a mischievous glint in his dark eyes.
May slapped his arm, and glared at him. "She was not."
"She was caring, a bit shy, not overly popular, but she loved the friends she did have, and above all she loved you and James. You and your father were her life. She lived for you guys."
Harry nodded, glancing at Ginny with a smile. "I can relate."
May and Sirius smiled. "You have no idea." Sirius laughed.
The two were so much like Lily and James, even just by appearance. You could tell just by looking at them, that they were meant to be together forever.
The music began to play, and Sirius offered his hand to his new wife, who took it, and followed him out to the dance floor.
They swirled alone for a few minutes before, guests began to fill onto the dance floor. "It's like I'm seeing James and Lily again." Sirius said distractedly, watching Harry spin Ginny around the dance floor. He tightened his arm around May.
She snuggled into his chest, and smiled up at him. "Yes, it is, isn't it?"
"I really liked talking about them. For a minute, it was almost as if they were alive again, like James was right next to me, with Lily." Sirius shook his head.
"They are with you, Sirius. And with me, and Harry."
Sirius nodded, and kissed May's head. They danced in silence for a couple minutes, before May harshly broke it. "My God, these shoes are KILLING me."
"Not used to heels, huh?" he asked, smirking down at her.
"I didn't even have to wear these at Lily and Jame's wedding."
"So, take them off."
"Huh?" she asked with raised eyebrows.
"Take them off."
She shrugged, stopping momentarily to slip her shoes off, and pushed them under the table and out of sight from the guests.
Sirius tightened his arm around her waist. She squeezed his shoulder affectionately.
"You're short," he smirked.
"Ha! That's because I'm not wearing the heels."
"Yes, well I never noticed how short you were."
"I'm not short, you're just tall," she told him.
"Oh, ok then."
"Please don't step on my feet."
Sirius looked down at her face, and burst into laughter. She was squeezing her eyes shut, anticipating the worst.
"Don't worry, I'm the best at this. I wouldn't have asked you to take them off if I wasn't positive I wouldn't step on your toes."
She relaxed slightly. "Fine."
Sirius nodded, and pulled her closer, resting his chin on top of her head. Her Diamond Head band scratched his chin.
"Do you mind?"
"What?" he reached up and gently tried the wedge the band out of her hair.
Her hands flew up to still his working ones.
"What do you think your doing? Do you want Ginny Potter to release her wrath on you?" she hissed.
"Ginny?" Sirius laughed. "She doesn't have the heart the kill a fly."
"Yes, well, you should have seen how savage she was about my hair and make- up."
Sirius laughed heartily, before letting his hands drop to her waist again. "Fine, fine, but remember, I'm not completely hopeless with hair, you would have looked just fine without the band."
"I know, but I don't want to be on bad terms with my goddaughter-in-law," she giggled at her own wording.
He shook his head with a chuckle, as she rested her head back down on his chest. Her familiar scent met his nostrils, and he breathed deeply.
"I love you, May."
"I love you too Siri."
"I never asked, what happened to your long hair?" he asked.
She giggled, "I got a hair cut."
"Why?"
"Because I looked too immature with long black hair, and blue highlights."
"I liked your hair."
He felt her sigh. "So did I. I hated having to cut it off, but when your students can't tell the difference between teacher and student, it's time for a change."
Sirius laughed. "I guess that would make sense.so what made you come back?"
"You."
He stopped dancing, and stared down at her head.
"Why are we stopped?" she asked, looking up at him perplexed.
"Me?"
"Yes, you, why do you think we're here at our wedding?"
"How did you know I was innocent, and free?"
"I read it in the newspaper on of my students gave me. I knew deep down in my heart that you hadn't done what you did, but what could I do!"
"May it's ok, I don't blame you."
May nodded, stepping back into his arms.
They slowly revolved around the dance floor.
"You know Sirius, it's rather rude to hold the bride all to yourself, so may I cut in?" May glanced up, to see Harry standing in front of them a grin on his face.
"Depends?" Sirius answered.
"On what, exactly?"
"On how much you pay me," he grinned, while May stepped back and slapped Sirius's shoulder.
"I'd be happy to dance with you, Harry!"
May danced with Harry, while Sirius found himself dancing with a jabbering Amy.
Songs flowed into others, before long, the dance floor was emptying.
"We're going to go." Sirius told Harry, who was holding a sleeping Ginny. "Why don't you come over next week, we think it's time for you to visit your parents."
"Visit.my." Harry looked at him in confusion.
"Yes, They found the bodies in the rubble of your old house, just after it happened. They were never properly buried, until two years after their deaths. Before Dumbledore died, he gave me the papers, stating where they were buried, and I guess I should have known all along. I didn't have time to visit them yet. I didn't think you were ready for the longest time, and it was too dangerous, but now since Voldemort's gone for good, I think you need to see them, and say anything to them."
Harry had tears swimming in his eyes. "You found them, I always wondered."
Sirius nodded, patting Harry on the back. "You get Ginny home, she looks a bit..worn out?"
"That's an understatement, the girl's unconscious." May said smiling, and clutching onto Sirius's arm.
"Yes, well, take care. We'll see you next week!"
"Have fun on your honeymoon!" Hermione called after them, waving happily.
A few seconds later, Harry and Ginny Potter apparated home, as did Ron and Hermione.
The Weasley's were next to leave, and lastly Remus left to take a tired Amy home.
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A shrill shrieking broke the serene silence a week later, causing one Sirius Black to give a frightened start on the couch breathing heavily.
"What the." He brought a hand his is groggy eyes, and rubbed frantically, until the world came into focus. "May!"
"Crap, crap, crap! Sirius will you get the water off the burner, and make some tea." Her voice wafted from up the stairs.
"Do I have to?" he whined, trying to keep his eyes open.
"Sirius Black, get your lazy ass off of that couch! Harry and Ginny are going to be here any minute, and I'm busy at the moment!"
"What could you possibly be doing?" he mumbled, sitting up on the couch with a large yawn.
The fire burned green, and Sirius cringed. 'She really did mean any minute.'
There was a thump, and a giggled, as his godson and his wife made an extraordinary entrance.
"Hello Harry, Ginny." He gave them a slight wave.
"Hello, tired are we?" Harry laughed at the obvious sleepiness in which still claimed Sirius.
"Oh, shut up," he mumbled, running a hand through his black hair, causing it to stick up.
"We are here at the right time, aren't we?" Ginny asked, a worried expression spreading across her face.
"Course," Sirius managed, waving it off.
"Um..tea, is the water boiling over?" Harry tried to keep a straight face at Sirius's annoyed expression.
Ginny giggled, and walked past Harry and Sirius. "I've got it."
"So, What's for dinner?" Harry asked, plopping himself down in the previously occupied couch.
"You'll have to ask May." Sirius answered, sitting down heavily in the chair positioned next to the couch.
"Where is May? Driving her crazy already."
"Haha, she's upstairs, somewhere, doing something."
Harry smiled, nodding. "Ah, she's somewhere, doing something?"
"That's what I said." Sirius said, rubbing his eyes again.
"Siri, why in the hell are you so tired?"
"Do you really want to know?" he asked, mischief dancing in his eyes.
Harry held up a hand in front of him. "I'm sorry I asked. Never mind, I have a pretty good idea." He grimaced at the thought, while Sirius laughed heartily.
"Oh, don't look so disturbed, we went out to dinner and dancing last night, it took a lot out of me."
"If you say so," Harry smiled, looking at anything but Sirius. If he did look at Sirius he was afraid he was going to lose his cool, and burst out laughing.
"My God, can you be anymore like James?"
"Why, do I act like Dad?"
"More than you know."
"Harry, dear! You're here! Where's Ginny?" May appeared on the stairs, wearing a pair of jeans and a nicely pressed pure white blouse.
"She's in the kitchen," he said nodding his head in the direction of the swinging doors. "Sirius here couldn't finish making tea by himself."
Sirius reached over and punched his shoulder. "That is not something you say! You've just got me in trouble."
May glared at him, before her lips began to turn upward. She finally cracked and burst into laughter. "You..can't...even..manage tea?" she giggled.
"Hey, I can manage tea! I'm just too tired at the moment. But if I wasn't I'd make the best damn tea you'd ever had. I am a man after all!" he said puffing out his chest.
She nodded, "and a mighty one at that!"
He threw her a glare, as she sauntered into the kitchen, the doors swinging shut behind her, still giggling.
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"Tea?" Ginny came through the swinging doors, clutching a silver tray with three teacups on it.
"Sure, when's dinner going to be done?" asked Sirius, reaching over to take a cup of hot tea. He flinched, and put the cup hastily down on the center table.
"When you're done with the tea. May's already done with dinner. She's tidying up a bit, so it's less work after dinner."
"Mad woman," said Sirius, a glint in his dark eyes.
Harry chuckled, and reached over for his own cup of tea. "Ouch! My God! Gin, it's hot!" he shrieked, putting it on the center table in front of him roughly.
Ginny giggled, and set the tray gently down. "Of course it is, it just came off the burner." She said down in the armchair, and leaned over to blow on her own cup.
"Ok, dinner!" said May, coming from the kitchen with a plate of chicken. "Hey, Gin, would you mind going in the kitchen and grabbing the bowl of mashed potatoes for me?"
"Sure," said Ginny, standing up, and bringing the tray with her to put back in the kitchen.
They were finally all sitting around the kitchen table of Sirius and May's brand new flat. Steaming cups of tea cooling by the side of their plates.
"Would anyone like some..wine?" May asked, looking thoughtful.
"No, thank you," said Ginny, looking down at the tablecloth.
"I'll have some," said Harry.
"May, should you be offering wine to your godson and his wife?" Sirius asked mischievously.
"Oh, please, their adults, they can handle it. When did you become so maternal?"
"Excuse me? I am NOT maternal!"
May began to giggle, and stood up. She disappeared into the kitchen to get the wine. Sirius watched her leave admiringly.
A minute later she returned, carrying a bottle of red wine, and three glasses. She poured some into each cup, and handed them out to everyone around the oval table, except Ginny.
A few minutes of comfortable silence slipped by, before it was broken by Harry's cough. Sirius and May looked up, his cough, catching their attention.
Sirius looked at Ginny, who was suddenly fidgeting nervously. He shared a raised eyebrows look with May across the table.
"What's up?" asked Sirius, looking back at the Potters.
"Well..we didn't only come to see Harry's parents. We also have an announcement," said Ginny quietly. She lowered a hand to her abdomen.
"Are you feeling ok? Are you sick?" asked Sirius, panic flowering over his features. However, his attention was drawn away from Ginny when May squealed, and held up her hand for Sirius to shut up.
"Ginny, are you.?" May's face was suddenly flushed with excitement, when Ginny nodded.
"What? What is she?" Sirius asked, looking from one woman to the next.
"Oh my Goodness, Siri, you are hopeless! Ginny's pregnant!"
"Pregnant!" Sirius shouted. "Harry and Ginny are going to have a baby?"
Harry and Ginny nodded excitedly at Harry's almost parents.
May got up excitedly, and engulfed them both in bear hugs.
"Oh my Gosh! I remember when Lily was pregnant with you! Oh, this is going to be so exciting!"
"Have you told Ron and Hermione yet?" asked Sirius.
"Well, Hermione knows, she had to come to the doctors with me. But Ron doesn't know, nor does my family," said Ginny.
Sirius nodded. "You're going to have to tell Remus too," he added.
"Oh, yes, we're going to go see him tomorrow, after we visit with Hermione and the Weasleys, including Ron."
There was a pause before May broke it. "Oh, this is so exciting! Will you let me help design the baby room," May interjected, practically dancing with excitement.
Harry chuckled, leaning back, and wrapping an arm around his wife.
"Course!" Ginny said, glowing with excitement.
For the next hour, they discussed the baby, before Sirius stood up, and took his dish into the kitchen.
The room was silent as they watched him leave the dinning room. When he came back, the other three were staring at him, mouths gaping.
"WHAT?" he asked.
"You took your dish in there, by yourself." May said awestruck.
"Yea.well, if I didn't we'd never get to where we're going before it gets dark, and by what time it is now, I'd say we have about an hour to an hour and a half."
May looked at her watch, and gasped. "Oh my God! I'm sorry, we got totally involved! We have to go!" She banished the dirty dishes into the kitchen with a flick of her wand, and stood up. "I'll clean up when we get back."
Sirius nodded, as the people around the table stood up, and pushed in their chairs.
Sirius swung his cloak on, and buttoned it at the neck, and stood by the door, looking out at the darkening sky.
"We'd better hurry, it looks like it might rain."
"Oh no! I'm coming!" said May bustling into the closet, shuffling through the cloaks until she found the one she wanted.
Harry and Ginny joined Sirius by the door. Harry was wearing a long black cloak, and Ginny a pure white one.
"Ok, I'm ready," said May, huffing, and buttoning her cloak up. Her gray eyes still showed happiness from the big news, and she stood by Ginny, keeping a hand on her arm.
They giggled at something as Sirius led them out of the house.
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The mood shifted drastically as they reached the burial site. Dark ominous clouds began to roll in, casting their shadows on the ground below them.
Dead leaves crunched under their feet, as they made their way up the hill. The wind swirled around them, lifting their hair, and caressing their faces.
It was quiet, the neighborhood the used to surround Godric's Hollow was gone. Leaves swirled around the hem of their robes, and danced on the gravestones steadily coming into view.
The stones sat under a large tree, looking very much out of place in the gloom that hovered around the old town. The tree looked alive, and was budding with little white flowers.
"They were in Godric's Hollow all along?" Harry asked, in a raspy voice.
"Yes." Sirius said quietly, wrapping his cloak tighter around his shoulders, keeping out the penetrating cold. "Bit weird isn't it?" he asked, staring at the tree in front of him.
"What is?" May asked from his elbow.
"How that tree looks so.."
"Alive?" May supplied gloomily.
"Yes, in a place like this."
They crunched on, still coming closer to the graves. May and Sirius behind Harry and Ginny.
Sirius was quick to notice that Harry had his hand wrapped firmly around Ginny's. He noticed how white Harry's knuckles were. He smiled sadly to himself.
Ginny rested her head on his shoulder, and occasionally glanced up at him worriedly, while he stared straight ahead, expressionless.
When they finally reached the graves, Ginny stepped up and kissed his cheek lovingly. She nudged Harry forward, and he slowly made his way toward his parent's graves.
He walked slowly. After all these years, he could finally say the goodbye that he so desperately needed.
Sirius and May came up beside Ginny, who had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, trying to block out the cold, or the pain. Tears streamed from her cheeks, as she watched Harry kneel by the graves.
His voice floated on the wind over to the others. Sirius wrapped one arm around his wife bringing her closer to his side, so she could rest her head on his shoulder, and his other arm around Ginny in and effort to comfort her.
"He'll be fine.he needs this." He reassured.
Ginny sniffled, and nodded her head, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a Kleenex. She wiped her eyes, and nose, staring at her husband.
Harry's voice reached them over the rustling of the leaves above their heads.
"He's gone, Dad."
They saw him run his hand over the markers. "The Potter Line destroyed him, he's gone. You can finally rest in peace."
A gust of wind hit their tear-streaked faces, like a slap.
They saw Harry swipe at his face, and glance up at the sky, before looking down again, and tracing the letters on his mother's tombstone. "I love you guys." He finally said, before standing up. He dusted himself off, turning around, and began to make his way toward them.
Ginny broke away from Sirius, and made her way toward Harry. When they reached each other, he threw himself into her arms. He buried his face in her hair.
Sirius turned to May, and kissed her head. A tear was rolling down her face, but she turned away, trying to make sure that he didn't see it.
He felt a knot form in his throat and chest. His eyes became misty, as he looked up at the sky, praying that he wouldn't cry.
Harry and Ginny walked to them, Harry's arm wrapped firmly around Ginny.
"Are you coming?" Ginny asked quietly, rubbing Harry's back.
"We'll be with you in a minute, we want to say our goodbye," said Sirius, nudging May forward.
It seemed like it took forever to get in front of the graves. It was lighter by the graves, and warmer. The tall branches swayed in the breeze as Sirius and May knelt by their graves.
This time Sirius didn't hold back his tears, as he stared down at his friend's graves. They sat there for a few minutes, collecting their thoughts.
Sirius wrapped his arm around May, and pulled her to him. He sniffed heavily, and swiped at his eye with his free hand.
"Oh, James, I don't know." Sirius started, looking up at the sky. A patch of blue sky broke through the clouds, causing Sirius to smile slightly. May sat still staring at the graves, obviously saying what she wanted to in her head.
"You know, James, all of this is highly unexpected," he gave a shaky laugh. "I guess, I guess I assumed that you would always be there, you and Lily. I assumed that we would grow old together, our children becoming friends, and..and...And I never expected...I never expected you to.to die..it doesn't seem right. You and Lily not being here to see how Harry's grown up, or see him get married. He's great by the way, just like his parents, a heart the size of whales like his Dad, and a shy, loving disposition like his mother. I really wish you could have been here to see him get married," he sniffled. "It was beautiful. You would have liked Ginny, Lily, she's remarkably like you," he gave a shaky laugh. "And they're having a baby! You're grandparents!"
Sirius felt May shaking with emotion as he talked, tears falling one after the other, each thicker, and full of more emotion than the previous one.
"It's just not right that you guys are gone, and I'm still here. I really miss you guys." Sirius finished.
May reached over and ran her hand over Lily's grave. "I love you, guys, and Sirius and I will take real good care of Harry." She traced her finger over the words on Lily's the grave.
Sirius reached over and wiped the tears from May's eyes.
"Come on, luv," he said, standing up, and bringing May with him. She sniffed one last time before getting shakily to her feet.
They walked in silence toward where Harry and Ginny were standing just beyond the small hill. They walked in silence, before Sirius tripped, falling forward, breaking the gloomy atmosphere.
"What the.?" he stood up hastily, brushing off his robes. He crouched down to pick up what he'd tripped on. The other three stared at him, as he brought the sphere up to his face to examine it. "I don't believe it."
It was the sight ball, and it seemed to be put there on purpose, like someone wanted him to trip over it.
"What?" May asked eyeing the ball.
"Oh my God!" he rubbed his eye with his free hand, seeing if his vision was the problem, it wasn't. "May, does this look familiar to you?"
Harry and Ginny watched curiously, as May stepped forward the examine it. The white fog still swirled around in the mini globe.
"Is this." her eyes widened.
"Yes."
The fog began to swirl, faster and faster.
"Oh My!" May said, watching in fascination.
A picture began to form, a blob at first, before it began to take shape. The mist swirled faster and faster, until it was formed a figure of six people close together. Colors began to erupt from the corners of the ball, and began swirling around the figures, filling in the picture with colors. The image became clearer and May gasped, as Sirius stood wide eyed at the ball.
Tears began to spill from May's eyes.
"Harry! Ginny! Come here!" Sirius ushered them over. Harry stepped closer to Sirius's side, and peered into the ball. His eyes grew misty, as he looked behind him hopefully.
In the ball was an image of the four of them in the exact position, and surroundings they were in, but next to them were Lily and James, very much alive. They were smiling happily, and waving at them. Lily had tears in her eyes, as she rested her hand on Harry's shoulder. James had his arm around Lily.
The image flickered for a moment before dying completely.
Sirius took his wand from his pocket, and whispered 'James and Lily' but the ball remained silent and still.
He sighed, and handed the ball to Harry, who smiled, and put it in his pocket for safe keeping.
The four began to walk back toward the nearest town, and the nearest floo network. The wind picked up around them, only this time instead of dead leaves; little white flowers from their tree surrounded them. The four smiled, and disappeared from the silent resting-places.
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FIN!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I love all my reviewers! And I'm so happy that you all liked this story! It was so much fun to write, and after the fifth book, I might even start a new J/L fic! So this may not be the last time you hear from me!
You guys were great! And I'm actually very sad that my story is over..*cries* I hoped you liked my last chapter! I'm sorry if it's not as good as all the others..It took forever to write. This was probably the hardest chapter to write..but it's over now!
PLEASE REVIEW!!
OMG! NOT EVEN TWO DAYS UNTIL THE BOOK!!!!! EEEEEE!!!!!!
Oh yes! Also, I will be editing this story, in fact I already have a few chapters edited! But if you want, you can read it again, and this time, it might by SLIGHTLY different, but in a better way! PLEASE! PRETTY PLEASE!
I love you guys! I can't say it enough!
THE BOOK!
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FINAL CHAPTER: THE UNEXPECTED!
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The months seemed to slip by; August turned to September and September into October. The leaves began to turn from bright green to bright orange, red, and yellow as they died, and fell from the frost covered branches.
A golden leaf broke from a tall oak, towering high above a wedding. It fluttered toward the cold Earth, floating gracefully toward the guests. It landed, settling on a head of bright red curls.
"Oh, Gin, you've got a leaf in your hair." Hermione whispered to the maid of honor from behind her.
She clutched a bouquet of white lilies to her dark green dress, as she eyed the leaf that was gently moving with the autumn breeze that swirled around them.
"What," Ginny hissed back, moving her glove covered hand discreetly to her head, in an attempt to dislodge the leaf.
Ginny's husband glanced up from next to the groom, upon hearing Hermione's whisper. He opened his eyes wide, begging for them to remain quiet.
"The ring please." The white haired Minister asked standing importantly in front of the May and Sirius.
Harry stepped forward, his back straight, and a grin spreading over his face. He held out the small green velvet pillow to Sirius, who grinned at him, and took the small silver band from it.
The guests were silent, as Sirius gathered his thoughts. He stared at May a moment. Her now short black hair was pulled back in an elegant up do. A thin diamond encrusted headband was wrapped around it, giving it a glittering quality. Her soft pink lips formed a smile, as she searched his eyes. He smiled one last time, before opening his mouth to begin his vows.
"May, before I met you I was a fool. I had no direction in life, and I really had no purpose. I just followed my friends around, and that's not what I would consider having my own life. But that all changed the moment I met you. I suppose I have James and Lily to thank for that. If James hadn't suddenly sparked a sudden interest in Lily, I probably would have never met you. This is just added to the long list of things, which I have Lily and James to thank for. May, you taught me to love, and what it truly meant to care for someone, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. I can't remember what my life was like before I loved you, and I don't want to. The thought of you was one of the only things that kept me going for those thirteen years stuck in Azkaban."
A tear fell from May's eye, as she stared up at him lovingly. He smiled, and reached up to wipe the tear away with the pad of his thumb.
"I love you, May, and to prove that, I'm going to slip this ring on your finger." He smiled, as he lifted May's hand, and slipped the sliver band over her left ring finger, grinning madly.
May's knees began to feel like jelly something she hadn't felt since her Hogwarts days. Tears began to traveled down her cheeks, as she looked up at Sirius. He was smiling back at her.
"Sirius," she started choked up with tears, "You don't know how scared I was when you and the Marauders befriended Lily and myself. We were so sure it was a prank. Even most of the student body thought it was a prank. I remember consoling Lily because she was scared out of her mind that you and James had a mind to prank us. But then something happened, you stuck around," her tears remained constant, "and that prank never came. I remember the night that I knew I was in love with you, I was the point where I was sure that it wasn't a prank, it was the night you told Cindy that you were in love with me in the Common Room. I've loved you since that day, and I'll love you forever more."
She turned to Ginny, who handed her the ring, which she slipped over Sirius's finger, smiling.
"Do you May Kristin Delfin promise to honor him, love him, obey him, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" the Ministers voice asked above the silence.
May nodded, smiling at Sirius, "I do."
"And do you Sirius Black promise to honor her, love her, and obey her, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," he said, never more sure of anything in his life.
"Well by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
Sirius and May grinned at each other.
"You may kiss the bride."
May flung her arms around Sirius's neck, hugging him tightly. He chuckled, and hugged her back, before pulling back slightly, to rest his lips against hers.
His hand went up to rest on her cheek, and for a few moments, they were lost in each other.
When they pulled apart, May was blushing scarlet, and Sirius was grinning widely.
"Let's go luv," he whispered in her ear, and led her out of the backyard of the Burrow.
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"The wedding was beautiful!" Ginny gushed, from next to Harry, later at the reception.
"Oh it truly was! May. Your grandmother was crying though out the entire thing." Hermione put in.
Ginny giggled, "no real surprise there, she was crying at the rehearsal dinner."
"Yep, that woman cries at anything." May leaned into Sirius, who planted a kiss on her neck. The dinner appeared in front of them, at the high table. Remus sat down in the next to May, with a loud sigh. His blonde hair, now speckled with gray was a mess on top of his head, and he was breathing harshly, like he'd just finished a marathon.
"Had to use the loo." Was his excuse.
"Still fashionable late? Just like graduation, huh Moony?" Sirius smirked. "Well at least you made it to the wedding, you know since you were a groom's man and all."
Remus blushed, and picked up his fork to start on his chicken. "God, Sirius, I just went to the bathroom."
Sirius laughed, and clapped his friend on the back. "I know mate, where's Amy, by the way?"
Remus blushed harder, and pointed to the desert table. Amy was spotted piling cookies on her plate. She turned toward the head table, grinning.
"May, where did you get these cookies? I can't get enough!" she asked when she was close enough.
"Hogsmead bakery."
Amy nodded, and plopped herself down between Remus and Sirius.
"The wedding was beautiful by the way, May and Sirius." Amy said, before biting into one of the cookies. "And everyone seems to be having fun at the reception, and just look at all the dresses that I've sold!" she exclaimed joyfully.
Unfortunately, she said this just as May was taking a sip of her red wine. Laughter began to bubble up in her throat. Her eyes began to water, as she tried to force the wine down. Her face grew red as she finally managed to swallow the mouthful of wine. She crumpled on the table, next to her dish, in a fit of hysterics. Sirius's eyebrows came together, as he watched his wife shake with mirth.
"It wasn't that funny," he said, massaging her back.
There was a giggling to May's left just then. Ginny held a delicate hand over her mouth, as she too burst into laughter seeing May fall apart. The two laughed for a moment, and Sirius got a feeling in the pit of his stomach, it was like Lily and May laughing together again. He watched them, laugh for a couple of minutes before sharing a bewildered look with Harry above their wives heads.
"Whoa, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, won't.." May took a deep breath, and ran a hand over the skirt of her dress. "Won't happen again."
Ginny nodded, trying not to crack a smile, which was bursting to be let out.
"Well, that was fun." May concluded, picking up her fork again.
The wedding party stared at them in silence.
Ginny blushed, and looked down at her plate, a smile playing on her lips.
"Insane." Ron said from a ways down the table. His arm was around Hermione's shoulders, and he was shaking his head, as he watched them.
Harry, Hermione, Sirius, Remus, and May all burst into laughter.
"Oh I don't think they're insane, just having a good time." Amy said, picking up the last cookie on her plate.
They laughed harder.
"Well, at least someone's on our side!" Ginny huffed, but with good humor.
Harry wrapped his arm around his wife. "I'm on your side, luv."
She slapped his arm away. "You weren't a couple seconds ago."
They laughed again.
"What was so funny anyway?" Ron asked, leaning over Hermione to see them better.
"I don't think they remember, dear." Hermione said, pulling on his arm to get him to sit back in his seat, like a mother, reprimanding a child.
"We just wanted to say.. Happy marriage!" Fred and George Weasley said as they stumbled over the to head table, and stood in front of Harry and Ginny at the table.
"Thanks, but you're a few months late." Harry said, cracking a smile.
"A few.hic..months.you say?" Fred asked.
Ron visibly rolled his eyes at his brothers. "You're drunk!"
"Are not!"
Ron chuckled, before it turned into a booming laugh. "Go...eat..or something," he tried.
"George!" Alicia Spinnet ran up to him, and grabbed his upper arm. "Come on! You big prat! You too Fred."
"Aren't you going to.. Congratulate.Harry and Ginny here?"
May and Sirius chuckled, as they watched Fred and George being glared down.
"Harry and Gi.Are you mad! This is Sirius and May's wedding!" Alicia repremanded.
"That explains May in the white dress and Ginny in the green." Fred said, stroking his chin, which was missing the long beard.
"Yes, you dunderheads!" They each received a sound smack in the head, before they were both swept away from the table by their ears. "I am so sorry about them!"
"No explanation needed." Ginny giggled.
"Really." Ron agreed.
"Lily and James would have liked them." Sirius said with a chuckle, watching them being pulled to their table, and sat roughly down.
May giggled, "yes, they would have." A flame of some sort flicked and built in her eyes. "Hey, why don't we tell them stories about Lily and James!" May said excitedly. "I bet they haven't heard many."
Sirius grinned, "I've told Harry a bit about James, but you probably know more about Lily."
Harry leaned over the table to regard May happily; his arm was wrapped around Ginny's shoulders, while the other hand was gripping a glass of champagne. "I would like that."
"Well, they met at Hogwarts obviously, they..just sort of met, when the Marauders here decided to befriend Lily and I." May attempted to start the conversation.
Sirius cut in, clanging his glass on the table. "You don't know what you're talking about." Sirius said with a smirk.
"What do you mean?" she asked her eyes narrowing.
All those at the table present leaned in, to listen to Sirius.
"They met in the Common Room, on the last night of our sixth year."
"Wha.at night?" May said loudly.
Sirius held his hand up with a smile.
"Lily was up, curled up by the fire."
"Crying." Remus put in, bringing a piece of chicken to his mouth.
"Oh yea, she was crying, wasn't she."
"She was always being harassed by her sister, Petunia, I'm sure you are aquatinted with her, Harry." May put in.
Harry shivered and nodded.
"Afraid to go home, she was, every year, she'd become depressed, and withdrawn, that must have been her problem when she was in the common room. Go on Sirius, I don't think I've heard this part." May said quickly.
"Well, anyway, we were just coming back from putting the finishing touches on the animagi potion when we came into the portrait hole, to find Lily Evans, curled up and crying by the fire. We were shocked to say the least. We'd never seen Lily Evans show any kind of emotion, she usually kept her guard up."
May snorted. "Usually?"
"Anyway! We were worried that she had heard something about us being animagi, and I think we scared her." he scratched his head. "Never really thought about it, but.she flew upstairs, and after that moment, James needed to have her around. It was the oddest thing, after seeing her cry, it broke his self control, and he needed to know more about her or something." Harry leaned on the table, his own chicken forgotten. Ginny leaned on his shoulder, also listening in.
"And believe you me, James made sure he learned more about her. Gosh, you had us going there for a good couple of weeks. We were dead sure you were pranking us. Why in hell would 'THE MARAUDERS' ever hang out with us?" May exclaimed.
"Aren't you glad he did though? If he hadn't made an effort toward Lily, you would have never have met me!" Sirius said charmingly, and leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek. She pushed him away with a snort.
"Yea, glad, anyway, needless to say, they fell madly in love, got married, and had you." May finished, looking at Harry.
"You know I actually walked in on them probably right after that last one."
"Stop! Right there! We don't want to hear it!" May shrieked, causing many guests to turn and look in their direction.
"WHAT? I'm just retelling memories, and that happens to be the funniest one."
"What about the one in the kitchen the day they told us Lily was going to have Harry?" Remus asked, looked up with a grin at Sirius.
"Oh that was a good one, but not as good as the one I have."
Remus rolled his eyes. "Perv."
"Agreed." May laughed, and kissed Sirius's cheek.
"I am hated."
"Oh, Sirius, shut up." May laughed, and the whole table joined in.
"What was my Mother like?"
"A loser." Sirius said simply, a mischievous glint in his dark eyes.
May slapped his arm, and glared at him. "She was not."
"She was caring, a bit shy, not overly popular, but she loved the friends she did have, and above all she loved you and James. You and your father were her life. She lived for you guys."
Harry nodded, glancing at Ginny with a smile. "I can relate."
May and Sirius smiled. "You have no idea." Sirius laughed.
The two were so much like Lily and James, even just by appearance. You could tell just by looking at them, that they were meant to be together forever.
The music began to play, and Sirius offered his hand to his new wife, who took it, and followed him out to the dance floor.
They swirled alone for a few minutes before, guests began to fill onto the dance floor. "It's like I'm seeing James and Lily again." Sirius said distractedly, watching Harry spin Ginny around the dance floor. He tightened his arm around May.
She snuggled into his chest, and smiled up at him. "Yes, it is, isn't it?"
"I really liked talking about them. For a minute, it was almost as if they were alive again, like James was right next to me, with Lily." Sirius shook his head.
"They are with you, Sirius. And with me, and Harry."
Sirius nodded, and kissed May's head. They danced in silence for a couple minutes, before May harshly broke it. "My God, these shoes are KILLING me."
"Not used to heels, huh?" he asked, smirking down at her.
"I didn't even have to wear these at Lily and Jame's wedding."
"So, take them off."
"Huh?" she asked with raised eyebrows.
"Take them off."
She shrugged, stopping momentarily to slip her shoes off, and pushed them under the table and out of sight from the guests.
Sirius tightened his arm around her waist. She squeezed his shoulder affectionately.
"You're short," he smirked.
"Ha! That's because I'm not wearing the heels."
"Yes, well I never noticed how short you were."
"I'm not short, you're just tall," she told him.
"Oh, ok then."
"Please don't step on my feet."
Sirius looked down at her face, and burst into laughter. She was squeezing her eyes shut, anticipating the worst.
"Don't worry, I'm the best at this. I wouldn't have asked you to take them off if I wasn't positive I wouldn't step on your toes."
She relaxed slightly. "Fine."
Sirius nodded, and pulled her closer, resting his chin on top of her head. Her Diamond Head band scratched his chin.
"Do you mind?"
"What?" he reached up and gently tried the wedge the band out of her hair.
Her hands flew up to still his working ones.
"What do you think your doing? Do you want Ginny Potter to release her wrath on you?" she hissed.
"Ginny?" Sirius laughed. "She doesn't have the heart the kill a fly."
"Yes, well, you should have seen how savage she was about my hair and make- up."
Sirius laughed heartily, before letting his hands drop to her waist again. "Fine, fine, but remember, I'm not completely hopeless with hair, you would have looked just fine without the band."
"I know, but I don't want to be on bad terms with my goddaughter-in-law," she giggled at her own wording.
He shook his head with a chuckle, as she rested her head back down on his chest. Her familiar scent met his nostrils, and he breathed deeply.
"I love you, May."
"I love you too Siri."
"I never asked, what happened to your long hair?" he asked.
She giggled, "I got a hair cut."
"Why?"
"Because I looked too immature with long black hair, and blue highlights."
"I liked your hair."
He felt her sigh. "So did I. I hated having to cut it off, but when your students can't tell the difference between teacher and student, it's time for a change."
Sirius laughed. "I guess that would make sense.so what made you come back?"
"You."
He stopped dancing, and stared down at her head.
"Why are we stopped?" she asked, looking up at him perplexed.
"Me?"
"Yes, you, why do you think we're here at our wedding?"
"How did you know I was innocent, and free?"
"I read it in the newspaper on of my students gave me. I knew deep down in my heart that you hadn't done what you did, but what could I do!"
"May it's ok, I don't blame you."
May nodded, stepping back into his arms.
They slowly revolved around the dance floor.
"You know Sirius, it's rather rude to hold the bride all to yourself, so may I cut in?" May glanced up, to see Harry standing in front of them a grin on his face.
"Depends?" Sirius answered.
"On what, exactly?"
"On how much you pay me," he grinned, while May stepped back and slapped Sirius's shoulder.
"I'd be happy to dance with you, Harry!"
May danced with Harry, while Sirius found himself dancing with a jabbering Amy.
Songs flowed into others, before long, the dance floor was emptying.
"We're going to go." Sirius told Harry, who was holding a sleeping Ginny. "Why don't you come over next week, we think it's time for you to visit your parents."
"Visit.my." Harry looked at him in confusion.
"Yes, They found the bodies in the rubble of your old house, just after it happened. They were never properly buried, until two years after their deaths. Before Dumbledore died, he gave me the papers, stating where they were buried, and I guess I should have known all along. I didn't have time to visit them yet. I didn't think you were ready for the longest time, and it was too dangerous, but now since Voldemort's gone for good, I think you need to see them, and say anything to them."
Harry had tears swimming in his eyes. "You found them, I always wondered."
Sirius nodded, patting Harry on the back. "You get Ginny home, she looks a bit..worn out?"
"That's an understatement, the girl's unconscious." May said smiling, and clutching onto Sirius's arm.
"Yes, well, take care. We'll see you next week!"
"Have fun on your honeymoon!" Hermione called after them, waving happily.
A few seconds later, Harry and Ginny Potter apparated home, as did Ron and Hermione.
The Weasley's were next to leave, and lastly Remus left to take a tired Amy home.
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A shrill shrieking broke the serene silence a week later, causing one Sirius Black to give a frightened start on the couch breathing heavily.
"What the." He brought a hand his is groggy eyes, and rubbed frantically, until the world came into focus. "May!"
"Crap, crap, crap! Sirius will you get the water off the burner, and make some tea." Her voice wafted from up the stairs.
"Do I have to?" he whined, trying to keep his eyes open.
"Sirius Black, get your lazy ass off of that couch! Harry and Ginny are going to be here any minute, and I'm busy at the moment!"
"What could you possibly be doing?" he mumbled, sitting up on the couch with a large yawn.
The fire burned green, and Sirius cringed. 'She really did mean any minute.'
There was a thump, and a giggled, as his godson and his wife made an extraordinary entrance.
"Hello Harry, Ginny." He gave them a slight wave.
"Hello, tired are we?" Harry laughed at the obvious sleepiness in which still claimed Sirius.
"Oh, shut up," he mumbled, running a hand through his black hair, causing it to stick up.
"We are here at the right time, aren't we?" Ginny asked, a worried expression spreading across her face.
"Course," Sirius managed, waving it off.
"Um..tea, is the water boiling over?" Harry tried to keep a straight face at Sirius's annoyed expression.
Ginny giggled, and walked past Harry and Sirius. "I've got it."
"So, What's for dinner?" Harry asked, plopping himself down in the previously occupied couch.
"You'll have to ask May." Sirius answered, sitting down heavily in the chair positioned next to the couch.
"Where is May? Driving her crazy already."
"Haha, she's upstairs, somewhere, doing something."
Harry smiled, nodding. "Ah, she's somewhere, doing something?"
"That's what I said." Sirius said, rubbing his eyes again.
"Siri, why in the hell are you so tired?"
"Do you really want to know?" he asked, mischief dancing in his eyes.
Harry held up a hand in front of him. "I'm sorry I asked. Never mind, I have a pretty good idea." He grimaced at the thought, while Sirius laughed heartily.
"Oh, don't look so disturbed, we went out to dinner and dancing last night, it took a lot out of me."
"If you say so," Harry smiled, looking at anything but Sirius. If he did look at Sirius he was afraid he was going to lose his cool, and burst out laughing.
"My God, can you be anymore like James?"
"Why, do I act like Dad?"
"More than you know."
"Harry, dear! You're here! Where's Ginny?" May appeared on the stairs, wearing a pair of jeans and a nicely pressed pure white blouse.
"She's in the kitchen," he said nodding his head in the direction of the swinging doors. "Sirius here couldn't finish making tea by himself."
Sirius reached over and punched his shoulder. "That is not something you say! You've just got me in trouble."
May glared at him, before her lips began to turn upward. She finally cracked and burst into laughter. "You..can't...even..manage tea?" she giggled.
"Hey, I can manage tea! I'm just too tired at the moment. But if I wasn't I'd make the best damn tea you'd ever had. I am a man after all!" he said puffing out his chest.
She nodded, "and a mighty one at that!"
He threw her a glare, as she sauntered into the kitchen, the doors swinging shut behind her, still giggling.
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"Tea?" Ginny came through the swinging doors, clutching a silver tray with three teacups on it.
"Sure, when's dinner going to be done?" asked Sirius, reaching over to take a cup of hot tea. He flinched, and put the cup hastily down on the center table.
"When you're done with the tea. May's already done with dinner. She's tidying up a bit, so it's less work after dinner."
"Mad woman," said Sirius, a glint in his dark eyes.
Harry chuckled, and reached over for his own cup of tea. "Ouch! My God! Gin, it's hot!" he shrieked, putting it on the center table in front of him roughly.
Ginny giggled, and set the tray gently down. "Of course it is, it just came off the burner." She said down in the armchair, and leaned over to blow on her own cup.
"Ok, dinner!" said May, coming from the kitchen with a plate of chicken. "Hey, Gin, would you mind going in the kitchen and grabbing the bowl of mashed potatoes for me?"
"Sure," said Ginny, standing up, and bringing the tray with her to put back in the kitchen.
They were finally all sitting around the kitchen table of Sirius and May's brand new flat. Steaming cups of tea cooling by the side of their plates.
"Would anyone like some..wine?" May asked, looking thoughtful.
"No, thank you," said Ginny, looking down at the tablecloth.
"I'll have some," said Harry.
"May, should you be offering wine to your godson and his wife?" Sirius asked mischievously.
"Oh, please, their adults, they can handle it. When did you become so maternal?"
"Excuse me? I am NOT maternal!"
May began to giggle, and stood up. She disappeared into the kitchen to get the wine. Sirius watched her leave admiringly.
A minute later she returned, carrying a bottle of red wine, and three glasses. She poured some into each cup, and handed them out to everyone around the oval table, except Ginny.
A few minutes of comfortable silence slipped by, before it was broken by Harry's cough. Sirius and May looked up, his cough, catching their attention.
Sirius looked at Ginny, who was suddenly fidgeting nervously. He shared a raised eyebrows look with May across the table.
"What's up?" asked Sirius, looking back at the Potters.
"Well..we didn't only come to see Harry's parents. We also have an announcement," said Ginny quietly. She lowered a hand to her abdomen.
"Are you feeling ok? Are you sick?" asked Sirius, panic flowering over his features. However, his attention was drawn away from Ginny when May squealed, and held up her hand for Sirius to shut up.
"Ginny, are you.?" May's face was suddenly flushed with excitement, when Ginny nodded.
"What? What is she?" Sirius asked, looking from one woman to the next.
"Oh my Goodness, Siri, you are hopeless! Ginny's pregnant!"
"Pregnant!" Sirius shouted. "Harry and Ginny are going to have a baby?"
Harry and Ginny nodded excitedly at Harry's almost parents.
May got up excitedly, and engulfed them both in bear hugs.
"Oh my Gosh! I remember when Lily was pregnant with you! Oh, this is going to be so exciting!"
"Have you told Ron and Hermione yet?" asked Sirius.
"Well, Hermione knows, she had to come to the doctors with me. But Ron doesn't know, nor does my family," said Ginny.
Sirius nodded. "You're going to have to tell Remus too," he added.
"Oh, yes, we're going to go see him tomorrow, after we visit with Hermione and the Weasleys, including Ron."
There was a pause before May broke it. "Oh, this is so exciting! Will you let me help design the baby room," May interjected, practically dancing with excitement.
Harry chuckled, leaning back, and wrapping an arm around his wife.
"Course!" Ginny said, glowing with excitement.
For the next hour, they discussed the baby, before Sirius stood up, and took his dish into the kitchen.
The room was silent as they watched him leave the dinning room. When he came back, the other three were staring at him, mouths gaping.
"WHAT?" he asked.
"You took your dish in there, by yourself." May said awestruck.
"Yea.well, if I didn't we'd never get to where we're going before it gets dark, and by what time it is now, I'd say we have about an hour to an hour and a half."
May looked at her watch, and gasped. "Oh my God! I'm sorry, we got totally involved! We have to go!" She banished the dirty dishes into the kitchen with a flick of her wand, and stood up. "I'll clean up when we get back."
Sirius nodded, as the people around the table stood up, and pushed in their chairs.
Sirius swung his cloak on, and buttoned it at the neck, and stood by the door, looking out at the darkening sky.
"We'd better hurry, it looks like it might rain."
"Oh no! I'm coming!" said May bustling into the closet, shuffling through the cloaks until she found the one she wanted.
Harry and Ginny joined Sirius by the door. Harry was wearing a long black cloak, and Ginny a pure white one.
"Ok, I'm ready," said May, huffing, and buttoning her cloak up. Her gray eyes still showed happiness from the big news, and she stood by Ginny, keeping a hand on her arm.
They giggled at something as Sirius led them out of the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The mood shifted drastically as they reached the burial site. Dark ominous clouds began to roll in, casting their shadows on the ground below them.
Dead leaves crunched under their feet, as they made their way up the hill. The wind swirled around them, lifting their hair, and caressing their faces.
It was quiet, the neighborhood the used to surround Godric's Hollow was gone. Leaves swirled around the hem of their robes, and danced on the gravestones steadily coming into view.
The stones sat under a large tree, looking very much out of place in the gloom that hovered around the old town. The tree looked alive, and was budding with little white flowers.
"They were in Godric's Hollow all along?" Harry asked, in a raspy voice.
"Yes." Sirius said quietly, wrapping his cloak tighter around his shoulders, keeping out the penetrating cold. "Bit weird isn't it?" he asked, staring at the tree in front of him.
"What is?" May asked from his elbow.
"How that tree looks so.."
"Alive?" May supplied gloomily.
"Yes, in a place like this."
They crunched on, still coming closer to the graves. May and Sirius behind Harry and Ginny.
Sirius was quick to notice that Harry had his hand wrapped firmly around Ginny's. He noticed how white Harry's knuckles were. He smiled sadly to himself.
Ginny rested her head on his shoulder, and occasionally glanced up at him worriedly, while he stared straight ahead, expressionless.
When they finally reached the graves, Ginny stepped up and kissed his cheek lovingly. She nudged Harry forward, and he slowly made his way toward his parent's graves.
He walked slowly. After all these years, he could finally say the goodbye that he so desperately needed.
Sirius and May came up beside Ginny, who had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, trying to block out the cold, or the pain. Tears streamed from her cheeks, as she watched Harry kneel by the graves.
His voice floated on the wind over to the others. Sirius wrapped one arm around his wife bringing her closer to his side, so she could rest her head on his shoulder, and his other arm around Ginny in and effort to comfort her.
"He'll be fine.he needs this." He reassured.
Ginny sniffled, and nodded her head, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a Kleenex. She wiped her eyes, and nose, staring at her husband.
Harry's voice reached them over the rustling of the leaves above their heads.
"He's gone, Dad."
They saw him run his hand over the markers. "The Potter Line destroyed him, he's gone. You can finally rest in peace."
A gust of wind hit their tear-streaked faces, like a slap.
They saw Harry swipe at his face, and glance up at the sky, before looking down again, and tracing the letters on his mother's tombstone. "I love you guys." He finally said, before standing up. He dusted himself off, turning around, and began to make his way toward them.
Ginny broke away from Sirius, and made her way toward Harry. When they reached each other, he threw himself into her arms. He buried his face in her hair.
Sirius turned to May, and kissed her head. A tear was rolling down her face, but she turned away, trying to make sure that he didn't see it.
He felt a knot form in his throat and chest. His eyes became misty, as he looked up at the sky, praying that he wouldn't cry.
Harry and Ginny walked to them, Harry's arm wrapped firmly around Ginny.
"Are you coming?" Ginny asked quietly, rubbing Harry's back.
"We'll be with you in a minute, we want to say our goodbye," said Sirius, nudging May forward.
It seemed like it took forever to get in front of the graves. It was lighter by the graves, and warmer. The tall branches swayed in the breeze as Sirius and May knelt by their graves.
This time Sirius didn't hold back his tears, as he stared down at his friend's graves. They sat there for a few minutes, collecting their thoughts.
Sirius wrapped his arm around May, and pulled her to him. He sniffed heavily, and swiped at his eye with his free hand.
"Oh, James, I don't know." Sirius started, looking up at the sky. A patch of blue sky broke through the clouds, causing Sirius to smile slightly. May sat still staring at the graves, obviously saying what she wanted to in her head.
"You know, James, all of this is highly unexpected," he gave a shaky laugh. "I guess, I guess I assumed that you would always be there, you and Lily. I assumed that we would grow old together, our children becoming friends, and..and...And I never expected...I never expected you to.to die..it doesn't seem right. You and Lily not being here to see how Harry's grown up, or see him get married. He's great by the way, just like his parents, a heart the size of whales like his Dad, and a shy, loving disposition like his mother. I really wish you could have been here to see him get married," he sniffled. "It was beautiful. You would have liked Ginny, Lily, she's remarkably like you," he gave a shaky laugh. "And they're having a baby! You're grandparents!"
Sirius felt May shaking with emotion as he talked, tears falling one after the other, each thicker, and full of more emotion than the previous one.
"It's just not right that you guys are gone, and I'm still here. I really miss you guys." Sirius finished.
May reached over and ran her hand over Lily's grave. "I love you, guys, and Sirius and I will take real good care of Harry." She traced her finger over the words on Lily's the grave.
Sirius reached over and wiped the tears from May's eyes.
"Come on, luv," he said, standing up, and bringing May with him. She sniffed one last time before getting shakily to her feet.
They walked in silence toward where Harry and Ginny were standing just beyond the small hill. They walked in silence, before Sirius tripped, falling forward, breaking the gloomy atmosphere.
"What the.?" he stood up hastily, brushing off his robes. He crouched down to pick up what he'd tripped on. The other three stared at him, as he brought the sphere up to his face to examine it. "I don't believe it."
It was the sight ball, and it seemed to be put there on purpose, like someone wanted him to trip over it.
"What?" May asked eyeing the ball.
"Oh my God!" he rubbed his eye with his free hand, seeing if his vision was the problem, it wasn't. "May, does this look familiar to you?"
Harry and Ginny watched curiously, as May stepped forward the examine it. The white fog still swirled around in the mini globe.
"Is this." her eyes widened.
"Yes."
The fog began to swirl, faster and faster.
"Oh My!" May said, watching in fascination.
A picture began to form, a blob at first, before it began to take shape. The mist swirled faster and faster, until it was formed a figure of six people close together. Colors began to erupt from the corners of the ball, and began swirling around the figures, filling in the picture with colors. The image became clearer and May gasped, as Sirius stood wide eyed at the ball.
Tears began to spill from May's eyes.
"Harry! Ginny! Come here!" Sirius ushered them over. Harry stepped closer to Sirius's side, and peered into the ball. His eyes grew misty, as he looked behind him hopefully.
In the ball was an image of the four of them in the exact position, and surroundings they were in, but next to them were Lily and James, very much alive. They were smiling happily, and waving at them. Lily had tears in her eyes, as she rested her hand on Harry's shoulder. James had his arm around Lily.
The image flickered for a moment before dying completely.
Sirius took his wand from his pocket, and whispered 'James and Lily' but the ball remained silent and still.
He sighed, and handed the ball to Harry, who smiled, and put it in his pocket for safe keeping.
The four began to walk back toward the nearest town, and the nearest floo network. The wind picked up around them, only this time instead of dead leaves; little white flowers from their tree surrounded them. The four smiled, and disappeared from the silent resting-places.
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FIN!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I love all my reviewers! And I'm so happy that you all liked this story! It was so much fun to write, and after the fifth book, I might even start a new J/L fic! So this may not be the last time you hear from me!
You guys were great! And I'm actually very sad that my story is over..*cries* I hoped you liked my last chapter! I'm sorry if it's not as good as all the others..It took forever to write. This was probably the hardest chapter to write..but it's over now!
PLEASE REVIEW!!
OMG! NOT EVEN TWO DAYS UNTIL THE BOOK!!!!! EEEEEE!!!!!!
Oh yes! Also, I will be editing this story, in fact I already have a few chapters edited! But if you want, you can read it again, and this time, it might by SLIGHTLY different, but in a better way! PLEASE! PRETTY PLEASE!
I love you guys! I can't say it enough!
THE BOOK!