You Leave Me Breathless

By Lily Orange

Upon entrance into her sixth year at Hogwarts, Isabel Willoughby decides she is sick of her friend Sirius Black's incessant love games with all the girls in their year – her solution? To play Sirius at his own game, by creating the whole new persona of Amanda through the excessive use of Polyjuice Potion. However, as Isabel lets Amanda get incredibly close to Sirius – she finds herself slowly, but surely, falling in love with him...

A story of romance, friendship and humour

"Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship – never." - Charles Caleb Colton

A/N: So it's the last chapter! I'm actually quite sad :'( because I love this story! Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everybody who reviewed, added this story to their alerts or favourites or added me as a favourite author or to their author alerts - I siriusly (hehe) appreciate it and hope you like and enjoy this chapter. Please review like crazy and thanks for reading!

Ooh, and please listen to "Heaven" by Bryan Adams - I've found it fits Sirius and Isabel's relationship perfectly. The lyrics are at the bottom :)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Heaven

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

A woman sat drinking coffee at a wooden table in the kitchen of her house. It was quite a cosy kitchen; warm from the steam of the kettle, filled with wooden furniture and cabinets. In one corner was the sink underneath a large window looking out onto a reasonably large garden where many creative flower arrangements were decorating the large beds around the edges. A football lay haphazardly on the grass, along with a plastic tennis racket and tennis ball. The woman looked out into her garden, where her children had left their things overnight. No doubt they would now be covered in dew, this being the rainiest first of September ever. The rain drizzled down the window panes and made a horrible cracking sound on the roof of the conservatory. She looked at the clock, and saw that it was ten o'clock. She poured the cold remains of her coffee into the sink and left the mug on the side for her to wash up later, and wandered out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

"Are you ready? We have to go in a few minutes!" she yelled up the stairs. Two children appeared over the banister at the top – obviously siblings, a girl and a boy, with the same pale skin and aristocratic features. They were both exceedingly attractive with dark brown hair. The boy had extremely blue eyes, so blue the shade was often likened to a sapphire, and the girl had grey eyes – but not a bland grey, an expressive stormy grey that complimented the soft ringlets in her hair.

"Mum, I can't find my shoes!" the girl called impatiently.

"Which pair?" her mother replied – her daughter was an avid collector of shoes, and liked to take her whole collection with her to school every year, even though she probably wouldn't need them. Her mother doubted that she partied in secret rooms like she and her friends had done, and sneaked out to Hogsmeade to the Three Broomsticks for drinks past curfew.

"My new raspberry pink ones!" she answered. "I bet he's got them," she said, glaring at her brother.

"What would I want with a pair of pink shoes?" he glowered. Their mother decided to ignore their little snide comments and to help her daughter find said shoes before a full-scale war broke out.

"Aren't they underneath the table in the kitchen?" her mother suggested. The girl grinned.

"Thanks!" she said, and jumped down the stairs two at a time to go and retrieve the shoes she so desperately needed.

"Are you ready Tom?" his mother asked. He nodded. It took him all of two minutes to pack – he shoved all his schoolbooks into his trunk, along with his robes and a couple of pairs of trainers and some weekend clothes. He had also shoved in his best football (his second best football being the one littering the lawn in the back garden) and his broom. He dragged his trunk down the stairs with surprising ease for a twelve-year-old, and dumped it by the door as he sauntered into the kitchen to find something to eat. His sister had found her shoes and was now trying to eat an apple at the same time as carrying them back upstairs to her suitcase.

"Hurry up, Lottie, we need to go in about" – the woman checked her watch – "two minutes," she informed her. Lottie's mouth fell open.

"But I haven't packed all my shoes yet!" she said in alarm.

"Well go and do it, love, do you want to miss the train?" she reminded her.

"No," Lottie said, rapidly shaking her head and sprinting up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Tom, take that and go and stand by the front door would you? I think it's going to take Lottie a while and we need to get to King's Cross on time," his mother smiled. He nodded and took his toast and leaned against the wall by the door.

His mother was extremely pleased with her house and immensely proud of her children. It wasn't the largest of houses, but it was comfortable for a single mother and her two children. Though from a strong wizarding background, she had bought a television, telephone and had plenty of music players around the house. The house was always filled with music – her vintage rock and pop from the sixties, seventies and eighties; Lottie's many CDs by the Weird Sisters, a wizarding band; and Tom's heavy metal. Their mother didn't mind the eclectic range of music that was constantly playing – she and their father always used to listen to music together.

"Lottie, come down now with your trunk whether your shoes are in it or not!" she bellowed.

Lottie grumbled as she dragged her trunk to the top of the stairs (stuffed to the brim with clothes and shoes) and then stared at them as if willing them to flatten so her trunk could just slide down with ease. Her mother was briefly reminded of her struggles with her own suitcase when she went to school.

"Tom!" Lottie squealed. Tom rolled his eyes and ran up the stairs and pulled her suitcase down easily.

"You should be able to pull your own damn suitcase down the stairs," Tom grumbled as their mother opened the door to let her two children and their trunks out to the car. To make it easier for them, she produced her wand and sent the trunks straight into the boot of her car. Her children made themselves comfortable in the back of the car, and then launched into squabbling about something.

Tom and Lottie were twins – not identical, of course. They were both born on the thirtieth of July, an hour apart. Tom was the older twin – and was very protective of his sister, even though she was adamant that she could protect herself. They were about to enter their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – and were both, their mother was proud to say, in Gryffindor and very clever. They were also alarmingly good at Quidditch and pulling pranks. Their mother liked to think that they had traits from both of their parents shining through their personalities.

"Mum, turn the song up!" Lottie demanded as they pulled out of their little London suburban close, Rosewood Lane.

She obliged, and soon Lottie was singing along loudly whilst Tom banged his head against the window repeatedly.

"I got my first real six string, bought it at the five-and-dime! Played it till my fingers bled, was the summer of sixty-nine!" she sang loudly.

"My head will bleed in a minute," he interjected. Lottie ignored him. She sang reasonably well and enjoyed singing along to any tune that she knew. This was one of her mother's favourites – but she didn't sing along like her daughter did.

"Me and some guys from school had a band and we tried real hard! Jimmy quit, Joey got married, shoulda known, we'd never get far!" she continued.

"Lottie shut up!" Tom pleaded, holding his head in his hands.

"I'm enjoying the song Tom, why don't you join in? Those were the best days of my life!" she said, waving her arms around wildly, which was quite an achievement in such a small car.

"Lottie, stop it, you'll take someone's eye out," her mother warned. They slowly crawled along the roads to King's Cross. Once they got past the traffic lights at this corner, they would be there within fifteen minutes. It was now twenty past ten and she was praying that the lights wouldn't change again before they got to go through them. She peered out of the window and saw them flash amber and red – then green.

The cars rushed forward in a hope to get through the timed lights, and they were approaching them, about to get through – then red.

She stopped reluctantly. She would have to wait for about another five minutes now as they took so long to change.

She glanced around, her sapphire blue eyes scanning the area around her car. She stared at the pavement outside a three-storey Georgian building. She was looking at nothing in particular, but zoning out of the bickering in the back of the car.

Suddenly, she saw something that she couldn't quite believe she was seeing and blinked rapidly to see if it disappeared and she was imagining things. She still had an overactive imagination, the melodrama still present – she still let her imagination run away with her sometimes. But no, after blinking several times and closing her eyes and reopening them, the sight was still there.

A shaggy black dog was standing on the corner of the pavement, staring intently at her. It bought back memories, memories she had been trying to forget.

Before they could even step in slightly more to kiss, Sirius stepped back.

"I think before we get together we have to be truthful with each other," he said.

"Why, was there anything you wanted to tell me?" she stammered nervously.

"You already know about my being an illegal animagus," he laughed.

"Can I see you as an animagus though?" she asked.

Sirius grinned and suddenly transformed into a shaggy black dog, running into the waves and splashing around.

She would know that dog anywhere. But it couldn't be him – he was locked up in Azkaban – it was just a seriously similar animal to his animagus form. Yes. She comforted herself with this thought whilst she stared at the dog as if there was nothing else about except her and it.

Cars beeping bought her out of her reverie and she came to her senses.

"Mum, go, the lights are on green!" Tom said, and Isabel surged the car forward in the direction of King's Cross station.

*

Tom and Lottie were battling with the luggage trolleys, hurtling towards walls and narrowly missing people as they chased each other through the station like maniacs. Normally Isabel would have been the sensible mother and told them to stop it and be sensible, but she was out of it. She was still running over the brief memory in her head – the dog on the corner. She was pretty sure dogs didn't stare at people in cars like that. Perhaps it was a highly intelligent dog. It – yes, it, not he – was just staring into space, like she was before she clocked it.

"Hi Isabel," she heard somebody say. She spun round – and couldn't believe who was standing in front of her.

"Oh my Merlin – Remus, is that really you?" she grinned happily, throwing her arms around her old friend.

"It's me, Isabel," Remus laughed. "What are you doing here?"

Isabel hadn't seen Remus since that night when her whole world had come crashing down around her shoulders – when Lily and James died, and then Sirius had blasted Peter apart along with all those muggles after it was revealed that he had sold his friends to Voldemort. Whilst he got carted off to Azkaban, Isabel rushed straight to Remus' house and into his comforting arms. After that, she had moved into a different area on the edge of London and started a new life. She still occasionally saw old school friends – but she hadn't strived to keep any old relationships with friends going. She had been busy juggling motherhood with her job – manager of Flourish and Blotts. She could have gone into the Ministry of Magic and been a high flying career lady, with the results she gained with her NEWTs – "Outstanding" in everything. But she preferred this. It was relatively close to home and she could read everything she liked.

"I'm dropping off my children," she said.

"Children? What year are they in?" Remus asked inquisitively.

"Second – Tom and Lottie," she told him.

"So... if you don't mind me asking... do you have a husband now?"

"It's fine, Remus, it's fine – no, I don't," she answered. "Do you have a wife?"

"No – still plain old Remus Lupin, bachelor," he grinned. He looked slightly older than he was, still weary and tired with his werewolf affliction. "So are they Tom and Lottie Willoughby?"

"No," Isabel replied, "they're Tom and Lottie Urquhart. And I'm Isabel Urquhart."

"Urquhart? So was he the, er, father of your children?" Remus asked cautiously. Isabel smiled. For some reason, she didn't mind Remus asking all these questions. Anybody else and she would have, but Remus was a good friend, even if she hadn't seen him for twelve years.

"Not exactly – but I don't want to arouse suspicion," she said, glancing at the ring on her finger. It was a gold band with a ruby on it, surrounded by dozens of tiny little diamonds. An engagement ring.

"You still wear it?" Remus asked sympathetically.

"Never took it off," she said sadly. "I can't bear to part with it. I want to forget the memories – but I want to hold on to them as much as I want to forget."

"MUM!"

Isabel and Remus spun round to see Tom and Lottie racing towards them, their trunks still on the trolleys (Isabel didn't know how with the reckless way they were racing them) grinning maniacally.

They abruptly stopped in front of Isabel when they saw she was talking to somebody they didn't know.

For Remus, seeing Isabel's children was like a blast from the past. They both had the alabaster skin of their mother, the aristocratic features of their father and they were both tall for their ages and very attractive – a trait from both parents. Tom was the spitting image of his father – except for the eyes. He had his mother's sparkling sapphire eyes that glinted in the light magically. Lottie was her mother's double, with her father's familiar stormy grey eyes.

"Tom, Lottie, this is Remus – Remus Lupin. He was one of my closest friends at school," Isabel introduced.

"Hello," Remus said pleasantly, shaking both of their hands.

"So, what are you doing here Remus if you're not dropping children off?" Isabel asked – it was her turn to quiz him now.

"I'm actually the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Remus smiled.

"Really? Oh Remus, that's great!" Isabel beamed at him. He was so clever and would be brilliant at teaching.

"Thank you. Shall we go towards the platform?" he suggested. Tom and Lottie nodded, and ran off, racing the trolleys like they had been doing before.

"They are supposed to be keeping a low profile!" Isabel said exasperatedly.

"They're just kids, it doesn't matter," Remus laughed. "But they are truly the spitting image of both of their parents. Tom is his double."

"I know – it's like watching a twelve-year-old version of him come down for breakfast every morning," she said forlornly. "Remus – I saw the weirdest thing this morning. I think I might have been hallucinating."

"I'm sure you weren't," he said, looking slightly amused. "What was it?"

"Well, I stopped my car at some traffic lights and I was just staring out of the window and I saw a shaggy black dog," she said.

"A shaggy black dog – like his animagus form?" Remus whispered.

"Exactly. I could remember it clearly, I would never forget it. And the dog stared at me intently until we drove past," she said.

"Isabel – have you been reading the 'Daily Prophet' recently? Or watched the TV? Or been out?" Remus asked.

"Well, I've been off work for the past three weeks looking after Tom and Lottie, I cancelled my 'Daily Prophet' order and I haven't watched the news," Isabel replied uncertainly.

"So you haven't heard?" Remus persisted.

"Heard what?" she said. Remus pulled her behind a pillar where it was slightly quieter.

"Sirius has escaped from Azkaban," he said gravely.

"Oh my Merlin," Isabel said. That was all she could say – she didn't know what else to do. It was like somebody had just dropped something extremely heavy on her head, like her heart was pounding in her head. "He – he's escaped?"

"Yes. It's been on the muggle news too," Remus said.

"You know Remus, even after all these years, I still can't believe that he did it – I still don't think that it was him who betrayed them," Isabel said, a tear moistening her eye.

"I don't want to believe it either – but, as far as we know, he was the only person who knew where they were. He was their Secret Keeper. Only he would have known, only he would have had the information to do it," Remus said. Always the voice of reason – but the voice of reason was not necessarily what Isabel wanted to hear.

"I still love him, Remus," Isabel whispered.

"I know," he said, smiling sadly. He pulled her into a hug.

They proceeded towards the platform. They went through the barrier and entered the mysterious and magical platform of nine and three quarters – Isabel wished it was her going back to Hogwarts, sixteen again. She hugged Remus before he got on the train.

"Write to me, please," she begged as he got on. He nodded and smiled. He had a feeling she would need it this year.

Isabel turned to see a family coming through the barrier, all with flaming red hair. The Weasleys. She vaguely knew them, but the person she saw coming through the barrier with them, laughing and joking, shocked her even more. She had had her fair share of shocks this morning, but this topped them all off – Harry Potter. He must have been Harry Potter. She hadn't seen him since he was one, but he was now the spitting image of James. But – in a similar fashion to the way Tom looked like his father and had his mother's eyes – he had the same emerald eyes as Lily. Isabel had to physically stop herself from gawping at the poor boy. Her godson. The godson she had never spoken to, except send him presents on his birthdays. He always replied with a kind thank you letter, but he didn't really know who she was. She knew that. And she couldn't properly reveal who she was with this Sirius business going on.

*

Isabel went back to work for the afternoon in Diagon Alley. She hadn't been in there for three weeks, so it was quite nice to have something to do. The assistants, Finnola, Edward and Sarah had kept the shop tidy and organised, and gave her a warm welcome when she came into the shop after having a sandwich at the Leaky Cauldron. She saw the large poster in the window declaring to the public that Sirius Black had escaped – the photo certainly didn't do him any justice. He looked like a shadow of his former self, but the same piercing grey eyes were there, and he still looked vaguely handsome, even though he had thinned out and he looked slightly sinister. She stood there staring at the poster for a while until she was interrupted by Finnola.

"Such a terrible thing he did, wasn't it?" she said conversationally.

"Yes," Isabel replied briefly. She still didn't believe that he had done it. Sirius wasn't evil – Sirius was a good person. And she didn't believe that he could have changed in his twelve years in Azkaban. Maybe he might have gone a little mad, but that was to be expected.

"So many muggles!" she commented, putting some books on the shelves.

"I know – I'm just going to go and re-alphabetize the books upstairs, okay?" Isabel said. She needed to be by herself to think about things for a bit. Otherwise she would send herself insane.

Sirius had escaped.

She could see him.

No, she couldn't. He had escaped after he had been put there on a murder charge.

She still loved him.

Yes, but she couldn't tell the world that. She couldn't tell the world that she loved him and had had...

She could tell him the truth.

No she couldn't. She would probably ruin more than one life that way.

Thoughts raced through her mind as she stacked the books up properly. She was just putting The Definitive Guide to Dragons by Dragomir Fiero on the shelf when she heard a scream downstairs. Finnola was normally melodramatic (much like herself in her younger days) and screeched at everything. But today Isabel was more on edge and needed to find out what she was screaming at. She rushed downstairs and saw that Finnola was trying to shoo a dog out of the shop with a broom. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was a shaggy black dog – the same dog that she had seen on the corner this morning.

"Finnola, I'll take care of this," she said boldly. She walked down the stairs, for once not stumbling, and stood by the dog.

"Make it go away, Isabel!" Finnola squealed, running to hide behind the desk. "It might have fleas!"

"I'll walk it up to the other end of the Alley, okay?" Isabel said. Finnola nodded. Edward and Sarah rolled their eyes at their young colleague's dramatics and smiled at Isabel, who normally coped with them. "I'll be back in about fifteen or twenty minutes."

She left the shop and dog willingly ran along beside her. She walked right up the alley, past Gringott's and all the shops that people normally went in, and up to a part of Diagon Alley where people didn't normally walk up to. There was a second hand bookshop, but there were no customers in there, and then a few boarded up shops. Isabel checked to see if there was anybody around and, casting a few spells, opened up the boarded up door on one of the shops and let the dog in. She followed and shut it behind her. They went into a backroom of the shop so that nobody would see them.

The dog sat there on the floor, wagging its tail.

"I know who you are," Isabel said accusingly to the dog. "I know that it's you, Sirius."

The dog blinked – and Isabel caught sight of its grey eyes, exactly the same eyes that were on her daughter's face, that she had undoubtedly inherited from her father.

"Just please – I need answers," she begged. The dog stood up on all fours and within nanoseconds, the dog had disappeared and stood before her was a very tall, very skinny man. He was wearing dilapidated prison robes of grey and black stripes. His face looked strangely hollow – but he still looked effortlessly handsome, in Isabel's opinion.

"I knew it was you." This time it wasn't Isabel who spoke, but Sirius. He stepped towards her – Isabel flinched involuntarily.

"Did you sell James and Lily to Voldemort?" Isabel asked. She needed the answer. She still didn't believe that he did. He wasn't like that – the Sirius she knew would never do that.

"Do you believe that I would do such a thing?" he asked, stepping closer again. This time she didn't flinch – she wanted him to get closer.

"Actually, I don't. I never believed that you did it – you wouldn't do such a thing. James was like your brother – he was your brother – and I know you. You would have died rather than betray your friends," Isabel said boldly. Sirius smiled – amazingly, it was the same audacious grin that she remembered from all those years ago.

"I'm glad you said that – I didn't betray them, Iz," he said, using his old nickname for her. Nobody had called her that for twelve years. "It was Peter."

"Peter?" Isabel echoed in disbelief. Naive, vulnerable Peter who liked to be protected by his friends?

"I know. I thought when Lily and James made me their Secret Keeper, that it would be obvious that I would be it. James Potter's best friend, Lily Evans' occasional annoyer" – Isabel chuckled at this – "and Harry Potter's godfather. So I persuaded them to make Peter their Secret Keeper instead. Nobody but me, Peter, Lily and James knew the arrangement – I'm sorry I never told you. So when they died, Peter yelled to the whole street that I had betrayed Lily and James and he cut off his finger, transformed into a rat, blasted apart the street killing all those muggles and left me to the Dementors."

"So... is he still alive?" Isabel asked tentatively. Sirius stared at her intently.

"He's the reason I broke out of Azkaban," he answered. "He's alive. He's living as a rat."

"Do you know where he is?" Isabel continued questioning him.

"He's at Hogwarts," Sirius said.

"With Tom and Lottie?" Isabel said in alarm. She hoped her children would go nowhere near that sneaking rat.

Sirius eyed her with confusion. "Who are Tom and Lottie?"

Isabel sighed. She'd have to tell him the truth. There was no other way around it.

"You know, Sirius, I always admired your honesty. That was the thing I always loved about you. So now I'm going to be honest with you. You might want to sit down," she warned him.

"No, I'm fine," he said, leaning up against the wall. Isabel couldn't believe that he acted the same as he did before. Now he was talking to somebody he was beginning to look better – his good looks shining through once more.

"No, honestly, you really want to sit down," Isabel persisted.

"For Merlin's sake," Sirius laughed, "I'm fine woman. Hit me with your worst."

"Well I'll start with something simple... I never married or went out with anyone after you," she said. Sirius smiled happily. "And I never took my engagement ring off."

She held out her hand for him to examine – he took her hand to examine the ruby and diamond encrusted ring that was still on her finger. Isabel couldn't ignore the electric sparks that she still felt when he touched her.

Sirius and Isabel, technically, had been engaged for twelve years. The day before Lily and James had died, on the thirtieth of October, Sirius had asked Isabel to marry him. She, of course, had said yes. They had planned a summer wedding for the next year, on the beach in Cornwall, with the castle in the background. Unfortunately other events had gotten in the way.

"You never took it off?" he asked.

"Never – because I always believed that you were innocent and that one day they would find it out and you could come back to me and that we could get married," Isabel told him.

He moved forward to cup her face in his hands. She felt the tingling sensation again. "Is that still the dream?" he asked.

"It was, is and always will be my dream," she said, "but there is something else I have to tell you before we talk about that."

"So businesslike, still," Sirius teased, leaning back against the wall.

"It's not a laughing matter," she warned him. "Well... about Tom and Lottie... they're my children..."

"I thought you said you haven't been with anybody else!" Sirius growled.

"I haven't," she said. He looked dazed for a second and then a look of realisation crossed his face.

"How old are Tom and Lottie?" he asked.

"Twelve. They're twins – their birthday is the thirtieth of July," she told him.

"They're my children too, aren't they?" he said quietly.

"They are. I found out I was pregnant about a month after you were taken to Azkaban – remember, when we got engaged, that night I stayed at your flat and we slept together?" she reminded him.

"I have children," he repeated to himself as if to let the message sink in. "What are their full names?"

"Thomas Sirius and Charlotte Isabel," Isabel replied.

"Lovely names," he complimented. "I guess... I guess they don't know anything about me?"

"They know hardly anything about their father. I told them he had to leave in the Wizarding War, and that he loved them very much but circumstances were too difficult for him to stay," she said. It was truthful.

"And I'm also guessing that they were not enrolled into Hogwarts under the names Thomas Sirius Black and Charlotte Isabel Black, were they?" he asked.

"No. And you know in the Wizarding War I had to change my name to Isabel Urquhart? Well, I carried on living as that. They're enrolled with the last name Urquhart," she said.

"Tom and Lottie Urquhart? Do you think... do you think I will ever get to know them?" he asked apprehensively.

"Would you like to get to know them?" Isabel said sceptically.

"Of course," he grinned.

"It might be slightly difficult for you at the moment, you being a wanted man and everything – but I think in the future, it's a definite possibility," Isabel smiled.

Sirius stepped towards her again so there was only about an inch of space between their faces. "And do you want us to make the dream a reality in the future?"

"I still love you, Sirius," Isabel whispered.

"I still love you too. I thought about you every day in Azkaban – I wanted to be with you. I hoped and prayed that someday we could be reunited," he murmured.

"Sirius – I hoped for that too. I need to get back to work though, I've been gone almost an hour and I said I'd only be twenty minutes," she said urgently. "But... have this," she said as an afterthought. She unclasped her handbag and bought out her purse. Out of it she took a small moving picture of Tom and Lottie, a recent one, taken about a fortnight ago. "Keep it. It's our children." She smiled at him, and went towards the door, but came back. She looked up at him and kissed his cheek before leaving.

Sirius stood there alone for a few minutes, gazing at the beautiful picture of his children. A teardrop fell from his eye – he pocketed it and transformed back into a shaggy black dog and wandered out into the street, intending to find out where Isabel lived so that he could visit her many more times before going to Hogwarts to kill Peter Pettigrew – the man who had ruined so many lives.

*

Three days later Isabel was at home, eating the tea she had cooked for herself. It was past ten o'clock, and she was wearing her pyjamas, long pyjama bottoms patterned with red tartan and a dark blue vest top, at the table. She missed it when her kids weren't there – Tom and Lottie lit the place up. She had photos of her and them plastered everywhere, as well as drawings and bits of writing they had done when they were little pinned up. And after her encounter with Sirius, she had decided to get out her old photos – the ones of her at Hogwarts and the few years afterwards until Lily and James died. The box of photos was sat, unopened, in front of her whilst she stared at it fixedly, eating her lasagne and salad. She wanted to look at them – but was unsure. She didn't have anybody to look at them with, to laugh with, to cry with or to reminisce with. It was at this time she needed Sirius – she needed him to look at the old photos with her. It was more than moral support she needed – she needed to feel his arms around her once more. She wanted to kiss him again, to have him next to her, giving her butterflies and making her skin tingle.

The mere thought of him was enough to make her want to open the box and glance at the photos once more, something she hadn't done since he had gone to Azkaban. She decided to take the plunge and look at the dozens of photos she had collected.

They started from her first year at Hogwarts – her and Lily together several times, smiling, waving, pulling stupid faces; the Marauders, looking cool, then all grinning maniacally, then all trying to hide behind Peter as he looked sheepish. Isabel couldn't help smiling at this one even if it contained the boy who had sold two of her best friends to Voldemort and had put her innocent fiancé and closest friend into Azkaban. The photos then progressed through second, third, fourth and fifth year – there were more and more photos of Isabel and Sirius then: he astonishingly and prematurely handsome, she curly-haired and laughing. Most of the school photos were of sixth and seventh year – Sirius and Isabel playing Exploding Snap in their pyjamas, James and Lily dancing together at Sirius' party, Isabel with Jonas.

Isabel felt a twinge with Jonas. She had bumped into him, five years before, when he had come into Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley. He was still reasonably attractive, tall and boyishly funny – but he had had a supermodel-like blonde girl with him Isabel had presumed to be his girlfriend. Well, she was his girlfriend no more after he tried to make a pass at Isabel and then almost fainted when she told him that she had children. There had been plenty of offers for dates – sometimes she had felt like there were no other women in London – but she hadn't wanted to go with anybody else. It didn't feel right if it wasn't Sirius.

The pictures of Lily and James' wedding brought tears to her eyes too – Lily had insisted that Isabel should wear the blue dress that she had worn to her seventeen birthday ball, and she looked radiant – though nobody could compare to Lily on that day. She looked so beautiful it was ethereal, with her red hair pinned back and her pretty face smiling and laughing in every picture. Isabel gazed at Lily's gorgeous dress, tiered with lace but not meringue-like in the least.

There was a photo which Lily had insisted upon taking of Isabel and Sirius – she had demanded that they kiss for the photo, so they had, but they had got slightly too involved so what Lily had captured was an overly passionate embrace that, in Isabel's opinion, should not have been captured on camera.

Rifling through the photos, Isabel found that all the memories that she thought she had forgotten were now coming back to her – and it wasn't painful. It was a good thing.

Isabel decided that she would put some of the photos up in her bedroom, to preserve the precious memories that meant the world to her.

She had now finished her food, so put the plate in the sink, ready for washing in the morning, and grabbed her box of photos and took them upstairs. She walked past the rooms on the first floor and then up a little spiral staircase which led to her attic bedroom. She adored attic bedrooms – it stemmed out of her attic room she had had in her childhood home in Cornwall, where her parents still lived.

On the dresser, she swept aside the bits of jewellery and makeup (she still hadn't changed since adolescence – although now, the only places she had to go to were the bookshop launch parties, and it wasn't as fun getting ready without Lily) into a drawer and started propping the photos up to create a nice little display. When done, she smiled.

Now she had all these memories and was thinking about her times with Lily, she felt like sixteen-year-old Isabel again. In the spirit of this, she decided to put on some music. She perused her CD collection until she found one of her and – she had to admit it – Sirius' favourites, and stuck it in the player. She then went to the back of her wardrobe and found her trusty black peep-toe heels which she always used to wear because they made her almost the same height as Sirius. She slid her feet into them and began to jump around the room singing along to the song.

"I saw him dancin' there by the record machine, I knew he must'a been about seventeen, the beat was going strong, playing my favourite song, an' I could tell it wouldn't be long, until he was with me, YEAH ME!"

She kicked off the shoes and jumped onto her bed, waving her arms around wildly.

"I LOVE ROCK N' ROLL, so put another dime in the jukebox baby!"

It was just like being seventeen again.

*

Sometime the following May, Isabel had a curious letter from Remus which worried her slightly. Apparently Harry had come to him with the Marauder's Map – Isabel couldn't believe that Filch still had that in his drawer after he confiscated it off the Marauders in seventh year. Somehow Harry must have found it. But anyway, Harry had found the Marauder's Map, and told him that he didn't think it worked because he saw somebody he knew to be dead on it. Remus, of course, asked who; Harry replied, "Peter Pettigrew." This of course meant that what Sirius had told her was true – he was innocent. Peter must have been living as a rat all these years. Isabel hadn't told Remus about her various encounters with Sirius, each of them leaving her wanting more, every time he touched her she felt sparks. She wanted Sirius to be cleared of all charges so that they could live as a happy family and have the wedding on the Cornish coast.

So Isabel made the quick decision to have a week off work and to go and stay in Hogsmeade where she could find out what was going on.

That night, before she left, she sent a letter to Remus telling her what she was going to do. She packed her bag – her old Hogwarts trunk. She filled it with random items of clothing and pairs of shoes, and then took down all her photos, carefully filed them back into the box they had sat in inside her wardrobe for twelve years and put it inside her suitcase too. She clung on to her memories now as if they were a drug she was addicted to – she had spent so long trying to shut them out but now they were a huge part of her.

She left her car and stood in her back garden, and focussed on Hogsmeade – it was now around eight in the evening, so the Three Broomsticks would be busy, but hopefully Madam Rosmerta would find her a room. Hopefully she would remember her – Isabel used to spend lots of time in the Three Broomsticks with Sirius (and the rest of the Marauders).

She closed her eyes and when they were open, she found herself in Hogsmeade – and saw, for the first time in nearly sixteen years, Hogwarts castle overshadowing the little wizarding village. It was absolutely breathtaking. She stood their admiring it for a few minutes, but then remembered what she was there for.

The Three Broomsticks, as she had predicted, was very busy. Fortunately, they had a room spare – and Rosmerta remembered her quite clearly. Despite her thirty-four years of age, Isabel still looked quite youthful. Her brown hair was still curly and her sapphire eyes still glinted impishly whenever she laughed. She was still incredibly tall and slim, though she did have some curves now.

"I'll put you in here, dear – it's quite a cosy little room, I think," Rosmerta said pleasantly as she opened the door into a room which was, admittedly, rather small – but was very cosy. It had a four-poster bed, reminiscent of those in the Hogwarts bedrooms, with flowery curtains and a matching bedspread. There was a chest of drawers and an ensuite bathroom, which Isabel immediately went into to take a shower. The hot water was soothing on her – she hadn't quite realised how much she had tensed up with everything going on at the moment. She completely zoned out of everything as she spent her customary fifteen minutes showering herself, and then, when she stepped out of the relaxing warm water, everything came back to her. She quickly dried her hair, singing to herself quietly as she did so, and put on her comfy pyjamas – the tartan ones. She was just sitting down on her bed to look through her photos again, something she did obsessively, when there was a knock at the door. She pulled her dressing gown on and opened it. At the door stood Remus, looking tired and pale, but also agitated and as if something terrible was going on.

"Remus! Do you want to come in?" Isabel suggested.

"Isabel – would you come back up to the castle with me? I think something strange is going on – and I think tonight is the night that Sirius and Peter will have their confrontation. We need to capture Peter, Isabel, so that we can prove Sirius' innocence," Remus told her.

"Okay – just let me change," she said. She went back into the bathroom and almost tore off her pyjamas she was doing it so hastily and climbed into a pair of jeans and a blue top – and slipped her feet into a pair of black Converse.

"I see it's the same footwear as ever," Remus commented when she emerged.

"Of course," she nodded. She locked the room as they walked briskly out of the pub and in the direction of the castle.

"Do you know exactly what's going on up there?" she asked apprehensively.

"No – but we need to make sure we stop Peter," he replied. They let themselves in the gates, past the Dementors – and then they broke into a run. Isabel was still agile, still running like when she was a teenager. It was surprising how many things she had done this year had made her feel like the years had dissolved away and that she was sixteen again. It felt good.

"Hang on a sec – have you got the map?" Isabel asked as they paused by the lake.

"Yes," Remus said – he swiftly pulled it out of his pocket. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Lines began to spread out across the previously blank parchment, like a spider's web forming in quickened motion. Isabel still marvelled at it – though after so many years, she felt that she was allowed to be fascinated by the Marauder's premature intelligence.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione are outside the Whomping Willow – Peter is right next to Ron," Remus breathed. "And here comes Sirius – he's running towards Ron, Ron, Peter and Sirius are being dragged into the passageway to the Shrieking Shack... Harry and Hermione are following them. Isabel, you stay hidden in the bushes beside the Whomping Willow. I'll go in after them – if Peter tries to escape, do something about it."

"Of course – and Remus?" she said apprehensively. He turned back from his large strides towards the irrepressible tree.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Be careful," she said, giving him a quick hug. He smiled and raced off.

Isabel stuck to the task she had been given – to hide in the bushes outside the Whomping Willow. If Peter even dared to try and escape, she would have many words to say about it. He disgusted her – killing his friends and then framing his other friend and faking his own death. Words could not explain the hatred she felt for the man. In her eyes, he was still the sweet little innocent boy who struggled with his schoolwork – but now she was starting to realise that perhaps he was a lot more devious and intelligent than they originally thought.

She was sat in the bushes for perhaps five minutes when she saw a shadowed figure approaching the tree, reminiscent of an over-sized bat. When she saw his sallow face lit by the moon, she recognised him at once: Severus Snape. Severus Snape, the boy who had called her deceased best friend a "mudblood". Severus Snape, the boy and man who had hated the Marauders all his life. She despaired at the fact he was going in, but she couldn't stop him.

She just wanted Sirius to be free.

*

Sirius was talking to Harry, his godson, as they supported Harry's best friend Ron Weasley – who seemed to have broken his leg. Sirius was making rapid apologies, because it was he who had accidentally broken Ron's leg. Ron was being quite good-natured about it – though whenever Hermione came near started complaining, only to be showered with sympathy.

"Listen Harry – there's somebody that I would like you to meet," he said.

"Who?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Well – she's your godmother," Sirius told him.

"She sends me cards and presents every birthday and Christmas, but I don't think I've ever met her," Harry said sadly.

"You did, you have – you met her virtually every day between the day you were born and the day your... well, you know. But she had to go into hiding because of an entirely different reason," Sirius said.

"Why? Do you know her well?" Harry asked inquisitively.

"She was – is, my fiancée," he said quietly. "Isabel Willoughby – well, she lives with her children as Isabel Urquhart."

"Urquhart? I've heard that name before," Harry said absentmindedly.

"You probably have," Sirius told him – "Tom and Lottie Urquhart."

"Oh yeah, year below me! They're her kids? They are really nice – Lottie's really pretty but she's also really brainy, and Tom already has girls three years above him falling at his feet but all he's bothered about is making the Quidditch team," Harry described them kindly.

"How come you know them so well?" Sirius questioned, intrigued.

"Well, they're Gryffindors," Harry said, as if it was obvious.

"Gryffindors? No kidding?" Sirius said, grinning inanely. The same grin that had charmed so many girls at school and he had used when laughing with his friends – the grin that had been coming back ever since he left Azkaban. "Chips off the old block..."

"Yep," Harry smiled. "So, did her first husband die or something?"

"She never had a first husband... or a boyfriend after sixth year, to be honest," Sirius said thoughtfully. Harry eyed him quizzically.

Ron looked completely confused. "Hang on, so Tom and Lottie Urquhart's mum never had a husband? So who's their father then?"

"Ron, you big idiot, haven't you worked out who it is?" Hermione interjected from behind – she had been listening to the whole conversation with much interest.

"Er, no," he said stupidly. "My leg hurts too much for me to think properly..."

Hermione ignored this, not offering him any sympathy, like the last three dozen times he had reminded her that he was injured. "Well think about it – she never had a boyfriend after sixth year. Sirius is her fiancé – and, without meaning to be rude, Sirius, I don't think he proposed to her after escaping from Azkaban," Hermione pointed out.

"So the father is..." Ron said vaguely.

"Sirius!" Hermione told him exasperatedly. Sirius smiled proudly.

"You're very bright for your age," Sirius complimented – Hermione blushed.

"So – Tom and Lottie? Your kids?" Harry said in shock. Sirius nodded. "Wow – actually, I thought you looked kind of familiar. Tom is the spitting image of you – but Lottie has the same eyes."

"Then you won't mind me telling you that you look so like your father – but you have your mother's eyes. I'm sure you're tired of hearing this by now, Harry, but it's true – there's not a day that goes by in which I don't miss your dad, or your mum," Sirius whispered. Harry beamed at him. Anything remotely like his parents in him he was immensely pleased of – especially when others recognised it in him.

Behind them, Remus had Peter bound in chains and was pushing him along – though not brutally. Peter was feeling very sorry for himself, but he only had himself to blame. He was the one who sold Lily and James to Voldemort and then tried to frame his other friend, who had suffered twelve years in Azkaban because of Peter's lies and deceit. Nobody would ever pity him again. Ever.

They came out of the tunnel and wandered slightly further out of the vicinity of the Whomping Willow's branches – they didn't want to get hit.

"We'll take Peter straight to the castle – we want you to be cleared of everything," Remus said to his friend. Sirius grinned. It felt good for them all to know that he was innocent.

Just as they began the short walk towards the castle, they were suddenly aware of something silvery and luminous behind them. They all spun round – and saw the full moon.

Fear overtook Remus. He could feel his body beginning to shake – and knew that it wouldn't be long until he transformed. He dropped his wand whilst Sirius ran to him to help.

"Remus, my friend, have you taken your potion tonight?" he asked hurriedly as Remus shook. "This heart is where you live, Remus, this heart!"

His words weren't working, and Remus was slowly turning into a wolf. Peter suddenly spotted his chance – he quickly waved smugly to the stunned teenagers before him; but before he had any chance to say the spell that would turn him back into a rat, there was a loud cry from behind the bushes.

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

Isabel emerged from the bushes and ran over to the suddenly body-bound Peter, who lay on the floor stiffly. She forgot that Remus was rapidly turning into a wolf and quickly said numerous spells to stop Peter from doing anything to escape. There was no way she was going to let him get away again – there was no way she was losing Sirius.

There was a howling sound. Isabel looked up, her sapphire eyes wide, seeing the hungry-looking werewolf advancing towards her, the expression in his eyes as if he would pounce and devour her any second.

But before he could get any closer, there was the angry sound of a dog barking. A shaggy black dog leapt at the werewolf, chasing him off towards the forest.

"Come back to the castle with me, we need to get Wormtail to the Dementors!" Isabel said, ushering the teenagers towards the castle. She levitated Peter (and Snape, for that matter, who was still knocked out and would probably be heavily concussed when he awoke) whilst Harry and Hermione supported Ron.

"Are you... Isabel?" Harry asked timidly.

"Yes – and I can assure you that your mum and dad would be very proud of you right now, Harry," Isabel smiled as they entered the castle courtyard.

"Do you want us to show you the way to Dumbledore's office?" Hermione offered.

"No thank you dear – I can remember the way perfectly well," she chuckled.

As soon as they reached the statue outside Professor Dumbledore's office, it immediately sprung aside. Isabel smiled softly as they rode the staircase up to his office – and when the door was opened, it was familiar as ever.

Professor Dumbledore was sat behind his desk, looking very surprised at the sight before him – but also very pleased.

"Well, Miss Willoughby! What a pleasure it is to see you – and I see you have Mr Pettigrew with you – I trust that you, along with Harry, Ron and Hermione here, have an interesting story to tell?" he asked kindly. Isabel nodded. Dumbledore conjured up a stretcher for Ron to lie on as they related to the headmaster their tale.

Upon finishing, Professor Dumbledore was silent for a few moments.

"So Sirius is, in fact, perfectly innocent, and it is Peter here who killed all those Muggles?" he said. They nodded.

"Well, I believe we have a man to declare free and a man to hand over to the Dementors," he said. He turned to a portrait and asked them to go and fetch Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. He then looked back – "Where is Sirius now?"

"He's controlling Lup– I mean, Professor Lupin, sir – it's a full moon tonight," Harry told him. Dumbledore's eyes widened in alarm and stood up.

"The night shall soon be over, and Professor Lupin shall be restored to his former self – and we can then declare Sirius a free man. We now have to wait for the Minister, Sirius and Professor Lupin but I think also that we should go and invite two Gryffindor students to come and have a few things explained to them, don't you think, Isabel?" Dumbledore said wisely. Isabel nodded.

Dumbledore turned to Hermione.

"Would you please go and get Tom and Lottie Urquhart – and on your way, ask Madam Pomfrey to come and tend to Mr Weasley, Miss Granger? Thank you," he said softly as Hermione obliged and left the office.

"They will hate me for not telling the truth," Isabel fretted.

"They could never hate you, Miss Willoughby – I think they need all their questions answering," Dumbledore said solemnly.

*

Tom Urquhart was fast asleep in his dormitory which he shared with his friends, four other second-years. It was in the early hours of the morning, and Tom was having a very pleasant dream. It involved him and a very pretty third-year in Ravenclaw called Calista Watkins who had been staring at him during dinner – in it, Calista was floating around wearing a red dress and proclaiming her love for him. He was even smiling in his sleep – something Hermione Granger observed when she led the groggy Lottie into his dorm to wake him up.

"Do you want me to wake him?" Hermione asked. Lottie shrugged.

"I'll do it myself," she replied, and stepped towards her brother's bed. She tipped her head slightly to the left and knelt down. Then she positioned herself right next to his ear, and shouted, (with, Hermione observed, a loudness surpassing the usual human decibel limit) "OI! TOM!"

Tom was so shocked by this he immediately woke up and fell off the bed in surprise. Lottie merely chuckled at her brother's fall but Hermione instantly offered to help him up. Tom's eyes widened in shock at the third year being in his room, with his sister.

"Er, Lottie, what's going on?" he asked in trepidation.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to see us," Lottie told him simply. "Get up."

Tom got up, threw on his dressing gown and followed the two girls down the stairs into the common room, and out into the corridors in the direction of the Headmaster's office. He was very tired and still savouring the content of his dream to dwell over for the next few days when Hermione uttered the password to get back into the office.

When they entered the room, before drinking in the sight of all the magical instruments, portraits, countless books and strange pieces of furniture, they saw the people in there. Professor Dumbledore was sat behind his desk with his hands clasped. Madam Pomfrey was tending to the broken leg of Ron Weasley. Harry Potter was sat beside Ron, and was now joined by Hermione Granger. In the corner, an immobilised man sat, bound in chains, his weird eyes darting round the room in fear of what was about to happen. And on a chair in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk, was their mother.

"Mum! What are you doing here?" Lottie asked concernedly, throwing her arms around her mother and taking the seat to her left. Tom quietly sat in the seat on his mother's right, perplexed as to what was going on.

"I think it best that I explain first to you, Mr and Miss Urquhart. You, of course, know how good a mother has been to you over the years. She has overcome not only great personal loss, but also unbelievable tragedy, before you were born, meaning that you had to live without a father. She is one of the brightest students we have ever taught here at Hogwarts, and never does anything without it being to the best of her incredibly capable ability. I think she is a shining example to other parents," Professor Dumbledore eulogized whilst Isabel blushed involuntarily. "However, whenever you asked her questions about your father, I understand she was rather vague."

"Yes – but what was this personal loss and unbelievable tragedy?" Lottie questioned impatiently.

"Well – Isabel here, formerly known as Isabel Willoughby before the Wizarding War, was best friends with Lily Evans and James Potter all the way through school. Isabel was an instrument in getting them together, I believe," Dumbledore continued. Harry smiled weakly. "And eventually a bridesmaid at their wedding – she is godmother to Harry here, and has never fully recovered from losing such close friends of hers."

Tom and Lottie both turned to give Harry sympathetic and sorrowful looks simultaneously – Harry smiled once more. It wasn't a weak smile either – he was immensely proud of his parents; and also of Tom and Lottie's parents, who had suffered almost as much as he had through becoming an orphan.

"But during the war, Isabel was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society devoted to fighting Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore carried on – noticing that neither Tom or Lottie flinched at the full usage of his name. "And she had to change her name to Isabel Urquhart in order to evade the Death Eaters. Isabel, I believe, had been in a romantic relationship with the man who is your father since her seventeenth birthday. The day before Lily and James Potter died, Isabel became engaged to this man – she loved him very much and I believe that she still does, as I observe that she still wears her engagement ring, almost thirteen years later. Unfortunately, this man was wrongly jailed for a crime he did not commit – but now we know the truth."

"Who is our dad, mum?" Tom asked. "He is obviously very special to you – and I want to know him. Professor Lupin told me I was the spitting image of my dad, but with my mum's eyes." Harry grinned at this also – he was the same, the image of his dad with his mother's distinctive emerald eyes.

"Same here – except he said I was the image of my mum but with my dad's eyes," Lottie agreed.

"Well, you might have worked out that your last name isn't Urquhart," Isabel said softly, finding her voice at last.

"What are our full names then?" Lottie asked.

"Your full name is Charlotte Isabel Black, and yours, Tom, is Thomas Sirius Black, after your father," Isabel said quietly.

"Sirius Black?" they both chorused disbelievingly. "The one who has just escaped from Azkaban?"

"He was wrongly jailed!" Isabel protested. "He's the most amazing man I ever met, my best friend at school – closer to me, perhaps, than Lily and James, and they were like my brother and sister. I lived for twelve years, hoping and praying that one day Sirius would come back to me – I always held faith in him being innocent, not believing that he could do that to his friends. And he didn't. That man in the corner did it and framed your dad, so he had to suffer for twelve years in Azkaban, his only comfort knowing that he didn't do it. He didn't even know he had children until I met him in Diagon Alley and I told him. I know that he will be the most amazing dad you have ever seen and you will adore him. It's impossible not to adore Sirius, not to love him."

"Can we meet him soon?" Lottie asked tentatively.

"Yes – once we have him cleared of all charges and Peter Pettigrew is sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban. Then we can live as a proper family," Isabel said.

"And when will he be cleared?" Tom said eagerly.

"As soon as he returns from the grounds and the Minister for Magic arrives," Isabel answered.

*

At six o'clock in the morning, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin dragged themselves in the direction of Dumbledore's office. Their sense of direction was automatic – Sirius had never forgotten the numerous trips to their headmaster's office when he was in school. They had been the best years of his life, especially his seventh. In some ways he wished he was seventeen again, having fun, partying until the small hours and playing practical jokes on his friends.

"I'm so sorry, Padfoot," Remus said – he had been apologising profusely ever since he transformed back into a human at dawn. Sirius smiled at the use of his old nickname.

"Moony, stop apologising! It's fine!" Sirius said firmly.

"I know – but I could have been unleashed on the kids if you hadn't have stopped me," Remus shook his head sorrowfully.

"Oh, it's you!" the statue at the entrance to Dumbledore's office said in surprise as Sirius grinned audaciously.

"Miss me?" he asked.

"Of course, Mr Black," the statue replied reminiscently. It sprung aside, allowing the two friends to enter Dumbledore's office – where Cornelius Fudge and several Ministry officials were standing, interrogating the quivering, pathetic form of Peter Pettigrew.

"Sirius!" Isabel cried, running forward and throwing her arms around her fiancé.

"Hey beautiful," he grinned. Tears began to run down Isabel's cheeks as she remembered him saying this to her about five times every day in school.

"Peter's confessed – they are going to make you a free man," she whispered into his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and advanced further into the room.

"Where are the children?" Sirius asked joyfully.

"In the Hospital Wing with Madam Pomfrey. I didn't think it suitable for them to be in here when this was going on," Isabel replied.

"Mr Black!" Cornelius Fudge called. "I'm sorry about the years you had to spend in Azkaban – as soon as you have signed this proclamation declaring you a free man and that you committed no crime, you are free to go and we will take Mr Pettigrew to Azkaban." Peter whimpered, but everybody ignored him.

"Thank you," Sirius smiled – a genuine smile. He took the quill Professor Dumbledore offered him. He proudly and momentously signed his name on the bottom of the paper, shook hands with Cornelius Fudge and then turned to Isabel.

"I think it's time to realise the dream," he said as they held each other close.

"Definitely – but before we do, I think there's something we need to do. Something we owe to the memory of Lily and James," Isabel smiled sadly. Sirius nodded.

"I love you, Isabel."

"I love you, Sirius."

*

Isabel's idea had taken them to Godric's Hollow. She parked her car outside the little village, behind the church. The flowers were in full bloom, it being a gloriously hot day in July. In the passenger seat sat Sirius Black, smiling. He gripped Isabel's hand tightly and they got out of the car. Out of the back clambered Tom and Lottie Black, with their friend Harry Potter. Sirius and Isabel had insisted upon bringing Harry along – they drove all the way to Little Whinging in Surrey to rescue their godson from the clutches of the calamitous Dursleys for a few days.

"Shall we go?" Sirius suggested, and they wandered forward into the square before the church, where the War Memorial was. But, as their eyes lingered on the Memorial, it metamorphosed into something entirely different. It was a statue of a laughing man and woman, both about twenty-one, cradling a little boy of one. Both father and son had messy hair, and the father wore glasses. The mother was very beautiful and even though the statue was made of stone, her eyes glinted magically, just like Isabel and Sirius remembered.

They all stayed silent as they trundled into the churchyard – and they walked among the graves to find the one they were looking for. Eventually, they found it.

Here lies James Potter, born 27 March 1960, and his beloved wife Lily Potter, born 30 January 1960 – both who died 31 October 1981.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The tears began to fall thick and fast down Isabel's rosy cheeks – Harry stood there silently, his heart racing and gulping large breaths of the clear summer breeze. Sirius put his arm around him as Harry put down the large bouquet of white lilies and pink roses that they had arranged at home.

They stood their soundlessly for a while – eventually, they all turned to leave. Now Sirius and Isabel felt that they could truly say goodbye to their best friends, who they missed every second of every day. They looked at each other as Tom, Lottie and Harry led the way out of the graveyard, and hugged.

"I think it's time for us to go to Cornwall..." Sirius whispered.

*

The garlands of flowers bordered the little platform that had been set up for the wedding on the beach – the whole arrangement was beautiful. It was at the bottom of the cliffs, in the shadow of the castle which was the ancestral home of the Willoughbys.

Anya Willoughby sat at the front proudly, waiting for her daughter to be married. Beside her sat her two sisters and brother with their spouses, along with her late husband's brothers and their spouses. On both sides of the aisle sat Willoughby cousins, who were now grown up, some of them married, some of them single and some of them with their own children. Other guests that had taken their seats were even some of Isabel and Sirius' old school friends that Isabel's mother had tracked down. They had all accepted of course – often accompanied with the, "Thank Merlin they are marrying at last!" – and seated were Noah and Allie Hamilton, Jane Goldsmith and the mother and son of Frank Longbottom, who had been tortured to insanity with his wife Alice. They were sat on the second row behind Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. All the other Weasleys were present, easy to spot with their vivid red hair. Professor Dumbledore sat next to Professor McGonagall, smiling and cracking jokes with the people around them. Sarah, Finnola and Edward were also there – as was Nymphadora Tonks, who was sporting her favourite shade of bubblegum pink hair. It looked very nice with her pale summer dress and high heels (worn upon the insistence of her mother, Andromeda, and her father, Ted, who were also present). She was hoping to see Remus Lupin – never having forgotten him.

Sirius Black stepped out and took his place at the front, next to his best man – Harry Potter. Sirius felt it was the only right thing to do, as he was the son of his best friend who would have undeniably been his best man. He looked unbelievably handsome in his charcoal grey suit and sky blue tie, with a pale blue carnation in his buttonhole, matching the flowers in the arrangements around the beach wedding location.

Isabel Willoughby didn't want to be fashionably late for her wedding. She had waited too long to get married to the man she loved and she wouldn't miss it for the world. Her father had died five months ago, so she had picked the only other perfect man for the job of giving her away – the boy, friend and man who had led her down the stairs at her seventeenth birthday ball, Remus Lupin.

"Are you ready?" he grinned.

"Of course," she smiled back, standing up and taking his arm. Behind them, Tom and Lottie, dressed in a suit and a pretty blue bridesmaid dress respectively, smiled too. They were excited that their mum and dad were finally getting their dream wedding.

Everybody stood up as Remus and Isabel came forward. Isabel's dress was strapless ivory, scattered with tiny pearls, nipped in at her waist and full in the skirt. Her hair was adorned with small blue flowers and she smiled radiantly as she walked down the aisle towards the man she loved more than anyone in the world, the man she had waited practically a life time to be with, the man who was grinning at her like nobody else in the world existed right now, the man she was so utterly in love with and would be for the rest of her life.

Sirius Black.

Oh - thinking about all our younger years
There was only you and me
We were young and wild and free

Now nothing can take you away from me
We've been down that road before
But that's over now
You keep me coming back for more

Baby you're all that I want
When you're lying here in my arms
I'm finding it hard to believe
We're in heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

Oh - once in your life you find someone
Who will turn your world around
Bring you up when you're feeling down

Yeah - nothing could change what you mean to me
Oh there's lots that I could say
But just hold me now
Cause our love will light the way

And baby you're all that I want
When you're lying here in my arms
I'm finding it hard to believe
We're in heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

I've been waiting for so long
For something to arrive
For love to come along

Now our dreams are coming true
Through the good times and the bad
Yeah - I'll be standing there by you

"Heaven", Bryan Adams

So - did you like the ending? I hope you did! Please review to tell me what you think :) I'm not sure what I'm going to be working on next but this school year is plagued with exams and revision so it may just be one shots until June/July time. I hope that's not the case and it probably won't be - I have about a million started fanfictions that are about two chapters in but then I've lost inspiration; there's one about Charlie Weasley I started to write, plus one about Sirius Black giving Harry and Ginny relationship advice and another about two cousins coming to start at Hogwarts and causing a stir amongst the Marauders. For now I'm going to focus on finishing

Thank you so much for all your support and lovely words throughout the posting of this story,

Love and hugs,

:) x Lily Orange x (: