Chapter One: Sirius Conversations

The battle of Hogwarts and the Dark Lord's reign of terror was over and had been for several hours. Sirius Black was sitting in the Great Hall at one of the tables. Amelia Bones, his significant other, was helping the other Ministry officials as he sat with Susan, Amelia's niece. He could tell that she was tired and needed to sleep. He knew because he felt the same way. But there were still things that needed to be said and taken care of first.

'Are you alright, Sooze?' he asked her, using the nickname he liked to give her.

'Yeah, just tired, you?' she replied.

'The same as you, I can't believe he's actually gone, and gone for good,' he said.

'It will take some time to get used to, I suppose,' Susan replied stifling a yawn.

'I know you're tired, but I need your opinion on something.'

'Okay,' she said.

'For a while now, I've been thinking about asking your aunt to marry me. I really want to, but if you don't want me to, I won't. So, I'd really like your blessing,' said Sirius.

'Why wouldn't I want you to propose to my aunt? After all, you will treat her right, and make her happy, won't you?'

'Of course, I will. It's just after everything that has happened these past couple of years you might be fed up with me, and my wacky godson's overly adventurous life. You have just spent the last nine months bored to tears at Potter Manor with no-one your own age and intelligence for company …'

'Sirius, do you love my aunt?'

'Yes,' he replied fervently.

'Good, because she's too far gone on you to let something as trivial as living in a safe house for nine months get in the way of being with you. As for me, you're a nice bloke, and I'm rather fond of you, so, if you want to ask my aunt to marry you, you have my blessing,' said Susan.

'Thank you, I really appreciate that. And, I'm rather fond of you too, and I would like it if you lived with us for as long as you want.'

'You really think I might not want to live with you? Of course I want to stay with you and my aunt – you're the only family I have!'

'Sorry, I just thought that as you are an adult, you might want to live on your own or with a friend.'

'No, not really, my best friend is Hannah Abbott, and she's always talking about Neville, so …'

'Say no more, I understand. When James and Lily finally started going out, she was all he talked about. But even before they were going out, she was his favourite topic of conversation – only just beating out ideas for pranks!' said Sirius.

Susan smiled and suddenly remembered something. 'Shouldn't you inform Remus that the battle's over?'

'Oh bugger, I forgot!' said Sirius and then he took out his enchanted mirror and opened it.

'Remus Lupin!' he called.

A few seconds later, Remus answered. 'Padfoot, are you all right? What about Harry?'

'I'm fine and so is Harry. Well, I think he is. He's not in the Great Hall and neither are Ron and Hermione. I suspect they've gone to Gryffindor Tower for a well-deserved sleep.'

'I heard it on the Wireless that Voldemort is dead, along with Bellatrix and Greyback. So, who killed that sick bastard, I want to buy them a drink!'

'I did actually. I killed Greyback. But Bellatrix' demise was the best, she got her arse kicked by Ron Weasley in a duel before he tortured her with two wands, but Severus was the one actually killed her. So the bitch died screaming.'

'When are you coming back here?'

'Probably after Pup wakes up again,' replied Sirius.

'Fair enough, I'm sure he'll want to meet his godson soon, cheerio, Padfoot.'

'Cheerio, Daddy Moony!' said Sirius loudly.

Remus rolled his eyes before closing his mirror and Sirius copied him.

Sirius turned back to Susan and said, 'Why don't you go to the Hufflepuff dormitory and get some sleep, I'll tell Amelia where you've gone.'

Susan gave him a smile before going off for a sleep as Sirius looked around the Great Hall. He saw the Weasleys – minus Ron, sitting together, eating and talking. He saw Minerva and Filius eating with Aberforth. But then his eyes fell on a boy with blond hair, who was sitting alone not eating. Sirius got to his feet and approached him before sitting down opposite him.

'Hello, Draco. How are you feeling?' asked Sirius gently.

'I don't know what I'm feeling. My father is dead, Crabbe is dead and I have no idea what's going to happen to me now,' replied Draco.

'I wish I could give you some answers, Draco, but I can't. I can't say I'm sorry about your father. He was a cunt, end of story. But let me ask you this; did you kill anyone? Did you willingly torture people for fun? Did you use the Imperius Curse on anybody?'

'No, I never killed anyone, and I've never used the Imperius Curse. But, I have tortured people, but it was on the Dark Lord's orders! I was made to torture Death Eaters who had failed him in some way. If I didn't do it, he would've done it to me, or my mother!'

'It sounds to me as though you had no choice, Draco. You were a victim of Voldemort as much as anyone. As an Auror, I know the lines, and you did not cross any. You came close that night on the Astronomy Tower a year ago. But Harry told me that you were lowering your wand. I'll do all I can to help you, and your mother, I promise. Where is your mother, by the way?'

Draco looked at Sirius surprised but answered, 'She went out of the hall with Professor Snape about five minutes ago.'

'Thank you, Draco,' replied Sirius before he got up and left the hall to find them. As he walked, he realised he could kill two birds with one stone. He found them easily as they were in the first empty room he tried and listened to their conversation.

'So, Severus, you were a spy for the Order? All this time? Did you tell them about us?' asked Narcissa.

'Yes, Narcissa, I was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. I had to kill Dumbledore to make Riddle trust me. I knew he was a half-blood – like myself. And, no, Narcissa, I never told the Order about us. Well, except Sirius – but I swore him to secrecy,' replied Snape.

'You told my cousin about us! Why in Merlin's name would you do that?' she asked coldly.

'He's almost a friend, but I trust him. I told him everything the Christmas before last. I needed to talk to someone and he was the best choice!'

'What on earth did you have to confide in Sirius Black?'

'Everything, Narcissa, everything, and how I – I –'

'What, Severus? How you what?' she asked.

'How I was starting to have feelings for you, that maybe I –'

'No, you are not going to stand there and lie to me! You are not going to tell me that maybe you were falling in love with me! The whole hall heard you tell the Dark Lord that you loved Lily Potter, and I know you still do, and always will! Even if I felt anything for you, Severus, how on earth could I possibly compete with a dead woman, and especially one as smart and as beautiful as Lily Potter?'

'You do not have to compete with Lily Potter, Narcissa. And, I do not think I have fallen in love with you, I know I have. During the battle, you were all I could think about, I could only hope that you were safe! When I saw you with the rest of them, I was so relieved that I did not care if Riddle killed me! But I must know, Narcissa, do you feel anything for me? I know I am not much to look at, I am not rich, but I do love you. I have buried the past and that includes Lily Potter! If I am going to have any kind of future for myself, that is if they don't cart me off to Azkaban, I want you to be a big part of that future! I am in love with you, Narcissa Black, so please tell me, now, how do you feel about me?'

There was a very long pause before Narcissa spoke again. 'Does that answer your question, Severus?' she said softly.

'Yes, it does, but I need you to say the words, please, Narcissa,' replied Snape with a plea.

'I love you too, Severus. I don't care that you are not rich. I do not care about your looks. You are an intelligent man, and some women find that a real turn-on, I love you,' replied Narcissa in the gentlest voice Sirius had ever heard her use, and knew that she meant every word.

Unfortunately, for Snape and Narcissa, Sirius still needed to speak with them, so he knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for an answer. He saw that they were holding each other as a tear leaked from one of Narcissa's eyes.

'Sorry to disturb you,' began Sirius, 'but I need to talk to you – both of you. Cissy, your son needs you. He's a little apprehensive about what's going to happen to him. Now, I just spoke to him, and I promised him the same thing I am about to promise you. I will do all I can to help you, I promise. I know I'm not your favourite person in the world, Cissy, but we are still family, all right?'

Narcissa nodded at him before he turned to Snape.

'Severus, I stand by what I said to you two Christmases ago. I will vouch for you if and when you go before the Wizengamot. I will help you and Narcissa be together, if she loves you back. Which, judging by the way you are holding each other, it appears that she does. But I have to know what was in those memories you gave to Harry.'

'Albus told me that a piece of Riddle's soul was attached to Harry. A piece of soul that Riddle himself must destroy, and in the process, kill Harry,' replied Snape.

'Fuck me sideways, Harry was a Horcrux …' gasped Sirius.

'Sirius, what is a Horcrux?' asked Snape.

'They are the Darkest Magic on earth, Severus. I am surprised you have never heard of it, being well-versed in the Dark Arts as you are.'

'I read about a short passage once upon a time back when we were at school, but the book said that it would not give definition or direction, or something along those lines.'

'A Horcrux, Severus, is the name given to an object in which a person conceals a portion of their soul. They can be made when a wizard commits murder. Killing rips the soul apart. It is against nature to split your soul. They are very powerful objects, Horcruxes, and can only be destroyed by Basilisk Venom, and, Fiendfyre. You have to put the casing beyond magical repair in order to destroy it completely.'

'Oh my God! He made himself stronger by murdering innocent people! That sick bastard!' replied Narcissa.

'Well, this is Riddle we are talking about, but, Sirius, how do you know of them?' asked Snape.

'I'm a Black. We have the largest library of books on Dark Magic you can imagine. One time, my father told Reg and I never to read any of them. Of course, I was in my rebellious phase and read them anyway, as did Reg. He was scared we'd get caught, but we didn't.'

'Harry said "Horcruxes" as in the plural,' said Snape.

'He did, didn't he? I'll bet he made seven, or, at least, tried to, what with seven being the most powerful magical number,' said Sirius thoughtfully.

'Wow, Sirius, you do have a brain, after all, a pity you don't always use it for good,' teased Narcissa.

'OI, I got all "Outstanding's" on my Owls and Newts, and qualified to be an Auror, you cheeky so and so!' he said back grinning at her.

Narcissa then walked over to Sirius and gave him a hug and whispered a thank you before she walked back to Snape.

Sirius decided to go and find his godson and leave the new couple alone. He walked to Gryffindor Tower and gave the Fat Lady the password and she allowed him entry. He then went upstairs to the Boy's Dorms all the way to the top where the seventh year room was and looked inside. He found his godson fast asleep in the bed that was in the middle of the five beds. He also spotted Ron and Hermione in bed together to the right of Harry. He conjured himself a comfortable chair between the two beds and sat down. He sat as he watched the three of them sleep and would wait for them to wake up – whenever that might be.