The Guardian

Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plot, everything else belongs to JKR and I make no money off this.

A/N- Sorry this took so long, I finally had to buy a computer, which meant transferring all my files to the new one. Happily this time I remembered to buy a flash drive just in case.
Hope you enjoy the chapter please Read and Review and thanks to all who do.


Chapter 21
The Order meeting and the Missing Spy

The morning dawned bright and warm on the sleeping couple. They both groaned as the sun washed over them, streaming through the thin coverings on the windows.
“Gods woman, couldn’t you have conjured thicker drapes?” Sirius groaned tightening his hold on Rhiannon’s waist.
“I don’t usually sleep late enough to have the sun bother me.” She snapped and tried to bury her head in Sirius’s chest. Why couldn’t coffee just appear at her bedside? She wondered silently.
“Well aren’t you just a morning person.” He grabbed blindly for the blankets that had been kicked off in the night and yanked them over their heads, grateful they were thick enough to block out most of the light. “Look at that, our own little world, where the sun doesn’t intrude.”
“Hmmm I wish that were true.” She nuzzled him, getting past her initial grumpiness “But I’m hungry and I would bet you are too. How about, I make breakfast and you clean up the room?”
“Ah and so the orders begin. I will not be your house elf witch.” He grumbled playfully.
“Then I won't be your personal chef.” She sat up suddenly, letting the blankets pool around her hips and stretched her arms over her head giving him a lovely view of her breasts.
“Give me food woman!” He pulled her down and rolled over her, his fingers dancing along her ribs making her laugh.
“I give! I give!” She was out of breath, her skin flushed chest heaving with hiccups of laughter.
With a self-satisfied grin Sirius let her up before stretching and gathering the clothing strewn about the small bedroom. He looked around and found he preferred the smaller brighter room to the dark masters chambers that still held the scent of his mothers smothering perfume. He grimaced at the mere thought of waking up in that room.
“Sickle for your thoughts husband.” Rhiannon wound her arms around his waist, playfully nipping his back.
“Just wondering if you could do the same thing in the master bedroom, or to the rest of the house that you‘ve done to this room.”
“I could, I suppose. If you really want to live here the rest of our lives.” She slid around him, keeping her arms locked around his waist. He found he liked the way she was touching him this morning, not sexual. Just showing affection. He wound a tendril of her hair around his fingers and thought about what she said. Truth be told he hated this house, hated the colors, the smells the memories everything.
“I really don’t want to live here, but we’re safe in this house.”
“Maybe we should talk to Dumbledore. He might be able to suggest a place.” She looked so sweet staring up at him, he wanted little more than to stand in that spot and play with the silken honey that was her hair. Unfortunately his stomach protested rather loudly at that thought, making both of them laugh.
“Come on dear husband, I’ll cook us breakfast.” She grabbed a robe from her wardrobe and tugged him into the hall.
“YOU DISGUSTING LITTLE WORM!!” His mother’s painting screamed at them.
“Morning mother Black.” Rhiannon said cheekily as they passed her.
“YOU! YOU ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE A BLACK! SIRIUS, THE SCUM OF OUR FAMILY, MUGGLE LOVER! BLOOD TRAITOR!! BRINGING SUCH SCUM INTO THE FAMILY. MUDDYING THE GOOD NAME OF BLACK.”
Rhiannon paused halfway down the stairs turned and dragged her husband back to the portrait. She glared at the spittle spewing woman for a long moment before flashing a grin that would put even the most devious Slytherin to shame. “Say those things again and I’ll make you sorry you even thought them.”
“YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE A DISGRACE TO THE FAMILY! UGLY LITTLE UNWANTED BASTARDS. GODS FORBID YOU ACTUALLY HAVE ANY WHELPS!”
“Keep it up and I’ll shag my husband stupid right here on the landing. We’ll see how quick we have children then. We won't stop until we have a family to rival the Weasley’s. I’ll make sure everyone of them is male to carry on the Black family name and that they each marry muggle women!” Rhiannon glared at the woman.
Sirius felt odd standing between the portrait of his dead mother and the living breathing woman that was his wife while they held a silent battle of wills. After what seemed like hours but could have only been moments his mother harrumphed and moved out of the frame.
“You are scary.” He looked her up and down then back at the empty frame. “I don’t know that she’s ever left that frame.”
“Hmm. We are not taking that with us when we move.” She continued down the stairs, calling over her shoulder “Put something on husband, before you catch your death.”
Sirius stared after his wife in amazement.
“She’s a bossy bit of goods.” one of the portraits grinned from the opposite wall.
“Yeah she is.” Sirius agreed, deciding it best to do what she had said.


The pan on the stove was sizzling and popping energetically as Rhiannon dropped thick slices of bacon into it between flipping pieces of French toast.
Sirius walked in and sighed, “If you weren’t already married to me I’d steal you away and beg you to make this stuff every morning.” he tried to pilfer a strip of bacon from the plate next to her.
“Don’t even try it.” she swatted at his hand before sending a cup of coffee sailing through the air to him.
“Did you mean that about a family big enough to rival the Weasley’s?”
“No I want kids but not quite that many.” She slid the last of the toast onto a platter with the bacon and dropped it in front of him.
“There’s going to be an Order meeting tonight. I suggested we have it here.”
“Okay that’s fine.” Sirius said around a mouth full of the sweet breakfast food. He glared at the floo when it rang announcing visitors.
“Sirius? Rhiannon? Are you guys up?” Harry’s voice echoed from the other room.
“In here Harry.” Rhiannon called opening the cupboard and setting out six more plates. Sirius raised his eyebrow.
“Like they’d let him run around alone.” She answered his silent question as the six teens trouped into the kitchen. “Grab a plate and get eating.” She ordered.
“Wow love.” Sirius eyed the large platter she was pulling from the oven. “You made enough for an army.”
Rhiannon smirked, “No I made enough for Ron there.”
The red heads plate was overflowing and his mouth was already full. Ginny was staring at her brother in amazement while Neville and Luna shyly filled each others plates.
“You knew we were coming over?” Harry asked.
“I had an idea. What did you want to talk about Harry?” She asked dropping into the chair next to Sirius.
“Nothing really. I just wanted to see you guys before I went back to the Dursleys.” Harry shrugged before stuffing a large bite into his mouth.
“Slow down or you are going to choke.” Rhiannon said automatically.
“Sorry ma’am.” Harry put his fork down a moment.
“That goes for you too Ron.” She glared at him until he too put his fork down. “And you two get to eating.” She watched until Hermione and Ginny each ate part of their toast, satisfied that Luna and Neville were doing alright on their own.
“What’s this about going back to the Dursleys?” Sirius growled not liking the idea of Harry returning to his Aunt and Uncle.
“Dumbledore thinks it’s for the best if I finish out the summer with them.” He answered. “But I get to go back to the Burrow for my birthday.” He grinned.
Sirius didn’t like it. He would rather Harry just stay at the Burrow until he and Rhiannon could find a home.
Rhiannon laid her hand on his arm and shook her head, silently telling him to stop scowling.
“Are you going to be alright?” He asked wanting some reassurance.
Harry shrugged obviously unsure about going back.
“We are going to visit as often as we can.” Hermione supplied, “Dumbledore thinks it would be less obvious if we went rather than a bunch of Aurors.”
“Yes, he is right.” Rhiannon nodded. “We will visit also.”

The teens had left a couple hours later, intent on seeing Harry all the way to the Dursleys. Rhiannon had sent the boy out like any mothering woman worth her salt would, struggling under the weight of a bag filled with foods and with a stern glare that said he better eat every bite or she would know.
“He’s too skinny.” She argued when Sirius jokingly called her Molly junior. “His Aunt would kill us if she knew we sent him out of here knowing he wasn’t eating.” She slapped her hand over her mouth and stared wide eyed at Sirius when he turned surprised gray eyes on her. She reminded him of a child that just spilled a big secret.
“What do you know?” He growled.
“Nothing.” She refused to look him in the eye.
“You know something.” He moved quickly around the dining room table where they had been setting up drinks.
“No.” She moved as he did, keeping the long table between them.
“Don’t lie. What do you know?” He faked left but ran right, catching Rhiannon off guard and around the waist.
“Damn. Let me go!” She shrieked and giggled as Sirius struggled to get her turned around to face him.
“What do you know?” He asked again. The floo rang, announcing the order members. “We will finish this later.” He glared at her.
“No we won't. I made a promise Sirius, I can’t break it without permission.” She stared into his eyes begging him to understand.
“Wotcher, Sirius, Rhiannon, half thought you’d still be too busy shagging like a couple of rabbits to host a meeting.” Tonks grinned at them, leading Kingsley into the kitchen behind her. Rhiannon cringed when she tripped over the legs of the table and knocked a stack of napkins onto the floor, but was grateful for the distraction. That had been a close one, she’d almost given up one of her closely guarded secrets.
“Hullo Tonks, Kingsley.” Rhiannon nodded.
“Wotcher cousin. Kingsley.” Sirius smirked at his overly clumsy cousin, deciding he‘d give Rhiannon clemency, for now. Remus was the next to arrive, he hugged both of his friends, adding a smacking kiss to her cheek just to annoy Sirius.
Molly and the rest of the Weasley clan, minus the younger kids and their guests, shuffled in. They were a rowdy bunch, brining life to any event. Rhiannon hugged the two oldest boys happily, it had been a while since she’d seen Bill and Charlie. They had been below her in school, but not by much.
“The younger children are staying at Mrs. Figgs’ house.” Molly explained, shoving Fred and George further into the room and settling them at the table with plates of snacks, treating them as she would her younger children.
“Albus and Minerva were right behind us.” Author pulled off his glasses and cleaned them on the edge of his shirt. Rhiannon liked the balding patriarch of the Weasley family, he reminded her of her own father.
“We are here.” Dumbledore breezed into the room, McGonagall following closely behind. A few more members joined them tonight, some that Rhiannon recognized and some that she didn’t. The kitchen filled quickly, a low roar of conversation drowning out the ringing of the floo and the clocks on the walls.
“We’re just missing Severus.” Dumbledore stood, drawing all attention to himself. “He was called away earlier and should return soon. But I believe we should start now.”
The next couple of hours was filled with reports on Death eater attacks in small outlying towns. There were reports from inside the ministry where it was believed Voldemort had spies in place to take down the system when the time was right. Rhiannon couldn’t stop her eyes from drifting to the clock near the door. A strange feeling had settled in the pit of her stomach when Snape still hadn’t shown up two hours into the meeting. Sirius’ warm hand sliding over hers drew her attention from the clock, he nodded, his gray eyes showing his own unease.
“Lets take a small break and eat.” Molly suggested when Kingsley sat down. The group nodded in agreement, quickly disbursing and filling plates of food.
“Somethings not right Sirius, Severus should have been here.” Rhiannon pulled him into the library.
“Maybe he just got caught up. A revel or something.” Sirius offered, trying to ignore the sense of foreboding that fell over him.
“No, revels mean death and we would have been called if there was going to be a death.” She paced the large room, sidestepping the sofa and table.
“There may not be a witch or wizard involved with it. We wouldn’t be called then.”
“No, even when it’s muggle, the other Guardians contact me. I go to offer any support I can. How do you think I’ve been there with that Git so many times when he‘s been stupid enough to get crucioed?”
Sirius watched his wife pace, unsure of what to do to ease her. She was reverting to calling Severus names, that couldn’t be a good thing. She kept moving, her hands straying repeatedly to her hair, shoving the loose curls out of her eyes before she rubbed the tattoo on her wrist.
“He’ll be here Rhi. If not we’d know it.” Sirius mirrored her motions, pushing the locks of hair that had strayed from the tie holding it out of his eyes.
“Do you know how long you can keep someone alive but just barely.”
“Yes love, I do. But Severus is…” He searched for the right word, “resourceful. If anything really bad happened we would know.”
Rhiannon stared at him, worry for a man she grudgingly admired shinning in her eyes. “You’re right.”
She sighed still looking agitated. “It’s just, I never really liked him in school. But after I left, when Voldemort came back and I saw all that he went through for the order and the wizarding world. He’s a right bastard, but he’s a good man.”
“I know love. He will show up.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly, wanting to reassure her but not knowing how.
A soft knock on the door announced Molly a moment before she pushed the doors open. “Albus decided we could end the meeting for tonight. Without Severus we can't go any farther.” She explained, worry glinting in her warm motherly eyes.
“Thank you Molly. We'll be right out.” Sirius answered turning back to his wife. “Are you going to be okay?”
“No, not until Severus turns up.” She sighed but pushed away from him all the same, keeping a tight hold on his tattooed hand. They waved the group out gaining a promise from Dumbledore that if Severus returned to Hogwarts he'd contact them.
The kitchen had been cleaned, the leftovers put away and chairs returned to their places before the couple made their way upstairs. Rhiannon decided to redecorate the master bedroom. She spent two hours, using freshing charms to remove the heavy perfume that hung in the air and charmed the walls to a cheery yellow. It took a while and a good deal of persistence when the walls kept turning back to the ugly musty green but by sheer will the room looked much better when she was finished.
“He hasn't shown up yet.” She mumbled as Sirius carried a small box, filled with her clothes.
“I know love. But he will.” He spoke absently, arranging her clothes in the dresser and wardrobe.
“Oh when do I get to see you in this?” He held up a gauzy scarlet teddy looking at her hungrily.
“Later if you're good.” She grinned but it didn't reach her eyes. He sighed, his hope had been to distract her for a while longer but he could see that wouldn't work, her mind was sent, just as the tug he felt was set, telling him something was wrong.
“Come on.” He waved towards their bed. She followed obediently, dropping onto the soft white comforter. He grasped the edge of her t-shirt and tugged it over her head. Then slipped her bra off, pulling the soft cotton sheets down to the foot of the bed.
“Sirius, I'm not in the...” she started sounding weary.
“I know.” He pushed her face down, moving to straddle her thighs. He adjusted her arms to his liking before settling into rub her shoulders. In the very least he could ease the tension he felt pouring off her, it was a simple enough charm, one he'd used often as a teen. His voice was silky, his words measured to relax her when he spoke.
“Your skin is so soft. Like silk, I wondered about this when I locked myself in here every night, listening to you move around imagining you undressing.” He found a knot and gave extra attention to that spot.
Rhiannon would have drooled if she had even that much strength at the moment but worry had drained most of her energy before Sirius' massage robbed her of the rest. She could feel her muscles turning to liquid and her eyes growing heavy.
Sirius could sense the exact moment Rhiannon fell asleep, his own heart slowed and some of the worry he was feeling seeped out of him. He continued rubbing, enjoying the feel of her skin under his hands, the contrast between her creamy back and his darker hands. He worked his way down slipping one hand under her to unsnap her denims and slide them over her hips. He quickly stripped out of his own clothes, dowsed the lights and carefully pulled the bedding around them. His eyes grew heavy as he watched over his wife and before long he too was asleep.

Sirius' eyes flew open, he wasn't sure what had yanked him from the warmth of his dreams, but something was wrong. He shifted, feeling for his wand under Rhiannon's pillow and waited. There it was again, a pounding coming from somewhere downstairs. He pulled his arm out from under his wife trying not to wake her, but the effort was pointless as she sat straight up, wide awake. She looked about wildly, her eyes glinting in the light from the dying fire.
“Severus.” She jumped from the bed, pausing only long enough to grab Sirius' rumpled shirt and running for the door. He followed her down the stairs, wearing a pair of baggy pajama bottoms and feeling an urgency he'd never known before. She stumbled more than ran and was at the door well before him, wrenching it open and catching the bundle of black cloth that fell into her open arms.
“Help.” Severus wheezed, collapsing with the effort.
“Merlin, what did they do?” Sirius hissed taking the weight off Rhiannon and settling it on himself. He could feel the warm blood dripping from Severus' body, and onto his own. But that wasn't what worried him, he felt something cold slipping through his soul and instinctively knew it had something to do with Severus slipping away.
“We need to hurry.” Rhiannon's voice sounded odd, almost hollow when she spoke. “Put him on the kitchen table.” They struggled under Severus' weight, maneuvering him onto the long wood table. He looked paler than Sirius had ever seen him, his cheeks sunken showing hollows in the bright lights Rhiannon had conjured.
“Severus? Severus can you hear me?” She felt for a pulse, finding only a weak one.
“Severus open your eyes.” Sirius leaned over prying the Potions master's eyes open.
“Cant... breathe...” blood dripped from his thin pale lips before he lost consciousness.
Rhiannon shifted,and held her hands over his chest, a bright blue light encompassing Severus and the table. The light pulsed weakly until it darkened to a blood red orb over his chest. “His robes,” she dropped her hands, “we need to get them off to see where all the blood is coming from.”
Sirius reached for a button but snatched his hand back when sparks singed his fingertips. “He's warded.”
Rhiannon looked over Severus's still form. The pale wizards chest was rising and falling rapidly, his breathing shallow and skin clammy. She could feel the insistent tug on her heart but refused to believe he couldn't be saved. She took a deep breath and concentrated on helping the man. Her fingers fumbled for a moment, the wards on the death eaters robes were strong. She winced at the initial burning of her fingertips but ignored it, working the buttons of Severus's robes loose. He wore a tight fitting Dragon hide vest underneath the warded robes and over a white shirt that was only a tattered, bloody mess. She took a deep breath and loosened the vest. Blood sprayed across the table when Severus exhaled coating, her hands and face with the warm liquid.
“Oh shit.” Sirius covered the bloody hole in Severus' chest he'd never seen anything like that. He wanted to feel worried of upset but found himself numb when it came to the Potions master.
“He doesn't have long.” Rhiannon looked up at Sirius, her eyes were tinged black, as was the tips of her hair, he was surprised and didn't know his own silver eyes were turning black to match hers. She held out her hands pulling as much of Severus' pain into herself as she dared, knowing to take all of it would mean death for him. She slipped into his mind, trying desperately to see what had happened and how they could help him.
She couldn't see anything, but could hear people moving in his memory. There was the sting of whips on her chest and something else, she felt like someone had stuck a hot iron into her lung. A second later there were voices and hissing from behind her.
“It broke master”
“Cut him down. I want him out of my sight. Send him back to Dumbledore to heal, I don't have the time or the inclination.”
With a jolt she returned to her body, the sting of lashes still fresh on her body and looked into Sirius' half black eyes, there was a coldness there that she understood.
“There's something in his chest, his lung is collapsing.” She placed a stasis spell over him freeing Sirius to move his hands. When he did blood continued to seep out sluggishly from the wound. It was jagged, barely the size of her fingertip, and at the end of a particularly deep set of lashes.
“Accio...” she stopped unsure of what she was trying to summon, “Accio res.” She tried hopefully, but nothing happened. “Accio arma.” still nothing. She turned her tear stained face to Sirius.
He didn't like what was happening to his wife or himself, she looked as cold as he felt, her eyes were almost all black, her hair and lips completely black.He had to do something to help her. He turned to the cupboard drawers, yanking each of them open, sending quills, bits of twine and other objects skittering across the floor as he searched for a pair of muggle pliers he'd seen once. He found them shoved into the back of a draw filled with some kind of fur and nail clippings. With a flick of his wand they were sterilized, and concentrating on the few first aid lessons Poppy had given him and James so they could help Remus after the full moon.
“Go call Poppy, get Dumbledore here, they'll know what to do.” Rhiannon placed her hands on either side of Severus' head, enchanting him into a deeper, coma like sleep.
Sirius nodded absently, turning to the large fireplace, throwing a bunch of floo powder into the cold hearth he waited a second and was about to call out for Hogwarts when a heavy package flew out, nearly hitting him in the face.
“Use this” was scrawled across the loosely wrapped package. Sirius unwrapped it, finding a heavy muggle magnet.
“Rhi, um someone wants us to try this.” He held it out to her suspicious.
“Athena,” She glanced at the package, but grabbed the magnet and pressed it over Severus' chest until she heard a small clink. She dropped the magnet, now covered in blood and they both started mumbling spells to heal all the open wounds.
Sirius pointed his wand towards the ceiling, yelling out “Accio blood replenisher.” Holding out his hand as a large vial landed in his palm. “He's lost too much blood.” He poured a large dose of the thick liquid down the unconscious man's throat.
“I knew some thing was wrong, I should have gone out to find him.” Rhiannon brushed her hand over Severus' hair, a look in her eyes much like the one she'd given Harry last night at the burrow.
“Where would you have started? He's going to be okay Rhi.” Sirius rounded the table, wrapping his arms around her. She was shaking violently as the black quickly drained from her hair and eyes and the warmth returned to his soul.
“What happened to us Rhi?” He asked unsteadily.
She brushed at her tears. “His soul is marked. It's black, when we are called to remove the soul of a marked being we become something dark to match them. All of our warmth is removed, all color, no comfort is offered in the moments leading up to their death.” She turned her gaze to Severus, “His soul will be marked until he finds forgiveness from his greatest enemy.”
Sirius wondered who Severus Snape's greatest enemy could be, Harry maybe. But then again Harry didn't seem to hate Snape, just dislike him greatly. He pulled out his wand, sending his Patronus, a silvery dog, to Dumbledore explaining what had happened. With a flick of his wrist one of the hard wood chairs was transfigured into something more comfortable. He pulled his wife across his lap, draping her legs over the arm. He whispered nonsense words until she fell into a fitful, exhaustion induced sleep.
Sirius Black, the once sworn enemy of Severus Snape sat watch well into the morning, keeping one eye on his wife and the other on their patient's deep even breathing.