Salvation

Here is chapter 6 of Salvation. Hope you like it. Please review.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@'

The garden was scorching, and Miri was overheating in her sundress, Joseph and Catherine not faring much better.

Severus kept casting cooling charms on Miri, but they were not very effective at this point. It was so hot that Sirius, Ron and Charlie had gone shirtless, Severus had stripped down to his white wife beater and Solarin had changed from her jeans into a pair of dungarees shorts and a camisole. Only Remus and Sam remained fully clothed. Molly and Anne changed into shorts and t-shirts, Ginny, Phoenix and Hermione changed into shorts and camisoles. There was not a cloud in the sky and it was roasting, even in the shade. It was only half eleven and it was already boiling.

Harry reached over and lifted a sweaty Miri from under her canopy. He carefully stripped her of her dress and fanned her with a piece of Remus’ scrap parchment. When she settled a little, he returned her to her shaded patch in nothing but her nappy and set up her baby gym over her. She squealed in delight and began to use her magic to make the toys above her dance, like she and Solarin had done with the twigs.

Harry huffed at the heat and plucked at the cotton shirt he was wearing. It was sticking to him, as were the soft wool trousers, and his feet felt like they were on fire inside his shoes.

“I’m going to go and change my clothes,” Harry said to Severus.

“Are you sure that is what you want to do?” Severus asked, taking a sip of his lemonade, crunching a piece of ice.

“Yes. I’m okay with it, and it’s too hot in your clothes,” Harry explained. “But I have a problem with it all the same.”

“What problem?”

“Sam and nana have never seen my scars. I was going to put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I don’t want to upset them.”

Severus considered it. The day Anne had arrived, Harry had been covered, and he had not worn anything that would have allowed her to see any of the marks, not even the ones on his wrists or neck. The woman seemed unflappable, but how would she handle seeing remnants so extreme?

Sam was a healer, he had seen some very radical things in his sixteen years on the job. Solarin’s Brand was one of them, along with the scars she had on her back from the time Tobias had beaten her with his belt. Sam had been jarred by the scars the first time, finding it unsettling to see them on a ten year old. Harry was only seventeen and his scars were far more severe and expansive than the augur’s. Would the gentle healer handle so many barbaric scars on one so young?

“I will warn them while you change. This is your home, you should not feel uncomfortable in wearing attire of your choosing,” Severus said and Harry smiled at him.

Severus got up with him and walked him to the foot of the stairs, before he retrieved several baby bottles of cold water from the fridge for the three overheating infants in the garden. Fred and George had brought Harry some bottles and the assorted equipment to go with them, such as a steriliser, as the weather had gotten warmer again. It was all too easy for the tiny girl to become dehydrated, it was a wise idea to have sterilised water to hand. Ron and Hermione had followed suit. The three infants each had a shelf in the door of the fridge, so no one got mixed up. The bottles were even colour coded. Miri’s were red, Catherine’s were pink and Joseph’s were blue.

Thank God for Arthur Weasley. The brilliant man had procured them some muggle appliances and charmed them to work with magic rather than electricity. It was the only exception to the rule of no magic applied to Remus, and they had referenced the booklet from cover to cover to be sure of that. The kitchen alone now had a fridge freezer and a washing machine, which made life much simpler. The man was a godsend, and even Molly had not complained with his tinkering this time.

He returned to the garden and reclaimed his place, handing Ron and Ginny some of the bottles and cuddling Miri close. She gulped at it, suckling desperately.

“Thirsty girl,” Remus said, piling up his papers. “I forfeit. It is far too hot to work.”

“Hear hear,” Solarin said, plonking her own parchments and books outside the blanket.

“Where’s Harry gone? Is he alright?” Sirius asked, looking up from his tinkering with Harry’s dragon set with Anne and Sam. The three adults had been entranced by it, and Ginny had abandoned it to help her mother with the sorting of the laundry and preparation of lunch, along with Phoenix.

“Harry has gone to change his clothes for something more suited to the hot weather. Sam, I feel it necessary to warn you and Anne of what you will see before he returns,” Severus said, the witch and wizard abandoning the toy to look at him. Severus wondered how best to phrase it, but he was saved by Sirius.

“Harry is covered in scars,” the Animagus said, putting the dragons and their farm set back in their box, the tiny horntail making a bid for freedom, before Hermione caught it for him. “Lucius was very sadistic and caused the damage to him without magic. The only part of Harry that Lucius did not mark is his face. That itself is marked by the curse scar. You need to be aware of it before you see it.”

“How severe are they?” Anne asked warily.

“Barbaric,” Severus answered honestly. “They do not bother him for the most part, and all of us are used to seeing them. But you need to be aware that he considers them proof of how strong he is to have survived Lucius’ treatment. He has been offered the choice to attempt a muggle surgery to remove them but he has opted to keep them. To Harry, they are medals of honour and courage, reminders of how lucky he is. Please, try not to show your disgust of them, if you feel that way, it may have a negative effect on him today.”

Anne nodded but Sam looked confused.

“Sirius, take Sam to see Harry’s Rules,” Remus said and Sirius motioned to Sam to follow him. The two of them disappeared inside and returned after a few moments.

“Today is the anniversary?” Sam queried and Severus nodded, putting Miri back in her shady patch. “How is he handling it?”

“We got off to a rocky start, but he is doing very well now. He is calm and happy. The real sign of his progress is that he let you touch Miri,” Severus explained, adjusting the gym and canopy over his daughter.

“I see. I wanted to ask you if he would be comfortable with me asking him a few questions,” Sam requested.

“On what topic?”

“His anatomy, being a hermaphrodite. I was contacted by Poppy Pomfrey as a second opinion for your questions to her, and she piqued my interests in the whole legend.”

“Do not use that word in front of Harry,” Remus interrupted. “He does not like it, he won’t handle it, not today. We use the word fable instead of legend.”

Sam nodded. “If it’s not the right day, or he won’t do well with my questions, I can keep them to myself. I will only ask if he feels comfortable with it.”

Severus considered it as he heard Harry’s laughter from the open kitchen window. “I will offer it to him, see if he would handle it. I am unsure of his comfort in that area of conversation at this point, but I will enquire for you,” Severus assured as Harry appeared in the doorway, sucking on an ice lolly and carrying a box of them.

Harry was in one of Severus’ white wife beaters and a pair of baggy jean shorts that stopped mid-thigh. He hovered in the door for a moment, before Severus nodded that he had warned them. He padded over, the grass tickling his bare feet, and curled into Severus’ embrace, cradled in those long crossed legs. It made quite a nice seat really, he fit perfectly in it, and Severus kept trailing ice cubes over the back of his neck to cool him down. Anne stared at his bare legs and arms for a moment, before she looked away embarrassedly. Sam appeared fascinated with his glass of lemonade.

“It’s okay, you can look at them. I just didn’t want you to be scared by them,” Harry said and they both sighed in relief. “I wanted you to be warned, so they didn’t upset you too much. They can be a little…shocking to people who’ve never seen them before.”

The two of them nodded and Harry passed out the ice lolly’s. Anne busied herself with refilling glasses from the jug, keeping them all hydrated.

Harry could see Sam’s fingers twitching, as if he wanted to get a closer look. Harry considered it, the thought of Sam touching him, and found he didn’t recoil at the idea. In fact, he didn’t mind at all. Sam had explained to them that he was a submissive wolf, not a dominant. That was the decider for Harry. Remus was a dominant, and he was Sam’s alpha. Sam would only touch his alpha’s pup if the pup allowed it. Rules or no Rules, Remus would be across the blanket and attacking him if he hurt Harry or panicked him. His touch would be hesitant, Remus had revealed that he had told Sam of his abduction, that he was well aware of his lingering quirks. Besides, if he didn’t like it he could always pull away.

“Do you want a closer look at some of them?” Harry offered and Sam jumped in surprise, looking to Remus for explanation.

“Harry has allowed all of the pack a chance to look a little closer at his scars, so they can feel more at ease with them. He is saying that he is comfortable with the idea of you touching him, though he is not yet sure if he will be comfortable once you actually do it. He is offering you the choice, he is willing to try letting you touch him,” Remus clarified, biting off a chunk of his strawberry lolly. Sirius was lying on his front beside Remus, and the werewolf was trailing ice from his drink over Sirius’ bare back.

“Are you sure, Harry? I’m not a real part of the pack, it’s only biology with me,” Sam said quietly and Harry giggled.

“Yes you are. You and Remus are wolf brothers, you have the same sire. That makes you kind of my uncle. And you’ve taken care of Remus, and Sol. That’s what a pack does, it takes care of its own. You’re part of the pack, whether you like it or not. No one escapes this madhouse,” Harry said stubbornly and Sam smiled in amazement.

“When we first adopted Harry, and then Nixie, we explained it all to them, gave them books to read,” Sirius said. “They know all about werewolves. They could probably teach you a few things.”

“I don’t doubt that for a second. It’s only natural for your children to be aware of the condition, I just didn’t realize they would be so clear on it,” Sam said and looked at Harry once more, who was letting Miri suck at his dripping lolly. “Are you sure I can take a closer look?”

“Yup. Well, I might not be comfortable with it once you actually touch me, but I don’t know unless I let you try,” Harry said, taking a bite. “Do you want to?”

“If I’m allowed,” Sam said and Harry smiled at him, beckoning him to move closer to him.

“Do you want to as well, nana?” Harry asked as Sam settled beside Severus, keeping his hands to himself until Harry let him move.

“No, thank you, dear. They’re just skin to me. It’s just a part of you, like that messy hair I would love to take a pair of shears to,” she replied, her amber eyes honest. “I don’t need a closer peep now I know about them.”

“Oh. Okay. Would you like to hold Miri instead then?” Harry offered, smiling at her assessment of his wild tresses, Severus running his fingers through them.

She spluttered, her eyes filling with tears. Harry had not let her hold Miri yet, and she had respected his choice, no matter how much she wanted to cuddle her great granddaughter. “Can I?”

“Sure. Your cold hands might help cool her down,” Harry said, motioning to the icy jug she was holding. “And you haven’t held her yet. I’m sorry about that, it’s nothing personal, you just arrived at a bad time, when I wasn’t at my best. But I’m feeling much better now, so you can hold her if you want to.”

She put the jug down, walked over to him and Harry happily handed her his daughter. She stared in wonder at the tiny girl trying to grab her nose, unable to make a single sound as she wandered over to her son and son-in-law. Sirius smiled and sat up. He pulled her to lean against him as she sat down, looking to Harry for permission to touch Miri. Harry nodded and he tickled her little hands, the baby augur lapping up all the attention.

“Harry, Sam was wondering if you would be all right with a few questions about being a hermaphrodite. Would you be comfortable with that?” Severus mumbled in Harry’s ear, feeding him a bite of his orange lolly. He kissed Harry’s neck as he tilted his head to the side, considering it. “If not, he will not ask.”

“No, that’s alright. I feel fine now, not panicking or anything. But you might need to help me if I get embarrassed or he wanders into a bad topic,” Harry calculated. He giggled. “Your lips are cold.”

“Ice kisses.” He kissed his neck again. “And as for helping you, I would not have it any other way,” Severus said and Harry kissed him. Severus turned to the werewolf. “Harry is comfortable with your questions, but he may not answer all of them. If you begin to ask things he is unhappy with I will put a stop to this.”

“I understand. I’ll try not to ask things that you dislike answering, Harry,” Sam promised and Harry nodded before he uncurled his legs and offered them to the healer.

“Look and ask away,” Harry said, Severus cradling him, the two of them stealing bites of each others lolly’s.

Sam looked down at the pale legs resting on his knee and hesitantly reached out to turn one, getting a better look at one of the scars on Harry’s ankle. There were so many scars, it was incredible that Harry had lived through five months of treatment that would cause something so severe. They were everywhere, absolutely everywhere. The soles of his feet, his toes, the tops of his feet, his ankles, shins, knees, thighs, arms, throat, neck, shoulders, wrists, hands. The list was endless and he hadn’t even seen all of Harry. He had never seen anything like it. There was evidence of burning, whipping, slashing, carving, restraints, branding, scalding and everything else imaginable. There wasn’t a word Sam could think of to describe what he was seeing.

“Go on, you can say it, he won’t be upset,” Sirius said at the expression of incredulity on the healers face.

Ron was watching the whole scene warily, anxious to protect his friend. He remembered Harry letting he and Hermione take a look, the way Harry had merely shrugged at Hermione’s tears over them, at Ron’s anger. He hoped Harry would take whatever Sam threw out as nonchalantly.

“These are…they’re…” Sam struggled to find the word. There didn’t seem to be one to cover it and he was terrified of upsetting the cub with whatever came out.

“Barbaric, sadistic, horrific, cruel, vicious, brutal, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, merciless, horrendous, appalling, all of the above. Take your pick, I don’t mind,” Harry reeled off, giggling and wriggling his toes as Sam’s elegant fingers slid over them.

“I’ll go with all of the above,” Sam breathed, running his fingers over a burn scar on Harry’s knee. “You survived five months of this?”

“Yup. Then Draco found me, and he and Severus saved me. Except, now Draco is Nix.”

“You are a very special person.”

“I fit with the pack. We’re all special in our own ways.” He laughed. “Professor McGonagall always said I had sheer dumb luck,” Harry said, smiling at Ron, who looked nervous. “Relax, Ron, I’m okay.” He was seriously undermined in that statement when he gasped in pain, grabbing his stomach.

“Are you alright?” Sam asked worriedly, yanking his hands away from Harry’s legs in case he was the cause.

“He’s fine. Just cramps,” Severus supplied and Remus chuckled as Sam’s eyes went as big as saucers.

“Cramps? You mean he…?”

“Yes, I bleed,” Harry replied. “Severus, when can I have another potion?”

“Now, if you need one,” Severus offered and Harry nodded. Hermione clambered to her feet and ruffled Harry’s messy hair as she passed, assuring him he would not have to say thank you when she returned. Harry was very free with his expressions of gratitude and apology, even if they were not always needed.

“Next question?” Harry groaned out, trying to distract himself. “Fucking hell!” He buried his head in Severus’ chest, screaming.

“Wait until he’s had the potion,” Ron advised. “You won’t get anything until he’s had it.”

Sam nodded and watched anxiously as Harry wept against Severus’ chest, curling his knees up to his chest.

“He never screamed like this in Hogwarts, not even when that asinine imbecile Lockhart removed his bones and he had to re-grow them,” Severus said, rubbing Harry’s back. “Gritting his teeth?”

“Yup. Never let it be said that Harry isn’t determined,” Ron joked and then winced as Harry screamed at a particularly high pitch. “He’s a better man than me. I would have given up and spilled my guts to anyone, even the Snake King, if they would just make that stop.”

“He would have killed you and found it a funny way to stop the pain of your insides shredding themselves,” Harry gasped out jokingly. “Christ!”

Hermione returned and handed the potion to Severus before she reclaimed her position next to Ron a little way away, plucking up a fussy Joseph.

It took a few moments for Harry to stop screaming enough to grab the potion and gulp it down eagerly. He wrapped his arms around Severus’ neck and buried his head in his shoulder as he waited for it to work. Severus’ strong hands stroked his back, tracing his spine, and Harry slowly relaxed as the pain passed.

“I hate being half girl,” Harry grumbled as he raised his head.

Severus kissed him, slow and sweet. “You only hate this part of being half girl,” Severus corrected and Harry nodded as he settled in his previous position, smiling at Sam as he gave him his legs once more.

“You should have been here last night, I really screamed then,” Harry said honestly. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“I was worried I had caused the pain,” Sam admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

“No, you didn’t hurt me. You can ask me more questions, if you want to,” Harry offered, poking his ribs with his toes. Sam giggled. Oh, so Sam was ticklish? Harry continued to tickle him with his toes as he pulled out his wand from his pocket and whispered a tickling charm, sniggering as Sam fell to his back, clutching his ribs and laughing hysterically.

“Sam?” Remus asked in confusion. Everyone was confused, until Solarin looked up from where she had been decorating Charlie’s bare back with a set of felt tips.

Sirius had commented that Bill might be upset about her straddling Charlie’s backside but she had laughed, telling him that Charlie wasn’t her type and Bill found it amusing when she took his brothers on and won. She had wrestled Charlie onto his front, quite impressive when you considered the man used to wrestle dragons for a living.

“Undo it, Harry,” she said calmly. “Your signature is all over him, I can taste it. Undo it.”

Harry sniggered as he was found out and he released the spell. Most of the pack was chuckling at him, except Severus, who was sighing.

“We really need to find you some way to exorcise this love of misusing your magic,” Severus said.

“I thought you liked some of the effects? I only do it for good reasons…mostly, and it’s good for me to exercise my magic, you said so yourself,” Harry argued. “And you have to admit that my misuse has given me better control. You wanted that, you wanted me to get my control back after five months of no magic.”

“Give it up, Severus,” Anne said, cuddling a now sleeping Miri. “He’s got a very good set of points against you.”

Severus huffed in annoyance before he smiled and nodded, kissing Harry. “Alright, I’ll admit that it does serve a purpose. Now, will you let the nice healer ask questions without using him as a guinea pig for your tricks?”

Harry nodded, shooting an apologetic glance at the still chuckling Sam.

“It’s perfectly alright. I treat a lot of little ones. That was one of the more pleasant tricks played on me,” Sam assured. “I utterly delight in a good giggle every now and again.”

“See?” Harry asked Severus.

“Pipe down,” Severus said through his smile.

“Sol, what does my signature taste like?” Harry asked and she looked thoughtful for a minute.

“Strawberry syrup,” she said and he smiled. “It’s quite a nice one, really. Severus’ tastes like strawberry ice cream and Miri’s tastes like fresh strawberries. Quite the little family.”

“That’s so cool,” Harry appraised. He turned to Sam. “Do you have more questions?”

“Yes, I do. Harry, I noticed that you have no leg or underarm hair. Do you remove it or does it not grow?” Sam asked, cautiously running his thumb over a scar that ran the whole length of Harry’s shin.

“I don’t have any body hair at all, just…umm…a little…well…Severus, help.”

“Harry only has a light scattering of body hair on the top of his thighs and between them, which he has covered,” Severus supplied.

“Does it bother you?” Sam asked, relaxing into this freedom he had been given. He continued to throw questioning glances at Remus, ensuring his alpha was still alright with him questioning his cub.

“No. It did when I first noticed that I was different, but it’s just part of me, who I am.”

“Have you always passed as a male? I mean, have you ever had someone confuse you for being a girl, maybe when you were young?”

“No, never. I’ve been called elfin, delicate and petite, to name just a few, but I’ve never had someone think me female.” Harry glanced up at his husband. “Come to think of it, I’ve been called all of those by you since you first claimed me.”

Severus smiled and kissed his curse scar. “They are all true. I have also called you beautiful,” Severus agreed, making Harry giggle and blush.

“I slept in the boys dorm in Hogwarts, and I wore the boys uniform. I’ve always used the boys shower rooms, and the men’s room, not the ladies,” Harry said. “I consider myself male, and I prefer to be referred to that way.”

“Only natural as it’s the way you’ve always considered yourself,” Sam said, Harry offering him his arm. Sam stared at the scar on his wrist, the mutilation. “This one is worse than the others.”

“That one was a constant wound,” Harry supplied. “He…he…well…that one was caused by…umm….it was…” Harry trailed off and looked up at Severus.

“The ones on his wrists were caused by manacles with serrated ridges inside. They were worn constantly by Harry throughout his time as a captive,” Severus said diplomatically, carefully selecting his words to not upset his husband. “They were used as unremitting restraints from the very first moment of his tribulations.”

“Thank you, Severus,” Harry said and Severus kissed the top of his head. “I have a little trouble with talking about some things, especially today, so Severus fills it in for me.”

“Sign of an attentive husband.” Severus smiled at him. “Harry, I wonder, could I see the ones on your shoulders?” Sam asked cautiously, panicking slightly as Remus tensed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked, it’s alright, forget I said anything.”

“It’s all right, I don’t mind,” Harry assured. “Why did you get upset?”

“Umm…Remus stiffened,” the honey eyed man admitted quietly.

“It was not your request that caused that. It is that particular section of marks,” Remus revealed. “Can you show him, Harry? He’ll understand if he gets a closer look.”

Harry shot him a confused glance but nodded, shifting so his shoulders were within Sam’s reach. As soon as he did, Sam growled.

“A human made these?” the healer asked Remus.

“Yes. They were made by a human,” Remus confirmed.

“They look like…”

“Yes. It does appear that way but I assure you that they are all made by the same human, the same wizard. He made every scar on my cub.”

Sirius seemed to be the only one who was not puzzled. He was stroking Remus’ shoulder, it appeared that he was soothing him, or maybe calming. Harry wondered why Sam was asking that, why Remus was saying it. What was going on? Of course they were made by a human, what else could they have been made by? Lucius made all of his scars, what was special about the bites?

“Why are his bites special? Why are they different than the other scars?” Charlie requested, and there was silence for a moment before Sirius answered.

“They look like an Infection Mark,” the Animagus said gently. Severus made a sound of understanding, and Solarin and Anne nodded, but everyone else was still baffled.

“What’s that?” Harry asked and Remus chuckled.

“Missed that out in your reading, pup?”

“It’s not in my reading, I swear. What is it?”

“An Infection Mark is the scar of when a person was infected, when they were bitten. I have one, as does Sam. Every werewolf has one. Your marks are identical to ours.”

Remus watched his cub as he considered the information, running his fingers over his shoulders. Very few magical people had ever seen his mark. It was in a place that he could hide, and he had not chosen to show it, he kept it covered at all times. It was risky to show it, people often reacted badly to a mark, the ones who recognised it for what it was. He had not shown it to his children and they had not asked to see it. He would only show it if they asked.

“Are you saying we match?” Harry posed eventually.

Remus and Sirius smiled. “Yes, pup, that’s right. You and Remus and Sam have the same marks, you match,” Sirius agreed.

“Where are they? Where are your marks?”

“Mine is on my stomach, and Remus’ is on his arm,” Sam supplied. “Would you like to see mine?”

Harry nodded and Sam looked to his alpha for permission. At Remus’ nod, he shed his shirt, his fingers shaking as he slipped the buttons through their holes. He left it in a pile on the blanket and reclined on his side, allowing Harry a clear view. He watched as Harry reached out a tentative hand and then pulled it back, as if he had been scolded for it.

“It’s alright, you can get a better look,” he assured and the pale hand came forth once more. Harry’s touch was ghost like as he hesitantly slid his fingers over the jagged edges of it. It almost tickled.

When Sam had received it, he had been lying on his side in the garden at home, the summer before his second year at Hogwarts. His mother had been showing him the stars and the big round moon. Greyback had come running through the bushes, startling them. They hadn’t had time to move, it had been too fast. The huge wolf had picked him up in his mouth and shaken him like a rag doll. His mother had been angry, furious. She hit Greyback and the wild creature had ripped her to pieces.

Sam would always remember the way his father had patched him up, the way he had argued with Headmaster Dippett so he could stay at Hogwarts (an argument he lost, meaning Sam was home schooled but it was the thought that counted), the way he had bought him hundreds of toy wolves to amuse him, to raise his comfort levels with being different. His father had been both parents for him, and he had been really good at it. Harry’s gentle question brought him out of his remembrances.

“Does it hurt?”

“No. It’s just there, like yours. People like me, we hide it. Some people don’t like seeing marks like this, it’s easier to hide them,” he clarified. “We worry about how other people will react to them, just the way you worry about yours.”

Harry peered at it. It was big, it covered most of Sam’s right side between his ribs and his hip. He had obviously been very small when it happened for Greyback to have taken that much of him in his jaws.

“How old were you?”

“I was twelve.”

Harry pulled his hand away and tilted his head to the side, observing his sort of uncle. The man was nervous, ashamed of his mark. Harry thought it was wrong. He wasn’t ashamed of his, Sam shouldn’t be either. Remus looked ashamed too, and Harry suddenly realized that his father had never been shirtless in front of him. Remus was always covered. Was he really that ashamed of it?

“Is this why you haven’t gone shirtless?” Harry asked. “It’s hot today, and all of us have changed our clothes, or taken some off. You and Remus haven’t revealed yourselves, you‘re the only ones who are still fully clothed. And I’ve never seen Remus shirtless. Is it because of the marks?”

Sam stared down at the blanket. He hadn’t expected the young man to be so blunt, so honest, so observant. He had assumed that he would be more timid than this. He had seen evidence of that shyness, and proof of his reluctance around new people. He hadn’t considered that Harry might accept him, all of him, so quickly.

“Yes, pup. That’s why we remained covered,” Remus concurred quietly. “That’s why I’ve never walked around without a shirt, even in the middle of the night.”

Harry chuckled. “You don’t have to, you know. They’re just a bit of you, like mine are a bit of me. If you want to go shirtless, I don’t have a problem with it, and I don’t think anyone else will,” Harry stated and the other inhabitants of the blanket nodded.

Remus smiled shyly and had Sirius remove his shirt for him, his hands were shaking too fiercely for him to do it himself. At first, he put his hand over his mark, embarrassed by it. But he should have known that Harry wouldn’t let him feel that way.

Harry smiled sympathetically and stood up, walking over to Remus. He sat down in front of him and reached out, slowly easing his fingers under Remus’. His fathers mark was on his right bicep, high up, just under his shoulder. He stroked the back of his hand with his thumb as he gently edged his hand away, placing it over a bite scar he had in exactly the same place. He traced Remus’. It looked like Greyback had tried to bite his arm off. It wasn’t as big as Sam’s, their sire had not gotten as good a grip on Remus, but it was just as jagged, and had the same ridges, proving that they were made by the same wolf.

“Don’t be ashamed of it. It’s just who you are, just a part of you. I have three days a month where I’m not myself either. We match. I match my alpha. You have the same mark as me, in the same place. We’re family,” Harry whispered, green eyes meeting amber. Remus snorted in relief before he pulled Harry into a hug.

The two werewolves didn’t hide themselves again, not around their pack.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Harry grinned as the picnic was brought out. There were so many choices, so many things he loved to eat. It reminded him of the very first time he had eaten at Hogwarts, and it was made all the better by having Ron and Hermione with him.

There were sandwiches of all varieties, cold meats, mixed salad, coleslaw, potato salad, crisps, sweets, cookies, jellies, cakes, hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, roasted peppers, corn on the cob, fruit, pork pies, sausage rolls, and all manner of other things.

It shouldn’t have panicked him, he should have been absolutely fine. But he wasn’t. As soon as he reached for the sandwich Molly offered him, he began to shake.

“Harry?” Severus questioned, seeing the blood drain from his husbands face. He was holding him in an instant, trying to calm him enough for him to tell him what had brought this on. He motioned to Sirius, and the Animagus summoned a calming draught, pouring it into Harry’s empty glass.

“S-Severus,” Harry stuttered, gripping at his arm.

“What happened, love? Come on, tell me what triggered this.”

“Th-the sand-sandwich…it’s…I…”

“Deep breaths, come on, in and out, nice and slow,” Severus instructed. Sam looked absolutely terrified, and the rest of the pack were watching worriedly as Harry did what he was told. Sirius came forwards and pushed the glass into Severus’ hand. Severus tilted the glass for Harry, helping him get it down.

“The…the sandwich…it’s filled w-with mar-marmalade…h-he gave me…t-toast w-with mar-marmalade,” Harry explained, and Severus kissed his temple, stroking his hair, rocking him.

“Remove the marmalade sandwiches,” Severus instructed, and Ron grabbed them, hurrying them back into the house.

“Is he alright?” Sam asked Remus and the man nodded, setting down his glass of ice water and beckoning his healer closer so he could give reasons for his cubs panic.

“When Harry was taken, Lucius fed him toast just before he first violated him. As Harry has just revealed, he put marmalade on the toast,” Remus explained in a whisper so low, only the two werewolves could hear it. “We didn’t know of the marmalade before. If we had, those sandwiches would not have been prepared. Harry used to have very frequent panic attacks in the beginning, but they have not happened for a few months now. The anniversary has triggered them once more. Severus handles him when he’s like this, he is the only one Harry will let touch him during a panic. The potion is a specialist calming draught that Severus developed for him. It is weaker than a regular draught, but enough to help him. He will be back to his regular self in a few minutes. I know it can be a little jarring to watch, but Severus can handle this. Do not try to help, you will only make him worse.”

After a few minutes, Harry calmed and took a great gulp of air before he pulled Severus into a passionate kiss, ensuring his control over the situation. He pulled back and looked around at his family, scanning the blanket and their faces.

“I’m okay now, I’m all right. Just a wobbly moment,” Harry announced and they all heaved a sigh of relief, especially Sam. Poor man. Though he seemed to be taking his panic attack rather well for someone who had never seen one before.

They all helped themselves to the food, Anne insisting everyone take more, and Severus cradled Harry close.

“Are you going to eat willingly, love, or do I have to force feed you?” Severus asked softly, making it clear that Harry still had to follow his rules.

“I’ll eat. Umm…Severus…I didn’t eat my breakfast,” Harry admitted, picking at a loose thread on his shorts. “I just pushed it around, made it look like I ate some. I’m sorry.”

Severus chuckled. “Did you really think you got away with that?” he asked and Harry looked up at him in surprise. “I saw you, love. That is why I made you eat the bacon roll. You could not take five potions on an empty stomach, they simply would not stay down. You had to eat, and you would only do so if I used bribery.”

Harry stared at him for a moment before he laughed. “You think of everything,” he giggled. “But I really am hungry now, I’ll eat this time. I’ll clear my plate.”

“That is good to hear.”

Harry accepted the plate Solarin fixed for him and sat in Severus’ lap as he began to tuck in. He only got as far as taking a bite of his hamburger when Miri began to whimper.

Harry groaned. “Why does she insist on eating when I do?” Harry asked, setting down his plate and picking her up. “No one minds if I feed her, do they?”

“Not at all,” Anne assured.

Harry cradled her in his crossed legs as he pulled of his vest, and then latched her on.

“Is she not on a regular feeding schedule?” Sam asked, gazing at the crosshatch pattern of scars across Harry’s ribs.

Harry noticed that Molly had ensured that there was a separate plate of rare burgers and other meats. Sam and Remus seemed to be enjoying them, but it made Harry shudder. They looked almost raw, but he knew it was part of being a werewolf to like meat done like that. It was not something that he would be eating though.

“We tried, but it didn’t take. She won’t nurse when we want her to, so I do it when she asks,” Harry replied as he managed to take a mouthful of potato salad one handed.

“Have you had any problems breastfeeding?”

Harry took a bite of cold chicken and made sure he had swallowed it before he answered. “No. There are no problems with it, except a bit of embarrassment in the beginning. Miri latches, feeds and winds all normally. I’ve never had any trouble.” Harry didn’t mention the problems with her first feed, it was not something he liked to discuss. As far as he knew, only he, Severus and Solarin knew of his initial issues.

“When was she born?”

“May 5th.”

Remus chuckled and Sam looked sheepish. “Sorry, my curiosity got the better of me,” Sam said, taking a bite of red pepper to occupy his mouth.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. If you have questions, ask them,” Harry assured.

“It’s fine,” Remus concurred and Sam nodded. “It just amuses me how comfortable you are now. Ask your questions.”

“Was it a normal pregnancy?” Sam asked and it was Severus who answered him.

“Perfectly normal. There were a few issues in the beginning, when Harry was first liberated, but it became easier as he regained himself. We did have a slight scare just after we moved in here, but it turned out to be Braxton Hicks,” Severus said.

“If it’s not too personal…I mean if it’s alright…well…”

“Spit it out,” Sirius said.

“I was wondering about the birth,” Sam said and Ron blushed a spectacular shade of red. “I’ll understand if it’s not a topic to discuss.”

“It’s fine, though I’m sure we could cook things on Ron’s face now,” Harry joked, earning an embarrassed smile from his friend.

“I’m sorry, but the thought of you actually…you know…it’s not right in my head,” Ron defended, Hermione stroking his hair. “It was hard enough for me to deal with your monthlies. I think too hard about you…doing that…having Miri…well, my head might explode. So I’m just going to eat my lunch and ignore the conversation.”

They all laughed and he determinedly fixed his eyes on his plate, nibbling at a corn on the cob.

“Alright, we’ll just ignore you looking like a tomato then,” Harry agreed. “Miri’s birth…I’m going to need help for this one, I wasn’t exactly in a position to make solid memories at the time.”

“We’ll help,” Remus agreed, Sirius and Severus nodding as Harry detached Miri and sat her on his knee to wind.

“Right, what do you want to know?”

“How long was the labour?”

“He laboured for twenty nine hours,” Severus replied, feeding Harry a carrot stick. “The contractions began at quarter to one in the morning and Harry paced to ease his discomfort. His waters broke after twelve and a half hours, which prompted his labouring in the bathtub. He began to push at ten pm. Miri was delivered at four fourty four, the morning of May 5th, on our bedroom floor.”

“I’ll tell you this for nothing, that was not a fun way to spend a night,” Harry put in. “I delivered on all fours. Severus dealt with the business end, I won’t let anyone but Severus touch me there. Sirius, I held onto and Remus rubbed my back.”

Sam looked impressed as he gazed at Harry’s hips. “You’re telling me you had a vaginal delivery?” he asked as Harry latched Miri to his other breast.

“Yup.”

“But your hips are so narrow. That shouldn’t be physically possible,” Sam argued.

“Possible or not, I did it. I couldn’t have a caesarean, I’m too compact inside, it was too high a risk to choose to have one instead of do it naturally. If I had been in real trouble, or if I simply could not get her out, Severus would have had to do one, no matter the risk. But I managed it, and he didn’t have to intervene.”

Everyone smiled at Sam’s amazement, and Severus noticed how eagerly Hermione was listening to the conversation.

“Hermione, are there any questions you want to ask?” Severus offered and she jumped, spilling her forkful of salad.

“No thank you. I’m content to just listen,” she said, using her wand to vanish the mess.

The discussion continued for a while but Sam had noticed just how thirsty the bushy haired witch was for any knowledge. It was not just him she had been fascinated by. In fact, there didn’t seem to be a subject she didn’t attack. Maybe he could give her something to help, to quench that thirst for the time being. He wasn’t sure what, but there must be something.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Remus was aware of what the omega had noticed. Remus had spent months in the same house as Hermione, he knew exactly how voracious she was for information. It didn’t matter the subject, Hermione was excited by it all. The young witch spent most of her free time in the library, and she had already managed to read more than half of the vast collection. He and Hermione got along swimmingly, they always had. He knew just how to satisfy her appetite.

“Sam,” Remus interrupted after they had finished the majority of the picnic and everyone was sitting around chatting, just enjoying each others company in the sweltering heat of the august afternoon. Sam had been deep in conversation with Charlie on the scales of a Welsh Green dragon, but stopped immediately at the sound of his name. Charlie actually looked quite happy to be relieved of the attention; he instantly got up and made his way over to Phoenix, dropping a light kiss on the top of her head and letting her pull him into her game of Exploding Snap with Ginny.

“Yes, Remus,” Sam said cheerfully, snagging a strawberry from a plate near his feet.

“I was wondering what kind of examination you wanted to do on me.”

“Well, I wanted to do two of them. One from the waist up, and an internal. I’ll be checking your general health with the first one, and the internal is necessary. I have to check your cervix, make sure that all is going to plan. Just let me know when you’re ready and we can go and do them,” Sam said, slipping away from his boyish omega persona and back into the role of seasoned healer.

“Would it be possible to do the waist up exam out here?”

“Out here? You mean, with the pack watching?”

“Yes. I think it might be a good idea for Harry and Nixie to see what goes on and it might be nice for Hermione to see, though it would be best if we left the blood test until you do the internal, I don’t think my cubs would enjoy watching that bit,” Remus explained. “Hermione is considering a career in healing, it might help her decide if you let her help. Though, make it seem like your idea when you suggest it. She’ll go weak at the knees. Poor girl needs something to make her giggle, she’s been awfully blue since her parents were killed. Be a lamb and flirt with her a little, indulge her in this.”

Sam grinned at him. “Remus, you old softie,” he teased. “If you’re comfortable with it, I have no objections.”

Sirius, who had been listening to the whole exchange, smiled at his husband and kissed him swiftly before he attracted everyone’s attentions.

“Sam’s going to examine me,” Remus said. “I need two examinations, one from the waist up and an internal one. I was wondering if anyone had any objections to him doing the waist up exam out here, where you can all watch if you choose.”

Hermione was practically floating in her excitement and Remus shared a sly smile with Sirius.

“No one has any objections, Remus,” Severus said, he and Harry lying on their fronts facing him, teasing Miri with her stuffed mermaids. Harry had not put his top back on and Solarin had taken to decorating his back with her pens, trying to make some kind of brightly coloured picture from his scars. So far, it looked like a paint machine had exploded over Harry’s skin. She was not straddling his backside as she had done with Charlie, Harry was too sore for her to do that, so she was kneeling by his ribs.

“Well, there is a slight request I want to make to the lovely Miss Hermione,” Sam said flirtatiously. He winked at Ron to show him he was fooling around and continued on. “I was wondering if she would like to help.”

“Me?” she squeaked.

“Yes. Remus tells me that you’ve shown an interest in my line of work. I think it might help you decide if you had a practical experience of what treating someone like me and Remus involves. And I know you’re bright enough to take in anything I show you. Would you like to help?”

Ron busied himself by taking Joseph inside to change his nappy in order to hide his smile. His wife had been so withdrawn, so sad since she had the twins. She adored them, but it was not the same for her without her parents. She needed something, and he decided that he would be forever grateful to Healer Jones for putting that spark back into her beautiful brown eyes.

Hermione nodded and Sam beckoned her over. All eyes were on them and he considered that this must be what celebrities got every time they went out of the door. No wonder Harry had hidden away.

“Right, the first thing you need to know is that I do not treat patients in the same way other healers do,” Sam began, the brown gaze intense in her attempt to not miss a single thing. “Most other healers treat patients using only magical methods.”

“Why are you different?” she asked.

“I was trained as both a muggle doctor and a magical healer,” he revealed and she practically lit up. “My Muggleborn father, who is the other Healer Jones, decided I should have a full education when I showed an interest in the field, so he arranged for me to have the resources to do both. I trained for twelve years, seven for muggle medicine and five for magical. My father helped me learn to merge the two.”

“I didn’t know that could be done.”

“It’s rare. As far as I know, me and my father are the only two healers in Britain who can do both successfully.”

“Why did you decide to do that?” Phoenix asked. “You live in the Wizarding World, so why would you need muggle methods?”

“For a lot of the people Sam treats, having diagnostic spells cast upon them is not a good idea,” Severus supplied. “For many of them, the spells can make them feel worse, or be interfered with by their magic.”

“Like Solarin? She’s a powerful magical being, would her magic interfere?”

“Yes, like me,” Solarin said, adding a flourish to one of the dragons she had fashioned from a burn scar on Harry’s shoulder blade. “My magic makes test results go a bit off, so it’s better if I’m seen to in the muggle way.”

Harry sniggered. “Those pens tickle.”

“You look like some weird mosaic,” Anne said, peering over to them.

Severus craned his head and gazed at his sisters handiwork. “Accurate assessment. Very pretty though.”

“Does Remus being pregnant mean you have to treat him the muggle way?” Harry asked.

“It is a factor, but I treat all my werewolf patients that way. The patient often reacts badly to the spells, it makes them feel very ill, so I draw a blood sample to perform the spells on,” Sam said, opening his bag. “I won’t be drawing blood out here, that will wait until later. But there are many other things that need to be done, which is where you come in Hermione.”

Sam talked Hermione through taking Remus’ blood pressure, pulse, temperature, listening to his heart and lungs and then proclaimed that for the rest she had to watch, that it was something that he had to do.

Remus smiled encouragingly at his children and Hermione as he sat through the whole long process. He hadn’t really appreciated how quick and painless Sam made his check ups until Hermione was allowed to do everything. His smile became genuine as Sam told her to watch, that he would take over. Thank Merlin for small mercies. Sam announced he was going to look at his ribs and spine and his smile became forced once more. He hated this part.

“For a werewolf, the first indicators that the infection is getting out of hand and requires treatment to control it is the ribs and the spine,” Sam instructed, Hermione watching him avidly. “Fenrir Greyback is an example of an infection that has gotten out of hand.”

“Have you seen him lately?” Anne asked curiously. “I heard they called in a healer to look at him when he was first sent to Azkaban.”

“It was me they called. They figured I might have more luck treating him and getting out alive. I got out alive, it’s the only good thing about that meeting. He’s still a rabid dog.”

“Horrible man.”

“I don’t think he can be considered a man,” Sirius said angrily, Remus stroking his hair to soothe him. “He’s a monster, nothing but a monster.”

“Calm down, Siri,” Remus advised. “He’s locked away now, it’s all for the best.”

Sirius sighed and nodded. Remus leaned in and kissed his cheek, making him smile.

“What do you mean about the infection getting out of control? I’ve never read about that happening,” Hermione said and Harry chuckled at her.

“I’ll lend you my books on it, Hermione, the ones Remus gave me when I was adopted,” Harry assured and she smiled at him.

“What I mean is, the infection is very aggressive, which is why there is no cure. The simplest way to approach it is to think of it like muggle HIV and AIDS,” Sam instructed, working on Hermione’s status as a Muggleborn. “It’s not as bad as those, but it’s the best comparison I can give you. A werewolf infection will not kill the sufferer, but it can become out of control of the immune system, and start creating problems. In Greyback, his infection has become extremely uncontrolled. We call cases like his over-infection. Some time ago, it spread to his brain, driving him mad. It’s the last stage of the infection, he is beyond treatment now. He’s more wolf than human, which is what makes him so dangerous.”

“He’s feral,” Phoenix put in. “He keeps biting people and attacking innocents because the infection has turned him into a feral wolf, even in his human form.”

“Exactly, Nixie,” Sam praised. “Ten points to the beautiful blonde.”

“So, why are the ribs and the spine the first indicators?” Ron asked, drawing attention away from Phoenix, who had gone bright red again.

“I’ll start with the ribs. In a lycanthrope who’s infection levels are normal the ribs feel like any normal persons. They’re rounded to the touch and they’re under the skin with no chance of being viewed unless the skin is split open. If the infection has become uncontrolled, the ribs feel very different. They develop a sharp ridge and appear through the skin, literally cutting through to lie outside the body in places,” Sam described, Ron going a little green.

“That’s why you check Remus’ ribs?” Charlie enquired.

“Yes. I’ve been infected for twenty eight years, come November. It’s wise to keep an eye on it,” Remus said. “Why don’t you check them before moving onto my spine?”

Sam nodded and knelt behind his alpha. He began in his armpit, swiftly feeling his way along every protrusion, feeling for any unusual ridges or bumps. When he reached the final one, he made his way to the other side, feeling his way. He hadn’t even needed to touch Greyback to know he was over-infected, he had seen the bloodstained bones as clear as anything. He hadn’t even needed to go into the cell with him, he had seen how bad he was through the bars. But Greyback had smelt him, known he was there. He never did have a good tongue in his head.

“It hurts?” Harry asked worriedly as Remus hissed.

“It’s a bit uncomfortable because he’s so thin,” Anne supplied. “It doesn’t hurt him, I swear. It just doesn’t feel very nice.”

Remus smiled at his cubs, reassuring them, as Sam removed his hands. “Absolutely fine, Remus. Not a single deformity in the whole bunch,” Sam assured.

“Good to hear,” said Sirius, holding Remus’ hand.

“I’ll explain about a over-infected spine before I check yours, Remus,” Sam said, taking a sip of water. Remus nodded and Sam began to explain it to them, though Harry and Phoenix were looking rather relaxed. Maybe this had all been in their books. “So, the spine of an over-infected werewolf is the same as the ribs, it appears on the outside of the body. When checking Remus’ spine, I look for any bumps that might have developed. Another thing I look for is that his tailbone has not begun to extend.”

“Extend?” Hermione asked.

“In an over-infection, the last bone of the spine begins to grow like a tail,” Harry supplied.

“Very good, ten points to the elfin beauty,” Sam said cheerfully. “Alright, Remus, curl forwards for me as best you can.”

Remus folded his arms on his crossed legs and rested his head on them, grimacing as fingers began to move swiftly down his back. One hand slipped into the waistband of his boxers and pressed at his tailbone and he screamed. He tried not to, but he couldn’t help it. He hated that one more than anything else, even an internal. It bloody hurt, no matter what his mother said.

“Sirius,” Remus whimpered and was rewarded by Sirius holding him, the hand disappearing, Sam proclaiming that it was all normal, there was no extension.

“I know, honey, I know. All over now,” Sirius soothed as Remus curled into his arms, breathing deep.

“That one can hurt, it’s normal for it to hurt,” Anne reassured the two worried looking cubs and Sam nodded with a sad smile.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine in a moment. I can’t offer an explanation as to why it hurts so much, but it’s just a part of it,” Sam said, rubbing at his own tailbone. His father had checked him over the day before. That was not pleasant, he felt Remus’ pain.

“I’m alright, pups,” Remus assured as he sat up once more. “I think that’s enough poking and prodding for now.”

“I do still need to look at your abdomen,” Sam said gently.

“Later,” Remus barked and Sam nodded immediately, going pale. Remus sighed and stroked his hair, comforting him. He hadn’t meant to snap. “Sorry, Sam. I didn’t mean to say it like that.”

Honey eyes of the omega looked up into the amber ones of his alpha and suddenly it didn’t matter. He knew where it came from, and he’d been yelled at by his patients before.

Treating Remus had never been easy, not when the man was his alpha. Even though Remus was nine years younger than Sam, Remus had always been the one in charge, and Sam had always been fully aware that if Remus didn’t want him to do something, there was no way in hell he was going to be able to. Sam could only treat Remus when he allowed it, and he was thankful that Remus was a kind alpha. He knew of many other alphas who were not so pleasant.

“After dinner?” Sam offered.

“After dinner,” Remus agreed.

Further discussion of the rest of the examination was cut off as Miri shocked them all.

“Dada,” she said, waving her fist at Severus.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

“Did she just…?”

“Miri is…”

“She couldn’t have…”

“Her development…”

“Is it possible?”

“It is possible, she just…”

“She’s too young to…”

“She’s not too…”

Bill stood in the open doorway watching them all debate over something or other. There was a strange man with Remus, must be Sam the healer.

[I’m home. What did I miss?] he pushed into Solarin’s head, making her jump slightly.

[Welcome back. Miri just spoke,] she said.

[She speaks all the time.]

[I’m not talking about her babbles. I’m talking about her first word,] she corrected and she let him have his shocked silence as she exchanged memories of their days with him.

[Definitely a daddy’s girl. Is that possible? Isn’t she too young for that?]

[No, that’s what I’m trying to tell them, if they’ll ever listen. Augurs are way ahead of the milestones. Miri has been hearing our voices and our minds since before birth. She began reading Harry when he was six months pregnant with her, according to Mad-Eye,] she explained, still trying to get someone’s attention so she could tell Harry this and calm him down. [She’s been hearing words and thoughts for six months. She’s months ahead in her intellectual development.]

“I’m home!” Bill yelled, making them all jump. “You know, maybe you should listen to the other augur right now.”

“I’ve been trying, but they worried me by asking all those questions about it,” Harry said, cradling Miri protectively.

They all fell quiet and Solarin sighed, walking over to Harry and stroking Miri’s cheek as she knelt in front of them.

“Daddy. Miri do it,” she instructed and the tiny girl stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out if this was another game.

“Dada,” Miri said again, waving at Severus. Her tiny voice was timid, unsure.

They all stared open-mouthed and Harry stroked Miri’s curls. “So, she is actually saying daddy? She’s not just babbling?” he asked and Solarin smiled.

“That is what I was trying to tell you. Consider what Mad-Eye told us about Miri. She’s been reading you since you were six months pregnant. She’s way ahead of her expected intellectual development because of her abilities,” she explained.

“Clever girl,” Sirius said.

Harry peered at his daughter. The baby book was useless now, it would be more use as kindling. She was way ahead of everything in it, how would he know what to look at when he needed guidance? He would have to rely on everyone else in the house even more for his parenting questions and problems. She stared up at him with eyes that matched his own and suddenly, it didn’t matter that he would have more trouble taking care of her. She was his, his little girl.

And she had just said her first word.

She looked worried; her lower lip was trembling, her eyes were tear filled. Harry considered their reactions to it. She probably thought she had done something wrong. He held her close and kissed her curls, grabbing her stuffed snitch.

“Go on, sweetheart,” Harry urged with a smile. “Go on, call him.”

“Dada.”

His smile grew and he handed her the snitch. She giggled and waved it at him.

“Dada! Dada! Dada!”

“Here, Severus. You heard her, she wants her daddy,” Harry said, passing her to him. She squealed as he took her, cuddling her close and telling her what a clever girl she was.

“Do you think she knows any others?” Remus asked excitedly. He was hoping that maybe she knew his name. He wasn’t allowed to hold her while he was pregnant, her magic was too uncontrolled for it to be safe.

“Maybe,” Solarin said. “She’s been reading her carrier for…”

She was interrupted by a tiny voice. “Caya,” Miri said, waving her snitch at Harry.

“Good girl,” Severus praised and Harry kissed her tiny hand, making her coo in pleasure. She looked thoroughly impressed with herself. Harry couldn’t stop smiling even if he tried, which he didn’t. His baby, his beautiful girl had just called him. She knew exactly who he was, she could call for him now. He didn’t even care that she was months ahead of other babies. In his opinion, the worst that could happen is that she ended up a brain box like Hermione, and that was pretty good in his view.

“Miri, where’s Sirius?” Harry asked and she peered around before she waved her snitch filled hand at the Animagus, proclaiming “Sis.” She managed to identify two more of them, the ones who held her most often, and they gathered various manglings of their names as she tried to get her tongue around them. Solarin was Sin and Remus became Rus, though she was a little befuddled by Sam and called him Rus as well. Solarin explained that Miri could pick up that they were both werewolves. Before today she had only ever met Remus, so Sam confused her slightly.

“Why does she only know the five of you? Why not us?” Phoenix asked, looking a little put out that her niece slash sister didn’t know who she was. Solarin grinned.

“Miri got bored during her birth, didn’t she, Harry?” she asked the Seeker holding his daughter in the air, nuzzling her little round belly, making her giggle and pat his head.

“Yup,” Harry confirmed as Severus plucked Miri from his hands, holding her close and stroking her nose with a feather Hedwig had dropped on the grass earlier.

“She read the ones in the room with her. Harry, Severus, Sirius and Remus. She probably knows Poppy too. Hours of being bored, she amused herself. She knows their minds better than others, and she knows mine because she hitchhikes on my abilities occasionally. She’s a very advanced little witch,” Solarin explained, and then Miri showed them just how advanced she really was.

Charlie blinked as his guitar landed in his lap. “How the hell…who did that?”

“I think…I think Miri did it,” Harry said, his voice filled with awe. “Did my three month old baby just do that?” he asked Solarin, staring at the guitar.

“Yes, she did,” Severus confirmed. They all looked at Miri, to find that she had caused a nosebleed by summoning the instrument.

Sam looked panicked by it, and Remus and Sirius grabbed a shoulder each to keep him from rushing over. Harry and Severus were her parents, they would handle this. Severus and Harry were learning how to handle Miri and her abilities. It would become more difficult as she got older, it wasn’t easy having a child who could summon a cookie when you told her she couldn’t have one, so it was best if she was taught discipline now, when her abilities were new to her. Severus cleaned the blood with his wand and Harry cuddled her close, scolding her.

“Not again,” Harry muttered. “No, Miri, too much. Don’t do that, it’s too much,” he said firmly. “Too big, Miri. Stay small.” She made her hand glow red and waved it at him and he smiled. “Good girl. That’s it, stay small, sweetheart.” She snuggled sleepily against him and he sighed. “She’s worn herself out again. I’m going to go and put her in her crib.”

Bill smiled at Harry as he passed and focussed his blue gaze on Solarin as she persuaded Charlie to play the guitar, singing along with him.

Merlin, she looked beautiful, too beautiful for him. Mind, he always thought that, he spent his days in permanent shock that she had chosen him. She could have any man on the planet, any one at all, yet she had chosen him. He wasn’t rich, he wasn’t famous, he didn’t consider himself as handsome as she proclaimed him to be. He was not the smartest, or the funniest. He often found himself wondering just what it was that made her love him, what made him worthy of her.

[You adore me,] came her gentle voice. [I’m the most precious thing in the world to you. You have a wonderful heart and soul. And I think you are the most gorgeous man in the world.]

He hadn’t realized he was projecting to her. She was still singing along to Charlie’s guitar, yet her statements were clear and steady. It always amazed him when she did that.

[Flattery will get you everywhere with me,] he joked, choosing to remain in the doorway, watching.

[It’s not flattery. It’s the truth,] Solarin argued, shooting him a look of honesty. [Come join us, Sam’s wondering who you are.]

[That’s your healer, right?] he asked as he pushed off of the doorframe, pulling off his heavy work robes as he went.

[Yup.] Her light infectious mental giggle as Sirius told Sam who he was. [He’s shocked that you’re my Bill. He didn’t expect you to look quite so rock star like, didn’t expect you to dress like me. I think he was expecting a straight laced pompous twit like Percy.]

He looked down to find he was wearing a black leather shirt with black leather trousers and did look rather ‘rock star like’. Though, it was probably the long hair and the earring that did it. [Silly man,] he assessed as he stole a kiss between song lines, sat down on the blanket and uttered a verbal greeting to Sam. [Arin?]

[Yes?] she replied as she helped him peal off the leather shirt that was sticking to him, trailing ice down his back, making him sigh in relief.

[Will you…are you the one who did the drawings on Charlie and Harry?] He didn’t know what had made him change his mind, ask something else. She knew he had changed his mind at the last minute, he knew that. But she would only say no to his original question, there was no point in asking it again in any seriousness.

[Yes, that was me. They look like explosions in a greetings card factory, not quite what I was aiming for, but I’m no Michelangelo. Do you like them?]

[Very pretty.]

She was pausing, he could tell. Whatever she was about to say, he knew he would have to keep a lid on his emotions. Whatever it was, she wanted it to be private, he could feel that through the connection.

[I love you, Bill, don’t you love me too?]

He sniggered, he couldn’t help it. It caused Severus to lean in and explain the connection to Sam. The healer had never seen it in action, he had only heard about it.

[I love you, Arin. All my heart and soul.]

[So ask.]

[Ask what?]

[The question that’s buzzing around your head like a mosquito,] she mentally sniggered. [You can’t hide anything from me…] He marvelled at the way her face gave nothing away when they had these silent conversations. He had never perfected that.

[Alright, you little minx…will you marry me?] he asked, grinning, as he pulled off his dragon hide boots. It hadn’t been this hot when he had gotten dressed.

It was a standing joke between them. He had been asking for years, and she had always said no. It was their habit for him to ask every once in a while. She always gave him some excuse. She was too tired, too young, too old, too hungry, too thirsty, too horny, too bored, or something just as ridiculous as a reason for why she couldn’t marry him. She was funny about marriage, and he accepted that. He wouldn’t push it. He had her, that was enough. He didn’t need a ring or a piece of paper to prove that. He wondered what her reason would be this time, so he was absolutely shocked speechless when she did answer.

[Yes.]

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Severus retrieved Miri’s teething ring from the freezer and handed it to her, the tiny girl gnawing on it desperately as he sat down with her and let his mind wander.

It had been a quiet month, all things considered.

Phoenix’s birthday had been a huge success, the party had rivalled Harry’s own. She had received just as many gifts as Harry had, and she had been the ultimate birthday girl all day. Charlie’s birthday had followed a few days later, and he had opted for a quiet family dinner to celebrate.

Remus was now in his 16th week of pregnancy and his morning sickness was worse than ever. It disabled him for a full hour every morning before he could even attempt to take the potion for it and his nausea continued throughout the day, despite the potions. He found crackers helped. His other symptoms had gotten worse as well, such as his tender abdomen. He screamed every time Sam examined him, and the good healer had ended up with a fair few bruises.

Sam continued to visit every Monday and Friday, sometimes bringing his father with him. It was a wise idea to have two healers on hand, just to be safe. It was also necessary as Sam could not attend Remus during his sedated monthly change due to his own furry little problem. Jack Jones had proven to be as big a hit with the pack as his son had. Harry and Phoenix had taken to calling him Grandpa, something which made him grin like a madman every single time they did it.

The two Jones men had a shared bedroom in the house, neither were there overnight together often enough to warrant having one each, and Sam still lived at home anyway. He claimed that there was no point in finding his own place, he didn‘t spend enough time in his own bed anyway. Sam often arrived at Number Twelve in the evening and lost track of the time, enjoying himself too much with his pack, thus he ended up staying the night and flooing home in the morning to change his clothes, until he started keeping a supply of clothes at Number Twelve. Jack stayed the full three days that Remus was sedated, and evenings that involved him losing track of the time like his son. Their room held two single beds and they seemed to enjoy spending the time together. Sam said it reminded him of the camping trips his father had taken him on when he was young, which made Jack smile softly and launch into a long tale of one such trip where Sam got poison ivy.

Charlie had stepped into Remus’ line of work by writing books on dragons. It seemed to be becoming quite the family tradition. Remus and Solarin were the two who had started it, but now they were joined by Severus, Charlie and Sirius. Sirius’ was going to make a very interesting read. No one had any recollection of there ever being a book written on the knowledge of imprisonment in Azkaban from first hand experience.

Lucius, unfortunately, had not been quiet. He had attempted to break into Gringotts, heading for the Potter vault. No one could fathom what he had been after, but Harry suspected that he had been looking for Miri’s birth certificate, which was framed and mounted on his bedroom wall. He reasoned that there was no actual testimony that Miri existed apart from her birth certificate, no confirmation that she was actually a girl, so Lucius may have been looking for verification of what he had read in the letter he had found in Hermione’s parents house. Lucius hadn’t managed to get to the vault, though he got scarily close, but he had managed to escape being caught.

He had also stepped up his harassment of the family. Harry was not the only one receiving anonymous post from him now. All of them were receiving untraceable letters at least once a week, and Charlie had taken it upon himself to open any post that was delivered, regardless of who it was addressed to. At least half of the mail every single day was immediately sent to Moody to aid with the search.

The most devastating event of the last month had been Lucius’ latest three murders. Jean-Claude, the owner of Enchantment, his bouncer Joe and Maab the singer had all been found butchered in Enchantment the morning after the anniversary. Solarin had cried for days over that one, not even Bill had been able to soothe her. Moody had surmised that Lucius had gone back to the last place he had seen Harry, hoping for some kind of sign as to where he was now, and found nothing. He had killed them in a fit of temper.

Severus watched as Harry said his goodbyes to a tearful Ron and Hermione, Arthur telling the two that they had to hurry or they would miss the train.

It was the 1st of September, and Harry and Phoenix would be remaining in Grimmauld Place, home schooled for their seventh year. Harry wasn’t able to handle the large numbers of people attending school brought, and Phoenix was too fragile to go back. She was still regressing into childhood, it was not a good idea to expose her to all Draco’s former friends and former fiancée. Dumbledore would be gathering lessons from their professors and sending them to Severus, who would be coordinating with Sirius and Remus to teach the two. It had been hard to reassure Harry that his friends would not forget him, but it was made easier when Dumbledore had confirmed that Harry could indeed still play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry had smiled about that one for days.

Harry had been doing well, he hadn’t had a single panic attack since the anniversary. His first period had passed with much the same screaming and writhing that the first night had brought. By the third and final day, it had no longer panicked people when he suddenly screamed in agony, the pain potion wearing off.

Harry was currently on day two of this months bleed and he was doing very well. No blood curdling screams this time, only whimpers. It was much better.

Phoenix was also doing better, she wasn‘t worrying them all so much with her behaviour. She was still very childish for days on end, and the house’s inhabitants had become used to it. Sam and Jack had surmised that it was probably a reaction to having been denied a childhood the first time, that she was making up for what she had lost, and they had all relaxed with it, reassured that she wasn’t going crazy and that this was just a phase she was going through, it would pass in time. They actually quite enjoyed indulging her childish side, especially Sirius. He delighted in the simple things, such as tucking her in at night and her curling up in his lap as he gave in to her pleadings to read her a story. Remus was the one she turned to when she got hurt. Tripping over her own feet, falling out of bed, paper cuts, all of it was dealt with by Remus. She insisted that her papa be the one to make it better, even if it was Sirius who performed the healing charm.

Severus’ attention was drawn out of his reverie as Snuffles slinked into the kitchen and curled up at his feet, his head on his paws.

“Mood swing?” Severus asked.

Snuffles yipped and he reached down to give the Animagus a reassuring pat to the head. It had become common occurrence for Remus to snap over the slightest thing. Funnily enough, he only reserved it for Sirius. This was the third time this week that Sirius had hidden as Snuffles in order to better protect himself from more outbursts from the pregnant werewolf. No one, not even a hormonal pregnant man, would kick a puppy. And the fact that Snuffles always chose Severus to hide with helped keep Remus under control, slightly.

“I’ll see you soon,” Harry promised Ron and Hermione as he eased Catherine out of Ron’s arms. “Remember, the first Gryffindor game is in November. We’ll be playing together again.”

He handed Catherine to Charlie and moved to Hermione, who was clutching Joseph. Ginny was rubbing Ron’s shoulder as he nodded, taking a deep breath to pull himself together.

“Don’t worry so much. We’ll take good care of them, and you’ll see them soon. You’re only half board now, you’ll be here every weekend,” Harry reassured as he slowly took him from her, handing him to Anne. “Now, you better get going. A whole summer with our library, the Hogwarts one will be jealous if you don’t pay it a visit soon.”

Hermione sniffed, let out a shaky laugh and hugged him. “You promise you’ll take good care of them?” she sobbed into his shoulder.

He patted her back. “I promise. We’ll take as much care of them as we do Miri. They’ll be safe with us, I swear.”

She nodded and Ron slowly led her to the door, the two of them and Ginny casting a further farewell to the room, before Arthur ushered them out, proclaiming that he and Molly would be back soon. Charlie and Anne slipped the sleepy twins into their bouncing cradles and placed them in the middle of the table, surrounded by heavy books and under Severus’ watchful gaze so they didn’t bounce their way off.

Harry sniggered as he made his way to the table. “They are so never letting go of the twins when they visit them,” he proclaimed, picking up his own baby from his husband and stroking her curls. He glanced down. “Has Remus been mean to you again, Snuffles?”

Snuffles gave a pitiful whine and Harry smiled at him, Miri squealing as she caught sight of the great big moving stuffed toy.

“Sis! Sis!” she cried and Harry sniggered. Sirius couldn’t fool her, she knew that Snuffles was not a real dog. Apparently it was an augur trait as Snuffles had not managed to fool Solarin either.

Harry sat down with her and Snuffles crawled out of his hiding place, placing his front paws on Harry’s knees and letting Miri pat his nose. She giggled and grabbed one of his floppy ears, yanking it. Harry chuckled and pried her fingers off of the ear as Snuffles shut his eyes against it, but the Animagus remained silent. She always managed to get that ear, he was used to it.

“Miri, be nice. No pulling,” Severus instructed, and then sighed as Snuffles curled around his feet once more, hiding his vulnerable underbelly against the stone floor and covering his snout with his paws.

“Stop hiding, Sirius,” Remus said softly as he was escorted to his seat by Phoenix. “I’m sorry, all right? I didn’t mean to say that, and I never meant to yell at you. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

Snuffles cautiously made his way over to the penitent werewolf and laid his head on his knees, his tail wagging as he was scratched behind the ears. He crawled out into an open space and changed back into Sirius.

“You were really malicious this time,” he said to his shame faced husband. “Maybe Sam can give you something to make you less unpredictable.”

“I’m sorry, Sirius. I didn’t mean it,” Remus said, sniffling. Sirius sighed and made his way over, pulling his chair close and cuddling Remus as he cried. This, too, was rather frequent to watch and everyone pretended not to notice.

Harry strapped Miri into her highchair and reclined the seat a little so she would not do herself any harm. She could hold her own head up, but she could not yet sit unaided. Her intellectual development was the only thing she was highly advanced in. Her physical development was at the right stage for her age. Her emotional development was a little above average, but that was just part of being an augur. The highchair was a blessing. She could sit in it and be supported in the right way but still look around and talk to those around her. Well, it was more babbles with the occasional real word, but she still enjoyed it. And it left everyone with both hands free while they ate.

“Caya,” she said as Harry stepped away. She held out her teething ring to him and he took it, finding it had gone warm. He rinsed it and stuck it in the freezer, retrieving a frozen water filled one that would stay cold longer.

“What do you say?” he asked as he held it out to her.

“Ta,” she replied obediently and he kissed her cheek, letting her have it. She immediately stuck it in her mouth and began gumming it. In fact, the only thing she didn’t chomp on was Harry. She was very good during her meals, she did not use him as a chew toy.

Harry considered the teething rings to be a godsend. When she had begun to teethe a few days ago, her screams of agony had terrified him, sparking old insecurities in him when he couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but Molly and Anne soon figured out the problem. The freezer now held twelve teething rings, all of them in constant rotation as she found more relief from cold objects. She was quite good about it really, all things considered. At least she could actually call for one of them and show them what she wanted.

Harry retrieved some vanilla fudge and placed it on the table in front of Remus as he stopped crying.

“Bloody hormones,” Remus mumbled before he smiled up at his cub. “Thank you, pup.”

“You’re welcome. And don’t worry about the moods, it’s normal,” he advised, reclaiming his seat and accepting an orange juice from Severus.

“I can’t believe my pup is giving me pregnancy tips,” Remus said, utter disbelief written across his face. “It should be the other way around.”

“Believe it. Look on the bright side, you get all these free hints and tips. Speaking of which, I found evening primrose helped with the mood swings. That is the one I took, isn’t it, Severus?” Harry asked his husband, reaching for a piece of fudge and earning a growl from Remus. Harry snatched his hand away, entwining his fingers with Severus’.

“Do not growl at Harry. It is his fudge, you will share it with him,” Sirius said firmly. Remus looked sheepish and pushed the bag closer to Harry.

“Yes, evening primrose. It is a muggle homeopathic remedy. You took one capsule every morning with your potions. It helped keep the more extreme ones at bay. It did not stop them completely, but it did help. Would you like one of us to get you some, Remus?” Severus asked.

“Please. Anything that will help at this point will put me forever in your debt,” Sirius answered for him, and Remus smiled guiltily around his mouthful of fudge, Sirius absentmindedly reaching out to stroke his greying hair. “When are Solarin and Bill due back?”

“Sometime this morning,” Severus replied. “She called me when they arrived yesterday afternoon. I haven’t been called about one maiming the other or either being arrested, so I assume they are having a good time.”

“Tell me again, where have they gone and why?” Remus asked. “I missed that bit when they told us. Flipping morning sickness. Why is it called morning sickness if it happens all day?”

“Pass,” Harry said thickly through a mouthful of candy, grimacing at the memory of it.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Severus instructed automatically and Harry sniggered, blushing slightly as he swallowed the sweet before muttering his apologies. “They have gone to Paris for the night. Their ten year anniversary was back in May, but they have not had the chance to commemorate the event before now. Bill has whisked her away to a very upscale hotel for the night. I expect them back any minute.”

As he said it, Bill appeared through the floo, followed by Solarin. Bill was carrying a bag and both of them were sporting big grins that didn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

“Hello. Did you have a good time?” Anne asked, looking up from the vegetables she was chopping for lunch, Phoenix helping by passing them to her. She was far too clumsy still to be allowed to handle a sharp knife.

“Brilliant,” Solarin said. She shared a look with Bill before she crossed to Severus. “Can I talk to you in private for a moment? It’s nothing bad, it’s just something you should know before everyone else.”

To say that Severus was immediately on his guard was an understatement. Whenever she said something like that to him in her Hogwarts years, he usually ended up in Dumbledore’s office, trying to soothe one of the other professors. It was not a statement that induced happiness in him. He followed her out of the room and up to the second living room, which was bare. No one saw the point of having a second living room, thus it was undergoing renovations so it could be converted into a playroom for Miri and the twins. So far, all that had been done was the base coat of white on the walls.

Solarin closed the door and faced her anxious brother, folding her hands behind her back and rocking on her heels. “Me and Bill kind of…well…we did something,” she began.

Severus groaned. He really hated it when she said that. “What now? What have you done? Pranked the Minister?”

“No.”

“Terrorised a muggle?”

“No.”

“Any pranks at all?”

“Not a single one.”

“You’re going to make me guess aren’t you?” he sighed and she nodded. He folded his arms and looked her up and down. “A new tattoo?” She shook her head. “A piercing in a compromising place?”

She laughed at him. “No, no piercings or tattoos, though we did consider matching hearts on our arms. But we restrained ourselves so no, no new body art.”

He ran through a list in his head, reeling each of them off for her, and at each one she shook her head. What the hell had they done?

“Are you pregnant? Did you forget the Charm?” he asked suspiciously, running out of ideas.

“Definitely not,” she said.

“I give up, I am out of guesses. The only one left is so absurd I’m not even going to voice it,” he said wearily. And then his eyes widened at her shy grin. “Did you…?”

“Yes, we did,” she said timidly, holding out her left hand. He took it and ran his thumb over the gold wedding band on her ring finger.

“You married him? You got married?” His voice was full of disbelief. This was the girl who had proclaimed ferverently for most of her life that she would never get married, that she would not imprison herself, she would not shackle herself to a man.

“I got married,” she mumbled. “I’m sorry we didn’t call you, but the thing is…well, me and Bill, it’s always been just that, me and him. So our wedding was the same. I’m sorry, Sevus.”

He looked up into her tear filled eyes. She thought she had hurt him by not having him there, by not having the big wedding.

“Sweetheart, that doesn’t matter to me,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “I don’t care that you eloped. If it was what you wanted for your wedding, then so be it. I got to have what I wanted for mine, well, what Harry and I wanted. It is only right that you got what you wanted for yours. I am not angry, just in a state of shock. I thought you never wanted to marry.”

She pulled back and smiled softly. “I know. But you told me once that if I ever decided to get married, that if I ever chose to spend the rest of my life with someone, it should be someone I love unconditionally, that I would die for. You told me that he should be the one who appreciated me, who loved me for who and what I am.” She laughed. “It took me ten years to see that he was with me all along,” she said.

He smiled and pulled back fully to look at her ring once more. It was a Claddagh ring, white gold. It looked dazzling against her pale skin. Above it was a moonstone engagement ring, this one was white gold too. Moonstone…that had been her favourite gem when she was about fourteen.

“How long has he been asking you?” he asked.

“Nine years.”

“He must have been ecstatic when you said yes,” he said, smirking when she blushed.

“I said yes the day of Harry’s regression,” she mumbled. “While me and Charlie were singing together.”

Severus snorted. “No wonder he looked so happy.” He pushed her hair off of her face and cupped her chin. “You’re happy with him, happier than I’ve ever known you to be. You’re looking for my blessing when you should know that I gave it when I accepted that the two of you are together,” he said and she lit up, her sunshine smile inducing his own megawatt grin.

“How do you always know the right thing to say?” she asked as he led her to the door and down the stairs.

“Because I know you.”

They entered the kitchen and Severus tried not to laugh at Bill’s nervousness as he approached them.

“I’m sorry, Severus, but it…” He cut off the younger wizard with a wave of his hand.

“You do not need to explain. I understand why it was this way. Welcome to the Snape family. Good luck,” he said with a smile and he grinned once more as the curse breaker heaved a sigh of relief. He hugged the younger man briefly, whispering into his ear, “If you hurt her, I will kill you.”

“If I hurt her, I’ll help you,” Bill whispered back.

They pulled apart and Severus smiled as he examined Bill’s ring. It was a Claddagh, the same as Solarin’s, and it looked extremely pale on the freckled finger. “You should introduce them all to your wife,” Severus said and sniggered at the silly grins they both wore.

Bill turned to the rest of the room. “Everyone,” he said and they all looked at him. “It’s probably best to do this before mum and dad come home.”

He got no further as they heard the crack of Apperation in the hallway, followed by Molly and Arthur entering.

“You may want to sit down,” Severus advised before they said a single word and they did as he instructed.

Bill looked uncomfortable, probably expecting the shrieks of delight from his mother. She had been on at Bill to marry Solarin ever since she had discovered their relationship. She would be over the moon and deafen them all in the process. He went to open his mouth but then Sam and Jack flooed in, and Solarin chuckled, rubbing his back as he growled. “I’ll do it,” she said.

She motioned the two healers to seats and cleared her throat. “We got married,” she said simply, holding up her wedding ring. The whole room fell so silent, she feared she had gone deaf suddenly.

“Mum, dad, say hello to my wife, Mrs. Solarin Eileen Weasley-Snape,” Bill said as the silence stretched on. No one seemed to be able to say anything, except Miri.

“Sin Bi,” she babbled, waving her teething ring at the two. Bi was the only way she could say Bill, and the curse breaker chuckled.

“Miri’s happy for us,” he muttered.

“Like father, like daughter,” Severus replied and it seemed to be some sort of trigger for the explosion of sound that was the happy cries from the family. Miri, Catherine and Joseph jumped and Harry moved to his daughter as she began to whimper. Anne and Sirius picked up a bawling twin each and the three of them tried to soothe the startled children while offering their own congratulations to the couple. Though, all three of them had to pause in their congratulations to remind Remus to stay in his seat.

All others were drowned out by Molly’s yelling. She rushed forwards, pulling her son into a bone crushing hug, and then inflicting the same treatment on Solarin, who choked slightly.

“Mum, you’re crushing her,” Charlie said as he hugged his brother, clapping him on the back.

Bill couldn’t hear him, and the only reaction he had to his wife being crushed by his mother was to firmly pull Solarin out of Molly’s grasp and into his own. His eyes were fixed on his father, still sitting at the table. Bill couldn’t work out what the emotion on his face was. Was it anger? Regret? Disappointment?

“Dad?” Bill said uncertainly. The people around them went silent, all eyes on the Weasley patriarch.

[He’s numb. Give him a minute to process it,] Solarin pushed into his head and he gripped her hand a little tighter.

Arthur looked up at his son and then let his gaze fall on Solarin’s form. He seemed to be measuring her up and Bill felt her discomfort flood him. He thought his father liked her, adored her even.

“I thought marriage made you nervous?” he asked her, his eyes searching. “This is what you wanted isn’t it, it’s not something you pushed yourself into? You didn’t do this because Molly kept on, because you felt pressured, did you, Sol?”

She smiled and walked up to him, letting him hug her to reassure himself. “I did this because I love him. I did this because I finally realized, after ten years, that the one who sees me as being worth more than all the gold in Gringotts was right there with me all the time,” she said firmly, and Arthur smiled.

“Then I say…it’s about bloody time!” Arthur said, pushing himself into the group of celebrating witches and wizards.

Severus wasted no time at all in calling Dumbledore and Moody, who arrived with identical expressions of shock. The whole family had a celebratory lunch, which was the only kind of celebration that Bill and Solarin would allow them, and chatted about the details of the wedding, which Bill and Solarin were incredibly closed mouthed about.

Harry leaned in close to his husband. “This means that me and Ron really are related now, doesn’t it?” he asked in a low voice, Sam and Remus pretending not to be able to hear him.

“Yes…” Severus replied uncertainly. “His brother is married to your sister-in-law. I believe he would be considered your…brother-in-law. I think.”

“Good. You know, I think I did pretty well by choosing him as my friend.”

Severus grinned and pulled him in for a kiss. “Extremely well.”

Harry grinned, but his smile faded as Bill and Solarin were ushered from the room by Sam and Jack.

The two healers looked grave, and Harry wondered if this was the next test for them.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Sirius groaned as he was shaken awake, Remus gently calling his name.

“I’m awake, I’m awake,” he said scratchily as he sat up, cracking open his eyelids, which felt like lead. He glanced at the clock to find it was quarter to five in the morning. Oh well, almost time to get up.

“I’m sorry, Siri, but I’m being good, I’m following The Rules,” Remus said quickly, sitting up beside him.

Sirius sniggered. It had been a week since Bill and Solarin shocked them all by eloping, and the evening primrose was a godsend. It stabilised Remus so well, Sirius hadn’t had to hide as Snuffles for the whole seven days. And Remus was religious about following The Rules since he began taking it. The wonders of a single tiny pill every morning.

“It’s okay. What do you need?” Sirius asked, leaning in for a chaste kiss. Though, even that gave him an erection. Bloody no sex rule. At least in Azkaban he hadn’t been able to even see Remus, let alone touch him. That abstinence had been easier than this torture. He was getting tired of screwing his hand in secret rendezvous in the bathroom, all in the effort to stop him jumping his husband, The Flipping Annoying Rules be damned.

“Some water and crackers. My throat feels like the Sahara and my stomach’s preparing to revolt again.”

“All right, honey, I’ll get them in a minute, just let me get rid of it first,” Sirius said and Remus moaned in frustration.

“That’s a waste of a good hard-on. We could put it to such good use.”

Sirius chuckled darkly. “Don’t I know it. Okay, I’m good now. I’ll be right back,” he said, climbing out of bed and putting on a t-shirt. They used to sleep completely nude, until Phoenix took to climbing into bed with them when she had a bad dream. Now they both wore pyjama bottoms at the very least. Sleepwear did actually help a little with the abstinence. That and the chance of being caught by their daughter, who would most definitely tell on them.

“Thank you, angel.”

Sirius slipped from the room and smiled. Remus had taken to calling him that since he realized that Sirius never complained about waiting on him 24/7. Every time Remus had him get something for him, he called him ‘angel’. Sirius found he quite enjoyed it.

He tiredly made his way down to the kitchen, feeling at fault about the pregnancy and the happiness it brought. He and Remus already had two beautiful children and they were expecting their third. He felt greedy, and guilty, so very very guilty.

Solarin and Bill could not have children.

Sam and Jack had delivered the news to the newlyweds the day after they got married, and Bill had explained it all to them while Solarin hid herself in the bathroom. Sirius would never forget the devastation on the redheads face as he broke the news.

Solarin’s body, because of the pressure of her considerable magic, would not accept the conception of a child. Their chances of having a baby, even with medical intervention, were one in a million, and Sam had said that was a hopeful estimate. Solarin had not said a single word to anyone all week, and her eyes were permanently bloodshot from crying. She would not stay in the same room as Molly, or Arthur, too ashamed and disappointed in herself that she would not give her new in-laws grandchildren, no matter how they had tried to reason with her that it didn’t matter.

Bill seemed to be taking it better than his wife. His exact words escaped Sirius at that moment, five in the morning did nothing to improve the memory. Bill had said something along the lines of “I have her, that’s all that matters to me”. It had thoroughly impressed Severus. Bill was the only one she would speak to, and it was limited to mindspeak that made him weep.

Bill had reassured Remus and Sirius that he and Solarin were happy for them still, that they wished them all the luck in the world for their success with the pregnancy. But Remus had taken to keeping his mouth closed around the younger couple, no matter how rough he felt or how much he needed someone to get him something. And Sirius was waiting for some sign as to how to proceed with the young augur without her blowing up his head.

Anne was pottering around, putting on coffee and tea. The witch never slept much, and was always the first one awake. Sitting at the table, reading Sirius’ notes for his book, was Solarin.

“Good morning, Sirius,” Anne said cheerfully.

“Good morning, Anne. I wonder, could you take Remus some crackers and some water? I need some coffee to actually function at this godforsaken hour,” Sirius said with a pointed nod at the augur.

Sirius really loved his mother-in-law. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, the pack of crackers and a glass from the cupboards and swept from the room without a single word. Sirius fixed himself the much needed coffee and sat down at the table, wondering what to say. It occurred to him that he had never been alone with Solarin. Maybe he should go get Severus, or Bill. Merlin, even floo calling Moody or Dumbledore might be easier than this.

“Is this all true?”

He looked up from his contemplation of his coffee as she spoke. She was holding out a piece of his parchment to him. He took it and scanned it, realizing it was his description of how it felt to be around Dementors all day every day for twelve years solid.

“Yes, it’s all true,” he said.

She leant back and curled up her legs, resting her shins against the edge of the table. She tugged at her hair and stared at the paper in his hands.

“Have you ever visited Azkaban?” he asked, trying to make conversation.

“No. I wanted to once, when I was young, but Severus wouldn’t let me.” She sighed and looked up at him, her black eyes boring into him. “How’s Remus doing? What week is he in now?”

“Seventeen. He’s doing a bit better now he’s on the evening primrose tablets.”

She nodded and smiled at him. “It’s okay, you know. I’m still okay with you and Remus having this baby. Stop feeling so guilty about it.”

He spluttered for a moment. “I…umm…we…”

“Stop. I’m happy for the two of you, really. It’s fine. Besides, you have enough trouble with your own reproduction, forget about mine,” she said, standing up and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

“We still feel bad.”

“I know you do, it’s coursing off both of you in waves. I understand why you feel that way.” She sighed and sat down next to him, forcing him to look at her. “Stop feeling guilty. You did your punishment. This is mine.”

He nodded and then froze. Wait. What the hell? He was so confused. What the hell was she talking about?

“I don’t understand. What are you talking about? What punishment?” he asked and she looked away, picking at the label of her water bottle. “Sol, what the hell could you be punished for? Why would anyone punish you?”

“Why not?” she whispered. “My dad punished me, because I wasn’t like Serena. At school, the other kids punished me because I was different. The Ministry punished me, because of what I am. Makes sense that the universe would punish me now, now that I deserve it.”

“Deserve it? What makes you think you deserve to be punished?” he asked.

He couldn’t believe it, it was all true. Severus had told them all that Solarin had always hated her gift because of Serena, because of Tobias. But Sirius had never seen evidence of it before, so he hadn’t believed it. Silent tears were trickling down her cheeks, but she made no move to wipe them away. So he did it for her, forcing her to look at him this time.

“What could you possibly have done to deserve this?” he asked as he wiped away her tears with the pads of his thumbs.

“I killed people,” she said, confusion etched across her face. “Don’t you get it? It wasn’t just that one little girl. There were men, women, children. Pureblood, half-blood, Muggleborn. Muggles, wizards. I can’t even tell you how many, anymore. Nine, twelve, a hundred and four! I don’t know, because I can’t remember. Sirius, I killed children. Not just children Harry’s age, children Miri’s age. I killed children. I deserve to be punished for that, can’t you see that?”

“Sol, listen to me. Those were accidents. They were all accidents. None of them were your fault, it was those bastards at the Ministry, who are in Azkaban now. They’re the ones who need punishing, not you,” he argued.

“No, you’re wrong. I’m the one letting down my husband, and my mother-in-law, and my brother, and…”

“You are not letting any of us down!” he half yelled.

She stared at him. He supposed not too may people spoke to her like that.

“Solarin, you are the most wonderful woman I have ever met. You gave me my family. You’re the one who had had enough guts to come here and tell me that I couldn’t see Harry. Merlin, I don’t think anyone else could have managed that, not even Remus. And Nixie. If it wasn’t for you, she’d still be trapped as Draco and she wouldn’t be well enough to be as happy as she is. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have my children,” he said firmly. “Don’t you get it? You’re the glue that stuck us all together. And you will get your miracle, just like me and Remus got our miracles. Yours will come when it’s the right time for you. When it’s your turn, your miracle will happen.”

She sniffed and, after a moment, she nodded. He folded her into a hug, stroking her hair and murmuring reassurances to her.

“It was you,” she whispered and he pulled back in confusion.

“What was me?”

“You were the reason I wanted to visit Azkaban when I was younger.” She smiled, pushing back her long hair and moving to the kitchen counter. It seemed she needed something to do with her hands, as she began chopping fruit for breakfast. “I read Lily the last time I saw her. She thought about four men. You, Remus, James and Peter. After she died, I wanted to meet you.”

“I didn’t know that,” he said, moving to her side and chopping up apple.

“No, you wouldn’t. Severus kept putting me off. He used to tell me that you’d all gone travelling, that you’d needed to get away after Lily died. He managed to keep that lie going until my first year of Hogwarts. I never peeked into his head to see if it was true, I just accepted that it was.”

“Then what happened?”

“I was in the library, flicking through all the old Prophets. It was some project or other for a class, I can’t remember which one. Anyway, I pulled out one with you on the cover. I asked Bill about you. He told me what had happened,” she said, peeling a kiwi.

Sirius managed to slice his hand open, and she grabbed it, shoving it under the cold faucet. She ordered him to leave it there while she grabbed her wand from the table.

“You and Nix, matched clumsy pair. Where was I? Oh, right, so I stormed into Severus’ office, stamped my little foot and demanded that he take me to meet you,” she said as she spread the thick healing gel she had poured from the tip of her wand. “He spilt a whole mug of boiling hot tea down himself.”

Sirius laughed at the image his mind conjured up and she smiled at him.

“Well, once Poppy had finished dealing with all the scalding, he called Albus. The two of them tried all kinds of things to dissuade me. You weren’t allowed visitors, you weren’t very nice, you were a murderer. I argued with every single one. Albus could get me in to see you, you couldn’t possibly be worse than dad, you had killed to avenge Lily. Eventually, they had to tell me what Dementors would do to me,” she said as she fastened the bandage around his hand and returned to the kiwi.

“What would they do?” Sirius asked as he carefully picked up his bloody knife and dumped it into the sink. He grabbed another one, and had to put it down as she answered.

“Driven me mad. I would have blown up the whole prison and everyone in it, including myself.”

They were silent for a while, each thinking about their own issues, their own pasts, and then she spoke again.

“Do you remember being sent Christmas cards in Azkaban?”

He smiled. He still had them somewhere, he had forwarded all of them to Grimmauld Place. They had all been waiting on the mat for him when he returned all those years later.

“I remember. Highlight of my year, those were. Why? Do you know who sent them?” he asked as he carried bowls to the table.

“Yeah, I do. It was me.”

He whirled around and stared at her. “You?”

“Yup. I thought you’d be lonely all by yourself, and I got to have a Christmas, you should too. So I sent you a card every year for my whole time at Hogwarts.”

She smiled and swept from the room, leaving him standing there, stunned. She had sent them? He raced upstairs to his room, startling Remus and Anne. He muttered an apology and began tearing the room apart, frantically rummaging through drawers.

“What are you looking for?” Remus asked from the bed, not daring to get up.

“Do you remember that pile of Christmas cards that was sitting on the mat when we first moved in here?” Sirius said as he sat on the bed, tearing through his bedside cabinet though he managed to keep the contents hidden from Anne.

“Yes.”

“Where did I put them?”

“Here,” Remus said, pulling them out of his bedside cabinet. “You put them in mine because yours was…in use.” Anne smiled and slipped from the room, giving them some privacy. Remus sighed in relief. “We put the lube and toys in yours. Why do you want them? It’s not Christmas.”

Sirius pulled the seven cards out of the envelope he kept them in and opened one with a tree on the front.

“TO MR SIRIUS BLACK

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM SOLLY PRINCE”

“I’m such an idiot,” Sirius muttered, showing it to Remus. “Why the fuck did that name not ring a bell when Bill first mentioned it? Living in the same house with Sol for months and it never clicked.”

“Sol sent you these?”

“Yes. She thought I’d be lonely in Azkaban, and I deserved a Christmas too. She sent one every year she was in Hogwarts. Have you ever seen her sweet side?”

“No. Didn’t know she had one,” Remus admitted. “She must have, if these are anything to go by.”

Sirius didn’t hear anything else. He sat there and opened all seven cards, laying them all out on the bed. The handmade Christmas cards from some anonymous girl had helped keep him sane. He’d refused to think of Remus while he was in Azkaban, he wouldn’t let the Dementors take those memories from him. He didn’t think of Harry either, or James, or Lily. But these cards, they were different. The feeling they caused, it wasn’t quite happiness, so they couldn’t take it from him.

It was hope.

It was a tiny spark of hope deep down inside that there was at least one person on the outside who, even if she didn’t think him innocent, didn’t hate him. And just when he gave up that hope, Christmas would roll around again and another card would arrive. She had kept him alive. Finally, a while after they had stopped coming, he had all but given up, ready to beg for the Dementors Kiss. But then he had seen the Prophet with Scabbers on the front, and he had pulled himself back, pulled himself together, escaped and reclaimed his life.

Solarin had given him more than just his children. She had given him the energy to hold on, the spark that grew into actual strength that allowed him to escape. Her cards had sustained him long enough for him to get back to Remus, to clear his name, to put Peter behind bars. He smiled.

“Solarin gave us our life together. She’s the reason we got it all back.”

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

The family sat down to a quiet dinner the day after Remus’ second sedated change. The werewolf looked incredibly well rested, as opposed to Sam, who looked like he had been hit by the Knight Bus.

Molly fixed them her chicken casserole, which went down extremely well. Jack spent the meal regaling them with tales of his more unusual patients, making them all laugh with the story of a vampire with toothache.

Solarin was enjoying her dinner immensely, when she suddenly got the taste of candyfloss. That couldn’t be right. Why could she taste that? It wasn’t in a chicken casserole. She looked up to find Fred and George strolling into the kitchen, lazy grins on their faces.

“Why can I taste candyfloss?” she asked Bill.

“Candyfloss? Isn’t that what Tonks’ signature tastes like?” he replied.

“Yes, but she’s not here. Why can I taste it?”

Remus was sniggering, trying to hold in his grin and motioning to the twins. Solarin peered at them, trying to figure it out. And then it hit her.

“Oh my God, did you two…? Have you two…? Were you with…?” She couldn’t quite find the right way to ask, and everyone was looking at her weirdly. Well, almost everyone. Sam and Remus were nodding at her, grinning. They could smell it.

The augur and the two werewolves fixed identical stares on the two identical males and they blushed. It only got worse when Tonks flooed in, expecting dinner.

“You did!” Solarin cried excitedly, laughing. “Merlin, you did!”

“Did what?” Harry asked, and it just made her laugh harder, Remus joining in. Sam’s eyes were fixed on Tonks, who was grinning at them all.

“What did they do?” Molly asked worriedly.

Most of the family had asked the same thing by the time Solarin stopped laughing.

“It’s not something I can say in front of polite company,” she said, the twins sighing with relief.

“You brought up my sexual history in polite company,” Severus reminded. “Tell us.”

“I slept with the twins,” Tonks said, accepting a plate from Jack. The kitchen went so silent, a pin drop would have sounded like a cannon blast. Even Miri was silent, busy being fed, though she was trying to giggle and nurse at the same time.

Fred and George were glowing like streetlamps, and they were staring at the metamorphmagus calmly eating her dinner. Bill had to be clapped on the back by Charlie as he accidentally swallowed a whole baby carrot in his shock. The Weasley’s were all frozen in their disbelief.

“What?” Sirius asked, after a healthy gulp from his glass of water.

“I’ve never been with a matched pair, so I spent the night with Fred and George,” the pink haired witch explained calmly, nibbling on a gravy soaked roll. “Solly can taste my magical signature on them, and theirs on me. Remus can smell it.”

“Will you-” Fred began.

“Shut up,” George finished.

“Our mother-”

“And father-”

“And brothers-”

“Are all here.”

“Boys, boys, boys, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Charlie said teasingly. “If you two are into incest, that’s fine.”

Bill and Arthur had to restrain the twins as they both made a move to hit their chuckling brother.

“It wasn’t like that!” Fred yelled.

“It was just a bit of fun, an experiment! It was a favour for a friend!” George shouted.

Charlie raised his hands in defeat. “I stand corrected.”

“Prick,” Fred spat at him.

“Language,” Molly admonished as she returned to bottle feeding Joseph, Severus feeding Catherine. “There are little ears present who can repeat what you say.” She motioned at Miri, who was being winded and patting the table in amusement.

“No, Miri. No look, no see,” Severus instructed and she pouted at him, voicing her newest word.

“No.”

“Miri, do as you are told,” Harry scolded firmly, glaring at a certain sheepish blonde. Damn Phoenix for teaching her how to say that one. Miri went still for a moment, before she held out her hands for her reward. “Good girl.” Severus passed her little stuffed snitch to her and she quietly allowed Harry to latch her for the rest of her meal.

“Why did you sleep with them?” Bill asked Tonks and she shrugged.

“You know me, Bill, I’m not the most conventional of women. I like trying new things. And, come on, who else could I have gone to and said I want to have a ménage à trois?” she said, Solarin dissolving into a fresh laughing fit.

“You know what? Sometimes, I really hate your abilities, Sol,” George grumbled, Fred nodding.

“Hey, now! It wasn’t just me. Remus and Sam could both smell her on you,” Solarin defended.

“How about we change the topic and someone introduces me and my son to the interesting pink haired witch?” Jack suggested, Fred and George collapsing into empty chairs. They were receiving a few glances from their parents and brothers that clearly said this would be discussed again later.

“Sorry, Jack. This is Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only. She went to school with Bill and Sol,” Remus said and Jack shook her hand. “Tonks, this is Healer Jack Jones, and his son, Healer Samuel Jones. They’re taking care of me during the pregnancy.”

“Nice to meet you, Healer Jones and Healer Jones,” she said, shaking Sam’s hand.

“P-please, call…call me Sam.”

Bill shared a suspicious look with his wife and Solarin took a huge bite of chicken to keep her mouth busy. Now was not the time to call Sam on his behaviour with her friend. She could get him later. The twins, they were fair game, they teased her all the time. But Sam was different, Solarin’s issue with him would be handled in private.

“Are you Andromeda and Ted’s girl?” Jack asked.

“I am,” Tonks replied. “Oh! I remember you now. The two of you used to come for dinner when I was little, right?”

“That’s right. What are you up to now?”

“I’m an Auror.”

The conversation stayed on that topic for most of the meal, and as Sam slipped out of the room to go to the bathroom, Solarin followed him. She leaned against the wall and waited for him to emerge.

He stepped confidently out of the tiled room and stopped as he spied Solarin waiting for him.

“You’re missing pudding,” he said and she smirked at him.

“Nice try,” she said, placing a hand on his chest and pushing him back into the bathroom. She locked the door behind them, upped a silencing spell and turned to face him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, don’t give me that! You know exactly what I’m talking about! You, flirting with Tonks, all meal long. Sam, she is not just a casual conquest you can try on for size. She is one of my best friends, and young enough to be your daughter, I won’t let you use her like you do all the others,” she warned.

“I don’t plan on doing that,” he said.

“Then what do you plan on doing?”

“Sol, what does her signature taste like to you?” he asked and she was utterly confused.

“What does that have to do…”

“Just humour me. What does hers taste like?”

“Fine, I’ll go with it. Tonks tastes like candyfloss.”

“And me?”

“Popcorn, toffee popcorn. But you know that, I told you years ago.” She paused as it clicked in her head. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” He nodded and she deflated, leaning against the sink. “Oh, Sam. I really wish you didn’t feel like that.”

He sighed, leaning against the wall. “Me too. She’s not the type, is she?” he asked, but it was crystal clear that they both knew the answer already.

“No, she’s not. Sam, find another. Following this path will only bring you heartache,” she advised.

“I can’t. I wish I could but I can’t. You understand that, right?” he asked, his honey eyes pleading.

She wished she had the power to change his mind, to change his heart. But, alas, she didn’t. In all her abilities, she had no way to save him from inevitable pain. And it damn near broke her heart.

“I understand, Sam, I really do. I just hope you get what you should from this, and you don’t end up getting broken by it,” she said and he nodded, offering her a sad smile as she slipped from the room.

He took a deep breath, and splashed his face with cold water. He had never expected to find this, it was simply not in his nature. He was not that lucky.

But he couldn’t help but hope.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Harry suppressed his grin as Remus struggled to explain the purpose of an Inferius to Phoenix. They had been struggling with the same topic all morning. It just didn’t seem to be getting through to the blonde. Harry had gotten it immediately, but he always grasped things in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Natural talent. Phoenix wasn’t so blessed with the subject, but she excelled in Potions. The were supposed to be finished with their lesson an hour ago, but Phoenix had caused it to drag out. Harry had tried helping Remus explain it without success. It just wasn’t getting through. Ah well, at least she was acting her age today, that was a plus.

Their lessons were very ordered now they had figured out how to make it work. Remus did all the theory work with them, helping them grasp the concepts before they were allowed to attempt the spells. Sirius did most of the practical work with them, using his skill in duelling to help them learn the spells they would need to have perfected to pass their N.E.W.T.’s. Severus taught them Potions on Thursday mornings, and went through anything the other two had missed on a Friday afternoon. Monday nights were spent with Sirius the insomniac in the garden, studying Astronomy. Wednesday mornings were when Molly would cover Herbology with them, she had excelled in it at school. On a Saturday morning, the home schooled students and their teachers sat down with several others. Hermione and Ron were there every Saturday, visiting their children and helping the tutors ensure they were on track with the two home schooled teens.

Arriving with the young Weasley’s were usually Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Sprout, Slughorn and Flitwick. These five teachers assessed how the two teens were getting on and any kind of difficulties, which were quickly ironed out. It had only taken the first week of seventh year to get the routine in order.

The routine allowed Phoenix to have her childish moments, and Harry to care for Miri, and both of them to have their bad moments without big disruptions to their educations. It also allowed Ron and Hermione to have the whole of Saturday and Sunday with their children. The whole family found the routine to be perfect, if a little unorthodox. It suited the pack like a dream.

Remus groaned and rubbed his tired eyes. “I forfeit. I give up. Maybe Severus will be able to help you, my sweet little star, but it is beyond me,” he said with a smile. “I think that’s about it for today. The two of you are free of my clutches, but would one of you escort me to the loo before you disappear on me?”

Phoenix popped up from her cross-legged seat on the carpet and took Remus’ hand, leading him from the room. Remus called something to Harry, but he didn’t hear him.

There was blood on Remus’ chair.

He made his way to the bathroom and knocked. “Remus, are you feeling okay?” Harry called through the wood, drawing Phoenix in to whisper to her what he had seen. She nodded and sped down the stairs, intent on getting help.

There was an agonised gasp from beyond the door and Harry chewed his lower lip.

“I’m fine, pup. Why don’t you go and find Miri? I’m sure she’s wanting her lunch by now,” Remus called, but Harry wasn’t fooled and he wasn’t going anywhere, not until Sirius told him to.

Sirius appeared at the top of the stairs, flanked by Sam, Jack, Severus, Arthur, Bill and Charlie. The Animagus beckoned him over and Harry led them to the living room, showing them what he had found.

“Okay, Harry, it’s okay. We’ll take care of Remus. Go downstairs to the kitchen and stay there. Miri is in her highchair,” Sirius instructed and Harry cast one more glance at the bathroom door before he nodded.

Sirius tried to control his racing heart as his godson did as he was told, determinedly walking downstairs to the kitchen.

Sirius turned to the other men. “He’s going to fight us,” he whispered.

“How do you know?” Charlie asked.

“I’ve seen it before. He had appendicitis, it took four people to pin him down so Poppy could get anywhere near him,” he answered and tuned out as Sam explained.

When Remus was in pain, or scared, or angry, his wolf took over. He would become…feral. The emotions or experiences had to be extreme to cause Remus to become that bad, but it was a natural werewolf instinct to protect themselves. Remus would no longer recognise them as his pack, they were all a threat now. Well, Sirius had never seen that bit. He had seen Remus when he was pinned down, though, and it was not nice to watch.

He had been summoned to the hospital wing by Dumbledore. It had been three weeks after Remus and Sirius had first slept together, solidifying Sirius as Remus’ mate, their sixth year at Hogwarts. They needed him to force submission in Remus, needed Sirius to force himself as the alpha. Remus would not allow Madame Pomfrey to treat him until he was submissive, until Sirius was alpha. Sirius remembered how Remus had reasserted himself as alpha before his stitches had even come out.

“Right, so everyone clear on all this?” Sam asked and Sirius nodded with the rest.

He didn’t want to do this. Doing this meant the baby was gone. It meant he could lose Remus. Merlin, why had he let him go through with this? He couldn’t lose him, not now, not after all they had gone through to be together. And their children. Harry and Phoenix couldn’t lose Remus, they just couldn’t. Neither of them were strong enough to handle it.

Sirius made his way to the bathroom door and knocked. There was a slim chance that Remus would submit without being forced. They had to try it before they challenged him.

“Remus? Come on, open the door, honey,” Sirius called.

“Go away. I’m fine. Go away, Sirius.”

“Remus, we know you’re bleeding. You have to let us in.”

“Us?”

Damn it, he was playing with him, trying to buy himself more time, to talk them out of this. They didn’t have time for these games.

“Remus! Open the fucking door, or I swear to Merlin, I am breaking it down!” Sirius yelled and was met by an angry snarl.

He took a deep breath and had the other men stand back. He backed up a few steps and kicked the door, the wood splintering as it flew off the frame. Sam went first, pushing the door out of the way. Severus propped it up against the wall and Sirius was able to get a good look at his husband.

Remus had curled up in the space under the sink. His clothes were lying in a shredded heap around him, crimson from the blood pouring from a nude Remus. The lycanthrope was eying them all warily, growling at their presence. Sirius decided right there and then that he didn’t like a feral Remus. His husband had never gotten this feral before, even with the appendicitis.

Oh God, he was so pale. He was shaking through the blood loss, the pain, the fear. Sirius took a deep breath and controlled himself. If he went to Remus now, if he tried to comfort him, his lover would tear him to pieces. But it was hard to hang back when there were tears pouring down his sweet Remus’ face.

He hovered in the doorway as Sam growled at Remus, the omega challenging his alpha. It seemed to work, because Remus growled back, a warning. A challenge to the alpha, in wolf instinct, needed to be dealt with immediately, no matter the condition of either wolf. It was a good thing this bathroom was huge, because they were going to need the space when Remus went for Sam, which he would. Jack lingered near Sirius, holding a large black leather bag. Sirius didn’t want to know what was in it. If he did, he might not be able to go through with this.

Sam growled again and Remus made a move to attack him. He didn’t do it, but it would only be one more growl before Sam would need all the help he could get. They needed Remus to come out. None of them, not even Sam, was strong enough to fight Remus alone. To pin him down, four of them had to grab him at the same time. If it was any less, the wolf would tear them all to pieces. There just wasn’t the space for four men to grab Remus from his hiding place.

Sam growled and Remus lunged for him. Bill and Charlie grabbed an arm each, Arthur and Severus a leg each and together they pinned him to the floor. The blood oozed across the white tile. Remus snarled and fought against them, the four men having to put their whole weight against the straining limbs. Remus was even trying to bite them, he was that far gone. The human was gone, the wolf ruled, and it would stay that way until Sirius forced it to change.

Sirius strode forwards and knelt beside his lovers arching ribs. “Remus, let Sam help you,” he said firmly.

He was met with Remus straining forwards to try and bite him. Remus never bit him, not even in the blazing fires of their passion. Human Remus never bit, period.

Sirius grabbed Remus by the hair with his right hand and placed his left on Remus’ chest. Simultaneously, he yanked Remus’ head back and forced his chest down, baring his throat which Sirius fastened his jaws around. As Remus continued to struggle, he increased the pressure of his teeth.

Though it was possible for Remus to bite him and break the skin, even if he had never done it, Sirius could not do the same. The werewolf’s skin was much tougher than it looked, his teeth could not pierce it. But he hated to do this all the same, he still worried about hurting him. It was pointless to worry about causing him pain, for Remus to become feral he was already in agony, but he still worried about hurting his sweet Remus.

After what seemed an infinity, Remus fell still. One moment of silence seemed to stretch out into eternity, before Remus whined and pushed his belly forwards in submission.

“Sirius,” he whimpered. “It hurts, Siri.”

A sick wolf turned to their alpha for help, and Remus was not the alpha anymore. He would not say it hurt if Sirius had not won the battle. Sirius removed his mouth from the pale neck, loosened his grip on the sandy brown hair shot with grey and eased his pressure on the trimly muscled chest. He captured those amber eyes with his own.

“I know, honey. I know it does. Sam is…” Remus growled at the mention of the challenging omega and Sirius yanked his hair again. “You will let him help you,” he ordered, snarling it out.

Remus gasped, finding it hard to breathe. His eyes fixed on Sirius’ blue ones. His alpha. The alpha would help him, he always did, he would make it better. He whined and the grip on his hair eased.

“My baby…”

“Is gone,” Sirius said firmly, fighting the tears that threatened to suck him in, make him lose his control on the situation. “The baby is gone, Remus, it cannot be saved. Sam needs to save you now. Submit and let him treat you.” He watched as Remus considered it and then closed his eyes in defeat.

Sam moved forwards at Sirius’ nod and his father knelt on Remus’ free side, snapping open the bag. This was why he hated male pregnancies so much. Too many times they led to a situation like this, where he was fighting to save a perfectly healthy man because they had tried for something damn near unattainable. The male body simply was not designed to carry life. Remus was luckier than some though, this happening in his eighteenth week instead of later gave him a better chance of surviving this.

Sam had Arthur and Severus push Remus’ thighs against his torso, Remus screaming in pain. He snapped on a pair of gloves and forced two fingers into him. Remus was in too much danger for him to take his time, and he was too panicked to cooperate.

He hated the male cervix. It blended in so bloody well with the rectal wall. He frantically felt for it. He had to know how bad this really was.

“Sam?” Jack asked as he eased an intravenous line into Remus’ arm.

“Give him oxygen,” Sam ordered, pushing down on Remus abdomen. “Found it.” He paused. “Fuck!”

“Pushing fluids,” Jack said as he secured the IV line in Remus’ arm, hanging the saline drip on the pole he resized, before he resized a tank of oxygen from his bag and placed the mask over Remus mouth and nose, securing the elastic. “What’s wrong?”

“Full dilation,” Sam said shakily. Oh God, he couldn’t lose his alpha, he just couldn’t, he refused to let it happen. He had finally found a pack, Remus had given him that, he refused to give it all up because Remus was stubborn. But this was bad, this was really really bad. Remus’ cervix was wide open, blood flowing like a river from it. This was why all doctors, no matter what world they were in, were told not to get too emotionally involved with their patients.

“Pressure, Sam. Don’t panic, apply pressure,” Jack ordered, seeing his son falter, seeing him pale. “Potion soaked packing, insert it and hold it there.”

Sam nodded and took the large rolled cotton swabs from his father. He shoved them into the shivering man and pressed them against the wound. Sam took a deep breath and forced himself to focus. “Okay, we need blood, potions are too slow. Get Anne, she’s the only one with his blood type.” Jack nodded and left the room, calling down the stairs. “Sirius, in the bag are twelve syringes in a sealed plastic box. Push them all into his drip,” Sam ordered.

Sirius shakily grabbed the specified box and opened it. “Which one first?”

“Doesn’t matter, just push them all. Insert the needle into the little branch on the clear plastic tubing and push down the end as fast as you can,” Sam instructed as he exchanged the blood-soaked packing for a clean one.

“Siri,” Remus gasped. “I can’t breathe.”

“It’s okay, just relax. We’ll take care of it all. Just relax, Remus,” the Animagus replied, grabbing the plastic tube and feeding potion after potion into it, forcing himself to focus on the tube and not his beloved Remus wheezing beneath him. He watched as Jack eased one end of a red tube into Remus’ arm. Red because it was filled with blood. The other end of it was attached to Anne, who was as pale as a sheet but stayed silent all the same, determined.

Sirius’ heart stopped as Remus began to convulse, the miscarriage to much for his body to handle.

“Bill, Charlie, get Sirius out of here! Now!” Sam yelled and the two redheads grabbed Sirius by the arms, pulling him from the room and towards the stairs.

“NO!” Sirius roared, fighting them, trying desperately to get back to Remus.

“Sirius, come on! You can’t be in there, not right now!” Bill yelled, but it only made him fight harder. He couldn’t leave him. No, Remus needed him, what was Sam doing, throwing him out? Remus needed him, he had to help, he had to do something.

Then there was a gentle hand on his face, stroking back his long hair, forcing him to look down into dark eyes.

“They are doing all they can for him,” Solarin said, stroking his hair. “There is nothing you can do for him now, Sirius. What he needs from you now is to step back, let them do their jobs. Come on, Sirius. Come and sit in the kitchen. Someone will come and get you when they can.”

Sirius crumbled, letting his panic take over, so much so that Solarin’s eyes watered. She blinked it away, her eyes resolute as they drilled into his.

“You won’t lose him,” she said firmly. “He’s strong, if anyone can make it through this, he can.”

Sirius cast one more worried look at the splintered doorframe before he nodded and let her take his hand, let her give him hope once more.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

The hours crawled by, each minute seeming to last days. Time lost all meaning as they waited.

Sirius was curled up in Remus’ chair, Phoenix in his lap, cuddled up. Charlie was rubbing Phoenix’s back as she cried, fear of losing Remus taking her over. It was actually helping Sirius, having to play daddy for the time being. It was excruciatingly difficult to stay positive for her, but he did it. Harry had taken to curling up between Solarin and Bill on the floor under the sink, Miri in his arms.

Arthur had come down a while ago, bringing the news that Remus had stopped fitting but was still being worked on. He was currently pacing with Molly, trying to get her to sit down, the witch clutching both Joseph and Catherine. Anne had come down as well, with absolutely no news to give. She was standing behind Sirius, rubbing his shoulders.

“Hush, sweetheart, it’ll all be all right, you’ll see,” Sirius said, not even believing himself the way Phoenix needed to believe it.

Albus arrived through the floo with Ron, Hermione and Ginny and the four joined them in their waiting, after Ron and Hermione had retrieved their children from Molly.

Sirius wasn’t quite sure what he was waiting for. He was waiting for news, obviously, but what news? That Remus had died? That his body had given out? That he was fine? That Sirius had imagined the whole thing?

Solarin’s head snapped up from it’s resting place on Harry’s shoulder. “Sam’s coming down, Severus is with him,” she announced.

Sirius passed Phoenix to Charlie, the blonde wiping away her tears, and stood up, hovering anxiously by the door. Severus entered first. He crossed to Harry, passed Miri to Bill and picked up the petite being, carrying him to the table. He sat down and secured Harry in his hold, stroking the dark hair. Sirius saw it as a bad sign. Sam entered, his face grave.

“Sam, please…” Sirius begged and Sam sighed, taking a weary seat at the table.

“He’s alive,” Sam said and Sirius dropped to his knees, suddenly remembering how to take a full breath. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, all hugging someone as they cried out their good fortune.

“Oh thank Merlin,” Sirius breathed and looked up at the exhausted healer. “Where is he? How is he? Can I see him?”

“Sirius, come sit down.”

The Animagus was helped to his feet by Arthur and he shakily sat down at the table. Sam had his head in his hands, breathing deep. Remus was alive, what could be wrong? Something was most definitely wrong, Sirius could just see it.

“Maybe your children should leave the room,” Sam advised and Harry was the one who voiced protest.

“No. Me and my sister are not going anywhere, so you just go ahead and say what you have to say, Uncle Sam,” Harry said firmly, and Sam gave him a tired smile despite the seriousness of the situation. He loved it when one of them called him that. Phoenix nodded and Sam sighed.

“Fine, so be it. Sirius, I never lie to my patients or their loved ones, and I have no intention of starting now,” Sam began. “The good news is that Remus is alive, but that is the only good news.”

“What do you mean?” Anne asked.

“Remus has lost a hell of a lot of blood. He is barely hanging on. He is extremely lucky to have made it through the bleeding, by all rights that alone should have killed him. His heart stopped several times, his lungs gave out, we’ve had to hook him up to a machine to breathe for him. He was deprived of oxygen for a small while. We’ll be extortionately lucky if there is no brain damage. Sirius, to be quite honest, we all better start praying for a miracle. If he makes it to dawn, he’ll pull through this. But right now, his chances of surviving through until dawn are slim to none,” Sam said gravely.

Sirius buried his head in his shaking hands and let his tears fall. No, now was not the time to let his children see him fall apart. He wiped them away and looked up at the omega. “I can’t lose him. Please, Sam, just do what you have to. Save him,” he begged.

“I’ve done all I can for now,” Sam said. “I removed the uterus and cervix and healed the wound. He’s had all the blood we can give him without killing Anne. We’re breathing for him, we’re monitoring his heart. There is no more we can do, Sirius. It is all down to Remus now.”

“Can I see him?” Sirius asked shakily.

“Only you. No one but his mate at this point. Even through unconsciousness he is still feral, it’s not safe for anyone else to see him right now,” Sam said and the rest of the pack nodded.

Sam led Sirius from the room and up to Sirius and Remus’ bedroom. They paused outside the closed door.

“You need to be prepared for what you’re about to see,” the healer advised. “There are tubes and wires. He has a catheter for urine collection, it’s attached to a bag. There’s a tube in his throat, the drip, a heart monitor, a chest drain and several small cannulas so we don’t have to keep sticking him with needles. He’s very pale, and fragile looking. You need to be prepared for that.”

Sirius took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m ready.”

Sam nodded and pushed open the door, motioning for Sirius to enter first. Sirius took a step forwards and suddenly he couldn’t breathe again. Oh God, he looked dead, he was so pale. There were so many tubes, so many wires. Sirius made his way over to the chair beside the bed and stared at his husband, hearing the steady beep of the heart monitor.

“Is he in pain?” he whispered and Jack shook his head. “Can I touch him?”

“Of course. If you talk to him, it might help him come around. He’s not sedated, just unconscious. The sooner he comes round, the better,” Sam said, drawing his father aside to discuss possible courses of action as Sirius nodded mutely.

Sirius reached out and slowly eased his fingers under Remus’, stroking his wedding ring, rubbing his engagement ring. His hand was so cold. That wasn’t his Remus. His Remus always had warm hands, always. Sirius remembered in Hogwarts, when it had snowed in seventh year, Remus had warmed Sirius’ freezing hands with his own toasty ones, telling him he was a silly puppy for forgetting his gloves. Once his hands were warm, Remus had leaned in and kissed the tip of his nose. Sirius had proposed that afternoon. They had gone down to the kitchens with Peter and Lily and James for hot chocolate. Sirius had balanced the diamond embedded engagement ring on the thick whipped cream of Remus’ mug while James and Lily distracted him. Once he was able to form a complete word, Remus hadn’t hesitated in giving Sirius his whispered ‘yes’.

Sirius didn’t know how long he sat there, just staring at Remus. There was no smile on his face. His Remus always smiled. He remembered how Remus had smiled at him, that first time Sirius told him how he felt. They had been fifteen, and it had been raining. James and Peter had gone off to Hogsmeade, but Sirius had chosen to stay behind with Remus. They had been in their empty dorm room, Remus had been looking for a book and Sirius had just blurted it all out, how much in love with Remus he was. Remus had smiled at him and crossed the room in slow steps. He had kissed Sirius, right there and then, holding his hands. Sirius had felt him smiling as they kissed. Sirius had never let anyone else kiss him after that.

“Don’t leave me,” Sirius mumbled to his unconscious lover. “Please, Remus, don’t leave me. I can’t lose you, I worked too hard to be with you.”

Sirius reached out and stroked the wavy hair he had tugged on, rubbing his scalp. He remembered Remus’ face as he was taken away to Azkaban. Remus had been in the Ministry, though it hadn’t really been a trial, but Sirius liked to think of it that way. It was the closest he’d gotten to one, having Crouch reel off his crimes and sentence him to life imprisonment. It barely lasted two minutes, start to finish. Remus’ beautiful amber eyes had been fixed on him the whole time, betrayal swimming in those wonderful orbs. Remus had clutched at Albus as Sirius had been taken away, dragged away from him. The papers said Sirius laughed as he was taken away, but they were wrong, all wrong. It was a scream. It was Remus’ name. Sirius would never be able to forget that look, the last one Remus had given him before he lost sight of him, the last one for thirteen years. So much hurt, so much loss, all in one expression. It had haunted him in Azkaban, helping the Dementors.

Wait, that look, he’d seen it again. Sirius wracked his brain. When had he seen it? Where? That day, that Saturday morning in Sam’s office. Finding out about the baby. Oh God, he finally understood why Remus had risked it all for the unattainable. He finally knew what Remus had refused to tell him.

“I get it. Remus, I know, I understand,” Sirius breathed, Sam and Jack watching him intently. “Remus, I understand why you wanted this baby so much, I know now. You lost me, you were alone for all those years. You wanted a piece of me you could keep, just in case I was ever taken from you again. That’s it, isn’t it? Come on, honey, just squeeze my hand, just let me know if I’m right.”

And there it was, beyond any doubt, that small twitch of Remus’ fingers.

“Remus? Remus, honey, come on, do it again,” Sirius begged, standing over the bed, Sam and Jack rushing over to him.

There it was again, a little stronger this time.

“Remus, can you hear us?” Sam asked, looking into his eyes with a penlight. “Squeeze Sirius’ hand if you can hear us.”

Remus not only squeezed his hand, his other hand tried to reach weakly for the breathing tube. Jack switched off the machine breathing for Remus and time stopped for an agonising moment before Remus took a breath on his own. And then another.

“Remus, there’s a tube in your throat. We put it in, in order for us to breathe for you. I’m going to remove it, I need you to try and relax for me,” Sam ordered and Remus’ fingers moved again.

“He understands,” Sirius said and then watched as Remus’ head was tilted back, Jack holding it steady as the tube was pulled smoothly from his lovers throat. Remus coughed and gasped, drawing in weak shuddering breaths.

“Siri,” Remus rasped out and Sirius laughed, a short sharp gasp of pure gratitude to whatever deity happened to be smiling on them at that moment.

“I’m here. I’m right here.” The fingers moved once more before Remus went limp, slipping into an exhausted sleep. Sirius collapsed into his chair, looking at the two smiling healers. “That’s good, right?” Sirius asked.

“Good? Good? That is bloody brilliant,” Sam said, falling into one of the chairs on the other side of the bed. Jack slipped from the room, and they heard him walking down the stairs, probably going to tell the others.

“He’s going to be fine now, right?”

“Sirius, you need to understand that this is just the first hurdle. Once he is sitting up and demanding a cup of tea, then we know he’s going to be fine. Until then, we could still lose him,” Sam said, drawing a blood sample from his unconscious alpha. Well, former alpha.

Sirius nodded and leant his head in his free hand, resting his elbow on the bed, still holding Remus’ hand. It was going to be a very long night.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Solarin nursed her one shot glass of muggle brandy under the watchful gaze of Albus and Bill. The onslaught of emotions from her terrified family were too much for her to handle without help, and Moody always gave her a glass of muggle booze when she was drained. It helped.

Bill and Albus were the only ones still awake with her, everyone else had been persuaded to try and get some sleep. Even Jack and Sam had retired to their room, trying to get some rest while Remus was stable, and Sirius had fallen asleep in his chair.

She wiped away a tear, she couldn’t seem to stop them from falling. Sirius’ emotions had been the worst. Sheer unadulterated terror. It was horrific to pick up. Her barriers had been up, but she hadn’t been able to stop emotions that strong from getting through. Bill looked about as good as she felt, but he didn’t try and touch her. She couldn’t handle being touched, not right now. The emotions had been too big for Miri to register, and for that they were all thankful. They were not something a little girl should feel.

She took a sip as the owl swooped in through the open window. The heat wave hadn’t broken yet, but the heavy clouds threatened it. The beautiful brown bird placed the box it was carrying on the table, settling on top of it, and held out it’s leg for Solarin.

She took the letter and looked at it dubiously. The envelope held nothing but her first name.

“Not another effing Lucius letter,” she muttered, ripping open the envelope and pulling out one of the two pieces of parchment. “Doesn’t he ever get tired of these games?”

“Apparently not,” Albus said, poking at the box. He himself had received a few of Lucius’ ‘presents’, and they were not pleasant.

“Pathetic little boy,” she snarled, but she softened when she read the letter. “Oh my God.”

“What?” Bill asked angrily, feeding the owl a few owl treats. “What the hell has he sent you now?”

“It’s not from Lucius,” she mumbled. “It’s from JJ.”

“JJ? That creepy little kid we were at Hogwarts with?”

“Yeah. JJ stands for Jean-Claude Junior. Jean-Claude was his father, JJ was the reason I got the job in Enchantment. He heard me singing one day by the lake and told his father about it,” she said, pulling out the second piece of parchment. “Jean-Claude mentioned me in his will.”

“What did he leave you?” Albus asked.

“Merlin…he’s left me Enchantment.”

The two men stared at her. “The club? He left you the whole club?” Bill asked incredulously.

“Yeah. It says in his will that I reminded him of his late wife. He’s trying to take care of me. This is dated five years ago. I was eighteen, it was just before I left.”

They were silent, each trying to take it in, and Solarin grabbed her glass, downing the last of her liquor in one gulp. It made her throat burn and she coughed, Bill taking the glass from her. They didn’t move, until the box did.

It rattled. Something inside it was moving.

Bill peeled the letter from the top and opened it, reading it aloud.

Solarin,

My father put in an order for this before he died. It was paid for when it arrived and there is no return address for me to send it back. It has no name, and I do not know where to send it to give it a good home. Maybe you will know of one.

JJ.

She reached out and pulled off the string securing the lid. She laughed as she removed the top.

“What’s funny?” Harry asked as he walked in, carrying a grizzling Miri.

“Is the little one well?” said Albus, motioning to Miri.

“She’s fine, it’s her teeth again,” he said, retrieving a teething ring from the freezer. “What do you say?” he said as he offered it to her. Even at one in the morning he would still carry on with the advice Molly had given him. Discipline needed to be instilled now, before she got old enough to misbehave.

“Ta,” she replied and he let her have it, the tiny girl gumming it desperately. He slipped her into her highchair and poured himself a glass of water, sitting down at the table.

“So, what’s funny?” he enquired and Solarin lifted the purchase with no home out of the box. “Who sent you that?”

“It was Jean-Claude’s. He ordered it before he died. His son has no home for it, so he thought I might know of one. Typical Jean-Claude. He requested the runt of the litter. It’s why he took such a liking to me, because I was so much smaller than everyone else,” Solarin said, cuddling it.

“What are you going to do with it?” Bill said.

“I think I know a good home for it.”

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

“No…please…please don’t…no….not him…please…”

Sirius awoke to the sound of begging. He blinked and looked over to his unconscious husband, to find that it was him that was pleading. He sat up from where he had slumped in his chair and noticed a head of blonde hair curled up against Remus’ side.

Phoenix had obviously crawled into their bed again, half asleep.

But it was Remus that caught Sirius’ attention. He was whimpering, pleading for something, and he was covered in sweat. His face was scrunched up in concentration and he was sobbing in his sleep. Sirius reached out and pressed his cool palm to Remus’ forehead, and then shook Phoenix roughly, waking her.

“Dad?” she croaked.

“Get Sam right now,” he ordered. She took one look at Remus before nodding and running from the room, almost slamming into the doorframe.

Oh God, Remus was shaking now, his body being tested once again.

“Damn it! God, Remus, come on, don’t do this to me! Please don’t do this, not now, not after you’ve worked so hard,” Sirius muttered as he pulled back the blankets from Remus, chucking them off the bed, leaving the trembling man in nothing but his boxers.

“What’s happening?” Sam asked as he sped into the room.

“He’s burning up.”

Sam felt Remus’ forehead and growled, grabbing the bag Jack brought in. He snapped it open and pulled out an in-ear thermometer, pushing it into Remus’ ear and waiting for the little beep. Remus’ heart monitor was going bezerk, making Sirius’ heart pound.

“108,” Sam muttered as Jack took Remus’ blood pressure.

“Through the roof,” Jack said as Sam began drawing blood. Jack moved around the bed and checked the bag attached to Remus. “No urine production in two hours.”

“What’s happening?” came Phoenix’s voice from the doorway. She looked terrified.

“Nix, I need you to go down to the kitchen and tell Solarin that Remus has a fever, she’ll know what we need,” Sam instructed. “Go on, quick as you can.”

She sped away as Jack left the sickroom. “What is happening?” Sirius demanded as Sam ran spells on the vial of Remus’ blood.

“He has an infection, though I couldn’t tell you from what. Everything we used was sterile. His fever is sky high, we need to get it down,” the werewolf said, pulling out a stethoscope. Jack returned with a basin of cold water and a few washcloths.

“Help me sponge him down,” he instructed, handing Sirius a cloth. He took it and began to press it against Remus’ face and neck, Jack concentrating on Remus’ wrists.

“It’s all we have,” came Solarin’s voice as she walked in with Phoenix, carrying a bucket of ice and frozen food. Phoenix began to frantically stuff ice cubes into plastic bags, handing them to Solarin who shoved them against Remus’ boiling skin.

“Sol, on the count of three, I’m going to lift him, and you’re going to slap one of those against his spine,” Sam instructed and she nodded, grabbing another bag from Phoenix. “Okay, one, two, three.”

Remus was pulled up and she pushed the bag under him, the two of them lowering him to the mattress. Solarin sped from the room and Phoenix took over placing the bags. The augur returned a moment later with a dripping wet towel.

“What’re you doing?” Sirius asked as she draped it over Remus’ chest.

“When I was about seven, I got chicken pox and had a fever of 102. Severus had to put me in an ice bath. We can’t do that, we can’t move him with all these tubes and wires. This is close enough,” she said. “Do we have any feverfew?”

“Yes, in the garden, by the roses,” he said and she ran from the room, Severus entering as she exited.

“Harry came and woke me. Here, it’ll help fight the infection,” he said as he handed Sam a glass bottle of lavender potion. Sam lifted Remus slightly and poured it down his throat, taking his time so the man wouldn’t choke or spit it out.

“Get him to drink this,” Solarin said as she re-entered, carrying a glass of green-tinted water. “It’s feverfew tea.”

Sam eased it down Remus’ throat as she placed hot water bottles filled with ice water against Remus’ shoulders.

“What will the tea do?” Phoenix asked, wrapping Remus’ ankles in bags of frozen peas as she had run out of ice.

“Help the fever to break,” the augur said as she pulled off the now warm towel and exchanged it for a cold one Severus handed her.

“Clever girl,” Jack praised.

“You have no idea,” Sam said, listening to Remus’ lungs again. “Lungs are clear, which is encouraging.”

“I learnt from the best,” Solarin said, glancing up at her proud brother.

“How the hell do you remember all this, you were seven when you had chicken pox, and you were delirious at the time,” Severus asked, hanging bunches of chives from the bedposts.

“What are the chives for?” Phoenix queried.

“They promote healing, it’s very old magic, the only kind we can use around Remus,” Severus said.

“Albus is thinking of it, so are you. Sometimes my abilities come in handy,” Solarin said. “This would be so much easier if we could just use healing spells on him.”

“It would be easier if we could move him to St Mungo’s too,” Jack said, hanging a fresh saline bag that had been resting in the ice bucket.

“Why can’t we?” Sirius said frantically. “If it could save him, why aren’t you doing it?”

Solarin glanced nervously at Sam, who motioned to Phoenix. Solarin pushed the blonde to the door.

“Nix, sweetie, I received a gift tonight, Harry is downstairs taking care of it. How about you go and help him?” the dark haired woman suggested.

“But I want to help here!” the blonde argued, staring at the sick man on the bed.

“I know, but there is nothing else you can do. Let us take care of Remus now. Go and help Harry.”

Anne appeared in the doorway and cast a terrified glance at her son. “How is he?” she asked.

“We’re waiting for the fever to break. We’re doing all we can. Take Nix downstairs, please,” Jack requested and Anne cast one more longing stare at her only child before she nodded, taking Phoenix by the shoulders and guiding her to the stairs.

Solarin sighed and closed the door, turning to the frightened Animagus. “Sirius, his magic caused the miscarriage. He can’t be exposed to anymore of it, he might get worse. And we can’t take him to St Mungo’s because Umbridge is there,” she said calmly, taking a seat.

They all settled in chairs, waiting for the fever to break. There was nothing more they could do, it was all down to Remus now. The werewolf was deliriously muttering, making them all frown in confusion.

“Please…don’t…no…not him…please…it can’t be true…you’re wrong…he wouldn’t…not him…”

“Oh God,” Solarin breathed, tears pouring down her face. She couldn’t block Remus out, his emotions were too strong and she’d been pushed to her limit by Sirius’ feelings.

“What? Do you know what he’s talking about?” Severus asked.

She nodded, staring at Sirius. “He’s talking about you being found guilty, the day you were sent to Azkaban,” she mumbled and Sirius broke down, sobbing for all he was worth. She stood up and walked over to him, letting him grip at her before he turned back to the bed.

Sirius took Remus’ burning hand in his own and stroked it. “I’m so sorry, Remus. I am so sorry,” he whispered. He took a deep breath and looked at Sam. “What the hell does Umbridge want?”

Sam sighed. “She wants to eunuchise Remus.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means she wants to render him incapable of mating,” Solarin said diplomatically.

“What!” Sirius yelled. “Why the fuck does she want to do that to my husband?”

“It’s part of the Werewolf Legislations,” Jack said angrily. “The law states that any werewolf who miscarries and survives must be rendered incapable of breeding. They claim it’s a way of ensuring good health in the werewolf, but it’s merely a form of control. The Ministry fear that any child produced by a werewolf will be a werewolf. That’s just not the case, there is no reported case of any child of a werewolf being infected themselves.”

Sirius stared at his rambling husband. He really hated Delores Umbridge. She’d had it in for Remus for years, ever since she had first entered the Ministry. She had seen him as an easy target, and had launched a vendetta against him. While Sirius had been imprisoned, Remus had been unable to find a job in the Wizarding World that lasted more than a few months, he had been forced to live with Anne once again, as Umbridge had taken their flat from him, and she had not let him gain custody of Harry alone. Remus had not even been able to access their Gringotts vault, or claim himself as Sirius’ husband. Their marriage had been declared frozen the moment Umbridge got her hands on their case.

In short, Umbridge had ruined his life.

And now she was trying to do it again.

“She can’t do that,” Sirius whispered. “Not to my Remus, not to my sweet wolf. She can’t.”

“There is a way around it,” Sam said, and Sirius looked hopefully at him.

“We can dose him with a potion to sterilise him,” Jack said. “He will still be able to enjoy a normal sex life, but he will be incapable of fathering or carrying children.”

“What if I carried the child? What if Remus got me pregnant? He could have the child he wants. Or, what if he carries again, could he do that?” Sirius asked hopefully. Remus wanted a baby they had created, there must be a way to get it for him.

Sam sighed and looked at Solarin. The girl had interned with him, spent a summer learning how to change drips and take blood. She had shown quite the skill with delivering bad news. Sam didn’t know how to say what needed to be said without making the situation worse, but Sirius needed to understand.

“It’s not possible,” Solarin said.

“Why not?” Sirius asked.

“Sirius, Remus only survived this because he’s a werewolf. The thing that gave him the strength to live through it until this point is his infection. But Remus won’t survive another miscarriage, and he cannot carry a child to term, his body just won’t allow it,” she explained, trying to be as diplomatic as she could.

“Fine, I get that,” the Animagus said. “But what if I carried it?”

“You would not survive much past conception,” Severus said. “Your body would not accept a pregnancy, there was just too much damage done to you in Azkaban. I am sorry, but the two of you cannot have your own biological child.”

Sirius stared at his lover. Remus really had tried for the impossible. And it had damn near killed him, it could still kill him. Sirius, for the first time since he went after Peter, didn’t care what Remus wanted. It didn’t matter, if he lived through this. With the potion Sam mentioned, Remus would never be like this again.

“Do it,” Sirius said firmly, finding a new hope. “This potion to sterilise him. Give it to him.”

“We can’t. It has to be given with Remus’ consent, it cannot be given with your consent for him,” Jack said.

“But he can’t give his consent.”

“Sirius,” Sam said. “This is a very invasive potion, he has to be conscious to take it. If he lives through this, we’ll convince him to take it. But, until then, the priority is to get him through this.”

They all sat in silence, watching Remus writhe on the bed, proclaiming in tortured cries that Sirius was innocent, that he wouldn’t do that, that they were wrong. Each hazy statement made Sirius weep a little harder, until he was permanently gripping Solarin, who was crying her own tears.

Finally, as the sun started to rise, Remus’ fever broke and he fell back into his exhausted sleep. They removed the ice bags and towels and other various methods they’d used to fight the skyrocketing temperature, covered him with the duvet once more, and left the room, moving to their own rooms to try and get some sleep.

Sirius slipped into the bed, curling up on his side to watch Remus sleep. He chuckled.

“Do you remember the first time we made love?” he asked the unconscious man. “It was sixth year. Everyone else had gone to Hogsmeade, it was the Christmas trip, the one for all the students that stayed for Christmas. They were all excited about the decorations and the feast and stuffing their faces with sweets. Not me. And you were bored of Hogsmeade, you never went after third year. Well, except our night time jaunts on the full moon.” He sniggered, toying with a lock of Remus’ sweat soaked hair. “I was excited about getting the whole day alone with you. No Peter tagging along, no James wanting to go flying, no one but you and me. We ended up in the dorm and we were sitting on your bed, playing Exploding Snap. That didn’t last. Before long, we were both nude and sucking each other off. And then you pinned me to the bed. I’ll never forget it.”

He sighed, running his fingertip along Remus’ nose, stroking his eyelashes, tracing his lips. To Sirius, his lover was the most beautiful thing in the whole world. “All those rumours about me sleeping around were just that, rumours. I’ve never slept with anyone but you, you know. You’re my first, my only. That first time, you took ages preparing me, making sure I was ready. It made me feel so loved, so cherished. I remember how good it felt, having you inside me that very first time, having you touch me. I kept thinking that it didn’t matter anymore that no one else wanted me, as long as I had you. Afterwards, you curled up with me, your head on my chest, stroking little circles on my belly. The two of us watched the snow.”

Sirius laughed. “Do you remember how it turned into a blizzard and everyone was stranded in Hogsmeade for three days? They couldn’t even light the fires to floo back to school, the snow and wind kept getting down the chimneys and their spells wouldn’t take. Merlin, James was pissed off. He got lumbered with sharing a room above Zonko’s with Macnair. But I loved those three days. It was just us, all alone in Gryffindor Tower. I got to sleep in your bed with you, all cuddled up against the cold, and all that time we spent curled up on a sofa under a blanket in front of the common room fireplace. Dumbledore lit that fire for us, and the one in the dorm. He told you what a wonderful couple we made, do you remember? You know, it still makes me laugh that Hogwarts managed to light fires and Hogsmeade couldn’t. Maybe it’s because Hogwarts is bigger or because Dumbledore lit them or something like that.”

He leaned in and kissed Remus’ temple. “That first morning, after the house elves brought us breakfast, you took me again, so slow, so gentle. I remember the way we laid together afterwards, your warm arms around me, kissing my neck. And then you said it. You said that I was your mate, that we were going to be together forever. I can’t remember anything else after that, it’s all fuzzy.”

Sirius swallowed, his eyes stinging with tears. It couldn’t have all been a lie, it just couldn’t. Remus had said forever. But, then again, Sirius had screwed that one up. So much for forever when you’re being taken away to Azkaban.

“I’m so sorry, Moony. I’m so sorry. If I had just kept my head, you wouldn’t have been alone, Umbridge wouldn’t have been able to get at you, everything would have been fine. We wouldn’t be here now.” He sniffed, wiping away his flowing tears. “Please, Remus. Please don’t leave me.”

Sirius lay there staring at him, watching the morning sun creep across him, before the heavens opened and the heat wave broke. He cracked open the windows and listened to the sound of the rain, the steady beep of the heart monitor.

He fell asleep listening to Remus fight to hold on, and remembering their first kiss, that rainy day in fifth year.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Sirius awoke to gentle fingers toying with his hair and the sound of a full blown thunderstorm. He groaned and snuggled further into the warm bedding.

“What time is it? Is it time for breakfast?” he mumbled and was met by an amused chuckle.

“I suspect we’ve missed breakfast altogether.”

Sirius sat up so fast he managed to crack his back and topple out of bed, which earned him another amused chuckle as he swore. He rubbed his head where he had hit it on the nightstand and sat up, peeking over the edge of the mattress.

“That was so smooth,” Remus said, smirking at him. “Definitely showing that pure blood you’ve got. So sophisticated.”

Sirius got up and slid back into the bed, hovering over Remus, stroking his cheek. Remus reached up and tangled his weak fingers into his husbands blue black hair, tugging him down for a kiss. Sirius lost himself in it, using the kiss to reassure himself, to prove that Remus was going to be okay.

Remus pulled away, hissing in pain.

“What the fuck did you do to my dick?” Remus demanded, pulling at the blankets and his boxers so he could look down. Sirius chuckled. “What the hell is that?”

“It’s a catheter. Sam put it in,” Sirius explained.

“Well, take it out. It doesn’t go with a hard-on.”

Sirius dissolved into a full laughing fit, which turned into body wracking sobs that terrified Remus.

“Sirius? Angel, what’s wrong?”

Sirius would have punched him, if he wasn’t so pale and fragile looking still. So instead, he fixed him with an accusing glare.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong! You scared me half to death, that’s what’s wrong!” he snapped, making the werewolf look guilty. “You have no idea, no fucking idea, what last night was like!”

He stood up, pacing angrily.

“I thought I was going to lose you! I very nearly did! After all we’ve been through, after all the things we’ve faced, after how bloody hard we worked to be together again! Merlin, you were bleeding out on our bathroom floor! You spent most of the night being iced down, rambling deliriously with a temperature of 108! You almost died! And Phoenix! Fucking hell, she fell apart, Remus! Both of them did,” he reeled off, getting calmer as he went on. “Our children fell apart because their papa was upstairs, an inch from death.”

“I’m sorry,” Remus whispered and Sirius climbed back onto the bed, pulling him to sit up, careful of the chest drain, and cradled him in his arms.

“Too right you’re sorry.” He sighed at the feel of his husbands slim arms wrapping around his shoulders. “Don’t you ever do anything like this again.”

“Never. I promise, Sirius, I’ll never do this again.” Remus was crying into his neck and Sirius began to cry with him, rubbing his back. “The baby’s gone, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s gone. It just wasn’t meant to be, honey. But I know why you did it, I know now.”

Remus pulled back and looked him in the eye. “So I didn’t dream it? I did hear you talking to me?”

“Yes, I was talking to you.”

“And you know why I did this?”

“I know, honey, I figured it out. And I am so sorry I left you all alone. I swear to whatever deity is up there, I’m never leaving you again. But you’re a fucking imbecile, you know that, right?”

Remus was utterly baffled. “Why am I an imbecile?” he asked timidly and Sirius smiled at him.

“Remus, you already have two pieces of me that can’t be taken from you. You have Phoenix and Harry.”

This caused Remus to gape at him for a moment and then dissolve into another bout of tears. “Oh God, oh Sirius, I could have left them! My sweet little star, my sweet little lion! Oh God, I would have left them!” he sobbed, clutching at Sirius’ shirt. “What the fuck was I thinking? Sirius, what the hell was I doing? Why couldn’t I see it? Why couldn’t I see what I already had?”

Sirius held him close, rocking him. “Hush, honey, it’s all right, it’s all okay now. You’re still here, and you see it now,” Sirius soothed, ignoring the heart monitor frantically beeping.

Eventually, Remus cried himself out and pulled back, looking at his lover. “I heard you. You talked to me all night,” Remus said, stroking one fine cheekbone with his thumb. “I never knew I was your only one. I always thought there were others before me. I didn’t know it was me you gave your virginity to.”

“I kissed others before you, but it never felt quite right, kissing the others. And I admit there was the odd blow job by some over eager partner, but it never went any further than that. As soon as you kissed me the very first time, I knew that there wasn’t meant to be anyone else kissing me but you. And when you took me the first time, I knew I couldn’t ever let anyone else have me but you,” Sirius said, tracing Remus’ spine with an elegant finger. “You are the only one I’ve let have me.”

Remus smiled at him, one of his huge sunshine smiles, and kissed him, snaking his tongue inside. Sirius duelled with it, a few tears of relief falling down his face. Remus was okay, he was going to be fine. Well, Sirius was still waiting for him to demand a cup of tea. Once he heard that, he would let himself relax. Remus yanked away, grimacing.

“Circe! Get Sam, would you? Get him to take all these bloody tubes out of me, starting with this one,” Remus said, motioning to his duvet covered crotch. “And while you’re at it, a cup of tea would be nice.”

Sirius sighed. There it was. Thank Merlin. He propped Remus up on a pile of pillows and moved to the door, smiling as he went. He stopped at the door and looked around at his husband, gnawing his lower lip.

“There’s something I didn’t tell you,” he said and the werewolf nodded for him to continue. “When I was found guilty, when they took me away, I wasn’t laughing. All the papers said I laughed, but they were wrong. I was screaming your name.” Remus gaped at him and he smiled shyly. “I know I told you I screamed, but I should have told you years ago it was your name I screamed. I thought you should know.”

And with that he slipped from the room, scrubbing his hands through his hair as he made his way down to the kitchen. He walked in and the whole room went silent.

“He’s awake, sitting up and demanding a cup of tea,” Sirius announced and Sam laughed, followed soon after by everyone else laughing in relief. Phoenix threw herself at Sirius and he scooped her up, twirling her around.

“How is he?” Solarin asked as Phoenix was placed on her feet and Sirius noticed how ill the elder augur looked. “He wasn’t very happy a minute ago.”

“Have you been reading all of this? Have you read everything we’ve thrown out?” he asked in disbelief.

She nodded. “I couldn’t block it, the emotions were too strong. Even I have my limits, you know. But forget about me, I’ll be fine an a day or two. How is he?”

“Upset and weak.”

She nodded and handed him the requested cup of tea. “He’ll be okay, he’s strong. He’ll make it through this.”

Sirius kissed her cheek and turned to Sam. “He wants the tubes out.” Sam concurred and the two of them walked up to the bedroom, Remus sighing as they entered.

“Thank Merlin. Take these flipping tubes out and stop that bloody beeping,” he demanded and Sam smiled.

“Definitely going to be absolutely fine,” the healer muttered as he pulled on a pair of gloves, grabbed a load of cotton balls and a roll of tape, a basin to put all the needles in, and a few other pieces of equipment that made Remus squirm.

“Tea,” Sirius said, placing it on the nightstand.

“Okay, Remus, which one first?” Sam said once he had finished arranging all his bits and pieces.

“This one,” the younger werewolf said, throwing back the blankets. Sam chuckled and nodded.

“Okay, try to relax for me,” he said as he exposed his patient. Remus nodded and hissed as it was removed.

“I don’t care what the reason is, no one is ever doing that to me again,” Remus said as he was covered over once more. Sam smiled and removed the chest drain, which required stitches and a healing balm to deal with the wound left behind. Sam removed the drip, then the cannulas, and finally the heart monitor, which ripped out some chest hair and made Remus wince.

“Free wax with every miscarriage,” Sam joked and Remus laughed, setting Sam’s mind at ease. Sam cleared away all the used medical equipment while Remus sipped his tea. “I’ve got something else for you to laugh at. Did you know about your mother and my father?”

“What?” Remus asked, Sirius grabbing the mug of tea as Remus threatened to spill it all over himself. “My mother and your father?”

“Yup. Saw them this morning, kissing over the orange juice.”

“You’re kidding,” Sirius demanded. “Anne and Jack? No way.”

“I am very serious. If you don’t believe me, ask Harry and Severus, they saw it too. Dad and Anne don’t know they were seen. Yet.”

They sat in silence, Sam checking Remus over and proclaiming him to be doing excellently, until there was a timid knock at the door. Anne stood in the doorway, close to collapsing with relief, Harry and Phoenix standing with her. Remus opened his arms and was rewarded with both teens barrelling forwards to clamber onto the bed and cuddle up to him, and his mother sliding onto the bed to cuddle him close to her.

“Cubs, what is that?” Remus asked and Sirius smiled.

“It’s a tame wolf cub,” Solarin said as she walked in carrying a tray which she set on the dresser. “You can have him if you want him.”

Remus grabbed the tiny cub making a bid for freedom off the edge of the mattress and looked at it. “Where did he come from?” She passed him the letter from the top of the box and he gazed at her. “Sol, you look terrible. Are you all right?”

“Look who’s talking,” she joked and he blushed. “I’m fine. Give me a day or two and I’ll be back to my old self.” He nodded and read the letter, frowning.

“Are you sure you don’t want him?” Remus asked, motioning to the cub now trying to lick his nose.

“Definitely not. He’s yours, if you want him.” Remus nodded and she grinned. “Right, that’s settled then. Hey, Nix, you want to come with me to get some things for the cub?”

The blonde nodded and kissed Remus’ cheek before she scrambled off the bed, following Solarin out of the room. Harry left soon after to go and feed Miri.

Remus looked up at his mother. “I’m sorry, mum,” he mumbled and she hugged him closer.

“Don’t be sorry. Just promise me you’ll never ever in a million years even-if-the-world-is-ending-you-still-won’t try this again,” she demanded. He nodded and then frowned.

“Wait, we didn’t plan this pregnancy, it was an accident. What’s to stop it happening again?” Remus asked and Sam sighed, sitting down on the bed near his feet.

“Remus, there’s a part of the Werewolf Legislations that says that, now you have survived a miscarriage, you have to be rendered incapable of breeding,” the older lycanthrope began and Remus shook his head, his eyes filled with fear. “Relax, we’re not going to hand you over to the Ministry. Hell will freeze over before I let some little twit near you. But the law is still there.”

Remus sighed in relief. “What does it mean, ‘rendered incapable of breeding’?”

“It means made incapable of producing children.”

“How do you do that?”

“Well, there are two options open to you. The first is the Ministry method which is to eunuchise you. The second is my method, which is to sterilise you,” Sam explained, giving Remus the choice. It was his body, his choice.

“What the bloody hell is eunuchise?” Remus asked.

“It means to render you incapable of more than just breeding. You would be left unable to mate ever again.”

“What?”

“You would be unable to feel any sexual desires. Subsequently, you would not be able to perform sexually, and the process is permanent,” Sam explained.

Remus laughed. “You can rule that one right out. No way is anyone doing that to me, no fucking way,” he said firmly, Anne chuckling at him.

“No one is going to do that, it’s barbaric. Some convoluted attempt to control the werewolf population,” Anne explained. “The Ministry believe that any child born of a werewolf will inherit the condition.”

“But it doesn’t work that way,” Remus argued.

“We know that, but Umbridge doesn’t,” Sirius said and Remus shuddered involuntarily.

“Why did you bring her up? Oh! Oh! Are you going to tell me she met a sticky end? Are you going to tell me she got eaten by a werewolf? Because that would be brilliant!” he asked excitedly and they all laughed at him.

“I wish,” Sirius muttered. “No, Moony, she didn’t get eaten, more’s the pity. Unfortunately, she’s still walking around in one piece and getting too big for her boots again. She’s the one who wants to eunuchise you.”

Remus growled and Sam shrank back. The only one in the pack above Remus at this point was Sirius, and Sam wasn’t fool enough to think Remus wouldn’t attack him for challenging him the day before.

“Don’t worry, I know you didn’t mean your challenge, you can relax,” Remus reassured and Sam breathed a sigh of relief. “So, what about your method? What’s in this sterilising thing?”

“Well,” Sam began. “We would dose you with a potion. It would make you feel pretty ill for a day or two, but that is the only side effect. What this potion does is two things. Firstly, it destroys the part of your magic that is responsible for trying to create life. This means that you would never conceive again, it just wouldn’t happen. You would never be able to get pregnant.”

“Okay, I’m with you so far. What about the second thing it does?” Remus asked.

Sam glanced at Anne and she smiled at him, nodding. She was a mother, she had heard it all before. “Well, the second effect is to do with your testicles. It would render you incapable of producing sperm, so you could never get Sirius pregnant. This potion would leave you unable to ever father or carry a child, but you would still be able to enjoy a perfectly normal sex life.”

“But, what if Sirius carried the child?” Remus demanded. “There are two of us. Surely, Sirius could carry a child.”

“I can’t, Remus,” Sirius said. “Too much damage was done to me in Azkaban. It would kill me, I wouldn’t make it much past conception. And, before you suggest it, you won’t survive another miscarriage. And you would miscarry, you’re just not designed to carry a child. Remus, we can’t try this again, we just can’t. No matter which one of us carried the baby.”

Remus snuggled further into his mother, letting her stroke his hair as he thought it over. Never? There was no chance of ever having their own biological child? Remus was slightly worried by the lack of disappointment that came with that news. Why was that? Why didn’t he feel like he was losing some important opportunity? And why was he not mourning the baby the way he felt he should be? He couldn’t say it to Sam, or his mother. They wouldn’t understand. No one had ever understood him as well as Sirius.

“I need to talk to my husband alone,” Remus said and Sam led Anne from the room. As they left, Sirius climbed into bed with him, stroking his cheek.

“What’s up, honey?” the Animagus asked and Remus chewed his lip.

“Why am I not grieving? I don’t even feel disappointed about the baby. And I don’t feel like I’m losing a chance to have a piece of you. Why? I don’t understand,” he whispered.

Sirius stared at him. “Merlin, you really can be dense sometimes, you know that right?” he said and his husband fixed him with a confused glare. “Remus, this was never about the baby. It was never the baby you wanted. It was me. And now you know that you have me, and you’re not going to lose me. You know now that I’m never going anywhere again, I’m never ever leaving. As Harry keeps saying, no one escapes this madhouse. So, like it or not, I’m staying. And those pieces of me you wanted, the ones you could keep forever, even if I’m not here? You have them. Harry and Phoenix. You have what you wanted, and you understand that you had them all along. That’s why you’re not grieving, and it’s why you don’t feel like you’re losing a chance to have a piece of me.”

Remus stared at him, a slow smile creeping across his face. “I love you,” he said softly and pulled his lover in for a kiss. This time, there was no pulling away in pain. This time, he grabbed Sirius’ hand and pushed it to his hardening cock. “Please, Siri.”

“Remus, you nearly died last night, we shouldn’t be doing this,” Sirius said firmly. “When you get the all clear, I will give you all the orgasms you like. And when you want to, I will play all the games you want while you reassert yourself as alpha. But, just for now, let’s err on the side of caution, okay?”

Remus groaned, but he could see the sense behind it. “Fine,” he grumbled, pulling that fine boned hand away from his rapidly deflating erection. “But as soon as Sam says we can, the first thing I want is for you to suck me off.”

Sirius bit his tongue to keep himself from doing it right there and then, possible consequences be damned. How the hell could Remus reduce him to a horny teenager again? He willed away his own hard-on. Now was not the time.

“As soon as he says we can, I’m going to show you just how much I love you,” Sirius said and Remus smiled.

“Tell Sam I’ll take the potion. I’ll have the sterilisation.”

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

On Friday morning, two days after Remus woke up, Harry wandered downstairs to the basement potions lab to find his husband. Something strange was going on, and he couldn’t quite figure out what it was. But Severus would. He knocked and waited for Severus to ask who it was. He wasn’t about to walk in unannounced and potentially startle the man, that could lead to something important being ruined or Severus accidentally blowing himself up. Either way, Harry would be in trouble.

“It’s me. Can I join you?” Harry called through the door.

“Where is Miri?” came the rich baritone, if slightly muffled, reply. Harry smiled guiltily. Last time he had tried to join Severus, he had forgotten the rule of no babies in the lab and Severus nearly had a heart attack.

“With Molly and Anne.”

“Then yes, you may join me.”

Harry slipped in to the stifling room. It was actually a nice change to the rest of the house, which was freezing. One thunderstorm and the whole house became an ice cube, no matter how many fires were lit. Harry dreaded to think how cold it would be once winter set in. The pounding rain hadn’t let up yet, and Harry jumped every time there was a clap of thunder.

Severus was standing over a cauldron, sprinkling in carefully measured willow bark. Harry hoisted himself onto a free bench, letting his feet swing back and forth as he looked around. There were several other cauldrons scattered around the room, bubbling away, each at a different stage of completion. Floating above each of the cauldrons was an order form charmed to make it impermeable to flames, fumes, and anything else that could destroy it or cause it to flutter down into the concoction. Severus’ owl order business had taken off with flying colours, and he spent his time in his lab while Harry was in tuition with one of his fathers. Shelves lined the walls, filled with jars and bottles in varying shapes and sizes, filled with weird and wonderful things. Each container was meticulously labelled, and Severus charmed the room each time he left it to prevent Solarin and Bill messing with his painstaking organising.

“Something on your mind?” Severus asked as he stirred, passing Harry a jar. Whenever Harry joined him, when it was just the two of them with a bunch of simmering cauldrons, Severus let him help. “I require them to be a fine powder.”

“Fine powder. Yes, there is something on my mind. I have a question. Well, I have one which may lead to more, and it’s safe for me to ask you. Plus, I like watching you work. What are you making?” Harry reeled off as he began crushing the yellow flowers in a pestle and mortar. “Is it something for Remus? Do you want the whole jarful crushed?”

Severus smiled at him. “Yes, the whole jarful. And what makes you think it is for Remus?”

“The wolfsbane flowers I’m crushing. Wolfsbane is poisonous for humans, but it’s safe for werewolves, so this is either for Remus or Sam, and Remus is the more likely candidate for a potion right now. I suppose it could be for an order, but my guess is that it’s something for Remus seeing as there’s no order form for this cauldron.”

“Very good. Ten points to Gryffindor, Mr Potter,” Severus praised and Harry smiled. “It is the sterilisation potion. Your fathers insisted that I be the one to make it. After their experience with Madame Mystic, I can see why.”

Harry shuddered and handed his lover the mortar, now full of bright yellow powder. “You know what, I’m never taking anything made by anyone but you.”

“I would not let you take anything made by someone other than myself. I am a master for a reason. The only exception would be Solarin,” Severus said as he mixed the powder into the potion.

“Is she as good as you?”

“She was trained by me, she is the only brewer I would trust. Now, that needs to stew for an hour before I add anything else. You said you had questions,” Severus prompted as he left the potion to simmer, setting the timer.

“Can we stay in here while you answer them?”

“Of course. Are you feeling all right, love?” the older man asked, stroking Harry’s cheek, standing between Harry’s knees, his other hand resting on his slim thigh.

“I’m fine. I just want to be alone with you.”

Severus smiled and leaned in, kissing him. Harry wrapped his arms around his husband’s shoulders, responding immediately. He loved it when it was just the two of them. They didn’t get uninterrupted time together very often during the course of a day, not with so many people living in one house, even more of them on the weekends, and a teething baby to care for. Plus, there were orders for Severus to brew, lessons for Harry to attend, and chores for them both. Bedtime was the only real time they had. It was rare that the two of them just got a moment alone, and they took full advantage of those moments.

Harry moaned as Severus’ tongue teased his, then moved on to tickle the roof of his mouth, something Harry adored. The man had a positively wicked tongue when he was verbally abusing someone, but when he was kissing Harry, it became sinful. Harry reasoned that if his husbands kisses were going to send him straight to hell, at least he was going to enjoy the ride. They were interrupted by a loud clap of thunder that made Harry jump.

“Ouch!”

Harry blushed and stroked Severus cheek. “Sorry, Severus.”

“You know, at seventeen, you really should be past being frightened of thunder. Especially when it’s my tongue that gets bitten,” Severus joked and Harry squirmed, staring out at the room. Harry rubbed at his wrists and Severus immediately became concerned, replacing Harry’s hands with his own, caressing the scars. “Harry? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, not wrong. There was a thunderstorm the day you saved me,” Harry explained, smiling at the gentle touch from his husband. “Don’t you remember the way the thunder echoed through Malfoy Manor while you were working on the manacles?”

Severus ran his fingers through the unruly raven tresses and lifted Harry’s head to look at him. “I’d forgotten all about that. If you want, you can take a calming draught. It will help if the storm is making you nervous,” he suggested and Harry shook his head.

“No, it’s not that I’m nervous. And the thunder doesn’t frighten me. It’s just…well, every time the thunder goes, I think about how glad I was to see you. And it takes me by surprise, even now. I didn’t think anyone would save me, I’d stopped hoping. And then there you were. You’re my hero,” Harry admitted shyly.

Severus smiled and kissed him, letting Harry stroke his sore tongue with his own. “You are mine, my Harry,” he whispered against Harry’s lips before he stole another kiss.

“Forever,” Harry whispered back, resting his forehead against Severus’.

“You can jump all you like, love, so long as it is good thoughts that are causing it. So, do you still want to ask your questions? Or do you just want to sit here with me for a while?” Severus asked softly.

“Can I do both?”

“Of course,” the Potions Master said as he sat down on the bench next to Harry. “What is your main query, love?”

“I was wondering what’s going on between Sam and Tonks,” the Seeker said as he entwined their fingers.

“What do you mean?”

“Sol and Bill don’t want to leave the two of them in the same room together. And Tonks keeps giving Sam funny looks. And there’s something off about the way Sam flirts with Tonks. It’s not the same as when he flirts with Nix or Hermione, or anyone really. It’s not playful when he does it with her, he really means it.”

“Yes, I have noticed the same things, but Sol will not talk to me about it. Even Bill is managing to keep his mouth shut, something I didn’t think he could do around me,” Severus agreed. “Do you have a theory about what it may be?”

“How did you know I would?” Harry asked, smiling.

“Because my beautiful husband has a brilliant inquisitive mind,” Severus replied, kissing his temple. “So, what is your latest theory?”

Harry giggled. “Do you remember when you told me that Sam hasn’t found a lasting mate yet?”

“Yes,” Severus said. He knew how Harry worked. To validate his theories, he checked his facts first and then made an informed observation. Severus was usually the one confirming the information, and he had become quite good at speculating with his lover.

“And you said true mates are rare,” Harry said.

“Yes, I did say that.”

“Well, what makes Remus and Sirius so special? Is it just because they’re true mates?”

“No, it is not just that. Your fathers are so unique because it is rare for a werewolf to find their true mate in the form of a human, and it is virtually unheard of for a mating between a human and a werewolf to go the distance. Remus and Sirius have been together over twenty years,” Severus explained. “Wasn’t this in your reading?”

“It was, but I just want to be sure. Severus, could Tonks be Sam’s mate? Could that be what Sol and Bill are so worried about?”

Severus looked at him confusedly. “It could be possible, based on their behaviour around each other, but that would not explain why my sister and her husband are so worried. You know, no matter how many times I refer to them as being married, I still can’t quite make myself believe they actually did it.”

Harry sniggered. “They’ve got the rings to prove it, and the marriage licence,” he pointed out.

“It’s still not getting through to my brain,” Severus said. “Anyway, we were talking about Sam and Tonks. Where were we? Oh yes, them being mates not explaining Solarin and Bill’s behaviour. I cannot see what the problem would be if Sam and Tonks are mates.”

“Didn’t Tonks say she wasn’t the type to settle down?”

It was like a light bulb going on in Severus’ mind. “Oh, I follow! Well, no wonder those two are so worried.”

“Explain,” Harry commanded.

“If a werewolf is rejected by their mate after the bond is formed they can become very ill, some even die from it. That is why Remus was so frail looking when he was your teacher. He felt betrayed by Sirius, by his apparent guilt. He was quite ill. If Tonks is indeed Sam’s mate, and she chooses to walk away after they have mated, it could have some very bad consequences for him,” Severus reasoned. “Solarin could be trying to save Sam unnecessary problems by running interference.”

Any further comment was cut off by the sound of said augur crying out Bill’s name in pleasure.

Severus groaned and Harry’s face blazed. “Silencing charm,” they muttered.

An hour later the whole family started to convene in the kitchen for lunch. As soon as Harry and Severus entered the kitchen, Molly handed Miri to her carrier.

“We can’t figure out what she’s saying,” Molly said. “I thought it was something about one of her toys, but she rejected all of them.”

“I thought it was something to do with the clock,” Anne suggested. “But she said no when we pointed to it.”

Harry smiled and kissed Miri’s forehead. “Thank you for watching her for me. I’m sure I’ll figure out whatever it is she’s saying,” he reassured the two smiling witches before he looked at his daughter. “Come on, sweetheart, tell carrier.”

“Tis,” she said, snuggling into his shoulder.

“Ah, your teeth. All right, baby, show me,” he instructed. He was becoming very fluent in Miri-speak, as Phoenix had dubbed it. There were times, like now, when he was the only one who could understand her.

She opened her mouth and pointed her teeny finger at her lower gums. Harry could see the tiny white speck of a tooth just visible through the pink flesh.

“Who’s my clever girl for cutting her first tooth, at long last? Shall we show daddy?” he asked as he walked over to where Severus was watching them. She held out her little arms to him and the ex-Slytherin cuddled her close, telling her how clever she was as she showed him. “I’m not so sure about breast feeding her now she has an actual tooth to bite me with,” Harry said.

“She never uses you as a teething ring, it should be safe still,” Severus said before he sat the little girl on the edge of the table. “Miri, what do you not use for teeth?”

She pointed at Harry. “No tis caya.”

The two men smiled. “Good girl,” Severus praised. “Now, Miri, what do you want for lunch? Do you want peaches?”

“Ta.”

“I’m really starting to love her talking,” Harry commented as he crossed to the fridge, taking out a pot of pureed peaches and a baby bottle of water. “It’s so much easier.”

“Look who’s well enough to make it downstairs,” Anne said as Remus entered the kitchen, leaning on Sirius.

“I felt it was time,” Remus said. “What’s Miri eating today?”

“Peaches.”

“How is the weaning going?” Sirius asked as he helped Remus to the table, Anne fussing over the frail lycanthrope.

“Very well. She hasn’t managed to finish a whole pot yet, but she’s getting there,” Severus said as Harry poured Miri’s lunch into her little red bowl before bringing it to the table with one of her plastic spoons and the bottle. “We find it best to offer her solids instead of her lunchtime nursing. She didn’t take to the baby cereals at breakfast, but she does enjoy her fruit at lunch. It seems to be working, at least, it has for the last four days. We’ll cross our fingers for peaches on day five.”

“Clever little witch. I can’t wait to be able to hold her again,” Remus said as Harry pulled the highchair over to the table.

Sam had pronounced that Remus would have to wait until the first of October to be allowed to use magic once more, so he could not hold Miri until then. He and Sirius had also been forbidden from having sex until the first, which both of them were ready to weep at.

“Rus, Rus, Rus,” Miri said excitedly, pointing at him, making him smile and wave at her. Then she pointed at Sirius. “Sis. Sis dah.”

Sam walked in, looking unusually gloomy. “Clever girl. Though even I can’t translate that last word. I bet your Aunt Sol has been teaching you words without telling carrier or daddy the meanings. Miri, where’s Sam?” Harry asked her as he retrieved her from Severus and put her in her chair.

“Sum,” she replied obediently, pointing at the miserable man as Harry strapped her in. The tiny girl patted the tray of her chair as she caught sight of her bowl. “Duns.”

Apparently, lunch, or ‘duns’ as it pronounced in Miri-speak, was more exciting than the elder werewolf.

“Sorry, Uncle Sam. You’ve been replaced by peach mush as the main attraction,” Harry said to the healer as he sat down. “I tried, but lunch is too much of a lure for her.”

“Ah, fair choice. I think any intelligent woman would choose peach mush over me,” Sam said as he slumped at the table. “I think the peach mush is better for a woman than me.”

Harry bit his tongue so he didn’t say anything he might regret, but he did share a worried glance with Severus as the tall man passed to help Molly chop vegetables. “Where is everyone?” Harry asked to distract himself as he accepted a bib from Anne, fastening it around his daughters neck.

“Bill just flooed back to work and Sol has not come down yet. Phoenix was in the dining room watching the storm, though I don’t know if she’s still there, I think Charlie was with her. The baby twins are with their parents, who are loving the extra few days with their children. Jack was in his room the last time I saw him,” Anne reeled off as she placed plates on the table. “Bill did mention something about the prankster twins popping in, and maybe Tonks. Apart from that, I have no idea who else is coming for lunch.”

Remus pulled his attentions away from the baby augur happily slurping at her meal to fix his amber gaze on his mother.

“Mum?”

“Yes, darling?” she replied as she rummaged for knives and forks.

“I heard something very interesting about you,” Remus said lightly, Sirius grinning next to him. Harry and Severus caught on and tried to hide their smiles, and Sam looked much brighter all of a sudden.

“Is that so? Well, I enjoy a good rumour as much as the next mother. What did you hear?” she replied as she passed Sam cutlery to set out.

“I heard that you were kissing Jack over the orange juice,” he said innocently and she spun around to stare at him in shock. “Were you caught kissing the nice healer, mummy?”

“Who told you that?” she asked nervously.

“Oh, I never reveal my sources. Were you kissing him, mum? Are you dating the nice Healer Jones?” he teased.

“I don’t think that’s an appropriate topic for discussion,” she said evasively as she began to pour drinks.

“Anne and Jack, sittin’ in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g,” Sirius sung and she flushed a bright red.

“Come on, mum, just tell us if it’s true,” Remus persisted as his mother slapped his husband with the tea towel, Sirius sniggering as he defended himself.

She stared warily at her son for a moment, chewing her lip nervously, before she sat down next to him. “You know I loved your father, don’t you? I mean, if I were dating Jack, you wouldn’t think I was trying to replace him, would you?” she asked and Remus smiled.

“Mum, dad died nine years ago. And I know you loved him. If you are dating Jack then it’s fine with me,” he reassured. “I know you wouldn’t try to replace dad.”

She looked at Sam. “And you know that I would never try and take your mothers place, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, Anne. Besides, my mother died thirty three years ago, it’s about bloody time he started dating someone, and I can’t think of a better woman for him than you,” he said with a wink.

She smiled at him. “Then yes, I am dating Jack.”

“Hey, this kind of makes Jack and Sam permanent fixtures,” Harry said. “They’re not just pack members because Sam’s your wolf brother, Remus. This kind of makes Uncle Sam your step brother.”

Remus looked over at his healer. “What do you say, Sam? Feel like having a kind of step brother?”

“What’s this about kind of step brothers?” Jack asked as he walked into the kitchen, cutting off Sam’s answer.

“I told them about you and I,” Anne revealed and Jack looked nervously at the two werewolves.

“Oh, for Merlin’s sake!” Sirius said with a smile. “Sam, Remus, do either of you have a problem with your parents kissing over the orange juice?”

“No,” said Remus.

“Of course not,” said Sam.

“Great. So nana and grandpa can stop worrying about upsetting anyone and we can get down to a real issue,” Sirius said, looking to Severus. “Can you tell your sister to remember Silencing Charms next time Bill misses his lunch hour for her?”

“I intend to,” Severus said as he chopped up carrots. “Oh, before I forget, the potion will be ready tomorrow morning at ten. It needs to simmer overnight.”

“Thank you, Severus,” Remus said.

“It is no problem. I think it is safe to say no one in this pack will be taking anything I have not brewed.”

“Definitely not.”

“Does that rule out things I brew too?” Solarin asked as she walked in carrying the laundry basket.

“No, you are the only exception,” Severus said as Solarin placed the basket near the washing machine and snagged a carrot to chew on. “However, you are not exempt from Silencing Charms, young lady. No one in this house wants to know what you and Bill do behind closed doors.”

She blushed faintly and looked sheepishly at her brother. “I am so sorry. We kind of…”

“I do not have any desires to know,” he interrupted her. “Just tell me your forgetfulness does not extend to the Charm. Just tell me you are still remembering your contraceptive.”

She walked away from him, pulling at her hair. “We’re…umm…we’re not using it anymore,” she admitted quietly.

“What?” he half yelled, turning to face her while still holding his knife. “Solarin, what are you thinking? You have only been married five minutes, it is far too soon for you to be indulging in that kind of recklessness!”

“There’s not much point in trying to prevent a pregnancy if I can’t have children,” she said bluntly.

He deflated, looking penitent. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-”

“I really don’t want to talk about this. It’s fine, really. You forgot, I get it. I’m going to the bathroom,” she interrupted, sweeping from the room.

Severus put his knife on the chopping board and sighed, looking up at the ceiling as he leaned against the marble kitchen counter. “Great parenting form, Severus. Really, it was great. A little shaky on the dismount,” he muttered to himself. He looked at the other inhabitants of the room. “I shouldn’t have said that, should I?”

“Probably not,” Sirius agreed. “But she’ll get over it.”

“I have a big mouth,” the Potions Master muttered.

“Happens to the best of us,” Jack reassured.

“I should go and talk to her.”

“Oh no you shouldn’t. She just said she doesn’t want to talk about it,” Molly pointed out. “Leave her be. Trust me, it’s the best way to go.”

Severus glanced around at them and let his eyes land on Miri. Sam had said that Solarin being forced to hide her gift, to stop using it, around Tobias and for the four years she was away, coupled with the damage the Ministry did to her was what had caused her infertility to be so severe. Miri would have the same problem, but not to Solarin’s degree. Miri would not have the heartache his sister did. When the time came, many decades from now Severus hoped, for Miri to start thinking of starting a family, her chances of conceiving were much higher, and better, than Solarin’s.

Severus was suddenly very thankful for Spinners End going up in flames. He was glad to be living in Grimmauld Place, glad of all the people around him, all the people there to help and give advice at the drop of a hat, any hat. Harry would not have the same difficulties he had faced with Solarin, and Severus himself would not have to struggle with Solarin alone anymore.

“Thank you,” Severus said firmly.

“For what?” Anne asked as she stirred the vegetable stew.

“For everything. Solarin and I, we never had anyone but each other. I mean, we had Albus and Mad-Eye, but they were always in the background, there if I really needed help. It wasn’t like this. It wasn’t a proper family. Thank you for giving us that,” he said.

“I think they get it, Sev.”

He looked up into the doorway to find Solarin standing there, watching him.

“I hate that nickname,” he growled.

“I know.”

“Are you all right?”

She sighed. “I’m fine. Sorry I snapped. I forget, and then something happens, or someone says something and I remember. And it hurts. I understand you forgetting. It’s okay, it’s not like you were trying to be tactless,” she said, crossing the room and letting him hug her. “Anyway, can we talk about something else, please?”

“Anne and Jack are dating,” Molly said and Solarin snorted.

“I could have told you that weeks ago.”

“What? How?” Jack spluttered.

“Your tastes,” she said simply, bending down and picking up the wolf cub licking her bare toes. “Does he have a name yet?”

“Sirius suggested Romulus,” Remus said with a smile.

“Poor pup. Lets not give Nix licence to mock him for the rest of his life,” she suggested as she handed him to Remus. “And Romulus would get shortened to Rom, or Lus, or something like that.”

“While everyone is pondering that, what do you mean by our ‘tastes’?” Anne asked.

“Magical signatures. You and Jack, your signatures match. It’s how I know a couple is meant to be together, if they follow the signs, that is.”

With that, Sam bolted from the room. They heard him slam the bathroom door and then vomiting. Solarin sighed.

“What is wrong with Sam? He’s been acting funny for a couple of weeks now,” Sirius said.

As Remus opened his mouth to explain it, for he had figured it out too, Tonks flooed in for lunch. Remus leaned in close to his husband.

“That is what’s wrong with Sam. She’s his mate.”

The room became a very tense place when Sam returned from the bathroom.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

The tension could have been cut with a knife, it was that thick. The whole pack kept throwing worried glances at Sam and Tonks. The elder werewolf and his mate were sat at opposite ends of the table. It was testament to how far Sam had gone with forming the bond with Tonks when he growled at his father for brushing Tonks’ hand as he passed her the rolls.

“Tonks, can I talk to you?” Solarin said as they began to clear away the dishes.

“No, I want a word with her,” Sam said sharply and Solarin took a deep breath to keep herself under control.

“I think it’s best if I talk to her,” she said to the twitching werewolf.

“No. Tonks…can I…umm…have a word…in private? Please?” he asked, finding it hard to get out what he wanted to say.

The metamorphmagus looked at the two of them, trying to figure out what was wrong with the scene. She suddenly had the urge to get as far away from the werewolf as possible. She didn’t want to be alone with him, she didn’t even want to be in the same room as him.

“Maybe some other time, Sam. I really should go and help Molly with the laundry,” Tonks said as she slowly began backing to the door.

“We really need to talk,” he persisted.

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

It was, apparently, the wrong thing to say. Sam was across the room and pinning her to the kitchen wall in seconds, taking the young Auror by surprise. Solarin was screaming for Sam to stop, trying to pull him away from her friend. But he brushed her off, sending her flying into the table. Tonks was terrified. The man had her hands pinned to the cold stone, she couldn’t get to her wand and she couldn’t free herself without it. She could not perform wandless magic, that was a natural talent she did not possess.

Sam could hear her heart beating frantically, the scent of her surrounding him, intoxicating him. Her skin was so soft under his hands, she fit perfectly where he pressed his lithe frame against her. She was gazing up at him with wide purple eyes, her lips parted in her surprise. Others were coming, he could hear them thundering across the room, their footsteps louder than the raging storm outside. He couldn’t stop himself, it was instinct taking over. She was his, meant to be with him, why couldn’t she understand that? He could feel it, why couldn’t she? Well, he would just have to make her feel it.

He leaned in and took her mouth with his own, kissing her roughly, his tongue snaking into her mouth to taste her. She tasted so sweet, so perfect, so impossibly young compared to him. She was trying to protest against his lips but his kiss turned her words into nothing more than startled cries, which turned him on. The more she struggled, the more he pressed her into the wall.

“Force Recall on him,” Severus commanded, but Solarin shook her head.

“I can’t. She’s too close, I could kill them both.”

Remus surprised them all by pulling himself to his feet and hobbling across the room. He grabbed Sam by the scruff of the neck and literally threw him off the young woman. Sam landed on the table and went rolling off it, landing in a heap on the floor. Tonks sped from the room, and they heard the slam of one of the upstairs bathroom doors.

Sam groaned and rubbed his head, and then had to cover it as Solarin launched herself at him. She hit every inch she could get hold of, and he was pretty sure he would end up with a black eye at least.

“You stupid, irresponsible prick! How could you? I warned you, Sam, me and Bill both warned you several times!” she screamed and Sirius grabbed her around the middle, pulling her off him.

“Let it go, Sol,” the Animagus said firmly and she stared at the cowering healer before she nodded.

Sam looked around, feeling like he had just come out of a weird dream. He couldn’t really remember what had happened, but their pitying stares told him he had done something really bad.

“What did I do?” Sam asked his father as he helped him up.

“You attacked Tonks,” Jack whispered and had to hold his son up as his knees buckled.

“Oh God! No, please, dad, tell me I didn’t,” the werewolf begged, gripping at Jack’s shoulders.

“You did. Come on, sit down.”

Sam sat at the table and Severus handed him a brandy. “Drink it, it will help,” he said and Sam gripped the glass with shaky hands.

Sam sipped the alcohol as he watched Sirius help Remus back to his seat. It was coming back to him in bits.

“I went feral, didn’t I?” Sam whispered.

“Yes, you did, and you scared the poor girl half to death,” Remus said sternly. “You have to let us explain it to her, Sam.”

“No,” Sam argued. “She won’t accept it from you, any of you. It has to come from me.”

“Sam, you can’t even be in the same room as her right now,” Solarin said, pressing a tissue to her split lip.

“How did you get that?” he asked timidly.

“Oh, it might have happened when you sent me flying. I tried to pull you off Tonks. Your wolf wasn’t too happy with me.”

Sam hung his head in shame. “I am so sorry.”

“Quit your apologies,” she snapped. “It’s not your fault, it’s the wolf. Well, almost the wolfs fault. You are the one who started forming a bond with the girl who doesn’t know what the fuck’s going on, but hey, I’m sure you just had selective hearing the twenty thousand times me and Bill told you not to.”

“Lay off the man, Sol,” Fred said.

“Stay out of it!” Sam snarled.

“That is enough!” Remus growled. “Fred, George, you cannot be here right now. Sam’s wolf sees you as a threat, you need to leave. It is not safe for you.”

“Go back to work, we’ll contact you when you’re less likely to be mauled,” Harry said.

The twins nodded and flooed out.

“Right, Sol, you go and talk to Tonks, explain it all to her,” Sirius ordered and Sam made to protest, but the alpha stopped him. “Sam, enough. Solarin will explain. You had your chance, your chance has passed. She needs to be told, and you are in no fit state to talk to her right now.”

Solarin left the room and Sam stared at his alpha. “I really screwed this up, didn’t I?” Sam asked.

“Just a bit. But, in this pack, all mistakes are fixable.”

“How the hell did you do it?” the healer questioned Remus. “You and Sirius. You two knew each other for five years before you acted, and even then, Sirius made the first move. I know her for a few weeks and I’m attacking her. How did you do it?”

“Amazing self restraint?” Anne suggested and Remus sniggered.

“Have you taken into consideration that I wasn’t a fully mature werewolf until I was fifteen? I matured in the July, me and Sirius got together in the October,” Remus said with a smile. “Those months were tough, I’ll admit. But they were worth it.”

“Well worth it,” Sirius concurred.

“Give Tonks time, and let Solarin talk her around,” Remus said. “You’d be amazed at how good that girl is at getting people to listen.”

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Solarin did indeed get Tonks to listen, and come out of the bathroom. And then Sam wished for a lightning bolt to fry him.

“Why didn’t you say something?” the pink haired Auror demanded as she shoved him into the half finished playroom, slamming the door. The walls were now a pale peach and the shelves had been put up. The calm colour didn’t help the situation much.

“I tried,” Sam defended. “But I just couldn’t get the words to come out.”

Tonks sighed and peered at him. He looked awful, more ill than Remus, and that was saying something. All the time she had known him, she had felt this strange pull in her gut. She had even gone to her own healer to try and find out what it was. Her healer had been unable to explain it, but now it was all so clear.

Tonks had to admit, she was attracted to him in a way she had never been to anyone else. It was almost primal, the instinct she had to touch him. It was distracting. She hadn’t been able to function properly since the day she met him.

“You’re going to answer some questions for me, and you’re going to answer honestly,” she ordered and he nodded immediately.

She wasn’t really sure where to start, what she wanted to know first. Solarin had done a pretty thorough job of explaining what was happening, but there were certain things she needed to know before she was calm enough to assess how she actually felt about him.

“This pull I feel, is it mean to happen?” she asked.

“Yes. It’s meant to show you the path to take, to show you that you’re meant to be with me,” he replied immediately.

Sam was no fool, though he had done an excellent imitation of one recently. This was an Auror trained by Mad-Eye Moody himself, and he was under no illusions. She would probe his mind to get her answers if she had to.

“And this bond we’ve got. Sol told you not to start forming it, so did Bill. Why did you?”

He gulped. That was the one question he didn’t want to answer. “I couldn’t stop myself. Tonks, I am fourty five. I’ve been a werewolf for thirty three years, and not once did I ever consider that I would find my mate. And then I did,” he admitted. “I knew it was wrong, I knew I shouldn’t do it, but I couldn’t stop. Don’t you get it? To me, you are the most precious thing in the world.”

She didn’t want to give in to those pleading honey eyes, but her resolve was slipping. No man had ever affected her like this. She could feel it, this bond he had formed. Even if she didn’t want to admit it, she knew he was right. He was hers, he was the one she was made for.

“What does it mean for me to be your mate?”

“I will never love anyone but you, and I will never let anyone touch me but you. If we have sex, I will have bound myself to you for the rest of my life. I’ll always be there, my wolf instincts see you as the most precious thing in the world, something that I have to protect,” Sam said quietly. “If we do mate, the bond will become solid. We’ll be together forever.”

“What if we break up? Stop loving each other?”

“That won’t happen. Werewolves mate for life. Once we mate, we will be bound together. We’ll be together forever, we’ll never want anyone but each other.” He sighed. “I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have done this, I should have walked away,” he whispered.

Sam hugged himself and walked to the window, staring out into the street below. He suddenly wished for the days when it had all been simple, when he had been small enough to believe his father could right any wrong, make it all better. Those days had been much more uncomplicated. Damn it, he was a submissive omega, he wasn’t supposed to go all dominant over his mate. But that was the thing about mates, it was never as simple as it should be.

Tonks watched his slim toned shirt covered back shake and she knew he was crying. Did she really mean that much to him? She hadn’t believed Solarin when she had told her how right they were for each other, but now she did. And then it hit her that he had never meant to get this deep, that he was in over his head. He was drowning in this bond, and she knew with full certainty that if she did reject this, even at this early stage in the bond, Sam would die from it. The thought made her feel sick. No, that wasn’t what fate had in store for this man.

Sam jumped at the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Tonks tried to turn him around but he resisted. He didn’t want her to see his tears.

“I am so sorry. I never should have done this, dragged you into it all. This isn’t fair on you, I should have listened. I am so sorry,” he whispered.

Sam wasn’t quite sure how it happened, how she had done it, but he was suddenly flat on his back, pinned to the floor by one smiling witch.

“You really don’t get it, do you?” she said. “The bond takes two. In my training, we studied werewolves. I know how you form a bond like this, and I know that it takes two. You didn’t do this on your own, you couldn’t.”

Her words made sense, but still they weren’t quite getting through to his brain. “I don’t understand,” he said cautiously and she giggled.

“Sam, we both formed it. We only got this far because we were both idiots,” she said. “If we had just talked instead of avoiding the issue, you wouldn’t have gotten so sick. So, now you’re going to listen to me.”

He nodded mutely, too afraid to speak.

“You, Healer Samuel Jones, are mine, do you hear me? You are mine and I am yours. I am your mate, and I love you. I should have figured it out weeks ago, but I was in denial. I didn’t want to admit that I had feelings this strong, that I may have found the one I want to settle down with. I love you, Sam,” she said firmly. “So, are you going to kiss me now or what?”

He laughed and used his werewolf strength to free his hands, reaching up to gently thread his fingers through her hair. “What do you really look like?” he asked and then he watched as she showed him.

Her hair was naturally a long straight dark brown, and she had the same blue eyes as Sirius. Her real nose was a cute button nose, and her mouth was full and just begging to be kissed. Merlin, she was beautiful. And she was his.

Sam pulled her down so her lips were mere millimetres from hers and then stopped. “I’m sorry for what happened in the kitchen,” he whispered.

She smiled. “You’re forgiven,” she murmured before she closed the distance, capturing his lips with hers.

It was so simple, so easy. Tonks and Sam were mates, together forever.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Sirius took Severus to one side before lunch and tried desperately not to blush. He couldn’t quite get what he needed to say to form actual words.

“Is there something you wanted?” Severus asked quietly when it seemed as if Sirius was not going to talk anytime soon. It could be anything. Remus had only just taken the sterilisation potion.

The side affects of that particular potion had been known to be difficult to handle. They included vomiting, stomach cramps, and a feeling of being kicked in the balls. Remus looked particularly sore, so Severus was expecting a request for a pain potion.

“Yes, there is. Well, I was wondering if you could take everyone out on the first of October. Maybe you could take Harry to spend his voucher at Florean Fortescues, make a real family outing of it,” Sirius said lightly.

Severus was confused. The first of October was only a week away. The logistics of it all were easy enough to work out, but why was Sirius asking such a thing? Had the man forgotten how reluctant Severus was to let Harry out of the sanctuary of the house? And why on the first?

“Sirius, why do you want everyone out of the house on that specific day?” Severus asked suspiciously.

Sirius shifted uncomfortably and took a deep breath. “On the first, me and Remus will have the all clear to resume a physical relationship,” he said diplomatically. “I’m still technically the alpha, he’s going to reassert himself. It would be best if no one were here to get in his way.”

Ah, Severus understood now. Remus reasserting himself could get…aggressive, to say the least. People had been known to end up in comas getting in the way of a werewolf trying to reassert their pack position. He smirked.

“Are you sure you can handle him? You are, after all, not as young as you were last time,” Severus queried.

Sirius chuckled. “I’m not that old,” he joked. “I can handle it. I’d just prefer it if my children were not in harms way from their papa.”

Severus smiled. “Very well, I shall take them all out for the day, on one condition. You persuade Mad-Eye and Tonks to accompany us. I will not have my husband or daughter put at risk.”

“Do you really think Sol isn’t enough of a match for Lucius?”

Severus sniggered. “Of course she is. All the same, it may seem a little overboard, but I would rather there be Aurors with us. I will not take any chances with my family’s safety. I refuse to let Lucius take Harry from me.”

Sirius stared at the man for a moment before he nodded. It kept catching him off guard when Severus got possessive over his godson. It was easy to forget just how possessive Severus could get when the man was usually calm and collected. “I’ll talk to them. I wouldn’t ask you for this if I didn’t have to. But Remus, when he gets like this, he’s not himself,” Sirius said.

Severus held up his hand. “You need not explain. I have done my reading, I know what will happen. All I can say is that I will prepare healing draughts for you, and that I wish you the very best of luck. Oh, and I will patch you up afterwards, should you need it.”

With that, Severus swept back to preparing vegetables, leaving a blushing Sirius staring open mouthed at his back.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

The first of October dawned bright and early, and Severus was thankful for the clear blue sky. It would not be good if they got rained on.

Harry was practically bouncing in his excitement. It had been months since he had left the house, and he was looking forward to the trip. His excitement, however, could not cover his nerves. Miri was, after all, no longer his bump.

“Severus, are you sure about this?” Harry questioned as they packed Miri’s baby bag.

“Absolutely. Are you all right, love? You do want to go, don’t you?”

“Of course I want to. I’m just nervous. This is the first time we’ve taken Miri out. I just want to be sure it’s all going to go okay,” Harry said as he swung the bag onto his shoulder.

Severus pulled him into a swift hug, and then swooped in for a kiss. “Everything will be fine, love, I promise. I would not be letting this trip happen if I had any doubt over the safety of my beautiful husband and daughter.”

Harry grinned and stole another kiss before he plucked Miri from her crib. Severus waved him to the stairs as he stopped on the third floor. As Harry moved out of sight, Severus crept to Remus and Sirius’ door. He quietly cracked open the door and peeked inside.

Sirius was awake and he eased himself from the bed, careful not to wake his husband. Remus’ werewolf senses had gone on a kind of holiday since the miscarriage, and he had been sleeping like the dead.

Sirius made his way downstairs to see them all off, and Severus assured him that they would not return until dinner, at six that evening. Which gave Sirius nine hours.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Harry couldn’t help it, he kept glancing around for long white blond hair.

The crowds were thin today, probably because of it being a Monday. So many witches and wizards were at work, and the younger crowds were absent. Harry and Phoenix were a rarity, Hogwarts aged teens out of school. The Leaky Cauldron had practically been empty.

Severus had convinced almost all members of their family to tag along, the ones who didn’t have to be at work. Arthur, Bill, Jack and Sam had been forced to go into their respective offices, Anne had needed to go and run some errands. They had wanted to come along, but other duties had kept them from it.

Molly had the twins in a double stroller, and she and Charlie kept taking it in turns to push it. Phoenix, Solarin and Tonks made up a weird girly section, one which frequently erupted in giggles. Mad-Eye Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had both been asked along to set Severus’ mind at ease, kept to the outsides of the group, keeping a close eye on the family.

Harry was pushing Miri in her pram, Severus by his side. Harry hadn’t realised just how anxious he would be, taking Miri out of the house. He was pretty sure he was about to fall into a panic attack and they hadn’t even opened the archway yet. All they had done was travel to The Leaky Cauldron and walk through it.

Severus could see how anxious Harry was, they could all see it. He wasn’t surprised, he had always known that Miri’s first trip out in the world would be difficult for Harry.

Severus pulled Harry into his arms, feeling the sprite cling to him. “It’s okay, love. I’m right here,” he murmured.

Harry took a few deep breaths and forced himself to relax. It was all okay, nothing bad would happen. Severus was with him, he was surrounded by family and friends and Aurors. Besides, Solarin was more than a match for Lucius and she was right there, holding onto Miri’s pram while Severus calmed him down.

“I know, I’m just having a wobbly moment,” Harry whispered.

“All right, love, take your time. There’s no rush, take all the time you need,” Severus said gently, stroking his hair.

“Don’t move.”

“Not going anywhere.”

They stood there for the next ten minutes, the family talking amongst themselves, before Harry was ready to actually go into Diagon Alley. As Charlie moved forwards to open the arch, Solarin leaned in close to Harry.

“I was trained by Moody, I know what I’m looking for. You just concentrate on having a good time, let me worry about the rest,” she murmured. “Don’t forget, Lucius knows I’m going to put him in St Mungo’s if he comes anywhere near you or Miri.”

Harry had forgotten that. Suddenly remembering what had happened in Enchantment helped immensely, and Harry gave his first voluntary smile since they had left the house.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@