The Aftermath (Sequel to The Fifth Marauder) (BOOK 2)

1995

"And that's our story up until today!"

"A rollercoaster of emotions and I wasn't ready to hear it all over again." Remus chuckled and looked at Harry. "We have looked way worse."

"Yep, if I could count all the scars that I have on my body, the Potter and Black inheritance combined would be put to shame. I even have ones that didn't heal properly. My left arm being the main one. It still looks like it was done yesterday." I shrugged.

"So Snape was the one who revealed the truth about you, Lupin?" Hermoine asked sadly.

"Apparently, somebody had a eighteen year old grudge and decided to let it go at that moment." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well. I'm not entering those waters again. I've had enough arguments about that to last me a lifetime and a half." I gave Sirius and glare and he backed down.

"It's a shame you're not a free man, Sirius." Ginny said sadly and I smirked looking at Remus who was biting his fist.

"Yeah, well. What can you do?" Sirius shrugged and I stood up. "Sunshine?"

"I was going to give this to you after the kids left for school, but I now want Harry to know about this." I smiled opening a drawer and pulling out the parchment and handed it to Sirius. "A lot of people owe me some favors from school and the war. I'm just lucky I cashed those in the right moment. Took a lot of Veritaserum and somewhat violent negotiations on my part, but so worth it in my opinion."

"I'm-"

"Yes, Siri. You're a free and innocent man. Fourteen years later and I finally managed to prove your innocence." Sirius started to cry and hugged me tight.

"How did you manage to do all this?" Ron asked smiling at us.

"It's best if you don't ask. Let's just say that I don't ever want to be locked in a room with her and three aurors again. Once she was done 'speaking' to them, they were never the same again." Remus laughed and hugged us. "How does it feel Padfoot?"

"Like I'm a new man. I'll never be able to thank both of you enough for this." Sirius sobbed and I shook my head laughing.

"How about you lay off the firewhiskey, huh? There is a catch to all of this, though."

"And that is?" The twins asked.

"Due to protection reasons, Harry can't come live with us until his sixth year. I tried to kill two birds with one stone but this was the best I could do. But, Harry can come visit during the summer and he can spend the Holidays with us if he wants. The loophole is that you can technically move in without moving in. Dumbledore tried to change it up, but my 'negotiations' were way more powerful. I've got a lot of leverage on a lot of people, including Dumbledore. I stay quiet about certain things and they give me what I want." I smirked and my boys laughed.

"Of course you do." Sirius laughed and kissed me. "Thank you, sunshine. I'll forever be grateful."

"Lay off the firewhiskey and we'll call it even. I don't like seeing you sad drunk." I chuckled and sat back down.

"You still scare me, you know?" Ron said looking terrified. I looked at my boys who started laughing hysterically.

"I'd be surprised if she didn't scare you, Ron. I'm married to her and I was more scared of her, then the dementors and my cousin Bellatrix combined." Sirius shrugged.

"How are you feeling, Harry? You haven't said much." I said worriedly.

"You never gave up on us. Why?"

"Because it's what kept her going all these years. Getting you back was the only thing she cared about." Remus said putting an arm around me. "You were the only thing that motivated her in getting up in the morning and to fight another day."

"Those twelve years were rough, Harry. But getting you back and proving Sirius' innocence was the only thing that I cared about. That and making sure Remus here didn't do something stupid." I shrugged. "Now I suggest you all clean yourselves before dinner or Molly will come in here and kill the three of us."

The kids left and I sighed leaning back.

"I was not emotionally prepared to hear the story again." Sirius chuckled.

"I wasn't prepared to tell it, but I don't care. The kids had a blast hearing about it." I smiled.

"They sure did. You think we told everything?" Remus asked.

"Come on Moony, we could never tell them everything. Like about the time I finally wore the skirt." Sirius smirked.

"You mean you stole my skirt and walked into Transfiguration shaking your ass." I rolled my eyes. "That skirt never fit me the same again. Thanks."

"Was that the same day that Vix did the thing with her uniform?"

"Yep. Same day, same class, worst detention ever. The Durmstrang and Beubaxton students got quite a show on both ends. Prongs had to chase us through the entire school." I laughed. "And he got trapped in the moving staircase while Pads and I made a run towards the Divination classroom. The sixth years did not appreciate hearthrob Sirius Black wearing a skirt."

"No, but they sure enjoyed Jade Potter wearing her uniform like that." Sirius rolled his eyes smiling. "And so did I."

"Sirius is a free man now. What's gonna happen when word gets around?" Remus asked concerned.

"The usual Skeeter article stirring up drama. But we'll handle it just like we've always done." I shrugged.

"You do know that Sketter was in the same year as Bella, right? They hated each other." Sirius laughed and Remus and I looked at him in shock.

"THEY WERE ROOMMATES!?" We yelled in unison and he nodded.

"No wonder Bellatrix went insane. That explains so fucking much." I said and Molly entered. "Hi, Molly. Need some help?"

"Just came to tell you three that dinner is at the table already. And to thank you for distracting the kids for a while. I heard them retelling the story to each other just now." I laughed and nodded.

"Anytime, Molly. Anytime."