The Godmother

17. the abode

It felt euphoric to be in his arms again. To be able to touch him and him be able to feel her back. Elizabeth couldn't stop looking at Sirius' eyes, the way they easily glided around the room and took in everything around him in a way he never could before.

"Remus started transforming so we stopped in those rocks. In the middle of his transformation those spiders began to appear. I managed to get him to the tent but then they got me. They brought me back, stole my blood and tied me up in the web", he said, putting a disgusted look on his face, "then they took too much blood. I passed out", he explained.

Elizabeth nodded, her chin resting on his chest as they laid in bed. She looked down at the cuts. After he'd woken, they cleaned them out and healed them up. They were nothing but tiny flecks of silver against the rest of his skin. Almost unnoticeable to anyone who was looking.

His new, golden eyes were something of magic. They were a new beginning. Elizabeth suspected it was a side-effect of the spider-venom. While Sirius had survived, some of it had in fact infected him to a point of no return. She hoped the effects had been reduced to just the colour of his eyes, but suspected that there would be other changes to come.

"Why-", Elizabeth began, she frowned and looking down, but then look back up into Sirius' eyes, "why did you make Remus kiss me?", she asked.

Sirius folded his lips and stared at her kindly, though as though he wished she hadn't asked. It took him a few seconds to answer. "I know I banished you from seeing me, but it was for a good cause."

"I know. I still haven't had to save Harry", Elizabeth said.

"I just wanted to know- you know- that you hadn't lost faith in me ever returning. I wanted you to know that I wasn't dead or disappeared- that I still cared about you. I wanted to know that you still cared about me too", he explained.

Elizabeth nodded. She looked down at her hand, to her middle finger where the engagement ring was perched perfectly around her finger.

"Have there been any indications? Any signs of Harry?", Sirius asked.

"No. Well...", Elizabeth thought. The first thing that came to mind was Regulus' sighting in Knockturn Alley. She hadn't seen it in that way before. It was just terror for what he'd done. Murdering the babe inside of Elizabeth's pregnant stomach. She thought. "Have you been reading the Prophet?", she asked.

Sirius shook his head. "You were the one bringing me old copies. I haven't heard any news since."

"Well... um..."

"What is it?", Sirius urged, sitting up slightly, grabbing Elizabeth's hand tightly.

"Regulus was seen in Knockturn Alley about a month ago", she said. She felt Sirius tighten around her. The realisation and fear coming to life. Sirius looked at her as her face curled up in a pained expression, trying to hold back the anguish and hate she felt.

"He's been around", Sirius said. It was more of a statement. A fact. Almost a challenge.

"I haven't seen him, Pads", Elizabeth sighed, curling deeper into Sirius' chest. She closed her eyes and breathed in his warm, piney scent. She never realised how comforting it was. It was like home. Not Hogwarts. Like James and her parents and the house back in Godricks Hollow. It was more comforting than she ever realised. She didn't want to take it for granted anymore.

"Good", Sirius finally said.

Remus appeared an hour later, this time clothed and settled. He cast his eyes over Sirius and Elizabeth and put a grin on his face as he swept to the kitchen and began brewing a coffee. Sirius got up to join him, Elizabeth followed.