A Love Without Time (Remus Lupin)

Fifty-One.

-Remus-
   
I wasn't scared when Ellie quit her job, I was more concerned for her. I wanted to make sure she was okay after that altercation with Umbridge. I had to be a good husband and support my wife no matter what. We weren't going to be strapped for cash. She still has most of Matt's personal fortune from l his years playing professional Quidditch, and some savings from her years teaching at Hogwarts. We would be just fine.
   
We decided to go stay with Sirius. Ellie just hated the idea of him being all alone in that house. He was so proud of Ellie for standing up for herself against Umbridge. I only wished that I had been there to see it, because it's not a secret that I find it kind of hit when my wife gets riled up like that.
    It was her idea to stay with Sirius. He could use the company. Of course Grimmauld Place wasn't exactly babyproof and with Lily beginning to walk now we had to keep extra attention on her so she didn't get hurt if she bumped into anything.
   
Lily was beginning to look like Ellie more and more every day. Ellie thinks she looks like me, but I totally disagree. Our little Cub is 100% her mother's look-a-like and she is absolutely beautiful. Sirius was happy to have us, even if we did drop in unexpectedly. He didn't mind.
   
Lyanna kept us updated on what was going on at school. She said she and her brother were doing well in classes, and that they were very busy preparing for the O.W.L. exams together with Hermione and Walker. Sometimes Ron and Harry joined them too, but most of the time it was just the three of them. She couldn't tell us everything though, because Umbridge was still checking the mail. But we were grateful for what we did have from her.
   
June was here before we knew it. The kids would be out of school again for another summer at headquarters soon. It was the best way to keep them safe, especially Harry. This time we would be taking Harry in as soon as the summer started. He didn't know that yet, and neither did his Aunt and Uncle, but we all knew that they wouldn't care if he left them for a summer.
   
Lily had started saying small words. Her favorite to say is "Dada," which makes my heart fill with pride every time I hear her little voice say it. She likes to say, "Mama," too, but we all know that I'm her favorite person. She knows who Sirius is, but she can't say his name yet. Uncle Sirius is a bit hard to say for a 15 month old.
   
One night in the middle of June, Ellie was putting Lily to bed and I was helping Sirius tend to Buckbeak's leg that he somehow broke. When we were done, we heard Kreacher talking into the fireplace, and it sounded like he was talking to Harry. At first he wouldn't tell us anything, but Ellie was able to get it out of him.
   
He broke Buckbeak's leg on purpose, so we would be distracted, because Voldemort needed Harry to think that Sirius was trapped at the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry. We quickly wrote letters to Mad-Eye and Tonks to have them join us. They showed up as soon as they got the letters and we headed off. Someone had to stay behind with Lily, so Ellie told Sirius and I to go. At first I wasn't sure if Sirius should go, but we didn't have time to debate and Ellie had made up her mind.
   
"Make sure my kids are safe!" She called to us as we left. She had a point, Harry probably wasn't alone. I'm sure he had a group with him.
   
We arrived at the perfect moment, all of the Death Eaters had the kids in headlocks. Everyone except for Harry, who was about to hand over his prophecy to Lucius Malfoy. Sirius stepped between the pair of them and said, "Stay away from my Godson," and punched him in the face, knocking him down. I looked around for my step-children, and I saw that they were also gripped around the neck by the same Death Eater, Antonin Dolohov.
   
"Kids," I said as I pointed my wand, "Duck!" I shot a spell at him, and flew back, taking the twins with him. I helped them up. "Quickly now," I told them, "Before he comes to."
   
"Where's Mum?" Lyanna asked.
   
"She's with your sister," I explained, "She told me to bring you back safely. You both have to go."
   
Bradley stood his ground, "We're not leaving Harry."
   
I was surprised by this from him, usually it was Lyanna who was the more confrontational of the two, but Bradley was sure picking it up from his sister. I tried to reason with him, "You've both done a great job here, but Harry has us now. We'll protect him."
   
Bradley's blue eyes shifted past me, and with one move, he was in front of me pointing his wand at Bellatrix Lestrange shouting, "Stay away from my dad!" As he shot her backwards.
   
I was shocked as all hell to see that, and also filled with pride. He had called me his dad. Not his step-dad, but his dad. He turned to look at me, "Who's protecting who now?" He asked, that hard expression not leaving his face. "She killed my Uncle," he said, his tone still hard, "She's not leaving here alive."
   
"You listen to me, Bradley Matthew McKinnon, you're not killing anyone tonight. You and your sister are going back to school and you're going to find Professor Snape. Ginny is injured. She needs tending to. You find Snape and have him take you to Madam Pomfrey. Now you come with me. I'm going to gather you kids up so you can leave."
   
I could tell Bradley wanted to protest, but he didn't. He just let me lead him and Lyanna through the battle so we could find the other kids so I could send them all back to school. We found Luna, Ginny, and Ron together. Luna was keeping Ron occupied by letting him chase her sound in some kind of game. It was sweet of her to do that. Bradley and Lyanna helped keep Ginny upright while Luna kept Ron occupied.
   
I sent them all back to school and then I went on to find the other kids. Neville was holding up a now unconscious Hermione. I sent them back to school before I found Harry. With Hermione unconscious, they had to go.
   
Then I found Harry, he was with Sirius fighting off Bellatrix Lestrange. I watched as she stunned him, and then he fell backwards into the veil, and he passed on. Harry seemed confused at first, but it only lasted for a moment. I ran to Harry as fast as I could. I held onto him, and he started screaming in agony. It was the most painful thing I have ever heard.
   
I tried to calm him, but he wouldn't listen. He got free of my hold and started running after Bellatrix, and I couldn't stop him. All of the other Death Eaters were leaving, Mad-Eye and Tonks left too. I followed Harry and saw Dumbledore was here now, and so I knew Harry would be safe. I had to go back to London and get my wife and daughter out of Headquarters, if I could even still call it that.
   
She was surprised to see me, and she was confused when I grabbed her hand and said. "We need to leave. Now." And beg running up the stairs to our room.
   
"What happened?" She demanded, "Where is Sirius? Why do we have to leave?"
   
"I'll explain when we're home," I told her, and I waved my wand and our things began to pack themselves. I turned to look at her, "All I can say right now is that this place is no longer safe for us."
   
"They didn't arrest Sirius, did they?" She asked, worry in her tone. I picked up Lily, and it woke her and she began crying.
   
"I know I woke you, Cub, but you have to go to Mummy right now, okay?" I kissed her head and handed her to Ellie.
   
"Remus you better answer me," she demands, "Did they arrest Sirius."
   
"No, they didn't, " I assure her, "but he's not coming back."
   
"What happened?" She demanded to know.
   
"I said I'll tell you everything when we're home, Eloise," I said, my voice frantic. She stopped asking questions.
   
I waved my wand again and our things vanished, they'd be waiting for us at home in Hogsmeade. I wrapped my arms around Ellie and Lily and disapparated us out of there. Once we were home and safe, I sat on the couch, and Ellie went to put Lily back to sleep. I hung my head in my hands, but I was in too much shock to cry. I guess that the events of tonic haven't really set in yet.
   
When Ellie entered the room again, she sat next to me and placed a hand onto my back. "Sirius is dead, isn't he?" She asks, her voice was very soft.
   
I nodded, "Yes, he was stunned by Bellatrix Lestrange and fell through the veil. It's like a bridge between life and death."
   
"I've read about it," she says, rubbing my back now with her hand.
   
"Harry was distraught, of course. I was able to get all of the kids out of there before it happened. But not Harry. He watched the whole thing happen."
   
"What kids exactly were all there?" She asked, and I knew why. She wanted to know if her kids were there.
   
"Bradley, Lyanna, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Neville Longbottom, and even Luna Lovegood. I thought that was a rather odd choice, but she actually seems like she fits in well with them."
   
"I'm sure that she does," she agreed.
   
"I guess one good thing did come from tonight," I said, and I even smiled at the memory before I told her, "Bradley called me his dad."
   
Ellie smiled too, "He did?"
   
I nodded, "He did. I was trying to talk them into going back to school, and I guess Bellatrix saw me and tried to come up from behind, but he spotted her and stepped in front of me and shouted, 'Get away from my dad' and he blasted her backwards. At that moment all that I saw was Matt. He was so brave and so courageous. I was so proud of him."
   
"He loves you," Ellie replied softly, "So does Lyanna."
   
"I know," I say, smiling to myself, "I love them, too, honestly I do. But I don't ever want to replace Matt. That's not my intention."
   
Her hand was now in my hair on the back of my neck, "They know that, sweetheart. But they never got the chance to know Matt like we did. When he died they were 16 months old, only one month older than Lily is now. They don't have any memories of him. To them, you're their dad. The only one they're ever really going to have."
   
"Well then I guess I better be the best damn step-dad in the entire world," I say, smiling at her.
   
She leaned in and kissed my cheek. "You already are, darling. Now come on, let's go to bed. It's been a long night. You could use the sleep."
   
I nodded, and I took her hand in mine, and we headed off to bed.

________________
Here's part 51!

Sirius is gone :'(

And we're about to enter book six! Not much more to go here! This story will be ending soon!

As much as I love writing this story I will be happy to reach it's conclusion.

-Emily Winchester.