The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

59. A Ray of Moonlight

Amara was walking arm-in-arm with Sirius through the tunnel toward the Hogwarts grounds, talking softly with him. It was strange for Sirius to be sharing a private moment as homelike and familiar as speaking softly to one another, laughing and smiling together, whispering in her ear just to see her beautiful face lit up in a brilliant flush. She was every bit as beautiful as he remembered. Time had changed her, certainly. Slight wrinkles had appeared at the corners of her eyes and lips, but they were so faint he wasn't even sure they were there. She had lost some of the baby fat at her cheeks and jaw and her hair was much longer than it used to be, but he didn't care. Her eyes and her smile were the same and most importantly, her heart had remained just as gentle and kind as it had always been. She was still his bewitching Queen of Hufflepuff.

Coming to a stop, Sirius pressed his lips to hers, breaking off whatever she had been saying as he cupped her cheek and held her close. Amara felt as though she was melting inside as she returned the kiss, pulling him closer by the front of his robes. With a huge effort, Sirius pulled away, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Come on," Amara whispered, smiling in the same bright, shy way she always did when he kissed her.

The smile seemed to melt him to his insides. He wanted to kiss her again, to see that smile again and again until they were too old and decrepit to move an inch. He wanted to watch her smile for the rest of his life.

"Amara," he said softly, quiet enough that the group in front of them would not hear. "How would you feel about asking Harry to move in with us?"

Amara's smile shifted from bright to entirely warm as she said, "I think that is a brilliant idea, Sirius. He may want to stay with his aunt and uncle, but I highly doubt it from what I remember Lily telling me about them."

They picked up their pace slightly until they had caught up to the back of the line where Harry was watching Eliana levitate Snape.

When they had reached Harry, Sirius, after receiving an encouraging smile from Amara, said, "You know what this means? Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're both free," Harry said, turning back toward them with some surprise.

"Yes," Sirius said slowly, glancing quickly at Amara. "But I'm also...well, we're...I don't know if anyone told you...we're your godparents."

"Yeah, I knew that," Harry admitted. "Thea's too right?"

"Yes," Amara said with a smile.

"Well," Sirius said nervously, running a hand through his matted hair. "Your parents appointed us your guardians...if anything happened to them..."

"What my husband is trying and failing," Amara said, giving Sirius a teasing look, "to say is that if you would like a home different to your current one, we would be able to take you in. You could live with us. I...I can't, I mean, we don't have any children of our own, so you wouldn't have anyone else there, but I promise we're fun."

She was suddenly just as nervous as Sirius.

"Live with you two?" Harry said in a breathless voice. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," Sirius said quickly. "I understand. We just thought we'd-"

"Are you insane?" Harry interrupted excitedly. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Amara smiled, glancing over to see Sirius looking as happy and excited as a child on Christmas morning. Her heart melted at the sight.

"You want to?" Sirius was saying. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" Harry said with so much warmth it nearly brought tears to Amara's eyes.

Ahead of them, Remus was walking just in front of Althea, still connected to Ron and Pettigrew. Both hadn't said a word to each other since their tearful embrace, but Althea could not stop smiling. Her mother had always been enough for her, but she would be lying if she denied wondering in the hours late at night when she couldn't sleep who her father was and if he had abandoned her.

"So," Althea said finally, glancing over at Remus, "what do I call you now?"

"Whatever you would like," he replied, smiling, "But I'd rather you refrained from Loony Lupin. I try to reserve that for Peeves. It seems to hurt his feelings when other people steal his nicknames."

Althea chuckled. "How about Remus for now?" she suggested.

Remus looked over at her, a warm smile on his lips. "Remus is perfect," he replied.

Behind them, Eliana watched them talk, saw each making the other laugh, and couldn't help but smile. Neither of them were angry with her. More than that, neither hated the other. Smiling to herself, she realized just how similar they were. Anger and resentment had entered neither mind even for a moment. They both understood. She knew they would have questions for her, but now that the truth was out, that her greatest fears were abetted, she knew she could answer their questions. She even allowed herself to hope for a brief, beautiful moment...

As they stepped out of the tunnel, she watched as Remus' kindly yet lined face was illuminated in the cool light. She knew, even if she had not allowed herself to utter it before now that she still loved him. He was still her Remi. She remembered the nights spent alone together when Remus adored her as she had never been adored and when she loved him with an unfailing consistency that made Remus love her all the more. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes. She still loved him. He had not changed from the kind, loving man she had first learned to love in their Hogwarts days.

Releasing a shuttering breath, she forced herself to look away from him as she lifted Severus from the hole of the tunnel and into the light. After her came Harry and Hermione, followed by Sirius and Amara. Amara let out a shaky breath as she fixed her eyes on the castle above them.

"Everything will be alright, Ami," Sirius said gently, reaching for her hand.

Drawing in a comforting breath, she took his hand in both of her own and managed a small smile in his direction. With tenderness enough to bring tears to her eyes, Sirius kissed her knuckles before he kissed her forehead.

"Promise me, Sirius," Amara whispered, her voice impossibly soft.

Sirius met her shining eyes curiously.

"For you, anything," he replied.

Smiling softly, Amara whispered, "Promise me that regardless of what happens tonight, whether you are cleared or forced to run, we will never be parted again. If you run, you will take me with you, and if you are forced back in chains, I will come too. Please, Sirius. I can't lose you again. I can endure anything so long as I am with you."

"I swear it, Amara," Sirius said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gently, he kissed her, his lips soft against her own. She wanted so much more of him in that moment, but for now, that kiss was enough. It was a promise, as sure as the ring on her finger.