Until We Meet Again (Sirius x OFC)

Part 1 - Chapter 1: Change

It was a hot and muggy day in London. I was sitting in my small apartment, interrupting my work on a bunch of dreadful rune translations to open a letter I had just received. The owl wasn't even gone yet when I had already broken the seal and feverishly read what my best friend wanted to tell me. It had been so long since I'd last seen him. Too long.

Dear Alia,

I'm sorry it always takes me so long to answer your letters, you know I've never been good with that. But this time, I have some good news that I wanted to tell you immediately. Dumbledore has offered me the position as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts and I already said yes. I cannot wait to be working alongside you and finally be back at the castle.

I hope you are doing well. I am so looking forward to seeing you again, Ally. I miss you.

Sincerely,

Remus

The smile on my face nearly hurt in its intensity. This was the best news I had received since my own offer to be working at Hogwarts. It had been a few years ago when Dumbledore had met me in Diagon Alley, asking me to teach Ancient Runes at Hogwarts because he considered me the most suitable for the position. Before that I had been working for the Ministry as a translator, a rather boring job but the only thing that kept me busy when I was in dire need of it. I could have embraced every slimy and stinky guest in the Leaky Cauldron that day.

I stored the letter in my memory box, a small cardboard container that had been untouched for nearly twelve years now, and then packed my belongings. The box as well – just in case I felt ready to finally peak inside again. Tomorrow I was to go back to Hogwarts, a little earlier than the students for some preparations. My heart sank when I remembered what I had tried to avoid for a while now.

Sirius.

The newspaper stack on my floor was the undeniable evidence of what had happened. His face was staring at me from the front pages, screaming, worn-out, desperate. The headlines were warning me because he was considered a dangerous mass murderer. A convicted criminal. The man I loved, the man I had shared a bed with every night since the day we left Hogwarts. I couldn't believe he would hurt anybody. To me, he had been the gentlest soul in the world – despite his flaws.

But it was true. He had escaped Azkaban, something that I had yet to process, that I still couldn't quite believe. When I read it, I started crying and shaking uncontrollably. At first because I was so glad that he was out of there, that he was alive, and then because it meant that there might be – even if it was tiny – a chance that I'd see him again. I could finally ask all of the question that had occupied my mind for over a decade. And what mattered most: I could tell him that I still loved him.

I also knew that now everything would change... Life at Hogwarts, life in general. I just hoped that Remus's presence would make it easier. That people wouldn't stare at me again the way they had done after that one night... But I knew they would. They still did sometimes, even after all these years. Now, it would all resurface. The pain, the looks, the uncertainty. I didn't know how I was supposed to react to the news of his escape. I hoped that I wouldn't have to endure accusations of conspiring with him all over again.

All I wanted was to have him back, despite everything he had done. If he had, that is. Since the day I lost him, I merely sleepwalked through my life. Now I didn't know how to go on alone.

* * *

Ever since going on board of this enormous train, I was nervous. All my life, my dad had told me how great Hogwarts was, how he had been a Slytherin prefect, then head-boy and how during all those years, he had only got the best grades. He had asked me to be extra friendly to the teachers, to study hard every day and get good grades. The pressure was so immense that I was afraid to disappoint him – even now, before my first schoolyear had even started.

I got off the train all by myself. I wasn't one to make friends easily and I had been in a compartment with a group of first-years – apparently from pure-blood families. I was a half-blood and they knew it. My father was a well-known blood traitor who was now desperately trying to safe his reputation. An advantage for me, because they paid no attention to me... which at least meant that they left me in peace. During the whole ride, I noticed their strange looks.. Something I hadn't experienced until I met other wizards and witches.

When we had reached Hogwarts and the Sorting Ceremony started, I felt like fainting. I couldn't even comprehend that I was finally here. Because of my fear, I wasn't able to appreciate my surroundings either, although they were unlike anything I had seen before.

 All I could think about was the Sorting. 

I knew my dad wanted me to get into Slytherin house like he had... but to be honest, I almost knew that this wouldn't happen. I wasn't as ambitious and cunning as he was, all I did was read all day and dive head first into stories to hide from reality, just like my muggle mother. He scolded me for it quite frequently, but as soon as I started reading about magic, accumulating a vast knowledge of useful things for school, he said he was proud, as if it meant I'd become a great witch one day.

My last name was Allington, so to my misfortune I was almost the first. I felt the Sorting Hat being placed upon my head, old and dusty. Its voice was strange, almost as if inside my own mind, and before I knew what happened, it shouted: "Ravenclaw!"

My heart sank. I was shaking as Professor McGonagall took the thing from my head and all the students in blue started applauding me. So many people. All I could do was to tremblingly walk over to the table and sit down. Instead of being happy, I was scared of how my dad would react, scared that he and my grandparents and cousins and all my magical relatives who had been in Slytherin would now reject me. And I'd be alone.

I started to watch the other students being sorted, just looking for clues that anyone had the same reaction as me. What if I was the only one? About a minute in, I noticed a boy with black hair in the group of fellow first-years, mostly because he seemed to be nervous as well. I didn't know what it was about him that made me stare... as if to figure out who he was. I didn't have to wait long to find out, though. And I remembered the name.

"Sirius Black," called Professor McGonagall. And the boy sat down on the stool.

* * *

The first day of school usually was one of the most wonderful moments in Hogwarts. It was always heart-warming to see all the students back in the castle, to watch them reunite with friends and gather in the Great Hall for the feast and welcoming ceremony. This year, though, the atmosphere in the castle was a little tenser. As I had just learned, the dementors that were to guard us, had boarded the Hogwarts Express and Harry – of all people – had fainted because one of them had attacked him. I hadn't learned any details about it yet, but I knew this wasn't a good sign.

At the moment, I was walking towards the Great Hall, thinking that I needed to check on Harry later. Students were greeting me, telling me they couldn't wait to be back in my classes, and I allowed myself to be proud for just a little while. The corridors got emptier as they all took their seats while the first-years would take a little longer to get here. I realized it was time to go inside as well, but the moment I turned around, I saw a very familiar figure approaching.

Within seconds Remus had his arms wrapped around me. Tears were starting to cloud my vision and I quickly hid my face in the crook of his neck, trying to calm down. It felt like coming home after years of absence. We parted a few seconds later, mostly because it wasn't the right moment. But I could scarcely hide my happiness.

"I can't believe you're here," were my first stuttered words. "Oh Remus, I missed you so much!"

He smiled at me, this typically shy smile of his. Although he looked more worn-out than in my memory, he still hadn't changed a lot. "I missed you, too. It's so good to see you, Ally."

"I wish we had more time to talk but the feast will start in a few minutes. We can't be late, I'm sure Dumbledore wants to introduce you," I said with a smile, knowing he would be uncomfortable in front of all these people.

"We can catch up later," he agreed. "I just wanted to have a second alone with you."

I smiled up at him and together we walked into the Great Hall, sitting down at the teacher's table right next to each other. I noticed Severus giving us a funny look but ignored it. Today was a good day, I told myself, a good day in the middle of a nightmare.