A New Definition of Family
Chapter 15: Hogwarts (part 2)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of JK Rowling’s characters or any portion of the Harry Potter universe. And I don’t lead a very exciting life, either, which is how I manage to find time to write stories using these wonderful characters that I do not, in fact, own (please refer to previous sentence regarding said ownership). Speaking of which, any characters, places, situations, vintages or whatnot that you don’t find in her fabulous books, well they are mine.
Now... without further ado... on to part two!
Rinna was beginning to think it had been unnecessary to talk to Harry about how they should act toward each other at school since she hadn’t even said two words to him or his friends since arriving three days ago. Which was why she was lurking in the corridor outside the classrooms she and Moody had been assigned, nodding at students and watching keenly for any sign of her godson or his sidekicks. She had just about given up, thinking they must have used one of the side corridors, when she thought she heard Ron’s voice.
“He really knows his stuff, Moody, doesn’t he? When he did Avada Kedavra, the way that spider just died, just snuffed it right”“ Ron’s comments ended abruptly, and Rinna saw why; the look on Harry’s face as they had come around the corner from a side hallway nearly broke her heart. (~)
“Harry?” she said gently, “Are you all right?”
“Professor Moody just showed us the Unforgivable Curses,” Hermione informed her.
Rinna looked carefully at Ron and Hermione. “All of them?” she asked, comprehending the reason for Harry’s bleak expression. They nodded. She put a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Harry.”
Her words were weighted with meaning. Harry looked up at her, and saw sympathy in her face. “Have you ever seen it, Rinna? The Avada Kedavra?” he half-whispered.
His godmother winced, as if a pain had jabbed through her skull. “Yes,” she breathed. “More times than I want to remember.”
Hermione looked at Ron. She felt like they were intruding on a private moment.
Harry looked down at the floor. Of course. Sirius said her parents were murdered… She must have seen it then.
Rinna’s next words were in a tight, controlled voice. “The only good thing I can say about the Killing Curse, as oxymoronic as that sounds, is that its effect is instantaneous.” She watched Harry’s reaction to her comment. At least Lily’s and James’ suffering had been brief. “Which is why, I suppose, someone invented the Cruciatus; because the Avada didn’t cause enough torment.” Her tone was ironic.
Harry looked at his two companions. “He…” His voice faltered.
“He showed us that one, too,” Hermione finished for him. “The look on poor Neville’s face…”
Rinna looked at her sharply. “Neville?”
“Neville Longbottom, he’s in our class,” Ron explained.
“Is Neville all right?” Rinna asked with concern.
Ron looked at the others, who shrugged. “Dunno,” he said. “Moody came and took him to his office.”
Harry thought that Rinna looked awfully concerned for a kid she didn’t know. Then he remembered what Sirius had said about her being very compassionate and empathetic.
Rinna felt her heart go out to Neville. Of course, none of his schoolmates would know why Moody’s demonstration of the Cruciatus was so upsetting to him, but his mother Alice had been one of Rinna’s good friends at Hogwarts. Rinna knew all about the torture to insanity of the Longbottoms by Death Eaters, effectively leaving Neville orphaned. She felt a somewhat irrational surge of anger toward Mad-Eye Moody. Some of these children lose their innocence so early these days… couldn’t he have let Neville and Harry hold on to theirs just a little bit longer?
“Rinna?” Harry said tentatively as he watched a scowl take over her face. “What’s wrong?”
Sighing heavily, Rinna replied, “Only that there is so much evil that people invent curses such as these. And because of that, Hogwarts has to teach children Defense Against the Dark Arts.” She attempted a smile. “I’d much rather be teaching flying, if I had my druthers.”
The Trio smiled weakly at her comment. “Are you lot heading to the Great Hall for dinner?” Rinna changed the subject. At their nods she asked, “May I join you?” Again, they nodded, and the four began their journey in silence.
“Oh, hey,” Harry suddenly said, “I’ve been meaning to ask you: what did Siri…uh, Snuffles have to say?” To his amazement, his godmother blushed furiously. “Uh, I mean, uh, you don’t have to say anything if it was private, you know,” Harry backpedaled.
“Usually, private letters are private, you know,” she reproved. “But I will at least tell you that he is fine, he’s safe, and he’s worried about you since you sent him that letter about your scar.” I will not tell you how fast my heart beats every time I re-read it, or how my heart aches when I look at that drawing…
They had reached the Great Hall. Harry noticed a subtle shift in Rinna’s demeanor. “Well, you three,” she said briskly, “you know where my office is… don’t be strangers.” And with a little nod, she moved toward the Staff Table. As Harry sat down with his friends, he realized what he had seen was Rinna’s change from Godmother to Professor. So far, he liked both personas.
It really came as no surprise to Rinna that she should find herself standing on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch after dark that night, her Silver Dart in her hand and a lightweight flying cloak on her shoulders. After all, sneaking out for late-night flying had been one of the ways she had alleviated stress all those years ago. And now that she was back at Hogwarts, she found herself slipping into some old Hogwarts-y habits.
She could have blamed her current itch to fly over Hogwarts’ lake at breakneck speed on a need to blow off steam over her recent disturbing conversation about the Killing and Cruciatus Curses, or on the stress of her first few days of a new teaching job. Certainly, those were contributing factors. But if she was honest with herself, the overwhelming reason she was there, straddling her broom, aching to fly, was a certain image she couldn’t get out of her head. Damn you, Sirius! And damn your bloody drawing, too.
She circled around the lake before coming to a stop at a particular location above the water. She was not shocked in the least that she found the spot exactly without even trying; it had been instinctual. She hovered, taking in the view, and sighed.
----- -----
Sirius and Rinna stood side by side on the grassy pitch and surveyed the crisp December night sky. “The gibbous moon will be rising in a couple of hours,” Sirius commented. “We don’t want to miss that.”
She nodded in agreement. She didn’t question how he knew this. She was beginning to be attuned to the moon’s cycle as well. I guess that’s what happens when you are friends with a werewolf. She felt him drape the heavy flying cloak over her shoulders.
He turned to her. “Are you ready?” He was rewarded with her happy grin and a nod. “Good. Try and keep up, Dunlevy!” he challenged as he leapt on his broom and shot into the sky. He grinned as he heard her indignant shout, and began an intricate series of maneuvers for her to copy. He was in his element, and once again appreciated the good fortune that she shared his love of flying.
They were rather well matched, both Chasers, and their late-night clandestine flying sessions had certainly improved both their games. Lately, however, these sessions had changed; they seemed less like a competition and more like a dance as the two became accustomed to each other’s moves and began to fly in synchrony rather than in mimicry. That was what was happening now. She had anticipated his actions and caught up to him, so they moved together through the sky. He wondered what it would be like to hold her in his arms and twirl her around a dance floor.
He pulled to a stop and smiled at her. The cool air was tingeing her cheeks and nose pink, and her breath came out in little puffs of steam. He thought she looked completely, utterly, achingly beautiful.
“That felt like dancing!” she laughed.
He looked at her in amazement. “I was just thinking that!”
She leaned over and tapped his forehead. “You know what they say, Blackie; great minds think alike!”
“Do you dance?” he wondered.
She snorted. “Really, Blackie. I come from a fine wizarding family, as you well know. Which means I was forced to go to all the classes on the social graces that you attended in your childhood.”
“But that doesn’t mean that you can dance,” he retorted. “You could have two left feet.” Somehow, he doubted it, though.
She smirked at him. “I guess you will have to wait and see. That could certainly be a way to occupy our evenings once it grows too cold to fly.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Are you implying, Miss Dunlevy, that you want to spend more of your evenings with me?”
“Goodness, Mr. Black, you must be very thick-headed if you haven’t figured that out by now!”
“I may be thick-headed, but I can out-fly you any time I want!”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah!” And he was off, with her right on his tail. And so the flirtation continued for quite some time until Sirius saw the telltale glow on the horizon that indicated the imminent moonrise. He signaled her to land. He wanted her in his arms for this.
She climbed onto his broom and settled herself in front of him comfortably, leaning her head onto his shoulder and tucking the cloak snugly around her. He reached his hands around her and kicked off the ground. Slowly they glided to their spot above the lake and watched the moon rise above the hills to spill liquid silver onto the lake water below. From his vantage point, just behind and to her right, he could see the corner of her lips turn up in delight.
He leaned forward to speak in her ear. “You look beautiful tonight, Rinna.” She blushed, and as she turned her head to him, his lips brushed her cheek.
She shivered as the biting breeze blew across her exertion-heated face. Sirius used one hand to lift the hood of her cloak and placed it over her head. He did the same with his own, and then tucked her head under his chin as he pressed her close to him. She closed her eyes and reveled in his warmth.
“Look,” he whispered, and she opened her eyes to see the giant squid making ripples in the water. The smooth sheet of liquid moonlight was shattered into a myriad of sparkling shards that winked below them. She sighed.
“Sirius,” she said softly.
He jerked his head from the lake below to look at her. “Yes, Rinna?” he answered breathlessly.
She smiled. “I can’t think of any place else I’d rather be right now than here, with you.”
----- -----
Rinna pulled the letter from Sirius out from her cloak, and turned it over. She compared the drawing to the view in front of her. He remembered it remarkably well.
Turning it over once more, she re-read his letter. I wonder if it is as beautiful as I remember it. She closed her eyes and felt a hollow ache in her chest. No, Sirius, it is not… not without you here with me…
She stared out over the lake for a long time, pondering the words of his letter. He was still in too much danger, and how long could he go on this way? He wasn’t getting proper rest, or proper nutrition, she’d wager. The constant stress of hiding and running must certainly be taking its toll on him by now. She hated to think of the conditions he was living in.
If anyone had enjoyed the little niceties that moderate wealth could afford, it had been Sirius Black. (Fortunately, he had found favor with one of his uncles who’d left him a sizeable inheritance, which became his only source of money once he was disinherited from the House of Black.) She smiled at the memory of his penchant for expensive Egyptian cotton sheets and goose-down comforters. And the man had dressed well. Not in the snobby way of most Pure-bloods, but his clothing had been of the finest quality, albeit more often than not artfully untucked and casual. He had always looked good, but never like he’d put any effort into his appearance…
He could look good again, she thought, if he was in the proper circumstances. As in, not on the lam, properly fed, decently clothed, and clean-shaven. If someone just gave him a little tender, loving care…
She stopped her thoughts in their tracks. There was really no point in letting her mind drift any farther into that fantasy. She was here, way up north at Hogwarts now, and besides, it’s not like she could harbor a fugitive in her quarters or anything… But… she could provide a place for him at her house. He and Remus would be good for each other: Remus could keep him out of trouble, and Sirius could keep Remus company on the full moon. She was sure Remus wouldn’t object, and in fact he’d probably enjoy thumbing his nose at the Ministry in this way!
A grin of satisfaction began to trace itself across her face. This was perfect! She made up her mind that this Saturday she would go home and ask Remus to find Sirius and give him a room at her house.
The shaggy large dog lay curled up under a bush in the park, watching people pass by with interest. Finally, he caught a familiar scent, and his ears pricked up. A tall, sandy-haired man was walking toward him, a bag of groceries in one arm. The man whistled and called softly, “Where are you, boy?” and patted his leg. The dog pulled himself up with a long stretch of his back legs, and let out a gentle woof.
“Ah, there you are! Been waiting long?” The dog cocked his head, tongue lolling in a canine grin, causing the man to smile. “Sorry about that. I needed to stock up on victuals.” The dog barked his approval, and settled in a trot by the man’s left leg.
Remus Lupin smiled, and continued his one-way conversation as the two walked. “I was glad to get your letter, Padfoot. I was concerned when I hadn’t heard from you. And I always wonder if my letters will reach you. Apparently the last one did.” He shifted the bag to his other arm. “I take it you have heard nothing else on that so-called lead?” The dog next to him growled.
They had entered a little neighborhood. “We’re almost there, old friend. You are welcome to stay. I think I will be able to convince the landlady to allow me to keep a mangy old mutt here.” Remus grinned at his private joke. They ambled up the stoop of a cozy house, and Remus took down the wards and unlocked the door.
Remus walked to the kitchen to put the groceries on the counter, and noted the dog did not follow. He stepped back out into the living room and found Sirius Black, looking bedraggled and peering around the room with interest.
Sirius turned to him and said evenly, “This is Rinna’s house, isn’t it?”
Remus nodded. “She convinced me to stay here and take care of the place while she’s at Hogwarts,” he explained. He took Sirius’ arm and led him to the kitchen, sitting him at the table. Remus put away food as he continued, “She needed a caretaker, and I needed a place to stay. So, here I am, the steward of the Manor.”
“Moony, does she know I’m here?” Sirius asked suspiciously.
“Well, not exactly. But we’ll convince her that it is a good idea,” Remus said with confidence.
Sirius lifted an eyebrow at his old friend. “And how, precisely, are we going to persuade your ‘landlady’ of that?”
Remus opened his arms wide. “Why with Marauder charm, of course! And a little fast talking, in the form of an Owl that will go out tomorrow morning.” He grinned a charming smile, mischief flashing in his eyes. “She won’t be able to resist the two of us; we’ll bowl her over with our brilliant arguments!”
Sirius looked skeptical. “Right. And just what are our brilliant arguments, exactly?”
“Dinner first. Details later,” Remus declared firmly as he set a pot on the stove to boil.
Something about skipping meals involuntarily makes a man appreciate good home-cooked food, reflected Sirius after dinner as he watched Remus place some parchment and a quill on the table. Unfortunately, he was now so tired that he was unable to focus on what Remus was saying. “Moony, I’m afraid I’m knackered, and I’m not much help. You are going to have to mastermind this little plot of yours on your own. Sorry.”
“Of course!” said Remus, immediately contrite. “I should have realized… here, let me show you to your room.”
He took Sirius down the hall to the first guest room, which had a bath adjoining to the room Remus was using. “Sleep yourself out, Padfoot. Tomorrow is Saturday, and I don’t have to work, so once I take the letter to the Owl Post, I plan on relaxing here until you wake.”
“Thanks, mate!” Sirius yawned hugely. “I appreciate this, you know.”
“I know what it is like to be homeless, Sirius,” Remus said softly. He made to leave, but turned back at the door. “And by the way, don’t use the shower in the bath here. The drain is clogged, and I haven’t had a chance to magic it clear yet. You’ll need to use the one in the master bath.”
Sirius raised an eyebrow at that, but merely shrugged and said, “Right.” He kicked off his shoes, and fell onto the bed, asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Saturday dawned over Hogwarts, clear and beautiful, with the cool morning air hinting that the warmth of summer would soon give way to autumn. Unfortunately, Professor Dunlevy missed it by several hours. She pulled herself from her bed with a groan, and realized that it was going to take more than a few days at school to rid her of her late-morning tendencies… With a jolt she remembered her resolution from the night on the lake, and began to ready herself in a frenzy.
Rinna stepped out of the fireplace into her living room and sensed that the house was locked and warded from the outside. Damn! Remus has left already. Annoyed that she had missed him, she moved across the living room to the small antique desk in the corner, intent on writing him a note explaining her mad plan.
As she searched for a working ball pen, she became aware of a sound encroaching on her consciousness. Is that water running? She began to follow the sound, moving down the hallway toward her bedroom. It was coming from her shower, a fact she confirmed as she stepped into her room.
Of course! She’d forgotten to tell Remus about the faulty drain in the guest bathroom, and he was probably using the other shower until he could get it fixed. No, wait. If the house is warded from the outside, only Remus or I can do that. He must be gone. And if that was the case, then who was in her shower? In a flash, her wand was in her hand.
She crept from her bedroom into the steamy bathroom. She heard the running water and sounds of splashing coming from behind the plastic curtain in the alcove of her walk-in shower. Even though common sense told her that none of the wards to her house had been disturbed, a prickling sixth sense told her this was definitely not Remus in her shower.
She held out her wand, and stepped to the alcove. She pushed her wand into the curtain, indenting it as she went, and said in a low and dangerous voice, “Don’t move.”
The figure behind the curtain froze for a moment, before whipping the shower curtain aside, obstructing her wand arm by entangling it as he did so. Rinna reacted swiftly by grabbing his throat with her other hand even as she freed her wand. She felt the intruder lose his balance as he slipped on the slick tiles, so Rinna moved and allowed the intruder’s momentum to carry him further forward as he pitched out of the shower. He grabbed her arm in an attempt to right himself, but it was too late. Rinna was pulled down with the stranger and landed on the floor on top of him. She wrenched her wand free and placed it at his throat even as she registered who he was.
Startled blue eyes peered into wide green ones that were mere inches away as the two of them took several long seconds to comprehend their predicament.
“Bloody effing hell, Sirius! What are you doing?” she screamed at him as she moved the wand tip away from his neck slightly.
A cocky grin spread across Sirius’ face as he lifted his head from the floor and glanced down to appraise the situation. “Well,” he drawled, as he looked back up into her eyes, “at the moment, having about four or five of my wildest fantasies fulfilled…”
As Rinna looked down, she realized that she was straddling Sirius. Straddling a very naked Sirius. A very naked and wet Sirius… She gulped as she realized she was spending far more time looking down at him than propriety allowed, so she quickly returned to his face. He was grinning at her, the naked prat; a sexy quirky grin that no man who’d been discovered uninvited and naked in someone’s home should have the right to wear. The word “naked” seemed to be reverberating through her head, and somehow she had suddenly seemed to develop a rather heightened awareness of Sirius’ lack of clothing and the water droplets that clung, glistening, to his naked…er, unclothed body.
The pain of landing and knocking his head on the bathroom floor had long since faded, replaced with the warmth of the woman of his dreams lying on top of him in a very intimate manner. Although he knew he was damned lucky he hadn’t been hexed into next Tuesday, he couldn’t help but grin at the hilarity of the situation he and Rinna had found themselves in. And when he realized that she was not making any move to get off of him, his grin grew even cockier.
Rinna noted their faces were still very close, his warm breath brushing against her lips, and a strange paralysis seized her, making it impossible for her to get up from him. She couldn’t seem to look away from his eyes, eyes the color of the sea in some tropical paradise, droplets still clinging to his lashes… she was drowning in the ocean of his blue, blue eyes…
Sirius reached a hand up and brushed his fingertips gently across her brow and down her cheek. All right, Black. Surely you haven’t forgotten what to do when your woman is draped on top of you and is making no effort to remove herself from the situation… The grin on his face softened as he held her gaze and coaxingly pulled her chin toward his mouth. “Rinna… I’ve missed you,” he breathed.
And then, their lips met.
Author Note: When Ron is describing Moody’s demonstration of the Avada Kedavra in the paragraph marked with a tilde (~), or a “squiggle” as my son would call it, his quote is directly from JKR’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Chapter 14 “The Unforgivable Curses”
Talk about your long chapters… well, you KNOW a lot happens in your first week back at school. I sure would love to hear from you about what you thought of this chapter, especially those who have been clamoring for more Sirius, damn it!
I thank all the wonderful people who left reviews for my last chapter, extra hugs and kisses to you! And, of course, big ups to my wonderful Beta, Lorett. If it wasn’t for her, you wouldn’t have gotten a glimpse of Rinna and naked Sirius on the bathroom floor until next chapter.
A New Definition of Family by RahNee
Chapter Notes: The second half of the chapter: A lot happens in the first week of school! This half includes a flashback, some modern-day Marauder scheming, and finally, FINALLY, we get to see some "real time" snogging!