A Sirius Dilemma “ Epilogue
Having just spent a wonderful day walking through the town with Maeve, Sirius strolled in the front door of the Manor to see several trunks stacked in the foyer. He spotted Kreacher carefully polishing the inlaid silver serpents on Walburga’s ornate trunk. “What’s going on?” he demanded of the house-elf.
“Mistress ordered Kreacher to pack. She is saying it is time to go home to Grimmauld Place.”
His stomach sank when he spotted his trunk among the others. He strode to his mother’s parlor. Ignoring the servants she was directing he barked, “We’re leaving?”
She leveled a gaze on her errant son and replied coolly, “Of course. You didn’t think we would spend the entire summer here did you? If you would have bothered coming to dinner last night you would have known we are leaving after tea this afternoon.”
“You could have let me know when I got home!”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Now, go and check your room for anything that might have been left behind. We will be leaving directly after tea.” She turned back to directing the servants.
Sirius bolted from the room. Tea would be served soon and, knowing his mother, the moment they were finished they would leave. His mind was whirling madly. How could he leave without saying good-bye to Maeve? His mother kept the Floo powder under lock and key, so there wouldn’t be any way for him to sneak back and visit.
He scrambled madly through the desk in his room finally finding some parchment and ink. Grabbing a quill he scratched off a note.
Maeve,
I just found out we are leaving directly after tea. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I can’t say good-bye in person. Know that if there is a way to come and visit, I’ll find it. Until then, know that you will be in my thoughts constantly.
Yours,
Sirius
A wonderful idea came to him as he was addressing the note to Maeve. He snatched another piece of parchment.
James,
The time has come. Mother just informed me that we are going back to Grimmauld Place. I can’t stand it any longer. When it’s my turn to Floo, I’ll be coming to your house. Expect me after tea.
Sirius
He ran to the owlery and coaxed the fastest owl there to him. He tied the note to James on its leg and all but tossed the poor bird out the window. Sirius tied the note to Maeve to another owl’s leg with a sigh of regret. He watched it soar out the window with mixed feelings. He would have access to the Floo Network from the Potter’s, so he would be able to visit.
He patted the pocket with his new wand and felt a strange sense of freedom begin to well within him.
OoOoO
As they were finishing tea, his mother said, “Sirius, you seem to have accepted the fact that we’re leaving rather quickly,”
Sirius shrugged nonchalantly.
Reggie eyed him curiously, but turned his gaze away after a warning look from his brother.
“I do have to say you have behaved yourself quite well during our visit. If you could only behave this well at school I wouldn’t have to keep your wand from you.” His mother frowned, setting her cup on the tray.
“Does that mean you’ll give it back?” Sirius asked, not quite keeping the edge out of his voice.
“Not quite yet. We will see if you can keep up this good behavior once we are home.”
Sirius rolled his eyes and kept his excitement under control. In just a few minutes he would be free.
“It’s time to go,” his mother announced. “Boys, gather your trunks, you can take them with you when you Floo. Your father and I will be Apparating and I won’t have Kreacher wasting time coming back to bring your trunks home, I’ll need him to begin unpacking the moment we arrive.”
Reggie jumped to his feet, following orders promptly as always. Sirius nearly had to bite his tongue to keep the snarky comments at bay. He rose more slowly and leisurely strolled to the foyer.
His heart began to race as he watched his brother Floo home. He took a pinch of powder from the box his mother held. Grabbing the handle of his trunk he stepped into the fireplace. He couldn’t keep from smirking as he called out, “Potter Mansion.” He had the pleasure of seeing his parents’ shocked expressions just as he was whirled out of sight.
OoOoO
The last few weeks of summer flew by in the blink of an eye. James and Sirius had talked his parents into letting them go to Diagon Alley for their school supplies on their own and the boys promptly wrote to Lily and Maeve planning to meet for lunch and shopping.
They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron just before the girls arrived with their families.
“Young Mr. Black, I’d like to have a word with you, if you don’t mind.” Brian Stewart announced as they finished lunch.
“Oh, Da!” Maeve began.
“It’s young Sirius here I’m wanting a word with, missy. You’ll be taking yourself over to Madam Malkins and he can meet up with you there,” her father ordered.
Maeve cast an apologetic look to her boyfriend and muttered, “Yes, Da.”
“Mother, must I go with you in that Alley place?” Petunia whined. “Couldn’t I just take a walk in London?”
“Oh, Petunia, you might want to come with us!” Lily piped up with a sly grin. “You never know when the apothecary might need a hank of hag hair. You could make some money!”
Petunia’s hands flew to her hair. Her eyes widened with fright before muffled chuckles from the other teenagers made her realize Lily had been having her on, again.
“Now Petunia, don’t be difficult. Lily didn’t complain when we went shopping for your school supplies,” her mother chided gently.
“On with all of you now,” Brian ordered with a genial smile. “Young Sirius and I will meet up with you directly.”
He waited until everyone had gone before turning to Sirius. “Do you have any idea the furor you’ve caused your parents?”
“Sir,” Sirius began respectfully, “you have no idea how difficult it is to live with my parents. I’ve turned sixteen now, and Mr. and Mrs. Potter have agreed to let me live with them until I can get digs of my own.”
“And just how do you plan to pay for that?”
“I have an inheritance from my uncle,” Sirius explained. “There’s enough there for me to be quite comfortable until I graduate from Hogwarts and become an Auror.”
“An Auror?” Mr. Stewart exclaimed. “You think you have the talent to become an Auror?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“And just how many O.W.L.S. did you receive?”
“Eleven. It would have been twelve, but Divination is bunk.”
Mr. Stewart clapped Sirius on the back, nearly unseating him. “Eleven! That’s quite an accomplishment!”
“Thank you, sir.”
“All right, you’ve impressed me. You keep your nose clean and I’ll allow you to continue to court my daughter.”
“Yes, sir! I will!” Sirius declared. “May I go and join the others now?”
“You run along, I’ll just sit here for another mead. I’ll join up with the rest of you later.”
Sirius jumped from his seat and ran all the way to Madam Malkins. He found Maeve waiting for her turn to be fitted for her robes. Grabbing her hand he pulled her behind a display of formal robes. “Your father just gave me his permission to court you!” he told her, grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh, Sirius! That’s wonderful news!” she cried, hugging him tightly.
He drew back and gazed down at her for a moment before adding ruefully, “Yes, but. . .”
“But?” she asked with a bit of fear creeping into her heart.
“He said I have to ‘keep my nose clean’. Do you have any idea how hard that’s going to be?” Sirius couldn’t help teasing.
Maeve giggled lightly before whispering, “I’ll just have to keep you so busy you won’t have any time to get into trouble!”
Sirius raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Just how do you plan to do that?”
“Like this,” she answered, pulling his head down and kissing him soundly.
Sirius pulled back reluctantly from the kiss and lightly ran his fingers across her cheek. “I think that just might do it!” Tangling his fingers in her hair he drew her back for another kiss.
Finis
I’d like to thank my absolutely Awesome beta Kerichi. Without her patient encouragement, who knows when this epilogue would have finally been posted? If you are looking for a really good fanfiction read I highly recommend ALL of her stories!
I also want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and review my story! You really are the best! I hope you have enjoyed my story as much as I have writing it!