I hope our story has a happier ending

I know we're not alright

[tw: mentions of sexual abuse at the end of this chapter]

"Harry, Hermione, get in here! Ted, Dora!" Sirius's call rings through the hallways, likely magically amplified, and Hermione rolls her eyes at the theatrics but acquiesces.

Tonks is in their hall already, and Harry's head peeks out of his room right next to hers.

"Well, then, place your bets," Tonks whispers, waggling her eyebrows at both of them.

Hermione laughs, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "For him to sound this happy? Someone we hate is dead."

"No, there'd be more gleeful singing," Harry argues. "My guess is something with Uncle Moony—maybe his job, or werewolf rights policies."

Tonks raises an eyebrow. "Noble attempts, but you're both wrong—I'm betting Snape's resigned from the Order."

Harry snorts, and the three of them emerge into the living room, where Ted and Andy are already seated, a beaming Sirius and blushing Remus standing before them.

Sirius clears his throat, waving his arms dramatically. "Well! Now that you're all here, we have an announcement to make. This dashing werewolf agreed to marry my rapscallion self."

Remus flushes further, before continuing. "And then we went straight to the Ministry and got hitched."

"Yay!" Harry cries, rushing forward to hug them both. "Oh, this is brilliant! Congratulations! Also—Tonks, Mia, pay up."

Andy merely quirks an eyebrow. "It's about time."

"Lovely, you two," Tonks congratulates them with a grin, reaching to high five Sirius. "You trapped a good one into the family, cousin. Remus—happy to have you magically bound to us forever."

Remus laughs, expressing his thanks, bumping his elbow into Hermione. "You're next, you know."

"Merlin, don't remind me I'm voluntarily joining these heathens, too."

(She smiles, and congratulates them—and she's objectively glad for them.)

(But she can't feel it—the joy, the happiness, none of it's there. All she can feel is nothingness.)

Ted claps his hands together joyfully. "We have to do something to celebrate! How long do we have before the two of you take a honeymoon?"

Sirius's expression grows more serious. "We've decided to put it off until after the Voldemort threat is past. We're not comfortable being out of the country while our kid is in danger."

Guilt creeps up on Harry's face, and he opens his mouth to protest, but Sirius narrows his eyes at him before he can get the words out. "Don't you dare. If you try to say that you don't matter you're grounded till you're thirty." He presses a kiss to the top of Harry's head. "And besides, every day with Moony is a dream. We don't need a special trip to know we love each other."

"Or to invite us to your wedding—rude." Tonks sticks out her tongue. "It's fine. I'll remember this."

An apologetic smile forms on Remus's face. "We love you, and we're sorry you couldn't come. But—we've always wanted it to be just the two of us, when the time came."

"Which Prongs loathed, of course," Sirius interrupts, eyes fond and faraway. "The prat couldn't stand any time anything happened without him. Pouted for a week after not being invited on our first date."

"To his credit, he wasn't a hypocrite about it—always invited us along everywhere. The look on your mum's face when she found out he offered to book us a room next door on their honeymoon..."