The Ice Queen [s.b.]

In Azkaban and in Grief, 1981-1983 - 75

A/N HELLA LONG CHAPTER, JUST SO Y'ALL KNOW. YOU CAN READ IT BY YEARS IF YA WANT. THE NEXT ONE WILL BE THE OTHER YEARS BUT WILL JUST BE A BIT ABOUT WHAT ANNA'S DOING AND A BIT ABOUT WHAT SIRIUS IS DOING EACH YEAR INSTEAD OF ALTERNATING MONTHS. ENJOY!

1981

November 2nd.

Remus walks into his house.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," is the only thing he says.

Sirius crushes Remus in a hug, his red and puffy eyes set aside when his only best friend left hugs him back.

"I'm so sorry," Sirius weeps. "She was right in front of us the whole time, but I thought it was you. I didn't think- I, uh, couldn't think it ever possibly could've been her."

"It's okay, mate. But we're all alone now. Both of us," Remus says mournfully. "I trusted her, like she was my little sister. I believed in her. And she took that and turned it around on us. All of us."

November 3rd.

Elsewhere, Annalee Fawley's life ends with a bang.

That might've been a bit dramatic.

But to her, it feels like it's ending as her cell door clangs shut after Bellatrix Lestrange walks in.

"Hello, new cellmate!" Bella exclaims. "Oh, do I have some stories to tell you, Luv. Let's start with your little friend, Alice."

It would be a long life sentence for the young women.

December 30th.

"Sirius, I'd like to offer you a job," Dumbledore says to Sirius when he appears in his former professor's office. "Professor Binns has quit. You got top grades in History of Magic in all your time at Hogwarts. You've made history these past few years. I know you miss Hogwarts. I'd like you to be the next History of Magic professor."

He kept his promise to Annalee.

"Can I think about it?" Sirius requests.

He nods. "Owl me. For now, would you like some tea?"

"Sure," Sirius relents, taking a seat across from him. "Can I ask you something, Professor?" Dumbledore gestures for him to continue. "Did you know? About... Annalee, I mean."

"I never had a clue. I walked her down the aisle, Mr. Black. You mustn't blame yourself for her mistakes. She made her decision. It's not your job to live with it. In fact, I suppose she submitted herself to the law precisely because she didn't want you to have to live with hers."

In that moment, two kids enter the office, a young boy and girl. Both look to be about fifth years.

"I would just like to say," the girl begins, looking at the boy smugly, "it was all Matthew's fault."

Dumbledore raises an eyebrow. "Matthew? What do you have to say about this?"

"It was Abby's fault! Are you kidding? Let's be real here, when was the last time I resorted to something as lame as the slippery stairs. The last time that was used was my brother's first year by the Marauders," the boy says indignantly. "I don't take a page out of anyone's book except my own."

"Matthew, this is Sirius Black, one of the Marauders," Dumbledore introduces. "We're hoping he'll be our next History of Magic professor."

"Awesome," the girl mutters.

"Hoping?!" Matthew exclaims. "You have to do it, Black. Do you even understand how legendary you are here?!"

"James would've killed to hear someone say that," Dumbledore says softly, causing Sirius's breath to catch.