With Love, || N.B.

𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒚-𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆

"...and if my previous words weren't clear enough, I am hopelessly in love with you..."

__________

The midday sun shone through dusty windows as Remus and Narcissa stood in the kitchen, arms crossed as they nagged Sirius.

"Whyyyy?" Sirius groaned, dragging out his words like a toddler as his head fell back dramatically.

"Because this house hasn't been cleaned for almost two decades, Sirius," Remus chuckled with his hands in his pockets.

As Remus took her side, Narcissa's demeanour relaxed and she smiled smugly. "Thank you, Remus." She turned her attention to Sirius, her face falling. "Sirius, I don't understand how you're able to live in this mess. I took a seat on the sofa in the parlour and I could've sworn a cloud of dust billowed up around me!"

Narcissa moved around the kitchen, pushing in the chairs around the table and grimacing at dirty pots and pans that were scattered beside the sink. As Sirius sat up, he sighed, resting his chin in his hand. "If it's good enough for Kreacher, it's good enough for me."

"It's not actually good enough for Kreacher," Narcissa said, turning around, her lower back resting against the edge of the counter as she crossed her arms. "Even he has standards."

Sirius stared at them, still unconvinced. As Narcissa and Remus eyeballed him, Sirius grew more and more unnerved before he finally caved. "Alright! Fine!" he groaned, standing up as he pointed at them both. "But you two need to stop ganging up on me! It's not fair!"

As Sirius sulked out of the room, Narcissa and Remus followed. They grinned as they walked side by side, uncrossing their arms and high fiving each other over their victory. As the three made their way out of the kitchen, Narcissa sighed. "Right, where shall we start first?"

"I suppose the logical thing to do would be to work our way up," Remus suggested, his head raised as he looked at the ceiling before glancing around the room. "I guess I'll work on the drawing room?"

"Alright," Narcissa smiled. "I'll take the parlour, and Sirius-?"

Sirius glared at them both. "'Sirius' what?"

Narcissa sighed, dropping her head. "Just go with Remus."

The idea alone made Sirius perk up. His grimace vanished in a heartbeat as he grabbed Remus's arm and forcefully pulled him to the drawing room.

Narcissa made her way to the parlour, her finger dragging lazily on the wall as she thought of the memories that clung to the old and peeling wallpaper of the house: being chased by Andromeda as laughter rang through the air; she and Regulus sneaking around the house to steal sweets from the kitchen; Christmases during the time where everyone got along with each other. Christmases where she and Sirius weren't at each other's throats and instead gossiped about the students of Hogwarts. The times before she had to hide the scar she received as punishment for loving someone no one approved of. It was all so unfair.

Tears of a bittersweet taste formed in her eyes as she thought back to those long-ago days. Those long ago days where the only thing she felt was happiness.

__________

"Sirius, it looks like fifteen-year-old you still sleeps in here!" Remus called as he stumbled upon Sirius's...well...messy room.

Narcissa hurried behind him, stopping abruptly as she set her eyes on-nothing really. The floor was covered in clothes, old textbooks, and Gryffindor memorabilia. "It looks like an erumpent trampled through here..." She gazed up at the ceiling and walls plastered in posters, the red drapes of Sirius's bed slightly charred and tattered from when he accidentally set them on fire. Narcissa's hand came to her mouth as she held back a laugh. "Well, I see Aunt Walburga never managed to undo those sticking charms! Have you even slept in here since you returned?"