Time Astral | Sirius Black

27||The Godmother

April 26, 1996

Alasia was pained by the expression on Harry's face.

He had to return to Privet Drive soon after Hogwarts. Even though she'd fought with Dumbledore four hours on that matter, she knew he was somewhat right. She'd be risking all their lives with it.

But then again, was Little Whinging any safer? She was ready to bet that being with two powerful wizards who could protect him, being inside the wards of Alasia no Death Eater has ever been able to break, Harry would indeed, feel secure.

But it was the blood sacrifice, and Lily'd done it. And she couldn't go against it.

Sirius was in his bedroom, after he promised to wait for Alasia while she talks to Harry.

"You leave in a day."

"I know."

"Harry – "

"I hate liars, Josephine." He spat her name like venom and Alasia felt as though she'd break down.

"I didn't know! I didn't know who you were then!"

"But you knew when I came at your house. You asked me about Alasia Serpens, I told you about Sirius! How could you not return? How could you not return for fifteen years!?"

"Harry – "

"No." Harry averted his gaze. "Do you have any idea what it was like? For Sirius? For Remus? They were wallowing in guilt, in longing. Sirius has been talking of you nonstop, he fears – I know he does – he fears that every scrape of you will vanish if someone doesn't keep you alive through taking your name. And every time he talks of you, it's as though he would cry by the hurt in his face. They were hurting, Alasia. All of them. And you didn't return. You didn't – "

"I didn't return because I didn't know who they were!"

Harry looked up, eyes foggy. "What does that mean?"

"Do you even know why everyone considered me dead when I was not?" Alasia desperately tried to talk.

"I – You must've saved yourself. And then ran away like a coward."

"I didn't run away, Harry!" She gritted. "I would never run away, never."

"Then why did you not come back!? I could've had a family! Sirius was in Azkaban but I could've had you!"

"BECAUSE I DIDN'T REMEMBER!" Alasia cried.

Harry frowned, finally confused. "You didn't remember?"

"Do you recall how I asked you if there was a way to make someone forget in your world?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, you asked if there was a spell – " He gasped. "You were...you were Obliviated."

Her knees buckled and Alasia fell down, head in her hands. "I didn't remember a thing until I'd met you in Little Whinging. The first time you took your father's name, I – I could nearly hear him talking in my head. The next time, when I told you I'd killed four Death Eaters...one of them was afraid of me. Told me I was supposed to be dead. Told me I died the day they did. I knew...I knew then that I was connected to you somehow. But I didn't know in what way exactly..."

"So you asked me if I knew Alasia Serpens."

She nodded, looking up, eyes glistening. "And then you were at my house. Told me I was your godmother. Oh, Harry, it hurt. It hurt to not remember but know that I could potentially have a family. Could potentially have a fiancé. It hurt so much but I didn't remember."

"So when did you..." He trailed off, eyes welled up, too.

"During my next assassination task, I met an old friend." Alasia chuckled, wiping her eyes. "A Malfoy. She knew me, I'd saved her life once. She brought me to Diagon Alley – and there, amongst so many wizard and witches...I had visions. I got slivers of memory back. But the entire thing..."

"It was the day we went to the Ministry."

"Yes." She confirmed. "I was so scared – so scared something might've happened to you. All I could do was see your expression as you yelled Josephine. It pained me, but Harry....it wasn't my fault – "

Harry got up and hugged her and a sob escaped Alasia as she hugged him back. "Am I still your go-to nephew?"

"Always." She laughed. "Always, kiddo."

***

"I thought you would've slept."

Sirius spun around from the window, a cigarette going slack in his fingers as he stared at her. "I thought I'd wake up from whatever twisted dream this is."

"Padfoot..." She whispered. "Padfoot, I missed you."

The cigarette fell out of his fingers and his knees trembled. Alasia ran forward, catching him just in time as he fell down.

"Hey, hey, get up."

He was sobbing. The sound so broken, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt. "Allie..."

"I'm here. I'm not dead. I'm here."

"You saved my life."

"Is that a question, Sirius?" She asked, kneeling down in front of him as he refused to remove his gaze from her face. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"I was...I was ready to die, Allie." He breathed deeply. "I was laughing when Bellatrix readied her wand because...because I thought I'd see you again."

Alasia's heart crumpled into a million different pieces. "Sirius – how could you? Harry needs you. I knew the moment I heard you say 'you can do better than that', that you were about to do something very stupid."

"And you threw a rock at me." He chuckled.

"I threw you the Romanian Topaz!" Alasia gasped. "I had to go to another ball and seduce men again for it, did you know?"

"I want to know." Sirius said softly, his hand cupping her jaw. "I want to know every single thing that's happened with you since you left. Every. single. one."

"I'll tell you." She grinned. "I'll tell you, if you tell me."

He grinned back and stood up, catching Alasia from the back of her knees as she gasped when he picked her up, taking her to the bed, where they both talked until their exhaustion gave way to sleep, and they drifted into dreamless slumber in each other's arms.