UnExpected

Chapter 8

"How was the hearing?" Buffy asked looking up from her book.

"Cleared of all charges," Remus told her, taking a seat on the couch beside her.

"Bet they were happy to hear that," she said with a grin.

"Ecstatic. They're celebrating as we speak."

"Didn't wanna stay for the cake and ice cream?"

"They're saving me a piece. I just thought you and your mother would like to know. Where is she by the way?" He glanced around the room and stretched his neck to look into the next.

"Went to do some shopping. Turns out that in order to survive you have to eat this thing called food," she said.

"Really? That's news to me."

"I know, weird right?"

Leaning down, Remus picked up a book from the floor and looked at the cover, 'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection.'

"Didn't we already cover this?" he asked raising the book to her attention.

"Yeah, I know, but I'm going over everything again," she replied with a shrug. "Wanna make sure I have it down, since schools starting soon."

"Smart thinking."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," she said with a smile, one he happily returned.

"Must come from your mother's side."

"You mean Miss Ravenclaw. I'm surprised she hasn't forced me to study in my sleep."

"Don't give her any ideas."

She gave a short laugh and closed the book on her lap. "How's Sirius?"

"Better now that Harry's around, but he's still upset about not being able to leave the house."

"Dumbledore still against it?"

"He's adamant about it. He doesn't want anybody taking any risks right now," he told her.

"Bet that's killing him. Surprised he hasn't snuck out of the house," she said, and then her eyes went wide in dawning, knowing how reckless Sirius could be. "He hasn't has he?"

"No," he replied with a wry smile. "Been keeping my eye on him. He hasn't ignored Dumbledore's order once, which is driving him crazy."

"Meaning he's driving you crazy."

"Yeah, but I was already crazy to begin with."

Remus rose to his feet and tossed the book onto his vacated spot. "I should get going. With so many people living in that house, who knows if there'll be any food left when I arrive."

"None is my vote."

"Yeah, mine, too. Tell your mother the news, will you?" he asked of her.

"Sure, say hi to Sirius for me," she told him.

"Will do," he said, and with a pop he was gone.

Buffy looked down at her book again and began to read where she left off. He was cleared of all charges and would be returning to Hogwarts. The smile spreading across her face was bright and cheerful, making her true feelings about the news very clear. But the tiny nervous butterflies in her stomach had nothing to do with excitement, but of worry of how he would react to her return. How all of them would react. And for a split-second Buffy wondered if it was such a good idea to come back.

*****

They were sure that no matter how hard they scrubbed the grime in Grimmauld Place would never come off.