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total-drama-brainrot · 8 months ago

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TD World Tour AU, where Noah doesn't tell Owen that Alejandro is an eel in London... In Area 51, Noah is accidentally splashed with an alien truth potion (which wears off after a few days) and he talks to Owen... Owen asks Noah what he truly thinks about Alejandro, and Truth-Potion Affected Noah says this: "I have mixed feelings for Alejandro. He's a brilliant, interesting guy and I like him, but I don't trust him. He's like a slippery eel dipped in grease, swimming in motor oil. Basically, Heather with social skills. Wait a minute, why am I telling you this?!"... What if Alejandro secretly heard Noah call him all those conflicting things + Alejandro also learns that Noah is affected with an alien truth potion? 👽

Alright, you got me. I'm an absolute sucker for truth potion plots, especially when the character(s) effected by them are usually either pathological liars or incredibly secretive- of which Noah absolutely falls into the second category, given he shares so little personal information.

I'll gloss over why Noah declined to shit-talk Alejandro in London (though there's so many ways this change in behaviour could be justified) since the focal point of this hypothetical centred around their time in Nevada, so let's start from the beginning of the Area 51 challenge.

Area 51:

Before we start, it'll have to be established that no one was eliminated in London. Let's say that the majority vote went towards Duncan (team CIRRRRH voted him out immediately because they found his re-admission to the competition unfair, I guess. I imagine he'd also vote himself, if not as a plan to escape the competition he'd been actively skiving from, then just as an act of spite) but Chris instead claimed it was a rewards challenge- much like he does in Greece- because he doesn't want to let Duncan slip away again so soon.

I see no reason to alter the first part of the challenge- the sneaking into Area 51 portion- since team CIRRRRH's course of entry is fairly straightforward. Noah's presence doesn't make much of a difference to how it would play out; the majority of them throw their rocks and run, Owen gets lasered over the fence and Owen-napped, ect ect.

When both teams have managed to make their way into the Black Box Warehouse, Noah immediately suggests they should prioritise rescuing Owen. Tyler's quick to agree, since he's a firm believer in the "no man left behind" mentality (and he probably makes a not-so-subtle jab towards Noah for his chance of tune compared to London, where both he and Owen did leave Tyler behind) leaving Duncan and Alejandro to split from the group- Duncan in search of Gwen, and Alejandro just takes the opportunity to finally be free from his 'incompetent teammates' and prioritises finding an artifact.

Noah and Tyler come across the contraption Owen's trapped in, Tyler punches it in a futile effort to break it open, and the face hugger cube drops into Noah's hands. This is where the point of divergence comes into play; Tyler has his E.T. moment with one of the face huggers, but Noah- who's a tad bit more observant than Alejandro, and used to dodging surprise attacks from his various older siblings (and Izzy)- anticipates his own face hugger attack and promptly starts a game of cat-and-mouse with a taser alien hot on his heels.

The commotion of which attracts the rest of his team. Alejandro and Duncan arrive on the scene to see Tyler being electrocuted by an alien and Noah running in circles evading another.

Duncan attempts to rip the face hugger from Tyler's face, finding success at the cost of sending Tyler trampling into Owen's captive contraption (essentially taking Alejandro's canonical place in this scene) and inadvertently freeing Owen.

Meanwhile, Alejandro swipes up the nearest box he can find and snags the alien chasing Noah, who's still very loudly panicking as he flees, and succeeds! The alien is swiftly captured into the box, netting team CIRRRRH their artifact, and Noah promptly goes careening into the nearest tower of junk in his face hugger-fuelled hysteria. This causes another box to topple from the peak of the tower, landing directly on Noah's head and spilling its contents onto the bookworm- glass vials filled with a mysterious, luminescent cobalt blue liquid shatter into pieces drenching Noah in whatever they contained. (i.e. truth potion.)

Owen has his false-amnesia moment, characterised by his Joker makeover, and Alejandro enacts his revenge post-hypnotic suggestion after being addressed as "Al" one too many times.

Noah, understandably, swiftly objects to Owen's treatment and demands that Alejandro snap him out of it. Alejandro concedes, and Owen's brought back to himself. At least, for a moment, before the fatigue of having his mind messed with sends Owen into near-catatonia (the same as canon), meaning he has to be ferried through the Warehouse and back to the Jet by Alejandro and Duncan.

Things carry on canonically from there; Noah's just sort of there for the most part, though there'd be a minor hint to his newfound proclivity for honesty. Something along the lines of him giving an uncharacteristically honest answer to Owen as to who he's voting- Tyler, of course, since he was the one who ultimately threw the challenge for them... and also because Tyler still holds some resentment towards Noah for what happened in London, and Noah feels guilty about it every time he looks at the jock. Wait, why did he say that?

Sometime between this and the elimination scene, Noah wipes the truth-goop off of himself, but not before the effects have already started.

Tyler's voted out, yada yada yada.

The Jet:

Thus begins the start of "Picnic at Hanging Dork". Team CIRRRRH, consisting of just Alejandro, Duncan, Owen and Noah, are slumming it up in the Economy Cabin. Alejandro tries to rally his team by asking how to break apart Courtney and Heather's tentative co-operation. Owen suggests having Alejandro seduce Heather, since it worked for both Bridgette and Leshawna. Duncan makes his "Babe Olympics" comment. Noah pipes up that playing with someone's feelings is pretty scummy, even for someone competing for a million dollars.

Alejandro takes Noah's reluctance towards his methodology poorly; he hadn't spoken up before, when Alejandro had utilized the same strategy against other girls- and even Owen noticed that, so surely Noah did too- so why was he to outwardly against him using the same tricks? Duncan agrees, and offers ''his'' idea of having Alejandro flirt with Courtney to throw both her and Heather off their games (since Heather has an obvious crush on Alejandro), and things follow canon.

Then, the scene between Alejandro and Courtney happens. Noah scoffs at the display from the side lines, prompting Owen to ask him why he's so against Alejandro's plan.

"I mean, you never said anything before, when he flirted with Bridgette and Leshawna." Owen comments, light-hearted in nature but with an underlying questioning tone.

Noah's eyes flicker with a cobalt glow, easily mistaken for a trick of the light, and he speaks without even thinking.

"Yeah, because I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Bridgette was happenstance, and Leshawna's whole deal could've been a coincidence, or some massive misunderstanding. But this?" Noah extends an accusing hand out towards a smug looking Alejandro, then pans it over to a flattered Courtney, "He's outright toying with Courtney's feelings after she was cheated on in front of an international audience. It's scummy."

Owen nods in understanding, momentary contemplation evident in the pouted curve of his lips, and he chimes in.

"Does that mean you don't like Al?"

"I never said that."

"Well, how do you feel about him, then?"

Again, a flash of blue light against the hickory backdrop of Noah's eyes, and he responds thoughtlessly.

"I guess I have mixed feelings about him. On the one hand, he's slippery, like an eel dipped in grease, swimming in motor oil. He's like if you took all of the worst aspects of Heather, wrapped them up in a pretty package, and gave them social skills..." He holds his hands out before him in a scale-like manner, with the left tipped downwards and tie right raised by his chin. Then, the two hands swap positions.

"And on the other hand, he's brilliant. I've never met anyone as talented as Alejandro; he's smart, he's athletic, he's funny. It's almost unfair just how perfect everything about him is- even his face is perfect. It's ridiculous! Infuriating, even. It's so hard to dislike him, even when I know he's bad news, but that doesn't mean I trust him."

Owen stands slack jawed beside his best friend, both impressed and stunned at the raw honesty of Noah's tirade. Noah, now a little more aware of himself, realises that he's said more than he intended to- more than he thinks he's ever spoken in one go throughout the entirety of Total Drama. He's not usually one for speeches, after all, let alone honest ones.

He's always been the type to play his cards close to his chest, so why...?

"I, uh, didn't mean to go off like that."

And he also didn't mean to admit it, either. What was going on?

The look Owen gives him is, in a word, vivid. The blonde has a shit-eating grin stretching across his face, a sort of elated smugness practically glowing from his features.

"Sounds like someone has a cruuuush!~"

What? No? No! Not at all, where would Owen even get that idea?!

Noah splutters to correct Owen's assumption (to disastrous results, because he does sort-of has a crush on Alejandro, so the truth potion doesn't allow him to outright deny it), and in his preoccupied state he misses how a calculating pair of sage green eyes never seems to stray from him.

Alejandro has a lot to think about in regards to a certain cynic, it seems.

#I'd like to apologise for taking this idea and running with it.#Cutting myself off here before I breach 2k+ words or else I'll be here all day.#Sort of entered actual Writing Mode at the end there instead of Outline Mode but this idea is. So Full Of Potential I couldn't help myself.#But from here it'd basically be Alejandro using his newfound knowledge of Noah's crush on him to his advantage.#Whilst Noah's doing his best (and failing) to deny that he has any feelings for Alejandro.#Eventually leading to the two of them having a Bonding Moment where Alejandro gets Noah to divulge some personal information.#And in turn- or an effort to garner some trust (to be abused later)- Alejandro also lets himself be vulnerable towards Noah.#Something something Alejandro tries to use Noah as a pawn but ends up catching feelings of his own.#Then of course the potion wears off and Noah goes back to being just as prickly and standoffish as he was before.#A point of conflict maybe? Imagine bearing your soul out to someone only for them to close themself off to you not even days afterwards.#...Also imagine being practically forced to divulge information about yourself to someone you don't trust because of a truth potion.#Oh yeah. That's some good angst material right there.#Especially is you have Alejandro be- if not fully aware- than at least suspect that Noah's not being agreeable on his own terms.#Anon why have you given me The Thoughts?? I can't keep brainstorming AUs when I already have fics to work on!!#ophe's ranting in the tags again #total drama #td noah #td alejandro #team chris is really really really really hot #alenoah #-ish #silly ideas #other's ideas #long post #replies #kinda drafty in here (posts from the drafts)

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cyandreamsinwords · 14 days ago

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Cut and Run — Pt 8 (BoaWT AU) - Final

Again, none of this is cannon to the main fic, I just like to self-indulge. (9.6 k)

Now also on Ao3

Link to the main fic here

If you're looking for a cozy, super satisfying ending...I fear this may not be it. I will warn you, there is a great deal of crying in this.

Pt 1 Pt 2 Pt 3 Pt 4 Pt 5 Pt 6 Pt 7

7 years later

Summers were Harry’s favorite. He liked the warm nights and even warmer days, and just how easy it was to find wild blueberries and gorge himself on them. The world opened up to him this time of year, growing wider and more inviting. During the summer, they spent more time at the nearby lake than they did stuffed inside, and every year him and Lyra would build themselves a new fort they could escape to. This year’s was especially good, and Sirius thought it just might be stable enough to survive the next change of seasons.

That’s what Harry hated most about winter, how they could at times go days without being able to escape the cabin. It drove them all crazy, no one more than Sirius, who was always the first to brave the cold for fresh air and a long walk. In the summer, Lyra and Harry were allowed to roam free, alone even, and they could find a change of scenery. They would explore and map out new things they found in their woods like caves, creeks and rock outcroppings, giving each names and symbols, pushing the boundary of what they already knew. Sirius and Remus let their leashes go longer, and Harry’s small world would become just a bit bigger.

“Have you decided on what flavor cake you want yet?” Lyra asked, twirling herself around thin trees as they wandered the aspen grove, in search of something to do. She gave him a sweet, innocent smile, spinning to face him, one she usually pulled when trying to persuade him of something. “I’d go chocolate, if I were you. With chocolate frosting, of course.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “That’s your favorite flavor.”

She gave an extra turn around the tree before pushing off. “Just a suggestion, in case you can’t decide. You’re taking forever to do so.”

“My birthday, my cake.” He’d be turning eleven tomorrow. He’d be excited, if it didn’t feel like he’d just turned ten. Time didn’t really move out here, as nothing ever seemed to change. Every day felt like a repeat of the last: wake up, maybe learn a bit of something when Remus was home to teach, slip off halfway through the day with Lyra before coming home to share a meal with everyone, spend time in the den, then turn into bed to do it all over the following day. Star gazing on the clear nights and games inside on cloudy ones. Exciting deviations from this schedule included any holiday festivities they could think up, and that really big day when Harry finally got to move out of his and Lyra’s shared room and take Remus’ loft, since he’d been sharing Sirius’ room for an age at that point and it made no sense for the space to go unused. That was years ago now though, and recently Lyra had jokingly brought up switching, just to get to experience the thrill again.

Nothing and no one around here ever seemed to change. Nothing but the seasons.

Harry liked his little family and their life. Honest. There were days though that he felt he was the only one unsatisfied with the way of things. No one ever complained or seemed in any rush at all to change anything. He understood why Remus was content, he got to escape to the outside world whenever they needed more supplies or when his change was coming on. Sirius—well, he made a big show of rallying them to go on hikes and play games they’d all made up, loudly claiming boredom, but Harry didn’t suspect he really was as much as he said. Lyra had her books with worlds big enough it didn’t really matter how small theirs was here. She would talk their ears off about whatever book she was in the middle of, and turned through them as fast as Remus could restock them.

Objectively, he knew he could bring this all up to any one of them, but wasn’t sure he was prepared to feel any more like an outsider than he already did if he ended up being outnumbered.

That…that sounded bad. Harry knew he shouldn’t feel that, or even think it, but it felt more and more true each day. They were his family, and they loved him. It’s just that at times, he didn’t feel like he was part of their circle. It was like he was always just a bit outside of it.

It wasn’t their fault, it’s not like his guardians neglected him or ever loved him any less, and they made it a point to spend one on one time with him so he never felt forgotten. He’d even gone so far once as to count how many times in a day they said I love you both to Lyra and him individually, and it ended up coming out too close to say they loved one more than the other. But, Lyra was Sirius’ daughter, Remus’ twin moon, and he was Sirius’ partner, and Harry was just the son of their dead friends. There was a difference there that could not be bridged.

They told him plenty about his parents, so much and in such detail it was like they were never gone. He was always going to be James and Lily’s boy, and that meant he’d never be Sirius and Remus’, not fully. And he was glad for it, to have those parts of them, and regardless of whatever else he felt, he’d never give that up for anything. He loved his parents, loved being their son, even if he’d never known them. He just wished his were alive like Lyra’s. No one in this little world of his was capable of understanding the loneliness of that.

He didn’t like having these thoughts, and did his best not to have them at all. He felt broken and wrong for letting them take root and repeat the way they had been as of late. It wasn’t fair to any of these people who loved him to think such traitorous thoughts. Harry should do better by them and bury this all away until it was forgotten, and become just as content and happy as they were. He should do that for them, after everything they’d done for him.

Lyra had stopped again, still smiling at him, and he just now noticed she was holding something behind her back. “Would you like your pre-birthday gift now?”

Pushing his darker musings away, he forced himself to take on a lighter attitude. “Pre-birthday gift? Why not just wait for my actual birthday?”

“Well, because it’s not good enough to be your real present, just a little something extra. And you looked all weird and off, so this is to cheer you up. Close your eyes and hold out your hands.”

He did as he was told, and felt her distribute his gift in his outreached hands. It was light and papery, and opening his eyes, he saw that it was a brochure with bright colors and exciting images.

“What’s this?” He asked, eyeing its front and unfolding it.

“It’s an attraction map!” She began to bounce up and down on her tiptoes, pleased with herself. “I found it when Remus took me into town to get your actual present. Look, it’s for a nearby city a ways away, a bigger one, with a list of all the stores and what they sell.” She pointed to a place on the map. “It even has a place with rides! Right there. Oh, and over here, a zoo!”

Harry’s face was split wide with a genuine smile as he looked at the map. Now and then, they’d make short day trips to the nearby town. It was a little place full of a small handful of muggles, where no other witches or wizards live, and Sirius and Remus made it very clear from a young age that while there they must not ever mention anything about magic. They’d talk briefly to people while there and play on the playground with the other kids while they were younger, but they never stayed for long. Sirius would come too, when he was able to talk Remus around to it, disguised in his dog form. They had a whole story they told the locals about how they were passing through, and this little town was their favorite place to stop and stretch their legs. They were always traveling, always had a long ways left to go and couldn’t stay too long, and could never really stick around and get to know the place. Not that there was much to know, as small a town as it was. They’d never gone too far outside of it, and ever to a city quite as big as the one on this map.

Lyra studied his face, measuring his reaction to see if he truly liked his gift. “I figured we could circle all the places we wanted to visit and start ticking them off.”

“I can already hear Remus telling us no,” Harry chuckled.

Lyra shrugged. “Well, one day we’ll be old enough they can’t tell us where we can and can’t go. We can go wherever we want for as long as we want and they can’t tell us otherwise.”

His smile widened even further. “We’re starting at the rides. Absolutely.”

Her statement comforted him some after his earlier thoughts. If he were ever to broach addressing them with any of his family, it would be Lyra. She was a good listener, and never made him feel stupid for the things he said, even when he sometimes was. And it made him wonder if maybe he should say something to her, if maybe she could understand.

They continued to point out and study the map, the wind gusting heavily through the trees, some creaking and groaning as they swayed. Lyra opened her mouth to say something else, but froze very suddenly, her eyes going wide and her finger hovering.

“Ly? What is it?”

She remained in that position for a few heartbeats more before she turned to look over her shoulder. “Did you not…” She turned back, blinking rapidly.

“What?”

“The crack. Did you hear the crack?”

Harry felt himself freeze, and she grew even more worried seeing it. “Moony said nothing about leaving today, did he?”

Shoving the brochure in his back pocket, Harry reached out a hand, taking Lyra’s in his, and began leading the way back to the house. “Look, it could be nothing, just something in the forest. Or, maybe it was Moony and he forgot to say something before we left. It is my birthday tomorrow, maybe he’s just run into town to get my cake.” She remained unconvinced. “Just…stay close to me, okay?”

“But you haven’t even decided which cake you want, why would he go get one? If it wasn’t him, and we go back, whoever it might be could follow—”

“Your dad will know what to do then. It’s going to be fine.” Harry’s own heart was racing, but he could see just how frightened Lyra was and knew he needed to be the one to keep it together. “We just need to get home first.”

He reached into his pocket, cursing when he didn’t feel his stone in there, the one Sirius had carved a tracking rune into, one that would light up and shake its sibling stones when brushed with a finger, one each of them had. He must have left it on his bedside table when he changed pants. It was the one thing Remus was constantly on his case about, something he never seemed to learn.

Lyra struggled to keep up with him, checking her little side bag for hers and growing more panicky with each second she didn’t locate it. “I know I have it, I know it’s with me—”

“Just focus on not falling right now. It’s fine, it was probably nothing—”

She skittered to a dead stop then, like a frightened deer spotting something else nearby. This time he trusted her enough not to ask questions, just followed her wide gaze to where it was staring in horror.

There was a man standing some distance from them, looking in their direction. He wore a robe and had a long white beard reaching lengths they’d seen no muggle man archive (try as some of them might). It was very clear, even with no wand in hand, this man was a wizard.

“Pardon me!” He called to them cheerfully, his smile friendly and warm. “Would it be alright if we were to speak for a moment?”

Lyra looked to him unsurely, but he did not take his eyes off the man. He may seem friendly enough, but that didn’t make him any less dangerous. They’d talked over this very scenario plenty of times before, almost every time Lyra and him left the house alone to wonder. Already their carefully laid plans were falling apart, neither of them having yet set off their stones, nor making it back to the house. They were swiftly entering the third, last case scenario plan no one liked.

Lyra, despite her shaking, began to pull and try to maneuver Harry. Sensing what she was trying to do, Harry remained drilled to his spot. It’d been explained to them, only on a few occasions, that whoever was to purposefully seek them out would most likely be there for him. The world cared less about Lyra’s whereabouts then they did Harry’s, and this man, whoever he might be, may be here for him and him alone. She was trying to give him an opportunity to flee first, one he absolutely refused to take.

“I apologize,” the man said kindly, bringing his hands together. “I have startled you both. It was not my intention. You do not get many visitors up here, do you?”

“We’re always weary of strange men approaching us in the woods,” Harry shouted to him bravely, still fighting Lyra’s insistent hands. “It’s concerning.”

“You are absolutely correct. It is incredibly unwise to talk to people you don’t know all alone. You’ve been taught well. It is sometimes unavoidable, though, and sometimes completely necessary.”

Behind him, he felt Lyra give up her fight, knowing just how stubborn he could be, and continued to discreetly search her bag. “If you’re lost and in need of directions to town, you just need to go on straight that way,” he told the man, pointing to the opposite direction where the woods grew thicker and harder to traverse. “Go that way and you can’t miss it.”

The man studied them both for a moment, and took an advancing step forward. “Would the two of you happen to be Harry and Lyra by chance?”

“Nope,” he answered immediately, a dreadful certainty taking over him that this was a very bad situation. “I think we’ve met them once before. Their neighbors, but not near ones. They live a few miles that way—”

“I apologize for interrupting, but to save both of us the time, I know that you are indeed Harry Potter. Your scar gives you away, I’m afraid.” Harry’s heart dropped fully into his gut now, going sour as the man continued towards them.

He began to reach inside his pocket, and now Lyra did succeed in throwing him behind her as she assumed he reached for his wand. “Do not be so frightened, I simply have something for you. The both of you actually. I do not usually do this, but I thought it best I deliver these myself this time. To be sure they were received.”

“Harry, run—”

She must have been able to locate her stone, as there was something else now lumbering towards them on quick precise paws. Hearing his approach, the man stopped, pulling his hand from his robe pocket just as Sirius slid protectively in front of them, a look so dangerous and wild in his canine eyes, Harry wasn’t sure at first if it was him and not some feral dog. He was growling fiercely, both children taking several steps back, now pushed up against a large boulder. The thing about Sirius’ form is he could sometimes be mistaken for a bear on first glance, he was that big, and sounded just as dangerous as one when he began to bark.

This did not seem to worry the man, though. In fact, he looked to be expecting his appearance. “Enough of that. Change back so we may talk like human beings, not critters in the forest.”

With a snap, Sirius was standing there as a man, his wand drawn and pointed at the stranger.

The man’s chin tipped up, examining him through half moon spectacles. “Hello again, Sirius. You’re looking well. The years on the run have done you good, it seems.”

“What are you doing here, Dumbledore?” Sirius cut straight to business. His tone was frigid and low, unlike any Harry had ever heard him use before.

“Not to make light of the situation, but of those of us here, I am perhaps the only one who isn’t somewhere they are not meant to be.”

“I don’t want to have to fight you, Dumbledore, but you know that I will.”

“Yes,” this Dumbledore said gravely, no longer attempting at being unbothered. “I know that you will. And I think we both know that would be a most unwise decision.” He turned his head to watch as Remus arrived, having fallen further behind running on human feet. “Regardless of what back up you may have.”

Unlike Sirius, Remus approached cautiously, his expression betraying just how dangerous a situation they were in. Harry had felt relief when his godfather first arrived, feeling that the situation would be handled swiftly, knowing just how capable he was. But if both him and Remus were here now, and the latter felt so unsure of their chances already, perhaps he’d relaxed too soon.

“This doesn’t have to end in a fight,” he said. It sounded like a plea to both parties. “We can talk—we should talk about this.”

“I’m not letting him take my kids from me, Remus.”

“Taking is a severe word for my purposes here. Invite is perhaps more appropriate.” He reached back into his pocket and pulled out two neatly folded and stamped envelopes. “For them. Their letters to Hogwarts.”

Each one of them held their breath at that. No one reached out to take the letters, and Dumbledore did not waver or appear at all awkward at having to continue to stand there with them.

“It is at this age that children most typically start their training in magic,” Dumbledore explained to the two young children directly. “You will find no better place to do so than Hogwarts. I may be biased, though, as I am the current Headmaster there.”

There was an unspoken conversation happening between Sirius and Remus then. Neither seemed very content with where it was going.

“I must look to the two of you young people to be a frightening and dangerous man. You no doubt trust your guardians more than you do me, and are unwilling to hear me out. But it is important you know just exactly who you are, and what this man here has been accused of, if you do not know already.”

“I didn’t do it,” Sirius barked. “I didn’t receive a fair trial. You’re not a blind man, Dumbledore, you have to have known just how rushed and shotty a job they were doing at the time. I am innocent.”

“And yet the first thing you did when you freed yourself was not to come to me for help, but to go and kidnap two perfectly safe children from their homes and drag them out into the middle of nowhere to grow up as hermits, isolated from the world. What exactly was your plan here, Sirius?”

“I couldn’t risk coming to you for help and you not believing me,” Sirius retorted, face going stormy at the suggestion of having pulled them from safe homes.

“You have risked plenty,” Dumbledore said darkly.

“Please, Dumbledore,” Remus implored. “Just give us the chance to explain. Sirius is innocent, he never would have hurt James and Lily. This has all been one great misunderstanding from the very start. I know you believe that Sirius was their secret keeper, but he was not. It was Peter, they switched. Sirius was too obvious a choice, and it would have been clever, had Peter not betrayed the Potters. He blew up that street when Sirius went to confront him, all as a way to fake his death and escape. And he’s gotten away with it because…” he stopped, suddenly looking ashamed and hesitant, turning his eyes towards Sirius.

“Because Pete is an unregistered animagus,” Sirius finished definitively, not feeling at all the same. “Same as me. Same as James.”

Dumbledore studied the two of them. “…a dangerous fact to never share with me.”

“There are a lot of things I would have done differently if I could. That’s the past now.” Sirius’ stance had not relaxed in the slightest, still waiting on the old wizard’s reaction. “What matters now is how we’re going to proceed.”

“By putting our wands away and discussing things, of course.” He motioned for him to do so. “Would you prefer to remain out here, or may we retire to your home to do so in comfort?”

Remus was watching Sirius carefully for his final decision, releasing a breath as he lowered his wand with a flick, stashing it away. “Follow me, Sir,” he said, strained, guiding him off towards the house.

Sirius motioned them to come to him, and Lyra raced across the distance to throw herself into her father’s arms. Harry walked more cautiously, not wanting to take his eyes off this Dumbledore fellow for longer than he had to. “Sirius,” he asked lowly, trying not to sound as unnerved as he felt. “Are we sure this is safe?”

“No, but Dumbledore is a good man,” he said stiffly, taking over for him in staring him down. “If he says he is going to hear us out, he will, and he would never dare hurt either of you.” One of his hands reached out, gripping Harry’s shoulder in a comforting squeeze. “We’ll figure this out.”

But Harry could not help but feel that this could only end poorly.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

As they entered the house, Remus ushered the kids off to Lyra’s room, neither protesting very hard before doing as they were told and locking the door behind them. Dumbledore took an appraising look around the place, noting the map on the wall beside the dining table of the surrounding area, four little markers moving across it, now all centered at the house. Sirius felt his hackles rising, not just for his examination and judgment, but for having another person outside his family inside his space for the very first time.

“For as long as I suspect this is going to take us, I think we should start off straight away,” Dumbledore announced, taking a seat in one of the armchairs in the living room. “But, perhaps refreshments while we do? A tea, or maybe even something stronger, if you have anything.”

“Not really,” Remus said, setting to ready the kettle. “Nothing that you’ll prefer to tea, by any means.”

“A shame. I suspect this conversation may make us wish you did.”

It did not take so long as one might expect to convince Dumbledore of the truth. He was a very clever and insightful man after all, and knew them well enough to know that with their combined talents and smarts, becoming animagus at their young ages would have been entirely possible. Now, with all the pieces of the puzzle, he understood what actually happened that night and everything that followed after. He was still not satisfied with Sirius and Remus’ choices up to this point, however.

“You cannot stay out here hidden away with them forever, Sirius,” Dumbledore said. “As much as you may want to, this is no solution.”

“And you would know what’s best?” Sirius glared. “Especially for Harry? Those muggles you left him with were abusing him! James and Lily entrusted me with their son for a reason, and you should have trusted that! He had no business there, Dumbledore, and had you thought about it at all, you would have seen that!”

“I have never been thoughtless, Sirius Black, and I wasn’t the night I delivered Harry to his aunt either.” His voice was even and calm, but it sparked with an undercurrent of displeasure and frustration. “You have no idea the damage you did the night you took that boy from that home, the damage you must now undo. I placed him there for a reason, one I will share with you the moment you calm down and give me the grace I afforded you of listening. Once I do, I am sure you will agree with me that he must return.”

“Agree that he must—ARE YOU INSANE!? Did you not hear a word of what I said—”

“Sirius!” Remus scolded, both tired and overstimulated by his partner constantly lashing out against Dumbledore’s unwavering steadiness.

Sirius didn’t want to listen. Whatever Dumbledore had to say, it was going to end with him telling Sirius he’d have to give up Harry and send him away, and that wasn’t acceptable. He’d raised Harry, he’d made sure he was safe and cared for, and that he never grew up not knowing his parents and just how brave and wonderful of people they were. He’d given him a home he’d seen for himself those muggle relatives of his wouldn’t be capable of giving him. And here this man was, sure he’d be able to convince him otherwise. He never before realized just how arrogant Dumbledore was.

His eyes turned to Remus, wanting to start an argument with him now, but his expression turned weaker, more pleading. They’d gotten good at reading one another in their years. They didn’t always require words to say their piece, and right now Remus was asking for him to breathe, to not let his anxiety and fear direct this conversation. Listening is not agreeing, he’d once argued with him. You haven’t lost if you decide to listen.

“Fine,” Sirius said through a clenched jaw. “You’re right, you heard me out first, so I’ll return the favor. But that doesn’t mean I’ll agree to it.”

This took significantly longer than Sirius and Remus’ explanation of events, and in the end, out of sheer stubbornness if nothing else, did not result in a definitive decision. It was late in the day by the time both sides had reached their limit.

“I will take my leave,” Dumbledore said, standing. “For now. I will give you the necessary time to come to your senses.”

He made ise way towards the door, and Sirius felt the need to call over his shoulder at him, “Nothing is even close to decided, Dumbledore. We’re going to do whatever is best for Harry, and that is our decision, not yours.”

“You love that boy,” Dumbledore said. “Just as much as you loved his father. That’s how I know you’ll do what I ask. Because you do trust me, Sirius, and I am telling you it is the only way to ensure his safety in what’s to come.” His hand paused on the door handle, and he turned back, his voice low but sincere. “I will do whatever is within my power to help you clear your name so you can get your life back. I give you my word, Sirius. We are better when we are working together on the same side. I hope you know that.”

The door shut, and both remaining men sat in wait for the crack of him disapparating to release their breath. But this did not soothe either in the least. Their location was known now, and an impossible decision laid in their laps.

He hated to admit this, even to himself, but Dumbledore had made a very strong argument. If possible dark forces were rising once more, and he saw no reason for the man to lie about that, it would do none of them any good to continue hiding here. Especially not Harry, who would become even more of a target than he was in the first war. He was too young and knew no magic, and he’d need to be better than good if he was going to attract any special attention. He needed a formal education, and there’d be no safer school than Hogwarts under Dumbledore’s watchful eye.

But Dumbledore insisted that he return to his aunt and uncle’s to take advantage of the protective spell put in place by Lily’s sacrifice. How terrible what was done to protect him would then force him into a home that would neglect him. How awful it was blood that was the bind, and not the intangible connection of a chosen family. Was it even worth it, for what little protection he may gain, to be sent back there? And what if Voldemort was good and truly dead and they had nothing to fear? He’d be breaking his promise to James for nothing, and hurting Harry in the process.

Remus seemed to be struggling just as much as him. “I’m going to go let the kids out,” he grumbled, running both hands down his face tiredly.

Harry was the first one out, eyes downcast, asking in a small voice Sirius hadn’t heard since he was far smaller, “I need some air, if that okay?”

Sirius’ eyes burned, realizing they had to have been able to hear them, or at least enough to know what was on the table.

“Stay on the porch please,” Remus told him gently, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “It should be safe, just—”

He ducked out from under his hold, and let himself out. Through the shades, he could be seen taking a seat in one of the chairs and dropping his head into his hands.

“I’m not sure he should be alone right now, Moons,” Sirius grumbled, standing with every intention of stepping out.

“Give him some space to calm down first,” Remus instructed him. “So much has just happened, let him decide when he’s ready.”

“You only agreed to get him to leave, right?”

Sirius turned to look at his daughter, who still stood in the doorway to her bedroom, gripping the arch. Always his sweet little girl, patient and understanding of everything she encountered. There she stood, looking at him like he was someone she did not recognize or trust.

“Dad. Tell me you only agreed to get him to leave.”

“Lyra, I don’t know what all you two could hear in there, but like I said, nothing is even remotely close to being decided. Moony and I still need to talk about everything we’ve just learned, and that doesn’t mean anyone is going anywhere.”

“That’s not you saying what I need you to say!” She screamed. “Tell me he’s not going anywhere!”

“Lyra, the only reason I would ever allow Harry to go back there is if it was the very best thing for him, you know that.”

Lyra glared at her father, tears in her eyes. “You’re sending away my only friend! The only other person I have out here! He’s our family, dad!”

“Mini Moon, please—”

“Without him I’m alone!” She picked up her nearby book and threw it across the room at him, a move completely out of character for her, one that made him flinch even though it didn’t come anywhere near him. “You think these dumb stories make up for the fact that we’re out in the middle of nowhere with just each other and no one else, but it doesn’t! Besides them, I have him! And without him they aren’t enough!”

Sirius took a step toward her, over the book. “Lyra, love, if I knew you felt this way, we could have talked about it. I had no clue this was becoming difficult for you.”

“Of course it’s difficult, dad! I want to be able to meet people and see something different than the same trees and rocks every day! I hate having to hide from the world and lie to the few people you allow me to meet about who I am. I manage it, but I can’t if you take away one of the only people I have.” Lyra’s lip and chin began to wobble, and the fierceness seeped away. “Please, dad, don’t send him away. Please don’t do this.”

“Nothing is decided yet, this is just a new development. We’re going to work it out what is going to be the best plan for all of us—”

Unable to listen to another word, Lyra turned, running and following Harry out the door. She stopped, just long enough to grab Harry’s hand and drag him off the porch and off into the woods. Remus stood over the map on the wall, watching her little token run towards the fort.

Feeling exhausted and defeated, Sirius collapsed into the couch and stared off at the wall. Remus soon joined him, and they sat side by side long after the door had slammed in complete silence. Just as his head began to reach a dangerously dark place, Remus reached out, taking his hand and squeezing.

“Don’t,” Sirius said, unable to look at him, instead just clinging to his hand. “Don’t you tell me everything’s going to be okay, not after that.”

Remus said nothing, and eventually, Sirius had to peek. He was, of course, wearing that look on his face, the patient one, the one that lowered his heart rate and evened his breath.

“We couldn’t stay out in the woods forever,” Remus said quietly. “I think we both always knew that.”

“I know I did,” Sirius scoffed. “I was still looking for my tropical beach house.”

Remus chuckled. “I think it became too easy, hiding out here. It was far less frightening than returning to the real world. I think we both have to admit…we sort of stopped looking into clearing your name.”

Sirius wanted to argue, but the evidence was against him. Yes, it started with him pushing Remus out the door to go looking for signs of Peter, for any information that could help his case. He’d even convinced him to let Sirius out to look himself on a number of occasions. But nothing ever arose, and every lead was a bust. Every day he got to spend hours of uninterrupted time with his daughter and James’ son, watching them learn and grow, a voice inside his head telling him to enjoy this, protect this. Every venture away felt like a risk to this wonderful life with his kids. And then that night, when Remus finally stayed in Sirius’ room, and he’d convinced him to stay instead of following up on their latest hit the morning after…he never pushed him or himself to look much after that.

He used to claw and run up the walls of that little shack he’d first ran to, his tiny daughter in arms. The four walls behaved as a second prison cell, one he’d put himself into with the few things he had left to love. But once they’d come here, and he was able to wander the woods freely, felt safe enough to let his kids do the same…a new sort of fear took hold of him. Even though he still yearned to be of some purpose somewhere, to go about his business wherever that took him, he did not feel he could leave these woods. There was no threat here, they were safe, they were together, no risk of anything being taken away again. Everything that stayed in the woods stayed in his life.

“It’s nice out here,” Sirius argued half heartedly, feeling that fear becoming thick in him. “All the people I need are in this house. I have all the world I can handle in these woods.”

“It’s done us a lot of good,” Remus agreed, looking up toward the ceiling. “And it worked really well for the kids growing up. But that was when they were toddlers and they didn’t need much besides us and each other. They need more now.”

“How is sending Harry back to that place giving him more?” Sirius barked. His nerves were raw and still firing. “I’ve told you the sort of people they are, the way they were treating him. They didn’t even want him. Shoved him under the stairs like some ugly vase they were gifted and needed to hide. I bet they would have just handed him over if I’d bothered to ask. If I send him back there now, they’ll just abuse him again. I don’t care what magical protection would rub off on him there, he’d lose more than he’d gain.”

“Dumbledore thinks he needs that protection.” Remus turned more fully towards him. “But that’s not really what I’m talking about, we’ll figure that out. I’m talking about sending those kids out to see the rest of the world, regardless of how we go about it. This is all they’ve known since they were three years old, they need to know about other people and society, their own culture. They’ll need to learn how to use their magic, and all the rules around it.”

And Sirius couldn’t give that to them. Not in the way they deserved. He couldn’t take them into Diagon Alley to shop for their books or find their wands. There’d be no stopping in at the pub for lunch between shopping, no running into the candy shop or bakery for sweets to make a good day just that little bit better. He wouldn’t be able to take them to King’s Cross and see them off or pick them up at winter break to bring them home for Christmas.

He could teach them magic here, both him and Remus were incredibly talented wizards, but even he doubted that they could give them fully rounded educations. But…maybe? Maybe they could make it work. They could teach them the important stuff, like how to defend themselves and how to play neat tricks. There were books out there about the things they were less good at, they could make it work, if they needed to.

His eyes stared at the discarded book on the floor. It wouldn’t be enough. He couldn’t give them friends or adventures, none of the things he’d had in his own youth. He’d maybe had enough of life, but they’d never really had one at all.

“She resents me for it, doesn’t she? Taking her and running.” He started to question whether he’d done the right thing all those years ago. “I didn’t give either of them a life, I just took theirs for my own.”

“She only said all that because she’s afraid of losing all of this. It’s not enough anymore but it was important enough to be scared of no longer having it. I don’t think she resents you, I think she’s just growing too big for her space. Both of them are.” Remus gripped his shoulder, giving him a solid shake to make him look at him. “Things were never going to be easy for either of them regardless. This was a better start than they were originally promised. Let’s take some comfort in that.”

Sirius nodded, head feeling heavy as it fell down onto his partner’s shoulder to rest there. “Okay, keep talking, you’re doing a great job Moony. Starting to feel less like the world's most massive piece of shit.”

Remus chuckled, scruffing the back of his head. “Such a prick.”

“You always take my sincerity for teasing. It’s one of your biggest flaws.” Sirius gave him an encouraging kiss to his jaw before ducking back into place. “Now for real. Keep making me feel better. You can say it now.”

Moony’s hand rested on the back of his neck, thumb rubbing little circles. “Whatever comes next, we’ll be okay. We’re going to figure it out. You and me together.”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Harry and Lyra spent the remainder of the day lit hours hidden away in their fort, wrapped tightly in each other's arms. Harry could not stop his entire body from shaking in shock from all that had happened, and Lyra just continued to blubber into his shoulder, vowing she wouldn’t let him go anywhere without her. That morning, agonizing over his situation and his dissatisfaction with it felt lifetimes away now. It felt as though he and those thoughts of his were to blame for this happening. He’d wished his life away.

They eventually trudged back when their stones lit up and vibrated in their pockets, summoning them home. Dinner was quickly and silently served and finished, and there was no staying up to discuss or spend time with one another. He spent the night in Lyra’s room, unashamed of the crying he did beside her.

Sirius and Remus took their time coming to a decision, sitting them down the following night to discuss. Harry couldn’t stomach celebrating his birthday, and he’d told them as much when they tried to do something special for it the morning of. All he wanted was to know what came next, and they granted him his wish.

They told them everything the wizard Dumbledore had said, and promised it had been news to them. Both Lyra and him interrupted plenty to ask questions, not all of them fair, but their guardians answered none the less.

“You’ve always told us you took Harry away from his aunt and uncle for a reason,” Lyra said, eyes cold and angry from where she sat, arms crossed, in her seat. “They’re awful people, that’s what you’ve always said, and now you want to send him back?”

“As we’ve said, Harry’s circumstances are unique—” Remus started.

“How unique do they have to be to send him back to people who might hurt him!?” she interrupted.

“Harry, you may be in danger if you don’t return to them, at least for a time,” Sirius said, unable to face his daughter’s venomous eyes. “When your mother died protecting you, she did something truly incredible. She put a ward of protection on you, and Dumbledore, unknowing to either of us, helped to solidify that protection by delivering you to your aunt, using the shared blood between the three of you to prolong the charm. It protects you from Voldemort, and as long as you had a home with a blood relative you share with your mom, it would remain.”

“But…he’s dead. Why should I need protection from him?”

“There have been some troubling signs, and Dumbledore worries that might not be true for much longer. It is not a risk we are wanting to take, putting you back in the line of fire. If he returns, you are going to need any and all protection we can provide you.”

“How is that possible?” Lyra asked him directly. “Dead is dead, it shouldn’t be possible for someone to come back from that. And why exactly are we trusting a man you were willing to attack when you first saw him?”

“Dumbledore is a good man,” Remus said. “That has never been in question. Now that we have all explained our own sides, we have come to an understanding. He is going to help clear your father’s name, and help transition the two of you into a position where you can rejoin wizarding society without too much fuss. You’ll be able to attend school, go into wizarding communities and live relatively normal lives.”

“Relatively normal lives? We’re going to be forced apart!” She looked back at her father, tears growing in her eyes. “Tell me it isn’t true? You tell me that by doing this we’re not going to be apart for possibly forever.”

Remus tried to regain her attention as her anxiety began to grow, increasing the tension and trying to tame them. “We know this is not our most popular decision—” Lyra snorted, shaking her head and sitting back in her chair. “But, we do think in the long term, this is our best next step. We’ve thought it all through very thoroughly.”

“It’s been a day!”

“We’ve hidden from the world long enough,” Sirius explained, still looking at Harry. “I know this is happening quickly, but it’s time to get you both into school so you can learn how to use your magic. If this threat is real, we’ll all need to prepare for it.”

“If? You’re breaking our family up for an if? Dad, this is crazy! It’s been one day and you’re sending us away because someone you haven’t spoken to in years shows up and tells you to?”

“It is not that simple, Lyra, and as angry as you may be you know that,” Remus told her, voice still gentle. “We both love you two, so much, and we wouldn’t be doing any of this if we weren’t sure it was the right decision to make.”

“This isn’t fair,” Lyra glared at Sirius. “I can’t believe you are doing this.”

Sirius sat forward suddenly, for the first time addressing his daughter directly. “You just told me yesterday that you couldn’t be content out here with just your books, has something changed since then? Or do you not actually want to go out and see the world and meet more people? Tell me, Lyra, were you telling the truth or was that just a tantrum?”

“Sirius,” Remus groaned as her face crumbled with held back tears and she pushed away from the table to run to her room. “This isn’t easy for any of us, she’s allowed to be upset.”

“Of course it isn’t easy, but she’s acting like this is something we’re doing to purposefully hurt her, like we haven’t thought things through. She should know I’m not doing this lightly! I’m not just giving up everything I worked for for no reason.”

“She’s young, and confused, and knows she’s about to be apart from her father for the first time in a very long time. She’s just scared.”

“I’m scared too,” Sirius growled. “Sometimes we have to be a bit scared to the things we want.”

“She’s a child, one you’ve sheltered and quite frankly coddled, she’s going to respond to scary things like one, and you do not need to respond in kind.”

“Could you stop pretending you’re above all this? She’s not looking at you like you’re some kind of heartless monster tearing her life apart. That blame is entirely on me apparently.”

Remus’ eyes flickered to where Harry sat, silent and downcast. “Now isn’t the time, Sirius,” he sighed. “Harry, if you have any more questions, we’ll answer them. Anything you want to know.”

There was plenty Harry wanted to ask. He wanted to know more about the man who’d killed his parents and how it was possible he could be back. He wanted to know more about the aunt and uncle he was stolen from, and what to expect when they reunited. But far more pressing than all of that was one immediate concern. “Will we ever be all together again?” Harry asked.

“You and Lyra will be at Hogwarts together,” Remus said. “From September to June, you will get to see one another.”

“But, what about the two of you? Will we get to see you?”

“We’re still working out a plan for that. You won’t be alone with your aunt and uncle though, Harry. Whatever the plan ends up being, one of us will be nearby while you are with them to make sure you are safe. Anything else is unacceptable, Dumbledore knows where we stand on that.”

“I understand why I have to go, but why can’t Lyra stay? She shouldn’t have to leave just because I do.”

“She needs an education just as much as you do, and the both of you need further socialization. Hogwarts is going to offer both of those things, along with protection.”

“I’ll bet you’re wishing you hadn’t gotten me now,” Harry said miserably. “My being here’s ruined everything.”

“This family isn’t falling apart,” Sirius vowed. “I made a promise to your father that I would never leave you without one, and the only thing that’s going to keep me from that promise is death. My going and getting you that night was not a mistake, and I don’t regret it in the slightest. We wouldn’t be complete without you, Harry. Now, it may be a while till we are all back together again in the same place, but it is going to happen.”

He reached out, clasping Harry’s hand. “It’s going to take all of us doing our part. Yours is simple. Go to school, learn how to use your magic—get good at it. You’re smart, Harry, I know you’ve got the makings of a great wizard in you, and that’s what you need to work to become. Trouble and danger may come your way, but I know you’ve got it in you to survive them all. Just know you’ll have to work for it, it won’t be handed to you. You’re a strong kid, though, I know you can handle it. Remus and I will handle the rest, and we’ll only ever be one call away. Whenever you feel lost or scared, we’re still here.”

“I was thinking about how sad I was that nothing changed yesterday,” Harry confessed sadly, kicking himself for how childish he sounded saying it. “That was stupid of me, I should never have wanted that.”

Sirius and Remus both smiled at him, not at all upset. “That just means you’re ready for this, Harry.”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sirius went to talk to Lyra once they’d finished talking things through with Harry. She lay curled up in her sheets, so tightly she looked more like a rolled up comforter than a little girl.

“I lost it a bit back there,” he admitted hesitantly, stepping inside and closing the door behind him, feeling ashamed of it. Him and Lyra didn’t fight, that was an entirely new thing for the two of them. He hardly felt the need to discipline her for most of her life, let alone lose his temper. This was entirely untraversed ground for both of them. “That wasn’t very fair of me. I was delivering some very difficult news, I shouldn’t have taken your reaction so personally.”

He tried to lighten the mood by lightly saying, “You have permission to curse me out now. Go on then, free reign to hurl your most creative insults. I’m ready for them.”

She didn’t respond, didn’t even twitch. Feeling even more awkward and lost now, Sirius took a deep breath, trying to find the words to fix this and coming up incredibly short. He took a seat beside her, leaned up against her headboard, and tried to pull it together.

“I know you’re angry with me,” he whispered to her cocoon. “And if I were you right now, I would be too. I don’t expect you to accept this right away. But…I can’t be the father I wish I could be to you if I don’t fix this situation we’re in. And I should have worked harder on it all this time, I regret that I haven’t. I’m going to fix it now though, I promise.”

His eyes began to sting, and he forced himself to keep it together for her. He needed to find the comforting words he’d found for Harry. He had to figure out how to make this right before they separated.

“You’re going to go to school, and while you’re there, you’ll make friends. And probably a few enemies. You’ll find your own adventures, and maybe even a few troubles. There is so much out there for you to experience, Mini Moon, and you don’t need your old dad there for it. Some of it you definitely won’t.”

She curled up tighter at this, trying to inch away, and failure washed over him now. He cussed, tears spilling at the rejection. He didn’t know what he was saying wrong.

His voice cracked awfully as kept talking. “I love you so much, Mini Moon. I escaped the world’s most secure prison for you, I tucked us away from everything so we could be together. Everything I’ve done, and ever will do, is because I love you. You are the one thing I did that I know I did completely and entirely right. And I hate that I’m the one making you sad, because the very last thing I want to do is send you away.”

He swiped an arm across his eyes, feeling no less clear sighted. “If I thought you would be happy, I’d keep you here with me for the rest of both of our lives. But there is so much I can imagine you doing out there if given the chance. There is so much more than just forests to explore, there are cities, massive ones, with buildings so old you have to see them for yourself before they crumble away into nothing. And those cities have libraries, which I know you’d enjoy, where you could pick out books for yourself for once. And if I set you loose in Diagon Alley, I’m not sure when I’d get you or my money back. I’m sending you out there so you can experience all of that and so I can see you get all the things you deserve to have.”

Something bumped against his hip, and he looked down to see Lyra had turned back towards him, and her arms were sticking out of her blankets, awkwardly reaching out for a hug. Swiftly taking the opportunity before she could take it back, he pulled her from them and into his chest, where she began to cry.

“Shuuush,” he cooed like she was still little, holding her in his arms. “I know this isn’t going to be easy. And I’m so sorry, Lyra, but it’s going to be harder for you than everybody else, and that’s partially my fault. But I know you’re going to get through it, I believe that with all my heart. I’ll pack plenty of tissues for you, because I know you’re my hyper-emotional girl. That doesn’t make you any less strong or capable.”

“I don’t want us to be apart,” she sobbed, gripping onto him tightly. “You’re my dad, I need you!”

“I know you do, Moon,” he said wetly. “That’s why I have to get my name cleared. Then we could have it all. No more hiding, we could be all together again without having to be afraid.”

“What if you can’t—”

“You’re getting too hung up on the what ifs, dear.” He pulled her back. “Remember: I’ve done the impossible once for us to be together. What’s one more round?” He smiled at her, thumb rubbing away tears.

She nodded, tears still leaking heavily. “I love you, dad. And I’m sorry about yelling at you—”

“Eh, you’re my daughter,” he brushed off, remembering a time she was still too scared to upset him by doing anything so outlandish like crying. “I expect nothing less than the most positively dramatic display.”

“I’m just really scared about what’s going to happen next,” she told him desperately.

He swallowed hard. “Yeah, kiddo. You and me both.”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

There was still a lot to figure out, but a plan was now in motion. Tomorrow, they’d begin to pack up their things and prepare their place to sit empty for some time. Tonight, Sirius and Remus worked on the specifics.

“If we send them off, we won’t be able to guarantee we’d get them back,” Sirius said as they lay together in bed, positioned for sleep but nowhere near it. “So, I need you to make sure Lyra actually gets to Andy this time. And Harry—it’s two weeks and he’s out of there. You stay in the area, you meet with him every day, move in if you have to! It’s two weeks and he’s done.”

“And where are you planning to go during this?” Remus asked, frowning. “Because it sounds like you’re running off without me.”

“You’ll need to be as disconnected from me as possible if you have any chance of getting anywhere near him again. The ministry can’t know you had any part in any of this, and you know there are going to be questions. I need you to have your eyes on him so I can start tracking Peter down.”

“By yourself?”

“Just until the kids are both in school. Then you can join me in the search. Like I said, we need to be sure you can’t be tied back to me. One of us needs to be free at all times, and I am currently out of the question.”

With a deep breath, Remus agreed.

“I want a goal in mind,” Sirius said, turning over onto his side. “Something to strive for. One year. I want us to have my name cleared and everything sorted in one year. They’d be gone from us for school anyway, so that is what I want to aim for. And I don’t want to hear about it being impossible. It has to be possible, because that is the goal we’re agreeing on. Agreed?”

Remus nodded. “We’ll have a year—a school year, that is. Ten months to clear your name and bring us all back home.”

They shared grim but determined looks.

“One year.”

#burning of a withered tree #fanfic #boawt au #fanfic aus #cut and run au

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