Shown Like the Sun

Chapter 5

Instant Karma's gonna get you,

Gonna knock you right on the head...

--John Lennon

***

"Hello, lovely," Sirius murmured as he slipped his arms around her waist.

Althea smiled as she pulled his arms tighter around her, leaning her back against his chest.

"You're awake early," he remarked. He unhurriedly kissed the nape of her neck and nestled his chin on her shoulder, which caused her to smile.

"I wasn't up late working," she replied, watching as a small, white butterfly landed on the veranda railing.

"Working?" he repeated and kissed her bare shoulder. "Muggle Studies work?"

"No," she answered and laughed quietly. "You find it very funny that I'm a professor, don't you?"

"I do," he murmured as they gently swayed back and forth. "You giving homework and detentions, two things you absolutely hated."

"I still hate them," she replied, closing her eyes. "I believe I'm the only professor that didn't give homework over the summer holiday."

"It is Muggle Studies."

A small tinge of embarrassment filled her stomach...it was just Muggle Studies. I'm just a joke--he can't even take my job seriously, she thought, growing more uncomfortable. He must wonder why I took the job. It wasn't what I planned to do.

"Mind yourself," she began, opening her eyes, "after your name is cleared, Dumbledore might hire you."

Sirius chuckled against her as he playfully tugged at the thin shoulder strap of her sundress. "To teach what?" he laughed and fiercely kissed her shoulder.

"I don't know," she spoke slowly, her eyes drifting upward and noticing a small cobweb in the corner between two support beams. "You could enliven History of Magic."

Althea felt Sirius throw his head back as he laughed loudly. "With what? A reenactment of the Goblin Rebellion of 1612?" he joked, resting his face in her hair--his breath warming her neck. "I couldn't make that class exciting...which is a huge statement."

Althea furrowed her eyebrows as she thought about his future Hogwarts profession, and soon, a wicked grin encompassed her lips. "Potions?" she suggested as Sirius' fingers swept the thick locks of hair away from her neck. "Dumbledore could always fire Snape and hire you--"

"No," he murmured, unimpressed, nuzzling her neck, "although Dumbledore should fire that filth. I'd prefer something else.... Defense Against the Dark Arts, perhaps?"

It was Althea's turn to laugh. "You aren't being serious--"

"What if I was?" he asked as Althea felt him straighten himself. "I reckon I'm the most qualified--"

"Owl your résumé to Dumbledore and see if he accepts," she quipped, her hands stroking his arms as she continued to laugh. She sighed wistfully and smiled. "It'd be brilliant if you were there."

"It'd be brilliant if you stayed here."

"I know," she sighed, looking out across her vegetable garden--the tomatoes were almost ripe. "Who'd want to teach Muggle Studies though?"

"He'd find someone--"

"No, he wouldn't," she said, frowning slightly. "No one would want the job."

"Why did you--"

"I'll be home on weekends," she interrupted, slipping her hand underneath his hand. "Christmas holiday and Easter holiday as well."

"Every weekend?"

"I'll try."

"You'll be exhausted," he replied, grasping her hand, "and we'll both be very lonely during the weekdays."

"We'll compensate on weekends," she explained and smiled as Sirius groaned. "Will you return with me to Hogwarts, then?"

"Excellent," he murmured and forcefully kissed the nape of her neck. "I'll stay in your quarters."

"Snape would suspect--"

"Let him," he snorted, and she quickly pulled away and turned to face him.

"No!" she pleaded, laying her hands on his chest. "He'd notify the Ministry...and I'd die if I lost you," she said, resting her face against the hollow of his shoulder.

Sirius lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger and solemnly looked into her eyes. "I'd die before I'd let them take me," he whispered.

"I know," she replied, her lips trembling into a frown. "I can't lose you."

Sirius' mouth twitched into a small, appreciative smile. "I'll live for a very long time," he assured and kissed her forehead. "You'll become sick of me."

"Never," she murmured, allowing her fingertips to glide up and down his chest. "We have twelve years to make up for."

"And we'll start as soon as Moony leaves."

"Moony," she laughed quietly, playing with one of his shirt buttons. "I can't believe he ever agreed to that nickname."

"He didn't," he replied, his arms sliding down her sides and around her waist. "Anyway, tomorrow is the day."

"Tomorrow?" she repeated and sighed longingly. "Couldn't we ask him to leave today?"

"He'll leave tomorrow morning," he replied and laughed as he pulled her close. "You could help him pack if you're so eager."

"No," she pouted, tracing small circles against his collarbone, "he becomes angry if I touch his things."

"He doesn't have many," he muttered, his eyes looking toward the kitchen door.

"That is an awful thing to say," she admonished, smoothing out his collar.

"It's true though."

"It is true," she murmured, patting his collar.

"What's true?" Remus asked.

Before Althea could pull away, Sirius pulled her close--her head snapping back--and with a smirk, he kissed her--his kiss passionate, but overtly possessive. Uncomfortable, she pressed the palms of her hands into his chest, pushing away from him as she turned her head to look at Remus. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded. Althea felt her cheeks flush and she sheepishly tucked a curl behind her ear.

She looked at her sandaled feet as Remus spoke, "Daily Prophet's here.... You're supposedly in Saint Tropez now."

Althea, highly amused, laughed as she looked to Sirius. He's safe, she thought, smiling. The Ministry is absolutely useless. As long as he remains here, he'll be safe and free.

Sirius sighed and smiled smugly as he leaned against the veranda railing. "Cyprus...Alexandria...Saint Tropez," he said, resting the back of his head against the white column, "I believe the Aurors at the Ministry just want a holiday."

"It could be," Remus replied, his lips twisted into a smirk. "If we read next the Aurors searching a topless beach, we'll find it highly suspect."

Sirius closed his eyes and laughed a deep, quiet laugh. "Moody at a topless beach," he remarked, the volume of his laughter raised as he continued his thought.

"It wouldn't matter--"

"I know," Sirius replied, matter-of-fact, "I'm imagining Moody in disguise. I reckon those legs have never felt the sun." He slightly opened his left eye--his grey eye peeking through the thick, black lashes--it directed at Althea. He smiled wickedly. "'Constant vigilance, Black! Don't be caught off guard by a Death Eater with your trousers about your ankles,'" he mimicked in a mediocre impersonation of Moody.

"I'm surprised you didn't fight naked, then," she remarked, sitting atop the veranda railing.

"I threatened to," he replied and sighed with feigned disappointment, "but James intervened." He opened his eyes wide and turned his attention to Remus. "Is Moody still working?"

"No," Remus replied, unfolding his arms and standing up straight, "he's retired. Well-deserved too."

"Indeed, mate," he agreed, scratching the top of his head. Smoothing his hair, he smiled and winked conspiratorially at Althea. "Right," he began, casually crossing his leg in front of him as he stood, "our lovely Althea would like to know if you've finished packing."

Remus laughed with subtle awkwardness. "She's your Althea, not ours," he replied, quickly glancing at Althea.

Althea fought a frown. "I believe I'll have a look at the Daily Prophet," she said uneasily as she stood from the railing. "I'll leave you both to talk."

Althea sighed as she entered the kitchen, smoothing the hair away from her face as she looked at the unrolled Daily Prophet on the table. The prison photograph of Sirius on the front page caused her to shudder. After she sat in the chair, her fingertips slid the Daily Prophet closer to her and she took in a deep gulp of air. The thick, matted, dirty hair hung to his elbows and partially covered his emaciated face as he continued to sneer. She lifted her eyes to look out her kitchen window at Sirius. To her relief and delight, he did not look like that man in the photograph. He was happy and smiling, and not the menacing, crazed man in the newspaper. It was her Sirius. Sirius continued to lean against the column as Remus spoke with him, and ever so often, Sirius' eyes would wander to look at Althea. Althea produced a meager smile. He forgave you, she thought, looking at the photograph. It doesn't matter to him.

"But it does matter," she murmured, scanning the article.

He doesn't know everything, she thought as she read about the Muggle couple spotting Sirius sunbathing. So much has happened to you and he wants to continue as if he never left. She was not in her early twenties anymore, but strangely, Sirius was--or at least his mind was that of a twenty-something boy. He was a living relic of her past, of the time when all Althea had to care about was if Sirius would return home on his motorbike unscathed from a duel with a Death Eater. She never felt so old.

"Maybe you should follow his lead," she muttered, flipping through the Daily Prophet to page four to continue the article, "and forget.... You've forgotten yourself."

Althea sat upright as she heard them walk toward the kitchen door.

"It's a gift," Sirius said as they entered. "Take it. We have loads of spare cases."

Remus laughed uncomfortably as he sat across from Althea. "Thank you, but--"

"For once," Sirius interrupted, leaning forward from his chair, "forget your misplaced pride and accept a gift."

"I've been telling him for years, Sirius. It won't work," she remarked and gasped at the photograph on the next page. "Oh, no," she muttered, her eyes widening as she looked upon the toad-faced woman with the hideous, pink bow in her hair.

Sirius placed his hand on her forearm. "What's wrong?" he asked with concern.

Althea continued to stare at the woman, who by her photograph was frowning deeply at the addendum to the werewolf legislation that did not pass. "Werewolf sweat," she murmured in disbelief, her eyes becoming painfully dry from lack of blinking. "I know her."

Althea felt her hands start to tremble and she quickly retracted them under the table. She's the woman--the woman who was before me at Pulcheria Oswin's book signing, she thought, her legs starting to shake.

"Who?" Sirius asked and grabbed the newspaper that was before her. Sirius looked at the picture and shuddered, making a face. "How do you know her?" he asked incredulously, pointing to the woman's photograph. "She's the bitch that wants to ruin Remus' life!"

Althea shyly looked at Remus. "Well, I don't know her," she replied quietly, wringing her hands in her lap. "I met her briefly...once."

"Where?" he snorted, leaning back in his chair.

She took a nervous breath and laughed quietly, awkwardly. "Oh, at a book signing a few years ago," she explained, refusing to look Sirius in the eye.

"What could you possibly have in common with this--this ungodly, awful-looking woman?"

She looked at Remus once more and he gave her a warning look. "I was in queue and she mentioned that werewolf sweat was an aphrodisiac--"

Sirius' bark-like laughter filled her kitchen. "Right, Althea," he laughed, looking at Althea with great amusement. "Moony's a bit sweaty after all the packing, do you fancy him?"

Continuing to laugh, he looked to Remus. The right corner of Remus' mouth lifted in a humorless smile. Uneasiness befell Althea's stomach. God, Sirius, don't, she thought, massaging her abdomen.

Althea hiccupped as she looked from Remus back to Sirius. "No," she replied and bit her bottom lip.

"Are you sure?" Sirius asked eagerly, leaning forward in his chair with a mischievous grin. "We could have him run about for a few minutes and see."

"No, it's not necessary," she replied, fidgeting in her chair. "It's not true."

Sirius waved his hand dismissively as he sat back. "Of course, it isn't true," he scoffed, tossing the newspaper toward Remus. "What sort of book signing was this anyway?"

Althea looked to her hands and closed her eyes. I knew this wouldn't last, she thought, fighting the urge to start crying and blurting out her entire past. Slowly, she opened her eyes and continued to look at her hands, now white from clenching them tightly together.

"It was a book signing for Pulcheria Oswin," she said quietly.

For a few moments, Sirius remained quiet, and finally, she heard him sigh. Oh, God, he'll want to know why and it will all fall apart, she thought, nervously looking up at him.

"She was a Death Eater, Althea," Sirius said solemnly, his chair on its back two legs.

"I know," she muttered, her stomach collapsing on itself. "She was my father's colleague and lover...and she betrayed him."

With a loud crack, Sirius' chair slammed against the kitchen floor. His face was very pale and he remained silent. He knows, she thought, catching her breath. It was no use to hide her secret anymore. She would tell him her secret of Kelly Derry. He might understand if I tell him the circumstances, she thought, looking toward Remus. Remus' mouth was slightly open, somewhat thunderstruck, and his eyebrows were deeply furrowed. He shook his head slightly as if begging her not to tell. Althea inhaled a ragged breath as she looked from Remus to Sirius. They were Death Eaters after all.

"I wanted to expose her for what she was, but--"

"But you didn't have the chance," Sirius continued, his expression grim, "that Derry killed her."

It felt as though someone had poured a pitcher ice water down her chest and abdomen, which caused her to catch her breath. "Yes," she whispered, placing her hands on the table to steady herself, "that Derry killed her." She looked to her hands and remembered the warm, oozing blood of Pulcheria Oswin on them. "You have to understand that I was different then. I had so much rage inside me. I felt betrayed by everyone I loved...my father...you...and to some extent, Lily--"

"Lily?"

Althea nodded sadly. "None of you were supposed to leave--see, I wasn't in my right mind," she explained, curling her fingers. "I don't believe I am now, either...." She inhaled a slow, deep breath and loudly exhaled, furrowing her eyebrows. "I thought that if I'd do this one thing...that I'd have everything back. I didn't know I could, but I was so desperate--"

"We all were desperate," Remus interrupted and Althea heard him shift in his seat. "We all have regrets.... I regret not taking better care of you, Althea."

Althea looked up from her hands to Remus. "It is my fault," she replied, her eyes beseeching him to let her tell Sirius. "No one else is to blame for what I did."

Her eyes traveled to Sirius, who was looking at her with the utmost confusion.

"I went to expose her for what she was, but I didn't have enough proof," she explained, her voice somewhat pleading. "I needed time. I needed her to trust me...and that's where I went horribly wrong--"

"Don't regret that you didn't have a chance to expose Oswin," Sirius said grimly. "If you were there, Derry might've killed you as well."

"Oh, God," Althea murmured, her fingers quivering.

He has no idea that I am Derry! The resignation that Sirius knew one of her secrets quickly transformed itself into overwhelming fear. Would he still understand? Althea felt like such a coward.

"Indeed," Sirius replied, placing his own hands on the table. "You're lucky. Derry would scream that Oswin woman murdered her father. Oswin must have betrayed many people to Voldemort."

"Yes--yes, she must've," she replied weakly--a sob caught in her throat as Sirius tenderly placed his hand over her hand. She slowly removed her hand from underneath his, and held her hand in her lap, massaging her palm.

"I remember her though," he said quietly, looking at the table. "I remember all of them." He sighed deeply and chewed his bottom lip, as Althea remained quiet. He rubbed the side of his face with his palm and continued, "I feel sorry for her now.... They brought her past my cell.... She had this wild red hair and this massive rage--"

"I remember her photograph," she interrupted as Sirius went further inside himself. Althea saw the happiness drain from him--the dark, tormented shell of an Azkaban prisoner remained. She had to stop this. "This isn't necessary. Please, it's--"

"--I looked at her, and for a moment, I thought it was you," he continued and looked into her eyes. "Ridiculous, right?"

Althea's fingernails dug into the wood grain of the table as she nodded. His expression was so sad, so pathetic--his fragility frightened her. He was not the strong Sirius of her memory--he was too broken. Not now, in time when he's recovered, she thought, her fingernails leaving marks in the table. He's so fragile.... Just be his Althea.

"I realized it couldn't be you because you were dead..." he explained and paused, furrowing his eyebrows. "She used to scream that I killed you.... How--how could she? You're alive and--"

Althea inhaled an uncomfortable breath. "It might have been your imagination," she suggested, her mind reeling from guilt and fear. "The literature suggests prisoners may have delusions--even those that stayed for a short period of time."

Sirius nodded slowly. "Maybe," he murmured and Althea exhaled a slow breath. "It must've been her eyes. Her eyes were blue, like yours."

"Oh," she murmured, her eyes quickly shifting to his shirt.

Without provocation, Sirius lifted his sleeve to show a small scar on his bicep. Althea immediately knew the circumstances of the scar and her trembling became more violent. I did that to him, she thought as Sirius explained how he received the scar. I wanted to stab him through the heart, but all I could do was stab him in the arm.... I'm so sorry, my love.

"Please," she began, her voice strained, "let me mend that for you."

"No--really--it's all right," he replied, unrolling his sleeve. "I could've removed it if I wanted to--"

"You don't?" she asked, her throat painfully constricted.

"I don't," he answered, resting his hand over where the scar would be. "It's a reminder."

Althea's stomach twisted. "Of what?"

"Of what could happen to all of us," he answered soberly and sighed sadly. "She lost family and friends.... It could've been one of us--well, not you, Althea--"

"Right," Remus said, standing. "I'm thirsty. Is anyone else thirsty? Althea?" he asked and Althea gave him a grateful look.

"Yes," she said hoarsely, furrowing her eyebrows. "I'm very thirsty, thank you."

"No, mate," Sirius answered and frowned thoughtfully. "I need a walk though."

"Are you sure?" Remus asked, taking three tall glasses from the cupboard.

"Yeah," he said, standing. He nodded as he mentally solidified his decision. "Yeah, a walk...and I probably should feed Buckbeak."

"Okay," she whispered and smiled weakly as Sirius kissed her cheek.

As soon as Sirius exited, Althea leaned forward, resting her head against her folded arms. He remembers everything, she thought as she shook from crying. I had to lie to him again! I'm such a coward...but he was so pathetic, I couldn't. Oh, if only I hadn't seen that odious woman's face in the newspaper! How many more lies will I have to tell...? I wish I could strangle her with that bloody pink ribbon!

Althea heard Remus slide a chair to her side. "I'm sorry," he said ruefully, gently gliding his hand up and down her back. "I hadn't read it--I just read the front page--if I'd known--"

"There was no way," she forced herself to say, choking on tears.

Althea sat up, wiped the wet hair away from her face, and looked to Remus. She hiccupped as she opened her mouth to speak, and as she continued to shake, she decided it was best if she rested her tear-stained face against Remus' shoulder. Remus' arms reluctantly embraced Althea. Was lying to Sirius the answer? Was it not better to tell him the truth, instead of investing herself in him only to have him leave? To hate her? What is better, she asked herself, her face and Remus' shoulder moist with her tears, to have him hate me now or to have him hate me later? Althea envisioned Sirius discovering on his own the truth of her murderous past. She clutched Remus' robes as she thought of his rage, his disgust, and his outright hatred of her for keeping such an enormous secret.

"You know," he murmured, "Sirius could return and it wouldn't look good if I was holding you."

"I don't care," she replied and sniffed loudly. "I can't lie to him anymore.... I have to tell him everything."

"Everything? Oh, Althea, no," he warned quietly, stroking the back of her head. "You're happy and he's so happy.... Don't ruin this," he insisted, lifting her face from his shoulder. "He's safe here, and if you tell him, he'll leave. He could be captured or killed and you'd never forgive yourself then.... You have a second chance--"

"Third," she corrected and sniffed back more tears.

Remus frowned thoughtfully. "I doubt you'll have a fourth chance," he replied, stroking her chin with his thumb. "Tell him in sixty years or so when he's absolutely dependent upon you, and you're the only person that can find his misplaced reading glasses."

"It's so easy for you to say," she said, frowningly deeply. "You have nothing to lose--"

"I have everything," he replied sternly. "There many things he's never told you, Althea. Things, I believe, you would never forgive."

"Like what?" she asked, her bottom lip quivering.

"Just know that he has his secrets too--all of us do," he answered, narrowing his eyes. "Some things are better left unsaid."

***

It is best not to tell him, she thought and cast the charm to wash her glass and the other dishes in the sink. Remus is right; it is better to leave things unsaid. Sirius couldn't handle it now...he's so easily confused. It's sad, really.

"He actually called Harry, 'James,' the other day," she said and shook her head sadly. "Did you correct him?"

"Yes," Remus answered as he leaned against the kitchen counter, "but he brushed it aside. It wasn't the first time either."

"How awful," she muttered, folding her arms as she looked out into her vegetable garden.

Sirius approaching up the walk, cradling something in her arms caught her attention.

"What is--oh, the poor thing," she said, walking to meet Sirius at the door.

Sirius presented her with the small, brown owl with a large purple package neatly tied to its legs. "He fell out of the sky," he explained, scratching the top of the owl's head. "He's too small to make a long journey with such a large package."

"Here," she said, pulling out the chair for him to sit. "Untie the package and I'll bring some water."

"Right, thanks," he murmured, cradling the owl as he sat in the chair.

"Did you enjoy your walk then?" she asked as opened the cupboard.

"Yeah," he breathed, "until this poor owl fell from the sky."

Althea looked over her shoulder at the owl and to Sirius, who had untied the package from it. "He is so small," she replied, smiling sweetly at the pitiful owl. "Where did he come from?"

Sirius looked at address. "England," he answered and laughed. "You used to do this," he remarked as Althea took a small, green bowl from the cupboard.

"What?"

"Charm the scenes you drew on envelopes and packages," he replied and chuckled, "except it's written in pink ink and not purple."

What had Afina sent her from England? In her last owl, during her obligatory visit to Gran, Afina promised she would send Althea something more suitable for her younger, hipper image. It was such a small box. Althea's lips upturned into a mischievous smile.

"Must be Afina, then," she replied, filling the bowl with water. "She's very creative."

"No," he said slowly, "it's from Miss Prudence R. Parker of Weymouth."

The bowl slipped from Althea's hands and she quickly caught it--the water spilling onto her forearms. Remus hastily handed her a towel and she nervously dried her arms. She needed to take the package from him. Aren't you having a good laugh, she thought, looking up toward the ceiling. Why not ruin everything? Send all of my ex-lovers here on flying carpets! Even better, send Gran!

Careful not to spill more water on her arms, her trembling hands placed the bowl before the exhausted owl and he hooted in appreciation. She anxiously peered at the package and bit her bottom lip. If he easily recognized my handwriting when I sent the letter to Remus before my arrival, he'll recognize the similarity of Prudence's handwriting, she thought as Sirius smiled back--his one hand grasping the package, and the other hand, petting the owl. He's already reminded by the charmed drawing.... If he thinks anymore about it, he'll know.

"Parker...Parker," he murmured, narrowing his eyes in thought. "I don't recognize the name. Muggle-born, right?"

Althea nodded tensely as the feeling of ice water pouring over her chest and abdomen returned. "May I?" she asked, holding out her hand for the package.

Sirius shook his head abruptly as she caught him in thought. "Oh, right," he replied with a small laugh and handed her the package.

Althea quickly grabbed the package and held it close to her abdomen. "Thank you."

What would you have said if he wanted to know who she was, she thought and bit her bottom lip. 'Oh, Sirius, this is from your daughter. Yes, Prudence never died...surprise!' Yeah, and then you'd be hexed across this bloody kitchen.

Sirius smiled as she scratched the top of the owl's head. "You could open it here, if you like," he offered. "We won't bother you."

Althea looked from Sirius to Remus, who was very pale--his hands behind him, tightly grasping the kitchen counter edge. 'Of course, I'll open it here, Sirius. Then I'll tell you who it's from.' Right, I value my life, she thought, turning her attention toward Sirius, no matter how awful it is.

"I'd rather open this upstairs," she replied and smiled weakly at Sirius--her stomach sick.

"I see," he replied and winked. "Important."

"Right," she breathed and swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat.

The caustic liquid burned the back of her throat and she fought not to make a face as she slowly backed out of her kitchen. Quickly turning on her heel, she entered the entrance hall, ran up the stairs, and rushed into her bedroom. You're going to hell, she thought as she locked her door with multiple locking charms. You have a special place there now. She looked at the package and lovingly caressed the charmed picture of the butterflies fluttering though a small field of flowers. She touched this and he touched this...you aren't worthy to touch this, she thought, painfully suppressing tears. Althea sat on her bed with the package in her lap. He didn't know. He was so close to his daughter and he didn't know.

"If he knew, he'd kill me," she said grimly, her fingers sliding underneath the tape on the sides of the package.

I didn't think she would've finished my father's book, she thought, carefully unwrapping the purple paper. She was so eager after having read the book on Muggles that I agreed to let her borrow another book over the holiday. I didn't think she'd finish that so soon. On the afternoon of Remus' resignation from Hogwarts, Prudence entered Althea's office with a gift for the former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor that she and her friends made. So eager to make a connection with her daughter, she lent Prudence one of her father's books--a book on how Muggles perceived magic around the world. To her surprise, Prudence finished book quickly, and the mother and daughter spent an afternoon in lively discussion over the various topics proposed in the book. Althea was very excited at Prudence's enthusiasm over her grandfather's work, and she allowed Prudence to borrow another book for some holiday reading. It was assumed, however, that Prudence would return the book at the start of school. I never thought she would write me, she thought, carefully removing the paper. She'll never know how much this means to me.

Althea placed the paper next to her and opened the small box, removing two pink envelopes and her father's book. She opened the letter addressed to her and smiled as she read Prudence's greeting and inquiries to her health.

...Thank you very much for giving Professor Lupin our gift. The girls and I were very pleased with our letters of thank you from him. Genevieve actually blushed! We had a great laugh until her parents discovered her letter and incinerated it before all of us. My parents weren't concerned at all! Of course, they're Muggles and thought werewolves only existed in films and books. Is it all right that I let them read your book?

"Now they won't let you return to Hogwarts," she murmured, her stomach in a great knot. "There's no way they would want you around me."

My dad and mum enjoyed the book and thought I should write to thank you. I didn't know your address, but I hope this reached you....

Althea laughed from surprise and raised the palm of her hand to her cheek. "They wanted you to write me?" she asked in disbelief. "Who are these people?"

People who are better apt to raise a child, she thought, her eyes returning to the letter.

...Mum thought you would enjoy the photograph that is in the other envelope. Do you remember? I believe I look awful in it, but you look lovely....

Althea opened the envelope and smiled as she held the photograph in her hand. You're wrong, she thought as Prudence winked. You're absolutely beautiful. She continued to examine the photograph taken in her office on a sunny late afternoon. As Althea sat grading exams, a job she despised, she wished for something that would take her away from her boredom. Soon, she heard the sound of a camera, girls giggling, and Prudence's distinct laughter from the corridor. One of the girls noticed that Althea's door was open and the girls quieted, obviously nervous that Althea would scold them, or worse, give them detentions. Instead, Althea invited the girls into her office, fed them chocolates, and offered to take photographs of the four. Prudence insisted that she have her picture taken with Althea, and Althea--not wanting to disappoint her daughter--reluctantly agreed.

"Mrs. Parker wanted me to have this...unbelievable," she murmured as she looked at herself in the photograph. She had not smiled that genuine of a smile in years. "I could never...."

Althea frowned as her fingertips stroked the side of Prudence's face. I'd be afraid that I'd want you back, she thought as Prudence winked again. I suppose it's only fair, though, to give me this photograph. She must look at it as some consolation for me. Looking to her nightstand, she thought the silver picture frame would be suitable to house their photograph until she could buy the perfect frame. She slipped the photograph of Afina and Gran out of the picture frame, and tenderly placed the photograph of Althea and Prudence inside.

"There," she whispered approvingly and looked to the rest of the unread letter, "perfect."

...Genevieve's brother showed us how to develop Wizard's photographs. I developed our photograph myself! I thank you again for not scolding us that afternoon. Genevieve would have died if she received a detention. She has never received one, but I told her detentions weren't that terrible.

I enjoyed this book on werewolves very much. I remember you said that I could keep the book for the entire holiday, but I was so afraid that I'd lose it, I had to send it back to you. Will we discuss the book again? I hope so, for I have many questions.

Sincerely,

Prudence Parker

Althea folded the letter and placed it in the envelope. Look at us, she thought as Prudence and Althea looked at one another and grinned. Would you be as happy if you knew I was your mother?

"Why did I ever give you away?" she asked, her fingertip touching Prudence's waving hand.

Sirius' loud, bark-like laughter from the hallway startled her and she juggled the picture frame in her hands. She hastily collected the envelope, the wrapping paper, and the picture frame and placed them behind bottles of hair and bath products in the cupboard underneath the sink.

"Althea!" Sirius laughed from outside her door.

Althea slammed the cupboard door shut and quickly walked to her bedroom door. She opened her door to a smiling Sirius.

"Yes?"

Sirius rested his hands on her shoulders and looked at her thoughtfully. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Althea's eyes widened slightly. "Tell you what?" she asked, breathless, feeling the color drain from her cheeks.

Oh, God, Prudence, she thought, growing dizzy.

"About her," he replied, his lips curving into a small smile, "your niece."

"Oh," she breathed, her body relaxing, "Afina."

"Yeah," he laughed, shaking her slightly, teasingly, "what did you think I meant?"

"Oh, I don't know," she said dismissively, rubbing her temple soothingly. "I was thinking about something else...the letter I just read."

"Ah, I see.... Good news in the letter though?" he asked, sliding his arms around her waist.

"Very good," she murmured, resting the side of her face against his shoulder. "Very good, indeed."