Shown Like the Sun

Chapter 14

Never thought I'd see your face the way it used to be...

--Led Zeppelin

***

Althea slowly extended her legs, and allowed them--relaxed and heavy--to sink into her mattress. Closing her eyes, she smiled and leisurely ran her fingers through Sirius' hair; her fingertips delicately traced small circles into his damp scalp. Sirius' arms tightened around her--the sweat cooling against her skin--his deep, quick breaths warmed her cheek and neck. Light-headed, she inhaled deeply through her nostrils and, with an exaggerated movement, brought her hand to her face, and wiped the wet hair off her forehead. Sirius lifted his head, tilted it to the side, and slightly narrowed his eyes as he looked at her.

"What?" she whispered, stroking his cheek.

Sirius shook his head and shifted his body next to her. He rested the side of his face against her breast and placed his arm around her waist. "I wasn't very comfortable," he murmured sleepily.

"Oh."

Althea lazily looked toward the chaise longue and at the half-finished sketch of Sirius. She smiled. He wanted her to sketch him. She decided that she would not propose the idea for many years, but Sirius' insistence that morning was irresistible. Still, she took great liberty with the sketch--the layers Sirius hid behind would not slough off, and although she drew him post-Azkaban, his face and unfinished body did not display the ravages of that prison. Althea looked up at the ceiling, her eyes followed the intricate floral patterns created from the molding, and sighed happily. It felt good to be wanted--to be needed. To feel emotions stir inside her she had not felt in almost thirteen years. For thirteen years, she had feigned love, attraction, and lust. The men she had dated and had slept with were only interested in the sexual act--the conquest--it did not matter that it was Althea--it never mattered who the woman was. No man ever wanted her. No man ever needed her. No man ever loved her. This is what I want to be--to be the only thing that matters, she thought and kissed the top of Sirius' damp head. Sirius reciprocated by tightening his embrace.

I believe this is the best time to tell him, she thought--a small, nervous twinge developed in her stomach. For the last week or so, Althea entertained the idea of resigning from her position at Hogwarts. She never meant to be a professor, found the job frightfully boring, and Sirius' reentrance into her life presented the perfect excuse to leave.

"I will resign from Hogwarts," she whispered, stroking the back of his head.

Sirius lifted his head from her breast. "Quit Hogwarts?"

Althea nodded.

"What brought this about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," she began, and smoothed the hair away from his face, "who will cook for you?"

A faint smirk emerged across his lips. "Oh, I think I can cook for myself."

Althea screwed her eyes up in thought. "Who will clean up after you?"

He laughed quietly. "You've never cleaned up after me."

Althea playfully frowned. "You can't be seen, so how will you purchase food and such?"

"You have a garden--"

"You," she interrupted and raised a skeptical eyebrow, "eat only fruits and vegetables?"

"I did live off rats."

"Don't remind me," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"No," Sirius said, and kissed the top of her breast, "I think you have another reason you want to quit your job."

Althea weakly fought a smile. "Who will keep you company?" she asked as Sirius' smirk deepened. "Human company."

Sirius brought her hand to his lips. "No," he began and kissed her fingertips, "that's not the reason, my love."

"What is it then?"

"You just haven't had great sex in almost thirteen years."

"Oh, don't be stupid," she scoffed and pushed him away as she sat up.

Sirius, laughing, fell back onto the bed. "It's true," he said and stopped laughing as he saw Althea stand. "What are you doing?"

Althea slipped her arm into her silk dressing gown. "I'm about to write my resignation letter," she said as she tied the sash to her dressing gown.

Sirius quickly sat up. "You really are, then?" he asked, leaning forward. "You're resigning?"

She nodded with a small smile. "Yeah," she breathed, looking from Sirius to the window--the bright, clear day matched her mood perfectly. "I'll tell him to sod off, but I'll be polite about it."

"Indeed," he replied and flung himself back onto the bed. "Oh, this will be brilliant!"

"It will," she agreed and sat at her dressing table. "I reckon I could purchase property in other places and have them protected just as well."

"Right," he said as Althea finished her greeting to Dumbledore. "We could become bored here--this island isn't very big, is it?"

"No," she said and attempted to feign thanks in her letter for all those years as professor of Muggle Studies. "Anywhere in the world you want to live--we'll go."

"Anywhere in the world...how about the cottage?"

Althea stopped writing. "I haven't lived there for years," she answered, feeling uneasy. "Why not somewhere warm? I could buy us an island in the South Pacific. Imagine the seclusion, then--an entire ocean!" she said and looked over her shoulder.

Sirius made a face. "I liked the cottage," he said, picking at the bottom sheet. "The garage where I spent my time maintaining my motorbike--"

"To check up on me," she finished and resumed writing her letter.

"As if you didn't break things around the cottage so I could mend them," he said. "Really, though, it would be good. Harry could visit--he'd like it there. Where Petunia lives, it's too suburban."

"Isn't it?" she agreed and signed her name with a flourish. "Finished," she added and turned to face him. "Would you like to read it?"

Sirius nodded and stood up from the bed. Althea stifled a giggle as Sirius strode across her bedroom floor.

"What?"

"You could've put on pants or something."

Sirius shrugged.

Althea held out the letter. "Do you think he'll understand my meaning behind my resignation letter?"

Sirius took the letter and nodded. "He will," he answered, scanning the letter. "However, I think you could have just written: 'Dear Dumbledore, I quit because I enjoy having it off with Sirius. Sincerely, Althea.' I think that would have worked perfectly well."

"Yes, but I'd like to resign with some dignity," she explained, taking the letter from him. "I don't want to be known as the Hogwarts Whore."

"No one would think that," he said, sliding his arms around her. "This will be brilliant."

"Yes," she said, smiling as she reread her resignation letter, "it will be loads of fun."

"More than that," he said and kissed her cheek. "It'll be like old times."

"I don't think it could ever be like old times," she said absentmindedly, folding the letter.

"Yes, it will," he replied, sweeping the hair off her neck. "Although, your hair is a bit shorter. Like the shorter hair, really--less chance of pulling it or it falling into my face. I'd look like a bloody idiot in the middle of the night, smacking myself in the face, trying to remove your hair. You never woke up to notice--no, kept on snoring and kicking me in my side."

Althea took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm not the same person I was thirteen years ago."

"It doesn't matter. None of it matters now," he murmured into her ear and kissed the nape of her neck. The pleasant feeling it generated enticed Althea to hold Sirius closer. "I know that if we're ever cornered by Death Eaters, I want you at my side."

She frowned. "You don't mean that."

"I do," he said, matter-of-fact, and kissed the nape of her neck once more. "I want you there. I wouldn't feel so guilty--"

"Blowing them apart, I know," she finished, removing herself from Sirius' embrace. "Let's pray we never have to undergo Voldemort again."

"Agreed, my love. Agreed."

Althea gazed into the large mirror before her. "You like my shorter hair, though?" she asked, and scrutinized her shoulder-length hair--it needed to be combed...urgently.

Sirius nodded. "As I said, I'm not smacking my face in the middle of the night," he replied and gently tugged a curl. "However, you still kick me, and your feet are cold. When did they become so cold?"

Althea smirked. "You don't have to sleep in our bed."

"Oh, that wouldn't be any fun," he said, sliding his hands to untie her dressing gown.

"Right," she said laughingly, removing his hands from her sash. "And I don't snore."

"You do...repeatedly."

Althea opened her mouth to protest, but Sirius roughly kissed her cheek.

"I'll make us," he began and looked toward the clock--he smiled, "lunch."

Althea let out a sigh once Sirius left the bedroom. "He better not wear my mum's apron," she muttered and started to shake with laughter. "And I don't bloody snore!"

***

Althea lifted herself onto her elbows and looked out to sea. What is he doing, she thought, raising an eyebrow. Sirius noticed his lone audience and dived into the clear blue water. His skinny legs surfaced with a flourish of seawater and awkwardly extended into the air as he attempted a handstand. She giggled at the display to impress her, and fell back onto the warm blanket--laughing--when a large wave crashed into him and knocked him over into the sea. Althea closed her eyes and smiled--she enjoyed the feeling of the sun's warmth on her skin. No more cold and dreary Hogwarts, she thought, her fingers gliding over the sand. When my letter arrives, Dumbledore will have ample time to find a replacement...it shouldn't be that difficult.

After sending her resignation letter earlier that afternoon, Althea mulled over the possibilities of her freedom. She was still young and now had the opportunity to do what she wanted. Eventually, I could return to Healing, she thought. Maybe at that hospital in Bimini. It wouldn't be for some years, though...once we're bored from traveling. A large shadow, which loomed over her, distracted her from her thoughts.

"You're dripping all over me," she said, opening her eyes.

"Sorry," Sirius said and grabbed his towel. Drying his hair, he sat next to her. "This sun is fantastic."

Althea nodded. "Never cloudy. Never cold," she said and rolled onto her stomach. "Never drafty...like Hogwarts."

She felt a gentle tugging at her bikini. She turned her head toward Sirius.

"You don't want tan lines, do you?" he said as she felt the strings on her bikini top loosen.

"You're so very thoughtful," she remarked and rested the side of her face on her forearm. "You've spared me the embarrassment of tan lines."

"You could always go topless," he said, reclining next to her.

"I could," she said and closed her eyes, "but Afina designed this for me."

And I enjoy the look you have when I wear it, she thought, smiling to herself.

"Harry's fourteen today," Sirius said as his fingertips barely stroked her back. "Do you think I sent his gift in time?"

"Mhmm," she murmured, enjoying the way his fingers felt upon her skin.

"I hope he enjoys that cake--"

"He better enjoy that cake," she warned, opening her eyes. "It took an entire day to clean the kitchen. You know I'm awful at Cleaning Charms."

"Sorry," he said and kissed her back.

"I still find flour in my kitchen," she said, fighting a smile as he continued to kiss her. "I reckon I'll still find it years from now."

"And I'll apologize then, too," he said and tickled her side.

Althea giggled and rolled onto her back. "Don't complain of a sun burned bum," she teased, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"What makes you think we'll stay like this?" he whispered into her ear. "What the hell was that?"

"What?"

"Never mind," he murmured and fiercely kissed her neck. Althea closed her eyes and slid her fingers underneath the waistband of his swimming trunks. "What the--ow!"

Althea opened her eyes. "Are you all right?"

"No!" he growled and brought a hand to the back of his head.

A large brown owl circled above them. Damn, she thought, looking at the owl.

"It's Gran's owl."

"Have it go away," he said and kissed the top of her breast.

"I can't." She closed her eyes and smiled, arching her back as his lips lightly stroked against her nipple.

"Fucking owl!" he growled, lifting his head. "Get that damn letter."

Althea begrudgingly sat up and waited for the owl to land. Sirius meanwhile, brought his hand to the back of his head and winced. He withdrew his hand, looked at it, and narrowed his eyes.

"That owl drew blood," he said, showing his fingertips coated in small amounts of bright red blood. "It's vicious, just like her."

Althea untied the large envelop from the owl's legs. "I'll have to feed him," she said and shook the sand off her bikini top.

"Why don't you feed him to Buckbeak?" he said, staring darkly at the owl. "Buckbeak's probably hungry."

"Then Gran would fly to Bermuda, wondering where her owl had gone," she said, tightening the bow behind her neck. "And we can't have that."

Sirius inhaled a deep breath through his nostrils as he stood--his eyes transfixed on the owl. If I leave him alone with the owl, he will feed it to Buckbeak, she thought as the couple walked toward the house. Sirius continued to look menacingly at the bird. The sand would've ruined our fun anyway. After she filled a bowl full of water for the owl, Althea joined Sirius on the porch. Sulking, Sirius sat on the bench, his legs drawn up to his chest and the envelope in his hands. Althea smiled sympathetically as she sat down next to him.

"Here," he said and held out the large beige envelope. "I reckon your day will be ruined if you read it now or later."

Althea nodded in thanks as she took the envelope. "You know that old woman too well."

With mild interest, Sirius watched Althea open the envelope. Why must she insist on so much sellotape, she thought and grunted as she tore the envelop open. Two smaller envelopes cascaded out and fell against Sirius' foot. Althea's eyes focused on the larger of the two.

"My God," she whispered as she read the return address. She felt a small chill.

"What?"

Althea timidly picked up the letter. It's addressed to Northfield, she thought as her stomach twisted upon itself. She began to shake.

"What is wrong?"

Althea, not looking up from the address, spoke, "It's from Mrs. Parker."

"God," he breathed and gently placed his hand over her trembling hand. "Would you like me to open it?"

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "I'll--I'll open it."

Timidly, she opened the letter and felt a sinking feeling in her chest. Prudence, she thought, reading the introduction and queries into her health. By my resignation, I'm giving up my chance to see her. Althea frowned deeply. What benefit would she have of seeing Prudence? Prudence would never take Muggle Studies and close interaction outside of the classroom--especially between a student not taking her class and Althea--would be considered inappropriate. It would be noticed. I'll have a greater chance this way, she thought, as she looked through the letter--the words became a blurry mess. I'll have an opportunity I wouldn't have at Hogwarts. I could truly mentor her...if Mrs. Parker would let it continue. Althea blinked and continued to read the letter:

Simple words could not express gratitude we feel towards you, Althea. Prudence is a beautiful and bright girl, who delights in telling stories about Hogwarts. It was a great surprise to learn that you are a professor there. She has nothing but the best to say about you. The admiration is apparent in her eyes....

Althea looked up from the letter and wiped her eyes with the heel of her right hand.

I have received your letter concerning Prudence's father, Sirius. The circumstances that surrounded the birth of Prudence were truly saddening, and the latest revelation only added to this sad tale. It is our hope, one day, Prudence will be able to understand those circumstances and will know four parents who love her....

Althea stopped reading the letter and shoved it at Sirius. She covered her face with her hands as she began to sob.

"They want us to meet her?"

Althea nodded. "Eventually," she forced out.

"I--I don't believe this," he said, sliding his arms around her shoulders. "I would've thought--"

Althea inhaled a large, gasping breath. "They're wonderful people," she said, resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"Right," he said--his voice shaky--and kissed the side of her head. "Shh, my love," he whispered, stroking her back. "She's enclosed some photographs. Wouldn't you like to see them?"

Althea sniffed loudly as she pulled away. She wants us to know Prudence, she thought as she sniffed again. She furrowed her eyebrows. How long has she wanted this? Althea opened the envelope and covered her mouth with her hand at the sight of the pile of photographs. I don't believe this! Carefully, she removed the paper that surrounded the photographs, and noticed a message attached:

I've wanted to send you these photographs for a long time. Prudence insists she was a very fat baby, but I believe we will both agree that she is perfect.

Althea let out a small laugh as she looked upon the first photograph. She noticed Sirius had leaned forward to see.

"Look," she said, smiling at the photograph of Prudence in her highchair. Prudence--her face, hair, and hands covered in orange sauce--grinned back at the couple.

Sirius laughed. "Is that a spoon hovering over her head?"

Althea looked closer at the photograph and nodded. She flipped the photograph over and noticed writing. "She wrote that it was very difficult to explain to family and neighbors why Prudence's spoons would hover above her head."

"We might owe them money for burnt carpet, yet," he said and grabbed another photograph. "I bought her that doll!"

Althea shifted her gaze from her photograph to the one in Sirius' hands. Prudence, wrapped in the pink blanket Lily had made, was fast asleep in the sunny window niche. In her arms, she held the small porcelain doll with long, curly black hair that Sirius had bought for her.

"It was the first gift you bought her," she said, resting her hand on his forearm. "You returned from a mission, bruised and bloodied--your hair caked in mud--carrying this beautiful, spotless doll."

"Yeah," he laughed quietly and turned over the photograph. "'The afternoon of her fifth birthday. She had her fill of presents and cake, and decided to retire to her favorite spot with her doll, Elizabeth.'"

Althea coaxed Sirius to turn the photograph over again. "Absolutely beautiful," she said, her eyes focusing on Prudence's small, delicate face.

She looked to the rest of the photographs and smiled. Mrs. Parker had carefully chosen photographs that documented each stage of Prudence's young life. As Althea looked upon the photograph of Prudence on holiday with her brother, the aching sadness that she did her best to suppress surfaced. I should've been the one taking these photographs, she thought as Prudence proudly modeled her Hogwarts uniform. I pray that you understand and that you won't hate me.

"This isn't fair," she said, keenly taking in every detail of Prudence in the photograph.

"It isn't."

"She'll hate me."

"No, she won't--"

"Yes, she will," she interrupted, stroking the side of the photograph. "If she discovered that I knew all along that she was my daughter and kept that knowledge from her--lied to her...can you imagine? At Hogwarts that entire time...." Althea looked at Sirius. "Do you think she knows that she's adopted?"

Sirius shrugged and picked up the letter. He chewed his bottom lip as he studied it. "From the letter, she might know." He furrowed his eyebrows. "She might not know everything, though--circumstances, names and such--but I doubt she could hate you. She's a smart girl, my love. She'll understand." Althea opened her mouth to protest, but Sirius continued, "The Quidditch World Cup?"

"What?"

"The Quidditch World Cup," he answered, a smile slowly crept across his face. "According to the letter, our Prudence who 'prides herself in not being the least bit sporty' will attend." He developed a hopeful expression.

"I don't even want to know what scheme you've just concocted to enter the match, but it won't work," she said and wrinkled her nose at the envelope with Gran's handwriting. "I don't have tickets."

"How could you not have tickets?"

"I'm not that much of a fan."

Sirius' head jolted back at the revelation. "What? How could you not be a fan? You played it."

"Well," she said, taking the envelope from Gran in her hands, "playing and watching are two different things. Anyway, I tried out as a joke--part of a forfeit, really. I had no idea I'd make the team--least of all, Seeker."

"Why d'you stay on, then?"

Althea tore the top of the envelope. "I thought it would displease Gran," she replied and smirked. "Little did I know she was Gryffindor 1916."

"Probably a Beater."

"No, Chaser. Speaking of the old woman, she has tickets; you could always go with her."

Sirius shivered. "I'd rather kiss a dementor."

Althea frowned.

Sirius mocked an excited gasp. "Is that a letter from the woman I love as much as my wonderfully deceased mother?"

Althea nodded. "Go ahead and read it, patriarch of the most noble and ancient of families," she said and tossed him the opened envelope.

Sirius removed the letter from the envelope. "She hasn't cursed it," he remarked and opened the folded letter. "I thought for sure that if I touched it I would've gone up in a ball of flame."

"She believes that I never want to see you again."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "You are not that good of a liar, Morrigan," he said and wrinkled his nose. "Still insists on calling you Althea Rosemary?"

"Unfortunately."

Sirius held out the letter before him, rigidly straightened himself, and took a deep breath before speaking, "'Afina has told me everything.'"

"Oh fuck."

"No 'How are you, my darling granddaughter'?"

"Of course not."

"'Innocent, indeed! I went to Hogwarts'--she went to Hogwarts?" Sirius made a face and Althea knew he would continue this commentary throughout Gran's letter. "'I went to Hogwarts to sort out this madness only to discover that incredible fool, Dumbledore, believed it as well. I then wrote your friend, Remus...'" Sirius fell into a fit of laughter and let the letter fall to his lap.

"What?" she asked as she went to retrieve the letter, but Sirius held the letter away from her.

"'Althea Rosemary, at Hogwarts? Please, show some sense of decency amongst the children, it is all I ask.'"

Althea threw her head back. "Afina would not tell her that," she said and narrowed her eyes. "She's a bloody Legilimens, I swear to you."

Sirius cleared his throat and sighed. "'I am prepared for my meeting with that foul and loathsome'--do you ever remind her that I'm Prudence's father?"

Althea lowered her head and shrugged. "She doesn't care."

"'I beg you to remember all of the horrible, unspeakable things and refrain yourself from the foolishness that lurks within you. He is no good'--isn't she going to say something about the family that disowned me?" Sirius scanned the letter with his index finger. "No, no, still wasting ink to remind you how awful I am. Aren't you glad that I'm reading this for you?"

"I'm bloody delighted."

"There!" He slapped his finger against the second page of the letter. "'Nothing good ever came from the Black family. If You-Know-Who himself'--old woman, he wishes he could come from such a Dark and evil family. Had wet dreams about it, I'm sure."

"And your cousin was there to lick up the cum."

Sirius let out a laugh of surprise. "Althea Rosemary!" he scolded with mock outrage. He lifted the letter. "He didn't have a cock anyway."

"How could I have forgotten?" she said as Sirius hummed. "That rousing song you and James would sing, 'Who'd Want a Voldemort So Short.'"

"Indeed," he said and frowned at the letter. "Is that all?" He shuffled through the remaining papers. "Just two pages?"

"She did have twelve years to entertain me with her thoughts on you," she said and looked upon the letter. "This was the condensed version--the highlights of your awfulness."

Sirius shook his head. "Ignoring your duty, your responsibility to attend the Applewood Garden Fete. Oh, Merlin's fucking nipple clamps! Lady G wore the same hat to the Applewoods' fete and Lady H's luncheon!"

Althea grabbed the letter from Sirius and gasped. "No! How could she have done something so horrible?" She tossed the letter at Sirius. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"My mock fear of you is keeping me from the most boring of holidays at Northfield."

Sirius smiled. "You're welcome," he replied and sighed as he continued to skim the letter. "Fuck," he breathed--his eyes widened as he read the new page.

Althea giggled. "What this time?" she asked, leaning closer. "Sophie embarrassed Lady A and Gran by publicly snogging George? His father was in trade--a milkman! Oh heavens--oh bollocks, more like it. "

"I'm not joking!" He pulled at his hair and growled. "Fuck!"

Althea's smile faded as Sirius fretfully read the letter. "What?"

Without looking up, Sirius said, "After her visit to Afina, she has decided to visit you."

A sensation of ice water washed over her insides. She covered her face with the palms of her hands. "Why? Why must this old woman ruin my holiday?"

"It's for your birthday. She'll try to convince Afina to visit too."

Althea groaned. "I knew I should've visited before I left--damn it! It bloody ruins everything, doesn't it? That fucking old woman!"

Sirius gently removed her hands from her face. "It won't be as awful as it could be," he said and smiled placatingly. "I'll be here."

"Oh God," she said, her stomach twisted upon itself. "She'll kill you."

"She doesn't know that I'm an Animagus, right?" he asked and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"No."

"Brilliant," he said happily and kissed her forehead. "I'll be a loveable stray that you've adopted--she'll never know. It'll be like old times."

Althea weakly lifted the corners of her mouth into a half-hearted smile. "That's what I'm afraid of," she muttered as Sirius continued to assure her.