Harry Potter and the Starship Enterprise

Of course, Sirius made sure to clean up so he didn't look so disreputable, tying back his long hair with a piece of ragged cloth. Christine synthesised a uniform for him with no rank insignia, a red shirt and black trousers with boots. Once he had showered and changed into this outfit, she deemed him fit to face Kirk and Spock. Harry and his friends didn't want to stay behind and argued strenuously against it, but reluctantly gave in when both Christine and Sirius assured them they would fill them in on how it had gone when they returned. Meanwhile, they were welcome to watch a movie or something and have something to eat while they were waiting; Christine showed them how to use the computer to call up the movie and the food service computer for meals. This didn't mollify them much, but it made it easier to wait.

It was several hours before they returned, and when they did, the four young people were in the midst of the film they had chosen. However, they were more interested in finding out how the briefing with Kirk and Spock had gone and told themselves they could finish watching the movie later. How much later, none could have said, but later nonetheless.

In the end, Sirius and Christine decided to sit down and watch the remainder of the film with the four teenagers. Harry and Ginny curled up in each other's arms next to them on the couch, while Ron and Hermione curled up on the floor, propped up by the pillows from the bed in the room. Even at that, Harry didn't like waiting to find out what had happened during the briefing. Just the same, he knew it wasn't good to pressure Sirius if he didn't want to discuss something just yet, any more than he himself did.

There were times when the young couple on the couch stole looks in the direction of the older couple. Christine was curled up next to Sirius and he had his arms around her, her head cradled on his shoulder. There were even times he turned and kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek on it. Definitely reminiscent of themselves. In fact, it wouldn't surprise either of them one bit if they got together again ... or even decided to marry. Harry would gladly return control of Sirius's possessions to him if he so wished it, and intended to tell him so at the first opportunity.

He also intended to ask Christine the first chance he got about her relationship with Spock, but couldn't do it in his godfather's presence. It was just that he had gotten the impression that she had cared deeply for him and they had been seeing each other socially the last several weeks in between all the recent happenings. Could Sirius's return have prompted her to have a change of heart? Possible, but he couldn't be sure--which was why he had to ask.

It was at least technically too late by the time the movie finished for them to do much discussion of the briefing, but everyone concerned was too keyed up to sleep, so they decided to do at least some tonight--but Christine decided that the moment anyone showed any signs of weariness, they would stop and continue the following day. All agreed to abide by her admonition, however reluctantly, and the discussions commenced shortly thereafter.

It wasn't until the following morning, however, that they were able to get the really serious questions answered. Harry and his friends, along with Christine (Sirius, Spock and Kirk had called and said they were on their way and would be there shortly), so Harry took this opportunity to ask Christine about Spock.

"I thought you said that you were seeing Spock and that you had ... affection for him," he reminded her.

"Oh, I have ... but I never stopped caring for Sirius, either. After all, we were once engaged."

"Do you intend to get back together with him? It certainly seems like you do, considering the way the two of you were acting last night."

"Let's just say that I'm seriously considering it," Christine finally admitted. "But we can't make any serious plans until Sirius is officially back ... and for that, I need to contact the Order and tell them, then contact the Ministry so they can take steps to officially announce that he didn't die after all, just went into another dimension. Of course, since we assumed that he had been killed, they processed his will and you inherited all of his possessions. Now that we know he's alive again, won't you want to return them to him?"

"Of course; that's not the issue. I was just wondering what you intended to do in regards to your relationships with them."

"We'll worry about that once everything's settled again. Meanwhile, we need to make plans in regards to you and your friends' tracking down and destroying the Horcruxes so we can take care of Voldemort once and for all." She would have said more, but it was at this moment that the doors to the Officers' Lounge swished open and Kirk, Spock and Sirius walked in, the latter two deep in conversation. Christine couldn't believe that they could have found such a strong rapport so soon; maybe it had something to do with the fact of their respective relationships with Christine and Harry.

Sirius reached her first; the couple hugged and kissed, then he seated her at the nearest corner group which would seat several people at the same table. Harry, sitting next to his godfather on his left, looked at Spock, sitting across from him, and couldn't help noting that except for his eyes, his face was expressionless, and those eyes showed considerable pain and jealousy, although he said not a word against the pair.

"So, Spock old chap, how long have you and Christine known each other? She and I have known each other since our school days at Hogwarts ... roughly ... oh, about twenty years now," Sirius remarked before taking a drink of synthetic pumpkin juice to wash down a bite of synthetic mince pie.

Spock wasn't one to speak overmuch of anything personal, but it would be only polite to respond, especially since no one was present that he minded knowing the answer to the question. "I would estimate about eighteen point two-five years. We first met shortly after the Enterprise's first five-year mission, when I was assigned as First Officer and she as Head Nurse."

When the young people heard this, they naturally asked him to relate at least one mission that Spock and Christine had gone on together. Unfortunately, Spock couldn't think of many that he would be willing to share with anyone other than his friends. They ended up giving him a funny look at his reluctance to speak, then seeking out Christine, who gently admonished, "You shouldn't ask him something like that, Harry. Vulcans aren't ones to discuss anything they consider personal, and besides, most of the missions are still classified ... that is, secret--and to tell anyone outside Starfleet about them would be a breach of regulations."

"Well said, Christine," Spock returned quietly. "However, you may feel free to discuss them with your godson and his friends outside of this room."

"Thanks for giving me permission, Spock, but most of the missions we went on, things happened between us that were ... well ... quite personal, and even as much as I love and trust Harry and his friends, I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing those things with them."

"Even if we promised we wouldn't say anything about them to anyone?" Hermione put in. "All of us know how to keep secrets, especially about each other. If we can keep our own secrets, it shouldn't be too hard to keep yours. If necessary, we'll even take an Unbreakable Vow."

Christine thought for a time, knowing what that involved, then smiled. "I'll consider it. Meanwhile, let's finish our food before it gets cold. I don't know about the rest of you, but I, for one, don't care to try to eat this stuff after it gets cold." That was all it took for the rest to resume eating, discussing the briefing in between bites.

Over the next several weeks, steps were taken to announce Sirius's return to the world and Harry to return his possessions to him. Of course, all of the young people had lifetime access to the house on Grimmauld Place and Sirius invited them to visit him whenever they liked. There was even a most heartwarming get-together of the two remaining Marauders when a married Remus and Tonks (who had just discovered that she was pregnant) came aboard for a while to welcome Sirius back. They made a definite date for him to re-join the Order and catch up on all that had happened in his absence. There was even a point shortly before the Order and Harry and his friends sat down to discuss what was best to do in order to track down and destroy the Horcruxes that Harry and Sirius found themselves alone for a while. Harry took this opportunity to ask him about his relationship with Christine.

"I'll understand if you don't want to discuss it, Padfoot, but Christine has told me all I think that she intends to. Even at that, I'm sure there's more I still don't know. Could you tell me?"

"Well, I suppose I could tell you a few things ..." the older man conceded. "But don't be surprised if they're edited, at least to a degree. Also, don't breathe a word to Christine, or she'll likely hex me into next year."

"As long as you tell me."

Sirius sighed and said, "Have a seat, then, mate, and I'll tell you what I can."