A Life Half Lived

CHAPTER 1

Sirius Black walked down Diagon Alley with his godson, Harry Potter - busy getting books for Harry's last year at Hogwarts.

As they walked, a woman walking past caught Sirius' eye and he stopped, appreciating the view.

Harry walked a couple of paces further before he noticed, and turned back to his godfather. Sirius was still staring at the woman, and as Harry came up to him, he put is hand on Harry's shoulder. "That, Harry," he said in the manner of one instructing a student, "is what I call Sex on Legs."

Harry looked at the woman who had stopped nearby and was looking in the window of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour - clearly deciding whether she should go in or not.

She was dressed plainly - a dark coat and boots were all that were visible. He couldn't see what was underneath the coat - it reached the top of her boots - but it was definitely tight, whatever it was. Her coat was snug around her rear and hips. Her hair was bright red and seemed to be wildly tousled. She turned around and Harry gulped - suddenly realising that Sirius had done the same thing.

It looked like the coat and boots were actually all she was wearing!

Her face seemed oddly familiar to them both. She looked straight at Sirius - obviously having heard the remark, and obviously pleased. She winked at them and brought her hand up slowly to her mouth, blowing them a kiss.

With an abruptness that had them both reeling, the woman suddenly moved towards them, her stride long and loose-hipped. Sirius straightened - this was his kind of woman!

She glanced at them as she passed, and winked again. Harry and Sirius turned to watch where she was going - neither wanted to loose that pleasant sight - and were surprised when she went up behind a blond boy and woman, and poked the boy in the ribs.

He jumped, and both of them turned around. "Aunt Morgan!" he cried, with every evidence of delight as she wrapped her arms around him.

"How's my favourite nephew?" they heard her ask.

"I happen to be your only nephew," said Draco Malfoy - clearly enjoying the experience of being hugged by his definitely sexy aunt.

""Cis!" cried the woman, hugging and being hugged by Mrs Malfoy who, although plainly surprised to see her, was just as obviously pleased - at least that was the expression on her face.

Harry and Sirius moved off - both deeply disgusted. "Malfoy!" said Harry indignantly. "What right has he got to have an aunt like that?"

Sirius looked back - and agreed with Harry completely. "I wonder if Pilar can tell us more," he said. "I've never heard of Lucius Malfoy having a sister - let alone one looking like that - but she should know."

"Where are we meeting them?" asked Harry

"You were supposed to meet us inside Fortescue's," said a voice behind them sounding a little irritated, "about an hour ago."

"Hello Remus," said Sirius - his attention still focused on the redheaded woman with the Malfoys.

Remus Lupin followed his gaze and nodded. "Distracted, Padfoot?" he asked wryly.

Black grinned - he'd never really been serious about any woman in his life, not even Pilar, even though he loved her dearly. This one looked more interesting than most though - and he was willing to overlook her connections with Lucius Malfoy for a bit of fun.

At that point, Narcissa Malfoy saw Remus and came over, dragging the woman with her. "Remus," she said coldly, "is Pilar here?"

"Inside," he said - nodding towards the ice cream parlour, "stuffing chocolate sundae's down her throat as fast as she can." He looked shy, proud, and indulgent all at once, "Pilar says that she seems to crave chocolate even more since she's became pregnant."

The red headed woman laughed, "Sounds like something P would do," she said and looked at the woman next to her, "shall we join her?"

Narcissa Malfoy was in a dilemma. She wanted very much to see her sister - but knew that Lucius would be annoyed at her for spending time with her sister's husband and his friends. The redheaded woman looked at Harry and at the bag he was carrying. "This must be a school chum of Draco's," she said. "I'm sure that the boys would appreciate something - my treat."

Draco came over, glaring at both Harry and Sirius. Morgan saw the looks between all of them and decided she had to get to the bottom of this - after she had the reunion with her sisters, and found out more about that absolutely gorgeous man!

She walked towards the entrance, her arm in Narcissa's. She looked back over her shoulder and cocked her hips. "Coming?" she asked, swiping her lips with her tongue, knowing that it was corny to do so, but being completely unable to resist teasing the males standing there.

Harry was startled - he had never come across any woman like that - and he suddenly realised something. In many ways, she was a female Sirius - flirting with anything of the opposite sex, and exuding a sexuality that was palpable.

Sirius realised it too, and walked towards the woman, putting his hand on her backside familiarly. "I'd love something wet," he said looking at her, and knowing that the sudden flare of lust in her eyes was matched by his.

"I bet you would," she said dryly, removing his hand and continuing in. "Come on Draco," she called, "bring your friend and order what you want."

Inside the ice cream parlour, everybody was edified to see Pilar Lupin suddenly give a screech, jump up and run (ok - waddle swiftly) towards the redheaded woman, arms open and face alight with joy.

Both women hugged each other tightly. "Morgan!" cried Pilar, "Morgan when did you get here?"

Morgan hugged Pilar tightly. It had been too long since she had seen her. "This morning, P," she said, "and I was planning on visiting tomorrow to see how you were."

The silence in the party was like a bombshell. Sirius, Harry and Lupin looked at each other. THIS was Pilar's "baby sister"? This woman who not only looked nothing like Pilar - but who oozed sex?

Pilar turned around gaily "Remus, this is Morgan Winter - my other sister," she said. "Morgan, my husband."

Morgan Winter inspected Lupin closely. He was certainly not what she had expected, and recognised that this gentle looking man was a lot more dangerous than he appeared. Her sister must love him dearly if she had held him in her heart for so many years.

Lupin met her steady gaze - and recognised another female de Lisle predator. But this one was far more dangerous than her sister. Whereas Pilar tended only to become predatory when crossed, this one was always on the prowl. "Nice to meet you," he said, shaking her hand - and then being pulled into a swift laughing embrace.

"Hello Remus," she said warmly - pleased that after so many years her sister had found happiness.

"And Morgan," continued Pilar, "you must meet Sirius Black and Harry Potter."

Sirius stepped forward "Yes, you certainly must meet Sirius Black," he said, taking her hand and raising it to his lips.

Morgan accepted the kiss, knowing what the outcome of her meeting with him would be, and looking forward to the liaison - short though she knew it would be. "Deeelighted," she purred and turned away from him deliberately.

So this was Sirius Black, she thought, the prisoner they had been ordered not to take. God he was gorgeous! She could hardly wait.

"Hello, Harry," she said - to a stunned Harry standing there with Draco (who looked even more chagrined than before). "Nice to meet you. You're at school with Draco?"

"Yes," said Harry, shaking her hand. She was nothing like his Aunt Petunia - and he envied Draco his family - at least he had a mother and father, and at least one Aunt who obviously doted on him.

He had never asked Pilar about the Malfoys and her relationship with them, and it was one of the few areas she never spoke of. He looked at Pilar and caught her looking at him. She smiled and sat back down awkwardly. Harry knew that she was enjoying this hugely - and remembered Draco's reaction when he had found out she was his long-lost Aunt.

He began to chuckle and caught Pilar's eye. She was looking abnormally demure, and he noticed Lupin bend over to her and whisper something in her ear. She jumped slightly and he wondered what had passed between them.

And wondered if his parents had been like that too.

Draco Malfoy was annoyed. It had been bad enough when he had been told that Professor de Lisle was his Aunt - bad enough he had had to attend her wedding to that werewolf.

But now he was expected to sit and play happy families with them.

He glared at his mother and Aunt Morgan. He knew his mother was hoping his father did not find out about this - and the thought of what would happen if he did find out made him afraid.

Draco was frightened of only two people - his Father and Professor Dumbledore. He believed many of the same things that his father did, but was starting to feel that being a DeathEater was not a course that he would be content to follow.

Draco Malfoy was growing up quickly - and as he sat and ate his ice cream he realised that at home the chatter and laughter that was within this group was missing.

He watched his mother with her two younger sisters, and saw that she seemed different - more alive, more vivid. Her personality was emerging from underneath her normally cold façade. He was surprised to find that it seemed to be much the same as those of her sisters.

He shuddered. His Aunt Morgan never seemed to sit still, and he knew what his Aunt Pilar was like from being one of her students. Imagine if his mother was more like them! His eyes widened suddenly. She must have been - at some stage. And he wondered what had happened to make her the cold and distant woman she was now.

He watched Lupin and Pilar and envied his soon to be arriving baby cousin - and Harry who had been welcomed into their family. Draco would never admit it to anybody - but there was one area in which he envied Harry Potter.

He envied that Harry was living with people who obviously cared for him. He felt envious that his Aunt Pilar treated Harry like a nephew, and he wanted more than anything to be included in something like that.

Draco looked at his mother - and saw that she was torn between being Narcissa Malfoy and Narcissa de Lisle. He looked over at his Aunts, and watched Lupin put his arm around Pilar, his other hand caressing her womb - caressing his child - and at Pilar's obvious enjoyment of the public caress (did they have no control?). And Draco Malfoy, for the first time in his life, wondered if his parents had ever been in love like that.