Rebirth

Chapter 11: Mischief Managed

Sirius and Remus left quickly, leaving Moody to clear up the mess and inform the Ministry of Peter's capture. Moments later, they were Apparating into the entrance hall of Grimmauld place, both feeling emotionally weary. Sirius's heart sank as he heard Hermione and Ron coming up the stairs from the kitchen. He knew he would have to face her and at the moment, the last thing he felt like doing was apologising. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and sleep.

Ron and Hermione appeared at the top of the stairs within seconds and flung themselves onto Remus. He wrapped his arms around both of them, assuring them that he was alright and thanking them for their efforts in trying to find him. Sirius stood back, feeling somewhat awkward. He was considering slipping up the stairs to his room, taking the coward's way out, when Ron turned to him and spoke.

"I knew if anyone could bring him back it'd be you, mate," he said warmly, grabbing Sirius's hand and shaking it vigorously. Sirius smiled weakly, his eyes darting towards the stairs and sanctuary.

"You've no idea how happy I am to see you," gushed Hermione to Remus. She didn't look at Sirius, and he was grateful. "You look like you need feeding up. Come downstairs and I'll fix you something to eat." She pulled him towards the stairs.

"I think I'll just head off to bed," said Sirius quietly, shooting a pleading glance at Remus, but Ron cut him off.

"Rubbish," he said firmly. "I've got a bottle of Firewhisky downstairs with your name on it. I reckon you could use a drink. Besides, we want to here all about it, don't we Hermione?"

"I really don't feel like - " Sirius started, but Remus cut him off.

"Come on Padfoot," he said gently as Hermione lead him away. "You're not going to turn down a drink are you?"

Sirius sighed. He could see he wasn't going to get away without a fight, and he hadn't the strength for that either. He followed the others downstairs, promising himself that he would slip away at the earliest opportunity.

Once in the kitchen, Hermione set some pots and pans into action with a few flicks of her wand while Remus launched into a drastically toned down description of his rescue and their hunt for Peter. Mercifully, Sirius was able to sit quietly at the end of the table and was only required to nod or shake his head at the appropriate parts. Still, Hermione had not looked at him.

As Remus spoke, Sirius stared into his Firewhisky, running the night's events over in his mind. He had wanted to kill Peter, but would it have made him feel any better? He felt empty somehow; he had been through so much emotional upheaval since he had awoken that it was as though he had burnt himself out. Perhaps a drink would do him good. He certainly knew that trying to make sense of what had happened was pointless at the moment. He downed his drink and summoned the bottle with a wave of his wand. As he refilled his glass he caught Hermione's eye for a second before he quickly looked away. She didn't look angry, at least, Sirius noted, but he could do without the trace of disapproval he saw in her gaze. He downed his second drink defiantly, enjoying the soothing effects of the burning sensation that spread from his throat.

He was about to start his on his third when Hermione spoke.

"Alastor," she said, looking past Sirius to the fireplace. He quickly turned round to see Moody's disembodied head sitting in the fireplace.

"Can't stop," he said briskly. "Just thought you'd like to know that we've got Pettigrew locked away. Bawling his eyes out within seconds, he was. I've put an anti-transformation spell on him so he won't be going anywhere. I don't think he'll last long."

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't realised how anxious he had been that Peter might get away again until this moment.

"I told the Ministry that you two were responsible for his capture." He looked over at Remus. "They've agreed to drop all the charges against you since they know they wouldn't have had a chance of catching him otherwise. Dumbledore told them you'd been following him for the past few months under his orders and you'd stayed in the Shrieking Shack for all your transformations. They've chosen to believe that Peter killed Bellatrix in an attempt to frame you and as far as I know, that could be true, so we'll just leave it at that."

Hermione and Ron let out a cheer of delight while Remus gasped in disbelief. The relief was evident in his face.

"I don't know what to say, Alastor," he said gratefully. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Moody replied stiffly. "I need you to pop to the Ministry for a minute and fill out a bit of paperwork."

"Can't it wait until morning?" asked Hermione. "Remus should really be resting."

"It won't take a minute," said Moody. "It needs to be done now so we can get this buried while they're still grateful that he's caught Peter. I'll see you in my office." He bid the others goodnight and disappeared.

"I don't mind, I'd rather get it over with," said Remus, getting to his feet.

"I'll come with you," said Ron. "I can sign you off the wanted list in my department."

Before Sirius could say a word, Remus and Ron had Disapparated with a loud pop.

Sirius and Hermione were alone in the kitchen, and Sirius suddenly became aware of the uncomfortable silence.

After a moment, he thought he'd better say something.

"I'm really sorry about the way I left," he said quietly. Hermione sat down at the table opposite him. He had been hoping she'd get angry and storm off so he could go to bed, but from the serious look on her face he could tell she wanted to talk.

"You don't need to apologise," she said softly.

"Yes I do. I was being selfish. Since I woke up I haven't been thinking about anybody but myself and I'm sorry you got caught in the middle of it." He looked over at her nervously, trying to read her expression.

"I understand," she said slowly. "I can't pretend it didn't hurt, but I do understand. I blame myself really. I should have known better than to get involved with you when you when you were obviously going through so much." She bit her lip and looked nervous for a moment.

"There's something else," she said, looking down at her hands. "I hope you don't mind, but Ron and I got talking after you left, and, well, we've decided to give things a go between us." She looked anxiously over at him.

Sirius smiled. He felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Of course I don't mind, I couldn't be happier," he said animatedly. "I'm really happy for you." Hermione exhaled with relief. A wry smile formed on her lips.

"You could at least pretend to be a little upset," she teased. "You don't have to act like you're glad to be rid of me."

"I'm devastated really, I'm just good at hiding my feelings," Sirius deadpanned. Hermione pulled a face. "Seriously, Hermione, I spoke to Ron before I left and he really does love you. He's just not very good at showing it. I think you belong together."

Hermione smiled at him, flushing a little.

"I did have a good time with you though," she said, her face reddening a little more. "I mean I had a really good time. Actually, well, Ron's... he's wonderful but... I was wondering if you could teach him how to do that thing you did. You know the one I mean?"

Sirius laughed softly.

"I don't know if I can give away trade secrets," he said seriously. Hermione looked horrified.

"Well, of course, if you don't -" she stammered.

"Hermione, I'm joking. Of course I'll talk to him. In fact, I think now that Remus is back we should take our Ron out for a drink and have a good bit of male bonding." Sirius winked at her conspiratorially.

"You won't tell him I asked you to?" she asked.

"Don't worry, I can be very discrete." Sirius suddenly felt full of energy, his previous tiredness completely forgotten. Remus was all right, Peter was in prison and Hermione had forgiven him. Everything seemed to be going well at long last.

At that moment they heard two pops coming from upstairs that told them Ron and Remus had returned. Sirius stood up walked around the table to give Hermione's arm an affectionate squeeze before the other two made it down the stairs.

"All done," Remus said as he appeared in the kitchen doorway. "I'm officially off the hook and back on the registry."

"Well, I don't know about you lot, but I'm done in," said Ron, finishing off the drink he had left at the table. "Coming Hermione?" he asked innocently.

Remus looked from one to the other and then over at Sirius. Sirius winked at him, letting him know that things were all right between himself and Hermione.

"Did I hear that right?" asked Remus loudly. "Are you both going to bed together? Like in the same room?"

Hermione blushed again and Ron nodded, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, finally!" said Remus, clearly delighted. "It's about bloody time, that's all I can say!"

Hermione shot him a warning look and dragged Ron out of the room by the arm.

"Don't forget to put a silencing charm on your room!" shouted Sirius up the stairs after them.

"Shut up!" shouted Hermione.

Sirius and Remus refilled their glasses and carried them upstairs to the sitting room. They sat in silence for a while before Sirius spoke.

"Is it really over?" he asked, staring into the fire. "Is this it?"

"I suppose it is," said Remus, thoughtfully. "Peter's in prison. Bellatrix is dead and Voldemort's finally gone. Doesn't feel real does it?"

"No," Sirius agreed. "I suppose it hasn't sunk in yet. I thought I'd feel happy or at least relieved, but I don't feel anything."

"You'll be OK, Padfoot. It'll just take some getting used to. We've all been through a lot."

"At least Peter's finally in prison where he belongs," Sirius said.

"Do you still wish you'd killed him?" asked Remus.

"Yes. Don't you?"

Remus thought for a moment.

"No," he definitely. "I wanted him dead, but I'm not sorry that we weren't the ones to do it. Killing Bellatrix didn't make me feel any better and I don't think killing Peter would have either. It doesn't feel good to take a life, Sirius, whether it was deserved or not."

"I can't say I'm convinced, but I can see your point," said Sirius. "I'm glad I've got you back though. I don't think I could have stood it if I'd lost you too."

"If only we could have saved Harry too," said Remus wistfully.

"At least we finally made Peter pay for what he did. It's taken us seventeen years, but we finally settled the score."

Remus looked over at him, smiling in agreement. As Sirius looked around his new home, his heart lifted. Perhaps life would finally be calm from now on. Two words rang in his head, and he held his glass up in the air as he whispered them, toasting his departed friends. He uttered those two words in triumph, defiance, remembrance and respect, as a conclusion and as a new beginning:

"Mischief managed, Prongs. Mischief managed."