second//bill weasley

three

Sirius sits up straight. "Did you tell him that he's wrong? That I had nothing to do with his parents' demise? That I would never do anything to hurt him or James or Lily? That I would never betray them?"

I shake my head. "How could I tell him that? He would know that I've spoken to you. He would tell Dumbledore. I'd be out of a job. It wouldn't just be you going back to Azkaban, I'd be joining you. I can't do that to Maddie."

"Why are you helping me?" Sirius asks.

I look at him confused. "What?"

"You shouldn't be. You have too much to lose," Sirius tells me.

"I lost everything the night Lily and James were murdered. You were thrown into Azkaban. I thought Peter was dead. Remus just kind of drifted away. It had been two months since I lost Rowan." I shake my head. "All I had was Maddie and my mum. And now I have the chance to have you and Remus back. And a chance to prove that you had nothing to do with what happened to Lily and James. That you loved them as much as the rest of us." I sigh. "I just... seeing you in all those wanted posters screaming like a mad man and then seeing you in Hogwarts... broken... I can't believe I ever thought you would betray our best friends like that." I wipe the tears from my cheeks. "I'm sorry, Sirius. Truly. I'm so sorry."

"I didn't mean to make you cry," Sirius tells me.

I laugh lightly. "You know me. I was always the emotional one." Sirius smiles slightly. "I do have a peace offering." I pull a box of chocolate frogs out from my jacket. I toss them to Sirius. "I brought you an early Christmas present."

Sirius smiles lightly. "Think it goes without saying I didn't get you anything." He pops a chocolate frog in his mouth.

"You can make it up next year," I tease.

Sirius smiles.

It's Christmas. I spent all morning with Maddie. She went off after lunch to spend time with Ron and Harry. They both stayed behind at Hogwarts for the break. I head off on my own to find Remus. I know he stuck around school for the holiday. I also have a crazy suspicion I'll find him in his office.

Remus' office door is open when I arrive. "Do you ever spend time outside your office?"

Remus looks up from a stack of papers. "I'm behind on grading."

"It's Christmas, Moony," I remind him. Remus shrugs. I roll my eyes. "We don't have classes tomorrow, let's go get drunk."

Remus makes a face. "Really Annalise?"

I chuckle. "Hey, we're adults now, Moony. I've got firewhiskey in my room." Remus looks at me. I pout and bat my eyelashes. Remus sighs as he stands up. "Good to know that still works."

Remus and I head back to my room. As promised, I break out the firewhiskey.

"Oh, I almost forgot," I tell him.

Remus looks at me curiously. "Almost forgot what?"

I grab a present from off my dresser. "For you."

Remus looks surprised. "For me?"

I nod my head. Remus hesitantly reaches out for the gift.

"Come on now it won't bite," I tease.

Remus takes the gift and looks at it. "You should have told me. I could have gotten you a gift as well."

I wave him off. "You can just get me two birthday presents."

Remus smiles as he opens his gift. He holds up a green jumper.

"Do you like it?" I ask.

Remus smiles as he nods his head. "It's lovely." He pokes his finger through a rather large hole near the bottom hem. "Did you knit it yourself?"