Miranda and Mateo stare anxiously at the scene before them. Sirius looks like he's seen a ghost, and Evelyn has not said a word since they found him on the stoop.

"Elle," Sirius breathes again. "Is it really you? Elle—" Miranda has never seen Sirius behave in such a way. His face has gone the starkest of white, even paler than his normal pearlescent pallor.

His eyes are haunting, as a thousand words and memories and lost time seem to pass through him, between them. He seems almost afraid to touch her, as if he does then she will fade away. He is not certain whether he can truly grasp her or whether she is nothing but a mirage, a false promise.

Evelyn smiles, eyes shining, "Hey, Black. It's good to see you."

"No— it— it can't be—" Sirius shakes his head violently back and forth. He backs up, disbelieving. "You— you died. You were dead. Dumbledore said— you drowned. He— you and— you were dead. He was—" Sirius breaks off, voice catching in the back of his throat. "Wait— does that mean—?"

"No," whispers Evelyn. "I'm so sorry, Sirius." She chokes on a sob, "It's my fault. He saved me— he— I'm so sorry— I'm so—"

Sirius crushed Evelyn in a tight embrace, holding her close to his chest. Miranda feels tears springing to her own eyes at the sight of it. "Don't you apologize," he insists in a fierce voice. "I thought I'd lost both of you that night. I never got the chance to tell him— to tell you—"

"I knew, Sirius," says Evelyn. "He knows too. He always did."

"Still," says Sirius, sounding ragged and torn to pieces. He is beside himself. "I should've told— I should've protected him. I was supposed to protect him. He was my brother. My little brother— I—" Tears slide rapidly down Sirius's cheeks, intermingling with the flakes of snow. Miranda is forced to look away, feels almost ashamed to be in present company. This moment feels private, too personal.

We shouldn't be here.

I'm aware.

We have to leave them alone.

They're blocking the door.

We can't just stand here, Matt.

What do you want me to bloody do? Shove them aside?

After a few more minutes of silence, Miranda and Mateo have no choice but to speak. "Um— Evelyn..." Miranda taps her carefully on the shoulder,  clearing her throat ever so slightly. "...Sirius— it's— it's rather cold out here. Um— and we should probably get inside... I don't want to interrupt whatever's going on here. If— if you could just move a little to the left, Matt and I will—"

Like the flick of a switch, their aunt returns to the present. She starts slightly, exhaling, "Oh— yes, of course. Let's get inside." She sidesteps Sirius to push the door open, the cold howl of wind rushing through the darkened threshold. Miranda and Mateo follow the pair inside, silently unlacing their boots and hanging their cloaks on the hooks.

Evelyn points her wand hurriedly at the hearth. "I'll—I should—" her gaze darts around the room, unsure what to do with herself. "I suppose I should ask you if you want any tea."

Sirius barks a laugh, "You say that as if you know how to make tea."

"Shove off, Black, you prick," responds Evelyn immediately. The old, out of habit retort slipping off her tongue so naturally that she surprised both herself and Sirius. For a moment, it was as if the time that had passed had not mattered at all.

Sirius grinns wolfishly, any trace of tension lifted from the air. "Well, maybe if you'd payed any attention at comportment classes you wouldn't be such a terrible hostess."

Evelyn scoffs, shoulders relaxing. She sinks down into a moth bitten armchair opposite Sirius, and Miranda and Mateo take this as their cue to sit down as well. "Because balancing a book on my head and knowing all of the incestuous branches of the Sacred Twenty Eight is such a life necessity."

"Don't forget the ever important snobbish smile and upturned chin when greeting people to ensure they know you're better than them," Sirius adds with a smirk. "Though I seem to recall you had issues with some of the simpler tasks. Like carrying china plates without the entire stack spontaneously shattering."

Evelyn shrugs, pressing her lips together, "I never did care much for all that pureblood propriety nonsense, did I?"

"You did not," Sirius chuckles to himself wryly. "I remember it clearly. My feet are still recovering from being trampled upon during the cotillion dance."

"Not everyone can be a prima ballerina, Black." In no time it all, it seemed, Evelyn and Sirius had fallen right back into their comfortable rhythms. It was a marvel to witness. Two best friends, reunited.

"My pirouettes were flawless," he replies with a toss of his hair.

Evelyn rolls her eyes,  "You know what? It's not like the Black brothers were so perfect. I do believe at that very same cotillion, your Mother's darling angel set your robes on fire when trying to light a candlestick."

Sirius raises an eyebrow, "Well, I believe that was no accident, and had everything to do with Reggie's jealousy that I was dancing with you."

Evelyn's smile slips sideways off of her face, and she swallows tightly. "Regardless," she sniffs, "neither of us ever really excelled in that class. We were much too focused on pantsing Madam Maude."

"No wonder my mother told me you were a bad influence."

"Funny, my mother said the same thing about you."

"I really hate to interrupt," Mateo interjects awkwardly, earning him a sharp elbow to the ribs from his sister. "But— we sort of need to know how you found us. No one's supposed to know we're here."

"Dean Thomas," explains Sirius. "He told the lot back at Hogwarts he'd seen you and your sister and another woman. Remus was relayed the information, and— the description that they gave of the woman...well, I had to take the chance."

"Remus?" Their aunt beams, "How is he? Are the two of you—?"

"He's married," Sirius cuts her off swiftly, and Miranda notices an odd stiffness to the set of his jaw.

"Really?" exclaims Evelyn with an excited gasp. "I can't believe you guys—"

"To Dora, Evelyn," he interrupts again, eyes boring a hole into Evelyn's skull. "She's—"

Evelyn, who had leaped out of her seat, returns to it with a plop, brows drawn together, "She?"

"Evelyn," hisses Sirius pointedly.

Evelyn frowns very deeply "I— who— who is this woman? When did they—?"

"You don't know Tonks?" Miranda cocks her head, mildly bewildered at the reactions ensuing from this news.

"Whom?"

"My cousin," Sirius informs her airily. "Nymphadora. Andi and Ted's daughter. You remember."

Evelyn's forehead is so wrinkled it has become to resemble a prune, "Andromeda's— the baby that was born when we were thirteen?" Her eyebrows shoot up into her hairline, "Her and Remus are married? Sirius— what—?"

"Tonk's is pregnant, actually," Sirius tells them, addressing the room as a whole. He will not make direct eye contact with Evelyn. "They just found out."

"That's wonderful," gushes Miranda, cheered by this revelation. A baby. A little, bright bit of hope in this world. "They must be thrilled."

Matt nods in agreement, "You must send along our congratulations."

"Pregnant? Married? " Evelyn mutters in disbelief. "Moony is—"

He nods, quietly, "He's married, Evelyn."

Evelyn opens her mouth, then shuts it. She inhales, exhales, then, "I don't— Sirius I just don't understand. How—? You and Moony— you were so— why aren't you—?"

"Twelve years is a long time, Elle," Sirius replies softly, he looks tired."You were gone even longer than that."

"I know."

Sirius releases a heavy sigh, "Things change."

"But—"

"Please, Elle," murmurs Sirius. "Not now."

There are several tense minutes where no one says anything. Miranda and Mateo each shift uncomfortably, staring at the stained rug below them.

Why does this keep happening?

We should've gone upstairs while we had the chance.

"I saw him today, you know," Evelyn says suddenly. "Harry." And just like that Miranda wishes desperately for the silence. It had been months. The mention of his name shouldn't cause ice to shoot through her veins anymore. Evelyn is still talking, "He looks just like James. But he has—"

"Lily's eyes," Sirius finishes for her with a smile. "I know. Has her common sense too, thank god."

Evelyn hums wistfully, "It was amazing. Like a time machine." Then, "Though, I still can't believe they made you godparent and not me."

"In their defense," Sirius snickers, "at the time we thought you'd betrayed us all to be with Reg."

"And I thought Remus was the traitor," Evelyn laughs lightly. "And he thought you were the traitor."

"We always liked to make things complicated, Elle."

"It's the rebel in us, Black."

"I thought that was the repressed trauma, mommy issues, and David Bowie fueled eyeliner obsession."

And in an instant, Sirius and Evelyn begin conversing animatedly about thing of the past. People, places, pranks. They roar with laughter every so often. Dawn breaks, and Miranda yawns. She hasn't understood half of what has been said, possibly because she has been drifting in and out of sleep.

Her mind does linger on the whole Remus, Tonks marriage conversation. It was just so strange. It almost felt like— well— at least she understands most of the Evelyn Regulus story now.

"You guys have to leave!" Mateo cries out finally, birds beginning to chirp on the windowsill.

"What?"

"Matt!" Miranda reprimands, walloping him over the head. "You idiot!"

Sirius laughs, nudging Evelyn, "She reminds me so much of you sometimes."

"Sorry for the outburst," Mateo apologizes, dark circles under his eyes. "That wasn't meant to be that aggressive. But you do have to go. Both of you."

"Why?"

"He's right," says Miranda, as much as she wants them to stay. "If Snape finds out you're staying here— especially you Sirius. He hates you— he—"

Both Sirius and Evelyn start to protest. "We cannot just leave you here. You're children— you can't—"

"Our location is supposed to be a secret," Mateo implores. "No one can know we're here. It's too dangerous. For everyone."

Miranda steels her expression, drawing on newfound strength, "This is our mission. It ours to bear. It has to be."

Evelyn hugs her niece and nephew fiercely, "Be safe, I mean it. My sister would kill me if I let anything happen to you. Goodbye." She takes Sirius's hand.

"Going to throw up Elle?" he teases.

"One time Black, that was one time!"

Miranda and Mateo watch them disappear, the house empty once more.

hope this explained some things

xxx

coco