Remus’s world stopped for a few seconds when he saw Tristessa, he remembered her, and she was still beautiful. Her shoulder length golden hair framed her face and set off her bright green eyes. “Hello Tristessa” he said breathlessly as he extended his hand to her.

“Call me Tris” she said “everyone does. I remember seeing you around the school. You’ve changed a lot over the years.”

“Over the years?” Remus repeated. “You mean it is you? You’re the woman who took me from the dorms when Deidre healed Kitty, after I……” he dropped his head, unable to continue “Thank you for healing her, I don’t think I could have lived with myself knowing what she would have to endure.”

“All these years and you still feel such guilt and shame?” Tris questioned, truly amazed that this man could still have such a tender heart. “You must realize she never blamed you for what happened.”

“I know, but ‘I’ blame me, I could have killed her.” Remus said softly as he looked into Tris’s sorrowful green eyes, they reminded him so much of Kitty’s; so full of depth and emotion.

“Is that why she still worries about you so?” Tris asked as she looked deeply into his eyes and smiled when she realized he had no intention of averting his eyes from hers. “Or is it something else?”

Remus sighed deeply as a warm smile crossed his face. “I won’t lie to you, I love her every bit as much as I did in school, but I’ll never risk harming her or anyone else ever again. She and Sirius are my oldest, dearest friends, I want them both to be happy….”

“Speaking of Sirius” Orpha interrupted, startling Tris and Remus who had been lost in their own conversation. “I would like to ask you both a few things about him and his relationship with Kitty and Harry.”……

Harry stared at Xanthe and Callista with a look of pure shock on his face. He had been intending to get up and offer one of them his seat, but instead, both girls had decided to sit on him instead. Harry felt himself turning bright red as the girls continued their conversation, completely unaware of his confusion and embarrassment. He looked from the raven-haired Xanthe to the fair-haired Callista, wondering what he could do to get away. His stomach suddenly felt strange as Callista’s hair brushed against one arm, and Xanthe’s wings against the other, sending shivers up and down his spine. And the worst part of it all was, he had no idea where to put his hands, there wasn’t enough room between the chairs to hold them at his side, and he didn’t dare put them anywhere else. Harry gulped loudly as he tried to figure out a polite way to ask the girls to get up from his lap without offending either of them.

Duncan chuckled quietly as he nudged Collin, “It seems little Harry is having some trouble with the girls” he whispered as he motioned for Collin to join him.

“What trouble, look at him,” Collin replied “He has two very pretty girls sitting on his lap, I should have so much trouble.”

“Yeah, but you know what to do.” Duncan teased as he drug Collin along with him “Look at that poor boys face, he is completely lost, he doesn’t even know where to put his hands for the love of heaven. Either he needs a father, or you and I need to step in and give him some pointers.”

“Pointers huh?” Collin said sarcastically “and you promise to give me a decent burial when Kitty finds out? Because you ‘know’ she’ll tan my hide and hang it on the barn door she ever hears me giving a child of her instructions on such matters.”

Duncan rolled his eyes “I’m not telling you to give him a blow by blow, I’m just saying……” he paused as he thought about it a bit more “On second thought, never mind, it will probably be better if I just handle this myself.” he sighed as he shooed Collin away.

“Hey Harry” Duncan called to his nephew “give me a hand with this?”

Harry positively jumped at the opportunity to get up and help his uncle. Excusing himself to Xanthe and Callista, Harry dashed to Duncan who quickly maneuvered him into the hallway.

“You doing alright there Harry?” Duncan asked, trying not to chuckle “You looked a bit overwhelmed back there, were the girls pestering you?” he asked knowingly.

“uhm, not really pestering, its just, well…” Harry replied stumbling over his own words. He felt Duncan’s hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his uncle smiling warmly at him.

“Its nothing to worry about Harry, I know you’re not used to us yet. And I doubt you’re used to our rather, ‘familiar’ ways.” Duncan winked. “Just so you know, they don’t mean anything by it. As you stay with us you’ll come to realize that we are very physical. I’m sure you must have noticed the way Kitty is with her friends like Remus and Sirius at the school.” Duncan smiled as Harry nodded and smirked, “Yeah, I bet she takes a lot of heat for it, people aren’t used to our ways. She used to cry when she would come home, outsiders would accuse her of being all sorts of things. But she got over it, or at least got used to it, so will you.” he assured his nephew as he took him to were he had last seen Sirius.

“So, tell me about this Sirius fellow, is he nice to you and Kitty? Does he treat you well, look after you, you know, the ‘dad‘ stuff.” Duncan asked.

“Sirius? He’s great, he’s the closest thing to a father I’ve ever had” Harry gushed as he walked with his uncle. “And I know how much he loves mum. Remus told me some of the things they did while they were students.”

“Students? They’ve known each other that long?” Duncan commented as he quietly opened the door and peeked in, “This is the one” he said to Harry, “So why didn’t he want to marry her before now if they’ve been together for so long?”

“Mum left, and Sirius…well, he had to go away for a while too.” Harry said, hoping Duncan wouldn’t ask for anymore details than that. “But as soon as they saw each other again” Harry didn’t need to finish his sentence, the smile on his face said it all.

“Oh boy, sounds like everyone has made up their minds but her” Duncan teased as he motioned for Harry to be quiet.

As Duncan opened the door silently, Harry heard the sound of a piano playing and a man singing. The man’s voice sounded familiar to Harry, but he just couldn’t place it. Harry peered into the room as Duncan stood aside, he smiled as he saw his cousin Sara playing the piano, her red and blonde hair skimming across her shoulders as she played with what could only be described as a passion.

Harry felt Duncan’s hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him through the doorway and into the room as Duncan followed, closing the door softly behind him. As Harry looked across the room, he finally realized why the voice seemed so familiar, it was Sirius singing.

Harry stared in amazement, he had never heard Sirius sing in his life, he had the most beautiful tenor voice Harry had ever heard, and apparently the rest of the clan agreed. Harry could almost feel Sirius’s voice reverberate through him as he seemed to pour his pain into the words he was singing. As he listened to the lyrics, Harry had to close his eyes to stop from weeping.

Its not a cry you can hear at night, its not somebody who has seen the light, it’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah.