HARRY POTTER WLoF REWRITE PART 2 CHAP 10

Moria groaned loudly as she continued down the hall in Mungo's. It seemed that the Head was just trying to aggravate her. Why did she have to go and do this in the OB Ward? It's not like she did this as a normal profession. She pushed away the annoyance and entered the room she had been assigned, putting on a smile. She eyed the young girl who sat there, whose eyes had grown larger when she stepped in. Once again, she didn't know why she had been assigned the OB Ward today. She looked awful. Faded bruises, a Band-Aid across her cheek, the still healing wound on her neck, and the slight limp in her leg would have been enough to freak anyone out, let alone a possible mother to be.

"Hello, Miss…Cordelia is it?"

"I…yes…" she said, almost in a hesitant manner. "Excuse me for asking, but are you alright Healer…" she began to ask, but trailed off, her eyes scanning Moria again. She chuckled.

"Prescott. Moria Prescott." She responded, noting the girl's expression changed. Odd. "And I'm just peachy. I just had…a…rough last month." She said, laughing slightly at her own joke before clearing her throat, getting down to business. "Now then, you came to Mungo's on the complaint of, repeated projectile vomiting, headaches, and a missed period?" she asked. Cordelia nodded.

Moria offered a slight smile. "Can you lift up your shirt for me?" She asked. Slowly, the other girl did as she was told and flinched slightly as Moria tapped her wand against her stomach, and muttered a spell that Cordelia didn't quite understand. There was a moment of silence and then the rhythmic sound of a heart beat filled the void. There was more silence.

"Is…is that…" she tried to say weakly. Moria smiled at her, her face soft and caring, almost mother like.

"That would be the sound of your baby's heartbeat." Moria said. "Congratulations Miss Cordelia, it seems you are about…" She trailed off thinking as she observed the chart. "A month pregnant." She added and watched as Cordelia went into a daze. "Now then, you'll have to take some potions and some herbs for the baby." She stated and watched as she barely nodded before getting up to go. However as she opened the door, she ran into another form.

"Oof!"

Moria looked up in confusion. "Sirius? What are you doing here?" Moria asked as she stared at him, an eyebrow raised. Cordelia moved away, glancing at him and Moria held back a smile and a chuckle. She couldn't blame the other girl. He wasn't any better looking than Moria. He was covered in light bruises and had some slight scratches on his face. He stood there, smiling sheepishly, before holding up a greasy bag. The scent of a muggle fast food chips permeated into the room.

"I was bringing you lunch…Chelsea said…"

"Oh it's alright. Thank you Healer Prescott…" Cordelia said with a slight smile. "I'll be on my way now." She said, before rushing past Sirius and hurrying down the hall. Sirius watched her walk down the hall before turning to look at Moria, who looked amused.

"Did I say something wrong to her?"

"She just found out she was pregnant, and she's about a year or so younger than us." Moria answered, walking up to him, her arms crossed. "She's probably in shock. Probably didn't help that you came along acting like a lost puppy that is currently trying to lay the moves of asking for forgiveness for something that I already forgave you for a month ago."

"Ah…" he said, and coughed uncomfortably as she chuckled.

"Come on Sirius; let's have lunch before it gets cold." She added, grabbing his free hand and the pair walked the opposite way. She glanced up at him, and he still looked sheepish. She sighed, turning to him. "Sirius, I wasn't lying. I forgave you awhile back."

"Yeah…well…you have no idea what the death glares I've been getting from two pregnant ladies are like." He mumbled. She chuckled, imagining Lily and Alice's temperament to him. "And needless to say, I deserved it."

"Sirius-"

He pressed a finger across her mouth, stopping her objection, and shaking his head. "I did, Moria. I was a git. A complete and utter git."

She rolled her eyes, moving slightly. She looked at him directly and gave a soft smile, poking the bag. "Well then Mr. Black. You are completely forgiven as far as I can tell. I was worried I would have to try to find food a different way." She stated. He grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"That's good."

"And stop worrying about being a git. You're a git, but you're my git." She commented. And finally, FINALLY, he laughed loudly and she knew he would be fine.

---

"Are you sure you four can take care of him?"

"Bryn, he's a baby. Not an animal. Besides we deal with Remus every month." Sirius teased, earning a glare from Remus. "How hard can it be to take care of an innocent one year old?"

Bryn glanced down at her son, who was looking back at her innocuously, suckling on a binky. Innocent was putting him mildly. And she knew Remus was fully aware of that. She looked at her boyfriend with a raised brow, who merely shrugged. He could take care of Geoffrey by himself. However James, Sirius, and Peter had insisted on coming over and helping. Though he could understand James, he didn't quite understand why the other two wanted to. Bryn shrugged.

"Don't burn down the place." She finally ordered. Sirius snorted.

"Please. He's one. How much trouble could he be?"

Bryn paused mid-step and looked behind her shoulder, a wicked smile gracing her lips.

"Oh you'll see."

---

Lily looked at her swollen stomach, a smile pressed against her lips as a small kick rounded into her open palm. It had been nearly four months since she had discovered she was pregnant. And the mere fact that the baby was kicking fascinated her. She remembered James had been enthralled when the baby had kicked his hand in greeting. Maybe he was doing that right now to her. It was also so odd, she mused, thinking that there was a life growing inside of her. She wondered what he or she would look like. Would they have her hair or James? His eyes or hers? She already knew James was hoping for the baby to have her eyes, but even if the infant sported James's eyes, she would be happy.

"Lily." A voice called out and Moria entered the room, a teasing smile on her face. "How are you?" She asked. "And…Prongslet…right? I can't remember the nickname Sirius gave the baby." Moria drawled, and Lily chuckled rolling her eyes.

"It's better than Elvendork."

"I thought that one was pretty funny." Moria stated as the pair walked down the stairs and she could feel the glare hitting the back of her skull. She chuckled as she walked down the stairs, returning to where Alice and Bryn where, just chatting. Bryn glanced up and smiled at Lily.

"And here is Mum to be #2." Bryn cheered. "You'll be happy to know that James is getting a taste of being a dad by taking care of Geoffrey."

"Is he?" Lily asked an eyebrow rising. "I'll have to apologize to Remus then." She murmured offhandedly. "In any case, how are you? That job treating you fairly?"

Bryn laughed, shoving her hair behind her ear. "Yes it is. Being a cashier is…interesting. Meet some interesting people, and thankfully the manager is nice. Granted I think the manager is mostly just frightened by Remus, so he doesn't try anything."

"Frightened?" Alice commented. "By Remus? Really?"

"Remus shadows the poor man by at least a foot." Bryn explained. "And the scars on Remus's face freaks him out." She added, earning a chuckle. "One of the few times I think Remus doesn't mind them."

Lily snorted before laughing. "Imagine that." She commented before growing silent. "Hey. Bryn?"

"Hm?"

"What was it like?" Lily asked, almost hesitantly. Bryn blinked in confusion. "Giving birth? Was it…painful?"

Bryn paused for a second, her eyebrows rising beyond her bangs, and she frowned.

"You do realize that you shouldn't expect your labor to be as bad as mine right?" She asked, her voice soft. Lily and Alice nodded. Bryn blew out her breath, pushing her hair back.

"It was…indescribable about the pain." Bryn mused, a slight smile on her face. "But then again I was doing it on my own, without any type of medical help. I think one Deatheater came in, and she helped as best she could."

"A Deatheater…helped?" Alice asked, almost in shock.

"She must have been a mother, or going to be a mother." Bryn mused with a shrug. "Whatever the case, she took pity on me and helped me deliver the baby. But the point is it really, really hurt." She stated. "But considering that you aren't going to be in a cell, I think the circumstances will be different. It will likely still hurt. Just not as much." She added. There was silence for a few brief minutes.

"You did really well, given those circumstances." Alice commented. Bryn grinned in thanks.

"Why thank you." She replied. "You two will make excellent Mum's by the way." Bryn commented, grinning, as the pair blushed.

"You think?"

"We know." Moria replied. "No question, you two are going to be excellent Mums."

"And you'll make an excellent godmother. For both of them."

Moria blinked and looked at her two friends in confusion, her brow drawing upwards. Both women were smiling, looking at her with satisfaction stamped on their faces. Moria blinked several times, opening her mouth and then closing it again.

"C…Come again?" She finally voiced through strangled chords.

"Godmother. For both of us." Lily repeated a soft smile on her face. "We want you to be the godmother for both of our kids."

"B…but why?"

"Because you our best friend and we know you would do anything to protect our kids." Alice explained. "And we trust you enough to know that you would do anything to save them if they were in danger."

"So?" Lily asked, flipping her hair behind her shoulder. "What do you say?"

"I…I say…" Moria sputtered and then smiled meekly. "I say that I think you two are bonkers to let me be their godmother…but thankfully I'm bonkers too." She sighed. "So…sure. Why not?"

---

Loud yells were coming from the Lupin apartment, though none were of fear. Remus watched in amusement as Geoffrey ran past the kitchen doorway again, wearing his trousers over his head. Seconds later three grown men raced after him. He was now having difficulties from holding back his laughter.

"You three can go against Deatheaters with ease, and yet a one year old is beating you in managing to dress him?" He asked as Geoffrey toddled around him. James glared at him.

"Aren't one year olds not supposed to be walking this well at their age?"

"He was a quick learner." Remus replied with a grin. He glanced up when the door opened and Bryn stepped in, just in time to have Geoffrey, who was still yelling, run full force into the wall, falling backwards onto his rump. Unlike most mothers, Bryn snorted, covering her mouth as her son sat up, looking around, though he couldn't see anything. A chubby hand moved the waistband, and he finally spotted his mother. He began to babble incoherently and lifted his hands up. She willingly obliged and picked him up, gently removing his trousers from his head, smoothing his hair out. Geoffrey giggled cutely, looking at the other three men, who were panting hard.

"That…child…is a…devil…" Sirius grumbled, panting. Bryn chuckled.

"I warned you." She replied. He glared at her but she merely smiled. Geoffrey looked at Sirius innocently, and then smiled.

"Adfut." He cheered. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Sure. Act all innocent while Mum is here. But the moment she leaves, you put the horns back on." He teased. Geoffrey smiled toothily, extending a small hand towards him. Despite his annoyance before, Sirius offered a teasing grin.

"Well we better head off." James responded, his shoulders slumping in exhaustion. Suffice to say, the kid had showed all three men what to expect. "Lily will kill me if I don't get back and start getting whatever craving she wants." He teased. Bryn chuckled and allowed the three to leave, before looking at Remus.

"And people say you aren't anything like those three."

"Haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about." He replied with a grin. She finally burst out laughing, eyeing him.

"You and I both know the only way he acts like that is if someone feeds him chocolate." She explained. "So how much?"

"Just two pieces." Remus finally answered, chortling. Bryn smirked as Geoffrey suckled his hand, glancing at Remus.

"Dada."

Remus blinked, his back straightening in surprise as he stared at Geoffrey. Bryn looked at him in surprise too, but Geoffrey merely smiled, stretching his hand towards Remus, repeating the word over and over again. She looked at Remus as well.

"Remus..."

"Did…did he…I mean does he really think…" Remus trailed off, staring at Geoffrey. Bryn's brows furrowed and she bit her lower lip, bouncing the little boy on her hip.

"I guess…I mean he never actually met his own father. And you've been here more than a lot of people." She murmured, looking uncomfortable. "If you don't want him to call you that, I can make sure he doesn't-"

"No. It's alright." He finally answered, though a bit nervously. "Honest. It's just…are you sure…I mean I'm a werewolf."

"In comparison to the man who is actually his biological father?" She asked, her voice soft and non-accusatory, before shaking her head. "I think out of the two, you're the better option." She answered truthfully, smiling when she spotted a flush of color crawl across his cheeks. She looked down at Geoffrey who gave her a chubby grin, patting her cheek with a drool covered hand. She laughed softly before being pulled to Remus by him. She blinked in surprise, before smiling and pressing her face into his sweater.

Yeah. He was definitely better than the other option.

---

"I still don't see why we can't get James's kid a broom."

"It's going to be a baby for a little bit." Moria grumbled. "Good grief, I honestly hope if we ever have a kid, that's not the first thing you want to put them on."

Sirius blushed, though it seemed to go unnoticed by her as she observed some baby toys. She walked a few feet down, observing a pair of binkies. Maybe those would be good-

"Well, well. If it isn't Moria Prescott." A silky voice commented and Moria froze, before turning and looking up. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of a man about her age, wearing the customary employee uniform. His face was covered in acne scars, the bags under his eyes fairly prominent. His narrow face reminded her of a starved version of Peter's face, buck teeth and all.

"Justin." She remarked coolly, glancing behind to see that Sirius had walked around the corner, apparently to see what was on the other side.

"Almost didn't recognize you. You aren't the same scrawny brat that I used to see." He commented, his eyes skimming down her. She felt an icy stab in her midsection, and even though he wasn't doing anything to her, felt violated.

"Yeah well…you haven't changed much. I see you got a job though." She remarked. "What? Punching the daylights out of little girls not paying the bills?" She asked dryly. His eyes flashed for a second.

"Not when the main job runs away with their tail caught in-between their legs." He replied.

"If running away constitutes being moved into a safer environment, then yes…I did run." Moria returned, making a move to turn.

"Malcolm only gave you what you deserved." Justin replied angrily. Moria stopped, but held back the urge to roll her eyes. Of course she would run into one of Malcolm's admirers. She would never be that lucky to avoid them.

"Funny, scarring me for just blinking seems to be something I didn't deserve."

"You know…I hoped you would have died in that cupboard." Justin remarked and Moria blinked in surprise, before her eyes narrowed. "Then no one would have missed you."

"How do you know about that?"

"Malcolm doesn't mind telling your deepest, darkest secrets, Moria. Especially after all you did to him to ruin his life." He explained. Moria was silent, her hands curling into fists. "Did you not want anyone to know that the strong willed Moria Prescott, daughter of a musician and a slut slept in the cupboard under the staircase just waiting for the moment where her uncle gave her what she earned?"

Moria's gaze snapped up and she took a step forward, her eyes going into fight mode, her arm raising to punch him. However a form appeared in front of them almost with a snapping sound. Justin took a step back in surprise and Moria stopped short. Sirius was now blocking Moria from probably making a very big mistake of her life. Granted it now seemed that she would have to stop Sirius as she noted his eyes were a light with anger.

"Sorry to interrupt this rather annoying chat, but you wouldn't happen to be Justin would you?" Sirius asked. Justin swallowed and then nodded as Sirius pointed in the direction of a manager who was currently staring at them. "Because he seems to want to talk to you."

Justin swallowed and made a move to turn away. Sirius however suddenly gripped his shoulder, giving a characteristic smile that Moria recognized. He was on the verge of pounding this man's face in.

"One more thing…you come near my girlfriend and talk to her like that again, you'll be praying that all you get is a black eye." Sirius remarked cheerfully, turning and grabbing Moria's wrist, walking away and dragging her down several aisles.

"You didn't have to do that. Threaten him."

"Yeah I did."

"Sirius-"

"Look, that bastard clearly just wanted to get a rise out of you, you think I was going to just stand idly on the other side of the aisle and let him?" Sirius asked, turning around. Moria stared at him and then groaned, running a hand through her hair.

"No, but Sirius…do you realize how much trouble you would have gotten into if he hadn't backed down?" She whispered. "And I don't want you to possibly be arrested for something on my accou-"

"I don't find it a hassle."

She let out a huff and then pressed her face into his chest. He could swear she heard her call him a git, but considering that she pressed herself a bit more into his shirt, he assumed that it was meant in an affectionate tone. He ran a hand over her head.

"Is what he said true?" The question was quiet and she shifted.

"About which part? That I deserved it or that he was paid to beat me up?"

"The cupboard under the staircase part."

"How did you think I got my claustrophobia?"

The answer was so brief, so utterly ridiculously brief. How something that traumatic could be condensed into a question that was in the same tone of her asking about the weather, escaped him. She was staring at the stitching in his shirt, her eyes cool…almost as though she had been transported back in time and was there again.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What could I say?" She asked. "That I used to cry…scream when I was in there when it first started out? That if I kept screaming he would drag me out by the hair and beat me till I wished I was back in there? Or that he would just lock me in there and leave and I would think I was going to die? Besides the fact that even if I managed to have found the appropriate time to tell you, which by the way I don't think I could bring up at a dinner table, do you really think I didn't know the first moment I turned around you would be hunting down Malcolm?" She asked, meeting his eyes which were already flashing with the promise of vengeance. She offered a weary smile.

"It wasn't worth mentioning."

"Wasn't worth-! Moria." He said, forcing his tone to be even. "Out of the lists I can come up with the shit he did to you, THAT is something worth mentioning to me."

"No it's not." She retorted, her voice cool. "It's in the past, and I can't do anything about it."

"What is it going take?" He finally snarled after a few silent minutes, his voice low and gravelly. She looked at him in confusion, moving away from him to observe that he wasn't angry at Malcolm now. He was angry at her. "What is it going to take for you to trust me?"

"I do." She hissed out.

"Apparently you don't trust me enough to tell me ANYTHING about your past!" He replied angrily. Moria stared at him.

"I doubt you want to listen to my past."

"What the hell do you know?! Maybe I want to know a little bit more about the girl I love other than the stuff I have to pull teeth to get!" He snapped. She flinched, and looked away. He frowned and then stormed away, leaving her standing there. She felt her eyes burn and she closed her eyes, forcing them away.

She could do nothing else.

---

"I don't get her!"

"Yes, as you've stated for the…eighth time in a row." Remus replied, rolling his eyes. "Merlin, is this what you do when you go to Prong's place?" He asked. "Why didn't you go there anyways?"

"Prongs would kill me." Sirius grumbled, though Remus looked less than convinced. Honestly, he knew there was another reason that he was avoiding Prongs. Lily would have maimed him the moment he stepped foot into the home, though whether it was because of hormones or general protectiveness of Moria, he wouldn't know. Sirius didn't offer a response, just glared at the kitchen counter. He exhaled loudly, running a hand through his hair. Something Moria would always do.

"It's just…we've been going out since we were sixteen. We're twenty now, and she knows more about me than I will ever know about her. I don't get it. Have I done something wrong to the point where she doesn't trust me to that point?"

"I don't think that's the case." Remus replied, frowning.

"Then what?"

"Sirius…did it ever occur to you that she may not have wanted to tell you her past for a reason?" Bryn suddenly asked. Sirius glanced at her. Bryn sighed, apparently gaining her answer. She shook her head and set Geoffrey down, ruffling his hair before he toddled off. Adult talk was rather boring for him anyways. Bryn then looked back at Sirius, pushing her hair behind her ear. She withdrew her wand and flicked it, summoning a matryoshka doll, something that one of Remus's neighbors had given to Geoffrey, to them. She silently pulled the doll apart until she got to last one.

"Let's say that this is Moria…" She explained, lifting the tiny one. "When she first started out. Untouched, unhurt…in a sense pure. Innocent. Like the way she was all the way till she was five." Bryn continued, placing the doll back in its holding place and covering it up with the second doll. Oddly enough, this doll had many cracks in its surface, almost as though it knew it was going to be used for this type of example. "This is her now. Not as innocent, not as untouched or unhurt as before. A bit wiser as well, and not as trusting when it comes to people. But…even though this is the woman all of us know, she has other walls that others have to climb to get to know her. But then again…with her past it isn't surprising."

"It isn't?" Sirius asked. Bryn looked at him with a slight amusement.

"She told me that she lived on the streets in Muggle London. In probably the worst part of London. If you don't put barriers up…so much could happen. A lot of bad things." She murmured absently, shaking her head. "Besides the fact, who did she have to turn to?" She asked. Sirius was silent. "No one, right?"

"She had Logan."

"A child probably…who was perhaps in no better position than she was." Bryn replied easily. "Other than him…who did she have?" She asked again. Sirius shifted uncomfortably. Bryn offered a mothering smile, but her eyes were cool, already knowing the answer. "An uncle who didn't care about her at all and surrounded by people who took his word over hers. So…the first barrier was built." She explained, covering the second doll with a third. "The next is one she may have developed by seeing Logan die."

"How do you know Logan's dead?"

"You used past tense when you answered my previous question." She answered. "Deductive reasoning." Remus smirked. "Anyway. It was probably just like seeing her parents die. In her mind, she probably had to keep everyone at an arm's distance so they wouldn't be killed because of her." She answered, before placing the fourth doll over the trio of wooden dolls. "This one she may have developed by accident when she lived with her paternal family."

"But they didn't-"

"They didn't do anything to her, yes. And even though they did heal her…I doubt it was enough. In all honesty, she should have seen a therapist."

"Why?" Sirius asked, his throat now suspiciously dry.

"There are probably a lot of things that she hasn't told them that someone who had professional training could have helped her understand and overcome. Likewise, what they did was probably a bit detrimental. Understandable…but detrimental."

"And that is?" Remus asked, seeing that Sirius probably wasn't going to ask.

"Can you imagine how painful and embarrassing it had to be? Here they trusted their brother to raise their niece of their late baby brother, this man's twin…and he betrayed that trust and hurt her. So they did the one thing they could think of. Band together and try to raise and heal her. And while I admire what they did, Moria isn't stupid. Her family hadn't lived together since they had been children. She had to have noticed that they all literally dropped everything from where they lived to come together and raise her. And then acting like nothing had happened…while it could have been helpful…it probably made her feel like those three years she fought to live through were nothing. So she pushed those angry feelings down, forcing them away, thus creating the fourth barrier." She stated, covering it with the fifth barrier. "And the final one, though not very large or as tough to break through as the other ones, is one she created for Hogwarts. Granted everyone builds a wall just to be safe when starting out at school. Normally it crumbles away when we make friends. But it's a bit harder when you've spent a majority of your life building walls. It's natural for her. She probably doesn't tell anyone because she feels like that is her struggle." Bryn stated. Sirius stared at her, before sighing.

"…How did you figure all this out?" Sirius asked

"Spending two years in a darkened cell can make someone incredibly wise. Or insane." She stated with a smirk. "Depends. In any case…I'm pretty sure she's not even aware that she's putting up barriers. It's become so engrained in her code that she doesn't realize that she's not alone and doesn't need to put barriers up."

"Still doesn't explain why she doesn't tell me anything at all. If I've managed to get through these…walls so to speak, shouldn't I at least know some?"

"…She might have wanted to kill herself on more than one occasion, Sirius." Bryn stated, and as she expected, he stiffened, his face paling considerably. "I doubt it's anything she's proud of, and I doubt she thinks like that now. But thinking through those memories…she can probably remember those moments when she felt like there was no other outlet. And she doesn't want to scare or worry you. She loves you. Immensely." Bryn explained. "Wouldn't you have been hesitant if you had those memories too and someone you cared about wanted to know them?"

Sirius was silent. Then, without saying goodbye, stood up and walked out of the room. Several minutes later they heard the door slam. Bryn blew out her breath.

"Dear Merlin…how the hell do you come up with being insightful for James and Sirius? It's exhausting." She complained. Remus chuckled and walked over to her, dragging her to him, resting his chin on her head.

"You alright?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, cocking her head to the side, to get a better angle to look at him.

"…No reason. I think that's the first time you've spoken harshly to him."

"That was harsh?" She asked, frowning.

"A lot harsher than how you normally deal with people."

"I guess when it comes to Moria and him…we have to be a bit harsh. Those two are so thickheaded." She stated. He laughed in agreement.

"I've never heard you sounding so wise. Where's the girl who would tackle us to the ground to get our attention?"

She smirked and turned, wrapping her arms around his waist. "She's a bit busy at the moment. Do you want me to take a message?"

He chuckled again, before claiming her mouth with his.

---

Sirius panted as he ran around another corner. She wasn't at home, and he sincerely doubted she was at the Potter household. Then where…

An idea struck him and he managed to find a public telephone booth. Using the remaining muggle money he had and working through his memory, remembered Madge's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi Madge…It's Sirius." He greeted, hesitant. What if Moria had gone there?

"Oh Sirius!" Madge said cheerfully, which seemed to be a good sign. "What can I help you with?"

"I was…could you possibly tell me where Moria's parents are buried?" He asked in one breath. Silence greeted him, and then a static sound.

"Why do you want to know that?" Was her question, and he could hear hesitance as well as a bit of defensiveness. He swallowed.

"I just want to…properly…meet them." He answered. It wasn't a complete lie. He did want to at least see their graves. And chances were, that if they was close by, Moria would be there. Silence once again greeted him.

"…Give me a moment." Madge finally responded and he exhaled softly. After receiving the graveyard's address, which as he assumed wasn't far away he walked there. If she wasn't there, he would have no clue where she was. Granted he probably deserved that, he mused dryly as he turned and entered the graveyard. He shuddered, mentally checking to make sure he wasn't standing on some grave. He groaned inwardly. Fighting against an evil psychopath? Easy. Having a best friend that turned into a werewolf and going with him to help him out with his monthly transformations? Fun. Walking around a graveyard in broad daylight and almost standing on where he knew people were buried? Creepy.

"-that's what happened today."

He perked up at the voice. Moria. So she was here. Quietly he walked around another corner and found Moria sitting on the ground in front of two grave markers. He paused, remaining hidden by tombstone column. She sniffled loudly and he could see her brushing her hand across her face.

"I don't really blame him for being upset. I don't talk at all when it comes to my background." She laughed in a bitter tone. "It's honestly a wonder how anyone puts up with me." She murmured and he felt his heart plummet. "I'm cold to newcomers, I keep people I know at a distance, they'll tell me their secrets, but I don't tell them mine. A lot of people would have just given up. I sometimes wonder if in the end that's all that will happen with me. I'll be alone again…just like I always was as a kid."

Silence greeted her, and he wondered if he should leave, or that maybe she sensed him and was expecting him to turn around the corner.

"…But what am I supposed to do?" She finally continued. "My life when I was a kid was nothing compared to my friends. I mean just look at how our magic powers manifested. Lily's underage magic manifested where she was able to slow her descent through the air after jumping off swings, and control the petals of a flower, Alice summoned her toys to her, James made things blow up, Remus shrunk his clothes by accident, and Sirius made his mother's hair turn orange for a month. Me? My magic used itself to mend the wounds that I would get after a beating while I slept or was unconscious, just so I would survive the next day. The balance is really different." She sighed. Sirius swallowed roughly as silence permeated the area again.

"…I want to tell him. So much. But…how can I?" She finally whispered. "How can I tell him all the times I witnessed fights that got ugly? All the times I saw death, or walking down the street and having to avoid blood? All the times that I thought I was going to die?" She trailed off, before starting again. "All the times that when he was probably running around chasing his brother, I was thinking about just ending it all?"

Sirius felt his legs go weak, and it took all his energy to not slide down to the ground. How was it, that Bryn had managed to hit it spot on? How? He heard her sigh, and it sounded chocked and broken.

"God. I'm such a screw up." She murmured. "One of these days Sirius is just going to give up on me-"

"I doubt it."

She looked up and stood at the same time, taking a few steps back and her hand going to her wand when he finally stepped out. Her eyes widened for a brief moment before glancing down. He was silent, observing her. Her eyes were red, bloodshot. She had been crying…probably the moment she got here. He glanced away and shifted before clearing his throat, forcefully dislodging and pushing down the lump that had grown in his throat.

"Did you really think I would run the moment I learned anything? Do you think that poorly of me?"

"It's not you that I think poorly of." She replied after a moment of tense silence. "I'm the one who has such a screwed up background…I doubt anyone could love-"

The rest of her response was cut off as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly as to make sure she didn't try to escape. She made no attempt to.

"Stop. Just stop." He hissed out desperately. She felt her eyes burn again as he moved, cupping her face with his hands. And the tears that she had desperately tried to push back fell like weights down her face. "Everything about you I love. All your faults, your imperfections, every scar. Everything." He murmured. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to understand them." He continued. "I want to understand. I want to help. So please…stop thinking like that." He told her. She made a soft sound in the back of her throat, shutting her eyes as he pressed a kiss onto her forehead. He then looked towards where the tombstones sat; silent witnesses to what had just happened.

"…I know I'm probably the last person you would expect her to be with." He murmured. Moria looked at him and saw that he was not addressing her. She blinked in realization. He was addressing her parents.

"I'm arrogant, a troublemaker, reckless, immature, and even downright irresponsible at times. Probably the opposite of what you wanted your daughter to sleep with." He continued. She looked at him pointedly. She almost voiced that she doubted her father would want someone who was all prim and proper to be her boyfriend, and furthermore she didn't know if alluding to the fact that they slept together was really appropriate.

"But I love her. And I intend to keep her safe for as long as I can. That's something we both agree on." He added. She felt her face at this point become warm as heat slid up. He turned to her and offered her that grin that he always gave her when he was in trouble. A sheepish grin that looked like a dog had been scolded. She offered a weary laugh, before resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're insufferable."

"Yeah, but you love me anyways."

"Yes. Yes I do."