Well," Kathryn sighed, "that answers that question."
"It certainly does." Lucius replied, his eyes darting to the Aurors that were already approaching to remove him to Azkaban once more.
"Do you want me to apply pressure?" she asked hurriedly, also noting that their time together was now limited.
"What for?"
"To come to a decision." She nodded towards the vacant Wizengamot benches. "To end this infuriating wait."
"I don't know whether I could answer that question." He told her truthfully. "But I shall not stop you if you choose to."
"I'll see." Her face fell as the Aurors reached them. "Maybe I'll have a quiet word with Fudge."
"If that's what you want," he kissed her tenderly on the cheek, "I'll see you soon."
"You can count on that." Kissing him back fiercely before he could stand up. "I promise." With a sombre nod, he stood and was led away by Scrimgeour and two other Aurors.
Striding through the corridors, she stayed in the elevator until it reached the Minister's floor.
"Afternoon Percy." She said politely as she entered the office, perching on the empty desk opposite his. "Is the Minister back yet?"
"Not yet," he shook his head, "but I don't imagine he'll be long."
"I can wait." She smiled. Her attitude to Percy had begun to soften somewhat for, though she had not seen him, he had come to Hogwarts to fight alongside his family as soon as he's heard that there was something going on. Despite the fact that he continued to work for Fudge, there had been some signs of a rapprochement between Percy and the rest of his family and she was happy to encourage this. "So, have you been to the Burrow recently?" she asked curiously.
"Not to the burrow," he shook his head, "but I did visit Grimmauld Place for lunch on Sunday."
"Oh lovely."
"It is quite an odd house." He commented tentatively.
"Oh you get used to the elves heads on the walls," she sighed, "and Mrs Black's raving."
"Still, it was nice to see everyone."
"I'm sure it was; I'm sorry I wasn't there." Any further conversation was cut short as Fudge arrived in the elevators.
"Miss Potter." He raised his eyebrows when he saw her. "And what might I do for you?"
"I have a favour to ask." She replied, following him through to his office.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Fudge sighed, taking a seat behind his desk.
"What can I say," she shrugged with a smirk, "it's become part of my charm."
"Let me guess," he paused as Percy came through with a tea tray, "this will have something to do with the weekend?"
"Maybe," she smirked again, helping herself to a cup of tea, "I'd considered floating the idea."
"And why do you think I should even consider such a thing?"
"Well, have I betrayed your trust on previous engagement?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"At least, not as far as I am aware." Fudge conceded, sipping his tea.
"Well, I should think that you would be so good as to give me the benefit of the doubt."
"Doubt seems to be a word used all too often where you are concerned."
"As far as I am concerned, there would be far less doubt surrounding me if you would arrive at a verdict."
"I cannot force the Wizengamot to reach a decision any earlier." He shook his head. "And I would've thought you wouldn't be keen for a swift judgement?"
"Waiting is never a pleasant experience, especially when so much hangs in the balance."
"And so you wish for me to release him to you for the weekend once more, just in case the Wizengamot sees fit to remove him from society for a longer period?"
"Yes." Kathryn replied honestly. "But you also have heard what I have said, what Dumbledore and Professor Snape said and surely you must have your own conclusions from that."
"That does not change the fact that he was a Death Eater and he must be held to account that."
"Oh yes," she drawled, "because you have such experience of dealing with Voldemort's followers."
"I beg your pardon?" Fudge spluttered, setting his teacup down.
"Need I remind you that this war was won, not by your Ministry, but by the students and teachers of Hogwarts and those who were brave enough to join them?"
"You need not remind me." Fudge replied through gritted teeth.
"Besides," she sighed, "I have vital matters to discuss with him pertaining to the estate and its future and I would rather not have to do that in one of Azkaban's draughty rooms."
"Friday to Sunday." Fudge conceded in a growling tone.
"Thank you," she nodded curtly, "and of course, you may be assured of my complete discretion." With a final, satisfied, smile she stood the breezed out of the doors. Percy smiled to himself as he watched her go for, though he still valued his job, it was sometimes quite gratifying to see someone wield such a power over Fudge.
Striding through the Atrium, a spring in her step, she decided that it was time to mend a few fences and therefore directed her driver to take her to Grimmauld Place. Deciding on the way that she needed a simpler outfit, she slipped off her skirt and pulled on a pair of jeans that she had started keeping in the back of the car in case she needed a change. Leaving the blouse on, she tucked it into the waistband and pulled on a pair of simple black flats; also kept in the car for emergencies. Leaving everything in the car, save her bag, she instructed the driver to leave as she would be perfectly capable of getting home. As the car rolled away, she looked up at the black door of number twelve; suddenly so imposing when it had been such a haven for so many years. Taking a deep breath, she strode up the stairs and let herself in.
She found most of them in the kitchen as usual, the smell of Mrs Weasley's cooking wafting deliciously through the air. There was almost a collective gasp as people spotted her standing nervously in the doorway.
"Kathryn dear!" Mrs Weasley's face lit up with pleasure as she rushed over to welcome her with a hug. "Whatever are you doing here?"
"Well, I thought I was probably overdue a visit." She shrugged, not really sure whether she wanted to voice the real reason. Though Harry of course knew that she had been in the house not too long ago, he did not betray her secret.
"Would you like a cup of tea?" she asked quickly. "Or some dinner? A snack? I've got some scones I made this morning?"
"Oh, no, I'm fine." She smiled politely, being more than full from the lunch she had shared with Lucius. "I actually came to talk to Sirius." She looked hopefully at her Godfather, who had done his best to be indifferent to her presence. "That is, if you're not busy."
"I'm not busy." He said coolly, setting down his copy of the Prophet.
"I thought we could maybe go for a walk?" she suggested tentatively. "It's a lovely afternoon."
"If you like." He stood and took his jacket off a peg on the wall.
"Do you want any of us to come?" Harry piped up just before they left; hesitant about letting them speak alone, considering the outcome of their previous conversation.
"No," Kathryn shook her head, trying to give her brother a reassuring smile, "we'll be fine."
She and Sirius walked down the street in a somewhat awkward silence, turning the corners until the gates into Regent's Park came into sight.
"It's nice to be out in the fresh air after spending half the day in those cold courtrooms." She said, in an attempt to start up a conversation.
"I'd imagine so." He replied, his voice betraying little emotion. "Harry tells me that Draco Malfoy shall not be setting foot outside Azkaban for at least fifteen years."
"Yes," she sighed as they turned to walk down one of the park's tree-lined paths, "I won't lie and say that I wasn't relieved."
"I was sure you would be," only now did a touch of ire slip into his tone, "for it certainly secures your position."
"You needn't express your feelings on the subject," she cut him off before he could go any further, "you have made them quite clear already."
"Then why did you want to talk to me?" he asked as they walked through the dappled sunshine.
"Because, surprisingly enough, I don't want to be at war with you like this." She replied calmly, looking him dead in the eye. "After Harry you are the nearest thing I have to family and I am not going to throw that away simply because of a difference of opinion."
"You forget that the Black family is good at forgetting those who disappoint them."
"Well, I'm not on a tapestry for you to blast off." She shot back tersely. "And you are far better than that."
"You really think so?" he raised his eyebrows sceptically. "I'd have thought your opinion of me would be slightly altered."
"I'm not saying it hasn't," she was quick to indicate that she hadn't forgotten their last conversation, "but do I think you are too quick to judge."
"Oh really?"
"Yes." She kept her tone calm and light, not wanting to descend into another argument. "You conveniently forget how quickly you were judged," she reminded him, "yet you were the last person that deserved twelve years in Azkaban."
"A fair observation," he nodded, not wanting to argue either, "but he was still a Death Eater whichever way you look at it."
"So was Snape, yet you seem to get along alright now."
"He has proved himself time and time again," he clarified, "he has earned our trust."
"Is saving my life, no, both of our lives not enough?"
"It's a start," he conceded, "but if you think I can forgive him so easily for what he did to you, you've got another thing coming."
"I'm not asking you to forgive him, Sirius." She shook her head. "I mean, for God's sake, I've only just managed to think about forgiving him."
"I don't know how you can."
"I have to," she sighed, "otherwise I will never be able to move on, and I have to be able to do that."
"I just cannot understand why you want to be with him after everything that happened?"
"How can I explain that to you when you refuse point blank to accept that he could have changed?" she asked honestly, pausing and looking out over the green space that was filled with people enjoying their afternoon.
"A fair enough point." He finally replied, not liking to see such a pained expression on her face.
"And that's what's happened," she looked at him with imploring eyes, "and I can't explain why. I wish I could, but all I know is that something shifted. You heard me try to explain it to a whole room full of people and I still didn't manage to make much sense of it."
"It made sense." Sirius admitted after another long pause. "It's just that the concept is a little hard to get you head around."
"A fair point as well." She sighed, taking a seat on the nearest park bench. "And I do appreciate that it's been a lot to deal with, especially with everything else, and I'm really very sorry that I've had to put you through it."
"Don't apologise," Sirius shook his head, "we've had to deal with worse after all."
"Well, I'll still feel sorry if it's all the same to you." She told him balefully, though managing a weak smile. "I can't pretend that this is a situation that I had envisaged myself in," she told him truthfully, "or that I thought I could ever be happy in such a position, but life is strange like that."
"So are you happy?"
"I think I am." She nodded, almost afraid to look at him for fear of the scorn she might see in his face.
"You think?"
"Well, Voldemort may be vanquished but my worries and cares have been replaced by an entirely different set."
"But you still think you're happy?"
"I know you find it difficult to believe, but he really does make me happy." When the biting remark she had expected did not come, she continued. "I never thought I'd be able to feel that way about anything, ever, not after that." Sirius knew that she was referring to the now infamous way their relationship had begun.
"But you do."
"And that's the baffling thing," she laughed, "for who would ever have guessed it?"
"Do you see a future?" Sirius asked probingly after a moment's pause.
"I daren't," she almost whispered, "not when it could so easily be taken away."
"Does he?"
"He hasn't said anything specific," she shook her head, "and my allusions to it in court were just a shock tactic. Although, I suppose he has spoken about my future."
"What about it?"
"He is very determined I have one for a start," she explained, "and he is certain that I will make it something significant."
"So he means what he says?" Sirius quirked a doubtful eyebrow. "
"What do you mean by that?"
"Harry's told me some of the things he's said, when you've had him over for dinner."
"Oh."
"Nothing drastic." He reassured her. "To be honest, they were things that most people would love to hear being said about someone they cared for."
"But you just wish that it wasn't Lucius Malfoy who was doing the talking."
"I suppose so, yes." Sirius nodded.
"Well, I think that there are many who would share your view." Even with such a gloomy topic she still managed a smile.
"It's not that I wish you unhappiness," Sirius was quick to clarify his position, "far from it."
"I know," she stood and started to walk again, "believe me, the ones who want me unhappy are quite easy to spot!"
They walked in silence again for a little while, going in no particular direction as they navigated the criss-crossing paths that took them down tree lined avenues and past immaculately kept flowerbeds.
"Would you think me a hypocrite if I said that maybe I have been too quick to draw my conclusions?" Sirius asked hesitantly.
"Hardly," she shook her head, "and I cannot really blame you for doing so. After all, I haven't been as forthcoming as I should have been about, well, everything."
"So we can both agree that we are at mutual fault."
"I'd say so!" she chuckled. "But where to go from there?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"From here? Well, I would rather like to be back on speaking terms with you for a start."
"Just speaking terms?"
"It's a start." She shrugged. "I don't want you to think that I'm trying to make you change your mind or anything."
"Anything else?"
"If you can manage it, I'd like you to give him some benefit of the doubt."
"I can try," he grimaced slightly, "but I can't promise anything."
"I'd say that trying would be an improvement on past attempts." Though Sirius was greatly tempted to reply with some cutting remark, he held his tongue. "And maybe even give me that benefit too," she added quietly, "so maybe you can learn to see past the house. I know it's more than I deserve, but I'll ask it anyway. Anything you want in return?"
"All I want is for you to let me back in." Sirius confessed. "To let me be your Godfather like you parents wanted me to."
"Even though I make choices that you cannot bring yourself to support?"
"It was stupid of me to think that I could make you change your mind," he admitted, "you're too much like your father for that."
"So I've been told." She laughed slightly. "So, do we have a truce?" she asked, a hopeful look evident on her face.
"We were never at war." He shook his head at such a suggestion.
"It felt like it." She sighed as they neared the gates that would lead them back towards Grimmauld Place.
"Well then," Sirius held out his hand for her to shake, "a truce it is then." Smiling, Kathryn took his hand before they both continued on towards the house.
"So, on that note," Sirius said as they reached Grimmauld Place, "would you want to stay for dinner? I'm sure Molly would be ecstatic."
"Then how could I refuse?" she replied with a smile.
"I know it's not the grand setting you've been used to," he added sneakily, heading up the steps to the door, "but we do our best."
"Very funny," she drawled, following him up, "don't push your luck."
"Now when have I ever done that?" he asked dryly, opening the door. Kathryn could only shake her head in amusement as he disappeared into the hallway and down towards the kitchen to relay the good news. Standing a moment on the threshold, she found it nice not to feel like a trespasser, as she had done the previous Saturday night. Smiling to herself, she stepped inside and shut the door.