Sequel to: 'You Lied.' Takes place a few hours after Harry's confrontation with Remus in their rooms.

A/N: As you can see, I've decided to go ahead with the series. Right now I'm going to work on the area after Remus and Severus were caught, but I will do the stories preceding our estranged couple.

Lupin: I'm working on several fics right now, including one where Remus and Harry are together and actually happy about it. I don't know if it's NC-17 or not yet, and it's nowhere near ready, but it's getting there.

I've started a new group for my fics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/starkindler

My NC-17 fics will be found here.

I've walked into Hogsmeade, ignoring the raindrops that are starting to fall. I walk up to the two-story home at the end of the lane I'm walking on and knock on the door. It opens.

"Hello, Sirius," I mutter before flinging myself into his arms. I know I must look a sight. My eyes are all red and puffy from the crying I've been doing, streaks run down my cheeks from the tears I've cried, and my nose is all runny.

He doesn't seem to mind as he holds me tightly. "Harry, oh god, Harry, what's wrong?" I can hear the fear in his voice. I know he must be thinking something truly horrible, like someone has died.

"I'm sorry," I croak between sobs. "I-I just c-c-couldn't stay t-t-there." I break down completely and wail, the sobs wracking my already exhausted body.

It had only been a few hours since my world turned upside down, since I found out everything I thought was right in my life was a complete lie. Seeing my husband cheating on me with a man who had claimed to be my friend was bad enough, but to find out that he never loved me and was in love with another was devastating.

I had sobbed, sitting at the door of what were once our rooms for an hour before resuming my packing. Dobby helped send my things to my room and he stayed for a little while, offering me a small sort of comfort before he resumed his chores. I was now situated in my new rooms, without my husband, and I couldn't bear the thought of staying in Hogwarts this first night, knowing it wasn't my bed my husband was warming. An empty bed is not enticing, not under these circumstances. So here I am, at my godfather's doorstep.

"Shhh. It's gonna be okay, Harry. Whatever it is, we'll fix it. Please, love, tell me what's wrong. Do you want me to call for Moony?"

That gets my complete attention. The despair instantly leaves as anger takes its place. "NO! I never want to hear that name again, not after what that bastard did to me!"

Sirius pulls back and looks into my eyes, his fear apparent. I don't know what he suspects. "What has he done? What happened, Harry? Surely it can't be that bad."

I laugh bitterly. "Oh, nothing really. It's just that it's our anniversary and I caught him having sex with Severus Snape. I also found out that he never was in love with me. He's always been in love with Snape. Apparently it's your fault they were not together in the first place. I think this affair has been going on for quite some time now."

I can't see Sirius' face. While I was speaking, I had buried my face in his neck. So I wait to hear his reaction.

After a few minutes, I pull back. I'm rather concerned. The Sirius I know would be screaming right now. I look closely at him, and I can see the conflicting emotions battling within. I can see little flits of anger, hatred, sorrow, pain and disbelief.

A stony expression settles upon his face. He tells me, "I want you to tell me exactly what happened." I can see the tight rein he is keeping on his emotions.

I tell him everything, leaving nothing out. I tell him of my surprise for Lupin, my search for my werewolf husband, finding them together, their conversation, my visit with Albus, and my confrontation with Lupin in our former rooms. Sirius and I still haven't left the front hallway.

"You're staying with me for the rest of the summer," Sirius tells me flatly. His tone brooks no argument, so I nod my head in agreement.

"I have two more staff meetings before school starts, but other than that, I'm all ready for classes. I won't have to go back, except for the meetings." Sirius nods.

I can tell he is seconds away from apparating to Hogwarts and killing both of my betrayers. I pull him towards the couch in the living room and push him down onto it. I don't want him to do something stupid, not because I care if THEY get hurt, but because I don't want him to get into any trouble. I climb onto his lap and cry some more. It's comforting, being held by Sirius as I let my pain out. In this moment I actually feel loved, useful, like I am worth something to someone. I feel like I matter.

I'm not sure how long we sit here like this. I know it's an hour at least. Finally, I break the silence.

"What am I gonna do, Siri? I'm married to someone who didn't love me, and I can't get out of it. My life was finally so great, and now I'm back to where I started. I'm all alone again, except for you. How do I go on from here?"

Sirius looks at me, heartbroken. "I don't know, Harry. I can't answer that. I can't believe this! How could he? I expected something this horrible from Snape, but Lupin? The only thing that's stopping me from killing them both is you. I'm here, Harry, whenever you need me. I don't know what else to say. I don't know what to do to make it better for you. I wish to God I did, because I would do it in an instant."

As he speaks he runs his hands soothingly down my back. It calms me and the tears finally stop, at least for now. He hears my stomach grumble and smiles warmly. "Perhaps there is one thing I could do. Hungry?"

I nod. "Yes, I haven't eaten since yesterday evening. I forgot about breakfast this morning, and I didn't eat any lunch."

"Then the first thing we'll do is take care of that problem." Sirius gently pushes me off his lap and leads me into the kitchen. He tells me to sit at the table and let him take care of everything, so I do. I watch him putter around the kitchen, fixing us an early dinner. Sirius is quite a good cook, as I learned when I lived with him before. It's something he enjoys, and I love to watch him do it. He may be clumsy at times elsewhere, but he's all grace in the kitchen.

Soon there are steaks, potatoes, asparagus, peas and rolls on the table. It all smells so wonderful, my mouth is actually watering. He gives me my steak(medium-rare, just the way I like it. I push all of my problems away temporarily to the back of my mind while I devour this delicious meal.

When we're done, he quietly leads me out to the backyard. It has stopped raining. He sits us down under a large oak tree. He lays back and pulls me down with him. I lay my head on his chest and close my eyes, thankful for the peace of the moment.

We lay there for a while, arms wrapped around each other, saying nothing. When I tremble, the arms around me hold me tighter and I feel safe.

"I'm sorry," I whisper after some more time has passed.

"Whatever for?" my godfather asks, genuinely confused.

I raise my head to look up at him. "You didn't want me to marry Lupin. You wanted me to wait until I was a little older and to be sure it's what I wanted. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I should have." I lay my head back on his chest.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," he tells me, and I cringe. It reminds me that I'm not what my husband's heart wants. Sirius feels me cringe and is immediately contrite. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant at all. What I meant was, you were so much in love with Lupin and we thought he was in love with you. If it was what you both wanted, then it would have been right. I must say my objections were selfish and less than noble."

"What do you mean?" I ask, lifting my head to look at him.

"I loved Lupin like a brother, but I was jealous of him. I felt like he was taking you away from me. After all these years, I had finally got you in my life, and he was taking you away. I didn't want to lose you, not so soon."

"You'll never lose me. You never lost me," I tell him as I lay my head back on his chest.

We are silent for the rest of our time in the backyard. Once the sun starts to set, we stir. Sirius asks, "You want me to read to you?"

I smile and sit up. "Yes, I would really like it if you did."

Sirius jumps up off the ground and pulls me up. He brings me into the house and on our way upstairs, he grabs a book from the library. He takes me into his bedroom. We lay down on the bed and he starts to read. "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit...." (1)

I snuggle closer to him and listen, not to the story he is reading, but to his voice. I know the story by heart, and as his voice soothes my frazzled nerves. I can see the story unfold in my head: the little Hobbit talking with the wizard, his frustration and surprise when he finds thirteen dwarves on his doorstep, and him running out the door without his pipe or pocket handkerchief.

This is something Sirius has done since he came for me at the Dursley's in the summer before my sixth year, a week before my birthday. That was my favorite birthday.

Oh, yes...my birthday is in three days. I had forgotten.

Every time I had a bad dream or was upset about something, he would read to me until I fell asleep. He hasn't done this since the night before my wedding, when I was a nervous wreck.

I've really missed this, I realize as I yawn. I can feel my eyelids drooping. I think it's time to take a little nap.