Chapter 1

The whistling of the wind outside of the London home wasn't enough to drown out the chatter that was enclosed inside, of the young family of three, more than excited to finally see their friends after a two-week period of nothing except words inked on letters.

Adria Hopkins was bounding the stairs to her brightly decorated living room, her previously puffy cheeks matched with tear stained skin hidden under a thin layer of makeup she, herself, had painted on her features, amplifying them only slightly. Her pinafore dress tumbled over her in a mass of murky brown, and hidden under was a long blood red turtle neck that she had seen out one afternoon in the city, the style of the late seventies, it seemed.

She was stronger than she previously had to be, when her mother died way back in the summer just before her fifth year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry did she have the comfort of her family that surrounded her, her father, her wonderful boyfriend, and whilst she still had the latter, everyone had broken off, she wasn't so much as surrounded anymore.

Her father's funeral was something she would never forget, she had seen a new light to one of her wonderful best friends, seen how strong Arden Nelson was, she couldn't stop hugging the girl, crying into whilst Arden did nothing but hold her friend close, patting her comfortingly, whispering soothing words of encouragement to carry on, and whilst she didn't think she could, she did.

So, it was almost heart-breaking when she woke up one morning in her old house, an ache close to her heart when she passed her father's room with Jude clinging to her, and descending the stairs to see a perfectly wrapped note on the table in the hallway.

Dear Adria, it read.

In the style of Benji's handwriting, entirely odd against the scroll of parchment that Arden had given, Benji told her of his plans with Arden to run away, to go to Spain, get out of London, get out of Britain in a best attempt to clear his head.

There were no details, no specifics, no one knew why, but in a way, maybe some sort of twin telepathy, Adria knew why, she knew he needed a break, he was in the car with their father when it happened.

He thought he was okay, he thought his dad was okay.

It pained her more than anything not to have her family with her constantly, though, it was a relief that Jude was with her, and not Alfie. It was a painful month, the first after her father's death, when her brother didn't speak to her, call, or communicate in any way, shape, or form.

Any information about the boy was passed along from his now wife who, along with Adria's god daughter, visited as best as they could, sharing information that he was coping as best as he could, "he doesn't mean this, really."

But Adria already knew that, she knew that Alfie just wanted what was best for Jude, that the month-long custody battle in the much intimidating court wasn't to hurt Adria, or Sirius, but it was to make sure that the boy was in the best place, "he'd have a proper family, Adria - his cousin!"

"Well you're gonna have to pull him from my hands, Alfred, and I have a firm grip!" she would screech at her brother, tears streaming down her face as she left the court with Jude clinging to her and her hand clinging to Sirius'.

It was almost in Alfie's favour, by a slither, he nearly had the boy, but Adria soon turned eighteen, she could be a legal guardian by the end of June, and soon did July roll in, though she didn't want to mention this in any of her letters to Benji, she instead told Arden for her to pass it on.

It was the first week of July when the dreadful month ended and Adria finally was able to get custody of the boy, when the court did something she never thought it would and asked the boy barely old enough to tie his shoes what he thought, noticing that he wouldn't let go of Adria, even if Alfie begged him for his hand, or for a hug, his arms stayed tightly around Adria, and she wasn't letting go of him any time soon.

She cried that night, in joy and pain, that in her time of grieving she had to fight for custody of her brother, that she finally could say that she was his legal guardian. Sirius whispered soothingly in her ear as she cried, knowing there was no point in trying to stop her, and instead comforted her as Jude slept soundly curled up on Adria's stomach, his breathing in time with hers and his small hand curled around the fabric of her shirt.

The three of them really where a family.

"Sirius, babe, what is taking so long?!" Adria called for the fifth time, leaning against the door frame to the living room, her eyes on the stairs that lead to the second floor where Sirius was with Jude, dressing the boy in his Halloween costume for the year.

They were having a Halloween get together, and whilst dressing up wasn't a part of it, she wanted Jude to be able to have the fun of it. she wished she could too, loving Halloween more than anything, but she simply didn't have time to go and look for a costume with such short notice.

That didn't stop Sirius from looking for something for Jude every chance he got.

"Alright, we're coming, close your eyes!" Sirius called, a cheeriness to his voice that was almost foreign, and soon did the sound of Jude follow close behind.

"What- Sirius!" she exclaimed, a small smile creeping onto her lips as she closed her eyes tightly, covering her face with her hands.

She giggled when she felt a kiss to her cheek and soon did she move her hands away, unable to help her squeal at the sight of a grinning Jude in a fluffy black dog costume, "baby Padfoot!" she exclaimed, taking the boy from his grip, "is this what you have been planning?!"

"Yes!" Sirius laughed, slipping his arm around her waist, "now don't you look lovely."

"You don't look to bad yourself, Mr Black, maybe if you turned into Padfoot, Jude would look more realistic," she grinned, moving herself forward to kiss him softly, "merlin, I've missed your lips."

"They've been here for the taking twenty-four seven," he teased, both teenagers stopping when Jude loudly groaned.

"Princess, if you and Siri wanna kissy then I have to go play with toys!" he huffed, rolling his eyes as his small arms flailed around.

Adria bit her lip in the hopes of not laughing, and soon did she sit Jude on the ground, "well me and Siri are gonna kissy all day long, does that mean I won't see you all day?!"

"Well not all day!" Jude exclaimed, wide eyed, "you have to give me food!"

"Seems fair," Adria giggled, leaning forward to kiss his nose, "why don't you go play with toys and I'll shout on you when everyone gets here?"

"Alright," Jude nodded enthusiastically, waddling away in the dog costume and soon climbing up the stairs which he had managed to perfect.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Adria asked, laughing softly as she watched Jude wiggle in his best attempts at climbing the stairs.

"He does it every day, Addy," Sirius laughed, reaching for her hand and pulling her closer, "How are you today?"

"I'm alright," she nodded, slipping her arms around his neck, "I cried, but that's just a given, I'm not crying at our progress just that I wish dad could be around to see it."

"That's a given," Sirius nodded, smiling down at her and soon leaning his forehead against hers, "you're getting better at the makeup thing- and the baking thing, actually, that shortbread was brilliant."

"Well if I'm going for an interview in a bakery I suppose it'd be good to be able to do it," she laughed, stepping closer to him to take in the warmth he emitted, "I hope you know how much I love you, Sirius, I know I haven't shown it much over the months, it's been so bloody hectic, but you've always been by my side without fail, and I just want you to know that I'm so grateful for you and for-"

He cut her off quickly, his hands gently on either side of her face and his lips pushed onto hers, she was rather shocked at first, breathless, and the feeling of butterflies that seemed a little unfamiliar lately burst through the cracks of her organs, fluttering around in her stomach in a sharp frenzy, but she couldn't get enough of it.

Of Sirius, too.

She was dazed, her mind was buzzing with thoughts of him as their lips moved together perfectly, her hand clasped around his neck in a best attempt to pull him closer and his hands raked her body, allowing the touch of her, of who he had been craving for so long to fall from his mind, because he finally had her in his arms again.

Properly, this time.

He had her every day in his embrace, but it was so much different, he had barely seen a smile on her face that was so beautifully genuine in a long time, but today, he could see it twitching at the corners of her lips, finally reaching her eyes after so much time.

She was sad but she was content.

She could cope.

Because she could finally relax, knowing that she had what she needed. She had Sirius, she always would, and she had Jude, and her friends would be here any minute, and that seemed like a perfect life for her. She wanted her parents back, but whenever she thought of them, she made sure to think of the wonderful memories she was able to share with them, of the times they had together and the love they gave her and her family.

"You don't need to give me an excuse as to why you haven't shown your love for me - because, you have, really," he smiled, leading them over to the comfortable sofa pushed against the wall and falling down onto it, guiding her onto his lap, "when I'm too tired one night, falling asleep on this couch and you quickly put Jude to bed and come join me, making me tea in the mornings when I can't myself, when it's my turn to cook but you do it anyway because I'm far too tired - it doesn't have to be big things, you don't need to do extravagant things, you don't need to do anything, actually because I know you love me, and merlin I love you too!"

"To the moon and back?" she whispered, her voice almost cracking as she spoke the words she hadn't said in a long, long time, and the five words were able to warm Sirius' heart more than anything, bringing back the most beautiful memories he could think of.

"And a stop within the stars," he nodded, tightening his grip around her, trailing his fingers over her bare thighs, "I reckon we're doing aright, I think. We're coping, and it might take a bit of time, y'know, to not be sad anymore, to be truly happy, but we've settled, we're in our new home, and we have Jude, and bloody hell he isn't going anywhere."

She couldn't help her smile, she did that a lot, only today, though. Smiled. A real smile, genuine, tugging the corners of her mouth to spread across her face, lift up her cheeks, swim in her eyes as she took in the boy in front of her, with his hair almost falling out of a bun that sat atop of his head, almost as perfect as how she did it whenever she would play with his hair, and stubble growing over the lower half of his face, merlin he was so handsome, and he was all hers, and she couldn't be happier with that very thought.

That the boy that she was so close to, with the perfect smile that took over his features just like it did hers, and the love they both shared amongst each other, and the personality that had shaped him, that he, that Sirius Black was hers.

She was so lucky.

But merlin, so was he.

"Y'know, I reckon we're doing brilliantly," she nodded, moving forward and connecting their lips once again.