#theghostswebothsee

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“And you two,” Andromeda says. “I haven’t seen you in a lifetime. Even before…”

“It’s not taboo,” James says. “You can say ‘before you died’.”

“It feels taboo. Doesn’t it, Ted?”

“I do not understand what's happening right now,” Ted admits.

from Part III, Chapter 5: A Summer Interlude II

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Remus pauses, opens his mouth then closes it, before he tries again. “He’s staying with us indefinitely. The social worker assured us it could become permanent.”

Remus’s mother takes a pause too, and Remus can practically hear her turning his words over in her mind. She takes a breath before she speaks again.

“And is that something you want?” she asks, words careful. “For it to be permanent?”

“Yes,” Remus says, without any hesitation. “Yes, I do.”

“Oh, Remus,” she says. “You’re quite happy, aren’t you?”

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“Ah, I see,” the man says, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening as he purses his lips. “I see what you’ve done, Sirius Black. I see why you’ve come back here.”

“You don’t,” Sirius says, and he steps in front of Remus. Remus doesn’t like the feeling that takes hold in his stomach. He wants to leave, he wants more than anything to take Sirius far away from this place.

“No?” Kreacher says, and he leans his back against the brick. “Then, tell me. Why are you here?”

“Regulus,” Sirius says, and for the first time, Remus sees something akin to emotion flash across the old butler’s face. “I’m here for Regulus.”

“Regulus is dead,” Kreacher says. “I’m sure even you are aware of that fact.”

sneak peek from The ghosts we both see

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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Part II, Chapter 9 is out now!

In this one: Two blasts from the past, a question, and an answer

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Sirius tries to drop his hand, but Remus holds on tight, threading their fingers together.

“If we’re going to do this,” Remus says, “I need you here with me.”

After a second, Sirius exhales, letting his hair slip in front of his eyes while he nods. “I’m with you.”

a sneak peek from the next chapter of The ghosts we both see

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Remus watches as Sirius processes his words, and he drops Remus’s hand. As his hand hits the side of his leg, he feels his stomach drop. He waits, waits while Sirius stands in front of him, silent and unemotional.

Finally, Sirius speaks. He says, simply, “Are you dying?”

“Am I—” Remus says, startled by the words. “No, of course not.”

“Alright,” Sirius says, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then, are you breaking up with me?”

“No,” Remus says as quickly as he can get the word out. “My God, no.”

sneak peek from the next chapter of The ghosts we both see

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“Are you alright, Harry?” Remus whispers.

When Harry doesn’t answer him, he shakes Sirius’s shoulder. He startles, but pushes himself up until he’s sitting while Remus leans over to turn on the lamp on their bedside table. The room is flooded with warm light, and Remus sees the child standing in the doorway.

“What’s wrong?” Sirius asks, voice thick with sleep.

“Can’t sleep?” Remus asks, but Harry still doesn’t answer. He stares at them, his gaze moving back and forth between Remus and Sirius, his eyes wide.

-sneak peak from the next chapter of The ghosts we both see

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Sirius looks at Remus’s face, his eyes filling up with tears. “Are you alright with this?” Sirius asks.

Remus knows what he’s asking. He knows that Remus is alright with it, he knows that Remus signed the consent for social services to run the background check on him himself. But if for any reason Remus suddenly isn’t alright with it, Sirius is prepared to pick Harry over him. He wouldn’t be Sirius otherwise.

“Of course I’m alright with this,” Remus says as he reaches over to take Sirius’s hand. “It’s Harry.”

sneak peek of the next chapter of The ghosts we both see