Sirius backed down but he noticed the faint sheen of sweat on Bill's brow and the pale sickly complexion beneath his freckles; Bill was anything but fine.
"Besides," Bill said, "they say everything's on track. I should be back at work next Monday. I just popped down to tell Caro." He grimaced. "You know they've put Lawrence on sick leave?"
"Yeah," Sirius nodded, "he's refused to take any more of the potion Snape created for him." Since the third member of the treasure team had purposefully put on a cursed ring to activate the Resurrection Stone to see his dead daughter, Sirius wasn't surprised; he fully believed that the dead held more attraction to Lawrence than the living. If it wasn't for Harry and Remus, Sirius has a horrible feeling he could relate more than what was considered nominally healthy.
"They think he won't see Yule." Bill continued sadly before taking a deep breath and shaking his head. "Sorry, I think the recent brush with death myself has gotten me maudlin."
"I think you've earned the right to be a little maudlin." Sirius said gratefully. "Come on; let's go find your Dad."
"How'd it go?" Bill asked eagerly. "I tried to make it over from the hospital in time to see him but they'd closed the doors by the time I arrived."
Sirius happily informed him of the Wizengamot session as they made their way to Arthur's office but waited until they were actually in the office and private before explaining about Wenlock and the potential duel of honour that was narrowly avoided.
Bill blinked in shock as he sank into the visitor chair with visible relief. "My Dad almost called out Lord Wenlock?"
"I swear," Sirius said holding up a hand as he perched on the desk, "if the moron had said one more thing, I think your Dad would have done it."
The door opened and Arthur walked in, pausing as he realised he had guests before breaking out into a wide if worried smile at the sight of his son.
"Bill, what are doing here?" Arthur asked, pulling his eldest in for a quick hug. "Does your mother know…"
"I had a check-up with the healers," Bill forestalled the question, putting his hand up, "and everything's fine. I'll go back to work on Monday."
"Hmmm," Arthur made a considering sound and peered at his son as if to verify that the healers had the right of it, "I shouldn't think they said to do anything strenuous though. You still look a little peaky."
Bill squirmed under his father's intent regard. "Well, they did say to take it easy…"
Which probably meant they'd told Bill to sit behind a desk for a week at least, Sirius thought with amusement.
"So you'll take it easy." Sirius instructed. And his work was done; one Bill delivered to Arthur intact. He slid off the desk.
Arthur smiled at him as though anticipating his exit. "I haven't had a chance to thank you yet for your support with Wenlock. Thank you; it was appreciated."
"I was actually hoping he'd say something stupider," Sirius admitted with a smirk, "dealing with him in a duel would be quicker than having to do the political dance that's about to start."
"I know what you mean," Arthur said but he was smiling, "but I can wait. And those are nice robes; you should keep them blood free."
It was an acknowledgement that Sirius would have been the one duelling not Arthur. Sirius thought, not for the first time, that Arthur was a good man. "Sometimes my reputation as a mass murderer comes in handy." He joked.
"Wenlock was certainly quick to apologise." Arthur's face took on a note of smug satisfaction.
"Well, I should get back before Dobby sends out a search party." Sirius said, keeping his voice upbeat.
Arthur's eyes narrowed on him anyway. "You'll come home with us for dinner first. It's the least I can do to say thank you."
There was an implicit order in the offer; Sirius didn't kid himself. His heart ached a little to realise that the look Arthur was levelling at Sirius wasn't too far off the way Arthur had looked at Bill earlier; as though Sirius was a son and Arthur was a concerned father.
Only Charlus had ever looked at him like that before.
"I'd give in before he floo calls Mum to argue about it until you give in anyway." Bill said cheerfully, breaking the moment.
Sirius shot him a grateful look and nodded at Arthur. "I would appreciate dinner; thank you."
Within moments they were back at the Burrow. Molly didn't bat an eyelid at Sirius's presence only checked with Arthur if they knew if Percy was coming home (and Arthur murmured something about Percy working late). She ushered Sirius into a seat at the table, handed a decent bottle of wine to Arthur to open and asked after Harry and Remus.
Sirius spent most of the very delicious meal of pork chops, mashed potatoes with roast vegetables and a divine cider sauce, talking about the kids and the duelling lesson with Amelia. He wasn't immune to the fact that Molly soaked up every word and while Arthur was less obvious it was clear that he missed his children. He thought absently on a wave of parental empathy that he should create a set of communication mirrors for the Weasleys before his inner Marauder pointed out the Weasley children might not be so appreciative of their mother calling every night to check up on them.
Pudding was a warm apple upside down cake with thick double cream and Sirius managed to eat some of it before his stomach reminded him he hadn't eaten quite so much in the last week and that it was very full. He somehow managed to eat the remainder and patted his stomach comfortingly, silently promising it a stomach soother when they got home.
Bill pushed his pudding away half-finished. "I think I'm going to head up and have an early night." He admitted, chagrined.
"Is Alicia not coming over tonight?" asked Molly, whose innocent expression was so falsely innocent that Sirius had to hide his face in his wine goblet so she didn't see his appalled smirk.
"Not tonight." Bill said with a flicker of annoyance in his voice at his mother's probing. He pushed away from the table. "Good to see you, Sirius. Give Harry my best."
"I will." Sirius promised. Harry would be pleased to hear Bill was almost back on his feet. He had a sneaky feeling his son felt guilty for Bill's injury and long convalescence despite the fact that the only person to blame was the one who had attacked them.
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