The Truth Will Out

After spending a little longer in Gryffindor Tower listening to The Weasley Twins plotting the distribution of their Puking Pastels, Katerina was walked back to her room by Remus.
"Thanks for walking me back Moony." She smiled kindly.
"Any time. Remember what I said Boots, don't forget the good times just because there were bad ones." He smiled back.
They hugged each other good night and she walked into her bedroom.
Even being in here was hard. For the three years she was a teacher here before Sirius was sent to Azkaban, he had spent the whole year at Hogwarts with her every year.

They walked through the entrance hall hand in hand, greeted by the smiling faces of students from every house.
"Hi Professor! Hi Mr Black!" Beamed one red haired boy, who they assumed was a Weasley.
They made their way to the Ancient Runes classroom and were greeted by another Weasley boy, Bill, the oldest child of Molly and Arthur, who was in his second year.
"Professor Black! I was wondering if you could help me, my younger brother Charlie's starting here this year, I don't suppose you could tell him that I'm really good at Ancient Runs could you? Mum and Dad think I'm doing really well in it, but you know I'm not." Bill pleaded as she smiled at him.
"I'm not going to do that Bill, but tell you what, how about I start giving you extra lessons once a week? That way you WILL be really good at Ancient Runes. You just need some help that's all." She smiled kindly.
"Thanks Professor! I'd better get down to the feast. Bye Professor! See ya Sirius!" He chirped and waved as he sped off to the Great Hall.
"That was nice of you."
"Well, what do you expect me to do? Write to Molly and day he's diabolical at my subject. I'd rather he knuckled down and got better. Why? What would you have done?" She grinned back.
"I'd probably have lied for him." He grinned too as he helped her with her bags, which were considerably heavier than hers.
"I knew you were gonna say that!" She laughed as they walked through her classroom, filed through the office and went into their bedroom.
"Thank God we're here. I thought we'd never arrive." He sighed as he threw himself on the bed.
"I know, the bloody train takes forever." She sighed too as she flopped down next to him.
He put his arm firmly around her shoulders and pulled her towards him. She obliged and placed her head on his chest.
"Can we skip the feast? I'm buggered." He asked wearily.
"No! We have to go Pads, Dumbledore will have my head is we're not there." She sighed back.
"Alright. But don't expect me to be happy, I've been traveling all day long and I'm tired."
"Oh for goodness sake Sirius, you're like a child!" She laughed at his immature ramblings about moping into his pumpkin juice.
"Come on, we better get ourselves down stairs." She laughed as he continued ranting.
She stood up and held her hand out for him to pull himself up.
As he did so he pulled her closer to him again and kissed her softly.
"Come on then, let's get this over with." He sighed as she pulled away and walked towards the door, still holding his hand.
"You love the feast and you know it. Every year I have to drag you away because you get too caught up in talking to Hagrid about Hippogriffs." She laughed as they descended the stairs that lead to the entrance hall.
As they walked through the gigantic doors of the Great Hall, they were greeted by Rubeus Hagrid, Game Keeper and Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration Professor.
" 'Ello Sirius! 'Ello Rini my dear!" How's your summer been?" He asked merrily.
Katerina smiled and replied with,
"Would have been better if this moron hadn't left me in the middle of Bognor Beach by myself whilst he talked to some old wizard in the gift shop about Quidditch!" She fake shouted at Sirius.
Both Minerva and Hagrid laughed.
"Nice to see you Minerva!" Sirius beamed at their old teacher.
"You too Sirius, dear." She beamed back.
Katerina took her in between Professor McGonagall and Sirius, Hagrid sat the other side of him.
As she had expected, Sirius spent the whole of the feast talking to Hagrid about all the Magical Creatures they were going to be looking after this term.
Whilst Katerina taught her classes, Sirius helped Hagrid in his hut and helped him take care of the creatures in the grounds of Hogwarts. He even stayed out late some nights, either doing something with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest or having a Butterbeer with him at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade Village.
All the students loved him as much as they loved Hagrid.

After everyone had eaten and Professor Dumbledore had made all this years announcements, she did have to drag Sirius away.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow Hagrid. Flubberworms isn't it tomorrow?" he asked eagerly.
They said their goodbye's and made their way back up to their room.
"Ah, bed time. I don't think I've ever been this tired in my life!" Sirius yawned as they changed into their night clothes and climbed into their four-poster.
"Me either. It's been a bloody long day!" She yawned back.
He scooted into the middle of the bed and so did she.
They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed once more.
"Goodnight Kate. I love you." He smiled broadly. Despite everyone calling her Rini, he still called her Kate as he had done the first time he met her on the Hogwarts Express on their first day. She liked it though, but only Sirius was allowed to call her Kate.
"Goodnight Sirius. I love you too." She smiled back just as broadly.
"Until the end of time." She added before closing her eyes.
"Until the stars don't shine." He said finally as he too drifted off.
Unable to say much more, they both fell asleep in each others arms. As they had done since they'd been married.
As they intended to until the day they died.

The flashback of her time in the castle with Sirius had been almost too much to bear.
She didn't sleep a wink that night. A certain Miss Granger could tell you that Professor Potter's light was on all night.

The following day was Lupins first lesson with Harry's class, and he'd asked Katerina to supervise seeing as she didn't have a class all day.
She was happy to help Remus. After all, he was just nervous about teaching Harry's class for the first time.
"Welcome to Defense Against The Dark Arts. I'm Professor Lupin, I'm sure you all already know Professor Potter." He introduced himself and then pointed to the back of the room where Katerina sat.
She gave a small wave to the class and Remus continued.
"Today, we're going to be leaning about Boggarts. Now, who can tell me what a Boggart looks like?" He inquired to the whole class who stood in the middle of the room. The desks had been moved so there was plenty of room for Remus to show them a Boggart.
"No one knows." Hermione Granger piped up. This startled Katerina as she hadn't seen Hermione come in.
"And why is that Miss Granger?" Remus prodded.
"Because the Boggart takes the form of a particular persons worst fear." She responded.
"Well done Hermione." Remus praised.
At which point the large wardrobe containing said creature started to shake.
"The only way to stop a Boggart is with this simple spell, every one repeat after me. Ridikkulus." The whole class, including Katerina repeated the word.
"But, what really finishes them off is laughter. Neville, step forward please." Requested Remus kindly.
Neville Longbottom stepped forward with a look of sheer horror on his face.
"Now, what are you most frightened of Neville?" Lupin inquired.
Neville muttered something under his breath.
"Didn't catch that Neville." Remus said to him.
"Professor Snape." Neville said loudly, and shakily.
Everyone including Katerina and Remus laughed.
"Ah yes, he frightens us all." Remus chuckled, reassuring Neville.
"I hear you live with your grandmother Neville." Remus asked him.
"Yes, but I don't want that Boggart to turn into her either!" He almost shrieked back.
Remus stepped forward and whispered into Nevilles ear.
He turned around and unlocked the cabinet containing the Boggart.
Professor Boggart-Snape walked out with the most severe look on his face Katerina had ever seen.
Neville pointed his wand at Boggart-Snape and yelled 'Ridikkulus!'
At which point Boggart-Snape was suddenly wearing what appeared to be Neville's grandmothers clothes.
Everyone roared with laughter.
The students formed a queue and stepped forward to face the Boggart. Katerina stepped forward after Remus asked if she'd like a go.
The Boggart transformed into her worst fear.
Azkaban Prison. She pointed her wand straight at it and yelled at the top of her voice 'Ridikkulus!'
The Boggart then transformed into a Jack in the Box.
Everyone laughed except for her and Remus. Both understanding why she hated Azkaban so much.
Harry was next to step forward. Remus rushed in front of him just as it turned into a Dementor.
As Lupin stood in front of it the Boggart changed into what he feared most.
The Moon.
He pointed his wand at it and it exhaled and flew around the room like a deflating balloon.
Both he and Katerina had just seen their worst fears.
Only each other understood the reasons behind the fear.
Both had secrets that could have been revealed by a simple Boggart.