She nuzzles against the side of his face, quiet and grounding. She loves him, deeply and truly, and he's here. He's not gone. There's nothing left in him that's not him.

"Do you hear yourself?" It's soft and she moves to press their foreheads together, fingers brushing through his hair. "If it's not my fault because he was in control, it's not your fault either. You can't have it both ways. Either it's neither of our faults or it's both of ours. That's a decision you need to make."

Firm. She means it. Still she moves, pressing a kiss to his forehead, his cheek, a very cautious peck to his lips. It's affectionate but just something that friends do. She's done it before. "You're always worth it. Always. I need you to understand me. Even if there wasn't a horcrux I would have come for you. We love you, we need you. Please believe me, Sirius. You're our heart, our lungs. Everything we are is tied to you too."

What he says last stills her. Over. Really over. She lets out a shuddering breath that sounds half-sob, half-laugh. "Merlin, it's over. He's gone. He's gone forever."

It's freeing. "We're safe, Sirius. All of us."