Suddenly: Things Change, That's Life
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I make no moneys.
An: This is an AU story. 'He Who Shall Not Be Named' is 'He Who Was Slain By Dumbledore At The End Of Third Year' Sirius was pardoned, Harry moved in with him over the summer at 12 Grimmauld Place. Also did you know Regulus Black died sometime in 1979 after having second thoughts on becoming a Death Eater? He didn't agree with what was being asked of him and so, when he found out Voldemort's secret, he went after the Horcruxes, and then mysteriously died. And did you know that Hermione was born on September 19, 1979…quite the coincidence don't you think? I think we ALL know where I'm going with this *wink, wink*
AN: Don't expect too much ok, any and all help/critiques/ideas/suggestions are welcomed so don't be shy! I have no Beta but I use spell check lol. This is my first Fleurmione fic so if I'm not getting something just right, tell me please. Above all else Read, Review and Enjoy!
"Sirius, why do we need to rush to clean this room?" Harry coughs out as he enters the cold, dank, dusty room that may have been a library or study at one point in its life. Looking around it now, as his Godfather bumps around thrusting open the heavy black curtains; it looks more like a crypt. Harry shutters at the thought.
Sirius tosses the young boy a crooked grin, beckoning him further into the room. "Well I don't know about you Harry, but I've never much had use of libraries, even when I was younger." He chuckles, his head down and lost to past memories. "Too busy with Quidditch." He winks conspiringly at Harry. "No…my brother though, I could always find young Regulus in here buried in ancient texts that Mother and Father wanted him to know."
Harry frowns, Sirius never much mentioned his brother, just that he was a Slytherin and his parents' favorite having followed Voldemort. Watching his Godfather now, Harry wonders how two brothers could take such different paths, as it was obvious that the Black brothers hadn't always been on opposite ends. "Kind of like Hermione, yeah? If Ron and I don't pull her out every once in awhile she'd probably live there." Harry grins, trying to pull Sirius back to the present.
Sirius smirks at his Godson, before going back to dusting off the cobwebs and doxy nests. "Ah yes, Ms. Granger…which brings us back to your first question Harry. Like I said, I've never had much use for this room, but something tells me your friend might give it the attention it deserves. Hermione is quite the witch…I daresay we both owe our lives to her and that extraordinary brain of hers."
Harry blushes, knowing Sirius is right; both men owe a lot to Hermione Granger. "Do you think we'll get it done before she arrives?" Hermione had gotten permission to stay at 12 Grimmauld Place the last two weeks before they returned to Hogwarts, after her and her parents returned from France. They have a few weeks to be sure, but the room is in bad shape, it's a wonder why Kreacher didn't keep up the house.
"Of course we will!" Sirius cheers, throwing his arms out in a grand gesture…only to whack against the closed curtains that hid the Black Family Tapestry. He and Harry pause as the sound of a single flutter echoes through the room. They look at each other, both fearing the worse. Another flutter pushes the tapestry from the wall just enough to cause a bump, then another. "Back away Harry." Sirius whispers, already moving to put the boy behind him.
Harry does as told, the two of them backing away as the fluttering only grows louder. Not noticing his shoelace caught beneath his other foot, Harry stumbles, his elbow careening into a glass vase and sending it crashing to the floor, drawing both of their attentions to the shattered glass. They freeze. The curtain ripples, like a thousand bees trapped within a sack. They watch as a flurry of doxies explodes from the seams, storming towards the helpless duo, ripping the black curtains from the wall as they go.
"Run Harry!" Sirius cries as he shots hex after hex at the biting horrors, while still pushing his Godson from the room. A final shove from Sirius sends Harry flying into the hallway as Sirius rushes to lock the door behind him. With a huff, Sirius slides down the wall and sits on the floor besides Harry as they stare at the library door; listening to the bangs and clatters coming from inside. "Well…that was exciting!"
Harry guffaws and swats at Sirius' hand when his Godfather ruffles his hair, "You're mad!" Sirius merely winks in return and throws his arm over the young boy's shoulders. "We're going to need a new plan." Sirius nods, looking at him expectantly. Harry drops his head back against the wall, "Hermione always makes the plans." He grumbles making Sirius chuckle.
"Come on!" Sirius bounds up, offering Harry his hand. "We'll figure it out...perhaps will send Molly in, Merlin knows she's terrifying enough." Harry snickers, remembering Mrs. Weasley's temper. "In the meantime, why don't you and I sneak down to the kitchen for an early lunch?" Grinning, Harry aloud the man to guide him through the hall, the doxy infected room forgotten and left behind him as he listened to Sirius recount stories of his days at Hogwarts with James and Remus.
Inside the room the doxies destroyed anything and everything they could get their hands on; tearing the pages from books and throwing the remains onto the wall hiding the Black Family Tapestry under years of dust and filth.