CHAPTER ONE
Sirius sat at the kitchen table, glass of whiskey in front of him. Why did he agree to this? Oh, yes, because of Harry...
Arthur and Molly Weasley frantically went about in a cleaning spree while he just sat there with a raised eyebrow and staring at his drink. Luckily before this cleaning procedure, Black had gone around and locked half the rooms in the house, knowing they would only open to him. However his mind drifted over many things besides worrying about what materials they may find, such as - why was this chair so uncomfortable, how long had that dead rat been under the fridge, what was he going to do with a house full of kids, and why the hell did he feel so dizzy all of a sudden? He groaned, reaching out and taking back the beverage into his throat before getting up.
As he straightened out his vest and waistcoat, that knock he'd been dreading all day emanated through the home. Then there was the rush of feet down the stairs and the squeal of Molly's excitement.
Time to play Godfather...
The door was opened and in stepped the two oldest, Fred and George, twins. They each held large smiles on their faces- that radiated the word [i]trouble[/i]- as their mother hugged them. Then Ginny shuffled in as well, her crimson hair down to the middle of her back, she was the youngest of the group- and possibly the most shy. Then Ron entered with Hermione, she accepted the warm welcomings of the Weasley parents -for they were practically her alternative mother and father- , and soon gave a glance around the main room. In the far back, leaning on the door jam to the kitchen, was the notorious man himself... Sirius Black. She looked away almost instantly, feeling his eyes travel to her, which rather Hermione wished they didn't.
She had changed so much since the last time he saw her, mind you was when her and Harry saved him from the tower cell last year. No longer the short brunette girl with a practical afro atop her head, all frizzy like she'd just been pulled from a dryer. In fact she was maturing into quite the young lady, rather pretty, so to say.
"Sirius!" Harry said, setting his bags down by the door and going to his Godfather.
Black smiled, giving him a gracious hug "It's wonderful to see you Harry, and my Godric you've grown! Certainly the man of the house now, eh?" He winked.
Harry beamed "You're looking better, not as scary anymore. Honestly, you looked like a skeleton." He joked.
Sirius smirked, ruffling the boy's hair "I won't disagree, Azkaban certainly took its toll on me. Say, where's Remus?"
Harry fixed his hair as soon as the hand was retracted, looking back to the door "Right there, he's been following behind. Keeping an eye on Fred and George I reckon."
Sirius gave a nod, those two reminded him so much of himself. He told Harry to get the others situated with a room before heading over to his closest partner.
"Sirius."
"Remus." Black smirked, putting a hand into his coat pocket.
Lupin smiled a bit "You're looking well. I'm sure that makes Harry feel better, he was rather worried about you."
"Yeah, he already told me. How old is he now?" Sirius asked, watching Harry lead his band of followers up the stairs.
"Barely turned fifteen along with Ron." Lupin explained.
Black's eyes followed Hermione, he still wasn't able to get a good look at her, but he was beginning to like what he saw, for a young lady that is.
"I can't understand why he would want to live here, this place is really old... not to mention dusty. Although I can tell your mom tried to clear it up." Hermione said to Ginny as they found two rooms next to each other. "Maybe I can find some charms to help make this place look decent." She wasn't impressed, in fact his home made her feel like she needed to take a shower. It was incredibly eerie as well, all those glass cased house-elves along the walls, no doubt the past servants. It was disgusting..
- Sirius looked back to Remus "I have a terrible feeling about this."
Remus chuckled, shaking his head and moving past him "Don't worry, they're just a bunch of teens. Would you prefer having six Kreachers running about?"
Sirius blew out "Bloody hell, that'd be dreadful... but still, you say 'teens', apparently you don't remember how reckless we were at their age."
"You mean how reckless [i]you[/i] were... yes, I remember. They are good kids, Sirius. If there is anybody you need to worry of, it's the twins." He looked over to see Sirius quirk his mouth into the trademark smirk.
"I like those boys." Black said walking over and holding onto the stair-railing.
Remus shook his head, smiling "Yes, I know you do. You're all a bad influence to one another. How fitting."
Sirius laughed for a few moments "What's that girl's name?"
"Who Ginny?" Remus questioned back.
"No, no, no... uh, Heroine.." Sirius said looking up the stairs, even though he couldn't see anyone.
"Um, it's Hermione, Sirius... not heroine. How could you even forget?"
"Right.. 'Mione, well I only met her once.. it's been a few months since that night, nearly a year. She's a little younger than Harry, isn't she?"
"She'll be fifteen next month, so about the same age." Lupin answered and grabbed his suitcases.
Sirius raised his eyebrows, only currently fourteen? She looked older than that. Hell, she looked like a seventeen year old. He sighed, watching Remus pass him and go up the stairs. "Need me to carry anything?"
Remus shook his head, "No... I'm supposing the kids will be tending to their new rooms and unpacking. You should go talk to Harry, he's been having some girl issues."
"Girl issues, hm? I could only wonder why you would tell me this." He heard Remus chuckle as they went up.
- Sirius knocked on Harry's door before opening it. His Godson was putting his clothes into an antique dresser, just regular Muggle clothing. Closing the door behind him, Black hooked his thumbs into the top of his slacks.
"Hi, Sirius." Harry smiled, closing the drawer. " I really want to thank you for letting all of us stay here.. even though it has only been a couple months since- you know."
"Harry, why would I not let my Godson and his friends stay with me? I'm not that cruel, plus six days can't hurt anyone." He smirked and sat at the edge of the bed.
The boy shrugged, Sirius had a point. "What's up? You must have come in here for something."
"That I did." Sirius shifted "So! Girl issues, eh?" His mouth quirked.
Harry looked over at the man, pushing his glasses up further as his face turned red. "No... where'd you hear that?"
Sirius grinned, "I bet she's a great kisser."
"Yes, I suppose." Harry said quickly and blushed even more upon realizing it.
Sirius chuckled, "I knew that would get some truth out of you. Who is it, Harry?"
He looked down, biting on his lip, embarrassed that Sirius was able to get that from him so easily. "Ginny." Might as well put it out there.
Black's eyebrows raised, well at least the lad had some taste. "The Weasley? Why ... I didn't think you had a thing for red-heads. I mean I know you hang out with Ron , so maybe-"
"Sirius!" Harry yelped.
"What, you never know. I honestly have always had a thing for blondes and brunettes, myself." He laid on his side, propping himself on his elbow.
"Like who?" Harry asked, leaning on the dresser.
Sirius smirked "Rolanda... Narcissa... and others. I know you'll judge, but you must grasp that I have never been into long-term relationships."
"Coach Hooch? Narcissa Malfoy!" Harry didn't really want to 'grasp' the fact that his Godfather had no doubt shagged his enemy's mother.
Sirius sat up "You're missing the point... I'm happy that you are getting involved in a relationship. So forget that bit of discussion of what I prefer."
He got off the bed and went over to his godson, resting his tattooed hands on Harry's shoulders, "Look, if you need any advice or perhaps have a question, please ask me. I know it's a little weird since I'm not your dad, but I don't mind being of help to you, Harry." He gave a warm smile. "I've had experience."
"I know. Thanks, Sirius." Harry loved his Godfather, even though it wasn't necessarily like a parenting type of love, he could relate it as him being a very close uncle.
Sirius went to leave, but barely touched the door-knob when he turned back to the boy. "Harry, how does everyone feel about me? Being back and all?"
Harry glanced around "Ron forgives you, if that's what you mean. Actually he has been showing off the scar like a prized battle-wound. The girls are starting to think him really brave."
Sirius folded his arms "Well, he struggled quite a bit. I was trying to get at his shoe, but he freaked. I felt horrible when noticing I had sunk my teeth into his damned leg."
"Well, you helped him with his popularity quite a bit, so don't feel too ashamed. Hermione's not happy about it though, she has to complain every time she sees his ankle. The second day she went to Dumbledore suggesting Ron get a rabies shot."
"I don't have rabies!" Sirius complained loudly.
Harry stifled a laugh "You should tell her that."
- It took Hermoine awhile to settle in her room, since she was constantly finding ugly dust bunnies in the drawers, though it was only expected. She'd furiously cleaned them out, and she now felt satisfied enough to place her clothes in the drawers, of course if she had the option, disinfectant spray would have most pleased her. She unpacked shirts and pants first, but placed them in seperate drawers. She simply couldn't understand why they had to stay here with this digusting example of a man. He was absolutely outrageous.
She huffed a bit, perhaps closing the door a bit too hard. She would've preferred to be anywhere but here, that was for sure, even the Weasley's Burrow... although she didn't think she could stand the twins for all too long. And this house was in a horrid state. She'd have to start sweeping as well if she actually wanted to sleep at all without thinking of all the crawlies on the floor.
Imagine, spiders and rats all over... Speaking of, Hermoine believed she just heard Ginny screech from the other room. She hurried along, peering into the quarters next door. Indeed, the Weasley had fled to her bed, sitting atop it and holding her legs to her chest. She glanced towards the doorway as Hermoine entered.
"I don't like it here," she said softly, "The spiders are very big. My brothers used to leave these huge ones in my bed all the time."
Indeed it was so, for the twins were quite the nautical nuisance. Though, there really could not be two better jesters.
- "Well maybe I will." Sirius smiled again, until he heard the scream from the floor above. "Oh hell.." he opened the door and left Harry's room, not to care if the boy heard his cuss. How he hoped it wasn't something of his that someone was screaming about. Black went up the next flight of stairs and to Ginny's room, where of course Remus had gone as well.
"Ginny, is everything alright?" The ex-professor asked, standing in the doorway. Sirius waited nearby, just to make sure the situation was all well.
Fred leaned over the railing from the floor above. "Don't worry Professor, it was probably nothing but a most scary ant! Our little Ginny is afraid of a lot of things. Just like Ronikinns."
"Twas not! It was a huge spider!" Ginny yelled, this making Remus sigh heavily.
"I'm sure you'll be fine, Ginny, it isn't as though you can't hex the little buggers into oblivion."
Sirius raised his eyebrows, not use to hearing violence even remotely from Remus.
"Though I heard they crawl down your throat if you sleep with your mouth open. Supposedly people eat two spiders a year in their sleep." Sirius gave a factual nod.
All eyes turned to him, Remus with a unamused expression, Hermione looking confused and Ginny as pale as a Weasley could possibly get.
"That's highly unlikely, , you'd be ill for one, and two, anything larger than a gnat goes consciously noticed by your gag reflex. Therefore you'd wake up and realize something making its way down your throat."
Remus looked at Sirius from Hermione, slightly smiling. "I believe, Sirius, that you have just got your words handed to you by a fourteen year old."