Author's note - This is mainly a story about how Harry and Sirius finally get to have a proper relationship however odd it is. It all started when I felt there weren't enough of them in JKR books so did my own. Over the time it's decided to grow all by it's self and now has more with the Tonks and Remus fiasco of a romance in it, the brilliant and oddly beautiful Weasley family unit and of course Harry and his Harem as I like to affectionately call them. I hope you enjoy my little baby and please read and review when you reach the end. Honestly is always welcomed. P.S Werewolves rule!

The rating may seem odd for some of the story but in other places the themes I believe are actually rather adult and I hope I've dealt with them in a realistic and non-offensive way. If however there is anything in this that you feel should be edited or toned down a bit please feel free to make comment of it to me and I will do my best to explain or rectify it.

A note from the poor proof reader! We spent hours on this as Jrose seems to change things and twitch them right till the last minuet, the pain she is. If you see any blindingly obvious mistakes please feel free to mention nicely and I'll give her a kick to sort it out.

Thanks for reading from us all, please enjoy our little baby.

Chapter one - 'How can he change so much in two weeks?'

"Harry I was so worried about you, why'd you run off to the ministry like that, you had me worried sick?" Sirius groaned as he pulled Harry tightly into their first proper hug and despite being totally worn out and Sirius's blood stained clothes, Harry was so grateful to have Sirius their for him, however odd there relationship had been right from the beginning he couldn't bare it to end. To top off Harry's sheer gratefulness there wasn't a hint of anger in Sirius's voice like he'd expected, only the shear relief his godfather felt at seeing Harry safe and sound again and definitely in one piece as he had the air crushed out his lungs.

Harry didn't know what to say to Sirius about his little jaunt to the Ministry last night, he had been so sure something had happened to his godfather and he'd do anything to save him, even if they hardly ever spoke. Even when they did, it was never about anything important or at least as Harry saw it but the main problem was that really, both of them didn't understand the other one bit.

Truth of the matter was, Harry had been tricked and tricked good falling almost hook line and sinker if it hadn't been for Sirius and the other members of the order to timely intervene, yet another of Voldermort's attempts to reach Harry. Although he couldn't understand why or what had been going off most the time rather than immediately asking questions he was fortunately speared from feeling totally foolish by Sirius's overjoyed mood that Harry was ok, he had for a short time believed Harry dead or worse and through his anger and frustration had almost murdered one of his distant cousins in the process only brought back from his rage by the sound of Harry's voice shouting down at them for help as he dangled precariously off a platform up above the revolving chamber.

Harry hadn't dared asked who the relative was and was sure he never would, he was merely disappointed by that fact that although Sirius had clearly been seen by the Minister of magic himself and a few of the other top wigs, clearly helping Remus to save Moody's life he was still condemned to be a convict for the time being and not free to out in the fresh air, like Harry always felt he should be. Lupin was the only one capable of laying a soothing note on this point by saying Fudge would never of let him run off so easily if he didn't believe that there was a chance Sirius was innocent and that Sirius should be just happy Harry was alive and complain about the Minister later.

Harry although overjoyed by seeing Sirius ok again and not a mangled corpse like he thought he would be, soon had to leave for the Dursleys as this really was just a quick stop off allowed by Dumbledore only to shut Sirius's nagging up at wanting to see Harry safe for himself. In the end Moody chipped in and declared he would watch over Harry and only Harry to shut Sirius up because judging by his mother's painting, most of the Black family could be incredibly stubborn and annoying at any time if it got them what they wanted. Tonks also helped on this matter by confirming yes they could she still had to suffer it now from her own mother.

"I'll see you in a few weeks Harry, now I think it's time you have to go." Sirius finally decided letting go of Harry and looking at the slightly lighter case standing beside him.

"You sure you don't mind me leaving this here do you, just I can't be bothered to drag it back to the Dursley's and if Lupin said they are flying me back hear what's the point? Can't do anything with most of it anyway!" Harry sighed a little more morbidly than he'd hoped to sound at the prospect of being stuck with the Dursley's again.

"Don't worry about it, I'll stick it in a corner of my room and ban Kresher from going within ten meters of it." Sirius smiled so pleased that Harry would have to come back soon or at least before going to school to fetch it.

"Eleven it's got most my photo album in it." Harry smiled warmly up at Sirius before turning to pull his muggle coat back on, Sirius however surprising his own nature soon noticed how it was hardly going to keep him that warm when the wind got up again and quickly decided he'd find a better replacement for it for the winter. He couldn't have his godchild getting cold could he!

"In that case twelve, I know they mean a lot to you." Harry smiled again and finished doing up his coat picking up his slightly odd rucksack that was actually bigger on the inside than the out (given to him by Sirius of course). Then swinging his broom over his shoulder that looked like a guitar case to any muggle, Harry waited for Moody to tell them the cost was clear for Harry to leave the house. He didn't really know what to say to Sirius but neither did he feel uncomfortable standing in silence with him. Eventually he remembered how he'd never seen Sirius look at a picture of his mum and dad and wondered if he even had one anymore.

"You can have a look at my photo's if you like; you look really funny in some of them, you've got a lot of weird trousers on."

"Oi! They were fashionable back then I was cool in them Harry, but thanks, I was hoping you'd let me." He grinned glad he hadn't had to ask to look but finally Harry had to go and was lead out by Tonks, Moody and Lupin to walk back to Kings cross and meet the Dursleys.

Harry had never been as optimistic as when he met the Dursey's at the station before going home. They had no idea that he hadn't just come off the train and were totally terrified by Moody's threats to treat Harry well mainly on Sirius's behalf but also because Moody just enjoyed seeing Vernon squirm and nearly wet himself. Oh he missed the old interrogation days.

Harry was walking out the station with his aunt and uncle not long later with Moody's eye still swiveling and watching them, when Harry heard the distinct comment from his uncle as he opened the boot of the car and waited for Harry to put his things in it.

"How come you've got so little stuff this year? Had to sell it to pay for your school?" He added with a clear snide smile.

"No, I left it with my trusty Godfather, he didn't want me being too contaminated by you lot and said I could leave it in his big old mansion." Harry replied with some satisfaction but then knowing Moody was still watching and also that his uncle knew Harry decided to push his luck a bit just this once.

"Did you like Mad-Eye Moody and Lupin? They seemed very keen to meet you they're both very close PERSONAL friends of my Godfather you know." Harry knew he would have over done it if it wasn't for the little wave from Lupin and Tonks to Harry from behind a post box just fortunately at the perfect time.

"Just don't you be strumming that dam guitar all night and I best not get any rude awakenings from that ruddy over grown Pigeon of yours." His uncle threatened while Harry tried to image how Sirius would find the guitar highly amusing and was already hoping to find Hedwig already curled up on the chimney pot waiting for him at home.

"He's a strange sort of muggle that one isn't he." Tonks pondered later in the evening when she had returned to Grimmauld Place with Lupin to comment on the fear in Harry's uncle. They were trying to char him up and convince Sirius to be fruitful in his few weeks of quiet before Harry and all the Weasley's returned to stay. Sirius although slightly annoyed at the prospect of having his house full of Mrs Weasley and no doubt having to share Harry's attention with Ron seemed to find some solace in learning to cook better and almost re-decorating key rooms in his cleaning attempts.

"So you're going to try and be the perfect hostess are we? Hmm, bet Molly won't like the competition!" Lupin mocked seeing the rare glint in Sirius's eye as he was obviously trying to think of something fun for Harry's slightly late birthday return.

"Look, the little boy is trying to think of ways to annoy Molly.' Tonks laughed leaning over to Remus again as he couldn't help but giggle slightly at Sirius's face despite being a little too aware of Tonks today.

'Egg tossing Sirius, try egg tossing it always worked on your nanny." Tonks joked enjoying the frequent hours she tried to spend with the two, Lupin in particular even if he was playing dumb to her suggestive hints or just plain dumb as Sirius had already decided.

"Do you think he would like a coat for his Birthday, that one he's got won't keep him warm will it in September?" Sirius wondered supping on his coffee and totally oblivious to anything that's been said.

Harry was also finding himself pondering about Sirius on his first day with the Dursley's, he wanted to say sorry for causing so much trouble but didn't know how and felt guilty about not knowing Sirius well enough. He was glad Sirius had finally had some interesting action and hoped the change would keep him in a better mood for a while, even if it wasn't exactly a happy time running around the basement of the ministry thinking Harry might be dead. Harry had nearly died in the process, Hermione and Ron had also badly been hurt and both Ginny and Neville had succumbed to some nasty breaks that took longer than three seconds to fix. All had been fixed by Madam Pomfry in the end and most of them just needed so TLC and rest, but Harry still couldn't help wonder what silly little thing he could give Sirius to keep him happy over September. Something he would find funny and yet be oddly sentimental for him.

"Boy, I want you out the house this evening, Dudders has got his friends coming round and I don't want you causing trouble while we're out, now get your coat and leave!" His aunt bellowed up the stairs. Harry had already been warned about this, his aunt was throwing a mini welcome home party for Dudley in the garden and Harry was expected to keep out the way to the extent of being off the premises.

As he walked down the landing past his ugly fat cousin's room he saw something that caught his eye. He knew it was wrong to steal but this was Dudley and Harry decided very quickly that he wouldn't even notice and it would probably come to a more kinder use in Harry's care than his cousin's. There it was, one of many crisp ten pound notes just lying on the floor under his bed waiting to be picked up. It was just tossed aside without even being seen Harry thought. His heart beating fast, he slipped into his cousin's room and pocketed the money spotting a brown paper bag containing a rather inappropriate magazine his father had brought him saying 'now you're a man Dudley it's time you opened your eyes to the world. Boy get outside and shovel some more mature for you aunt!'

Leaving the house not a moment too soon, Harry had a rather amusing idea and was glad to find the Weasley twins, perfect fake id in his pocket.

"Sirius, I know you want to err, fuss over Harry a lot these days and are trying to think of yet another present for him other than a coat and some books and a cake and a chess set and a pair of shoes but honestly I really don't think Lilly would approve of that. I'm just saying you know, in case she's listening wherever she happens to be." Lupin smiled sitting down next to Sirius and looking over at the rather dog eared magazine in Sirius's hands complete with what they both considered a rather lovely looking blonde lady on the front posturing.

"Oh well no I don't suppose she would. I half expect lightning to hit me arse for thinking about it but still, it would be something she'd do though, check up on me and all." Sirius smiled a little less grimly than usual, Lupin was surprised but glad that Sirius was finally able to talk to about there two dead friends properly.

"Well she does love her baby boy doesn't she?" Lupin continued.

"So do I Lupin. It's comforting though isn't it, to think she's watching him." He stopped, something was clearly on his mind but he was having trouble trying to say it.

"Yes well Harry seems to think so." Lupin answered a little more quietly than usual.

"Do you?" Sirius however was clearly thinking and had barely even registered Lupin's last words.

"What, you might as well tell me, as long as it doesn't have anything to do with Tonks?" He added quickly.

"You don't think I'm a bad Godfather do you? He nearly got killed a week ago and I was so worried about him, it could have all gone so horribly wrong and I could of ended up back in.' He gulped wanting to be truthful to his friend as Lupin had become much closer to Sirius than before now he had finally agreed to move in and let Sirius pay for a few things like food, clothes, furniture, rent, wolfsbane.

'If I did end up back in there or worse then what good am I too him then and if summit had happened to him. I'd have never last long a second time. It's hard enough being stuck here without being able to help him but he won't talk to me about anything. I know it must of being hard for him at school what with Snape and Voldermort and that horrible Umbridge woman on at him all the time. I had half a mind to drag him out of school at one point if it wasn't such a daft idea. Worse thing is, I don't even know him well enough to think of something he'd like to have rather than needed for his birthday." Sirius grumbled.

"I know you're upset it was a bit reckless on his part but your doing ok, he was happy to see you last week and he'll be happy to see you end of next week won't he. Besides, it's not your fault you two haven't had very long to get to know each other, he spends a lot of his time at school. Something even you agree is good for him."

"I know, I'm just worried that I signed up thinking all I had to do was make a fuss of him, buy him big gifts and baby sit every now and then and that Lilly and James would be the ones to actually bring him up. He's been all alone for so long and I just wanted to be fave uncle that made him laugh and now there's a lot more to it and I don't know what to do." Sirius explained somberly twisting the magazine in his hands to give him something to fiddle with.

"I don't think any of us can quiet believe what happened, least of all Harry but he's managed ok and you're not totally useless you know. I heard Hermione telling Tonks that he just likes having someone away from school to talk to.' Lupin put a hand on of Sirius's shoulder so he turned to look at his friend.

'Remember how he just turned up in the fireplace wanting to talk about James. There wasn't anybody else he wanted to talk to except you was there and it was nothing really, he just wanted to know what things used to be like and he looked a lot better for it didn't he after you talked to him for a bit?"

"I guess he just wanted to talk to me about him."

"And look, he came all the way to London like a reckless idiot risked his own neck in more ways than he knows, just because he was worried about you. I mean if that doesn't have Prongs written all over it then I don't know what does?" Lupin explained finding it so hard to watch his friend fall to pieces bit by bit in the long months he'd already spent locked up in London.

"I guess that does sound like James, he always was a loyal like that. He never left me to get in trouble on my own. Never stopped me from getting into trouble mind you did he but never on me own." Sirius remembered.

"No and he would probably have done exactly the same thing if he was in Harry's situation."

"I guess and I'm going to make him use that bloody mirror this year whether he like it or not. I went in his case the other day and..?" Sirius began in his odd mock annoyance making Lupin finally warm up again inside.

"See, you're getting the hang of it all ready. When in doubt, dig through there stuff like Molly and your bound to find summit interesting about them." Lupin joked but Sirius merely glared at him.

"Don't compare me to her! She's a bossy old hag like my mother and I wasn't looking for stuff to neb into, well I was, but Harry did say I could. I was looking for his photo album Hagrid gave him, he said I could have a look at it and I found the mirror shoved in the bottom next to it and a pair of really mangy old socks. I'm sure he uses em like James to stop people from getting too close to his things, there a bloody awful the pair I found."

"No Sirius that was you, you have mangy sock's James was surprisingly clean! Well considering he wasn't sure what soap was for half the time at Hogwarts." Lupin explained as Sirius shrugged the comment off and continued.

"He hadn't even opened the bag it was just hid in the bottom of his case and forgotten about."

"I told you he would have done that, he'd have been too worried about getting you caught. He doesn't care what happens to him long as your ok. And you're sat here worrying that he doesn't like you! Don't you see the odd family resemblance Sirius?" Lupin pointed out sarcastically as for most of last year Sirius would have behaved exactly the same if it wasn't for Lupin's firm hands pinning him down regularly.

"Well I'll tell him how safe they are and hopefully we'll have better look in September." Sirius explained brightening up a bit.

"Now I've broken into your big piggy bank again and got you some new clothes, well actually Tonks did she said I shouldn't be dragging you down with me in a swirl of old man's Tweed!" Lupin explained actually quiet uncomfortable with the comment.

"Old man's Tweed! She said that about you?" Sirius laughed with his odd bark although it never did reach his eyes.

"Yes well, I figured seen as you want to play super manly host this summer, then you could at least do it in something other than well, you look worse than I do Sirius and you have managed to save a lot of money over the years by cutting down on soap and shaving foam. I may be a shabby old git but at least I don't smell like wet dog!" Lupin explained in the most sarcastic voice he dared before handing him a large parcel and leaving while Sirius was clearly still in a small state shock.

Harry had allowed himself to be locked in his bedroom since about two that afternoon. He didn't care that much, he hated being around people, Dursley's or not, he just hated being around them. He didn't even head out into the streets any more and just stayed in his room laying on the floor to make himself as uncomfortable as possible for hours on end.

Harry guessed his aunt had sniffed something was wrong when he came running in sweating and panting covered in muck and slammed his bedroom door behind him. She only bothered to lock it behind him because Vernon insisted that any weird behavior displayed by Harry was bound to be a bad thing. Although she never worried about Harry and hardly cared what he did with his life as long as it didn't involve Dudley, she still wondered why he was suddenly so determinedly edgy and she couldn't help herself but be nosy.

Honestly Harry really didn't want to leave the confines of his room for anything, jumping at the sound of loud unfamiliar voices downstairs and barely noticing the drastic change in his appearance over the next few days that it was no wonder his aunt had noticed him for once.

Part of him knew that Lupin, Tonks, Moody and probably some other members of the order were coming tonight to get him, despite the fact that his aunt had stayed behind while Vernon and Dudley had gone to a conference of some sort. She had a suspicion they might come for Harry tonight when she read their invitation to a party in the park and although claiming she had a headache was actually sat up in the front room drinking and waiting quietly.

"Lupin I reckon his aunts still hear in the front room, think I should stun her?" Moody growled as the group moved through the garden and into the kitchen silently as they could.

"No, I don't think she'll give us any trouble tonight, can't stand the boy can she." Tonks explained but strode thought the door to the landing and lit her wand.

"Harry." Lupin called up the stairs knowing full well he would have alerted anybody else in the house to his presence. It didn't matter much, they were coming for Harry and they were leaving with Harry and his aunt wasn't really going to have much to do with it.

Harry had frozen on his bed, his bag was already packed as he knew they'd come but he was still hesitant and it was several minuets before he got up and slowly like a cat moved towards the door.

"He needs a key to get out." His aunt explained from the doorway to the living room and was suddenly greeted by eight wands in her face as she switched the landing light on.

"And why would he need a key?" Lupin asked politely although quiet aware of the menacing presence Moody had suddenly created in the air.

"To open the locks!' She snapped venomously still with a glass in her hand she quickly supped at.

'Hear, have it, I don't care. I was hoping you were coming tonight. The brat is behaving very peculiar and I only stayed behind tonight to make sure you take him, I don't want filth like that polluting my son longer than he has too." She passed Lupin the keys to Harry's many locks on his door and returned into the sitting room to pour herself yet another drink.

Lupin deciding it was probably best to get Harry out of this hell hole sooner rather than later so rushed up the stairs to let him out hoping Harry was going to be ok when he finally got to him. Sirius would be unbearable if Lupin brought him back in anything but a really happy-ish disposition.

Harry's heart though was pounding away as he backed quickly away from the door, he heard the ringing of keys and banging of padlocks onto the floor as he felt his icy breath rush quickly in an out of his lungs.

Whoever was on the other side of the door was in a hell of a rush to get to Harry and all Harry wanted to was get out the room and hide somewhere stupid like the shed. He ran to his window and started pulling at the bars but unfortunately tripped over his tangled sheets getting his arm stuck through one of the small gaps.

"Harry you ok?" Lupin called pushing the door open with a slight bang in his haste making Harry jump.

"Hmm." Harry mumbled he knew it looked like Lupin but he wasn't sure yet and was conscious of his awkward inability to move anywhere.

"Why is your arm stuck out the window? Hear let me help you with that." Lupin wondered as he strode over to Harry and just as he was about to help, Harry's hand came quickly through the gap as he yanked it away, badly bruising his thumb and elbow that had quick as a flash disappeared up into his oversized jumper sleeve so Lupin couldn't look at it.

"I'm fine." Harry mumbled seeing Lupin's highly inquisitive look at his gaunt face and dark eyes. It was clear Harry hadn't seen the sunlight in a while and probably not a decent meal either but Lupin wasn't going to press the matter, they'd been late leaving London and needed to get into the air while it was still safe.

"Have you got everything Harry?' Lupin asked as Harry picked up his coat and bag.

He nodded and pulled a hat tightly on his head letting his hair dangle well down over his eyes.

'Are you ok Harry, you seem a bit quiet locked up in hear? Moody's egging for a chance to frighten your relatives, seems to think a bit of alteration in Dudley might give them a shock." He was trying to make a joke but put Harry's lack of reaction down to his old man-ish ways and a curious lack of sleep on Harry's part rather than anything important.

"Ok, I'm ok, honest just a, a bit tired, just tired." He mumbled and waiting for Lupin to be two steps ahead of him before he followed him down into the Kitchen.

"Why you limping Potter?" Moody asked following Harry into the kitchen with concern when he saw Harry flinch as Lupin put his hand on Harry's shoulder to guide him out the back into the still darkness.

"I, err, I fell over in the shower." Harry mumbled pulling his shoes on and tying them on tightly before loosening them a bit as they'd long since gotten far too small for him and forced his toes in to a painful bent angle.

"It looks like he had a black eye recently as well." Somebody whispered quietly into Moody's ear.

Moody didn't reply and no one commented on Harry's strange appearance. Lupin decided that whatever it was causing Harry to come across so silently miserable, it was probably something to do with this house and the people in it and the best thing would be to get him away to a very grateful Sirius for a bit of TLC and a decent amount of food.

Everyone moved out into the back garden under the watchful eye of Petunia Dursley who never spoke and never received much attention from anybody but Moody's magical eye.

"Moody's going to make you invisible again Harry as we fly back." Lupin explained as Moody hobbled over and Harry pulled out his broom. It just didn't seem the same any more, nothing seemed the same any more, the more Harry thought about it the more he realised he wasn't even looking forward to seeing Sirius at the moment. He just wanted to be left alone in his filth and the prospect of Sirius's piercing eyes looking at him was painful boarding on frightening at the moment.

"OK." Harry mumbled.

"Don't look so worried Harry, he's looking forward to seeing you again, and he's missed you, I know he has. You're all he's talked about for three days now." Lupin explained hoping the mention of Sirius would cheer him up a bit but apparently, it didn't.

Moody tapped Harry on the head and Harry had that strange feeling that an egg had just been broken on him. He hated how close Moody and Lupin were to him now, he had the almost uncontrollable urge to swing his leg over his broom and fly high into the sky to get away from them but he didn't. He merely stood there with his invisible bag on his back whishing he could just disappear to somewhere else and be left alone.

"Interesting reading I see you have there for Sirius!" Moody Growled down Harry's ear making him jump half out his skin and turn to Moody's magical eye and old battered face.

"How, err, when do we set off?" Harry asked trying to take a step back from Moody but finding Lupin behind him who apparently on Sirius's orders was not to get more than three feet from Harry until he was safely back in the Order's headquarters.

"Very soon Harry, you do look pale you know, sure your up to flying or are you just desperate to get away from hear?" Tonks asked drawing, Harry's attention from the two larger men on either side of him. You could hardly say he brightened up by seeing her, but it was enough for Lupin to notice a difference in his manner even if he was trying not to be bowled over by how beautiful Tonks looked with her soft pink curls in the moonlight.

"I'm ok and I do want to get away from hear.' He looked to the mucky grass and quickly added.

'It isn't that bad here you know, just, well, I can think of worser places to be." He mumbled down at the ground.

"I suppose so but I guess you're used to school and Hogwarts does have a certain old beauty that definitely out runs most places. I can't say I was ever really eager to go there but if I lived hear with them then I certainly would be. You going to be warm enough like that knowing Moody we'll be flying through half these clouds tonight!" Tonks asked nicely but rolling her eyes when she thought Moody wasn't looking.

"Of course we are and I saw that Nymphadora, the cloud coverage means we can get a much quicker rout back to London." Moody grumbled a little too loudly in Harry's left ear to be remotely comfortable. Seeing his opportunity in following the others who were swinging over their brooms Harry moved away behind Tonks and for a moment he had the house on one side and Tonks on the other it was like he could finally take a breath of fresh air but within moments Lupin was back next to him apparently keeping his word to Sirius and continued to keep Harry no further than an arms length away all the way to London.

"Sirius, I don't want Harry up too late tonight, he's bound to be tired and the last thing he needs is you pestering him all night long about nothing of any importance!" Mrs Weasley snapped stiffly from her seat at the table. She had insisted all her children and Hermione went to bed several hours ago and despite Ginny being dragged off by her collar only later to reappear fully dressed and a very saucy look on her face did Mrs Weasley agree to let them stop up and greet Harry with Sirius and then they were all to go straight to bed.

The Weasley's had been their two days already and so far Sirius had to force himself to do all he could not to bellow at Molly every time he saw her but on this one occasion he wanted to make something clear.

"If I want to talk to MY Godson then that is what I'm going to do and no jumped up witch is going to stop me. Granted he may be tired when he gets hear but he's not going anywhere until I've had a very good look at him!" All four of Mrs Weasley's sons moved their chairs away from her now just in case leaving Ginny and Hermione to smirk quietly to them selves and Sirius who had deliberately caught Ginny's eye took a lot of pleasure in seeing the colour rise on Mrs Weasley's neck. He actually quiet liked it when Arthur worked late somehow.

Out of all Harry's friends Ginny was Sirius's favourite because she could be a saucy little madam when she wanted to, to any of her family and yet still retained the decent qualities Sirius would expect from Harry's friends of loyalties and not slaging him off the minuets his back was turned (even if Sirius did secretly admit his clothes had recently begun to smell like wet dog). Best of all though she seemed to take the same pleasure Sirius did in causing Mrs Weasley to go red behind the ears with rage and although Sirius often told himself off for behaving so childishly, he often tried to rise to the occasion. Although Sirius never dared speak too openly to Ginny as to be honest, she was a young girl and he knew he was an older convicted man but all the same, they seemed to be taking it in turns to wind Molly up and push the boundaries of her stupid rules and admire the other's attempts, it was evil really but they weren't about to stop.

"Did Lupin say when he expected to get hear?" Hermione asked in a forced politeness still slightly stiff towards Kresher's master having witnessed Sirius in his finest hour kicking his house elf all the way down the stairs earlier that day mainly because he was board and needed something to do.

"Erm, should be soon Hermione. Hopefully Molly will have you all tucked up in bed in about an hour or so provided Lupin's not having any problems." Anybody who didn't really know Sirius would think he was compromising with Molly but anybody who had witnessed any one of the little run-in's between Sirius and Molly over the last few days would realise Sirius was merely reasserting his claim as Harry's Godfather and that Molly could do what she liked with the rest of them provided he had total control over his own.

"Let me go first Harry, this doors got a dodgy door bell, keeps biting fingers off." Lupin explained leading the way up the steps to number twelve.

Harry did as was instructed and was very conscious of Moody's grinding teeth behind him and hoped beyond anything else to be soon safely sat on his bed away from everybody else and listening to Ron's snores as he slept.

"Harry." Sirius rushed over to open the door letting them all in quick as was possible so glad to see his dear godson that he didn't notice Lupin's warning look until it was later repeated with a hefty stamp on his foot.

Knowing Sirius would want to talk to him and that really he was hoping to find some comfort in Sirius, Harry moved over and allowed himself to be pulled into a one armed hug in the hallway from Sirius who had honestly not smiled properly since he last greeted Harry. With pursed lips Mrs Weasley was waiting to greet Harry in the dinning room with a tray of hot coco and biscuits that really Harry wasn't much interested in eating.

Harry however tired to let him self to be washed into the room with Hermione who was watching him carefully and then soon as she could hugged him warmly, Harry finally felt comfortable in her arms and Ginny who got in quick before her mother could.

Sirius however was one of the last to make it into the room, having been cornered for a moment with Lupin and Moody.

"Wotcher Sirius, something's wrong with him!" Remus warned quietly, however much he hated to ruin Sirius's happy moment he had to be warned before the idiot stuck his fat foot in it as he inevitably would.

"I know it must be tuff on him their but he seems far worse than the last time we went to get him. Locked up in his room and his aunt was there two, looking well, not particular sober nor happy either well, see Harry actually go I think." Lupin explained quickly and quietly into Sirius's suddenly worried ear even if he covered that his worst fears have come true feeling.

"Looks like some one's been using him for a punch bag Sirius and his aunt's legs by the looks of what I saw. He aint happy about summit but if it's not just his uncle you might have a hard time getting it out of him." Moody grumbled quietly quiet appalled at the thoughts he was suggesting having developed quiet a soft spot for Harry recently not that he'd ever admit it.

"You did say to tell you what it was like there, Sirius." Lupin sighed not happy with how Harry had returned and hoped Sirius wasn't going to blow his head and blame him for not looking after him enough or something.

"Did she cause any problems?" Sirius asked calmly to the outside but raging on the inside, confessing to himself that he was curious about Harry's life with the Dursley's. Harry had never said anything other than Christmas had never been his favourite time of year until he came to Hogwarts and seeing Sirius's slightly worried look had promptly kept his mouth shut afterwards.

"She'd been drinking and not cheap wine neither, smelled like pretty strong whisky to me." Lupin whispered aware that part of what made Sirius hate his mother so much was that before she died she became a dreadful alcoholic lashing out at anybody who crossed her way.

"He's got something for you in his bag but I suggest you wait till Molly's out the way before asking about it." Moody winked pointedly and clunked extra slowly into the dining room giving Lupin time for one last quick word.

"I'm sorry he's come back like this, you wouldn't think that in just over two weeks he could get so bad." Lupin explained having noticed the disappointment in Sirius's eyes when Harry really didn't seem as energetic to meet him as when he left.

"It's not your fault it's Dumbledore's for making him go. I wanted him hear where I could keep him safe." Sirius complained quietly and tried his best to cover his sadness when he walked in and stood behind Harry in the dining room.

Mrs Weasley had a highly deadly look to all except the one whom it was intended; Sirius was not looking at her but was watching from behind as Harry exchanged a few welcoming comments with his friends for the first time resembling anything that could be considered normal to Lupin.

Although Sirius was sure he could be easily mistaken, Harry for some reason seemed to favour Hermione rather than Ron in the way he sat and held himself. He even seemed to be looking over to Tonks more then Sirius expected and was sure in the past that Harry had always seemed far closer to Ron than Hermione being both boys.

Sirius didn't believe that Harry must fancy either Hermione or Tonks as Tonks was just daft and he had once clearly stated that no matter what, Hermione was always going to be his friend as he didn't want to lose it by doing something daft like dating her. The determined glair in Harry's eye that day, had stopped Sirius short of his joke and left him totally sure that Harry would never risk his friendship for anything, not even attempted love.

"So Harry, did you find anyway to really annoy your cousin?" Fred asked smiling broadly at Harry with his twin beside him.

"Err, no he spends most his time on street corners with his friends. Thankfully I'm not aloud to talk to him. Banned from being in the same room unless my uncles there to, erm watch." Harry explained feeling more himself with Hermione and Ron there to buffer off to many odd looks. However, he knew he sounded a bit bitter but didn't care he just whished people would stop looking at him.

"Anyway, later we've got some stuff to show you." George explained with a slightly nervous glance at their mother who was so frustrated with Sirius had refused to speak to Harry or any one since the last hurtful comment.

"Yeah you're really going to like what we've got to show you." Fred explained winking purposefully.

"Can't stop long though tonight we gotta go open up tomorrow morning so see you soon Harry."

"Yeah see you Harry." George got up with his brother then before leaving through the door they turned back to there mother.

"Bye mother."

"Yeah, bye mother, careful you don't crack." Fred laughed to a slightly humiliated Mrs Weasley.

"They are so lucky getting to leave like that. Leaving us two to put up with her bad moods. She's never forgiven them for leavening school and even worse there joke shop is doing really well and she can't forgive them for that either." Ron explained darkly openly jealous of nearly all his older brothers now. Except Percy of course but every now and then he did sort of envy Percy's ability to have a life completely separate from their mothers and be quiet happy in it.

Harry leaned over across Hermione and decided to ask Ginny something hoping soon after to go to bed.

"Who you squeaking now Ginny?" Harry whispered quietly in her ear.

"Nev, but Ron thinks I'm still with Dean so don't tell him." She replied quietly in his ear finally making Harry laugh a little.

It was music to Sirius's ears to hear Harry finally laugh but unfortunately he had to agree with Molly now, Harry should really go to bed soon he had dark rings under his eyes that only looked worse the more Sirius watched him.

"I approve. I won't tell Ron I promise but tell me, was it love at first sight over a trampled death eater." He moved away and laughed a little more with Ginny and there private joke glad that the others seemed more engaged in a few hot drinks than him for a brief moment. Sirius had only caught the last two words and it had left his ears flapping slightly despite himself. Why on earth would Harry chat about death eaters with Ginny and then laugh? It made no sense.

The old clock chimed three and Mrs Weasley could no longer contain herself and suddenly stood up.

"Right you four time for bed, you've been up long enough now." Ron rolled his eyes and Sirius was debating weather to pull Harry to one side, he let the four wonder out first followed by Mrs Weasley and then making his mind up quickly followed stopping Harry as he reached the first step.

"Harry, can I talk with you a bit before you go to bed?" Sirius asked softly glad to see Harry turn and come back without pausing to seek Mrs Weasley's approval.

She however glared at Sirius, that was deadly enough to make even Arthur recoil back several steps but Sirius made of sterner stuff or at least had such a streak of arrogance in him that disaprovement seemed to almost glide of his shoulders with the greatest of ease, stood his ground quiet firmly.

"Sure." Harry asked looking up to Sirius from his hunched posture. Sirius however was glaring at Mrs Weasley who had her arms crossed and clearly wasn't going to leave the two alone easily.

Eventually sensing the tension and finding it too heavy to breath Harry moved further down the hallway out of her direct line of sight and let Sirius follow with a sneaky smirk over his shoulder back at Molly.

"I'm glad to see you've come back Harry, Moody said you had something for me." He asked as pleasantly as he could. For him it felt longer than it should since he last saw Harry but it felt like even longer for Harry although in an odd sort of way he was still hoping to finally spend some quality time with Sirius and although feeling incredibly selfish, Sirius really didn't want to lose him to sleep when he'd only just got him back.

"Oh yeah but you should open it later. I thought it was funny." Harry explained sounding sadder than Sirius had ever heard him and noticed the emphasis on what seemed past tense.

"But you don't think it's funny now?" Sirius asked curiously.

Harry merely shrugged, dropped his bag down, pushing a sleeve up and pulled a brown parcel out it with Sirius scribbled carefully on the front. At first he didn't notice but then turning from the odd parcel to Harry he soon recognised bruises all around Harry's wrists which were visible only for a second before Harry quickly covered them up looking, to Sirius to say something else to him and not about his arm.

"Lupin said you fell over in the shower and hurt your ankle. Would you like me to put something on it to take the pain away?" He asked attentively knowing full well you don't get marks like that from the shower but Harry seemed determined to hide himself away under a jumper that was definitely his cousins.

"No, it'll wear off. It doesn't hurt that much any more, did it a while ago." Harry shrugged staring at the floor and trying to be interested in the different mucky foot prints he could see.

"Is that when you banged your face Harry?" Sirius asked unable to keep the skepticism out of his voice now.

Harry nodded and merely repeated himself.

"Fell over in the shower." He mumbled to the floor. Sirius sighed disappointedly to himself, he knew an angry man's work when he saw it having lived through enough of his fathers abuse when he was young. But to have Harry so openly lie about it to him was painful even if he understood why he might want to hide away. James always struggled to understand what it was like for Sirius at home as his own father was basically an older more mature version of himself.

"Must have been a while ago your hairs getting positively wild again isn't it." He joked pulling Harry's hat off a bit and ruffling his hair gently.

Harry however didn't share the joke and took a step back towards the stairs and away from Sirius pulling his hat firmly back on his head.

"I'm, I'm going to go to bed now." He mumbled then tripping over his sore ankle half scrambled up the stairs and away from Sirius leaving his godfather both confused and slightly hurt by the way Harry obviously wanted to do nothing more than to get away from him.

Sirius soon realised he must have been stood there in silence for quiet a while as Lupin came looking for him thinking he might of gone upstairs talking to Harry.

"Oh there you are? I didn't think Molly would have let you stand and talk to him this long. Come upstairs I want to see what he got you? Lupin asked edging Sirius up the stairs with his toe until he came back from his thoughts and followed up quietly with him.

"Oh I didn't think you'd still be up Ron." Lupin asked wondering why Ron would be daring his mothers rage by wondering around in his dressing gown when he was supposed to be asleep.

"Erm, I was looking for Sirius." Ron explained quiet comfortable to stand there and talk to both Lupin and Sirius who he was almost as interested in as Harry half the time.

"Sure, what's the matter?" Sirius asked knowing full well the answer had something to with Harry or Ron would have let it wait until morning.

"Yeah not now coz mum will go mad and he's laid in bed pretending to be asleep but tomorrow your gonna have to have a look at Harry's leg. He fell over coming up the stairs and I had to half drag him to his bed from the landing, he can't put his foot down properly." Ron sighed calmly at Harry's stubbornness.

"Oh and he toppled over trying to get in to his trousers off and well, he's got a nasty cut on the inside of his leg that's got a weird green tinge to it. He won't admit it hurts he's too stubborn but I bet he never cleaned it up promptly either, he's always useless like that." Ron explained quiet calmly to a more than slightly stunned Sirius.

"Yeah, err, thanks Ron you're a good mate." Was all Sirius could manage.

"Yeah well someone has to do it. He does get a bit difficult about asking for help and you will get used to his weird ways, honest. Hermione has and well, she is an odd one that girl now isn't she. Slaps you around the face for booting Kresher up the arse one minuet and then knocks Malfoy out cold the next for calling her cat a furry pig." When he finished, he yawned quietly, shrugged and wondered back to bed careful to whack Kresher round the back of the head quietly until he left the bedroom with the aid of a shoe. All without apparently waking Harry and sat down on the mattress.

"Err, tell me not to worry about him Lupin. You're a boring, sensible sort of person, tell me there's a logical reason for it all that doesn't involve Harry getting used as a punch bag by his uncle. Please Moony?"

Sirius begged as his friend steadily lead him to his bedroom on the next landing. He didn't like the idea of not being on the same floor as Harry but Ron had insisted on having Harry in a room with him and the only suitable rooms left were on this one. Sirius had argued with Molly and even offered to clean a larger room on the next floor himself for the pair but in the end he had to give in so Dumbledore could have the painting of Phineas Nigellus keep an eye on Harry easily.

Sirius always gave in to whatever Dumbledore thought best, however much he grumbled to himself about it. He knew that if he didn't do as he was told, if he tried to assert some power over his godson even to keep him safe, Dumbledore would merely cut Sirius out the picture completely. Sirius knew the only reason he was still able to see Harry was because it was convenient to keep Harry safe in the order's headquarters and Harry had particularly requested to spend more holidays with Sirius in July when the two last spoke.

It had done wonders for Sirius's moods to know Harry wanted to come and be with him but now he was at a loss. Even Lupin's calming words that it would be best to let Harry sleep and then clean him up in the morning when he was bound to feel a lot better did nothing for Sirius's angry shock at how poorly Harry had been handled by his aunt and uncle.