Disclaimer: If you recognise it then I don't own it. All characters belong to JK Rowling.
This is Sirius/Harry slash. Don't like? Don't read.
The Beginnings Of A Plan
It all began with a joke, or to be more precise, a prank. Harry wasn't particularly fond of practical jokes, but he was fond of revenge, so when he saw the perfect opportunity for the vengeance he sought to be both ironic and highly amusing he could barely resist. When Remus informed him of the potential psychological damage the aforementioned practical joke could have upon Sirius he was all the more keen to put his plan into action. Sirius, unsuspecting of such a form of vengeance, or vengeance at all come to think of it, being undertaken against him was, quite possibly, the perfect target.
As Harry left the room, Remus allowed a slight smile to pass over his tired features, lighting up his face somewhat. He was curled up on his own bed with a small list in front of him. It contained a record of all the things that Harry had begged him to do the next day, the most notable of which was to inform the rest of the house just what would be going on and to persuade them either to go along with the charade or to leave for a few days.
When the entire Order of the Phoenix was being asked to vacate their headquarters for an entire week in the name of revenge – or more accurately: psychological torture – anyone else would have thought Sirius had committed nothing short of full scale murder. The truth was not nearly as harmful. Still, Harry (with all his influence in the house) had decided revenge, not only for himself, was long since due and Remus would not be the one to deny him it.
Downstairs the clock chimed midnight. Sirius would be safe, unsuspecting and sleeping in his room, next but one from Remus's own sanctuary. Harry would be running a mental check over everything which had yet to be done in the room between them whilst he, Remus, tried not to laugh at the idea of Sirius when he discovered just what had been happening around him, and all masterfully plotted and executed by his own godson.
At least that's what Remus presumed would happen; Harry, who had spoken against their former antics whilst in their school years many a time, had proven himself highly valuable for harmless pranks and great schemes against Snape. His ability to catch existing flaws: a hell of a lot better than Sirius's, his charm and charisma with all members of the household: one of his most valuable traits (although it had been more hard-won with some of the Order members than others) but his originality and resourcefulness, his sudden and yet frequently ingenious ideas were irreplaceable. It was for this that Sirius and Remus prized his presence in their schemes.
Unfortunately, as vital as it usually was to have Harry well and truly on their side, Sirius had never considered how much he'd regret it if he wasn't.
As Remus slipped the list into the pocket of his jeans, he made a mental note never to aggravate Harry in such a manner himself, although the challenge that putting his wits against Harry's would produce would certainly be tough but enjoyable, the repercussions of his loss would be unbearable. Their current plot had never been more bold, daring or insulting to Sirius's intelligence but he had no doubts of Harry's ability to pull it off; in his eyes he could do no wrong.
Naturally both Remus and Sirius believed this of Harry; they were his guardians and he, the closest either was likely to have to a son. The love between them was undeniable and their bonds unbreakable but each had their limits and boundaries. It just so happened that Sirius had crossed the line just once too many with Harry. It was for this reason that Harry felt himself justified in seeing just where Sirius's limits lay and how far he could push them. It was a dangerous game but Remus trusted that Harry would know when to stop, if not then only Merlin would be able to help Sirius then.
"You want me to what!" Snape demanded of Remus the very next day. Harry had pulled Sirius from the house to Diagon Alley in order to remove him from Remus's way.
"Please Severus… it's for the humiliation of one of your oldest enemies!" he said cheerfully whilst determinedly not adding, no, not the shower although we all know how you hate it so.
Severus hesitated for a brief moment and Remus knew he'd hit the best argument towards their cause that he possibly could have. He had made a list of all points which were likely to sway the individual live-in members of the Order, ensuring that he cornered each of them alone. It was in this way that he had somehow convinced Minerva, Mad Eye, Tonks, Hermione and the entire Weasley clan, Fleur included, to go along with the plan at hand. Blackmail and bribery had been necessary in places however.
"Besides, Harry obtained a list of everything Sirius would hate and I know you'd just love to help his worst nightmares come true."
That had been it; the final straw and Severus was in on the plan.
"Just tell me what I have to do." His expression was grim and stony. Remus tried and failed to hide his glee. Oh this is just too easy!
After a lengthy explanation Remus left Severus looking thoroughly convinced that their plan would fail due to 'Potter's idiocy' but that it was worth the try if only to humiliate Sirius. He walked quickly up the stairs and upon seeing Hermione making her way towards him he leapt into his bedroom, hastily charming the door shut behind him. Since the plan had become widespread knowledge within the house, the many questions which had arisen had all been directed at him in Harry's absence.
Remus couldn't help but wonder just what was going on between Sirius and Harry and where they were. They never seemed to go out without him unless he had something else/better to do. He scowled at the knowledge that they were out having fun whilst he dodged everyone who came towards him in the fear of incessant questioning.
Someone hammered on his bedroom door, demanding that he admit them or else he'd blow the door down. Remus really didn't want to listen to Mad Eye's unique brand of questioning but, as the madman had already told him, he wasn't being given much of a choice.
Harry had foreseen all this, he must have done! This was presumably the reason he had taken the easy way out. Still, he would rather not have to be in Harry's shoes when things did get underway; Harry didn't seem all that bothered about it though. Remus had begun to wonder, for the first time, whether Harry had a hidden agenda, after all surely he was fully aware of the potential situation this plan could put him in. All thoughts of Harry and Sirius were wiped from his mind as the hammering on the door ceased. For one blissful moment there was silence and then…
"Right, that's it!" Mad Eye yelled through the door. "I didn't want to have to do this!"
"Sure you didn't – this has made your day, Mad Eye," Remus muttered darkly and then added, in a louder voice, "I'm coming, I'm co—" He was cut off as he walked towards the door by Mad Eye.
"Reducto!" The door was suddenly no more and in the doorway lay a few splinters of wood which Remus stared at in a sense of bemused disbelief.
"Ah Remus, so yes, I had something to ask you…" Remus cursed Harry under his breath and hoped he was having a miserable time with Sirius.
"Go on, what is it that I can help with?" Remus asked, resigned to his fate for the afternoon.
"Well actually it's the entire concept I'm struggling with." Remus ground his teeth and doubled his hopes of Harry's current unhappiness. He hoped that, wherever Harry was, he was as close to tears as he was.
Tears streamed down Harry's face as he and Sirius ran off out of Diagon Alley, their faces flushed with excitement and the icy wind which buffeted them.
"Don't cry, love. It wasn't that bad!" Sirius grinned as Harry stuck his tongue out at him and wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes.
"Hey! Get back here!" The shout was from behind them but neither Sirius nor Harry had any intention of stopping. With a wicked grin Sirius grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him well away from the Leaky Cauldron and into Muggle London, partly hoping that they wizards they had offended would give chase. It seemed like they were in luck: two wizards from La Café Romantique were running after them and yelling in loud cockney accents quite different to the faux-French accents they had adopted inside.
La Café Romantique was the latest addition to the growing street of Diagon Alley. It was a small café, decorated in varying shades of red and red only. It reminded Harry quite strongly of Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade. There was one small difference however, which was that the originally named café always had live music from a handsome man known as Jacques. Jacques was most frequently called Bert in the Leaky Cauldron in the early hours of the morning once he'd removed his attractive disguise but at the present time he was still very much in the role of Jacques.
"Down here!" shouted Pierre, the primary waiter in La Café Romantique as he abandoned all French pretence and hauled 'Jacques' after him along a small alleyway. He ducked just in time to avoid being hit round the head with a guitar that Bert was wielding behind him for reasons unknown and heard the crash as it smashed into the wall.
"Did you see that!" Harry choked out, just managing to bite back his laughter. Sirius's shoulders were shaking and when Harry caught a glimpse of his expression it was alight with childish mischief and joy. Sirius slipped an arm round Harry's waist and steered him away from Jacques and Pierre whilst one of the two sobbed over his broken guitar and the other grumbled before turning back to the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley.
"Well that was fun," Sirius grinned as they stepped out of the alleyway and into a street filled with shops.
"I agree, although we mightn't be able to walk through Diagon Alley again without being attacked by pretend Frenchmen," Harry told him and Sirius nodded gravely.
"Never mind, it can be a source of well needed exercise," Sirius said before adding, "Not that they'll last long anyway."
After the final defeat of Voldemort, witches and wizards from other nations had begun to trickle back into the country, making the magical census the largest it bad ever been. It also meant that there were a lot more takeaways opening but that wasn't particularly important.
Number thirteen Diagon Alley was considered an unlucky address, primarily because of its number on the street but also because every shop which had ventured to hope for success there after Voldemort's fall had lasted less than a month. La Café Romantique had been there for almost four weeks and all of the occupants of Grimmauld Place hoped that they would find their downfall soon.
All except Tonks that was. She had tried to haul Remus there on three separate occasions now. Remus had managed to evade her so far and had been spending lots of time trying to repel her unwanted presence away from him. He was doing quite well in Harry's opinion. Of course if Remus had pushed her away from him after Dumbledore's death and at the funeral like he should have done then he would possibly have had rid of her forever. Instead he'd had a tiresome relationship with her for six months before breaking it off with her. Another year after that found them in the middle of December and Tonks was still claiming to be madly in love with Remus who was close to professing himself as a blatant homosexual in order to elude her forever.
"Hey!" Sirius yelled and Harry jumped, his train of thought gone with a rush of the wind.
"Sorry, what were you saying?"
"Well I said that the café wouldn't last long and you said..." he broke off and stared sullenly at the pavement below him just as Harry had done.
"Sorry," Harry said again, making Sirius pull a face.
"If you apologise to me once more I'll…" he threatened.
"You'll…?"
"Shut up, I don't know yet but it won't be pleasant!" Sirius finished and Harry shot him his most charming smile.
"Come on, let's get out of the cold," Harry said, linking his arm through Sirius's and pulling him into a small café at the end of the street. This one was run by Muggles and there wasn't any red anywhere except on the large Christmas tree in the corner.
"Mistletoe," Sirius noted idly as they stepped through the door and smiled when Harry gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you, so what will you have to drink?"
The intimacy between them was one which many people found odd, although those closest to them understood only too well that it was a relationship originally built on a fear of loss. Now that Harry had rid the world from Voldemort forever then there was no longer much danger of them losing one another but they remained very close nonetheless.
Still both of them wondered how differently things could have turned out: if Dumbledore had never died … if Harry had never stumbled upon the Book of Life as he searched for the final Horcrux … if Ron had never become a Death Eater … if the Ministry had been unable to identify Pettigrew's body ... if the veil had been destroyed before Harry got there…
So many 'if's but if seemed that after the last hectic year since Voldemort's fall things were finally looking up and, with Remus and Sirius, Harry would finally be allowed to live a life so long denied him. A slight smile turned the corner of Harry's lips at this thought and the movement brought him back out of reverie, making him realise that the hot chocolate he had been absently stirring for Merlin knew how long was probably becoming quite cold. He let go of the spoon and looked up, his eyes locking with Sirius's worried gaze.
"Tell me what's wrong," Sirius told him, reaching out to Harry's hand which lay thawing on the table with his own numb fingers.
"Nothing's wrong," Harry told him truthfully and upon seeing Sirius's dubious look he added, "Really, I'm just thinking that's all."
"About what?" Sirius asked as he scanned his eyes over Harry's tired features. Nightmares again, he supposed. Everyone suffered in the night from events which had plagued them and, understandably, none worse than Harry. Almost every night he screamed out into his empty room, the silencing charms ensuring his voice went no further until he awoke and crept into the bed of either Sirius or Remus. Or them to his.
The behaviour seen by others as childish didn't feel so to them. It had long been discovered by the three that a physical presence during the night helped keep them grounded during the worst of their dreams. It also gave them someone with whom to talk over the alarming visions given to them by their subconscious.
"Now who's lost in their own thoughts?" Harry's slightly amused voice brought Sirius back to the café with the slightest of blushes creeping into his cheeks.
"Sorry," muttered Sirius as he tried to recall what their subject matter had been. He failed.
"You asked me what I'd been thinking about," Harry supplied helpfully, making Sirius look quite sheepish. "However, I'm far more curious as to what you were thinking of."
"Just thinking that you look worn out," Sirius told him truthfully, "and I wondered whether you'd been having nightmares recently?"
"You looked exhausted yourself so I decided to let you sleep and wake Remus instead," Harry said, answering the accusations of favouritism inherent in Sirius's voice and in his choice of diction. A flicker of a smile touched Sirius's face; Harry never missed a thing, especially not the little things implied in his speech.
"Wake me as frequently as you like," Sirius told him and this time it was Harry's turn to smile.
"Oh I will. You can count on that."
"Only when you've been having nightmares!" Sirius scowled. "Anyway, before you distract me entirely, what were you thinking about?"
"How differently things could have turned out and everything that's happened to us, you know?" Harry said quietly.
"I admit that things could have gone a lot better but at the same time they could have been a hell of a lot worse," Sirius told him and Harry nodded.
"I know, and I know I have a future now and a life and everything but I can't help but get absorbed in the past…" Harry admitted. Sirius appeared to be thinking and there were a few moments until he spoke but Harry could tell he was trying to phrase his next words carefully.
"I can't imagine what it must have been like for you, what with everyone you've lost and everything you've been through. Yes, it will have changed you and you'll never forget the things you've been through but it's over now," Sirius said carefully, watching Harry for any sign of irritation of anger against him. "You've fulfilled the prophecy, you've killed Voldemort and now you can do whatever the hell you want with your life. Whether you want it or not, Remus and I will be with you, looking out for you because we love you. You've still got breath in your body and friends who care about you so live while you can. You never know when life will be snatched away from you." He finished realising that he'd been babbling towards the end and glanced down at his hand whilst was still holding on to that of Harry's.
"That was very sweet, Sirius," Harry smiled, knowing that if anyone would know the cruelty of sudden and unexpected death then it would be Sirius. After all, he'd experienced it. He moved around the table and wrapped his arms around Sirius tightly. "Thank you," he whispered into Sirius's ear, "and I love you too. Shall we get out of here and go for a wander?"
"An excellent idea," Sirius grinned and slipped his coat back on. They stepped through the doorway into the icy street and Sirius pressed a kiss to Harry's temple as they passed under the mistletoe. "So, continuing our conversation from the other day: what would you hate to happen in the future?" Harry grinned at the remembrance of their previous conversation as Sirius wound an arm around his shoulders and steered him down the street.