Sirius was at the door, ready to greet everyone with a grin. He looked so much healthier than the last time Harry had seen him, and his biggest smile was for his godson. He took Harry into a tight hug.
"This is your home?" Harry asked.
"It's my family's. And I'm the only family left, so I guess it is mine."
Morgana appeared behind them, brushing off the outside and placing her travelling cloak on a hook by the door.
"Pureblood families are complex. There's a line a mile long of who takes this house after Sirius," Morgana commented with a smirk.
"It's yours if you want it, cursed portraits and all," Sirius shot back with a similar smirk.
"Although your mother quite enjoys me; I'm very far down that line, but I do appreciate the offer," she answered, passing by him and into the kitchen.
Remus passed by them next, but only glanced at Sirius as he followed Morgana.
More strangeness.
"Come along, Harry. The meeting is going to start soon and everyone else wants to see you."
Morgana sat uncomfortably between Sirius and Remus. It was not her choice, she'd been busy helping Molly Weasley serve up coffee and hot chocolate to everyone at the table, placing Tonks' in front of her and whispering something to her that made her carefully grip it and drink with both hands. Harry immediately noticed Morgana sipping on what was clearly not blood. Remus glanced at her for a moment, but Dumbledore cleared his throat to speak and brought everyone's attention to him.
"Thank you to the team that took charge of Harry. Harry, you will be staying here with the Weasleys, Morgana, and Sirius. You are also expected at the Ministry for your hearing just before the start of term. You will be escorted by Aurors Tonks and Queen Morgana to that hearing."
Harry looked at Morgana, who smiled a bit as she sipped her coffee.
"You're coming too?"
"Apparently there is something I need to hear. The Minister and I have an appointment after your hearing," she shrugged her shoulders a bit. Harry could tell that this subject, much like the many others he'd brought up, had more to it than anyone was saying.
"Well, we have things to discuss and it's quite late. Harry, Ron and Hermione are no doubt waiting for you eagerly upstairs," Molly said, patting his shoulder.
"I want to be a part of the meeting. I want to know what's going on," Harry insisted. Morgana and Sirius exchanged a look, then sent their eyes to Dumbledore.
"Not tonight," he answered back sternly.
"He should be allowed to stay, Headmaster," Morgana said, Sirius nodded in echoed stance.
"Not tonight," Dumbledore repeated a bit more sternly.
"Headmaster, he's my godson; I want him here," Sirius said.
"Godson or not, he's not of age," Remus said quietly.
Complete silence echoed between the two of them in the form of Morgana tensing up.
"Harry, go," she said finally.
Harry reluctantly rose from his chair, and Molly escorted him up to his room. As soon as they left the kitchen, he could hear a set of arguing voices but Molly hurried him along up the steps. Sure enough, Hermione and Ron were both awake and ready to talk.
"Harry, we are so sorry we couldn't answer your mail. Dumbledore swore us to secrecy and there's no way we could talk about this place," Hermione said immediately as Harry took a seat on his new bed.
"I understand that now but… what's going on around here? Why is everyone acting so damn weird?"
Hermione took a deep breath and Ron coughed.
"Well, Sirius has been cooped up here for a while and it makes him pretty antsy. Morgana too, I guess there was an attempt on her life; they think it was Death Eaters. So she's in hiding. And her and Lupin have not said a word to each other since they arrived here last week, makes it quite difficult for them to get any work done. She's still pretty mad about their break up."
"Well she should be. I mean, he practically proposed then nearly killed her, and she still wanted to be with him, and he still left her," Ron added. Harry shook his head.
"Lots of drama. No wonder you all were too busy for me."
"That's not even the best part. Sirius has been spending all his free time, which is all his time, around Morgana. It's driving Lupin nuts. They finally blew up on each other last night at dinner over something ridiculous. Literally, at each other's throats. Sirius is a spirited man but I've never seen Lupin come anywhere close to losing his cool like that. Morgana broke it up and they both went off to their rooms. Not a word between them since then either," Ron showed off animatedly as he spoke, clenching his fists much like he imagined the two men had. He couldn't picture Lupin angry, it must have been a sight. But another thought that made Harry feel a bit irritated at the thought escaped through his mouth in response.
"So is she dating my godfather then?"
Neither one of them had an answer. Harry changed the subject, asked about school and the summer and got tidbits of information about the Order. But he felt strangely heading to bed, fearful. He could feel the nightmare coming before he even closed his eyes.
