Authors note sorry I haven't updated this story in a while I've either been too sick or to busy. Anyway want to do one thing before I let you all get reading thats to respond to the review of my good friend paradise who left hers anonymously. I was wondering when you'd get to this story first of all thanks for the wonderful things you say we all feel bad for him and not going to answer your question you just have to wait and find out although I will say that there is quite a magnitude in strength as compared to reunion with darkness
Chapter Three
Confirmations and Reactions
written by Empathicallychosen
"I'm a believer in that, . . . I am a great believer in found families and I'm not a great believer in blood. Although I love my family, even the ones I grew up with, to me I've always felt that the people who treated you with respect and included you in their lives were your family and the people who were related to you by blood might happen to be those people but that correlation was a lot less strong than society believes it is." - Joss Whedon
Sirius was filled with a blind rage. He let out a roar loud enough to reawaken his mother's deranged portrait. He was going to kill those pitiful excuses for human beings. Sirius didn't care about getting caught or thrown back into Azkaban all he wanted was to get at that fat tub of lard Dursley. Sirius never thought he could be angrier at anyone then he was with Pettigrew the night that Lily and James were murdered and somehow strangely enough the rage he was feeling at this very moment was a hundredfold more powerful than that memory. It was so strong that Sirius lost control of all his other senses. He couldn't hear, the shapes in front of him were distorted and all he could feel was pure unbridled fury.
The second he was doing he realized that for the second time that day Remus was holding him back. Although he still couldn't hear exactly what was being said he could distinctly see Remus's lips moving forming the words; No, think and Harry. At long last some common sense rush back to him and he realized that if he was careless and got caught doing something stupid Harry would have no choice but to return to that wretched place. Sirius's stupid actions already landed Harry in that torment once, he could not allow it to happen again.
Dropping to his knees, Sirius began to sob uncontrollably. Tentatively Remus released Sirius slumping down on the floor next to him before embracing Sirius in a brotherly hug. Sirius felt the tears trickling down Remus's face and knew he wasn't the only one crying. The two of them sat like that for the longest time both suffering from grief and guilt.
Sirius just couldn't understand it. A person doesn't just wake up one morning and decide to take out their frustrations on a child. These things had to have been going on for awhile. Nonetheless if that was true why didn't Harry say something to someone? Sirius always told himself that if the Dursleys were too terrible Harry would write him and Sirius could -- what was it Harry said in that letter to tell him about his scar hurting last year? Oh yeah, turn them into bats. Sirius would have gladly done such a thing if Harry had just confided in him. Didn't Harry trust him? Had Sirius really behaved so irresponsibly over the past few years that Harry felt Sirius needed protecting from himself. That was stupid! Sirius was the adult. It was Sirius's job to protect Harry, not the other way around.
Sirius's next thought was that he ought to have suspected something was amiss the very first time he saw Harry walking down the street with his school trunk in the middle of the night. Happy, well-adjusted children didn't blow up women for no reason and then run away. As a dog spying on Harry from the forbidden Forest Sirius overheard Harry telling a few of his friends he merely lost his temper because the wretched woman insulted Lily and James. With the new revelations Remus discovered, Sirius couldn't help but wonder if there was more to the story than Harry let on. Then there was the time Sirius asked Harry to live with him. They had only known each other a few hours but Harry agreed.
Sirius had been so happy he forgot to be suspicious, but now it was all he could think about. Harry didn't know Sirius that well at the time. Sirius might not have been the deranged mass murderer everyone thought he was. But how was Harry to know that his godfather's intentions were actually pure. Thinking back on it that should have been a big red flag. Just like the way Molly confessed that Harry sent Hedwig in the middle of the night informing them of Dudley's diet. Merlin's pants! No wonder Harry always looked so scrawny. Those monsters didn't feed him! Why hadn't Sirius seen it? How could he have been so blind?
How could they treat Harry so poorly? The boy was just about the most tenderhearted child anyone could hope to meet. Even Snape admitted that Harry's concern for others was paramount to any other self-respecting boy. Granted the vindictive man called it sickening but that was only because Snape's own heart was pathetically weaker in comparison. Harry saved Sirius from a horrible fate and Sirius failed to protect the boy in turn. He understood the reasons he'd been unable to give Harry a proper home like he'd intended to.
By the same token Sirius was fairly certain that there had to be an option he overlooked. This couldn't have been Harry's destiny. Sirius didn't believe in inescapable destiny. Notwithstanding if they did exist the fates couldn't be cruel enough to allow such a gentle child to be beaten and cast aside. Wasn't Karma supposed to reward good behavior? There were so many questions in Sirius's mind that needed answering. Luckily Harry chose just that moment to walk by the room that Sirius and Remus were barricaded in discussing something of great interest to the men in low whispers. The process of whispering was utterly pointless to the two men with incredible canine senses.
"... blood wards. If Harry's cupboard didn't convince Dumbledore things aren"t right in that place, nothing will," Hermione was saying.
"I have half a mind to tell Mum about the rest of those extendable ears. Those two almost got you killed with their stupid prank," Ron said bitterly.
"Why don't we worry about what to do with Fred and George later. Right now we have to adjust the glamour powder so that it will mask this blood from Moony and Padfoot."
"I hate to say this but how are we supposed to do that when we don't know what blood smells like to wolves and dogs in the first place," Ron interjected.
"We better think of something. I'm not losing the closest thing to family I have just because I'm too pathetic to -- . . . "
The conversation died away, leaving both Remus and Sirius completely stunned. On one hand they had the proof that they were definitely dealing with abuse. On the other they also now had knowledge that Ron and Hermione both knew what was going on. Under ordinary circumstances Sirius might have been outraged that both Harry's friends knew about what was going on at the Dursleys and never bothered to say anything to him. Then again it seemed they were trained to believe all of that nonsense about blood wards being the most important thing to keeping Harry safe. Why would they confide in him if they thought Sirius and Remus would just lose their tempers and make several idle threats?
No, Sirius couldn't blame Harry's friends they were just children, fifteen-year-olds who thought they knew everything there was to know about everything they haven't already learned. He would and could blame Harry's predicament on the headmaster however. The nerve of that man to know that Harry was at the very least being neglected and not doing anything to prevent it! What was all this talk of cupboards and what else did they need to know?
Then there were the comments Harry made about why these things needed to remain secret from his godfather. Sirius was absolutely appalled to realize that Harry blamed himself for his troubles. How could he possibly think of himself as weak when Vernon Dursley was approximately four times Harry's size? In spite of the tone of the rest of the revelations Sirius couldn't help being pleased that Harry considered him to be his real family.
Molly called everyone downstairs for dinner and Sirius decided the confrontation could wait until after the meal. Sirius and Remus walked into the kitchen only to find Harry was the only one seated at the massive kitchen table . Probably because Molly was too busy ordering everyone else around to notice Harry wasn't helping as well. Sirius couldn't blame him. His poor godson looked positively dead on his feet. Good boy, you rest up tonight. I'll send for Poppy after the meeting and we'll have you fixed up in no time. Unfortunately for Harry, Molly soon realized Harry wasn't pulling his own weight and instructed him to go collect cutlery from a drawer.
Sirius knew Molly had no idea what she was doing to the boy. Nevertheless, he couldn't help glaring at the woman's audacity. Harry groaned as he got to his feet. Sirius winced at the grimace of pain that flashed across his godson's face. He wanted to scream at Harry to sit back down before he hurt himself even more and he couldn't because he didn't want to confront Harry in front of the Weasleys, Tonks and Kingsley.
He watched carefully as Harry walked over to the place Molly indicated conscious of the fact that Harry was limping with each step he took. Unexpectedly Harry got halfway to his destination and collapsed. Sirius was at the boy's side in a matter of seconds. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. Harry was still conscious. Instantly Remus went about checking his vital signs. Harry responded by pushing Remus away with a horrified expression on his face.
"What are you doing?! I'm fine," he protested.
"Harry, Remus and I heard you talking to Hermione and Ron earlier. We know better than that," Sirius replied.
Harry's eyes widened in shock. The boy began muttering furiously to himself. Ron looked about ready to vomit, while Hermione burst into loud, inconsolable tears. Tonks, Kingsley and the remaining Weasley's stared. Taking charge of the situation Sirius announced that Harry, Hermione and Ron would be eating upstairs with himself and Remus. Molly was not too happy but Sirius ignored her. Molly may have viewed herself as Harry's surrogate mother figure but she wasn't. Lily was and she and James both chose him to make decisions in their stead, not Molly. True, she did have control over her son's actions but Sirius had strongly suspected that Harry's best mate wouldn't leave him to talk about the abuse without at least providing some moral support.
As soon as the group left the kitchen Sirius picked up his godson and carried him up the stairs like a small child. They didn't need to aggravate the boy's injuries if they could help it. Harry tensed at the touch looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Instinctively Sirius pushed Harry's head against his chest forcing Harry to nestle deeper into the embrace. Sirius didn't know it yet but the man had unconsciously created a goal to make Harry more comfortable with human affection. Sirius didn't care if he had to keep Harry imprisoned here for the rest of his life to accomplish it. Remus smiled knowingly expressing his desire for the same thing. When they got upstairs Sirius marched everyone inside the room designated just for Harry.
If Molly realized that instead of cleaning the areas of the house she instructed the Azkaban fugitive was really creating a paradise for the Gryffindor seeker, she would have skinned the man alive. As of this moment however, Sirius officially didn't care. It was worth it to see Harry's awestruck face as he stared around at all of the Quidditch posters that Sirius hand selected for Harry. Harry was laid to rest gently beneath the golden silk covers and presented with his steak and kidney pie, twice-baked potato and garden salad before Sirius close the door allowing the group some privacy.
As the door closed Harry's whole body trembled with undeniable terror as if the first thing Harry expected series to do was to shout at him for being so stupid. Or worse . . . Empathetically, Remus poured Harry an ice cold glass of pumpkin juice and helped Harry take several sips before Sirius sat down at the end of Harry's bed stroking the child's hand reassuringly. All of a sudden Harry burst into sobs.
"I'm sorry, Sirius, I'm sorry, I know I disappointed you." Harry murmured. "I should have -- . . . "
"Don't you dare finish that sentence! You didn't do anything wrong," Sirius stated firmly.
"But I -- . . . "'
"Look, Harry, why don't you just tell us what's been going on," Remus suggested. "Why didn't you explain what goes on at your relatives, earlier?"
Harry took a deep shuddering breath and started talking about some of his earliest memories. He explained how he was left outside like a dog forced to perform backbreaking labor and then whipped when he failed the obviously daunting tasks. He explained being made to do the cooking for his family at age six, an age most parents would frown upon even letting their child near the stove.
Harry also explain having his hand burned in hot bacon grease if ever the food was not prepared to Petunia's specifications. He explained how at school Harry spent most of his time trying to figure out how to hide his problems from classmates and staff members. A problem until recently Harry, Ron and Hermione were effectively hiding with the use of a glamour powder the threesome invented. Sirius was appalled that someone could treat his godchild in such a deplorable manner. Before Sirius could fully decide what action to take Molly called up to the two men informing them that it was time for the order meeting to start.
"Okay Harry, you've made a good start in the right direction. You three just relax and when the meeting is over Sirius and I will talk to Dumbledore and Poppy. Grimmauld places heavily protected already. I'm sure with a few more wards in place the headmaster will agree you'll be better off here," Remus declared.
"We can't do that. The headmaster said it was imperative for us to be at the meeting today," Hermione interjected.
"Ordinarily I'd say you have every right to be at that meeting but I really think you'd be better off resting for the time being," said Sirius.
"Oh come on Sirius," responded Ron. "The meeting is just a bunch of people sitting around and talking it's not like you're going to make Harry run the mile. Besides if we don't go back downstairs, the twins are just going to come up here and pester us anyway."
Sirius considered this for a while before consenting.
"Fine but you sit with me and if I so much as think you're being overstimulated . . . " He allowed his sentence to trail off before picking up Harry and carrying him downstairs.
