A/N: Sorry that this one is so short, this ended at a place I was happy with and didnt want to start on a new line until the next chapter.
Look at this two updates, sorry for having them so late at night though, didnt want to wait until morning.
Chapter 3 Soaps on the Telly
-CRACK-
Harry woke with a start tumbling out of bed he groaned at being woken up. Glancing at his clock he saw that it was only 6:30 in the morning. He had been up late the other night going over Sirius's letter that he had received in the evening. He was a bit worried about his godfather while everything seemed ok in the letter Harry could tell he was not ok.
This was the only the third letter that Sirius had sent him so far but Harry could tell there was a difference. He wished that he would be able to see Sirius before the trial but he understood that part. However the rest of the letter had Harry worried, he obviously didn't want to go back to that house and it showed the way his words got off topic and rambled.
Not that Harry wasn't happy to learn a bit more about his past. He just hoped Sirius was ok last night. Shaking his head Harry got up off the floor and put his glasses on wondering what it was that woke him up.
Blinking Harry turned around only to stare in shock. Standing on the other side of the room were two large bright eyes staring right back at him. Eerily they blinked slowly and continued to look at him.
Quickly Harry turned his beside lamp on to see that a house elf had appeared in his room. His first thought at seeing the creature was that for some reason Dobby had come to him for some reason, but on closer inspection he was startled to see a really old looking house elf. There were tufts of white hair sticking out of his bat like ears and he was wearing some really old looking rags.
"Um—"
"Harry Potter?" the elf asked in a deep gravelly voice, at least deep for a house elf. There was still the noticeable squeak they all possessed.
"Yes," Harry replied hesitantly wondering why this strange elf was here.
"Letter from Mistress Emma." He spoke handing over the letter with a slight bow.
"Um thank you?" Harry replied.
"Thank you," the elf replied with a shudder. "The Potter brat is thanking Kreacher. Such an odd boy he is, Kreacher is not knowing what to think. Mistress Emma is like that to she is. Kreacher is not used to thanks. Kreacher is wondering where Master Sirius is picking up these strange friends, at least Master is treating Kreacher as always. Such strange wizards."
Harry watched as the elf mumbled to himself while looking at Harry with questioning eyes. This elf was the complete opposite of Dobby, but then Harry thought Dobby was pretty unique among house elves. Even Ron thought Dobby was strange for an elf.
"Um I'll write back to Emma later after reading it." Harry said hoping the elf would go away soon but unsure how to dismiss him.
Kreacher stopped his mumbling and peered at Harry before nodding and disappearing with a large crack. Harry hoped the noise of Kreacher coming and going hadn't woken his uncle. So far they weren't giving him too many problems this summer, but he didn't want to start anything.
Sighing Harry sat down at his desk and looked at the letter in his hand. It was from Emma this time and not Sirius. Opening it Harry began to read curious as to what she had to say.
Hey Harry, (sorry if Kreacher was rude, we're at the house I can't exactly find an owl at the moment to send this. Kreacher is the Black's family house elf by the way. Sirius got control of him when we got to the house.)
So sorry I haven't been messing with the letters like I said I would. It's been a rollercoaster and back dealing with Sirius every day, not to mention how incredibly high maintained it is taking care of a hippogriff. Don't worry about your concerns, I promise we will sit and have a talk soon. Once we get the trial out of the way I'll explain some things to you. Wish me luck because I plan on explaining a few things to Sirius in the morning.
You should have seen Sirius when we got to his old house he was so nervous. We eventually made it in the house after the wards surrounding it let us in, they had to accept him as the head of the Black family first. His mother's portrait on the other hand was not so accepting. She was a right nasty and spiteful witch when she was alive and not much better as a painting. Sirius and she never got along especially after he was accepted into Gryffindor. As soon as she caught sight of him last night the curses started flowing, she had just about every bad thing one could say to yell at him. The worst part is that she's glued herself on the wall with a permanent sticking charm, can't take the frame down. Luckily there are curtains so we can cover her and get her to shut up. The house elf Kreacher is not too bad, but it helps that I had the right thing to say to him to guarantee his loyalty. He's really old and personally I think he's a bit touched in the head after being cooped up in this house all these years with only the portrait of Walburga Black to keep him company.
I think we got as far into the house as the study before we found Orion Black's (Sirius's father) liquor cabinet, least wise I think it was his. If not than it was his mother's and it just doesn't seem to fit her. I only had a little to drink, the Firewiskey had an odd taste to it that I'm not used to, I don't drink much. But Sirius took to it like a fish to water, he drank the whole bottle last night and got completely smashed. Twelve years of forced sobriety in prison does nothing to your alcohol tolerance. He fell asleep about 30 minutes ago on the couch.
Can't really blame him, he's got so much stress right now. The unsettling feeling of moving back to his old home plus the oncoming trial is not doing him any good. He hides it well but I can tell he's really worried. He's really hoping that his word and memories along with what the Minister witnessed will be enough.
But enough with this depressing shit. We sent Buckbeak back to Hagrid's when we got to London, he seemed really happy to leave. I plan on doing a bit of exploring in the morning, can't wait to see the rest of the house. I think you'll really love it when you come here for a visit, it's more of a traditional wizarding home I think, completely different from the Weasley's. And before you say anything of course Sirius would love for you to visit. He can't wait to act like a proper godfather to you.
Well I am going to finish this up, its late and I think it would be better to talk more in person. I'll see you when I pick you up for the trial.
Your New Friend,
Emma Lance
PS if you have any ideas that might help Sirius argue his case that would be great. Our testaments are nice but it will be really nice to have more to rely on.
Harry thought over what he had just learned, seemed Sirius was ok for the most part and Emma was taking good care of him. Apparently she had noticed something was off with him as well. While he didn't get much on her, it was nice to learn something about Sirius.
There was something nagging at Harry tough as he looked at the letter, something about the words at the end were bothering him, like they were important or something.
-KNOCK KNOCK-
The sudden banging on his door startled Harry for the second time that morning. Looking over at his clock he saw that it was now almost 8 in the morning.
"What are you still doing in there? Get downstairs and start working on breakfast boy!" Aunt Petunia shouted from the other side.
Sighing Harry stuffed the letter in his pocket and went downstairs to get started on the food. The words from the letter troubling him the whole morning.
After breakfast Harry found himself walking past the living room and headed for the front door intent on escaping the house and finding time outside by himself. As he passed the opening to the living room Harry paused something nagging at the back of his mind. The sounds of the television in the background of the room loud enough for Harry to catch the words from whatever program Aunt Petunia was watching.
"It shouldn't matter what his will clearly states—"
"I don't care what his will states, the estate is not going to that no good son of mine."
"But Lord Argus wanted the title and lands to go to Fredric. There is nothing you can do, his will is very clear on you not getting anything. Fredric is of age and there is no way of getting around that."
"Only if Fredric is alive to get his inheritance. If he is dead then it goes to his bastard son. The boy is easy enough to control and I would have no problem becoming guardian since his whore of a mother is dead."
"Eleanora you can't be serious, this is your son we're talking about."
"Fredric will never see a word of that will."
"BOY! Why are you just standing there?!" Uncle Vernon's voice rang out startling Harry.
Harry jumped and turned to face his Uncle. Mumbling an apology Harry rushed to his room, all thoughts of finding an escape outside long gone. After hearing that bit on the telly Harry realized what it had been that had been bothering him about Emma's letter. Reaching his room he pulled out his quill and parchment and began to write a hasty letter.
Putting down his quill in satisfaction Harry rolled up the parchment and went over to Hedwig's cage opening it. Urging her out, he tied the letter to her leg.
"Take this to Sirius girl." Harry said bringing her over to his window. He watched as she flew off out of sight.
"Boy! What are you still doing in here? Get outside and work on your chores!" Uncle Vernon yelled from downstairs.
"Sorry Uncle, I was writing a letter to my godfather, you know the one waiting on trial for mass murder." Harry commented as he went downstairs, smirking inwardly at the gaping look Uncle Vernon had adopted upon hearing he had just finished writing to Sirius. He practically skipped out the front door hoping to get away with a scolding for that.
