Synchro lover: thank you I am continuing this story. Thanks for the review.
Disbelief
For Harry James Potter one of the many students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the school term was flying by. This came as much of a surprise to Alex considering that he hadn't wanted to come back too busy spending his time being fucked by his lover who claimed to be his godfather and was also a wanted Dark Wizard whose master had killed Harry's parents, Harry had destroyed his master's body and his master and all his followers still wanted Harry dead. Oh yeah Sirius Black didn't know that James Green was really the Boy Who Lived. But apart from that they had a completely normal relationship.
One day it had been the first day of school with Harry drinking down the potion that Dumbledore insisted he take and struggling to concentrate his mind keeping slipping back to Sirius Black or Rus Lupin and Remus Lupin who Harry knew had once been friends with Sirius Black and James Potter. Oh life was so confusing for a teenager wizard. Or maybe that was just Harry. That day Ron and Hermione had been to Hogsmeade the all Wizard village but Harry unfortunately hadn't been able to go since the Dursleys hadn't signed the form. Not that Harry could have asked them considering he hadn't stepped one foot in their house all summer. Not that they would have anyway; they would nothing that would make their freaky nephew happy and having fun with his friends at the local village definitely counted as fun.
So instead he had been invited back to Remus Lupin's office where they had spoke about Harry's parents and Harry's lessons. Harry was very relieved that Lupin did not think Harry was weak. Because he wasn't! Apart from seeing Snape (who wanted to do that?) the day had been far more enjoyable than Harry had thought it would be. And to top it off Ron had brought him back from Hogsmeade some gifts mainly a ton of brightly coloured sweets in even more bright coloured wrappings many of which Harry had never even have hear of although some he had bought on the Hogwarts express.
Then after the feast came the surprising queue outside the portrait of the Fat Lady the entrance to their Common Room. Harry thought this odd – it had never happened before! And he didn't think it was because of Neville as Ron thought it was as it had never happened before and Neville forgot the password all the time. Someone behind Neville would always have told him what the password was and Harry saw no reason for that to change now. And sure enough right behind Harry was Neville. So it wasn't because of Neville. Then the crow moved a little and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville were finally able to observe the Fat Lady. Or what was left of her. For there was her painting covered with knife slashes and no Fat Lady was anywhere to be seen. There were gasps from all the students present.
Then Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's face appeared his bright blue eyes absent of any twinkle currently, 'we need to find her,' Dumbledore said sharply. 'Professor McGonagall,' Dumbledore turned to the Head of Gryffindor House, 'please go to Mr. Filch,' Dumbledore ordered. 'At once,' he said sharply when she didn't seem to be moving, 'and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady.'
Then suddenly Peeves who had been watching the proceedings obviously loving the chaos that was around interrupted, 'you'll be lucky,' cackled the poltergeist called Peeves.
Dumbledore, McGonagall and the students turned to the poltergeist but it was Dumbledore who questioned the poltergeist, 'what do you mean Peeves?' asked Headmaster Dumbledore.
Peeves seemed to realise that he couldn't deny the Headmaster his wishes, 'ashamed,' explained Peeves. 'Your headship, sir,' Peeves said redundantly. 'Doesn't want to be seen,' explained Peeves. 'She's in a horrible mess,' added Peeves with a horrible chuckle making Harry angry the horrible poltergeist. 'Saw her running through the landscape,' Peeves explained to the crowd listening with baited breath, 'on the fourth floor,' Peeves added and there was a sudden movement but Dumbledore held up a hand so much. 'Poor thing,' he added.
Dumbledore looked at Peeves again, 'did she say who did it?' asked Dumbledore his voice quiet but able to carry over the rabble of the students and very grave not showing any other emotions or reactions at the state of the Fat Lady.
Peeves nodded eagerly still with that sickly grin in his face, 'oh yes, Professorhead,' Peeves said using yet another supposed term of respect for the Headmaster of Hogwarts he smirked at the Headmaster. 'He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in,' Peeves explained and everyone wondered who it was, 'you see. Nasty temper,' well that was pretty obvious someone with a nice temper does not slash a defenceless portrait to pieces. 'He's got that Sirius Black,' and Harry tensed up not wanting to believe it was true as the poltergeist just smirked.
The reaction to Peeves the Poltergesit's pronouncement of who attacked the Fat Lady was stupendous. The students lost control in their panic and screams; Harry had only seen them like this once before and that was when Quirrell announced there was a troll in the school. Well Harry supposed that was because there was a supposed mass murderer in the school. Peeves was cackling happily at the chaos that between he and Black had caused. Only Harry and Dumbledore seemed not be panicking but Harry was in shock and Dumbledore let off several firecrackers to calm down the students and the atmosphere of the chaos the Gryffindor students were causing was turned into a silent shock at their headmaster's actions.
Harry was just staring around the stair case leading to the Common Room numbly unable to accept the truth of what had happened. Of what Sirius Black had done. Of what Rus Lupin had done. Of the betrayal of his lover! The tatters of what had once been the Fat Lady's portrait seemed to staring at him mockingly; mocking Harry for his continued love of the Dark Wizard who still supported Voldemort. But still some part of Harry deep within his soul hoped against hoped that Harry was wrong about Rus. He couldn't let go of him; not yet!
Harry was completely unable to process what had happened tonight. It made no sense to him. The others would think he was frightened. But Harry wasn't. He could never be frightened of his lover! How could one teenager put to completely different people together as the same person; one person filled with love and passion for Harry and the other was a psychotic mass murderer. They couldn't be the same person! He thought back on his memories of Rus Lupin who was Sirius Black and it just didn't make sense there had been no indication of the darkness that lay within his soul! So he couldn't be Voldemort's right hand man. He couldn't be. He just couldn't. Could he?
Look at the terrible destruction of Sirius Black that Harry had heard of and now could see the evidence before his very eyes. But Harry had seen the wanted pictures all over the newspapers. And they were exactly the same people despite what their different in personalities said. Unless they were identical twin brothers (which wasn't very likely) or had multiple personality disorders the only possibility is that one of these personas was a fake. And Harry hoped against hope that it was the destructive Sirius Black that was the fake personality but it was more likely that Black had been lying to him for the entire duration of their relationship.
Harry was feeling physically ill and he probably looked as bad as he felt; all pale, clammy and sweaty. Not Harry's normal look at all! He really hoped that there was another explanation for what had happened tonight. That someone else had done this … this catastrophe not his Rus. That Peeves had lied for some reason and Dumbledore hadn't noticed. But this again didn't seem very likely and he was beginning to believe what he hoped he'd never believe; that he'd fallen for a psychopath. There was no other option but to accept that fact he thought with a sigh.
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry worriedly and had to half drag him away from the portrait whole and down the stair cases into the Great Hall. Ron was worried about Harry. It made no sense why he was acting this way. Harry was the bravest person he'd ever seen. He fought with a Basilisk and You Know Who and then acted if it was nothing! But now he looked like he was going to throw up. Harry didn't even join in with their theories on how Black had gotten in as he lay staring up at the starry sky seemingly in his own world!
Hermione, also, thought about Harry's heartbroken expression that she didn't understand at all (unless he was in love with the Fat Lady she thought with a laugh). She looked across the sleeping bags when the Ravenclawes dressed in pyjamas rubbing sleep out of their eyes carrying books with them, the Slytherins looking around suspiciously and the Hufflepuffs hanging around together speaking in hushed tones about what had happened joined them in the Great Hall. The teachers too were dressed in pyjamas as they came looking very grim. The House Heads were making sure all the students were there by taking their houses's registers any missing students were located and dragged into the hall.
The teachers then left Percy and Penelope (the Head Boy and Head Girl) and the prefects in charge whilst they searched the school for Sirius Black. Harry couldn't stop himself got hoping against hope that Rus had escaped. Harry knew that Ron and Hermione were worried about him. The fact that Harry wasn't joining in the rest of the students' conversations about Black had managed to breach all the wards that Dumbledore himself had placed there. There were some theories that were quite plainly ridiculous.
The next day at Hogwarts the teachers were desperately trying to make the castle safer for all the students. But Harry didn't even seem to notice this. Hermione thought that Harry was acting very oddly; he looked like he hadn't slept a wink and then he had spent the whole morning skulking in the Common Room. He hadn't left one time after they had returned there to apparently get dressed (Ron had to convince Harry to get dressed in the first place) and then he refused to come down for breakfast. Hermione didn't understand what was going on in Harry's head. Hermione had been watching him all day and was becoming increasingly concerned about his behaviour even Ron had noticed and Ron didn't notice anything! Harry rarely got scared of anything and now he seemed too scared to leave the Common Room. Under the usual circumstances Harry would usually have already have begun to theorise (with Hermione clamping down on Harry's more fantastical ideas) and plan with Ron on what to do; on how to find Sirius Black and then catch him. But today every time that either Ron or Hermione so much as tried to talk about Black he seemed to freeze up.
'Harry?' Hermione asked once again trying to get through to her friend but apparently to no avail as all her friend did was cast her half a glance before he returned to staring at the ceiling and Hermione wondered if there was something that he wasn't telling them. Hermione sighed and passed on McGonagall's message, 'Professor McGonagall asked me to tell you that she wants to see you in her office as soon as possible.'
Harry nodded absently obviously not caring about McGonagall at this given moment, 'I better go then,' Harry murmured morosely.
Hermione gave Harry a pensive look and tried another time to get Harry to talk to her, 'Harry are you okay?' asked Hermione worriedly.
'Huh,' Harry asked having obviously not been listening to Hermione, 'oh yes fine,' Harry sounded very distracted.
Hermione frowned at Harry's reaction to Hermione's question; he obviously wasn't listening! Harry slouched looking very depressed out of the Gryffindor Common Room looking like he was walking to his execution. Hermione wondered if it was just fear that had Harry act like this! All day his eyes had been red, blood shot and puffy and looked like he had spent a good portion of the night crying about what Hermione couldn't understand. And all morning Harry had been moping about looking like someone had died. There was something seriously wrong with her friend but Hermione didn't know what and she planned to find out so that she could help Harry. Hermione Granger just that minute resolved to keep both of her brown eyes on her raven haired friend to make sure nothing more happened to him.
Meanwhile a few floors down in Deputy Headmistress and the Head of Gryffindor House's Minerva McGonagall's Office Minerva McGonagall herself was waiting for her student who had the biggest knack for trouble. There was a sharp knock at her door and Minerva knew it was the child she was waiting for. A messy raven haired, emerald eyed bespectacled, almost sickly pale faced boy with a lightening bolt scar appeared at the door. Minerva was slightly less than happy about the boy's appearance surely the one night on the floor of the Great Hall couldn't have had such a drastic effect on them especially since Minerva was well aware that Harry's childhood had been far less than idea.
He had been left to sleep in a cupboard for the first ten years of his life but at least he was being treated better since his second letter was addressed to the smallest bedroom. Minerva wished again and again that Harry could have a home where the child was actually loved. But he wasn't and Dumbledore refused point blank to move him insisting it was necessary that the child was protected from the Death Eaters. But Minerva was sure that Harry would be safe enough in Hogwarts all year round. She would stay with him but unfortunately Dumbledore didn't listen to her.
If it had been any other thirteen year old child under Minerva's care Minerva would think that the boy's ghostly pallor Minerva would have thought it was fear. But Harry Potter does not do fear! No this was the boy who fought with trolls and basilisks and evil wizards and then worried about how everyone else was. Minerva watched Harry suspiciously trying to figure out what was wrong with the child. But Harry Potter was not giving anything more away than the pain within those emerald orbs and the pale tones within his skin.
'Potter are you alright?' asked Minerva worriedly.
'Fine,' Harry said but Minerva could telling he was lying.
McGonagall may not have believed her student but she knew by the stubborn look in Lily Evans' green eyes that was completely Lily's that he was no way in hell going to reveal the truth. Minerva was well aware of just how independent Harry was but hoped that Harry would confide in someone most likely Granger as she was just as stubborn as Harry so if anyone could get her to confide in him it would be her! But she turned to the matter in hand that she had to tell the pale, sickly looking child the grim truth.
'There's no point in hiding it from you any longer, Potter,' Minerva said carefully not wanting to hurt him anymore than he already seemed to be. 'I know this will come as a shock to you,' Minerva took a breath and forced herself to tell Potter the awful truth. 'But Sirius Black has reported to be after you.'
Minerva watched her student carefully for any reaction at this terrible statement and what she saw shocked her even further than she already was by Potter's behaviour just now. Would Harry Potter ever do what was expected of him? There was no fear on that pale face; plenty of shock and disbelief at the terrible truth. But no fear; never fear! But the lack of fear on Harry's face didn't too surprise her (Harry was rarely afraid of anything) but the fact that he didn't believe her did surprise her. Usually Harry was aware of attempts upon his life before any of them were. But with Black Potter didn't believe her. She would just have to make the boy believe her to avoid him going looking for trouble or finding trouble anyway. Then there was the betrayal hit Harry's face surely he didn't know Black had once been friends with Lily and James.
'You'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea to be practicing Quidditch in the evening. Out on the pitch with only your team members, it's very exposed-' Minerva began.
'NO!' the seeker shouted. 'We've got out first Quidditch match on Saturday! I've got to train, Professor,' begged Potter looking completely outraged at the prospect of missing Quidditch reminding the deputy painfully of James Potter.
It was this more than anything else that forced Minerva to give the boy another option, 'well goodness knows I'd like to see us win the cup at last but all the same, Potter, I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions.'
Harry left not long after being allowed to continue with his Quidditch training. Harry was still reeling from what he had been told; his lover was apparently after him, the man who Harry had fallen in love with him. And Harry thought Rus had loved him too. But he had admitted to looking for Harry. So could she be right? Maybe it was the correct decision not to tell Sirius the truth! But then what about the look on his face when he had been speaking about James and Lily Potter's deaths to Harry Potter! Harry couldn't believe that a man who wanted Harry Potter dead would be so hurt by Harry's parents' deaths. There was something very wrong with this scenario.