I really have no idea what happened. Apparently, I deleted chapter six before it was even updated. I was about to update chapter seven. That would've made no sense.

Withintemption1992: That's a good suggestion, but I don't think Harry would agree to someone else doing that. Plus, I already planned a different approach in the next chapter.

Chapter 6: Counter-Curse

Harry would have liked a way to carry his broom with him. That was the only magical transportation he ever liked so far. Floo powder are awfully messy with dirt and dust. He wouldn't forget how scared he was when he saw it the first time or how he turned up at Knockturn Alley instead of Diagon Alley. Apparition, recent transportation, isn't exactly going on his favorite list. He felt like there was a giant squeezing everything inside of him out with its' large hands.

Harry gasped when they were in front of Twelve Grimmauld Place. He tried to control his unsteady breathing by calming his nerves. Harry looked up to the old wizard next to him and saw how calm the man was after their little trip. The boy thought that Dumbledore had gotten used to using Apparition since he's not ready to bend over and vomit.

"Professor, why did you bring me there?"

"Ah, persuasion. Horace was once a former Professor at Hogwarts, a fine on at that. However, I did not think he would be easier to pursue."

"I still don't see the point of me being there."

"It was part of a hidden agenda I had planned. But I must warn you. You're considered a jewel to some people, Harry. Horace, or we should call him Professor Slughorn, is no different. He'll try to collect you. Be on your guard." Dumbledore warned.

The Headmaster turned to the door and knocked on it sternly. Harry faced forward, confused. Sometimes, he truly doesn't understand the odd behavior of the man next to him. As they were waiting for someone to answer the door, Dumbledore cleared his throat and announced that Harry was to receive personal training from him once he returns back to Hogwarts. Harry was sgaping at Dumbledore, shocked beyond words.

There was no one in the world that would say no to an offer like that. It would have been outrageous to reject it. Harry slowly nodded his head through his current expression. The Headmaster beamed with happiness at the approval. Almost on cue, Mrs. Weasley answered the door.

"Harry, you're home! Everyone was so worried about you."

"Why? Did something happen?"

"Oh, Sirius had just contacted you earlier. When he was done, he marched into his room and snapped at anyone near him."

"Well, I'll be leaving then. Good night to you all." Dumbledore smiled.

The man vanished from his spot. Mrs. Weasley nudged Harry into the house and closed the door behind him. The boy walked down the narrow entry hall. He saw that Remus, Mr. Weasley, the twins, Ron and Hermione were waiting around in the kitchen when he entered there. They all looked up at him cheerfully and welcomed him home. Remus stood up from his seat and took Harry to the drawing room.

"Was there something wrong when you were with Dumbledore?" He asked, sternly.

"No, nothing at all. We were just visiting one of Dumbledore's colleague."

"I see. Well, Sirius has been irritable as of late. Be careful when you're around him."

Harry nodded. He never understood why his godfather acted the way he does. However, Azkaban wasn't too kind to any of its' prisoners. Sirius had to live with the mere thought of his innocence for twelve years. Remus said that it was almost time for dinnertime and decided to retrieve his friend. Harry perked up. He said that he'll handle it himself personally and for Remus to go with the others. The werewolf nodded.

"He should be in the tapestry room."

The two of them went their separate ways. Harry walked up the stairs. He walked down the hall and spotted Kreacher roaming around, muttering about mudbloods and blood traitors. Harry merely spared him a glare for his comments and recalled recent incidents. The same house-elf was the one that almost betrayed Sirius and the reason he died. If it wasn't because of the Order, Harry knew Sirius would have dispose of him without a second thought.

He continued on and reached the tapestry room.

He looked down to the floors nervously. Despite being his godfather, Harry found it relatively awkward being around Sirius since he returned from the dead. He was worried that he had to endure the pain again whenever he caught sight of Sirius. Harry silently cursed his bad luck at the thought. It almost felt like life was testing his willpower on everything. He does not intend to go down without a fight.

He knocked on the door as gently as he could.

No answer.

He would have expected so since he could hardly hear it himself. There was no sound of heavy footsteps drawing near the closed door. Harry tried again, but much louder this time. He waited. There was no answer. He tried again with his well-known Gryffindor courage. He prayed to himself that Sirius, who was on the other side, would hear it.

His prayers were answered.

Sirius was standing between the door and Harry. The boy dropped his gaze down to his feet. He had felt something tugging painfully on his chest. It was acting up again.

"Harry, you're home."

"Yeah, everything went well and there was no Death Eaters there."

"I see..."

Sirius reached out his arms and pulled his godson into his warm embrace. Harry could practically smell alcohol on the man's clothes. Sirius had been drinking. The boy had expected something like this from his godfather, but didn't at the same time. Harry silently panicked when he felt his body being pulled into the tapestry room. Sirius closed the door when both of them had entered with his free hand. When he was done, he continued drawing his godson closer to him.

"I was so worried. You didn't contact me like you promised. I only thought of the worse." Sirius mumbled.

"I'm sorry. I didn't find the right time to do that."

Sirius buried his face into Harry's messy black hair. The boy remained still as a statue. The two of them stood there without speaking another word for a long moment. Then, Sirius pulled away, hands holding Harry's arms, and smiled to his godson.

"You must be hungry. I'll go downstairs to get something for us to eat."

Sirius was already out the door before Harry could speak a word. The boy sighed wearily. Sirius was already in his own little world. It was better than him being their grim host. Harry moved to the wall that contained the images of the Black family. He stood in front of Sirius'. He remembered the story his godfather told long ago that explained the burnt edges instead of his picture.

He glanced at the Malfoy family.

It was hard to believe that Sirius was remotely related to Draco Malfoy.

Harry wrapped his hands around his body, hoping to warm his body. He snapped his head towards the door when he heard it open. He dropped his gaze down to the floor as Sirius ease his way in to the tapestry room. He was carrying a tray with two bowls of warm beef stew and a small basket of bread sticks. It smelt delicious.

"The others are already eating. It's only fair if we do too." Sirius commented.

The man pointed down to the floor at the center of the room. Of course, they had to sit on the floor since the room wasn't properly furnished. Harry walked over and sat down slowly in front of his godfather. Sirius passed the boy's share to him before getting his own. Harry had to agree to himself that the silence was making it rather uncomfortable and awkward.

Before the Boy-Who-Lived could put a spoon in his mouth, he felt a hand tugging at his spoon. Harry didn't have to look to see who was tugging at it.

"Sirius, what are you doing?"

"Sorry, Harry. Just an old habit..."

Sirius removed his hand from the spoon. He stared down at his steaming beef stew before picking up the utensil. Harry continued on eating. He was fortunate that Mrs. Weasley was around to provide the meals in the house. Sirius didn't appear to be the chef of sorts and Kreacher would most likely poison their food in secret.

He felt someone's hand on his.

"I'm sorry, Harry. But let me feed you."

"Excuse me?"

"I've gotten so used to taking care of you. You could say it's a habit."

Harry wouldn't really call it a habit. It was more like mothering, like how Mrs. Weasley does it. However, she never would attempt to hand feed them if she was given a chance. Harry tried to protest, but the spoon was already out of his hand and was facing directly at him. Harry reluctantly opened his mouth, accommodating with his tactics.

"Did you always do this when I was dead?"

"Coma, Harry. You were in a coma." Sirius corrected.

It never struck to Harry that Sirius might be uncomfortable about discussing about his death ― or coma from what Sirius is claiming. He looked down to his beef stew.

"Did you?"

"There's no point in me lying about it. I didn't do anything wrong. Yes, I did. Remus was complaining about it. He kept said it was unhealthy... But someone had to. You were just asleep."

"But... What if I was really dead?"

Sirius said nothing. The spoon was brought up to Harry's lips. The boy took the offering into his mouth and swallowed. He was already feeling like a two year old.

Sirius hummed in thought.

"I don't see why you suggest that like everyone else. You would have woke up eventually."

"It's a 'what if' situation. Would you still take care of me like before?"

Sirius became quiet for a moment.

"Yes, I would."

The next day, Harry found it particularly odd. Since yesterday, Sirius had been forcing himself onto the boy. Harry would one moment walk alone before seeing his godfather not too far from him. Sirius gave himself the role to personally handle everything involving with the Boy-Who-Lived. It started from the feeding to tucking into bed and it escalated to moments alone and bathing him. The last one was over the line.

That's why Twelve Grimmauld Place was echoing with angry voices of Remus and Sirius. Harry just happens to be in the center of it.

"Sirius, you're going too far. You're invading Harry's privacy."

"I'm doing my duties as his godfather." Sirius huffed.

"Bathing him would have obviously been out of the question. And you follow him everywhere."

"I had to make sure everything was safe for him."

Harry was staring around the former room of Sirius Black. The poster on the wall of muggle women were gathering dusts and had ripped ends that were rotting. The Gryffindor banner, losing it's color, was also in the same state as the posters. Harry recalled his godfather telling the story of when he was younger. It was mostly to display his rebellious personality and individualism. And it was also amusing to see his mother scowling whenever she saw it.

"Harry, do you think Sirius is going too far with his 'duties'?" Remus asked, hotly.

"Well... I just don't want you mothering me. I'm fifteen now."

Sirius' gray eyes stared intently at Harry. The boy was keeping his eyes on Remus. The older wizard held his head up with pride and excused himself. He had to discuss some important matters with Dumbledore regarding Harry. Sirius was out the door and gone the next. Remus sighed tiredly as he ran a hand through his tawny hair.

"I'm sorry about that, Harry. Sirius can be... Out of hand if you're not careful. If it ever happens again, tell me. I'll straighten him out."

"Thank you, Remus."

It was late at night. Harry was sitting on his bed across from Hermione and Ron. The boy decided that it was finally time to find a cure to this curse ― that's what Harry might as well considered it ― and rebuild his relationship with Sirius again. Because, if he doesn't do it soon, their host has been in a rather foul mood as of late. And no one wants a former Azkaban prisoner in a foul mood.

Harry had already explained the details. The three of them were thinking of a solution together.

"Maybe you two can grow flowers together. That's a good idea, mate." Ron mused.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Ronald." Hermione huffed.

"Oh? Then, what's your bright idea, Miss. Know-It-All?"

Hermione huffed angrily and raised her head, courtesy. She turned to Harry and requested that he tells Ron to leave the room. Her cheeks went bright red when she recalled her answer. It was a personal matter. And she was certain that Ron would have either a good laugh at it or make insults about her going bonkers. It was Ron's turn to huff. He stood up from his bed and said he'll be in the kitchen.

"What is it? Do you have any ideas?" Harry asked.

"Well, I do. It's just... You're not anatomy correct for the procedure."

"What's wrong with my body?"

"Nothing! It's just..." Hermione trailed off.

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes irritably. There was a perfectly good reason that Hermione wasn't willingly ready to answer him. Of course, he's prepared. He was prepared for anything since Voldemort tried to kill him first year in Hogwarts. Hermione sighed awkwardly and stared down at her lap. Her ears went bright red as well.

"You need to..."

"I need to what?"

"Oh! Shag, you need to shag your godfather in bed! There, I said it. If you excuse me, I need to check up on Ginny."

Hermione jumped to her feet and scurried out of the room. Harry, at that moment, wished that Ron's answer was the cure to his curse. He took a few moments to rack his brain around Hermione's outburst. When everything was settling in perfectly, Harry panicked. There was absolutely no way is he doing that. He'd rather battle Voldemort now than do that.

"What have I gotten myself into?" He muttered to himself.

Yeah, that's how it's going to end. Since this is rated T, nothing like that will appear in this story. Review, favorite, and follow.