Author's Note: Words cannot describe how sorry I am for how long it took to get this update out, and I don't even really have a good excuse beyond real life can be crazy and writer's block is a real thing. I would like to give a huge shoutout to my beta, Feyre Archeon for all her help and support throughout this crazy process, as well as my sincerest thanks to everyone that favorited, followed, or reviewed; your support is what has kept this story alive and going.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and as always, please feel free to let me know what you guys think! Thank you for reading!

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Chapter 6: "He needed a break"

Harry had all of second to react before he found himself accosted by a beaming house elf.

"Kreacher had found the Master Harry Potter Sir. Kreacher is most pleased. Kreacher has found Master. Kreacher has found him. Yes…"

The mumblings went on and on as everyone looked on in shocked silence.

"Kreacher?" Harry's brain scrambled to catch up with the sudden change of events, the name falling from his lips without actual consideration.

Harry felt the aged elf nod against his midsection, which was quickly becoming damp with Kreacher's tears.

"Why you little ba-"

The next thing Harry was aware of, was the feeling of his wand pressed against Sirius' throat.

Shit.

Harry had overreacted. He knew that, even as he felt his godfather shift beneath where he had pinned him against the floor. But at the same time, Harry could not muster up much regret.

Sirius had tried to kill Kreacher.

Harry knew it, even as he stared into his Godfather's burning gaze, meeting his eyes for one of the first times since he had arrived.

Sirius had been about to kill Kreacher and while Harry was not sure what had happened in this world, and while he could understand that such an action was probably very justifiable, Harry could not stand back and allow the elf to be murdered.

Not after everything. Not since Kreacher became one of his friends. Especially not since Kreacher became one of his few friends left alive.

And so Harry steeled his heart as best he could and met Sirius's furious glare, boldly and without a trace of his own pain showing on his face.

Instead, he channelled every bit of fury he could, using every tactic he had ever learnt from Snape, or anyone else, desperate to get his point across the thick-headed man.

"Do. Not. Touch. Him."

He knew it had worked the moment he felt Sirius flinched beneath him and looked away.

Harry nodded, satisfied he had been able to get his point across, and stood up, allowing Sirius a chance to escape from where Harry ahd trapped him.

They both stood, wary of each other and unsure of how to continue from this point.

Surprisingly, it was Kreacher's voice that shattered the silence and the stalemate, "Master Harry Potter Sir does Kreacher need to hurt Sirius for yous sirs? Kreacher will protect Master Harry Potter Sirs. Kreacher will. Kreacher even brought his knife from the battle see Master Harry Potter Sirs."

Harry's head snapped back towards Kreacher, a tired smile playing across his features as he saw the little elf enthusiastically waving the blood stained kitchen knife he had first acquired during the final battle. He knew he should perhaps feel some alarm at Kreacher's obvious enthusiasm, but couldn't summon the energy. Just as he understood where Sirius was coming from, so to did he understand Kreacher.

"That's okay Kreacher. I think everyone was just a little confused."

Sirius snorted but a glare from Harry and a well placed elbow from James, who had come to stand beside his friend at some point, helped the man hold his tongue in check.

"Kreacher?" That was his mo- That was Lily, who still sat beside him, her eyes wide in her pale face as she glanced from Sirius to Harry to Kreacher and back again. Harry could practically see her cataloguing each of them, desperately trying to figure out a way to make the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

He knew that look. It was the same look Hermione got when she found a new spell, and he knew from experience that nothing could deter the woman until she found the answer she was searching for. And so it was with a resigned sigh Harry stood and set about answering questions and making introductions.

Again.

"Er- well, yeah so this is Kreacher. Or well, my version of Kreacher. Kreacher I think you know everyone or er- at least an alternative dimensional version of these people?" Harry trailed off, his tone making his last statement a question as he struggled to figure out how to explain what exactly was going on.

"Yes Master Harry Potter Sir. Kreacher is being knowing most of these people Master sirs."

"Master?"

That was Remus and Harry lurched slightly as he met the man's gaze for the first time. He looked so much younger here…

Harry quickly shook his head, as if that could physically dislodge the memories currently assaulting his mind.

"Er- yeah well I don't know how it worked out here, but back home Sirius was my godfather," Despite himself, Harry couldn't help but let his gaze linger on the animagus, his heart yearning in his chest for the man he had once known and loved. But with yet another vigourous jerk, Harry forced himself back into the present; to focus on the events that were currently unfolding around him.

"After his- after he- Once Sirius-," Even after all these years, it was still hard to say it outloud. "I was Sirius sole heir. He left me everything. Everything included Kreacher."

Here Harry shrugged as he considered that first year of owning Kreacher. The hatred they shared and perpatured between it each other. He thought about the locket and the simple, yet necessary conversation that changed it all.

"It took a little while, but eventually figured each other out and became friends."

"Master Harry Potter Sir is the best Master." Kreacher added, leaving Harry blushing in embarrassment as everyone continued to stare between him and Kreacher.

"I-I died?"

Damn.

He was really getting too tired for this. Too tired of his heart clenching at every syllable the man spoke.

"Yes." One curt word. Hard as ice, made without emotion or eye contact. It was all Harry could manage without breaking down completely.

Yes. Sirius died.

Yes. Sirius died because of the stupid actions of his foolhardy godson.

Yes. It nearly killed Harry getting over it.

Yes. He still missed him.

Yes. He really would just like to leave right about now.

The list went on and on. Such a simple word that explained so much.

"How?"

Damn.

Another simple word that unfortunately did not have a simple answer. And Harry was not up for more than simple answers.

And so the silence stretched on.

And on.

And on.

And still Harry couldn't not muster the energy, the courage, the strength - the whatever he needed to explain.

"Did I die in Azkaban?"

"No." That was easy. Anothing simple answer. He could do that. He could do simple responses.

Maybe if Harry could find a way to answer all of the questions in monosyllabic responses, he could make it through this.

"How then?"

Silence.

Another complicated answer.

Another story.

Another memory.

Another silence.

Until Kreacher spoke his croaky voice seeming to echo as he did his best to help his master.

"The Dark Lord killed Master Sirius Sirs."

Harry let his hand fall on the elf's shoulder in silent thanks for answering the question, finding himself leaning slightly on the wizened creature, as standing suddenly seemed to difficult a task for him.

It was all too much; just like that. He was done.

Done with all.

Done with the stares, the questions, the memories, and the what-ifs that plagued him no matter where he looked.

So with a shaking hand, Harry raised his wand to his temple, carefully placing the memories he called forth into the pensive before him, giving each one nothing more than the barest amount of thought possible for the spell to work.

He knew Dumbledore had called a break, and he knew there was a reason for that. But Harry need a break as well. Hell- he had made it through a conversation with his parents for merlin's sake.

He deserved a break.

Harry was not one to run away from a fight. He had proven time and time again he was more than willing to face impossible odds with nary a twitch of fear displayed.

But he was human and this was one battle that he just couldn't face. One war he was simply too tired to wage. His emotions continuously pushed against the hard logic he forced himself to consider, and honestly it was exhausting.

He could handle this. He had to at some point. But that point did not need to be now. Could not be now.

Now, he needed a break.

Now, he needed to be done.

And so with a weary tone, Harry gestured towards the pensive. "Here are the next series of memories. Watch them at your leisure, and I will answer all questions in the morning. As for now, Kreacher and I have some catching up to do."

Harry looked around to see everyone staring at him, shock still plastered across their features from the speed of recent events, but Harry was not in the mood to give them a chance to catch up.

He needed a break.

He was done.

With fatigue that went far beyond the physical weighing down his steps, Harry turned and began to the long trudge to the room he had claimed as his own, Kreacher following faithfully in his wake.