A/N Just a reminder this story was started shortly after OOTP was published and is not HBP compliant.

In need of a beta reader if anyone is interested.

""""

After speaking the password, Albus gestured for Sirius to lead the way up the staircase. The young man seemed to lack his customary cockiness today.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me, Professor Dumbledore."

Though he was no closer to knowing with whom, given that he was now entirely certain that Voldemort had succeeded in infiltrating the Order, Albus was highly attentive to even the slightest thing out of the ordinary. Immediately upon entering his office, he realized that things were not as he had left them.

"I wanted to come and talk to you in person because..."

The upstairs door, the one leading to his private chambers, was open. Albus had closed it when last he left – of that he was certain.

"I know this can't look good for me."

Had someone been there? Sirius knew the password to his office now – Albus would change it as soon as he left – but prior to that, the only person with the knowledge was Hagrid. As he was currently engaged on a most important task on Albus's behalf, it couldn't have been him. House elves had their own way of coming and going without the need for any passwords so in theory it could have been one of them. However, the hallmark of a good elf was that, aside from the cleanliness, you could never tell that one had been present, so that seemed unlikely. Had someone without the password tried to force their way past the gargoyles there would have been evidence of it downstairs - namely, remnants of whoever was so foolish as to attempt it. No, as unlikely as the idea of it being an elf was, it was the only reasonable explanation.

"Professor?"

Albus returned his focus to Sirius. No, he would have to agree, having it become known that your younger brother was a Death Eater didn't tend to look good for anyone, particularly not for someone already suspected of betrayal. However, what he actually said was something slightly different.

"You, Sirius, are not your brother. You cannot be held responsible for his decisions or actions, however misguided they might have been. You have always held your own views, separate from those of your family. I believe everyone in the Order realizes that and respects you for it."

Sirius nodded. "Thank you. You don't know what it means to me to hear you say that."

Examining the rest of the room, Albus found the only article missing to be Fawkes. But his phoenix friend was free to come and go as he pleased so his absence was hardly suspect.

"It looks like Professor McGonagall is going to pull through?"

The mention of Minerva managed to get his full attention back on Sirius. Albus kept his own expression impassive while regarding Sirius's for any change. "Yes, the healers have said, barring complications, there is no reason she shouldn't make a full recovery."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Was he? Albus wondered.

Sirius ran his hands over his face. "Regulus was such a prat, getting involved in all this, but its something to know that once he got in deep enough to really see what You-Know-Who was about, he realized his mistake and tried to do what was right. I just wish it hadn't cost him his life."

As unmagnanimous as Albus currently felt towards the late Regulus Black, he held his tongue. If Sirius was the spy, he could very well be here on Voldemort's behalf, seeking confirmation that the right man had been eliminated. If Sirius were not the spy, telling him the truth would serve only to further tarnish his brother's memory. He would let Sirius have his false sense of solace.

"We all make choices, Sirius, about what it is we can and cannot live with."

There passed between them a pause before Sirius again spoke. "I'd like to see her. Talk to her about that night. Find out if Regulus…"

Sirius was still trying to find words, but Albus mercilessly cut him off. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. She isn't up to having visitors."

"But someone is with her now, aren't they? You didn't leave her alone at St. Mungo's."

"Someone is with her." Albus chose not to elaborate to Sirius, but the two times he had left her, for his clandestine meeting with Severus a few days ago and today to meet with Sirius, Hagrid had remained in his place. Albus trusted no one else to be near her.

"I know that you have started making plans for Professor McGonagall to leave St. Mungo's. If you haven't decided on the three people yet for moving her, I'd like to volunteer."

Albus had in fact already made plans to relocate Minerva as soon as it was medically feasible. There were aurors stationed outside her room and elsewhere on her ward, but St. Mungo's was a public hospital. All the people coming and going left her far too exposed. Possibly as early as tomorrow he would take her to stay with Poppy at an unassuming little cottage he had found in a predominantly muggle village.

Albus's talk with Severus the other night had made him more aware of the need to try to predict what other people would assume he would do. It was only natural to expect he would be relocating her as soon as possible…but why he wondered would Sirius assume three people?

"The three?"

"I was there when Hagrid stopped by to borrow James's invisibility cloak last night. He already had both of Moody's with him. We just assumed he was collecting them for you."

Albus hadn't asked Hagrid to gather any cloaks for him. He had been planning to use Fawkes to transport Minerva. Three invisibility cloaks might be sufficient to conceal his oversize friend, but just what Hagrid was up to was anyone's guess.

"My brother gave his life protecting her. I'd like to make sure he didn't die in vain."

Though truthfully Albus had no such intentions he nodded. "I'll let you know when the time comes."

Having run out of things to say, Sirius departed.

Albus let out a sigh both wary and weary. He wanted to believe that Sirius was sincere and uninvolved, but there was no denying that one of the people in the room that night had betrayed him. He didn't want to believe that the faith that he had put in the boy all these years had been misplaced…but given who was at stake, Albus just wasn't willing to take any more chances.

Eager to get back to Minerva's bedside, Albus redid the password to his office. He was about to himself depart when the head of a very distraught Alastor Moody appeared in the fireplace.

"Tell me it was you, Albus! Tell me you were the one to do it!"

Albus had no idea what the other man was ranting about, but memories of the last time Alastor's head had appeared in his fire chilled him. "Do what?"

His heart positively froze at the auror's next words.

"For Merlin's sake, Albus, tell me you were the one that took Minerva from St. Mungo's."