The Mirror of possibilities
Chapter eight
"Fact or Fiction?"
The silence echoed with explosive undercurrents. James stood frozen, his eyes snapping sharply between the bewildered Sirius, whose wand hand had faltered with the emotion filled exclamation, and Harry who had stood after blurting Sirius's name with all emotion wiped clean from his face.
Watching them stare at each other, James couldn't prevent the burst of sudden anger. What the hell was going on here? He, Harry, knew Sirius, but not him? Not that James's treatment of him had been nice, but if what Dumbledore said was true, he was now looking at his long dead son's face. A son who reacted with more emotion to his friend than he did to his supposed father. Not that James was acting very fatherly what with him still pointing a wand at the boy.
"Yea, that'll be me," was Sirius's obvious try at breaking the stand still. Then before James could snap out of his musings, Sirius shocked him when he said "Merlin! You look so much like James!"
Almost snapping his neck with the sharp turn of his head in Sirius's direction, James gave him the glare Harry started to associate with his supposed fathers face. The man sure can glower!
Watching silently, his heart beating an angry tattoo inside his chest, as James glared at Sirius at that exclamation, a glare that seemed as instinctive as Harry's exclamation had been when he saw Sirius. Before he could take control of his rioting emotions he heard himself say quietly, and with a pretence of calm he was far from feeling "But I have my mother's eye's."
All eyes turned to him again, including a still incredulous looking James. Feeling a blush creeping slowly up his cheeks at his unintentional comeback, Harry added with a sarcastic tinge trying to change the emotional current that seemed to have taken a hold of the room since Sirius's entrance. "But I was assured I have a unique personality that doesn't resemble either of my parents" He finished.
Silence again. Sighing inwardly, Harry looked sideways at Albus wondering why the aged Headmaster hasn't entered the fray already. Seeing the Headmaster's sharp calculating eyes looking at him, he lowered his lashes and went back to staring at James. It seemed that even though this Albus looked tired and worn, more so than he ever saw his own Headmaster, he still had his spirit and most importantly, and to Harry's misfortune, he had his sharp mind.
Harry had no doubt that his emotional exclamation had registered with the Headmaster, and that he now had to wait for said Headmaster to take the opportunity to question him, as he was sure he would, about it. He knew his Headmaster well enough to know that he would do so.
"So I'll take a wild guess and say you must be our previously unconscious visitor. How are you feeling then?" Seeing James's glare turn toward him again, Sirius tried to explain. "I've been given firm instructions by Molly and Ginny to ask him that and tell him there is still some food in the fridge if he's hungry!"
Albus was eyeing him now curiously, wanting to see further how he'd react to Sirius, Harry knew, it was not a good thing when Albus eyed anyone like that, it meant he wanted to know all the how's and why's. Probably the answer to why he reacted to Sirius like this and not his supposed father. He was being studied for his reactions, and Albus was a master at catching blurted, unintentional words and fleeting expressions. Harry should know, everyone always said he had inherited those qualities from him, heaven knows how he did they were not related after all, well as unrelated as pureblood families could be that is.
Deciding to take control of the situation as Albus seemed content with observing his reactions more than calming the two men down, he decided to make an effort. Harry made sure his Occlumency shields were holding and as strong as ever and that his face wasn't showing any emotion, a blank. Now to the part Horace always said was his main problem, speaking before thinking and calculating the impact of each word.
So with an answer he knew would give nothing away, he focused on Sirius's first question and ignored the 'Molly and Ginny' remark, by saying simply, "I'm doing well except for that small unconscious ordeal, thank you. How has your day been going?"
Right! If I know Sirius well enough, he should take that as a challenge to play it cool for as long as possible. After all, even if Sirius always denied it, he was raised in a dark family that taught its children to calculate and play with words to make the opponent give more than he was willing. Of course Sirius never did that with him, simply because he was comfortable being himself with his godson, but not in this instance. This was not the same Sirius.
First impression though, Harry's mind worked quickly assimilating the difference and similarities, Sirius did look the same, except for the haunted look that was always there in his godfather's eyes, this one looked tough, sarcastic, and determined. Looks Harry wasn't used to seeing directed at him. Usually it was at someone Sirius wanted to annoy into getting his way.
"Well you know my day could've been better, what with an intruder appearing out of nowhere in my house," was the sarcastic and pointed answer. "And then finding him and my best friend pointing their wands at each other! They still are by the way" he added with a raised eyebrow and a glance at their wands.
Ah the ball was back in his court, so with a second of silence to think of his reply, Harry said calmly. "I assure you I would've refused to intrude if I was given the choice …" Taking a moment to give his words time to penetrate he then added. "And I do believe one has the right to defend himself when he finds himself at wand point!"
"This is ridiculous! We need to know if he is who he claims to be! Not spend our night chit chating!"
James apparently didn't know about word games or the benefits of observation to get your answers. But it had the wanted result, for Harry at least, as Albus decided to take back control of the conversation with that outburst. "Yes, of course you're right, my boy."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Albus looked at James waiting for the younger man to meet his eyes fleetingly, as James seemed fixated with staring and pointing his wand at Harry, before speaking. "Please lower your wand, you too Harry, and let's all take seats. Sirius if you could firecall the Borrow and let everyone know that the situation has been handled. No need for more visitors, or tension I believe, in this kitchen"
Waiting for Sirius to turn to the fireplace to make the call, Albus looked at James and Harry, who were back to staring each other down. The situation needed a firmer hand, Albus concluded. "James, Harry lower your wands. This won't solve anything. Now if you please."
Albus looked away from the sight of both of them sitting carefully in their chairs as alert as ever, watching each other's movement suspiciously like before. How could James miss the resemblance even while maintaining his cautious behavior?
"Done." Sirius was back, making Harry jump slightly in his chair at his sudden exclamation. Cursing quietly again at his obvious discomfort in the man's radius. If his obvious agitation was missed before, it wasn't now, that's for sure he thought sarcastically. Albus, James, and even the usually oblivious Sirius looked at him strangely.
Sirius even raised an eyebrow in his direction at his obvious jumpiness since he flooed over before looking at Albus. "I told Mad-Eye to go home. He wanted to come over, was adamant about it, but Kingsley said he'll handle the situation there." Looking at Harry briefly he added quietly. "The kids are asking questions about our visitor."
"I am right here you know!"
Damn was that him again? Where was his Occlumency shield when he needed it? Harry should learn to keep his mouth shut, as Snape used to tell him often enough. Get any more obvious than this Potter and you'll be as wonderful of an Auror as your trainer thought you'd be.
"I did notice that," Sirius retorted, with a raised eyebrow and what Harry was sure would've been an amused curl of his mouth if he wasn't shooting nervous looks at James. Then turning to James, he asked him quietly. "Did you get Joshua to tell you what happened then?" After receiving James's terse nod, Sirius turned next to Albus who was watching them calmly. "So did you figure out what's going on? Do you still need me to tell you what the twins and Ginny said?"
Ginny again! Harry turned to stone, his mind going to his girlfriend. It was the first time the thought of his situation got through. If he was truly in an alternative universe, something he was starting to believe as he couldn't find any other explanation, then his friends, his girlfriend, hell everyone would be worried, looking for him. His mind flashed back to Neville, Ron, and Kingsley calling his name before he blacked out.
"I believe we got our answers from Joshua, but if you could recount what was said briefly. Tea Sirius?" Albus asked, getting Sirius's no with a calm nod and snapping Harry out of his panicked thoughts with that exchange.
Harry listened to Sirius recount what the twins apparently said with a calm visage, waiting until he finished to turn back to Albus, ignoring James who seemed back into glaring at him after Sirius finished talking.
Turning to Albus waiting for what he might say next, he caught Albus's watchful gaze directed at him while Sirius gave his story. Raising an eyebrow in question, the Headmaster smiled faintly, before turning to Sirius with a nod.
Harry focused on Albus who, after a pause of looking at him with an enigmatic look, said quietly meeting his eyes head on. "Making sure that each of us is who he says he is, is important. Don't you think, Harry?" Then glancing at James. "James?"
Getting nods from his audience, even Sirius, Albus continued. "Then I have a feeling you believe who we claim to be Harry?" Seeing him about to protest, Albus added. "But you still need actual proof. Am I right?" It was a serious question, and Albus looked quite grave.
"Yes. You talked about an Alternative Universe, Albus." Harry said, ignoring Sirius's spluttering from in front of him as Sirius looked at him shocked, then at Albus and James bewildered, to continue. "But if that is so, and let's say I believe it, then you'll have no problem proving your identity or mine, Headmaster." He ended with a questioning look, feeling more focused now then he had all evening. He knew how to get this resolved. The perfect way.
"I do, my boy?" Was the quiet questioning reply he got
"Yes. After all, if you are the famous Albus Dumbledore, the easiest way to prove it will be by summoning your phoenix. Fawkes."
Looking at the surprised, supposedly Headmaster of Hogwarts, Harry felt that for the first time this evening he was getting ahead of himself, and especially ahead of this different, but still the same, Dumbledore.
When he got no reaction except a "Well that makes sense" from a very subdued Sirius and a disgusted grunt from James, Harry opened his mouth to speak, while tensing his body for defense if they attacked his idea. However, he was interrupted before he could say anything by Albus who still looked at him quietly, and called out expectantly "Fawkes."
Still looking each other in the eye, Harry saw a burst of orange and yellow flame over their heads, as music filled the room. Before his very own eyes he watched incredulous as Fawkes, who he hadn't seen in almost three years, appeared over their heads before landing on the table in front of Albus, looking as fierce and majestic as ever.
Oh hell! As much as he had known that this Albus was the real thing, seeing Fawkes just made it sink in that much more. He was in an actual alternative universe. How he could use Hermione and her logic and book knowledge right now, was his last dazed thought.
"So how will we be sure you are who you claim to be now?" Was the bewildered question coming from Sirius as Harry's eyes seemed to be glued to Fawkes, while Albus and James watched him carefully from across the table, the later with a more intense, careful watchfulness.
"Well," clearing his suddenly dry throat, Harry looked at Albus and said "I believe the Headmaster knows how."
"Now, Harry, I asked you to call me Albus." Was the simple irrelevant answer he got.
Trying to refrain from rolling his eyes in exasperation, Harry watched James, an unusually quiet James, look fiercely and expectantly at Albus.
Feeling tired, Harry looked at the interaction carefully, as Albus turned his eyes to Fawkes, but before he could say anything, Fawkes let out a beautiful trill before taking flight to land on Harry's shoulders.
Feeling all eyes on him, Harry raised a hand carefully to pet the affectionate phoenix before saying out loud what he had already admitted to himself. "Ok, so this proves you're Albus Dumbledore." Then with a violent shake of his head which made Fawkes give another low trill before flying to stand on the edge of the table to groom his feathers, Harry looked up and added. "But what about them? Let them prove their identities."
But apparently for James that was the wrong thing to say since before anyone else could react to his statement, James snapped out of his quiet disposition.
"Listen here! We played this game long enough. We shouldn't have to prove who we are, you're the intruder here, not us! You prove that you're not here to spy or attack us!" James snapped the heated indignant sentence.
"And how do I go around doing that? Fawkes showed you I'm light when he let me pet him! Anything else you get from me will be by my choice. So learn to ask nicely, James," Was the quick sarcastic reply. Harry felt close to losing it, and James, he emphasized his named sarcastically in his head again, wasn't helping matters.
"That is true," Sirius said reflectively, but after receiving a glare from his friend, he hurriedly added. "About Fawkes not standing on people who are dark or letting them pet him! At least we know it wasn't an attack on the H… " Pausing abruptly for a minute, Harry watched closely as he completed his sentence carefully."On my house."
Sirius wasn't in the habit of watching what he said, the fact that he just did, showed how different he was from the Sirius Harry knew. This one realized there were consequence to things, not like his godfather who did things with a recklessness that sometimes made Harry grit his teeth in frustration and want scold him like a child. But on the other hand, his Sirius wasn't used to people as he didn't interact a lot with society after breaking out of Azkaban.
"You are right of course, Harry" Was Albus's quiet rejoinder before adding with his typical quiet look. "But still just to be sure, would you submit to a couple of basic questions while under Veritaserum?"
"Hell no! No way in this lifetime!" Harry quickly replied, startled. He jumped up, feeling nervous again. James jerked out of his chair too, something that Harry was sure to become a tradition, though this time he didn't withdraw his wand, only put his hand on it carefully, ready in case Harry drew his.
No one spoke for a minute after his outburst, the only sound in the kitchen was coming from Fawkes. His quiet melodious trills filled the room, louder now as tension filled the room.
Taking a calming breath, Harry looked away from James, and said clearly. "I don't handle Veritaserum well. I seem to have an adverse reaction to it. So it wouldn't be a good idea to try it as you won't get your answers and I'll end up with a head splitting headache." No need to mention that he'll probably black out before waking up with said headache, a headache worse than the one returning right now he thought irritably, sitting down with a calm he didn't feel, watching Sirius finally sit down next to James who sat down right after Harry did.
Seeing Albus look at him, quietly contemplating his statement, Harry knew how his mind worked. He'd be calculating if what Harry said was true or fabrication. Even though, he'd been mostly nice and genial toward him, because of that book and the information it contained, Harry was sure his nice attitude won't last long if Albus thought he might be a threat to any of the people who he cared about.
"That is a problem" was the quiet firm voice of Albus intruding in on his thoughts, looking up he was met by the cold blue eyes staring directly into his green ones, no twinkle in evidence. Before he could anticipate it and with no warning beforehand he felt a slight push at his mental barrier.
It took a second for Harry to decide what to do next. It was the only way to convince him without being too helpless. After all he was proficient enough to make sure the Headmaster saw enough to verify but not too much of what Harry considered his private life.
Letting up on his Occlumency shields, Harry lifted his mental barrier on the place where he kept his identity, his personality and all that made him him, and let the Headmaster in. He felt comfortable with Albus's slight intrusion, it was not too much to be intrusive, but enough to take the truth out of the lie. He knew Albus, so it was a familiar intrusion; his barriers didn't feel threatened by this familiar stranger sliding into his head.
Showing him the place where his name was located, the truth of his identity was easy. So was protecting his mind and showing Albus what he needed to see to affirm his identity. At least it was before Harry was distracted when an outside voice intruded for a minute. Sirius practically shouted "What's going on?" before being shushed firmly by James. It wasn't much, but it made his concentration slip for only a second; a second too much. Harry felt Albus trying to see some memories of his childhood, probably aiming to see familiar people. he was aware how that would achieve nothing but questions, questions he did not want out in the open, so instinctively, recklessly, he raised a block to prevent him from seeing those memories, not preparing the next memory he wanted seen which threw Albus into another set of memories. Memories that were at the forefront of his mind since waking up in Grimmuald place, since he saw the house as it used to be in his fifth year, neglected, dark, and dirty. It was a memory he sure as hell didn't want to be seen, even less than the memories from his childhood.
It was a memory that for him signified love in the darkness of war. So in the circumstances, it was only natural that this memory would be the one Albus was thrown into when Harry got distracted by his godfather's voice.
The memory was from the drawing room in Grimmuald place, where a rattled, crying Mrs. Weasley stood with her wand out pointing at a body lying on the floor in front of her. It was Harry's dead body. He could feel Albus's confusion before he saw Harry standing alive near Mrs. Weasley, upset and trying to convince her to leave the drawing room, to let someone else deal with the boggart. In the next instant, before Harry could recover enough to remove Albus from this memory to another safe one, they saw Remus followed by Sirius and Mad-Eye come running into the drawing room. It was Sirius's face that Harry remembered focusing on, and so his memory focused on his reaction as well. Sirius stood staring at where Harry's supposed body was long after Remus had vanished the boggart. His face was pale, eyes frozen, before looking up at Harry with dead haunted eyes.
Seeing his dead godfather's eyes jolted Harry back to what he was doing, and with an effort he blocked his memories of that time and opened some memories of the Headmaster's office. Albus glimpsed into an afternoon Harry spent with him in his office at Hogwarts, where they sat drinking tea with biscuits. Then another memory came up where Albus asked about his day. Harry answered with a story about him and his friend's last visit to Hagrid and his new pet that had the Headmaster chuckling, amused at their adventure. And last, a very short memory showing the affection Albus had for Harry when he called him 'my boy.'
Harry knew that those memories would show that he was trustworthy. After all, Albus was an excellent judge of character, whether it was back home or in some other alternative universe. If he treated Harry and talked to him like that, it showed not only affection, but closeness and a trust that Albus didn't favor many with. And that, Harry decided, will have to be enough.
With that last memory Harry expelled Albus from his mind, panting heavily from the effort it took to direct the Headmaster toward the memories he wanted to be seen and not those from a time of his life that he thought of as intensely private. They were memories he didn't want anyone to see, not even the esteemed Headmaster.
Thinking fast, Harry knew that even though Albus saw more than Harry was willing to show, it could still work in his favor. After all, seeing him trusted by not only by himself, but by the paranoid Moody, and cared about by the Weasley matron in addition to Sirius and Remus was only additional proof of his identity.
Harry knew what he had risked by letting him in, but he needed support in this new place, so giving trust back was essential. And he was given trust. After all, if a stranger fell into the Black house from a mirror, and then tried to run, Harry would've treated the intruder with much less civility than that shown to him by Albus since meeting him near the stairs.
Looking up, Harry snapped out of his haze, his mental barriers back in place, to see the Headmasters eyes back on him. With a thoughtful look on his face, Albus looked at him for a minute more in silence then with slight nod of acknowledgment. Harry knew it was more of an apology for the necessity of the intrusion into his mind, but it was definitely not regret, Albus turned to James and Sirius who seemed to be aware of what happened and were waiting for an explanation. But the only explanation Albus was willing to give was a short sentence. "He is who he says he is. I believe him to be Harry Potter. A Harry Potter from an Alternative Universe."
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"Are we supposed to wait much longer?"
Joshua was bored. How long does it take for his dad to tell the Headmaster what happened or to get him to come question them? No, something had to have happened, but his mum wouldn't let them budge from the room. Fran had long since fallen asleep, exhausted from what happened. It was probably her body's way to recover after the excitement and the injuries inflicted on her earlier this evening. But Joshua didn't feel the slightest bit tired, nor was his mum if her wide eyed fixed stare was anything to go by.
She had tried to question them more about the mirror, about what happened, but they had nothing more to tell her. He had retold what they had seen and what had occurred two more times. By the second time he retold it, Fran had already given up the fight to stay awake and had fallen asleep on the bed they had been sitting on. Now his mum sat on the chair near the door, and he stood by the window, looking outside.
"I'm sure your father will come as soon as he knows what's going on, Joshua." Lily answered quietly, looking at her energetic son. He didn't look even a little sleepy, even after the ordeal and injuries he'd been through. With a sigh she added quietly. "We need to go home so you can get some sleep too, or else tomorrow you won't be able to wake up tomorrow."
Aiming an incredulous look at his mum, Joshua shook his head. "No thanks, I'll wait! I want to know what's going on, if they talked to… Harry." He grimaced as he saw his mum flinch at the name and looked back down at the book she'd been flipping through.
Silence again. Damn he was bored. When would his dad come back, and why were they waiting? It was obvious to him that his dad forgot all about them. Probably getting to know Harry while they were stuck here.
Determined to leave the room, Joshua opened his mouth to argue with his mum again, to try to convince her to let him out, but before he could do so his mum stood up abruptly. She turned to Joshua who stood with his mouth open ready to speak. Frowning at him she said. "We're going home. James will follow us and that's it. Fran is tired and, even if you insist on denying it, you're tired too. We'll floo home from the upstairs fireplace, the one in the study."
"Well I don't want to go home! I was supposed to stay here with Padfoot!" Was Joshua's startled reply, looking at the closed door to their room, thinking how to convince their mum to let him stay, but his mum seemed to have decided on what to do next. She went over to Fran shaking her awake gently.
"Wha… what? Are we going home now, Mum?" Fran asked groggily.
"Yes," Was the abrupt answer while Lily helped her sit up on the bed and put her feet down on the floor. Then grabbing her hand, she helped Fran stand. But Fran, who hadn't been very steady on her feet since their wounds had been tended, swayed and his mum had to help her sit down again.
"Mum, maybe we can all stay over for the night. The potions you gave to Fran are affecting her. She can't even stand!" But the only reaction he got was a firm look before his mum said. "No, we're leaving. I'm going to use the portkey for me and Fran. It'll be able to take both of us." Then with a careful look at Joshua she added. "You stay here and floo back with your dad, you're not allowed to floo alone."
Joshua not believing his luck said immediately "Yea, I'll wait for him, don't worry, Mum. I won't floo alone." It was his chance to be able to go down to check on what was going on. He simply couldn't believe his good luck! She was leaving him here alone.
"You promise, Joshua Potter, that you won't make trouble if I leave you here alone." His mum said as she looked at him with a firm look.
"I promise, Mum." What Joshua was about to do he didn't consider trouble! It was not his problem that his mum didn't make him promise anything more specific to do with Harry.
With one last look at him, she turned and took Fran's hand. She took out her necklace, which was her portkey back home, and with a quick "The Hollow" his mum and Fran were gone before Fran could wake up properly and warn his mum about his 'devious mind' and how to word his promise better. Success!
Joshua stood still for a couple of seconds more to make sure that he was alone. Then with a smile that his godfather said was his trademark smirk before he made trouble, he strode toward the door. Opening the door, careful not to make noise that might draw attention to him, Joshua stuck his head out and looked out both ways to find the corridor quiet and empty. Closing the door behind him he stood and waited to see where the noise might come from, hearing distant voices from the kitchen, he made up his mind.
He went down the stairs from the second landing where they had been waiting, and took a right at the bottom of the stairs toward the kitchen. He could hear the talking clearer now.
Opening the kitchen door slightly to look in, Joshua was shocked by the scene that met his eyes. His dad was standing shaking with anger with Sirius behind him, his hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down no doubt. But his dad seemed to be ignoring Sirius in favor of raising his voice to Professor Dumbledore.
Leaning closer, he was in time to hear his dad's next sentence "… sure? You can't be! It's unheard of, people coming from alternative universes! Never happened before …"
"Actually it did happen before, as this book fully explains. " Was the Headmasters calm reply in the face of his dad's red faced anger "if you would take the time to read it my boy, you'll see it is true." Raising a hand firmly now, Professor Dumbledore had a look in his usually twinkling blue eyes that had Joshua shivering. "Enough! I know you're upset, but I have confirmed his identity myself. He is who he claims to be, and I have no reason to doubt him. But…" With this he turned, and now Joshua could finally see the fourth member of the party. Harry! "I am sure you'll understand, Harry, if we ask you to remain here, in Grimmauld Place, but I assure you, you won't be alone. Sirius is staying here too, and other people visit occasionally so you'll see and meet others. That is, until we know how to send you back. You do want to go back, I am right in assuming that?"
"Yes. I want to go back as soon as possible. I have no problem staying here. In fact, I'll be using the library to research this mirror myself. If I can have the book you were reading, Albus?" Harry firmly replied, ignoring James's incredulous glare at what was going on around him.
"Albus, he can't stay here!" James objected before Albus could answer Harry. However, Albus ignored him, and with a firm nod toward Harry, he said. "Yes, of course you can read the book. I'll leave it with you for the time being." Then turning to his dad, who looked even redder in the face if that was possible, Albus added. "I believe here is the safest place for him to stay unless," He added with a raised eyebrow. "You have a better place for him to stay?"
"Can he stay at our home?"
At this everyone turned to stare at him. Joshua hadn't even noticed that he had left the corridor and entered the kitchen. But it was apparent his dad wasn't happy about it.
"What are you doing here? Where's your mum? And Fran?" His dad furiously questioned in a low voice.
Choosing to ignore his questions, as Joshua knew nothing but more recriminations would come from them, he asked his own question all the while staring at Harry, who looked baffled at this new development. "He can stay with us, right?"
Seeing that James seemed to be unable to handle his son right now without screaming, Sirius decided it was time to intervene. "Well, Josh, mate, he can stay here with me, it's better. Now why don't you call your mum and Fran so you can floo home?"
"Mum already portkeyed home with Fran. And anyway, I'm staying here tonight! You promised, Sirius!" That had been the original plan after all: for him, Fran, and the Weasley's to stay over and help in cleaning the house, but now thinking about it, the house seemed too quiet! Where was everyone?
"It was. But plans change." Was the Headmaster's quiet reply, making Josh look at him now instead of at Sirius. With that Albus turned to James who, to Harry's amusement, was now glaring at this Josh person instead of him. "James, why don't you go home and explain what happened to Lily, I am sure she won't be patient for much longer. I'll send Josh after you in a minute."
James stood for a moment, apparently deciding whether to do as asked or not, but after a minute of expectant silence he turned on his heel with a last angry look at Josh, and left the kitchen without a word. A silence was left that echoed with questions.
Joshua was the first to speak. "Well why can't Harry come live with us then?" He asked looking at Sirius expectantly.
"Why would I want to live with you?" Harry decided to join the conversation which seemed to revolve around him, but not include him. He could decide for himself where to live, he didn't need a younger boy to decide that for him.
"'Cause we're your family obviously! You are my brother, aren't you?" He added hesitantly. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't gotten confirmation that he was really his brother. Could he have been so wrong to assume that they were related?
It was the Headmaster who answered him quietly as Harry looked too shocked to do so. "Yes, he is Harry Potter. But the rest of the explanation will have to come from your father, who I believe had already taken the floo from the living room by now. Sirius why don't you accompany Mr. Potter to his residence while I talk to Harry here?"
"What? Leave! But I haven't talked to him yet!" Then when Joshua realized he had been rude to the Headmaster, he turned slowly, but surely redder and redder as only a redhead can. He had just raised his voice to the Headmaster of Hogwarts he realized shakily, and Harry didn't seem to be in any better condition Joshua thought hazily seeing him standing frozen looking back at him strangely.
"Come on, Josh," Sirius said, clearing his throat, feeling the spiking tension generating from the young man who he now believed to be his long dead godson. "Let's get you home before your dad comes back here angrier than he already is." With that, he took Joshua's upper arm and started leading him toward the kitchen door.
"Why not floo from here? Afraid I might hear where they live?" The sarcastic question stopped Sirius from continuing toward the door and snapped Joshua out of his daze. But it was Albus who answered. "No, but this fireplace is used only for incoming travelers and floo calls. The one in the living room and the upper study are for leaving. Security measures are important, as I am sure you know from your previous stay in this house."
Harry grimaced at Albus's mention of what he saw in his memories. With a slight apologetic nod, he turned to Joshua and Sirius, who were watching them carefully, before Sirius said with forced cheer, "Well, now that that's explained adieu my good men. And…" he added looking at Harry now. "I'll be seeing you in a bit." With that, he left dragging a reluctant and vocal Joshua behind him.
Harry could hear them arguing all the way before the door to the living room across from the kitchen closed. Turning to the Headmaster who was watching him quietly, Harry looked back, not knowing what he was supposed to say or do next. Hell, this was the Headmaster he had in front of him now.
Trying to cover his turmoil, he opened his mouth and asked. "Will you be telling anyone what you saw in my memories?" Knowing after he asked the question how important for him it was to know if he can trust this Albus with his secrets like he had trusted his Headmaster.
Watching Harry quietly for a few seconds more, Albus answered. "If that is not what you want, then your memories are safe with me. But I might suggest that you open up about your life a little." With a nod toward Harry, Albus continued. "I might not know you that well yet, but I venture to say that you seem to be a very private sort of person. It is all well and good, but to be able to get along with people here you'll need to trust them yourself so they'll be able to trust you back."
With that piece of advice given, Albus nodded toward the book and said. "I'll leave the book in your safe hands. I hope you find it as good a read as I did. I believe you know your way around this house, if your memories and that tunnel that none of us knew about is any evidence, so you'll be able to get back to your room. And now, if you don't need anything else, I'll bid you goodnight."
With a nod at a quiet Harry, Albus headed toward the kitchen door, hearing Harry murmur a quiet goodnight as he left the kitchen on his way to the living room.
'This night sure had been eventful, I believe I deserve a cup of hot chocolate for dealing with it so well,' was Albus's last thought as he flooed away, leaving a frustrated and tired young man behind.
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"I see you made yourself at home."
Sirius was back, great! Harry and his dead Godfather living together. If this night wasn't messed up as it is, this situation just made it perfect.
"Yes." Was all he said, not looking up from the cup of tea he had just finished checking for any kind of poison or potion, even though he had made it fresh himself after Albus had left. You never know. Mad-Eye was known to smear poison in specific cups to dry and be effective when some drink was placed in them. It doesn't cost anything to be extra careful.
A snort was all the reply he got. It seemed Sirius was still the same even in a different Universe where he evidently didn't have a long stay in Azkaban. He still couldn't handle being ignored well, was Harry's amused thought.
Sirius settled in the chair opposite him. Harry knew that he wasn't one to give up easily, so he wasn't surprised when Sirius found another question to ask. "Do you want me to show you back to your room?"
Looking up from his cup for a fleeting look at Sirius, he answered with a no before looking back down again. You could always count on the steam from a cup of tea to clear your thoughts and help you focus on what to do next.
He heard a shuffle. Sirius was not able to sit still, not comfortable with the silence. He probably wanted to shoot question after question at him. It was weird that he hadn't done so already, unless someone cautioned him not to. That was probably it, Sirius wasn't known as a self contained kind of personality.
"Are you going to keep staring at your tea cup like that?" Was the exasperated question when Sirius saw that none of his sarcastic comments were getting him anywhere with the young man in front of him.
"Yes." The brief answer came again.
"You're an entertaining kind of person aren't you?" Sirius said with a snort of disgust.
"I am actually," was Harry's amused reply.
"Ahhh he speaks!" Sirius said triumphantly. "So you do know you are my godson don't you?"
When he received no reply, Sirius said, "What? Am I a bad godfather or something that you can't even look at me?" Was the half joking, half serious question.
"Actually my godfather was the best." Harry didn't wait for Sirius's reaction before he stood up and with a clipped "Night" he left. Not able to take more questions or conversation. He needed to rest so he'd be able to review his situation in the morning.
Leaving the kitchen, and not looking back, Harry missed seeing Sirius's shocked expression, or hearing his murmur of "Was?"
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Author Note- ok so I got this review which I agree with, and as a consequence I won't be posting replies to reviews here anymore. It makes the word count seems more than it is I don't think I'll be replying to reviews unless there are questions asked I guess.
Sooo thanks to all the Reviewers for taking the time to review. I think I'll be adopting a suggestion made in one of the reviews in the next chapter. I actually started writing chapter nine before finishing this chapter, I have the idea of what's gonna happen in these two chapters decided it just needs writing. I'm trying to lower the angst thing hope it worked a bit in this chapter.
also I should say that the reviews I got made me see how important reviews are to authors so I've become a constant reviewer myself progress for me as a reader
And as is my usual sentence- I do hope you enjoy
