A/N: I apologize for the long delay in writing, I've been struggling with my focus. Holiday fever or something I guess. Anyways, another chapter here, and it's got some information and some fun, and I tried to keep Harry in character. I promise, I have two chapters in the rough draft stage and ideas for the one after that. It won't be so long until the next update.

"Hey Padfoot?" Harry said, leaning into the library.

Sirius had been sitting in a chair balanced on two legs while he read a book with a lurid green cover. By the time Harry had stepped fully into the library, Sirius and his chair were on the floor, and the green book was lying somewhere on the other side of the first bookshelf.

"Harry?" Sirius said.

"Is this a bad time?" Harry asked.

Sirius stared at him for a long moment, then blinked, "No, it's okay. You surprised me, but it's okay." He rolled off the chair with a groan. "I'm not doing that again anytime soon."

Harry toyed with the corner of his book, watching as Sirius slowly climbed to his feet and picked up his chair. Then Sirius turned in a circle while staring at the floor.

"If, uh, if you're looking for your book," Harry said carefully, "you threw it over the bookshelf." He gestured in the proper direction.

"Oh," Sirius said, "I'll find it in a minute." He rubbed his arm meditatively, "How can I help you, Harry?"

Harry blinked, "I was, I was wondering if you could help me with this." He held up his book. "It's about Bardic magic."

Sirius frowned, "That's not really something I know about, Harry. However, I'll do my best to help you figure it out."

Harry smiled, "Thanks. It's this part here," he opened the book and pointed to a passage, "about how the groups form."

Sirius nodded and reached for the book, "Let me see."

"There you are Harry!" Hermione said, barging into the room. "Mrs. Weasley said you needed to go pack."

Harry shook his head, "I packed already. Unless someone unpacked my trunk while I was looking for Padfoot."

"But your room," Hermione began.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Your room looks like both trunks exploded," Hermione said. "Mrs. Weasley sent me to tell you…"

Harry frowned, because he knew he'd packed up his trunk. He didn't want another rush to the station in the morning after all. He'd made sure everything was put away, including the new clothes Remus had bought for him. In fact, Harry had made a point of cleaning up the room he shared with Ron every day.

"Hermione," Harry said, "I'll bet you two galleons that Fred and George are in their room snickering over their latest prank."

Hermione frowned at him.

"I've cleaned up our room every day since I got here," Harry continued, rubbing his bracelet. "It's good control practice for my gift. If it looks as bad as you say, then someone did that. My money's on the twins."

Hermione tilted her head a little and grinned, "I'm not betting against the twins, Harry."

Harry blinked, "Does that mean you'll bet on other things?"

"Absolutely not!" Hermione was genuinely shocked, "Gambling is immoral, Harry. Look at all the trouble Ludo Bagman got into last year."

Harry grinned a little, "Look, if Mrs. Weasley asked, will you tell her that you told me? Sirius was just explaining something about Bards for me. I'll go help Ron with the room as soon as Sirius and I are done."

"All right," Hermione said, looking only slightly mollified.

Harry hesitated, then put his hand on Hermione's arm, "Look, the more questions I ask Sirius now, the less time I'll spend trying to answer the questions on my own at school, and that's time I'll have for other things."

Hermione frowned, and then her face cleared up, "Like studying for OWLs."

"Exactly," Harry said. "So let me talk to Sirius, and you go on downstairs. Isn't Mrs. Weasley throwing a party for you and Ron becoming Prefects tonight?"

"Oh, yes," Hermione said. "I guess I should go."

"Thanks for letting me know about my room," Harry said as he watched Hermione leave. She paused to give him a little wave. Harry turned back to Sirius, who was staring at the book as if it was the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen. "What?" Harry asked.

"You and Hermione," Sirius said.

Harry shook his head, "She's like my sister, Padfoot."

Sirius's grin was a bit sly, "Are you sure?"

Harry thought back to Chris, and nodded with a sigh, "Very sure. Did you have an answer for me?"

"Actually, I do," Sirius said. "Have you studied anything about ritual magic?"

"No," Harry said slowly.

Sirius frowned, "You should have covered it last year in Defense, if not Charms."

Harry shook his head, "No, we didn't cover anything like that."

Sirius sighed, "Well, there aren't many rituals used these days, but they're used to expand power and even increase the strength of a casting. The wards at Hogwarts were put up by a series of rituals, a mix that hasn't come close to being replicated in centuries. They're done by people with the same gifts, like a group of Rune Masters making runic wards together, or Transfiguration masters creating a lasting transfiguration. For Bards, that's either a band or a choir, depending on the talents of the group. I haven't seen you playing the piano in the music room…" Sirius eyed Harry.

Harry shook his head slowly, "I tried, and Chris taught me a bit when he was teaching me to read music, but it… it wasn't right."

"Your talent is best expressed vocally then," Sirius nodded before frowning slightly, "Who'd have thought helping your father learn all this would be so useful, huh pup?"

Harry wrinkled his nose at Sirius, "Right, but how does me being a singer apply to rituals and groups?"

"Bardic rituals are done using songs, some of them original, others that are adapted from the common repertoire. If a vocal Bard is present, then the words are used to help focus the drive of the ritual, like how when you sing your songs to clean your room or scrub the floor. Add more Bards and you could go from just a little cleaning to creating a room that automatically folds clothes and puts them away, or dusts, or windows that remain clean no matter what." Sirius chuckled, "James wanted to start a group so he'd never have to clean his room again, but he never really liked singing or instruments. Oh he sang and he'd had violin and piano lessons since he was able to draw a bow or press a key, but he liked whistling, and it was a lot more subtle than hauling a violin into a battle."

Harry nodded, snorting at the image of his dad dodging spell work and playing a violin at the same time.

"This book is talking about how to find and or create a bardic group that best enhances your own abilities," Sirius continued. "There's a spell here that, when cast, can tell you exactly who would be your best choices. Depending on how long their Gift has been active, they might seek you out if you did this, aware or not."

"Is it a gease?" Harry asked nervously.

"Not exactly," Sirius said, looking at the book. "If I understand this passage, it's something they can ignore if they want to. If, say, someone realized you cast the spell and all, they could refuse to answer it, or just anyone who didn't want it." He closed the book and held it out to Harry, "Honestly, I think you should really consider doing that. Voldemort doesn't share power and he rules through fear more than anything. He wouldn't understand a group coming after him in battle, especially one that used music alongside their wands."

"But even if I did, we'd have to train," Harry pointed out as he tucked the book in his back pocket, "I'm barely understanding what I can do here, Sirius."

"There's an option for that too," Sirius said, "one that I think you should seriously consider taking advantage of. For powerful Gifts, especially a Gift like yours, that can link and create bonds, there's a training option through Gringotts. It's a time spell. It sends you to another time, either past or future depending, and you stay there for a year. At the end of the year, you come back here. You might change some, and things like having your arm cut off are the same as if you didn't go, but you'll have a full year of training. Remus and I discussed it, and if you feel this is something you want, we'll take you to Gringotts to do it. We'll have to hire tutors on the other side, but we'll teach you to fight Voldemort all the same."

Harry nodded. "I read something like that in my books, the time travel thing. I have this feeling you might be right. I need to think about this."

"Ask questions," Sirius urged. "Some of your professors might have done the same thing, or know of an older student or two that did. They can tell you about it if you ask."

"I will," Harry said. "I need to get the room taken care of though. I wouldn't want Mrs. Weasley to come drag me out of bed to take care of it tomorrow."

"You do that," Sirius said.

"There you are," Remus said, coming into the library. "Everything okay?"

Harry smiled, "Sirius was just answering some questions for me."

"Speaking of Sirius," Remus said, holding something up, "I found them."

"You did," Sirius shot up grinning.

"You really need to do something about your trunk," Remus said, "I'm surprised you kept so much school stuff after Hogwarts."

Sirius shrugged, "I'll get around to it later, this is more important." He held his hands out to Remus, flexing his fingers like he was inches away from snatching the items out of Remus's hands.

Remus laughed and handed them over.

"Harry," Sirius said, "we can't promise that communication will be safe at Hogwarts. As much as we disapprove of Albus's actions this summer, and believe me, I disapprove a lot, he had a point. Letters can be intercepted or followed, and Hedwig is exceptionally noticeable." He held one of the objects to Harry, "This is a communication mirror. They're made in sets, and they work to allow two people to speak to each other. The catch is that they can only connect to their 'twin' and no other. Each set of mirrors has to be made in a very specific manner, and cannot be intercepted at all. The only thing you have to do is set up a silencing charm or make sure there are no eavesdroppers."

Harry took the mirror and studied it curiously. "How does it work?"

"You simply say Contact Padfoot and mine will alert me that you're calling me." Sirius said.

"We don't have the skill to change the activation codes," Remus said softly, "so Sirius will have to say Contact Prongs, but I thought you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all," Harry said, holding the mirror to his chest, "This is better than a letter if I need help. It's not better than being here of course, but…"

"But we'll be talking to you," Sirius said, "and you'll be able to see us." He stepped closer and held his arm out. Harry hesitated, then stepped forward to let his godfather give him a one armed hug. It wasn't easy, but he was beginning to like Sirius's habit of hugging him this way. It was less smothering but no less comforting than the crushing hugs that Mrs. Weasley and Hermione favored.

"Now, as I understand it, Ron is in your room cursing the twins to high heaven," Remus said.

"Yeah," Harry said reluctantly, "I should go help him. The twins made our room a mess in their prank."

Sirius squeezed Harry into his side quickly, "Go on then, and try out your spell while you're at it. It'll be okay."

"I'm thinking about it," Harry said. "I'll see you at the party later."