Series: Snapshots

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Harry Potter.

Notes: Snapshot Fourteen

Author's Notes: Someone asked why Sirius and Harry didn't live in a bigger apartment since Mrs. Black was dead. I couldn't remember a canon date for it, only that she died while Sirius was in prison, so I checked it out on the Lexicon. It turns out she's been dead since 1985 (probably kicked the bucket right around the time Sirius hightailed it to Japan). So, for the purposes of this story, Sirius didn't feel comfortable coming back at all until Dumbledore backed off. On a side note, I really get a kick out of making up goblin names and the odd little stories behind them.

Snapshot Title: Bumblebees

Sirius walked into Gringotts for the first time in years without a glamour, transfigured facial features, or the simple disguise of a Muggle baseball cap. The goblins didn't treat him any differently, other than him not needing to give up any blood for identification, but the patrons did. A blonde woman screeched and fainted, her husband dropped her a moment later when he spotted Sirius, a few young children scampered to hide behind their mother's skirts, one young man drew his wand and pointed it at him, and a couple of people in Auror trainee robes glanced his way then ignored him.

Sirius, for his part, was doing his best not to laugh at all of them. Right up until Snarlshot took him to the Black account manager's office and he remembered why he was there.

Baggershon nodded at him, an unusual non-greedy expression on his face, as Sirius sat down. The old goblin shuffled the papers on his desk for a few more minutes before sighing and picking up a large red scroll. "Your mother left instructions asking me to wait in case your brother was still alive, but as his owl returned with the letter still in place, do you mind if we start now?"

Ignoring the falling sensation in his stomach, Sirius eyed the Howler-red scroll with no small amount of trepidation, and asked, "Do you mind if I put up a silencing charm first? Dear old Mum wasn't quite sane near the end of her life."

Baggershon grinned and pulled two sets of earplugs out of a desk drawer. "Gringotts is prepared for everything, Mr. Black," the old goblin said, as he held a set out for Sirius to take. "The room is already spelled for situations such as this one. It's us who need to be wary."

Sirius let out a barking laugh as he put the earplugs in. He waited until Baggershon put in his own set, took a deep breath to prepare to listen to one long rant disguised as a will, and tapped the scroll with his wand.

As his mother's shrill voice filled the air and the insults started flying, Sirius hoped Remus and Harry wouldn't mind waiting. This was going to take a while.

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Harry poked his melted sorbet with his spoon, making the rainbow of colors twist into a new pattern. The two large scoops had started out with straight lines of raspberry, lemon, lime, and orange, and the design changed each time the spoon touched the sorbet, the latest design being a mass of squiggling blob shapes. Harry had started poking them to get as much raspberry as he could, but now he was just bored and watching the sorbet turned goo change patterns was quickly loosing its appeal.

"Can we go back to the used book store?" Harry asked hopefully.

Looking at someone behind Harry, Remus's expression shifted from adult face number five, polite amusement, to adult face number seventeen, hidden worry and concern. Harry pouted; he really hated that look. Sirius had worn that same expression when he told Harry they were moving to Japan because some man Harry had never met was trying to force Sirius to give him back to Petunia.

Harry almost didn't want to know what had prompted Remus to make the same face.

"Moony?" Harry said softly, a tiny thread of worry worming its way through him. Sirius said Moony was a worrier, and Harry had seen it for himself, but he was usually so much better at hiding it.

Remus smiled stiffly at Harry, then at the person behind Harry. "What are you doing here, Albus?" he asked, sounding so tired Harry thought Remus might want to take a nap with him later.

Harry suddenly paled, recognizing the name from Sirius's rants. He turned in his seat, getting his first look at the man who had given him to Petunia.

The man wasn't just old, but ancient. His brightly colored robes with the little bumblebees and hives scattered across the bottom said he had long past the age where others' opinions mattered and he was more than happy to be himself, no matter what others thought of him. The small glasses perched on his crooked nose and the twinkle in his eyes said he had lived a full life, and the smile on his face said he was up to something.

But all Harry could do was wonder why someone who looked so kind had given him to someone as mean as Petunia. He must have had a good reason, he must of, but Harry couldn't figure out what that reason was.

Albus returned Remus's smile, his far happier, and sat down in the empty seat they had been saving for Sirius. "Checking up on some rumors," he said, turning his smile on Harry. "I'm glad to see you're looking so well these days, Harry."

Clutching his spoon in his fist, Harry narrowed his eyes at the old man, not at all liking the implication Sirius wasn't a good parent. Not that Sirius was really parent material, even Harry knew that, but he was a thousand times better than Petunia.

"Are you looking forward to your birthday?" Albus asked, still smiling that grandfatherly smile at Harry. "Is this trip part of your gift from Sirius, or are the two of you moving back here permanently?"

Even at six, almost seven, Harry could recognize when someone was fishing for information, although it helped the old man was being rather obvious about it. He gripped his spoon even tighter, unaware his eyes were glowing faintly but completely aware the other customers of the small shop had turned to look at their table when Albus had mentioned Sirius's name.

"We're visiting Moony," Harry said, turning his attention back to his melted treat, and Remus groaned softly, covering his eyes with one hand. "We're leaving before my birthday."

Albus nodded, still smiling even though it was clear he was disappointed by Harry's answer. "Perhaps you should visit your aunt while you're here. I'm sure she misses you."

Harry decided then and there he did not like Albus Dumbledore.

He also wished Yusuke was there to kick the old man in the shins. Harry couldn't bring himself to hurt someone so old.