After watching the sun come up with Sirius, Harry slowly made his way to the breakfast room. Circe was there alone this morning. Staring out into the courtyard in silent contemplation. She smiled brightly when he entered.
"How much you have matured and how handsome you are. I think your parents would be very proud of you, and how hard you have worked. I have never before taught so much in so short a time. I will miss you very much."
She was a little teary eyed and she hugged him tightly. She wiped her eyes and turned back towards the table.
"Even though your Cambion powers are awakened you are not invulnerable. So to aide you in your fight against the Dark side, I have gifts for you."
She had several items bought in by the Nymphs. She had calmed herself from her earlier outburst and was once again smiling. She held up several items of clothing made of a strange, buttery soft leather. Harry looked up in question.
"Leviathan hide. It is physically impenetrable, but breaths like cotton. It is light weight and can be worn under your robes. It will protect you against any physical weapons. It is sort of like Dragon hide but stronger, so it will deflect all but the most powerful spells."
"So, I will be safe from most of the Death Eaters but not Voldemort."
"Essentially. I also have a few robes for you. Two for everyday wear and one for battles. They have a very special blend of fibers, Acromantula Silk and the Mane from a Nemean Lion. Like the clothes it will protect you against most physical attacks, add an extra layer of spell protection and keep you warm or cool depending on the time of year. I have made them to look modern and be in style but they are still tough enough to help protect you when the time comes."
The robes were beautiful. A deep black, soft to the touch like his invisibility cloak but he could feel the protection spells that had been weaved into it, along with its own natural defenses. Circe had cast most of them herself. Harry smiled at the time and effort she must had put into these gifts.
"My final gift is very special. I made this myself."
She held up a ring. White gold with a red stone set inside. He took the ring examining it closer. The stone seemed to have some kind of liquid inside it.
"It will give you two advantages. It can bring you here, you can either activate it by saying my name or if you are too badly hurt it will immediately Portkey you back. It will also allow you to communicate with animals."
"Thank you." It was in this moment that he realized she loved him. She wanted to protect him from his mother's fate. "I love you too."
She smiled brightly and hugged him again.
"You are going to be just fine, Harry."
"I know, thank you for all you have done for me."
Cato took this moment to join them. Looking over their teary faces he raised an eyebrow and started eating his breakfast. Circe signaled to the Nymphs again and they brought in several books, setting them down next to Cato. He smiled in thanks and continued eating but Harry knew that he too would miss Circe and the island.
After breakfast Harry gathered all his belongings and stood in silence saying good bye to everything. Sirius whined at the foot of the bed. Patting his head and hugging him briefly, Harry turned and began to drag his trunk towards the door. Sirius followed slowly behind him.
When they reached the main room everyone was waiting for them. Cato and Dobby were already wearing the Time-turner. Harry hugged Circe again and put the chain around his neck.
"I think you are forgetting something."
"What?"
"Or rather someone?"
Harry stared in incomprehension. Circe gestured to Sirius.
"I think he has been punished enough for being a reckless guardian, don't you?"
Harry's eyes filled with tears as Sirius barked happily. Nodding, Harry knelt and hooked the chain around Sirius. Turning it over, Harry had a brief moment to wave before the was once again spiraling through time.
They landed once more in the middle of the hotel suite that belonged to Cato. Harry laughed seeing that Sirius was sprawled across the floor and Dobby, while he had remained upright. Pulling the dog off the small elf, he helped Dobby to stand. Dobby then immediately disappeared to find Winky, while Cato and Harry sorted their belongings. They then moved back into the other rooms where Isabelle, Arsinoe and Rosaleen waited impatiently.
The three jumped to their feet when they entered all rushing to hug him, even Cato got a hugged. Harry quickly moved them all back into a seated position and told them everything that had happened including Sirius.
Sirius took that moment to morph back into a man. Even knowing that he was Sirius Black, Arsinoe still let out a small shriek. The others quickly filled Harry in on the things that had been happening in the few days since they had gone back into time. Everything was going smoothly. Harry had even returned three days before he was scheduled, they had a full five days before the train would leave for Hogwarts.
Harry decided to see if Sirius wanted to take the same potion he had for a new body and once he had Sirius permission, he contacted Doctor Walsh who promised to create a potion for Sirius.
"How is the Hogwart's situation?"
"Well, we have had contact, and while it looks like we will have things go our way, there are some reservations on the other side. "
"I think Sirius will help with that issue. Contact them again, tell them we have another member of our team. I think that will remove any reservations they may have. Don't mention his name, most of them are familiar with him."
Rosaleen nodded and went off to contact Hogwarts. Harry moved over beside Cato and Isabelle. She briefly checked his mind and smiled to fine no damage and the block completely gone.
"Sirius, since you are back with us and will soon have a new appearance I wondered if you were interested in helping us with the next part of my plan?"
"Of course. Do bears pee in the woods?"
"Gross, but yes they do. All right. I plan to have extra staff at Hogwarts this year. Staff trained in fighting and healing techniques. Cato with teach the NEWT level students in defense, Isabelle will teach Mind healing. Rosaleen is going to be running the Werewolf safe house with Remus. Arsinoe will be assisting Isabelle and Madam Pomfrey. I hope either you or Cato will resume the D.A."
"What will you be doing?"
Harry looked momentarily puzzled. "I don't know."
"I think you could assist Sirius and I, when you are not in classes. I have taught you a lot and so has Circe, but there are several Masters at Hogwarts and I think you could benefit from their teachings."
"I hope you don't mean Snape."
"Snape is a Potions Master. He can teach you things that Circe and I don't have the knowledge or skill for. McGonagall can teach you to become an Animagus. Despite your progress you still need work in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Plus it wouldn't hurt to learn healing from Poppy."
"How will that work?"
"We will work it out with the Professors. When they have a free period or in the evenings they can work with you. I think actually attending Ancient Runes and Arithmancy would be good for you, even if you are slightly advanced for some of the work it will keep you connected to the students, and you could run the D.A. yourself."
"Okay. As soon as Sirius is set we should hit Diagon alley. Then we can arrive with the other teachers and ask about special training. What will I do about NEWTs. As Tarquin, I have no OWLs. "
"I already spoke to the Minister about that when he first approached me for the job. I think you should take the NEWTs, so you can be an Assistant Professor and then you can focus on special training instead of tests. I will make a call, set up NEWTs for Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, Magical Creatures, and Defense. The others you can take in two years with the rest of your class."
Two days later Sirius was in the office of Doctor Walsh, staring in disapproval at the same green potion Harry had taken. With his usual rush in attitude he quickly drained it. The effects were instantaneous. He kept his height and build. His face changed, subtle but enough that someone wouldn't recognize him, his eyes became a warm ocher color, a few shades darker than Remus'. His hair lightened to a dark brown.
"Wow. New you is looking good. Have you considered what your name will be?"
"I haven't really through about it. I need something that sounds official without being traceable. I can't keep Black. My line is too well documented for me to be another missing heir." He mussed Harry's neater hair.
"I got it. Helios Orion Grymm." He smiled and barked out a laugh.
"Really Grymm. Don't you think that is something Hermione will figure out?"
"She thinks I am dead. A lot of Wizard's have weird names."
"If she sees a large Grimm like dog running around?"
"I will be careful. I won't really have a need to transform, I will keep my two feet on the floor, like a good boy." He laughed at his own joke and Harry reluctantly smiled.
They headed back to the hotel to pack. Tomorrow they would return to England. After that back to Hogwarts. Harry was a mixture of delight and dread. He wanted to go home but was afraid all his carefully laid plans would fall apart. He couldn't fail, not now.