uh huh definitely not a cross over. I'll try to impart info about the AU gradually? Dri tho would confuse you until it's near to the end. This is my first book so it's kinda hard to remember that readers don't have access to my thoughts. lol. anyhow shelah324 thanx for positive review. appreciate it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry paused outside the Grey Walk wards to apperate. He realised that apperating to the prison is a Gryffindorish idiotic thing to do. Not like it's possible either. He hasn't been to the prison to know where to apperate in to. Glaring at his feet, he apperated to the west lounge in his home. He was satisfied to see mum and his brothers seated in front of the fire.

"Harry!" Mum called with an ear splitting grin. He couldn't help but let his scowl falter. Mum was quick to notice. "What is wrong?"

"You and dad are what is wrong!" Harry exploded in anger. "Why did you lie?! How could you?"

"Brother?" Addy asked in confusion. His grin fading away to a frown. Harry turned to his brothers.

"Siri is alive!"

Addy and Damy gaped comically. Mum looked as if Harry slapped her.

"What?" Addy whispered.

"What do you mean?" Damy asked at the same time.

"Harry..." Mum started.

"I want to visit him." Harry demanded.

"I haven't been to Azkabarn." Mum said. "You will have to ask your father."

"Azkabarn?!" Both of his brothers exclaimed.

"Yes. What would have you done if we told you?" Mum asked. "We would have had to watch you twenty four seven so you don't try to break in to the worst prison in the world."

Harry agreed with her point he really did but that didn't mean he will forgive them.

"But mum!" Damy protested.

"Why was he arrested?" Addy questioned.

Mum sighed and rubbed her temples. "He murdered Peter Pettigrew and his mother."

"Good riddance." Harry muttered darkly. Mum ignored his brothers' shocked expressions and turned to him. "You don't seem rather surprised."

Harry gave a light shrug but didn't answer. If they can lie to him he can keep secrets as he pleased he thought petulantly.

"Mum, But why didn't you try to get him out?" Addy asked.

"We tried. But Dumbledore was adamant in Sirius' punishment for killing innocents. In Britain he has more power than us. Even the royal family can't interfere with the rulings of an independent state."

"Professor Dumbledore? But?" Addy spluttered.

"Is a manipulative old goat who would serve the world well by just dropping dead." Harry darkly spat. It said a lot when mum didn't bother to reprimand him.

"Is that where dad is today then?" Damy asked.

"Yeah. I think so." Mum nodded.

"I still can't believe that you would preach about honesty between family members and betray us like this." Addy shook his head. Harry scowled at his remorseful looking mother.

"You were small. Sirius agreed too. We didn't want this hanging over you for all your lives."

"Were you planning to tell us?" Damy asked subdued.

"Yes. When you are fifteen."

"When Harry would have learnt it when he can't become the Black Lord with him alive." His younger brother concluded. Mum's silence was answer enough. Harry sighed and dropped down next to Damy on the sofa. He felt tired with all the anger he had experienced. Addy gave him a long look and sat down on an armchair. Crossing his arms the older boy stared at mum.

"So can we visit him?" Addy asked. "I still can't believe this."

"He didn't want anyone other than James."

Harry scoffed. "Screw what he wants. We are visiting."

"Language Harry." Mum scolded almost habitually. "Well you will have to wait for your dad."

"It is still mid day." Damy whined. "He won't be back for hours!"

"What am I supposed to do?" Mum arched a red eyebrow challengingly. Damy pouted and grumbled under his breath.

Harry contemplated ways to save his godfather. How can he get the man out? First he needed to hear the full story from the man himself.

"Harry." Mum called.

"What?" He asked crossly. Forgiveness won't be easily given.

"Did you know that aunt is cured?" He noted how she peered at him intently. Harry took a moment to digest that. Feeling like he is having far too many surprises today he questioned in more resignation than surprise.

"How?"

"We don't know." Mum said. "But we found runic circles burnt in to the floor."

Harry blinked. "And?"

"They reminded me of the runic configurations on your wand and bracelet."

Harry heard the implications far too clearly.

"Are you suggesting that Sasha did this?" He asked incredulously. His feelings not entirely faked. He knew that Dri won't just stand by and let the woman die but he didn't fathom that as brilliant as she is, even she could come up with a cure to an incurable disease in two weeks. Unbelievable, that was what exactly it was.

"That kind of work is unique." Mum said.

"That it may be but it could be someone who taught her."

"Who did?" Mum asked tilting her head like a bird.

"I don't know. How am I supposed to know that?" Harry asked in annoyance. Dri is tight-lipped about her life, even to him. Her only friend. Everything he knew about her was weedled out with his charming annoyingness.

"Is she not your friend?" Mum asked sounding unimpressed.

"She is. But that doesn't mean that she pours her heart out to me." Harry shrugged. His brothers watched the conversation with gradually rising eyebrows.

"Even if it is her, why would she secretly cure her?" Addy asked.

"Good question." Harry agreed.

"I don't know. She seemed very generous to you." Mum said.

"Even if she could heal the empress why secretly? I could have taken her to the Emperor and ask for permission." He reasoned. Mum looked thoughtful.

"Yeah. But I'll like to ask her directly."

Harry raised a shoulder in a shrug. "Ask her the next time you meet. And why don't you mirror call dad?"

"Communication devices or patronuses aren't allowed inside the prison." Mum replied.

"Of bloody course." He grumbled and stood up. "Tell me when he is home."

He will go and research law in the meantime. He would leave mum to deal with his brothers' anger. His anger had died down to a weary resignation. He needed to tell Dri about mum's suspicions too. He decided that Dri would probably has more useful books and more knowledge about laws. Grimacing he apperated away. Dri is bound to be unamused he thought. Probably he should apologise too.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Back so soon?" Dri drawled as he slumped on the chair in front of her desk. Harry sighed and kicked up his boots on Dri's desk. Crossing his hands over his chest he met Dri's flat black eyes across the desk. Today she has gone with black hair and black eyes. Duchess' disguise. He absently wondered how she kept track of all the faces and personalities she wore. Her excellent memory and mind magicks probably helped.

"I am sorry I screamed." He won't so easily apologise to anyone else even if he is in the wrong. But this is Dri and she is whole another story.

"Hm.. Is there something you wanted?"

When she asked it like that he felt like a leech. Taking advantage of Dri. He hadn't forgotten Kyrie's words either.

"Am I a bad person?" He blurted out. With her he was never the Slytherin King or Heir Black. Not even Harry.

"You are asking me?" Dri asked drily.

"No it's just. You are always helping me. And I don't help you but act like a jerk too." Harry tried to read Dri's expression and found it blank. Those blank faces made him feel both happy and sad. Happy because that meant she is truly being herself and sad because she is so scarred and emotionally stunted other than pretending she didn't know how to truly feel most of the time.

Dri blinked and the glimpse of her real expression disappeared. She shook her black curls slightly.

"I thought friends help each other."

"Exactly! This is not symbiotic. You are the only one doing the helping."

"You are still a kid what can you do?" Dri shrugged. "Plus you are good for comic relief you know?"

Harry spluttered in indignation. "How can you say that? I am serious and cool."

"Who was spluttering a moment ago?"

"Weird woman." Harry grumbled. Dri just shrugged and turned back to the book she was reading.

"Aren't you going to ask why I am back?" Harry asked after a while of been ignored.

"I did already I believe."

"Great aunt is cured."

"Hm.." Her face was devoid of any emotion.

"You were sloppy. Mum saw runes and immediately thought of you."

"My, I am flattered."

"This is serious Dri! She wants to meet you! What should I do?"

Dri closed the book and turned to him.

"It's your fault that they even learnt about Alexandria." She shrugged carelessly.

"Arent you even worried a little?"

"Not really. I don't live worrying about the future. That would be really depressing."

Harry rolled his eyes. "So you won't mind if Nate or better yet the emperor gets wind of this?" He asked snidely.

Dri sighed and looked away. "I would. I think the best option is to kill her off."

"You are serious?" He asked dubiously. Alexandria is one of her main disguises. He knew that she had some sort of established reputation in the Walk too. What exactly he didn't know but he had seen enough to make an educated guess. His parents had taught him firm morals and he was of the opinion that less he knew about her work, the better.

Dri shrugged and opened her drawer. Taking out a muggle cigarette she lit the end with a thought and began to smoke. Harry wrinkled his nose in distaste at the disgusting smell.

"Thank Merlin that magicals aren't stupid enough to smoke those blasted things." He muttered as he cast a bubble head charm to access smoke free air. Dri just chuckled and blew smoke in his direction.

"Are you calling me stupid?" Dri asked.

"Yes." He said conviction. "Anyway are you sure that you are okay with killing Alexandria?"

Dri smoked in silence for a moment. "It is the best option. I didn't like how your parents and Nate found out about her. Sooner or later they'll learn the reputation behind the mask. Then they'll ask you questions. Which will be bad considering the Nate's ability to detect lielies. Even I can't lie to him. Then they'll investigate and try to get to Duchess. She is a liability so the best place for her is in death."

Harry sighed and closed his eyes. "I am sorry. I am causing you nothing but trouble."

"Stop being all melodramatic. If I didn't want you around you won't be here let alone remember me."

Harry blinked in disbelief. "Did you just admit that you want me around?" He asked with a smug smirk. Dri scowled and flicked the ashes in his direction.

"Comic relief as I said. Zenith is too much of a mother hen, Kyrie is too polite and let's not even start with other minions." She huffed. He couldnt help but grin. He felt stupid for being happy over something small but Dri is always so cold and it's rare to get a confession like that. He should probably mark this day on his calendar.

"Do not get so excited I would kill you if it will serve me well." She snapped. He recognised them for the empty threats they are.

"If you say so dear. Anyhow can I borrow some books on criminal law?"

"I don't remember you needing my permission to burrow my stuff Rye. As in ever."

"Here I'm trying to be good and you are being mean." Harry huffed. No it's not a pout on his face.

"Why criminal law?"

"I am not letting Siri rot in that hellhole." He vowed darkly. All the good cheer evaporating.

Dri raised a neat black brow. "I am tempted to not correct you even now. But you are annoying on a good day. You waste too much of my time when you throw tantrums."

"What?" He questioned at her confusing reply. Dri grinned a smug little grin and cradled her head in a palm.

"Your precious Siri is not currently occupying Azkabarn." Dri intoned.

Harry gaped. "What?"

"If you let me finish earlier before you marched away, I could have told you that."

"Where is he then?" Harry asked getting to his feet.

"Fuck if I know. I don't keep track of things like that. Mostly."

"Do my parents know?" Harry asked with dread.

"Your dad came to Flinch with a job to get Black out."

"So they do." He hissed in anger. His parents can't lie to him like this. "Flinch is one of your alter egos right? The thief?"

"Do not even speak of it idiot. I didn't protect my secrets all this time by talking them out loud." Dri kicked his knees from under the table.

"Sorry sorry! Sheesh it hurts you violent woman."

"I didn't kick you so you could feel all fluffy moron." Dri cooly replied without an ounce of regret.

"i can't believe that my parents lied to me." Harry said dejectedly.

"They are just human." She shrugged.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Short yeah. I have been busy soooorry! Happy new year peeps!

~Cheers

Dìno