"Ah, Sirius, thank you for coming."
"No worries," Sirius said, settling himself in the seat opposite Dumbledore's. "What's this about?" He thought Harry was all right - they'd spoken just that morning after his dream - and wasn't sure what else the Headmaster could want.
"I visited Petunia this afternoon," Dumbledore said.
"Right." Sirius didn't want Petunia dead, or her blood used for whatever awful purpose Polkov had had in mind, but beyond that, he didn't much care what happened to her. He hadn't spared her much thought the past few years, mostly because his feelings about the woman were so complicated, and contradictory.
On the one hand, Sirius would never, for as long as he lived, forget that little bed in that tiny cupboard under the stairs of Petunia Dursley's home, never not be a bit bothered by the fact that, the Dursleys had let Harry go with a dirty, starving, supposedly murderous man, with their only, slightest concern being that Dumbledore's protection wouldn't work anymore.
Yet, Petunia'd been an ally of sorts against Dumbledore and the Ministry, had helped - as he'd begged her to in the hasty letter he sent her before his arrest… though, admittedly not in the way he'd intended. In the end, her way had been better, and she'd made arrangements to ensure he got custody of Harry, all while he sat useless in a holding cell.
"The boy doesn't want to live with us, and frankly, we don't want him anymore than we did when you first took him," she'd said, when she visited him in the holding cells with Harry's custody forms. Her scent had been a different story; resentment, fear, shame, all held at bay by an odd, detached sort of peace. It was the shame that had made Sirius think this might be her way of apologising, of atoning for Harry's early childhood, and that had prompted him to thank her, but she'd only told him it wasn't for him, and then called for the Aurors to escort her out.
But, regardless of whether she'd done it for herself, or for Harry, or for Lily, or simply because it had been the right thing to do, she had done it, and while it had resulted in Harry being in the cells when the Dementors attacked, it had allowed the Aurors and other Ministry staff to watch him with Harry, and to see him as something more than a mass-murderer. Scrimgeour, certainly, had been convinced by the Dementor attack, and had spoken on Sirius' behalf during his trial, as a result.
"I'm sure Kingsley has told you they're dropping the case," Dumbledore said, interrupting Sirius' reverie. "As of tomorrow, Petunia's guards will leave."
"But Harry said they didn't get what they wanted from her, that Polkov failed," Sirius said, frowning. "There's every chance she'll be targeted again, or Harry's cousin-"
"Harry thought it unlikely," Dumbledore said. "We spoke this morning," he said, smiling at Sirius. "Lord Voldemort's fury was something to behold, or so he said. He believes Polkov appropriately cowed."
"Is that a risk you're willing to take, though?" Sirius asked.
"No," Dumbledore said. Silence hung in the office. Dumbledore twiddled his thumbs. "Petunia is frightened enough to have requested help… or demanded, rather." He smiled slightly. Sirius could well imagine it. "What she requested was that I re-establish the protective enchantments put in place when Harry first lived with them. They endured until Harry left with you… when he no longer considered Petunia's home his home."
"Harry's not likely to consider that place home any more now than he did then," Sirius said, scowling.
"Precisely. That particular enchantment will not work without that, and I have explained as much to Petunia. Since then, I have been looking into other options. I did toy with the Fidelius Charm-"
"That'd be a logistical nightmare," Sirius said.
"I agree." Dumbledore sighed. "Currently, I am exploring another blood-based enchantment, not dissimilar in function to the original one. And now, we have come to the reason I asked you here tonight. I would like you to speak with Harry, to see if he would be willing to help."
"Ah." Sirius dreaded it already; not the asking Harry if he would help part, but the discussion that would have to come before, about Petunia. Harry had changed a lot, grown a lot, since that night in February when he'd left Privet Drive, but one thing that had not changed was how tight-lipped he was about his muggle relatives, even to Sirius. "Why me? You're organising this, so-"
"I do not want Harry to feel pressured into saying yes, as he would if I was the one to ask," Dumbledore said, and then sighed. "You've questioned a number of times, what I was thinking placing Harry with Petunia and her family- loudly, if I recall correctly." His beard twitched, but his eyes were sad. "I do not know the specifics of what transpired in the years that Harry lived there; Petunia requested we keep away, and other than Arabella, we did.
"I asked Petunia, when she took the boy in, to raise him as her own, as one of the family, but it was clear from Harry's reaction when I first re-met him as a boy, that this was not the case, and made me wonder… Since then, you have said outrightly that he was miserable there, but Harry and I have had no need to discuss it much - even during your trial - until this past week."
"He discussed them with you?" Sirius asked, eyebrows shooting up.
"No," Dumbledore said, frowning in a way that Sirius took to mean Harry's silence was the problem. "Not beyond expressing some worry for his aunt, and to ask whether anyone's thought to check on his cousin."
"Have they?" Sirius asked.
"I have already assigned someone the task of watching over Dudley Dursley, and he'd die before he allowed any of Voldemort's supporters to touch the boy." Sirius arched an eyebrow. "His Vow would ensure it, in fact," Dumbledore murmured. Sirius' mouth fell open. "It is no easy task to find someone that is comfortable in in the muggle world, can blend easily into the school environment, and who is a competent protector besides. He will keep an eye on things until the Christmas holidays, and then we shall reassess."
"Right," Sirius said faintly.
There were a few seconds of silence as Sirius seriously questioned Dumbledore's sanity; letting Quirrell - a man who'd killed a child and pretended to be that child so that he could get his hands on something that would resurrect Voldemort, all while harbouring Voldemort himself - watch over a boy that might be wanted by Voldemort for reasons they didn't yet know, was madness, regardless of Vows and Quirrell's lack of recent evil behaviour.
"Right," he said again. He shook his head to clear it. "Right. So, this- blood protection thing…?"
"Ah, yes, we have been sidetracked." Dumbledore chuckled, but sobered quickly. "The enchantment, like the previous one, requires blood - Harry's, if he chooses to take part - as well as Petunia's and Dudley's. Vernon is unrelated and as such, will not be protected, but is also in the least danger. For the enchantment to work at all, however, Petunia and Dudley must consider Harry family."
"But you said before it was all about Harry thinking of it as home, so surely-"
"Without delving too deeply into the intricacies of blood magic, Harry was entitled to Lily's protection, and as such, only needed somewhat regular contact with a blood relative to ensure he received it. Petunia and her son were not who Lily was trying to protect, but as they share her blood - and therefore Harry's blood - it is straightforward enough to trick the magic into covering them as well.
"Lily's sacrifice was made for love of her son, and love will extend its protection to encompass Petunia and Dudley as completely as it does Harry." Sirius thought that was a big ask and it must have shown on his face. "Affection or respect will provide them with some protection, however," Dumbledore continued, frowning slightly, " and I think that may be achievable."
"Then why even bother? Surely there's something that is achievable-"
"Surprisingly few," Dumbledore said, "once we eliminate anything that would risk the Statute of Secrecy or anything that would cause significant disruption to Petunia and Vernon's life as it it - that one is their request."
"Why can't you just give Petunia and Dudley Harry's blood, and let them have the protection directly?" Sirius asked eventually. "Wouldn't that work?"
"It would, for a time, until their bodies filtered Harry's blood out. There are ways around that, of course, but the spells required are dark, Sirius."
"Right," Sirius said, "so Harry'd have to… what bleed a bit?"
"Bleed, yes, and then stay in close proximity to the other two while the enchantment set. Last time, that wasn't an issue, since Harry was living with them. This time…"
"He's not," Sirius supplied. "So, what, he'd have to visit?" Dumbledore inclined his head. "For- a few hours, you said?"
"I would suggest a few days," Dumbledore said. "If he is willing to go ahead with this at all, he ought to do so properly, and that means giving Petunia and Dudley the chance to grow fond of him."
"They had seven years," Sirius muttered. Dumbledore gave him a patient look, but Sirius noticed he did not disagree. "What if Harry says no?" He didn't think it was likely, but it certainly wasn't impossible.
"If Harry does not wish to get involved, I will still help them myself - I believe I owe Petunia that much - and do have a potential contingency option, but it will be markedly less effective. As for the likelihood… I half expect him to," Dumbledore attendance, "given he declined my offer to visit her in St Mungo's. And that," he said, a little sadly, "is why I believe it so important that he does get to choose."
Sirius and Dumbledore discussed logistics after that - for about an hour, if Sirius' Sidekick was anything to go by - and by the end of it, Sirius had a headache and was dreading talking to Harry, but he and Dumbledore did have a fairly clear idea of how to go about it all if Harry said yes.
Dumbledore wasn't sure what lesson Harry would be in, but he'd told Sirius that McGonagall ought to be in her office and that she'd have a copy of Harry's timetable, and sent him on his way.
Sirius headed downstairs, and considered trying to get Harry through the mirror, but didn't want to risk it in case he was in Potions. He and Snape had come a long way in recent years, but not that far.
Sirius knocked on McGonagall's office door, and the voices inside stopped.
"Enter," McGonagall called. Sirius pushed open the door, and stopped; McGonagall, he'd expected, given it was her office, but Molly Weasley and the other woman - dark skinned, with frizzy hair, and entirely unfamiliar to him - were a surprise. They were sat around McGonagall's desk, each holding a teacup.
"A teaparty?" Sirius asked, grinning. "Why wasn't I invited?"
McGonagall's lips thinned in exasperation, but Molly chuckled.
"You've either got to be a Professor, Sirius," she said, "or have children with at least a hundred detentions behind them." She and the other woman exchanged fond, but frustrated looks, and Sirius gathered they were here to discuss whatever trouble their kids had caused, and with detention statistics like that, the twins had to be involved.
"I'll tell Harry to up his game, then," Sirius said.
"Absolutely not," McGonagall said, looking vaguely horrified by the thought. "That boy causes enough real trouble, without getting involved in mischief to boot!"
"Can't argue with that," Sirius said, grimacing.
"I should think not," McGonagall said. "Now, what did you need, Black? As you can see, Mrs Weasley, Mrs Jordan and I are in the middle of a meeting."
"Yeah, sorry," Sirius said. "Just want to know where Harry is, so I can catch him at the end of the lesson…"
McGonagall flicked her wand at her bookcase, and a heavy folder came floating over. She leafed through it - Sirius recognised Hermione's name, and wondered what in Merlin's name was going on with her timetable, before decided it must have been printed wrong - and then Draco's, before McGonagall got to Harry's.
"Divination," she said briskly. "North tower." She shut the folder and sent it back over to the bookshelf. "Anything else?"
"That's it," Sirius said. "Thanks. See you later, Molly." He waved at the third woman, and then ducked out.
It had been years since he'd been to the North Tower; he'd always thought Divination was a waste of time, and had only ever gone there in his own school days for the purpose of filling out the map. He was just trying to work out which way to try, when he conveniently locked eyes with Hermione, coming out of what must have been an elective, since there was students from all four houses surrounding her. He waved her over, and she slipped away from the Indian girl she was with, and weaved through the students to join him.
"Hello," she said, clearly confused, but smiling. Then she frowned. "Is Harry-?"
"Harry's fine, I'm just here to talk to him about his aunt," he said, and Hermione nodded seriously.
"That's good," she said. She hesitated for a moment, and then said, "He's barely said anything to us about it all, and we're a bit worried-"
"Yeah, it's- complicated," Sirius said, running a hand through his hair. "You'll be joining up with the others, right? Last lesson, and all, so reckon you can help me find the North Tower? I've got no idea-"
Hermione's scent turned panicky.
"I- can't," she said. "I've got something on, I'm running late already, actually, sorry." She wasn't lying, but her scent was oddly guilty. "But if you go up those stairs…"
She rattled off a list of directions, and then bid him a hasty goodbye and vanished around a corner. Sirius watched her go, a bit concerned, and decided he'd talk to Harry about that as well.
Hermione's directions led him true, and he thought he was about halfway to the North Tower, when he found Harry, walking with Harry, Ron, Draco… and Hermione. As if that wasn't strange enough, none of them looked even slightly surprised to see him.
What in Merlin's name…?
"How did you beat me here?" Sirius asked Hermione, but she just smiled nervously and headed away with Ron and Draco; Harry had waved them on, and came to join Sirius.
"So, Petunia?" Harry asked, grinning like he was in on the best prank in the world. Sirius opened his mouth and closed it again, silently taking back what he'd said about Harry needing to up his game in McGonagall's office.
"If I ask how you know that, will you tell me?"
"Nope," Harry said, with a snigger. Beneath the grin, though, anxiety lingered. Sirius could smell it. "So?"
"Not here," Sirius said, and Harry looked relieved; Sirius wasn't sure if it was relief at finding somewhere more private to talk, though, or because the conversation was postponed, if only for a bit. "How were lessons?"
"Neville melted a cauldron this morning in Potions," Harry said, grimacing. "Defence was all theory about curses, and then Ron and I did our Divination homework in History of Magic." He grinned, sheepish, but Sirius only laughed. "Divination's still tea leaves, and I'm doomed and whatnot." He rolled his eyes.
They headed down to the grounds, without speaking much. Sirius was mulling over how best to approach this whole situation, and Harry didn't seem to mind the silence.
"Lake?" Sirius asked.
"Hmm?" Harry was watching the Ravenclaw team interestedly, as they headed for the pitch. "Lake? Sure." They set off that way. "Ravenclaw play Hufflepuff tomorrow."
"Are you going to watch?"
"Yeah," Harry said, grinning. "Wood wants me to watch the Ravenclaw Seeker's first game, try to work out what sort of player she is."
"Wood sounds as mad as James was," Sirius muttered. "Hopefully it's a short game, then, so you don't get too bored." Harry shrugged, not seeming concerned in the least and Sirius decided not to question it.
It wasn't snowing, but the ground was frosty, so Sirius cleared a patch with his wand, and they sat, looking out over the lake. Harry shivered once, and Sirius cast a warming charm over the both of them. Harry gave him an odd look and a moment later, shivered again, seemingly without realising it.
It took Sirius just a moment to work out the problem; he, of course, had had his mental Patronus working since he arrived on the grounds, and after all the patrols in Azkaban, he barely had to think about keeping it fueled with happy memories, barely noticed that it was there, and that the Dementors' effects weren't. Sirius flicked his wand, Marlene's face in his mind, and a silvery Padfoot burst out. Something in Harry's expression eased as he watched the dog bounce around them.
"So?" Harry asked.
"Petunia's being released tomorrow," Sirius said, tucking his wand away. "And her guards have been reassigned."
"So she won't be protected?"
"Not by the Aurors," Sirius said, shaking his head. "Dumbledore's going to do what he can, and I-" He grimaced. "I'm going to speak with Moony, see if we can't let the Dursleys stay in his cottage until Christmas."
"Right," Harry said. "And Dudley? Dumbledore said he'd do something, but Dudley would have to stay at his school-"
"Quirrell's protecting him," Sirius said. Harry, surprisingly, just nodded and accepted that without question.
"And after Christmas?" He fiddled with the strap of his school bag.
"That depends," Sirius said.
"On?"
"On whether you want to get involved." Harry said nothing, but his eyes were big and wary behind his glasses. "Dumbledore's looking at an enchantment similar to the one that was up at Privet Drive before I took you." Harry hugged himself, eyes on the lake. "It- well, it needs blood is one part of it." Harry gave him a sharp look, and then nodded slowly, scent still wary. "The other part is that Petunia and Dudley have to consider you family."
Harry snorted.
"If you agreed to the blood ward," Sirius said carefully, "you'd have to spend some time with them, at Privet Drive. If you did, Dumbledore thinks - and I hate to say I agree, but I do - that I shouldn't go with you. I'd visit, obviously, but if I was there to stay, I'd probably just make things harder."
Harry was silent for a long time, and Sirius didn't dare interrupt.
"I sent a card," he said finally, frowning.
"A- what?" Sirius turned to look at Harry, who was staring at his shoes.
"To Petunia," Harry said. "It was- it was a pretty awful card, really, it just said 'Get well soon, from Harry' on a bit of parchment…" He trailed off, looking lost.
"I would have taken you to visit if you'd asked," Sirius said carefully.
"Dumbledore offered," Harry said, shaking his head. "And Auror Shacklebolt."
"Didn't want to?"
"I-er- I think the card said everything I needed to," Harry said. "And she wouldn't have wanted to see me. If she did, someone would have said so." He grinned weakly, and Sirius had no clue what to say to that. Harry had dug a small hole in the ground with the tip of his shoe. "So when's- when do I have to go to Privet Drive? And for how long?"
"You don't have to, kiddo," Sirius said. "That's the point of this conversation; letting it be up to you."
"But I do have to," Harry said, swallowing, his eyes on the Patronus. "I don't want her to get hurt again, and- even if I didn't care about that, they- I don't think Voldemort will let Polkov try again, but they wanted her, and that's a good reason to keep her away from them." Then in a quieter voice, he added, "And she helped, before your trial."
"She did," Sirius sighed. Harry looked up at him, grim, but expectant. "Christmas - not the actual day, necessarily, but sometime over the holidays - and I think Dumbledore's suggestion is for three days."
Harry nodded - mostly to himself, Sirius thought - jaw set in a way that was utterly James. That didn't last long, though; it was quickly replaced by an uncertain look, and Harry's eyes flicked over to Sirius.
"You would visit, right?"
"Absolutely," Sirius said, putting an arm around his godson. Harry's answering smile was good enough to be his next Patronus memory. "Every day, if you want me to. And Moony and Tonks'll be here this Christmas, so they can tag along if I can prise them away from Andy."
Harry's eyes were distant and amused; Sirius wondered if they were both thinking the same thing; how the neat Dursleys would handle clumsy, messy, occasionally vulgar Dora, or how they would feel about having a werewolf come to visit… they'd only know he was a werewolf if someone told them, of course, so Sirius absolutely would, and just this once, Sirius didn't think Remus would mind at all. He'd probably even enjoy it.
"And-" Sirius frowned at two figures running toward them from the castle, waving madly. "Is that Draco and Ron?"
Harry was on his feet at once, and Sirius drew his wand. Ron reached them first, sweaty and out of breath, and Draco slightly after, red-faced and dishevelled.
"Pettigrew," Ron panted, thrusting the map at Harry, who caught it and unfolded it. Sirius looked over his shoulder. Draco was doubled over, gasping. "Common room." Ron clutched his side. Sirius scanned the map. It didn't help that almost all of Gryffindor were in the common room before dinner.
"There," Harry said, after a few tense seconds, tapping the seventh floor corridor. Sirius stared at the name, almost disbelieving. Then he bowed into Padfoot and took off at a sprint.
Finally, Peter was here, and unless he had a broom, he was more or less trapped on the seventh floor, particularly since they had the map to track him with.
Behind him, the boys had started running - Draco reluctantly, if his grumbling and gasping was anything to go by -and Padfoot could hear snippets of puffed conversation. He heard something about running all the way from the library, and Hermione meeting them at the common room with whichever teachers she could find.
"Wait!" Harry called out suddenly. Padfoot growled - the last thing he wanted to do was wait when Peter was here - but skidded to a halt. Padfoot was Sirius again in an instant, and took the map from Harry. "He was right there," Harry said, pointing to a blank spot in the seventh floor corridor, "and then the map sort of- his dot twitched back and forward, and..."
Peter was gone.