Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Author's Note: YES! I've reached forty reviews for a single chapter! Do you guys know how happy that makes me? Thank you so much! I'm sorry this is a bit later than I had planned, but I suppose the important thing is that I got it out. As for responses to reviews, click on the link in my author's page that is supposed to be my home page. Also, I may have changed the wording in the last chapter, in the letter Harry wrote, but it's not crucial for you to read it. It was only one line and it's hinted at in this chappie.
Two letters later...
September 7, 1991
My most Wonderful Godson,
What do you mean that your potions professor is Severus Snape! He faulted you for not knowing things that HE is supposed to be teaching you? Don't trust him, Harry! He's a death eater, and Dumbledore must trust him if Snape is there teaching you, but I don't care! You be careful around him. I already told you about all the other professors a while back, except for this Quirell. I don't know anything about him, Harry. As such, please be careful around him also. I don't think a person so afraid of the things he teaches would even be teaching. Just... be careful.
On a lighter note, have you discovered any new passages? What about new friends? I already know about Ron. What about anyone else? How are your visits with Remus going? I'm glad that he can be there for you when I am not. You asked me what you should talk about with him in your last letter. Talk about school and your subjects. You could probably play a few games as well, if you find yourself in silence. Just don't push him away. I have a feeling that Remus has been alone for a long while.
Always,
Sirius
P.S.- I'm sorry that I cannot allow you to visit. Not yet at least. We'll see how it looks around the Christmas hols, but don't get your hopes up.
P.P.S.- I'm sorry that I got on your case about rats and Pettigrew in my last letter. It would be unlikely that a pet would be an animagus in disguise. Just be careful, please! If the rat's missing a toe, then I'm certain it's him. If it is, then let me know.
---
Harry read over the P.P.S. Scabbers was, indeed, missing a toe, but he was NOT going to tell Sirius. Of that he was certain. What good would it do? It would only cause Sirius to worry more, and maybe the dementors would affect him more, somehow. No. It would simply be best to watch over the rat to make sure nothing bad happened. After all, it had been living as a rat for ten years now, if what Ron said was true. Watching over it for a few more would not be a bad idea.
Harry knew it would possibly help Sirius be freed if he handed over the rat, but there were so many complications with that. What if Pettigrew spun a tale of how HE was the victim? Sirius would still be locked away. People would ask questions as to how Harry knew everything, and then they would find out how he had been living with Sirius for seven years. Then, he would never be able so see Sirius again because Sirius would be given the dementor's kiss. He was NOT going to allow that to happen. No. He would keep this a secret until he knew for certain of a good plan that would work.
Sirius will hate him.
Harry was not going to risk his father's, Sirius's, life. He was worth that.
---
Three letters later...
September 13, 1991
Dear Sirius,
Guess what? I'm on the Quidditch team! Yeah! Malfoy took Neville's (he's a boy in my dorm) Remembrall into the air with him, after Madam Hooch took Neville to the Hospital wing. I didn't like that too much. I don't know why, but I couldn't just stand there. I went onto my own broom, and I went up to Malfoy to get it. It sort of reminded me of how you had me tell the man across from our cell everything that I thought of him, even though he couldn't understand it. Malfoy was almost like that, only I didn't like how he had taken what didn't belong to him. He is always picking on Neville because Neville's a bit clumsy. It wasn't right, and I didn't want to see Neville's Remembrall getting broken. I wouldn't want anything of mine from you to get broken, either. Anyway, I had to make the broom dive to catch it after Malfoy threw it. Professor McGonagall saw me and decided that I should be on the team. Isn't that neat? Honest though, I think I like the flying part more than the idea of playing quidditch. Oh yeah! I'm going to be a seeker. It felt strange, though. All eyes were on me, again. I don't like the attention. I don't even know why I went up into the air! I'd rather not be on the team, I think, but Professor McGonagall seemed determined.
Everyone has stopped staring and pointing now ('cept when I flew). I am glad about that. I didn't tell you before, but on the second day of school, it was too much. It was like the crowds were pressing in on me and I couldn't do anything about it. Ron thought I was a touch mad, or feeling homesick, but he pulled me away from the crowds and into an empty hallway. After that was rather awkward. I felt like I couldn't breathe and Ron just sat by me, not knowing what to do. It took a while, but it went away after I felt like I could breathe again. We ended up really late for Transfiguration, but we didn't lose points. Ron just said that we got lost. Professor McGonagall just said to get a map. Ron now sticks like glue to my side. I think he worries that it'll happen again, but don't worry, it hasn't.
Oh, Malfoy challenged me to a duel at midnight, but he never showed up. I hadn't wanted to accept, but Ron did it for me. Later, he said that it wasn't right for Malfoy to be insulting me, and old families had a responsibility to uphold family honor. Malfoy had been insulting mom, so was Ron right? Hermione came along with us, trying to stop us, but you always told me to keep my word. Anyway, we almost got caught by Filch, but instead hid with this HUGE dog with three heads. It was in the forbidden corridor that I told you about before. We didn't mean to end up there. Why would the headmaster have it there? It doesn't make sense! I thought Hogwarts was supposed to be safe.
Remus finally visit this last weekend. It was awkward, but I'm glad he came. I'm starting to like him more.
Love,
Harry
Dear Harry,
I suppose I should admonish you for flying as you did, but then I'd be a hypocrite. I think it's wonderful and amazing that you get to be seeker on the quidditch team. It's hard to imagine that you went and challenged Malfoy to give back Neville's toy, but please remember the dangers of that family! I don't want you to end up hurt!
Ron is right in that you cannot allow a slant against family to continue, but an eleven year olds words cannot harm a family's honor, Harry. If I'm right, and you know I am, Malfoy was going on about how your mother was a muggleborn and was not worthy or some nonsense like that. That was no attack on family honor. I suppose for an eleven year old like yourself and Ron, it is. No. Usually actions rather than words attack ones family's honor. Remember that.
I'm glad Ron was also there for your panic attack (that's probably what it was) and after. I just want to advise you to not worry about anyone else. They don't matter. Their pointing and staring does not matter. They just obviously don't have lives if they need to get involved in yours. Let me know these things sooner, please! I want to be there to help you, even if I'm stuck here. That is what a parent is supposed to do. We're not the enemy, you know.
Now, about this three headed dog. Please be careful, Harry. Dumbledore never would allow something like that in the castle without a reason. He always has a reason. Danger may lurk there. Remember that there are house elves there that are willing to help you. Peachy has reassured me of this.
Love,
Sirius
Five letters later...
November 1, 1991
Dear Sirius,
The Halloween feast was wonderful! Everything was so good and delicious! I made a new friend. Her name's Hermione. I told you about her. Even Ron is friends with her now. You know what she did? She actually lied to Professor McGonagall for us! Hermione sticks to the rules all the time, and she lied for us! You see, a troll had come along and she was caught in the bathroom with it. She was in there because she was crying about an insult that Ron had said. We couldn't just leave her there! We got there and Ron levitated the club and bashed the troll's head. Then Hermione said that SHE had gone looking for the troll and we were trying to stop her. Anyway, she's Ron's and my new friend. How are Topsy, Mildy, Hub, and the other house elves doing? Did you like the chocolate that I asked Peachy to get for you? The dementors aren't too bad, are they?
Anyway, I have to go now. I love you.
Love,
Harry
November 3, 1991
Harry,
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CHASED AFTER A TROLL! YOU'RE A FIRST YEAR! YOU'RE ELEVEN YEARS OLD! YOU DO NOT DO THE JOB THE PROFESSORS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. THEY PROTECT THE STUDENTS, NOT YOU! THAT IS NOT YOUR JOB! I DID NOT ALLOW YOU TO GO TO HOGWARTS JUST SO YOU COULD CHASE AFTER TROLLS AND GET KILLED! IT WAS BAD ENOUGH WHEN RON FELL INTO THE BAIT AND CONVINCED YOU THAT YOU HAD TO ACCEPT THE DUEL FROM MALFOY, COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS A TRICK!
On another note, the house elves are as pleasant as ever. The chocolate was wonderful. And Padfoot is doing the most wonderful job of guarding my mind. Thank you for inquiring.
Sincerely,
Sirius
The next lines were in a neater script, obviously added a little later.
P.S.- I'm not mad. I just want you to remember, brave does not mean reckless, Harry. Don't go looking for trouble. I'm proud of you for wanting to save Hermione from the troll. Your father would have done the same. He did do the same, and it had been my fault. Just remember to keep yourself safe as well. I love you.
Remus walked down the lengths of one of the many hallways in Azkaban. Over the past few months (it was now November), the mystery as to who could have been Harry's guardian had led him to narrow his possibilities to fifteen separate families and a million different scenarios. One of the most difficult things to get past was the fact that the Black family name was on that list. Sirius Black was one of the few remaining members of that family as well. Only a few distant relatives to Remus' former friend lived. Any number of them could wish to seek revenge for what happened to Sirius or the former Dark Lord. While all of that was fine and dandy, it did not help Remus to remember his former friend; one who could have very well have taken Harry, if his current residence was not the most feared prison on Earth.
What Remus hated most about all of this was that he could no longer avoid his problems. A few of these problems included ignoring memories of his old friends, trying to run away from it all, pretending he never had a friend named Sirius Black, or a great plethora more that could be associated to all of these. The reason he could no longer avoid them was all because of Harry. The boy looked so much like James, and he had Lily's eyes. But, for some strange reason, Harry reminded him of Sirius. It wasn't in Harry's nature to play pranks or to seem to forgo common sense or rules set into place, like Sirius, but it was something else completely. It was in Harry's mannerisms mostly. The way Harry seemed to brood at times was just one example. The way Harry was able to cover up any darker thoughts with ease was another. The method and the manner were the same. Sirius and Harry would both babble on if they were nervous or covering something up, and you wouldn't catch on until halfway through the conversation. Both scratched their eyebrows when thinking something over. The largest difference was simply that Harry was more conservative while Sirius was outgoing. All of the similarities, though, only encouraged Remus to remember his friend. That was why Remus found himself now standing in front of Sirius Black's cell. His thought processes in thinking about all of this made him blank out most of the trip up to this point.
Sirius could hear footsteps walking towards his cell. He did not think much of it, assuming they would simply pass by. What he did do, though, was transform back into his human self, as it would not do for this stranger to catch him in his animagus form. He simply closed his eyes and laid his head back on the mattress. The only way he would have bothered with the person who owned the footsteps would be if it were Fudge, and he knew it was not. The minister was never that silent, nor was he ever alone as this one apparently was.
Remus finally reached the cell that held his former friend. He felt as though long minutes passed as he stood there, simply staring at the tattered man in front of him, when in reality it was only a long string of seconds.
"R-Remus?" Said tattered man stumbled over the name as he sat up and took in the figure standing outside his cell. He had only bothered to look at the person who had entered this hallway of Azkaban after he realized the person had stopped in front of his home of ten years. "Moony?"
A growl was emitted from Remus Lupin's throat. "Don't you call me that, traitor!"
Yes, I know! It was an evil cliffie, but aren't you glad that I at least posted?