26

'This is stupid,' Sirius was muttering. He was wiping his eyes angrily as he sat on the hospital bed. Madam Pomfrey had given him essence of murtlap for his cuts and lacerations, while giving him a steaming cup of hot chocolate to help warm him up. 'It's not like this is something new. My parents have always been psychotic, so why am I bloody well crying? It's not like I love them.'

James pursed his lips. 'Maybe you wish you could?' he said.

Sirius sighed in frustration. 'Maybe,' he muttered.

'You said you'd been fighting about Voldemort?' James asked.

'Yeah,' Sirius muttered. 'They think he's got the right idea, you know. About muggles being our servants, slaves, victims, whatever you want to call it,' he said with a sigh as he leaned back against his pillow. 'They think that the rightful place for all muggles is somewhere on the bottom of our boots. Figure that Voldemort will bring about some golden age for Wizardkind, where there won't be a need for a Statute of Secrecy, things like that.'

James frowned. 'What about murdering people?'

Sirius snorted. 'They conveniently skate over that minor detail,' he muttered. 'Not the murder of muggles, mind you—they could care less about that. I pointed out the fact that they've attacked wizards too. Not the least of which was the Longbottom family, pure bloods like us.'

'What did they say to that?' James asked.

'That there will always be people who stand in the way of progress, and the Longbottoms must have cast the first stone,' Sirius said irritably. 'The fight was building up for days. Admittedly I egged them on a bit…'

James smirked. 'How?'

Sirius chuckled as he wiped his eyes again. 'I went out and got some muggle things,' he said with a bashful grin. 'I found some…ah, adult literature. I put a permanent sticking charm on it and fastened it to my bedroom wall. I also got this pretty cool musical instrument—a guitar. I had to hide it at Hogsmeade Station, though, it was so cold I couldn't really keep my grip on it.'

'We'll be sure to go back and get it,' James said firmly.

'I think that's where Regulus got the idea,' Sirius said darkly. 'He started pinning up all sorts of articles discussing Voldemort. Not the ones in the Prophet that are scared of him, mind you—there are some rag outlets that actually sympathize with him. I think Malfoy's dad owns a small paper. Regulus made sure I'd notice them every time I went by his room.'

James grimaced. 'That would be frustrating.'

'You have no idea,' Sirius muttered. 'He'd spout off about how Voldemort was just trying to create a world where we didn't have to hide, where we could rule. Where we wouldn't just be constricted to areas like Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and the like—the world would be our oyster. And my parents fawned over every stupid thing that came out of his mouth. The breaking point was…was when I told him that I'd met him. And it didn't matter who you were, muggle, half blood or pure blood, that he would kill you. And that I hoped Regulus was dumb enough to cross paths with him so he could get himself killed.'

'That's when the fight started?' James asked.

Sirius nodded. 'That damned house elf, if you can believe it,' Sirius muttered. 'He 'slipped' with the knife he was using to carve the turkey we were eating for dinner. Stabbed my hand. So I punted him across the room. Regulus lost it, he's always liked that elf, and he hexed me. I hexed him and…it was off we went.'

'How did you get away?' James asked.

'Mom mangled my leg pretty good with the redactor curse,' Sirius muttered angrily. 'I was able to get to my room and seal the door. I gathered a few things and went out the window. I actually tried riding Regulus' broom for a few blocks.'

James laughed. 'You stole your brother's broom?'

Sirius chuckled. 'Snapped it in half, too,' he said with another bashful grin. 'But I was rubbish at flying it, so I ditched it, broke it and headed off on foot. Managed to catch the Knight Bus to London where I was able to board a train to Hogsmeade.'

'Well done,' James said. 'Your parents must have guessed you were headed here.'

'I never really thought of going anywhere else,' Sirius said. 'If you were at home, I would have gone to see you. I didn't want my family following me to Moony or Peter's houses, that would have gotten ugly. I thought if I could get to Dumbledore that he could deal with my parents.'

James nodded. 'Smart plan,' he said. 'At least you're away from them now. Crouch should sort them out.'

'Hopefully,' Sirius said. At that moment, the door to the hospital wing opened. James and Sirius looked over, half expecting to see Dumbledore and Crouch walk through, but it was two different people—Mr. and Mrs. Potter.

'Mom! Dad!' James shouted and he rushed over to embrace his parents.

Mr. Potter hugged his son and looked over at Sirius. 'How are you doing?' he asked.

'Better,' Sirius said. Mrs. Potter rushed over and embraced him, causing his face to go beet red. 'Thanks,' he muttered wetly as the two newcomers pulled up chairs and sat down. 'Come to visit James?'

Mrs. Potter smiled. 'And you,' she said. 'Dumbledore told us what's happened. We want to help.'

'Help?' Sirius asked. 'With what? The Aurors should be dealing with my parents…'

Mr. and Mrs. Potter exchanged a glance. 'Unfortunately, it's not exactly going down that way, Sirius,' Mr. Potter said gently. At Sirius and James' confused glances, Mr. Potter sighed. 'Orion and Walburga are free to go. The investigation is already finished.'

James' jaw dropped. 'What? How?'

'Umbridge,' Mrs. Potter said simply. 'It's a technicality—an extremely thin one, but a technicality nonetheless.'

Sirius looked like steam was about to come out of his ears. 'What sort of technicality?'

'No one apart from you four actually saw the fight. Dumbledore and the teachers arrived to find the two of you on the floor and Orion and Walburga standing there,' Mr. Potter said. He held up a hand when James made to interject. 'Your parents' story is that you had a quarrel with your brother and ran off. Your injuries could be explained by the cold you fought through to get here.'

Sirius was spluttering. 'That's—THAT'S—OUTRAGEOUS!'

'I know,' Mr. Potter said.

'And Umbridge bought that?' James asked incredulously.

Mrs. Potter cast a warning glance at Mr. Potter who shrugged. 'No point in not telling them,' he said and she sighed. 'If the two of you weren't friends—and if you hadn't called her a miserable old bat, Sirius—Orion and Walburga would probably be in serious trouble. I think she's turning a blind eye.'

'But how can that be allowed to happen?' James asked.

Mrs. Potter looked down at her hands. 'They have an out because there were no witnesses to the actual fight. She said that the Ministry of Magic does not cart people off to Azkaban on the basis of assumptions.'

'That's funny,' James said hotly. 'She was sure willing to assume a lot about me during my trial!'

Mr. Potter sighed. 'I never would have allowed this in my day,' he muttered.

'Well, what's Crouch playing at by sending her?' James asked.

Mrs. Potter pursed her lips. 'Bartemius can't really afford to pick and choose his employees at the moment,' she said slowly, casting a worried glance at Mr. Potter. 'The Ministry is spread pretty thin at the moment.'

'I think having nobody would be better than having Umbridge,' James said, causing his father to laugh.

'The point is,' Mrs. Potter said, continuing on in her even tone. 'That there is no evidence to charge Orion and Walburga with, and they are being allowed to go free. Your brother also gave them a glowing endorsement.'

Sirius was aghast. 'Why did they talk to Regulus and not me?'

'For the reasons we just discussed, but from an official standpoint, the Ministry is more likely to listen to those at home rather than a runaway,' Mr. Potter said in a tired tone of voice. 'Even if the runaway is infinitely more admirable,' he added with a small smile at Sirius.

'So…I have to go back?' Sirius asked hollowly.

Mrs. Potter smiled. 'That's where we'd like to help,' she said. 'Your parents…have not expressed willingness or a desire to bring you back home,' she said gently.

Sirius snorted. 'Good, feeling's mutual.'

'We have a proposition for you, and you can take as much time as you like to consider it. We'd like to offer for you to stay with us,' Mrs. Potter went on. 'There's plenty of room in our house, we have more than enough means to support you, and we would absolutely love to have you in our house and as part of our family.'

Sirius' eyes went wide and his mouth opened and closed. 'You want me to come stay with you?' he asked at last.

Mr. Potter held up a hand. 'As she said—take as much time as you need to consider it. There is no rush, and it's a big decision.'

'Are you kidding? I'd love to live with you!' Sirius said excitedly. 'I don't need any time to think that one over!'

James grinned. 'Are you sure? You'd have to deal with living with a marked man. Rochefort and Voldemort could show up on our doorstep at any moment,' he said, ignoring the alarmed look from his mother.

Sirius laughed. 'I think I'd take that over my parents,' he said happily.

Mr. Potter smiled. 'We'll iron out the details with the Ministry. I'll go around to pick up anything that you'd like brought over—I don't think it would be wise to send you back there.'

Sirius shook his head. 'Anything I needed is in Hogsmeade. I left it in the basement of Honeydukes.'

'Very well, I'll pick it up from there,' Mr. Potter said with a smile. He stood up and Mrs. Potter joined him. 'We'll come round tomorrow for dinner, Albus extended the invitation to us for a Christmas Supper. That is, if you don't mind eating with your parents in front of all of your school friends?' Mr. Potter asked with a smirk.

James laughed. 'I think I can stomach that,' he said as his parents left the Hospital Wing. He glanced at Sirius who was now grinning from ear to ear. 'Look at that! Just like that, things are looking up. It's a Christmas miracle,' he said. 'We get to live together! This is going to be wicked, I think if I can put an undetectable extension charm on my room you could just move right in there…'

Sirius chuckled. 'You're okay with this?' he asked.

'Of course! Why wouldn't I be?' James asked in surprise.

Sirius shrugged. 'I just wanted to be sure.'

James contemplated him for a moment and then slapped him in the face. 'OI!' Sirius yelled.

'That's for even thinking that. And…a little bit of getting even for slapping me after my talk with Snivelly,' James said with a laugh. His laughter was soon joined by the bark like laugh of his best friend.

Sirius smiled. 'Thanks for having my back, James,' he said after a moment. 'Against my parents. It's…really different having someone on my side help me stand up to them.'

'Marauders always have each other's backs,' James said bracingly. 'On another note, we're going to have to get that Umbridge woman something fierce,' he said.

Sirius' eyes glinted. 'Are we thinking of a prank?' he asked excitedly.

'Just to start,' James said with a mischievous look.

'That's a much bigger fish than old Snivelly,' Sirius said sagely. 'We could get in big, big trouble if we're caught.'

'Have we met?' James asked with a chuckle. 'We won't get caught.'

'So what do you have in mind?' Sirius asked, anticipation evident in his voice.

'Oh it's going to be good,' James said quietly. 'She's going to wish she'd never heard of me, but she'll never forget the name 'Potter'.'