Monday 9th September 1990 - Aberdeen, Scotland

None of the passengers or crew members of the early morning ferry to Zeebrugge knew about their unwanted stowaway. But he was there, a rat hidden in the belly of the ship. After overhearing the news of the Potter boy, he had hitch-hiked his way from the castle to Aberdeen, hiding as a rat in the back of lorries, or clinging on for his life underneath cars. After finally arriving at Aberdeen, he had checked a timetable, rifling through a rubbish bin after someone had thrown it away, and made plans to get closer to France. Zeebrugge, a village on the coast of Belgium was his destination from the ferry, and then from there he would make his way to France, to finish what his master had started, by killing the prophecy child once and for all.

Potter Manor, Dieppe, France

After School

-Sssamuel? It'sss Adam and Harry. Where are you Ssssamuel?-

At their words, the snake in question quickly slithered into the clearing, saying only a few quick words before disappearing again.

-Follow me. Eggss are hatching-

Both boys looked excitedly at each other, before rushing to follow the snake, taking care where they stood. Once they arrived at the snakes' next, they stopped, puffing a little, and then crouched down on the floor.

-How are they Sssienna?-

-They only jusst started boysss. We have to wait and sssee how they are when they hatch.-

-Iss thiss your first nesst of eggsss?-

-Yesss-

-How long doess it take for all the eggsss to hatch?-

-Not long, they sssshould all be hatched by tomorrow.-

-Adam, do you have to get your busss? I don't think you can come to mine tonight, Uncle Moony hasss to go to the Minissstry, like I sssaid at lunchtime.-

-Oh no! I musst go, I am sssorry Ssamuel, Ssienna. I cannot be late.-

Adam rushed off through the trees, leaving a stunned Harry and snakes.

-I wass going to walk him down.-

-All iss not ass it sseemss with Adam Harry. Hiss nesst matess, the oness he livess with, are not nice to him. I heard them sspeaking cruel wordss to him after you lasst vissited uss.-

-They are bullying him? Why?-

-Becausse, like you he can sspeak to uss. They know, and think it iss a bad sskill.- The snakes repeated what the others on the bus had said to Adam.

-I will speak to my guardian.-

-The wolf wizard? He will be able to protect Adam.-

-I hope sso.-

-How do you name your ssnakeletss? Did your parentss name you?-

-Yess. Usually not all ssnakeletss ssurvive, after a few weekss they have to live by themsselvesss.-

-We will make ssure they ssurvive Ssienna. They have our protection.-

-Thank you sspeaker.-

-Iss there anything you need for them before they hatch?-

-No, I don't think sso Harry. Thank you for your protection.-

-Have you got namesss for all of them yet?-

-No. We name them after they hatch, ssometimes ssome will not hatch.-

-Can me and Adam help name them?-

-We are open to ssugesstions.-

-Thanksss, Ssamuel, Ssienna. I sshould probably go, Uncle Moony iss waiting for me. Thank you for letting uss ssee your eggs.-

-Thank you for your protection Harry.-

The young wizard walked back through the woods to the now empty playground, meeting his guardian in their classroom before they walked together to the apparition point, to go home.

When at home, Remus and Harry went to see Sprywings, who they felt they had neglected slightly on their busy weekend. He seemed happy at their visit, although that may have been due to the treats Harry held in his hand more than anything else. Remus, led by Harry, walked into the paddock with them, after Harry had bowed to the hippogriff, Remus also went up to it, nervously bowing and hoping that Sprywings wouldn't see him as a threat. When the hippogriff bowed in answer, both wizards moved closer, petting and feeding Sprywings.

Once finished visiting the paddock they returned to the house. Harry went up to his room, whilst Remus sat in the lounge to write a letter to Mr Roberts, enquiring whether he could visit Sirius that evening. He didn't want to turn up and waste a journey if Sirius was not out yet, or if he was not up to having visitors.

Upstairs, Harry was sat on his bed, gently stroking Blue's feathers. After bringing him home yesterday, the young wizard carried him on his arm around the house, and then they left the bird to choose where he would nest. When Harry awoke in the morning, it was to an owl perch on the end of his bed, fast asleep, his beak tucked under his wing and eyes closed. As he began to get ready for school, Bluefeather opened his eyes, looking at Harry and giving a single, low hoot, before falling back to sleep. Later, before they left for school, Harry brought the owl perch upstairs from where it had been left in the hallway, pouring some owl pellets into a bowl on the floor, and leaving the window ajar.

'Harry? I need to borrow Bluefeather please, I need to send a letter.' Harry walked back downstairs with the owl on his arm, passing him to Remus who cast a glamour over his feathers, and then tied the letter to his claw, before sending him off to the ministry.

'Is that for Sirius?'

'Yes. I am asking if he is in the ministry yet, and if I can visit him this evening. I will probably go after dinner, I think it best if I go by myself the first time, I don't know what condition he will be in after 10 years in Azkaban.'

'Okay. Could I write him a letter perhaps?'

'I think he would like that, I'm sure he must miss you cub.'

Harry nodded, returning upstairs where he began to write a letter. As he finished writing it out in neat, a hoot signalled Blue's arrival as he flew up the stairs, the glamour now removed from his feathers.

'Did they reply Uncle Moony? Is Sirius okay?' Harry called down the stairs.

'Come down here Harry, I'll read Mr Robert's letter to you.' A thundering of feet signalled Harry's arrival in the lounge, collapsing into an armchair and looking at his guardian, as Blue followed him, settling on the back of the chair and promptly tucking his head in for a sleep.

Mr Lupin

Sirius has returned from Azkaban this morning, and is currently resting in the Ministry cells after being looked at by a healer. He currently shows few ill symptons from the dementors, unusual for a man who has spent so long there. He is looking forward to a visit from you.

Do you know when you are planning to visit? Please owl me a date and time.

Mr Roberts

PS. Your owl's eyes are very unusual.

'Blue? You up for another trip to the ministry?' The owl hopped down, holding out his leg for the letter which Remus had quickly written, adding a small note to the bottom. After reapplying the glamour, the owl winged its way away again.

'So you're definitely going tonight then Uncle Moony? I've written him a letter from me, could you give it to him please?'

'Yes I am Harry, and of course I can. The elves will look after you tonight, I'll go after you have gone to bed, and don't wait up on me, I don't want you tired for school tomorrow.' Seeing Harry's face, he added 'If you don't go to bed, then I won't let you come next time. We can't go tomorrow, as we have someone from the ministry coming to finish this adoption, but on Thursday after school we can go, I'm expecting you'll want Adam around on Wednesday, but he has that meeting at the orphanage on a Thursday.'

'Okay. Speaking of Adam, the snakes told me something important today, after he had gone home.'

'Yes cub?'

'The people on his bus, they're bullying him! They're calling him names because he can speak to snakes, he's not bad though, they called him a freak, and things like that, saying they were surprised he had any friends, and that I must be a freak as well for being friends with him. Its not fair, why are they picking on him like that Uncle Moony?! They shouldn't be doing that!'

'Hey, hey cub, it's alright.' Harry's recounting of the events had left him breathing heavy, trying not to cry, the thought of being called a freak had reminded him of the Dursley's again. 'I'll sort it out okay cub? I can lodge a formal complaint to the orphanage, if it was people on the bus then its not an internal school problem as I assume most of them are secondary school?'

Harry nodded in reply, twisting the hem of his shirt in his hands.

'Come here cub.' He ran over to his guardian across the short space, curling up on his lap and hiccupping as he stopped himself from crying.

'It will be alright Prongslet, I promise. We will stop those people attacking Adam, we will get Sirius out of Azkaban. We can do this cub, okay? You are strong, so so strong, we can be strong together. Okay? You listening to me little cub?'

'Uhumm, Uncle Moony, I'm listening.'

'I'll ring the orphanage from school tomorrow, at lunchtime, to tell the owner what has been happening with the children she has guardianship over. I have an inkling feeling she knows though, but I have a good friend in the Ministry whose job it is to protect magical children, Mr Julien, and I am sure he will be able to help us.' Harrys sobs had stopped, and he was listening to his guardian, eyes unfocused as he stared at the empty fireplace.

'So Adam will be okay soon?'

'Adam will be okay soon. And I am almost certain he won't be living in that orphanage for much longer, not at the way they have been treating him.'

'Good.'

'Now, if my nose serves me right, I believe tea may have just been served by our elves, and I would guess they are about to summon us. Shall we eat then cub?'

As they walked to the kitchen, Bluefeather flew in an open window, landing on Harry's shoulder and holding a leg out to Remus, a ministry stamped letter tied onto it. Remus read it, chuckling as he finished.

'What does it say?'

'Oh, its fine for me to visit Sirius tonight, and I told him how to remove Blue's glamour on his feathers, asking him to reapply it before he sent him home.'

Harry too laughed at this, imagining the reaction on the other man's face as the owl suddenly turned from white to half blue.

After they finished their meal ('Delicious as always Mipsy, Pippy'), Harry got ready for bed, Remus wishing him goodnight, before informing the elves of where he was going, and that Harry should be asleep.

With Harry's letter clutched in his hand, he apparated to the steps of the ministry, walking at as fast a pace that was acceptable, to meet his soon-to-be-freed best friend.

AN: Next chapter, Sirius! Hope you enjoyed this one, and reviews, as always, are extremely welcome!

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