Chapter 40

Lost and found

Harry was lost in his own thoughts all the way back to London. Neville, Hermione, the Puffs and the two Raven boys were engaged in easy banter and playing exploding snap but Harry just wasn't into it.

'Harry, are you ok?' Hermione finally asked as the two of them were the last ones out of their compartment in the train.

'I'm fine Hermione.'

'No, you're not. Whatever you talked to Babbling two days ago has got you spooked.'

'It's nothing. I just need to figure something out.'

'About runes?'

'No, it's about my godfather.'

'Perhaps Aries can help.'

'I'm not sure he will want to.' Harry mumbled more to himself but he was already moving out and Hermione thought it was best to just leave her friend be. She could pester him more when they came back to Hogwarts, but only if he was still not all right.

'Granger.' Malfoy called out to her.

'What do you want Malfoy?'

'Just wanted to know if you had plans for all your holiday. Blaise said he wanted to show me something in the Muggle world, a moving picture. As if not all wizarding pictures are moving. But he convinced also Millie to come and I was thinking that maybe you would like to come too.'

'Why would Blaise want to see a Movie? As far as I know, he's a Pure Blood.'

'Actually, he's well...his father was pure blooded but was disinherited and he had to live in a muggle neighbourhood. Whenever Blaise visited him he would take him out in the Muggle world. He seems to know what he is talking about, but I am not convinced. It would be better for a Muggle Born to also come with us. Especially for Milly, since she definitely has no idea what to wear as a muggle.'

'I don't know. Are you sure they would be OK with a Muggle Born and a Gryffindor to join?'

'Well there are no Muggle Born in Slytherin. And they respect you, after all you are top of our classes.'

'I'll have to talk to my parents first.'

'All right, do you have a tellyphone?'

'Telephone. Yes I do, but I also had a floo connection installed. Aries helped my parents with it. The address is the Dentists.'

'The what?'

'Tooth doctors. Anyway, better give me your Floo Address, this way it is certain.'

'The Shack.'

'What kind of name is that?'

'My dead uncle's place. He was a ladies men.'

Harry said very little all the way to their home, but Aries seemed not to be very interested in conversation either. There was a lot of tension in the car as it pulled up the driveway where Pan and Dobby were waiting for them. Pan looked as dignified as ever when Harry's eyes lingered on the High Elf. Could it be that Pan was a part of Sirius? He knew too little of Elven magic and of Soul Magic to understand how it all worked. But Aries was not going to tell him more about Soul Magic than he already had. Harry had tried to prod and question his guardian, but Aries was not to be dissuaded from his silence on the matter. The teen made an effort to say that he was tired and wanted to just recover from the ride before retreating inside the house. He wasn't tired, nor did he need recovering. He needed answers, but he didn't know where to find them.

It was late in the evening when Aries came to call him to dinner. Harry didn't want to make it look like there was something bothering him, came down to join his guardian in the feast that Dobby had prepared for them.

'I was thinking we could spend the official Ostara day at Black Manor and organize a little spring hunt for the children and for the adults. What do you think?'

'Aren't there any social commitments during this time?'

'Well tomorrow is the Charity Gala at the Ministry. Other than that, the Eoster festivities were always more reserved than the Modranicht.'

'So we will be at the ministry tomorrow and at Black manor three days from now?'

'That is the idea. Harry, are you OK? You seem…preoccupied.'

Harry smiled a sad smile. The man was too perceptive. 'I am OK. I just have a tough assignment for Runes that's been bothering me.'

'Runes is one of my specialties. I can help.'

'It is supposed to be a personal assignment. I'll deal with it.' Harry said firmly as he got up and placed his empty tray in the sink. 'I'll head to bed now, I'm tired.' Of all the secrets. Harry added in his head as Aries eyed him concerned.

Harry focused on finishing part of his homework before they finally left for Black Manor but his thoughts were not into it. Not knowing was what was eating at him. He was coming back from a run when he met Pan in the hallway.

'Pan, who made you?' he blurted out startling the elf from his chores.

'Young master, what has gotten into you?'

'I just, can you answer me that? Is it rude, I'm sorry, if it is, but I just have to know if my godfather made a deal with Aries and sacrificed himself for the Black Family in exchange for Aries taking care of me.'

Pan blinked. 'Perhaps you should ask this directly of Master Aries.'

'He won't tell me anything. I just, I need to know.'

'Master Harry, Master Sirius didn't create me. Master Arcturus did, but I would appreciate it if this information not leave this house. It is a vulnerable and private subject.' Pan admitted.

'I see. I'm sorry. I am just so frustrated with not knowing.'

'It is understandable. But perhaps Ostara will bring some enlightenment. You shouldn't dwell on silly mysteries, Master Harry. You should try to enjoy your time with Master Aries and the children at Black Manor.'

'Thank you for sharing this information with me Pan. And forgive me if I opened an old wound.'

'It is quite all right, Young Master. I can understand your frustration with Master Aries sometimes.'

Harry did try to put aside the subject of Soul Magic and his Godfather for the night and morning of Ostara. It was easy really, especially with all the children there to look after.

It was a little before lunch when the hunting party Aries had organized for some of the more sporty tenants together with a few of the centaurs were slowly returning to the Manor. Harry was once again flying on his Firebolt next to Malik and one of his cousins. They had caught just enough game to go around for everyone, but most of the hunting had been flying around and enjoying nature. As the children went home and he and Aries were the only ones except for the elves left at Black Manor he snuck into the library where the old Black Pensieve was and started reviewing the memories he had from Remus to search for clues even if he knew it would be pointless. He was just about to call it quits for the evening when he was inside his Coming Home Party.

'Gryffindor won, sure, but it was only because I defended our great seeker Johanna with my magic bat.' Added Sirius

'I think you're thinking about the wrong bat, mate.' James chuckled

'Both my bats are magical.' Sirius grinned 'Besides who wants to play with a Quaffle. Prongslet here will be a great beater, won't you pup?' as Sirius spoke to the baby the little one opened his still slightly blue baby eyes.

Pup, Sirius called him Pup. But he wasn't the only one who was calling him pup.

'Yes, you will…look at that grip.' Sirius said picking the baby up and baby Harry locked his tiny fist around the tickling index finger of his godfather. 'And your brilliant godfather will see to it you get the best brooms and bats on the market, only the best for mini marauder…and we'll go picking up girls in the bars, and go torment Minnie at school and we'll even train you to be the youngest Animagus in the world…you'll be one before you turn eleven, mark my words, and Padfoot will help you all the way.'

Harry saw his mother move from the bed and the sharp smack over the head wasn't a surprise, nor was her annoyed face as she took Harry away from Sirius.

'You will never come near Harry without adult supervision, Sirius Black.'

'Ah, come on, Lily Flower, I was just kidding, you know I wouldn't do anything to get little Prongs in danger.' Lily sent another glare at the man before she allowed Sirius to take Harry back.

'Sorry, Prongslet, we'll have to do all those things without your mum knowing.' Lily glared again.

'All right, all right, we'll play nice. No girl until you're of age pup, or your mama will get jealous.'

'Harry…what are you doing here?' the voice came from somewhere above the scene and Harry came back out of the Pensive to see Aries move towards him. His heart was beating fast as he flicked his holly wand out of its holster and pointed it at his guardian.

Aries stopped dead in his tracks as a tremor could be felt around the room.

'Harry, please put down the wand. The defensive magic in this place doesn't allow anyone to attack me.'

Harry's arm was trembling. He really didn't want to attack Aries, but it was clear now that the man had lied to him. He had known Sirius. He must have, otherwise why would he use Sirius' nickname for him.

'You lied to me. You lied even though you said that you wouldn't.'

'I am sorry. But I didn't think I had another choice. I couldn't tell you the truth when we met.'

'And now? Didn't you have enough opportunities to tell me the truth since Pettigrew was discovered?'

'I didn't think it was necessary. You never knew Sirius Black as more than other another person who let you down-'

'You're wrong! He never let me down.'

Aries was speechless.

'You people, you let him down. You manipulated him into giving up on his title as Heir. You made him leave, didn't you? But he made sure you would take care of me. Was that the deal? That he vanish and you take over as Lord Black? Or did you also kill him?'

'What are you talking about?'

'Pup…you call me pup. The exact nickname Sirius used for me. You couldn't have known it unless you've met Sirius yourself. But you couldn't have known him before he was 21 because he wasn't in contact with his family and you were in Australia. So the only explanation is that you've met him after Azkaban. Which means that he never died in that attempt to leave the prison. You've done something to him.'

Aries blinked not quite understanding what he was hearing before bursting out in laughter startling Harry who lowered his wand only slightly, could he be wrong? But it made sense.

'Oh pup, you have such a vivid imagination.' Aries said moving to take a seat on the reading couch on Harry's left.

'You're saying I'm wrong?'

'A little.' Aries smiled fondly at him. 'Please take a seat.'

'Not until you tell me what happened to Sirius.'

'I will. To tell you the truth, I wanted to have this conversation with you this holiday but just didn't know how to start it.'

'At the beginning. How did Sirius survive Azkaban?' Harry said relaxing slightly as he took a seat opposite Aries. His hand still pointing the wand was relaxed sitting on the chair's arm. He was going to get some answers, finally.

'With difficulty. Azkaban is a place that tends to destroy people starting with their sanity. Most go mad within the year some hold on for a bit longer, but not by much.'

'So Sirius…' Was his godfather mad? Was that why Aries took over for him?

'Sirius managed to hold on to his sanity by turning into his Animagus form. Dogs or animals in general are not as affected by Dementors as humans are. The animal's feelings are not as complex as a human's so the Dementors, who cannot see, but in fact feel their way to their victims just thought he had finally lost his mind and left the dog mostly alone. But Azkaban doesn't just destroy the mind. The body deteriorates too. The food is scarce, no chance of sunlight because whatever patch of sky the prisoners are permitted to see is always overcast, and the cold that's there is a cold that seeps into the bones and never really leaves.'

The far distant look in Aries's eyes and a moment of silence gave Harry chance to speak.

'You've been in Azkaban yourself.' Maybe for a visit.

Aries smiled sadly at Harry and nodded. 'Anyway, Sirius saw an opportunity and took it. He had grown thin enough in dog form to slip through the bars and he almost made it, but took a wrong turn and instead of going down to the shore he ended up on one of the ridge terraces that were the landing pads for those traveling by broom into Azkaban. He was cornered there by the Auror on duty who had chased him, thankfully in human form. When the auror sent a stunning spell at him Sirius couldn't dodge in time and was sent stunned into the cold waters below. The waters around Azkaban are enchanted to not let any human swim away. The currents drag anyone who tries down to their depths and to their inevitable death. The Auror concluded that was the fate of Sirius Black and reported it as such.

'But Sirius didn't die.'

'It was a close call, but by a miracle the impact with the icy water released him from the stunning spell and he could move. He was already being dragged down into the sea however and with barely a breath of air left in him. He managed at the last moment to change into Padfoot and swim back to the surface.'

'How?'

'The currents drag just humans down. Animals are another thing entirely.'

'So he managed to swim ashore?'

'Yes. Exhausted and starved and hurt in the fall, but he managed to swim to shore.'

'Then Arcturus found him?'

'No. That came about six months later. First he made his way to Surrey.'

Harry's eyes widened. 'Silver. Sirius was Silver.'

Aries nodded.

Flashback

The Black dog had saved him from Dudley and was now eyeing him.

'You're not going to eat me?' Harry asked taking a step forward. The dog returned on his belly shaking his head before barking once.

'I'm skin and bones anyway. My cousin is juicier.' Harry added.

Another bark and a growl.

Harry didn't know what to make of the growl. He walked sideways until he managed to bypass the dog and made a dash for the alley mouth but just as he got there he turned to see the dog was simply looking at him, not giving chase, not barking, not growling, nothing.

'Thank you.' Harry said although he was fairly certain the dog didn't really come there to rescue him, more likely it was just defending his home from loud humans. He made it home where he got a scolding from his aunt for the dirt on his clothes, was set to do chores and sent to bed without supper.

Sleep came fast for the exhausted child so he didn't hear when the door to the back garden was unlocked, not that anyone would have heard with the magical silencing charm in place. The thin black haired man made his way inside like a ghost and when his senses detected where the boy was he would have committed murder, but he calmed himself knowing full well this would not help the little boy curled around a flimsy blanket. He softly stroked the boy's hair fighting back tears he had thought exhausted a long time ago. He took out a short stick and tapped Harry three times vanishing the bruises that were forming on the boy's body. There were times like this that being ill-treated by his family came in handy, having early on learnt healing spells. He transfigured the flimsy blanket to a soft and fluffy thing that would keep the boy warm despite it still looking flimsy to anyone else but him.

Harry woke up feeling warm and not at all sore. In fact he felt great, there was no pain from yesterday and he sat up and looked at his stomach to find it perfectly white, no bruise or sore on it. He didn't have time to process this new development because his aunt started shouting at him to wake up and fix breakfast.

The week went by without any other odd occurrence. He had managed to avoid Dudley and he had had three nights nightmare free in a row, which was a miracle really. He also thought that there was a change of temperature in the air, as he was no longer cold during the nights even though it was early March. But obviously the good times couldn't last forever and when Monday came Dudley caught up to him in the park. He was about to be hit in the face by a chubby fist when out of nowhere the great black dog from before bit Dudley's sleeve. His cousin squealed like a pig before scrambling away after his frightened friends leaving a shocked Harry behind leaning on a tree and looking confused at the dog who simply sat down and looked at him. The dog was bigger than he was but he found himself extending a hand that the animal sniffed before bending lower and letting Harry pet him on the head.

'You saved me.' Harry said in awe. He looked around and realized he was across the street from the small alley where he had first met the animal. It was so that Harry found himself spending more and more time in that park and with that dog he dubbed Silver because of the beautiful eyes. He frequently brought the dog food from the day-care and it started to follow Harry around making it impossible for Dudley and the goons to attack Harry, or almost impossible, there were places where Silver couldn't enter, like the house, or the day-care, but somehow, every time he got bruised and hurt, by morning, his pain was gone.

It was his birthday and Harry had spent it with Silver in the park. Harry was now seven years old and he was happy because he had someone to celebrate with. Silver was especially excited making Harry laugh hard as he chased pigeons in a clearing in the park. It was late evening when he returned home. His aunt and uncle simply ignored him and Dudley tried to hit him but Harry was quicker and avoided his cousin until it was time for them to go to sleep. Harry dreamt his favourite dream, the one when he flew on a motorcycle with a man with a bark like laugh. Unknown to the sleeping child the same man was watching over him with sad eyes.

'Happy birthday Harry!' he softly spoke before kissing Harry's forehead and putting a silver bracelet with a charm in the form of a dog around Harry's wrist and charmed it to be visible only to him. Sirius sighed as he slipped outside the house.

'He'll have questions.' The voice almost made Sirius jump, if not for his training that made him instantly turned and raise his wand at the man who stood disillusioned a few steps away from him. 'You're a hard man to find, son.'

'I am not your son.' Sirius snarled.

'No, you're my grandson, one that's supposed to be dead for more than half a year now.'

'What do you want?'

'To talk.'

'You can say nothing that will interest me.'

'On the contrary, I have a lot to say that will interest you. But not here, we're too exposed here. If you're…interested in getting your godson out of here. I'll be at Black Manor.' And with that Arcturus Black disaparated away leaving Sirius, his heart pounding in his chest. He thought he had been safe among the dead, but he had forgotten about the Black family tapestries and their damned blood thread. Naturally, no date of death, meant Arcturus would be aware of his not so deceased status. The question was, who else was there that knew of this? He sighed, he had no choice but to go and see his grandfather and figure out what he could still do to remain close to Harry. He just hoped Silver would be able to be there for the kid on the morrow.

'Well, you sure took your time.' Arcturus said as he poured two glasses of firewhiskey and gestured for Sirius to sit in one of the armchairs in the head of house study.

'What do you want?' Sirius asked again.

'The question is, Sirius, what do YOU want?'

Sirius frowned, what did he want? 'I want to make sure you won't interfere with Harry and me.'

'Come now, that's not it and you know it.'

'Fine, I want to be able to take Harry away from those monsters that are raising him. I want to be able to give him a proper home.'

'Is that why you escaped prison?'

'No.' Sirius finally answered after a long pause.

'Then why?'

'I thought Harry was happy being raised by Remus or someone kind at least. I never thought…'

'So, why did you escape prison?'

Sirius shot up and started pacing. 'Because I am innocent, the bastards never gave me a trial, but you would know all about that, so why ask.'

'That's not possible.'

'What did you think? That I turned dark? That I murdered those people?'

'No, I thought you were imperiused, but as such spells can't be detected, they condemned you…not no trial, that can't be…'

'You're a member of the Wizengamot, you tell me, when they held my trial.'

'I thought it best to keep away at that time. Knowing Bellatrix and you would be tried, I…didn't want to receive confirmation of you turning.'

'Why would you have cared if I was dark or not, if only to rejoice.'

'Dark or light has nothing to do with it.' Arcturus said getting up and pacing. 'I didn't want to receive confirmation of you subjugating yourself to that man.'

'Who? Voldemort? I thought you were over the moon about him, after all you allowed most everyone in our family to join his filthy ranks.'

'I never said they should join!' Arcturus threw back.

'No? But did you oppose it?'

'No…'

'Well, that makes it all better.' Sirius said, sarcasm dripping like venom from his words.

'It doesn't. And I have paid for it.'

'Really? Did you spend years in Azkaban for crimes you never committed?'

'No, but I now understand why I was punished with the death of my magic.'

'The death of your-you're a Squib?'

'As good as. I can still perform spells, but they are weak.'

'How?'

'Because I failed as the head of this family.'

'As far as I'm concerned this family doesn't need a head. It needs to die.'

'You are right to think that, however there is a reason the Black family exists, and I believe it has to continue existing.'

'Why? What did this family do for society anyway?'

'A great deal, in the past.'

'I don't agree that the sins of the fathers are the sins of the sons. The same can be said for the achievements.'

'I won't argue with you. Not on this front. I know what I know, and you will change your mind, or not, after you will learn our history as well.'

'I learnt enough of our so called history from mother dearest. It's enough to turn my stomach for this and the next lifetime.'

'Walpurga doesn't know our history, not the one that matters. That is passed down from Lord to Heir.'

'So why are we having this discussion? Regulus is dead.'

'He was never Heir. You were.'

'I was disowned.'

'Your mother can blast anyone off that tapestry of hers. The real family tree is here, at Black Manor, not at Grimmauld Place.'

'Why?'

'It is our family magic that chooses the heir.'

'Why would Black Magic choose me as heir? I never wanted anything to do with it.'

'That's because of what happened when you were a baby.'

'I don't understand.'

'From your birth, you had an affinity to the Black that without maturity and you understanding what you were doing it would have been dangerous for both you and the ones around you. So when Orion and Walpurga arrived with you one night almost catatonic, I sealed your access to the family magic until an age where you could use it consciously. The event also made it obvious who the Heir of our family would be. Until this day, your path to our family's magic is blocked.'

'Well, you can keep it that way. I have enough magic without Dark magic-'

'It isn't Dark magic. It is Black magic, our magic, your very essence. You can't deny it Sirius. It was meant for you to wield.'

'For what purpose would I wield something I hate? I don't care for your crap pureblood agenda, and I don't care about the so called light propaganda either. They are both just sides of the same coin. All I care is that my godson be safe and happy. Even if I escaped prison out of a sense of vengeance, Harry takes priority, Harry will always take priority.'

'Why?'

'Because he's the only family I have left!'

'Then you will need help.' Arcturus finally said after watching his grandson attentively.

'And you'll give it to me?'

'I will do whatever I can. But Sirius, you won't be able to take him away from there the way you are now.'

'Don't you think I know that?' Sirius snapped 'I'm…disconnected.'

'Dementors did some damage on you. But you're better off than anyone I've ever seen after such a long exposure to those creatures. You need help. A healer.'

'And where am I going to find one who won't turn me in the moment I walk into the room?'

'I know someone on the mainland. But you'll still have to go in disguise.'

'I'm not leaving Harry.'

'At night, when the child sleeps. You need to recover, you can't help him more than you're already doing the way you are.'

'I know that.'

'Then let me help.'

Sirius looked at him as if saying, as if I can trust a word you're saying. So Arcturus did what was needed.

'I Arcturus Orion Black swear on my magic and my life that I will never knowingly cause any harm to heir Sirius Orion Black or his godson Harry James Potter.' He said as he cut his hand with the tip of his wand.

'A blood oath?'

'It was necessary for you to believe me. I want to help you, as much as I can.'

'Very well. Then start by telling me about this healer in France.'

And so a week worth of nights were spent, after Harry fell asleep, talking to a grandfather he barely knew, discovering his family heritage and creating a plan to remove Harry from the Dursleys.

Aries paused.

'So Sirius wanted to get me out of there.'

'Don't ever doubt that.' Aries said fiercely. 'He just understood that should you vanish from your aunt and uncle there would be a search, you would have had to live life on the run and he wasn't healed enough to take care of a child. Not to mention that he had no money or no way of accessing it without alerting the Goblins to the fact that he was very much alive. Arcturus provided him with a means to heal and get to you.'

'So then, what happened? Why didn't he come get me?'

'He did, actually.'

'What?'

It had been a year since Arcturus had found him in Surrey. And Sirius was still very much at the boy's side. During the day, when Harry was in class, Sirius worked on the plan to get his young godson away from the Muggles. After the child fell asleep, he went to the mainland to heal. It was a slow process, but Sirius was determined to succeed. His grandfather had been right about him understanding the Black's importance. To be the key holder of the underworld was a sobering fact. His training in the Black had been surprisingly brief and easy. Once the restraints were taken off Sirius intuitively knew what to do after barely a few days of reading the family scriptures.

Arcturus was concerned about that part. His training had been hard and his access to the Black, although uncontested as the Heir in his time, had been slow and tricky, similar to the experience of his father, the Lord before him. Their history spanning (the written part) 3000 years had been punctuated by individuals with a high sensitivity to the underworld, they were beacons in the dark and they usually had hardships far beyond normal and met tragic ends. Sirius didn't seem fazed by this, though as he read the heavy tomes in the hidden library at the Manor he understood. As reckless as his grandson was, his mind was one of the sharpest Arcturus had ever met. The elder felt responsible for not taking a more active role in the child's life, to shape the man. But he had been afraid of Sirius, he could admit it to himself, seeing as the Black had jumped his own son Orion and had almost overwhelmed him when Walpurga and Orion came with baby Sirius almost in a coma to ask for help. It felt to the Patriarch that the Black had wanted to kill Arcturus, which wasn't true, once the Black chose a head, the Head was protected by the Black until death. Yet he had failed in his duty to his Heir and had paid with his own magic. But helping Sirius now made Arcturus regain some of his magical abilities.

It was late October 1988 when Sirius returned from his day shift taking care of Harry later than usual with a feverish boy in his arms.

'Trill!' he barked and the house elf appeared bowing.

'Go to Surrey, make sure no one notices Harry is gone, don't be seen, if someone does notice, make them forget. Go, now!'

'What happened?' Arcturus asked as he followed Sirius to his room where Sirius quickly put the boy on the bed and with a flick of his wand vanished the boy's sweat soaked clothes and summoned freshly laundered warm ones.

'He had a small cough yesterday, he didn't come out of the house today, but Petunia was always there and I could only get inside when she and her husband went to sleep. I found him like this in that damn cupboard.'

'Tia!' Arcturus called the second house elf.

'Master called.'

'Bring the healing potions.'

'What are these red spots?' asked Sirius

'Red spots?' Arcturus frowned and looked closer. 'Ah, chicken pox.'

'What?'

'It's a disease for children. Wizard children don't usually get it because they are given an immunity potion when they are three. Your godson was already with the Muggles at 3 so, he caught the disease.'

'Is, is it like dragon pox?' Sirius was almost trembling with concern.

'No, it isn't life threatening, unless there are complications. But all we can do is wait for it to pass and help his fever with potions.' He took one of the vials from the set Tia had brought to him and gave it to Sirius. Sirius gently raised Harry's head off the pillow and gave him the potion.

'Give him this too.' Arcturus handed a second vial.

'What does this one do?'

'Helps him sleep peacefully. Sleep is best when healing.'

Sirius nodded and after pouring the second potion in Harry's mouth settled the child down pulling the covers over the boy.

'You probably haven't eaten anything since you left home.'

'I'm not leaving his side.' Sirius said stubbornly smoothing the cover almost compulsively.

'Tia, prepare the food and have it served here. Then go see how Trill is faring and report back.'

The small elf bowed and vanished to do what was needed. Arcturus went to the wardrobe and pulled out a fresh robe.

'You need to change out of those rain soaked clothes. Or you will catch a cold too.'

Sirius looked down at his dripping form. 'It was raining, I didn't mind it as Padfoot.' He said as he started changing. Arcturus nodded understanding.

'I will go read more on this illness.'

'How do you know about it anyway, if it is a Muggle thing?'

'Bellatrix Black the first was the one to discover the antidote potion about 500 years ago. Until then, Wizard children also contracted it.'

'Typical of the Blacks to find a cure only for Wizards.' Sirius chuckled.

'It can't be given to muggles. The potion uses magical ingredients.' With that Arcturus left Sirius with the sleeping Harry. This could ruin any chance Sirius had at living as a free man. If Harry was discovered missing there would be a hunt, and chances of the ministry finding out Sirius was in fact alive would make him a man on the run. He would not be able to take care of Harry, guard him or help him in any way. Life on the run was no life for an 8 year old. And Sirius was not yet whole. His nightmares from Azkaban were still there, he slept as Padfoot still, his emotions weren't stable enough, anger or fear grabbed at his battered soul too quickly and he lashing out with the Black now at his command would put the boy in danger. No, Sirius was not ready to be a parent to Harry. But Harry needed healing first before being sent to the Dursleys. One hour later Tia returned with news from Surrey. No one knew Harry was gone. Trill and she had come up with a plan to make the Dursleys believe Harry was still there only sick. The neighbours would not see the boy but Petunia would explain about the chicken pox. The school would be notified as well. There was an epidemic of chicken pox, so it would all fit. This, if Arcturus's book was accurate, bought them two weeks to heal Harry, and he had to figure out a way to convince Sirius that letting Harry go back to the Dursleys after those two weeks were past was a good idea. And that modifying Harry's memories was a must. The old man sighed, he had his work cut out for him.

Harry felt warm, too warm, and at the same time there was a chill running down his back. His arms as he tried to move them were covered by something heavy. His throat was very dry and his eyes burned, and he felt itchy all over. He forced his eyes open and immediately realized something was wrong. The ceiling in his cupboard was too high, there was a soft crackly sound coming from a source of light somewhere in his peripheral vision and the smell was that of burning wood, like that time when they went camping and the teachers built a fire. He turned towards the light and saw, though a bit blurry, a huge fireplace like the one in that castle they had visited with the school. Was he dreaming? His thoughts were a bit fuzzy from the warmth. He pushed with his arms and was halfway through sitting when a figure jumped awake from the other side of the bed. Confused green eyes were met by the most startling grey eyes.

'Harry.' The man, because the blurry black hair and silver eyes, (so much like his dog's eyes) belonged to a man, croaked.

'H-hello.' Harry was uncertain what to say as his voice cracked, a stranger knew his name. He was in a castle and now that he was a bit out of the covers the shivering down his spine intensified, his clothes were damp from sweating. He was also very acutely aware of itching on his skin.

'You need water.' The man said and gave him a glass which Harry took and drank relieving his parched throat. 'And your clothes need changing again. Maybe a warm bath, something to eat, and your potions. Tia.' A popping sound later and Harry saw a very odd creature, though still blurry, bow at the man.

'Young master called.'

'Fresh clothes and breakfast and a refill of the potions from last night. But first prepare a bath for Harry, make it warm, but not scalding.'

'Right away, young master.'

Harry's jaw dropped as he saw the blurry…thing just vanish. He blinked and rubbed at his burning eyes. This didn't make any sense.

'Here, Harry, your glasses.' The man said and gently placed the glasses on his nose. The image sharped around him and those grey eyes came into focus as the tired yet still somewhat handsome face of the stranger was the first thing that Harry saw. The man smiled and stroked his damp hair.

'Let's get you to the bathroom.' He took the covers off completely and picked Harry up in his arms. Harry's shivery intensified and the man seemed to hug him closer.

'You'll feel better in a moment.' They entered the bathroom where the creature had a steaming bathtub ready. The man lowered him on the counter. By this moment Harry was numb with shivers. He felt something like clothes vanishing, but that couldn't be right. And then he was lowered in the warm water and the shivers stopped. He tried to blink but his glasses were foggy from the heat and the man took them off.

'Better?' the baritone voice asked. Harry nodded once and let himself slip into the comfortable warmth of the water as he felt the man gently take a sponge and clean him. He was then wrapped in a fluffy towel and after drying warm clothes put on him. He felt better then and looked around trying to recover his glasses. The man understood him and gave them to him before picking him up and taking him back to the big bed. Harry looked around now, trying to understand where he was. But nothing that he saw was familiar to him. He saw the tray of food next to the bed and his stomach gave out a little growl.

The man set him back down in the huge bed and pulled the covered over his legs.

'You need to eat first.' He said settling the tray in front of him. 'Potions on an empty stomach don't go down well.'

Harry blinked at the food in front of him. Was this all really for him alone? Harry looked up at the man and finally asked what he wanted to know.

'Who are you?'

The concern on the man's face turned to sadness.

'I am your godfather.' Sirius didn't want to lie to the child. 'My name is Sirius Black.'

'I have a godfather?'

'That's right. I-' he didn't know what to say, I was gone because I was stupid and let someone take you away from me and then got chunked in prison for crimes I didn't commit.

'And you knew my parents?'

'I did. James was my best friend, my brother in all but blood. And Lily was like a sister to me.'

'Can you tell me about them?'

Sirius smiled 'I will, but first you must eat, get better.'

Harry nodded and ate as much as he needed. This was surreal to him. Something he thought was a dream, but who said he couldn't enjoy it. The fever made his idea of a dream more convincing. After eating he drank the two potions and before he knew it he was falling back into blissful darkness.

Sirius continued to watch over Harry as the child slowly healed. With every waking up, Harry believed it was real a bit more until at the end of the first week he was no longer feverish and Sirius had taken the sleeping potion off his regime. Harry finally learnt about magic and had his first conversation with the house elf Tia. Tia fell in love with Harry from the first word he uttered her way, fussing over the boy worse than his godfather did. Arcturus however only came to visit when Harry was asleep.

'Sirius.' Harry asked as Sirius was reading him a bedtime story.

'Yes, pup?' Harry flushed at the endearment.

'Can I stay here with you forever?'

'It will get rather dull if we stayed in this room forever.' Sirius said

'I don't mind. As long as you're here with me, and Tia too.'

'How about this. I promise I will always be by your side, wherever you may be, I will not be far behind.'

Harry nodded beaming at his godfather. Sirius hugged the boy kissing his untameable black hair.

'I love you.' Harry said smiling in the man's chest.

'I love you too, pup.' They stayed like that until Harry fell asleep while Sirius hummed a lullaby. When night came Arcturus entered his grandson's room followed by a sad Tia. His resolve faltered as he saw Sirius sleeping with Harry enveloped in a protective hug. He had never seen Sirius's face so content while the man slept.

'I am sorry.' But his plea for forgiveness was unheard as Tia shot the two spells he had order of her in succession. The first and the strongest obliviated Harry from Sirius' mind, making Sirius believe Harry had died with his parents while the second obliviated the memories of the past two weeks from the child's mind.

Harry felt sick. He remembered recovering from the illness and going outside to search for Silver only for Silver to have completely gone away. He had searched for that dog high and low only for him to conclude that the dog must have left once Harry wasn't there to feed him, or worse, that the dog had finally died, since Silver didn't look in the best of health. He even resented the dog for leaving him, only now he knew that Silver had not been at fault at all. It had been Arcturus making his Godfather think he was dead.

'This allowed Arcturus to convince Sirius to go on an extensive healing trip and the two of them formulated a plan for Sirius to rejoin the British Magical society and create a stronger Black Family.'

'Then where is he? Why hasn't he come back yet? Surely he must know that I am alive now. Or did you keep up the lie? Can his memory be returned to him?'

'Arcturus returned the memories a little after you joined Hogwarts. I've never wanted to hurt anyone as much as I wanted to hurt the former head of Black for what he had done.'

'You?'

Aries turned to him from where he had wandered close to the bay window while he spoke. His smile turned sad as he flicked out a wand Harry had never seen before and performed a nonverbal spell that transformed the aging man into his younger version.

A/N: And because of such a quick update you guys get a cliff-hanger :D I left some of the stuff about the Black inside the flashbacks, but you can assume that that internal monologue of Arcturus' was not transmitted to Harry. Anyway, what do you guys think? How will Harry react to all of this?

Thank you all for the reviews and the suggestions about the plants. It is funny that most everyone thinks plastic plants will work best. And yes, they do work best. Another tenant before me thought the same thing so I have plastic roses to cover my ass for most of the year. But I still want to try to take care of living ones. I will try the Geraniums, wish them luck :)

Until next time, stay happy and healthy.