Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

Original A/N: Thanks to MaeSilverpaws1, who is beta-ing this story.

Chapter One Hundred Eighteen

Restless

"You know, it's not as easy to clear my mind after everything that happened today," Harry commented as he tried to work on his meditation. Remus had told him they would have another round of Occlumency practice the next morning and he wanted to prepare himself for that.

"I know what you mean," Ron said as he was sitting next to Harry working on controlling his own thoughts as were the twins, Ginny and Hermione. "What, with your dad being here and all."

"Yeah," Harry said looking towards the stairs; his dad was up in one of the rooms sleeping. Still, Harry couldn't help but think what it was going to be like talking to his dad every day. Before Harry could say more there was a loud banging sound from the front door.

"… Bloody bastards! I'll strangle that stupid toad … or just hit her with a mullet!" Sirius's voice rang though the room, and probably the whole house. Sirius was still shutting some kind of rant. Harry saw that Fred and Hermione were about to ask the older man what was the matter but Harry shook his head. Sirius looked as if he hadn't realized the others were even in the room and when he was that angry it was best to just let Sirius vent his anger out. It was several minutes later that Sirius stopped pacing the room and sat on the couch.

"Sirius?" Remus asked and Harry turned to look at the doorway behind him realizing the werewolf had probably been standing there for the last several minutes without saying anything.

"It looks like we're going to have an even fuller house than we had before," Sirius said.

"What?" a few people in the room asked.

"I just quit my job … or I was fired, I'm not really sure which," Sirius said, his anger was gone now and he was left with numb disbelief.

"What?" again was the question on most the people's lips.

"How?" Remus asked over the rest.

"Apparently I attacked healers at St. Mungo's, never mind they were the ones that were trying to get me," Sirius said in a bitter voice.

"This is my fault," James said from the stairway, he had been woken by Sirius's loud entrance too.

"Not even," Sirius rolled his eyes at his friend. "What's with you Potters and trying to blame everything on yourself?"

"It's a gift," James smiled, though it didn't reach his sad eyes.

"I can't believe that Scrimgeour would fire you for that," Remus said.

"He didn't, Fudge and his little toad were the ones that suspended me," Sirius said. "They wanted information about where Harry was raised because they know that it wasn't at Privet Dr. I wonder how they knew that and that I had visited there today …" he went on muttering to himself.

"They know that Harry wasn't raised by the Dursleys!" Remus gasped. "Sirius you should tell Dumbledore …"

"I'm sure Dumbledore will know about this already, if not shortly," Sirius waved him off. "I sort of implied he was the mastermind behind Harry's life …"

"Sirius …" Remus started.

"You know that's what our plan always was if people figured out Harry …" Sirius started.

"That's not what I was going to say," Remus said. "I know Dumbledore will be able to handle himself with whatever the Minister questions him with. But they must have thought you had Harry … that we have him."

"Yes, that was the basics of the conversation," Sirius agreed. "They think I raised Harry, and I doubt what I said changed their minds, but I did a fair job at acting like I was surprise and I think I put in a little doubt. Dumbledore should be able to make that doubt grow in that special way of his."

"But Fudge suspended you," Harry said, gritting his teeth, he knew Sirius wouldn't appreciate him saying this out loud, but he felt that Sirius was being targeted because he was close to Harry.

"Yeah, and wanted to dangle my job on a line to try to make me give him information, as if I care about my job," Sirius rolled his eyes.

"You do care about your job," Harry pointed out.

"Not as much as I care about you and your safety," Sirius said. "Besides, it's the principle of the matter. I'm not going to be bought!"

"I know Sirius," Remus said soothingly, he could see his friend's anger was returning quickly.

"Who's the toad?" George asked not sure who Sirius had meant when he said Fudge and his little toad had gotten Sirius sacked. It might not have been the right question to ask because both Sirius and Remus's expressions darkened.

"It wasn't …" Remus started grimly.

"Of course it was her Remus, who else would I call a toad," Sirius said heatedly. "Umbridge," he added to answer George's question, "is a vile person that looks like a toad and has this really creepy girlie voice … argh!"

"I can't believe she did this to you!" Remus snarled.

"She's been known to pass the worst laws against werewolves and other creatures," Harry explained to his friends as some of them looked confused by Remus's reactions.

"I think she's the one that sent the Dementors to Privet Dr.," Sirius stated and the room became silent as everyone looked at him with gaped mouths. "That would explain how she knew I was there today …"

Remus growled, sounding much closer to his werewolf self and turned and walked out of the room.

"Sirius!" a new shout came from the front door. "Sirius, are you home!"

"I'm in here, Em," Sirius called back, one look at her face told him she already knew the news. "How did you know?"

"There's a rumor going through the whole Ministry … it's true!" Emmeline gasped, but her tone and expression told him she already believed it was true.

"Depends, what does the rumor say?" Sirius asked, wondering what had spread through his peers.

"That you ran some renegade mission and Fudge sacked you for it," Emmeline said bluntly, though there had been many different versions of the mission Sirius had supposedly gone on alone, not to mention the different version of Fudge telling Sirius off or vice versa. "What did you do?"

"Oh, and you automatically assume that I did something!" Sirius grumbled.

"He rescued me."

"James!" Emmeline gasped in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"

"What … no hug?" James pouted.

Emmeline rolled her eyes but laughed too as she went over to hug James. There suddenly was a loud crashing sound causing everyone to jump in surprise.

"What was that?" Emmeline asked.

"Remus," Sirius shook his head. "Figures he would be the one to throw things when I was the one that lost his job."

O

Sirius lie in his bed staring at the ceiling. It was this time of day, the early hours of the morning, that he felt the loss of his job the most. He could honestly say the last week had been a good one, spending time with James again on a regular basis, and seeing how his friend was with Harry … it really made him happy. Of course there were times when James would stare off into space and seemed to be unreachable by anyone or was so agitated with all the changes around him that he would shy away from everyone in the house. Even in those times though, Sirius didn't put much thought about losing his job … he honestly was happy that he was able to be there to help out with everything.

But the mornings, right at the time that Sirius would usually wake up and start to get ready for work, all he could do now was think about how much he wanted to be able to do that. How much he missed seeing the guys and chatting about nothing really. How he loved tracking down a suspect and finding the right person. Heck he would even take doing paperwork again.

"I shouldn't go into work today," Emmeline sighed, breaking Sirius from his thought and he looked at her.

"We've been through this," Sirius smiled at her knowing it didn't reach his eyes and she wasn't reassured by it at all. "I want you to go to work. Besides, once I get out of bed I'll be better."

"I know," she allowed, glad that at least that wasn't a lie. Sirius did seem perfectly normal when he was with everyone else. It was just those times that he was able to think about what he lost that he became surly. "I was thinking I should quit my job … make some kind of protest."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sirius said sitting up straight to gap at her. "You can't quit your job … you love your job!"

"And you loved yours," she pointed out softly as she sat next to him. She was completely dress and ready to go to work but she didn't want to leave Sirius right now.

"Yeah, so I know you don't want to quit your job," Sirius said back. "I don't want you to be unhappy, love."

Emmeline just sighed in response to that and leaned her head against Sirius's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Actually I was thinking … well … maybe it would be best if you broke up with me," Sirius said.

"What?" Emmeline exclaimed, pulling away from him so she could look into his eyes.

"Not for real, of course … a fake break up," Sirius hastily added.

"Why on earth would I want to break up with you … fake or not," Emmeline asked.

"Because you're being watched at work!" Sirius answered back heatedly.

"How do you even know that?"

"I have my ways," Sirius waved her off, "but that's not the point. I know and I was thinking …"

"You've been spying on me?" Emmeline asked, only hearing the first part of his response.

"I heard you and Molly talking … you were in the bleeding hallway … I wasn't spying, just a little eavesdropping," Sirius answered.

"Eavesdropping is spying, Sirius," Emmeline said impatiently.

"That's not really the point, Em," Sirius said. "The point is you think your boss is keeping a closer eye on you and it's because of me."

Emmeline just rolled her eyes, "it's also because I've always been known to be close to Dumbledore … I was part of the Order last time … before you were ever involved, I might add."

"That's only because you're older," Sirius grumbled.

"I can handle being watched," Emmeline went on as if Sirius hadn't said anything. "Besides, you're going to be the man that I marry someday; I'm not going to turn my back on you because you're not popular with the Minister."

Sirius stared at her gobsmacked.

"What is it Sirius?"

"I didn't know we were getting married?" he answered, a smile growing on his face, "I always thought I had to ask you first."

It was Emmeline's turn to look gobsmacked as she started blushing. "I … I didn't … mean …"

"Oh no, you can't take it back now," Sirius said, his grin turning teasing, "You can't truffle with a man's heart like that."

"Sirius," Emmeline complained, blushing more than before as he gave his bark laugh.

"So does this mean I'm off the hook for actually asking you, because that …" Sirius started to ask.

"No," Emmeline interrupted him.

"Oh?" Sirius questioned, raising an eyebrow at her quick response to that. "Do tell, why not?"

"I always imagined …"

"You fantasized about me asking you to marry you?"

"Of course," Emmeline rolled her eyes at him. "Anyways … you always make some kind of grand theatrical moment …"

"Theatrical moment?"

"Sirius, you're theatrical opening your cereal box!" Emmeline pointed out causing Sirius to bark out laughing again.

"True."

"I just thought you would want to …" she went on.

"I love you so much," Sirius said suddenly, catching her off guard and then kissed her before she knew what he was doing. "Mmm … maybe you staying home from work this morning wouldn't be so bad," he moaned before kissing her again.

O

"It's nice to finally see you today, Sirius," Remus said taking a sip of his drink with a smirk, it was lunch time and everyone was in the kitchen eating.

"I was having a nice lie in," Sirius shrugged, "there's nothing wrong with that."

"No, of course not," Remus agreed with a knowing smile.

Sirius didn't even bother giving Remus any more of his attention as he picked up one of the sandwiches on the table and stuck most of it in his mouth. "Mmmen um arving."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Molly said as she would to any of her children.

"Sorry," Sirius said after he chocked down his food. "This sandwich is really good," he beamed at Molly, picking up a few more of the sandwiches and then sitting down next to Remus, a grin on his face.

"You're certainly in a good mood today," Remus noted and then looked closely at his friend frowning, "Sirius? What are you up to?"

"Oh, are you up to something, Padfoot? You know I'll help you with that," James said looking up from his conversation with the twins and Harry about one of the pranks they had pulled the last year.

"It's nothing like that," Sirius glared at Remus and then looked over at James and added thoughtfully. "You might be able to help me anyways, James. Though we probably should wait a little while, maybe a few months … I wouldn't want her to expect it."

"Her?" James questioned.

"Besides, I want to make it really big …" Sirius went on as if he didn't hear James.

"What are you talking about?" James asked.

"A theatrical moment," Sirius grinned broadly at his confused friend, noticing that everyone else in the room was looking at him as if he was mad but he didn't care. He had some planning to do.

O

"... Well that's everything we had to share today, unless anyone else has news?" Mad-Eye said to a good portion of the Order.

"Actually, if I may, I do have something to say," Dumbledore said from the door.

Mad-Eye looked at him with narrowed eyes, as the door to the meeting room closed behind the headmaster sealing themselves in. "I wasn't aware you were going to join us today, Albus?"

"I had not intended to," Dumbledore agreed with his normal twinkle of his eyes. "But I have received an important letter that we need to discuss along with some plans that need to be made immediately."

"Letter?" Mad-Eye questioned, still looking rather suspicious.

"From Rufus Scrimgeour," Dumbledore stated.

"Scrimgeour? Why would he write you?" Sirius asked, looking confused as were most of the people in the room, though Kingsley looked thoughtful.

"I believe the answer to that would be you, Sirius," Dumbledore smiled at him. "But to clarify things, I shall read the letter so everyone knows what I mean by that."

Dumbledore then removed the letter from his pocket and started reading:

Dumbledore,

I find it is always best to be prepare for all situations so I feel that you should know that Minister Fudge is planning on passing a decree to the Governors of Hogwarts that will allow him to assign a teacher if you do not fill the positions. He is planning on Dolores Umbridge taking the position as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, which I feel would not be beneficial for the students. After seeing the way she handled Sirius in my offices last week, I know she will not hold back any of the tactics she had used rising through the ranks of the Ministry.

You may be wondering why I am sending you this letter, for I, myself, am questioning the action. However, I can't help replaying what had occurred in my office, again with Sirius Black, and I cannot over look the troublesome information that was given out. I am confident that Sirius has already informed you of said events, but it would not be wise for me to share too much about that in this letter in case he has not. Still, I have come to believe that it would be wise of me not to close my eyes to the possibility that You-Know-Who has returned as you have suggested. I believe you still need more physical proof of said return, but I will keep an open mind to the possibility.

Scrimgeour

"Scrimgeour is actually pulling his head out of his arse," Sirius said nodding his head with a grin. "And it's all thanks to me. I never knew he actually valued me so much."

"He trusts your instincts as much as anyone's," Kingsley pointed out. "Your personalities just clash."

"You can say that again," Sirius chuckled.

"Interesting," Dumbledore said in a tone that drew everyone's attention. "Scrimgeour seems to have hidden another letter in here."

"What does it say?" Mad-Eye asked.

"It's address to Sirius and I cannot open it," Dumbledore said, which caused Sirius to get up to take the letter for himself. He opened it up quickly to see what it said, reading it to himself first.

"He always was a bit paranoid," Sirius mutter after he finished.

"There is nothing wrong with being paranoid," Mad-Eye said.

"You would say that," Tonks said just loud enough so everyone could hear her and she received a glare from her old mentor.

"Here, I'll read you all the letter," Sirius said before anything else could be said and then started to read.

Sirius,

The Proximity Charm report that Umbridge had said would be found in Harry Potter's file was indeed in there in the proper order and date. However, I pride myself in remembering files and I know that it had not been there the last time I had checked Potter's file. The document in question, however, had genuinely come from the Transportation Department, and it would have had to been done recently. I do not like what I see here and will investigate into this matter farther. However, I'm going to have to tread carefully because the Minister is keeping a close eye on all of the Departments to see who is loyal to him and who is loyal to Dumbledore. He has already naturalized several employees that are known to be loyal to Dumbledore, which I'm sure you are already aware of.

I will also look into the matter of Dementors being at Privet Dr., as well as the fact that Umbridge was at Privet Dr. herself the morning that you quit. Another troubling issue you have brought to my attention Black. You seem to be more trouble out of my office than you were in it.

Sirius couldn't help laughing at that and was joined by the other Aurors in the room. Even Mad-Eye smiled slightly.

I do not care if you read this with Dumbledore or anyone else you deem safe to discuss this with. I assumed that if you are reading this at all you are indeed in Dumbledore's inner circle and would need to discuss everything I have shared with you. Though I despise that you are working outside of the Ministry, I am starting to understand why you would need to. I have been working for the past week to discreetly investigate the before mention matters and have found it more difficult than someone at my position should. Something is not right in the Ministry and your actions have force me to accept that I do not have the luxury of believing the Minister's word about You-Know-Who. It stands to me to protect our community from such a threat and I will do what is necessary to make sure that I do so.

With that said, I suggest that Dumbledore make you the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, which I am sure he is already planning on doing. It is best if the Minister never knows that I have given Dumbledore warning of the new Decree that he and Umbridge are planning. Fudge would easily believe that Dumbledore would choose you as the Defense Professor, seeing as you are both highly qualified and close to Dumbledore. I warn you though, I do not believe even this move will keep Umbridge from getting into Hogwarts. She is determined to attack the Minister's foes and knows the best way to get to Dumbledore is through Hogwarts. I only hope that if she is prevented from being a professor, at least the students will not be subjected to her methods as much.

If I find proof from my investigations I will contact you again. Do not attempt to contact me or expect any information shared outside of said investigations.

Scrimgeour

"Well isn't that friendly," Sirius said after finishing the letter.

"He actually said a lot more than I ever expected him to," Mad-Eye said. "Are you sure this is really from him?"

"Oh, I'm sure," Dumbledore said. "He had put some rather complicated security spells on the letter I got so I would be the only one that could open it, not to mention the added spells he would have had to put on the letter for Sirius. The magic … the style… yes I'm sure that Rufus was the one to send them." He then turned to Sirius and smiled. "He was also correct in believing I was planning on asking you to take the post as Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. I had been thinking about offering the job to you before now, but wasn't sure if I would need you more in the field. Now it is clear that you are needed at Hogwarts."

"Right," Sirius said frowning, looking behind him at Emmeline. He didn't want to be separated from her again, but how could he not take the job when the other choice was to have Umbridge teach at Hogwarts. He turned back to Dumbledore and sighed, "I'll do it."