Albus stood in front of the fireplace, staring deep into the flames as he stroked his beard.

"You're positive?"

"There's nothing to be done," James said, and after a moment of thought, Ablus looked over his shoulder back at the three. "The healers said he was born this way."

Albus' eyes landed on the man in question: Sirius seemed smaller than he remembered, like the fire in him had dimmed. The squib kept his gaze to the floor as Albus strode back to his desk.

"Would you like a lemon drop?" Albus asked, not unkindly, as he sat down behind his desk gesturing to the bowl for sweets.

Nodding a bit meekly, Sirius grabbed a few and popped on in his mouth. Sirius looked only mildly more relaxed as James wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

Albus knew, unfortunately, they had more than the condition itself to discuss.

"The Order will have to be informed about Sirius's resignation from the front lines," Albus folded his hands on his desk. "The details will be kept confidential, of course, as information leaks can be accidental among even the most trusted members of the Order."

"Do you really think it's necessary to keep it a secret?" James asked. "Sirius isn't ashamed of this or anything."

Albus looked to Sirius himself, but kept his disagreements about it to himself. Instead, Albus stated, "His cousins would most likely target him knowing about his condition. We all know Bellatrix can be quite brutal, and Sirius has no way to defend himself."

Lily's face darkened as she nodded, and James's grip on Sirius tightened.

"If they think I just dropped out of the war," Sirius bit his lip. "They wouldn't bother with me unless it was important."

"Precisely," Albus gave Sirius a smile. "You should be able to safely ride this out if we're careful."

"I don't want to 'ride this out,'" Sirius hunched in on himself, hair falling into his face as his knuckles whitened. "I want to help."

"Siri," Lily took his hand. "I know this is hard, but even the best wizards die on the front lines. The Death Eaters won't care you can't defend yourself."

Sirius turned to her defiantly, face blotching up.

"Do you really expect me to just sit in some muggle town, alone, knowing there is some dictator out there who wants to kill us all?"

Upon the silence, Sirius looked around at the wizards in the room, something more accusatory in his scowl.

"You do, don't you?... You… You all think I'm useless."

Dumbledore gave Sirius a sympathetic, hopefully pained-seeming look. "No, Sirius, we don't. I understand you're frustrated, but surely, you understand that this is just what's practical?"

Instead of shouting or throwing a fit, a truly heart broken look spread across Sirius's face.

"I know I can't fight," Sirius whispered, blinking wetness from his eyes. "But I need to help. Somehow, any way I can. The idea of sitting around doing nothing kills me."

"Paddy," Lily took Sirius's hand. "You know we won't think less of you for staying out of this? Right?"

Sirius refused to meet her eye, and Albus recognized the helplessness on the squibs face. He'd seen it many a time over his career, and his life.

"I think I have a mutually beneficial solution," Albus spoke up, earning the eyes of the young people as he stood. "Mr Black, would you follow me for a moment?"

The Squib of the Black family scrambled to follow, Lily's protests of his use of Sirius's real surname drowning out as Albus opened the door of his office. Sirius hesitantly walked through the opening, and Albus shut the door to his office behind them.

Sirius breathed in the air of the corridor, rubbing his arms against the draft of the summer air. He looked up to Albus, face walled off in the way he always did when he was trying to protect himself.

"You… What can I do?"

Albus offered the squib a smile, eyes twinkling as he turned to walk down the hall.

"It's been a long time since you were here," Albus commented as Sirius scrambled after him. "Have you noticed anything different since you've been away?"

Sirius looked a bit lost for a second, before looking around. His silver eyes followed the few Perfects who patrolled the castle grounds, before turning back to Albus.

"Where are the Professors?"

"Most are on Missions," Albus said. "Or struggling to grade assignments or prepare their lessons in their rooms. Hogwarts may be protected from the war, but we've not been unaffected."

Sirius took a moment to digest that, before looking up at Albus, determination shining fiercely in his eyes.

"What can I do?"

Albus stopped, turning back to Sirius with a twinkle in his eye.

Albus folded his arms behind his back. "Work as an Official Understudy and Tutor here at Hogwarts, join the staff, give us some room to breathe."

"But-" Sirius paused, before finally trudging onwards with his question. "But how would I be able to do that without magic?"

"You may be a squib, but you also have an outstanding understanding of magic. I'm sure the students would greatly benefit from your advice and instruction. I'm sure you know how one doesn't necessarily need a demonstration to learn a complex spell."

Albus's smile widened at the blush that dusted Sirius's cheeks.

"I assume I'll be staying in the castle?"

"I take it that means you're accepting the position?" Albus asked, walking them back to his office. Sirius nodded, looking forwards with a determined look.

"If this is the way I can help, I'll do anything."

"Are you sure you don't want to just stay here?"

James was basically levitating over Sirius's shoulder, his nails nearly bitten to the nubs. It would have been endearing if it weren't so annoying.

Manually (and sloppily) folding another robe, Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Jamie, I love you, but there's a reason I moved out at seventeen."

"We could make you your own space," James bargained. Obviously still in the midst of grief. Following Sirius as he picked up the pile of clothes to transfer into his suitcase. "Make a massive basement or attic or- or even a shed if you wanted."

Sirius turned as he set down the clothes, raising an eyebrow at James. "What, missing me already?"

"No it's just-" James made a vague gesture at Sirius. "Y know."

Sirius simply tilted his head, causing James to groan.

"You remember how everyone treated Filch and Hagrid," James finally explained. "I'm worried you'll get hexed by some brats or a couple of Slytherins will really hurt you."

Sirius felt really thrown by the concern and blatant stress on James's face, before really remembering the situation. He was supposed to be twenty, they were in the middle of a war against non-purebloods, and Sirius wasn't one anymore.

James was actually twenty.

"It might happen," Sirius admitted, turning back to try and fix his luggage. "But hiding here isn't the solution, people need to see people like me as, y know, people. They need to see me to do that."

"I can't lose you too."

Feeling his heart break, Sirius turned around and pulled James into his arms. Resting his head on his brother's shoulder, Sirius sighed.

"I'm a little scared too," Sirius mumbled. "Everything about this is scary."

James held Sirius tighter. "You don't have to do this."

Sirius sighed, closing his eyes as unpleasant memories rose to the surface.

"I know," Sirius lied.

Dumbledore wasn't that complicated. He was damn near a genius, hard to trick, and even harder to beat in a fair fight. There was a reason Voldemort was scared of the man. But, he wasn't complicated.

Not when you knew what to look for.

Hagrid, Flitwick, Flich, Remus, Harry, and countless others had been taken under Dumbledore's wing.

It was a pattern; Dumbledore found them at their lowest, offered them safety, acceptance, and a chance to make something of themselves. Or at least, that's what the old bastard wanted them to think.

Subconsciously or not, on some level, Albus Dumbledore liked collecting people. Specifically, people who were useful to him and willing to do what he wanted because they felt loyal to him.

Sirius remembered the first time Dumbledore had tried to collect him, when he was sixteen. Snape had snuck down into the Shrieking Shack to try killing Remus, it had been Sirius's own fault for telling him about it, but the damage had been done and it was a mess.

Dumbledore offered him a second chance. Told him he could live at Hogwarts over the summer. He could leave his past behind him…. But Dumbledore also offered Snape a second chance, and refused to punish him for the stalking and attempts on their lives.

That time, Sirius had thanked Dumbledore for the opportunity and nothing else. Sirius was strong, and he could take care of himself.

Dumbledore wouldn't want someone like that, someone assure of themselves. Someone with total agency wasn't someone who would willingly die for his plans.

So, when they walked through the floo, Sirius acted the part of the meek squib.

It's not like Dumbledore would turn up a free, powerless Black who would be dependent on his generosity, now would he?

Chapter 12 is up! Sirius is officially on the move again

Kind of hard to get started on that hit list if he can't leave the house without suspicion, no? Good thing Sirius knows his siblings, and he definitely knows Dumbledore. Next step is balancing work and murder plans

Obviously will not be hard lol

Lemme know what you think! I hope you enjoyed