"Baby bottle pop," Harry said to the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office. It opened, allowing the boy to enter the headmaster's chambers. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Harry," the man said, patting a spot on the couch next to him. "I wanted to thank you again for retrieving that memory for me."

Harry rolled his eyes. It had been much easier this time to get the stupid horcrux memory from Slughorn. It wasn't like he had to talk to the man again, he just had to edit out the parts immediately before or after. How awkward would it have been for Dumbledore to watch himself ordering Harry into the pensieve when he was already in a pensieve?

"It was nothing, Professor."

"It has taken me years to get Horace to admit to telling Tom about horcruxes."

The boy shrugged. "I just bribed him with crystalized pineapple."

"Ah, well," Dumbledore sighed, stirring some sugar into his tea. "I wanted to invite you on a little adventure."

"Really?" Harry asked, deadpanned. Who all thought he liked sticking his neck out to catch dangerous people?

"I think I've found a place Tom might have hidden a horcrux."

"Think…might have…that's a lot of 'ifs', Headmaster."

"I know, Harry, but it's worth a shot." The man smiled. "And if it's not there, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Would you like that list alphabetically or by likelihood?" Harry mumbled to himself. He shook his head. "I'll think about it, sir."

"Alright, m'boy. I plan to go Saturday. Let me know by then."

"Alright, sir." Harry jumped from the couch and ran down the stairs. He checked his watch. Oops! He was going to be late! He dashed down the halls, nearly running into several students and teachers before finally bursting through the portrait door and into…

"Harry James Potter!" Draco yelled, picking himself up from the floor. "I understand other people running into me—sort of—but why did you feel the need to not watch where you were going?"

"Sorry, ferret," Harry said, dusting his god-brother off. "I had a meeting with Dumbledore and I didn't want to be late."

"Stop," Draco said, grabbing Harry's hands and placing them at the boy's side. "You are forgiven."

"Good," Severus said, placing a tray of tea on the coffee table, "because I'd hate to hear of my godsons having a wand fight in the second floor girls' bathroom."

"Spots," Sirius whined, holding Siria close. "Don't say that in front of my impressionable daughter!"

"Not that kind of wand fight," Draco moaned, rubbing his face.

"And Black, if she remembers this conversation at all, I am placing your daughter in a school for the gifted," Severus said, handing the animagus some tea.

"Alright, alright," Sirius said. "I understand. Just…be careful what you say…"

A gavel banged against the wood of the table. "That's enough," Draco said. "The twenty-fourth weekly meeting of the godfather-godson alliance is now in order."

"Draco, we've talked about this…" Severus said, rubbing his eyes.

"What part, Uncle Sev?"

"Everything."

"This is supposed to be a time for us to catch up and relax," Sirius said, shaking his head, "not for any organized club affiliation."

"Then why did we vote me secretary and in charge of minutes?" Harry asked, holding up a quill.

"What you, Draco, Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood, and Mr. Longbottom do in your own time has no bearing in this meeting," Severus said, buttering a scone.

"Are you done?" Harry looked up, his quill poised over top of the parchment.

"Did you write that down?"

"I'm the scribe, too."

"Did you write that down, too?" Sirius asked, watching his godson scribble furiously.

"And why would you be the scribe?" Severus glared. "Your handwriting is worse than your father's."

"How did you know what my father's handwriting looks like?"

"I have a collection of death threats that I can show you some time, if you are so inclined to learn."

Sirius patted Severus's arm. "Those were meant as a joke, Spots."

"Anyway," Draco said, grabbing a parchment from his bag. "On to alliance business. First of all, is there any new news?"

"In other words…" Severus said, glaring. "How was your week?"

"Siria can hold her head up," Sirius said, smiling proudly.

"She also drooled on her dress," the dark man said, grabbing a napkin and wiping it off.

"Chaser drills are coming along decently," Draco said, holding up his most recent Christmas present: Chasing Drills and How to Do Them.

"Do you carry that with you everywhere?" Sirius asked, brow quirked.

"I get bored easily."

"He's a week away from finishing his potions and healing course. He says he's already finished all the work and just waiting for the practical exam," Harry said, sipping his tea.

"Was that a not-so-subtle hint to me to get that written up?" Severus asked, smirking.

"Yes, he's being insufferable."

Sirius's brow furrowed. "What are we talking about again?"

Draco sighed long-sufferingly. "Sirius, how long have you known that I'm in the middle of my potion's mastery?"

"I didn't?"

"You slept in the same dorm as me for two years while I worked toward it."

"I did?"

"Yes!" The blond threw his hands in the air. "I can't believe it! Does no one care about my life?"

"Padfoot, why'd you have to go and do that?" Harry asked, rubbing his forehead. "Couldn't you have just pretended to know and then asked us later?"

"He's finishing his potions mastery?"

"In third year," Severus said, putting down his cup, "I recognized Draco was bored and well informed on the curriculum I was teaching. I pulled him aside and started training him for his potions mastery." He smirked. "We called it godfather/godson bonding time."

"Now, I remember that!" Sirius said, smiling.

"As long as I pass this final, I'll only have practicals before I obtain it," Draco said, eyes sparkling.

"Will there be a graduation ceremony?" Severus teased.

Harry pulled out a calendar. "Are you hoping for an RSVP? I can fit you in, but only if you respond in the next month or so…"

"I'm his teacher and godfather. I wasn't invited originally?"

"It's a small venue."

"Was Sirius invited?"

"Of course," Harry said, smiling. "He's family."

"Wait a minute," Sirius said, readjusting Siria in his arms. "I thought you planned on going to school after you graduate Hogwarts."

"I am," Draco said, nodding.

"But, you'll already have your potions mastery."

"Yes, but I'm going to a muggle university after Hogwarts."

Sirius grimaced. "What for?"

"I'm getting a degree in muggle chemistry."

"Seriously?"

The blond shrugged. "Mione is going to be working on duel degrees in muggle and magical history. She hopes to replace Binns and create a more cohesive curriculum." He stirred his tea. "It's not like we'll be able to start a family right away—her doing that and all—and I thought it was a good idea, combining the muggle and magical school curriculums."

"I talked him into it," Harry said. "I mean, think about it: if only the magical people understood the scientific advances made by muggles, like vaccines or cellular waves. And just imagine what the muggle world could do if they had any understanding of the basic magical properties of mixtures…"

"So, Draco going to university to learn all this will help with that?" Sirius asked.

Harry nodded. "Exactly."

"Alright, then. I'll buy it." Sirius turned to Harry. "So, what's new with you, pup?"

"I'm going to destroy a fake horcrux on Saturday."

"Alone?"

"With Dumbledore."

"I repeat," Sirius said, eyes darkening, "alone?"

"Come on, Sirius." Harry crossed his arms. "You don't think a one-hundred plus year old man will be able to fight his way out of an inferi-infested cave?"

"He almost died. You almost died."

"Actually," Severus said, staring at his tea as it spun in his cup, "he did die."

"Not because of the cave," Harry whined.

"Harry, you hate the man…"

"Yes, and I want to watch him go out of his little-lemon drop addled mind."

Sirius sighed. "I don't want you to go alone."

"Again, I'm going with Dumbledore."

"Let me rephrase. I'm going with you."

"Black," Severus said, brow furrowed. "I think you're forgetting something."

"What could I possibly be forgetting, Spots?"

"What are you holding?"

"A cup of tea," Sirius said, holding up the dainty china. Severus growled. "Oh, you meant the other hand."

"Sirius, you have a daughter now. Explain to me where she'll be while you go off and fight dead people."

Grey eyes sparkled. "With her favorite Uncle Spots."

"You say that as if she has more than one." Severus shook his head. "Besides, I have a death eater meeting that night."

"And you plan on going?"

"This one's important. It's the year-end meeting. We have a lot to go over."

"Like what? The upcoming budget? Different conferences on torture to attend?"

Severus crossed his arms. "How to kill Harry Potter."

"Yes, that's very important." Harry nodded. "We could've used that earlier this year."

"Might I give a few suggestions?" Draco asked, nibbling on a scone. "I mean, it appears that a strong petrificus totalus does the trick."

"Well, I need a babysitter," Sirius said, scowling.

"Get Moony to do it."

"He's on a date that night."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "He's going on a date when he knows death eaters will be attacking the castle?"

"Oh, he'll be back in plenty of time."

Severus smirked. "That's almost a burn."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Look, Spots, it might be best for you to take Siria and hide anyway."

"How do you figure?"

"Well," Sirius held the young girl up, her head lolling to the side sleepily, "the way I see it, you can't fight on either side of the battle without completely destroying your cover for the other side, right?" The dark man nodded. "Then, you shouldn't be seen fighting at all."

"But don't I need to kill the headmaster?" Severus asked, frowning.

"Let Zabini do it." Sirius sighed. "Spots, I'd really appreciate it if Siria weren't anywhere near the castle while death eaters are present. Too many of them are family and would love to take out the next heir. Someone also needs to go with Harry to make sure Dumbledore doesn't have some scheme we didn't foresee. Since you need to be neutral, I'd prefer if you took Siria and I went with the horcrux hunters."

"What am I supposed to tell the dark lord the next time I see him?" the death eater asked.

"That you were looking for her and couldn't find her?"

"And my first guess wouldn't have been your room?"

Sirius shrugged. "You're creative. You'll figure something out."

"What if it ends up she was in your room?" Harry asked, turning to Severus.

"And why would she be in my room?" the potions master asked.

"I mean," Draco shrugged, "it's the last place you'd think of to look."

Severus glared at Sirius. "Stop corrupting my godson, Black."

"Huh?" Sirius's brow furrowed.

The dark man folded his hands together, placing them near his chin.

"Oh, Peter Pettigrew is the last person they'd ever think of as secret keeper."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Knock it off."

"So, it's handled?" Harry said, scanning the room. The three men nodded.

"Welp," Draco said, rising, "off to bed the…"

A cat patronus galloped into the room, panting.

"Severus, come quickly. It's an emergency!" the voice blurted out. The wisp dispersed, thickening the weighty air.

Sirius and Severus stared at one another.

"Uhm, does that include me, or…?" Sirius asked, his brow quirked.

"Hm, I don't know, Black," Severus crossed his arms, "is your name Severus?"

"Well, no." He paused. "Should I come along? I am her head of house-in-training…"

"Black, if she called me, it's probably highly confidential…"

"Hey, come on guys," Harry called, running out the door.

Draco popped his head back in. "What are you waiting for? McGonagall did say emergency."

Sirius rose, following the Gryffindors. Severus glanced around the room.

"But she didn't say where…" He shook his head. Surely, in a castle this size, they would come across some emergency or other. They could count the first one they found.

"Oh, Severus," Minerva cried as the four descended the steps. "You must hurry. It's Mr. Finnegan."

"Finnegan? What about him?" Sirius asked, rocking Siria in her sling.

"Sirius, what are you doing here?"

"I was in the area."

"And the two boys?" She glared at Harry and Draco.

"Godfather/godson alliance meeting," Draco stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, I don't have time to worry about that." Minerva shook her head, pulling Severus toward the girls' bathroom. "A most horrific thing just occurred."

"I assumed," Severus said, wrenching his arm out of her grasp. "Otherwise, I think we need to have a discussion on the definition of 'emergency'."

"Oh, shut it, Sev," Sirius said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "It's not Minnie's fault she struggles with adrenaline."

"What happened?" Draco asked, glancing behind his professor.

"Finnegan was attacked," Minerva said, throwing her hands in the air.

"Minnie, breathe," Sirius said, running over and rubbing her back. "Everything's going to be alright."

"But it's not! He's still bleeding out!"

Both Sirius and Severus glared at the two boys. Both boys threw up their hands, shaking their heads.

"Wasn't us, Uncle Sev," Draco said.

"Scouts' honor," Harry added, eyes wide.

"No," McGonagall said, "while I don't doubt you would if you had the opportunity, we already know the culprit."

She moved out of the way to reveal the guilty party.

"'Mione?" Both boys gasped.

She waved pathetically. "Hi guys."

Severus rolled his eyes. "So, if you know who committed the crime, why do you need me?"

"I need you to close the wounds," Minerva said, motioning towards the boy currently being seen by Poppy.

"Poppy's present. Do you truthfully believe I am better equipped to handle a medical emergency than the mediwitch?"

"She used sectumsempra."

Severus sighed, gliding over to the boy and waving his wand. "There. Happy?"

"Ecstatic," Minerva said, turning to Hermione. "What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?"

"I demand a lawyer," Hermione said, chin jutting out.

Severus rolled his eyes, quirking a brow. "Well, Black, you want to put your head-of-house training to good use?"

"Sure," Sirius glanced down, cooing at little Siria. He looked back up to find the entire group staring at him. "Oh, you mean right now?" He shrugged. "Okay, 'Mione. Shoot."

"Uhm, shouldn't we go strategize?" Hermione asked, pointing behind her.

"Miss Granger," Severus said, rubbing his eyes. "Strategize what?"

"My defense."

"This is in no way a legal proceeding."

"Besides," Sirius says, walking over to stand next to his charge, "our defense is that you're innocent until proven guilty."

Hermione stared at the man for a moment before turning to Severus. "I demand a real lawyer."

"Miss Granger," McGonagall rubbed her face, "it is close to ten at night. What lawyer is going to agree to meet at a castle to discuss a lethal use of magic?"

"One that wants to earn overtime."

"Miss Granger…"

"Fine," Hermione threw her hands in the air, "I caught him near the seventh floor—where he's not supposed to be, so I told him he had to go back to his dorms. I even agreed to escort him down, since I wasn't sure he would actually go."

"Idiot mistake number one," Severus mumbled under his breath.

"When we got to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, he pulled out his wand," Hermione grimaced, "and not the one you're all thinking of."

"Idiot mistake number two…"

"I'm starting to second guess myself," Sirius said, brow furrowing. "And I don't know if I want to know what's going to happen next."

"I don't either," Draco said through gritted teeth. "I might just have to sectumsempra him again."

"Now, let the poor girl finish," Harry said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What happened, 'Mione?"

"He cast crucio at me," Hermione shivered, "and if I hadn't jumped out of the way, it would have hit me. I heard him say another curse—this one started with an A—and I said the first spell I could think of…"

"Idiot mistake number three…" Severus snorted. "We have a winner."

"How is that the first spell you could think of?" Professor McGonagall asked, arms crossed.

Hermione shrugged. "It said, 'For enemies'."

McGonagall glared. "And how did you come across this spell 'for enemies'?" She pointedly stared at Severus.

"Uhm," Severus rubbed his forehead, "I don't know how to answer that one."

"Isn't that in your advanced potions' text?" Draco's eyes widened, "I dropped that off on your coffee table two weeks ago."

"That raises more questions," Minerva said, tapping her foot. "Severus, what was Miss Granger doing in your rooms?"

"I don't know how to answer that one, either." Severus's eyes narrowed. "Wait, how did I end up on trial?"

"Oh, I know that one," Dora said, popping around the corner.

"Miss Tonks?" Minerva said, quirking a brow. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was waiting…" Dora furrowed her brow. "Wait, that sounds too suggestive. I was…" She paused. "On my way to…no. Sorry, Sev, I can't make you sound innocent in all this."

"But I am!" Severus growled.

Dora smiled, turning to Minerva. "Sometimes I invite Luna and Hermione over for tea in Sev's quarters."

"Highly unprofessional…" McGonagall started. She sighed, "But I can't fault him for something his fiancée is doing."

"Thank you," Severus said. "However, if you can think of a way to ban it from happening, feel free to pipe up with ideas. I can't seem to stop it." He shook his head and grabbed Harry and Draco by the shoulder. "Well, Minerva, it sounds like you and Sirius have this handled. I can't say much against Miss Granger if it is self-defense. I will take these two miscreants to bed."

Harry turned to Sirius and Severus. "How did Professor McGonagall know about sectumsempra?"

Sirius shrugged. "Eh, Sevvie might have used it against Jamie after the whole 'debriefing' after the DADA O.W.L."

"Well, I can't say it's unjustified…"

Severus growled again, pulling the two boys toward their dorms.

"However, it might have been a little over the top."

"Not another word, Mr. Potter, or I will force you to do lines."

The next Saturday, Harry met Sirius in front of Dumbledore's gargoyle.

"You ready?" Sirius asked. His godson nodded. "Alrighty, then." He turned to the statue. "Pixie stix."

They arrived at the top of the stairs, entering just in time to hear Dumbledore plead with someone in the next room.

"Master, please. You ask too much of me."

"Please, Severus. You promised."

"Actually," Severus said, "I made a promise to Lily's child. This does not fall into the category of 'Protecting Harry Potter'." His eyes narrowed. "In fact, it probably falls into the opposite category."

"But Severus, think of the young soul that will…"

"I have another young soul that needs looking after." Sirius and Harry could see Severus cross his arms as they peeked through the crack in the door. "As Black must accompany Potter on this mission and Lupin has a date, I am in charge of babysitting."

"Sirius trusts you with his daughter?"

"Exclusively." Severus turned, nearly hitting the two with the door as he opened it. He glanced behind him. "If that is all, headmaster, I must relieve Lupin of his duties." He nodded to the two. "Black. Harry."

"Oh, there you two are," Dumbledore said, flicking his wand and locking the office down. "Harry, I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's no problem, Headmaster," Harry said, following the man toward the outer edge of the wards.

"It's just that he is the man who told Voldemort the prophecy." The old man's brow furrowed. "Oh, no, you didn't know."

"Oh, yes I did. He told me."

Sirius choked, thumping his chest to aid his breathing

"Well, then…" Dumbledore's eyes scanned the area. "We better be off. Tell me, Harry, have you ever apparated before?"

"Well, we've been learning about it in school…"

"Would you like to try?"

"Hell no," Sirius said, pulling his godson close to him. "He has no license and the furthest he's successfully gotten was five feet." He wrapped an arm around the boy. "I'll take him."

"Are you sure you want to come, Sirius?" Albus asked. "I mean, you never know what Severus might do to your daughter."

"There's no way you're going to stop me."

"And Professor Snape would never hurt Siria." Harry glared. "He spends every evening reading her 'A is for Asphodel' and telling her bedtime stories."

"You're joking."

"No, I'm serious."

"Actually, I'm Sirius," the DADA professor said, eyes sparkling.

"Sirius, not the time."

The three apparated away, arriving at a dingy beach.

"What do you think?" asked Dumbledore.

"They brought the kids from the orphanage here?" Harry asked, nose scrunching. "Did they hate them?"

"What kids from the orphanage?" Sirius asked.

"Riddle's orphanage."

"Riddle owned an orphanage?"

"No, Sirius, Riddle was an orphan."

"Oh, yes, you told me that."

"Was it at one of your sleepovers to promote student-teacher relations?" Albus asked, peering at Sirius from the side of his eye.

"Oh, you heard about that, did you?"

"I wouldn't have said no."

"And that's the problem," Harry muttered. They arrived at the edge of the cliff, looking over the side.

"Hell no," Sirius said, watching the waves lap against the jagged rocks.

"Oh please," Harry said, moving over to the boulder next to them. "He's not going to make us jump."

"Will either of you object to getting a little wet?" Albus asked, situating himself on the big rock.

"Nope," Harry said, jumping in front of the elderly man and sliding down into the ocean.

"Harry!" Sirius called, jumping in front of Dumbledore to save his godson.

"What happened to age before beauty?" the headmaster asked, glaring as he flopped into the water.

"I was thinking youngest to oldest."

The water was colder than he remembered. Harry shivered. Okay, maybe this wasn't his smartest idea. He followed the headmaster as they swam to the opening of a dark tunnel. He pulled out his wand and cast a lumos. Sirius followed suit.

The darkness abated, but the chill in the air did not help the oncoming hypothermia. Harry's mind wandered. Would Hermione and Draco take care of Luna if he died a grizzly death here in the cave? When all was said and done, the horcrux had been what protected him from death previously. If he made a mistake, that was it. No going back.

"This is the place," Dumbledore called out, rising out of the water and rubbing the walls.

"How can you tell?" Sirius asked, brow furrowed.

"It has known magic."

"Most of this world has known magic at one point by now, old man."

"Fine." Albus swiveled to stare Sirius in the eye. "I forced my way into the homes of the two muggles tortured here and read their minds to find out where Tom might have hidden his murderous soul piece. Happy?"

Sirius turned to his godson. "Well that's not out-of-character at all."

"This is the antechamber…"

"We don't need the grand tour, Albus." Sirius crossed his arms. "Just do what you need to do to get done what we're here to do."

"That's a lot of do's." Harry said, smirking. "To do or not to do, that is the question."

"Oh, surely not. So crude," Albus said, ignoring the godson-godfather duo.

"What is it, Albus?" Sirius asked, walking over to take a better look.

"I rather think," Albus grabbed his potions knife, "that we are required to make a payment to pass."

Harry turned to his godfather. "Do I have to make a stupid comment about paying the door something? Because I have a couple galleons and knuts on me that I can use as props."

"No, I think you've already succeeded in looking quite dumb," Sirius said, patting his godson on the back.

"I try."

"Albus," Sirius held out his hand, "I'll do it."

"It requires blood, Padfoot."

"I figured that, Harry."

The headmaster shrugged. "Okay." He raised the knife and slashed the animagus's hand.

"Oh," Harry said, crossing his arms. "So, my blood's too precious, but his blood is perfectly regular, old…"

"Harry," Dumbledore walked through the opening, "when you save the world a few times, your blood becomes more valuable than others."

The boy rolled his eyes.

Sirius stopped, staring at the lake that had consumed his brother. He swallowed a lump in his throat. This was not a place he needed to be in for more than a few minutes.

"Let's get what we came here to get and leave." Sirius held up his wand. "Accio Horcrux."

"Sirius…" Harry held his head in his hand. "That won't work. He's charmed it to not come when called."

"However, he has charmed the multiple inferi in the lake to answer anyone's request for a horcrux," Albus said, eyes sparkling.

"So," Harry said, trying to get them on track, "that thing in the middle of the lake is the horcrux?"

Albus frowned. "Well, it contains the horcrux, but yes." He pursed his lips. "How did you know that?"

"Professor, we are in the middle of a completely empty cave, with the only things here being a lake full of inferi and a goblet situated smack dab in the middle of it. I can make my own deductions from there."

"Yes, well, we need to get across, get the horcrux, and get out," Sirius said, walking to the edge of the lake.

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Harry said, walking over to where the invisible boat lay submerged.

"Yes," Albus said, grimacing. "But how would you know?"

"Do you want to get the fake horcrux or not?"

"Fake?"

"Okay," Sirius said, shrugging, "accio fake horcrux." The locket flew out of the goblet and landed in the man's hand. "That was easy."

The headmaster grimaced. "I was planning on this taking a lot longer."

"Well, you are starting to lose your wits, Dumbles."

"Yeah, yeah," Harry waved a hand in the air, "Dumbles is crazy. Sirius is innovative. Let's just get back in time for the big death eater invasion."

"How do you know about that?" Dumbledore asked.

"How do you know about that?" Sirius asked, eyes narrowing at the headmaster.

"Do you think there is anything that goes on in that castle I don't know about?"

"Did you just incriminate yourself?"

Albus smiled. "Did I?"

"Let's get out of here," Harry suggested. "I have a goddaughter who needs her lullaby."

"Wait a minute," Sirius said, staring at the lake.

"What, Sirius?"

"Accio Regulus Black."

"Sirius, that's not going to work."

The cave trembled. All three men fell to the ground. Ripples in the lake turned to small waves. A body shot out of the water, flying to the top of the cave, landing right in front of Lord Black.

"Well, what do you know," Harry said, brow quirked. "I was wrong." He looked over at his godfather. "Is that really him?"

Albus stared at Harry. "Do you think it would have brought out some random body?"

"No…it's just…he died before I was born." Harry crossed his arms. "I wanted to make sure."

"So, Sirius," Dumbledore turned to the man, "what do you plan to do now? Bring a dead body back to the castle?"

"He deserves a proper burial," Sirius said, hoisting the body up bridal style.

"We don't need two burials, Padfoot," Harry said.

Albus grimaced. "How do you know there's going to be a second burial, Harry?"

"Oh come on, like you didn't just ask Professor Snape to kill you."

"Is nothing private anymore?"

"No," Harry and Sirius said in unison. They walked off, Dumbledore running to catch up.

They apparated to Hogsmeade. Above Hogwarts castle hovered a dark mark. Harry glanced over at Sirius, and Sirius looked down at the body of his brother.

Sirius sighed. "Yeah, I might not have thought this through."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Dobby?"

"Master Harry!" the excitable elf cheered, popping in front of them. "Dobby has not heard you in long time."

"Dobby, can you apparate us to the astronomy tower?"

"Harry," Sirius scowled, "the astronomy tower? Why not the Gryffindor common room?"

"Nope. Has to be the tower."

"I's can do it, Master Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said, snapping his fingers.

They appeared on the tower, Dumbledore surveying the room.

"That was so easy," Harry said. "Why don't we just do that for everything?"

"Sure," Dumbledore muttered, eyes flittering to different areas. "Everyone gets their own personal house elf to apparate them around."

The boy turned to the elf. "Thanks, Dobby. You're the best."

"Master Harry Potter has said Dobby is best. Master Harry Potter is so kind," the elf said, hugging the boy.

"Yes, Dobby. Sure, but can you call me Harry? Not Master Harry, just Harry?"

"Okay, Just Harry." With that, Dobby popped away.

"Well, I guess that's better." Harry's head perked as he heard steps echoing from the stairs. "Padfoot, we better go."

"Go where?" Sirius asked. "This is where the fight is."

"You are not currently in a position to be fighting," Harry said, pulling on his godfather's sleeve.

"True." Sirius shifted his weight to look at the headmaster. "Are you coming?"

"Sadly, no." The headmaster sighed and stared straight at Harry. "I want you to know that while we disagreed on many things, I am proud of you and know you'll do the right thing."

"The soul piece is already out of my scar," Harry said, crossing his arms. "Got some help. Wasn't that hard. Although, when Severus Snape is on a mission, he never gives up."

"Harry," Albus's mouth fell, "you didn't. Voldemort had to kill you. It was necessary for him to play a role in his own downfall."

"That wasn't your choice to make." Harry grimaced. "In fact, my entire life wasn't your choice to make." He sighed. "We tried that way once and it didn't work."

"What?"

"I'm a time traveler. Have been since first year. We came back from the end of the world. Your way didn't work. Leading me like a pig to slaughter got us nothing. Voldemort still won." Harry rubbed his eyes. "I know I should be madder at you right now. You destroyed my life last time. But knowing you're about to die…just know this relationship could have been better. You lost your biggest supporter in your quest to be right."

With that, Harry grabbed Sirius and pulled him toward the exit. They made it just in time for…Zabini to rush in? Harry squinted and looked at Sirius.

"Zabini?"

"Don't look at me," Sirius said, head shaking. "I'm just as surprised as you are. You said Voldemort had a thing for half-bloods."

"I was thinking more of a soft spot…" Harry pursed his lips. "…But I guess he could've had a thing for them, too."

"Kinky."

"Mr. Zabini," Dumbledore said, effectively pulling the two onlookers out of the whispered debate, "I…"

Blaise raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra."

Harry turned to his godfather. "That was more anticlimactic than last time."