Grimmauld Place was eerily quiet as the ragtag group arrived into the foyer by elf travel. The hallway that led from the foyer was dark. The walls were caked with something that Harry couldn't describe. Maybe he would ask Sirius later if he knew. The enchanted lamps gave off weak illumination, making the hallway seem eerie.
He wondered how Sirius could live in a dark place like this. In the couple of days he'd been here, the only rooms Harry had seen were the kitchen and his room. He assumed Sirius had a house-elf, much like Dobby, but he had a feeling that this house-elf wasn't dedicated to his job.
Harry felt bone tired from today's revelations. His time in the utility closet at Gringotts' beat on his mind, reminding him why he was exhausted. He turned his head to Hermione, who clutched his hand tightly, and he wanted her close tonight. He could feel Cassie behind him and he wanted her, too. If Neville returned, they could bunk up like they did a few weeks ago.
A sudden gasp broke the silence in the foyer. Harry's head snapped to look down at the sound of disgust coming from Dobby.
"How can the Great Harry Potter live here?" The usual excitable elf said with an air of disgust in his voice.
Sirius cleared his throat. "No one has lived here in ages, Dobby."
"Who be your house-elf?" Dobby demanded, turning his large head to stare at Sirius.
"Kreacher!" Sirius snapped, his voice laced with anger at the hateful house-elf.
A quiet pop sounded in the foyer as a gnarled and ancient looking house-elf arrived. It took one look at the group and hissed. The creature stepped back, his head bowed, but Harry could see it didn't want to be there.
"What does blood traitor wants from Kreacher? Bringing nasty half bloods and mudbloods in Noble house…"
Harry watched in awe at the small and hateful creature. He differed completely from Dobby's happy exterior. He felt his shoulder jostle as Sirius stepped forward to advance on Kreacher.
"Don't speak like that in this house!" Sirius snapped, making Hermione grip Harry's hand tighter.
"You be bad elf!" Dobby said angrily. "Ungrateful elf not taking care of his Master's house."
The humans were merely spectators in this elf drama that was unfolding in front of them.
Kreacher hissed at Dobby, "You knows nothing youngling. My Mistress be in the painting." He stabbed a finger at Sirius, which caused everyone to turn and look at Sirius. "He not worthy of living here or being my Master."
Mouths dropped open at Kreacher's hateful words. Clearly, the old house-elf's mind had fallen into insanity soon after his Mistress died. It didn't help that Walburga was insane herself. Harry wondered where Sirius's mother's portrait was. He shifted from one foot to the next, eager to strip from his clothes and go to bed.
"Dobby will take over and cleans this house as a good elf should!" Dobby declared, much to Harry's amusement. "You bad elf will learn to respect your new Master."
The two house-elves disappeared with a soft crack. Harry figured Dobby wasn't done yelling at Kreacher. He looked at Sirius, who stood there flustered. Apparently, his own mother hated her son enough to drive a house-elf insane with hate.
No one said anything, but they heard a crashing sound coming from one of the higher floors. Dobby must already be working on cleaning up Grimmauld Place. Harry turned to face his family and Hermione. He yawned quietly, tiredness registering on his face.
His body felt better from the past couple of days of rest and light eating. While he shouldn't have indulged tonight eating out, he felt better. Though he was sure as soon as he laid down he would regret it. It truly horrified him that everyone saw how the Durselys treated him. He was sure that Sirius would say something about it.
His two episodes left him feeling weak and horrified that it happened to him. He didn't know why he kept breaking down. He would ask Hermione when they were alone. A nearly invisible smile ghosted his face as he remembered how Hermione held him in the utility closet at Gringotts.
While his mind couldn't grasp the news that was given to him today, his body relished the comfort and closeness of Hermione. He felt himself begin to panic from all the news from today and took a deep breath, pushing aside the panic.
He gave her hand a squeeze, which she returned. He could feel Cassie behind him and itched to reach out and grab his sister's hand. She might be younger than him, but they were still close.
A quiet chime broke the silence again as all heads turned toward the parlor where the floo was. Sirius rushed from the foyer and pushed the half rotten doors open to the parlor. Harry, followed by Hermione and Cassie, skidded to a halt and watched as Remus emerged from the fireplace.
As he was patting the soot from his robes, another figure stepped out of the fireplace. Cassie's excited cry startled Harry. Neville stepped out, ashes in his hair and in his robes. In his right hand, he carried a small bag. Harry felt a bump on his shoulder as Cassie pushed past him to hug Neville.
Remus crossed the room to stand beside Sirius. Harry caught Sirius and Remus speaking quietly as Neville and Cassie spent a quiet few moments together. As the couple parted, Hermione stepped up and embraced Neville in a light hug. Harry gave his mate a quick smile.
"What are you doing back?" Cassie asked, breaking the quietness.
Neville cast a quick look at Harry before turning back to his girlfriend. "I asked Gran if I could stay for a bit. She said yes."
"How long will you be here?" Hermione piped up, her hand still clutching Harry's.
Neville screwed up his face, thinking, "Possibly a week."
Harry felt relief wash over him. All three of his close friends would be here with him. It didn't take a genius to figure out why Neville was staying nor the sleeping arrangements. If he didn't ask for them to sleep in his room, he knew his friends would sneak in.
Harry could feel eyes on him, and he turned around to see Remus and Sirius staring at him. The Marauders were up to something and Harry had a feeling he was involved. Pushing aside the feeling of dread, he blindly reached for Hermione's hand again, hoping that her presence would comfort him.
He caught Sirius's eye and tipped his head toward the main doors of the parlor. He wanted to speak to his godfather alone. Sirius gave him a slight nod of his own head and excused him quietly from Remus. Harry sighed seeing his friends engaged in a conversation, so he quietly slipped from the room.
Sirius followed him, closing the half rotten door behind him to stare at Harry. Harry ran his fingers through the inky and messy locks and sighed. He hated to ask for permission for something. This was Sirius's home, well it was most likely his home too now, but it would be polite to ask before they sneaked around.
"Sirius, I," Harry began before sighing. Pacing the foyer, he glanced up the narrow stairs that led to the second and third floor. "Can Hermione, Neville, and Cassie bunk with me tonight?"
Sirius paused for a moment, debating an answer as Harry paced the foyer. His body showing signs of agitation. It was clear to the former prisoner, now free man, that his Godson was waging war in his mind. He wanted his friends close, but he was terrified of asking for it. It broke the old dog's heart to see his godson in such a quandary. This was another sign that Harry needed more than just a Healer. He needed a Mind Healer as well. Now that he was officially Harry's guardian, he would step up and take care of the boy like he should have years ago.
Sirius needed to file the proper paperwork for Cassie and Harry starting tomorrow. If Albus showed up, he didn't care. He wondered how hard it would be to convince Petunia to sign her rights over. He would speak to Remus about it.
Sirius sighed, realizing that Harry needed this. "I will allow it under one condition. Everyone keeps their clothes on."
Harry blushed brightly and ducked his head. Giving his godfather a jerky nod, he opened his mouth to protest that Cassie and Neville were the only couple but refrained. Sirius was trusting him. Harry knew nothing was going to happen but sleep.
"Thanks Sirius," he mumbled lowly before walking over to his godfather and clapped a hand on the former prisoner's shoulder. Harry gave the shoulder a squeeze before walking slowly from the hallway and back to the parlor.
As he stepped inside, the talking ceased as Hermione came up to him and embraced him. Harry wrapped his arms tightly around her and burrowed his face in her bushy hair. It amazed him how strong she was to put up with him and all his brooding.
Releasing her slowly, Harry looked at Neville and Cassie. Both were huddled on the decrepit sofa as if waiting for him. "Sirius said we can all bunk up together," Harry mumbled. "He left one condition."
"What would that be, Harry?" Hermione said softly, giving his hand a squeeze.
A crimson blush graced Harry's face. "He, uh, said that everyone keeps their clothes on."
Everyone in the room blushed at the condition. Neville and Cassie weren't even that far into their relationship for something like that, and Harry and Hermione were dancing around each other. Harry yawned loudly, blushing as he did, and everyone decided it was time for sleep.
He yawned again and reached for Hermione's hand. It was automatic, to reach for comfort from her. He felt her slender fingers caress his own, and he shuddered from the contact. He and his friends stood there silently before turning away from the parlor.
Harry pushed the half rotten door of the parlor open to the darkened hallway that led to the kitchen. They followed Harry as the crew traveled in pairs down the narrow stairs that led to the basement kitchen. Harry pushed the door open, revealing a clean and sparkling kitchen that Dobby must have cleaned.
Harry took a seat at the table, as did the rest of them. He ran his hands over the worn tabletop, sleep trying to take him over. It wasn't late, thankfully. Calling for Dobby, the eccentric elf appeared with a small pop.
"What can I get the great Harry Potter and his friends?"
"Erm," Harry stuttered, hating the moniker. "Can we get a round of hot chocolate?"
Dobby nodded his head vigorously and snapped his fingers. In seconds, four steaming mugs of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows appeared before them. The teens gave Dobby an appreciative thanks before the elf disappeared again.
In the lower floor of Grimmauld Place, the teens never heard the roaring of the fireplace, showing that someone had stepped through the floo. None of them were listening as the wards chimed quietly. The teens sat across from each other at the long breakfast table, sipping their hot chocolate slowly.
Harry licked his lips as the chocolaty goodness eased some of his fatigue. He wrapped his hands around the hot mug, reveling in the warmth as the heat seeped into his skin.
Neville and Cassie were whispering furiously, keeping to themselves as Harry felt Hermione's eyes on him. He could feel the heat from her body as they sat close together. It was nice and warm. He stole a glance at her, giving her a slight smile, which she reciprocated. They stared at each other for a long minute before harry turned away, his cheeks pinked.
Mustering up the courage to tell her he was grateful for her presence earlier at Gringotts, he turned his head to look at her again. She was occupied with her mug, her short nails scratching at the pale blue paint. He wondered if she regretted being friends with him, but mentally slapped himself. If she regretted being friends with him, then she wouldn't be there.
Suddenly, the door to the kitchen slammed open as a gang of redheads entered the room. Harry stiffened seeing Ron standing there. His old friend fuming that Harry could almost see smoke steaming from Ron's ears. Harry became rigid, seeing his old friend standing there with his family. When did Sirius invite them? Were they even supposed to be there?
The twins waved at the kitchen occupants, unperturbed by the tension between the former friends. No one spoke for a moment, including Mrs. Weasley, who probably knew about the falling out between Ron and Harry.
"Hello everyone!" Mrs. Weasley crowed, coming into the kitchen. Harry watched with amusement as Mrs. Weasley surveyed the clean kitchen, wondering who cleaned it. It would disappoint her to know that Dobby was upstairs cleaning right now.
The teens smiled back tensely. Hermione, being polite, gave a small wave of her hand to her. Harry did his best to ignore Ron, who hadn't moved from his spot. The rest of the Weasleys pushed their way into the kitchen, taking seats and began talking loudly. Harry hid a wince at the new noise level. Harry looked to Neville, whose steady gaze never wavered. He knew he could count on Neville.
Neville gave a tiny nod of his head, understanding that Harry wanted to be gone from the kitchen as quickly as possible. Cassie leaned against Neville, practically hiding herself from Ron. The horrible things he said to her in the past year still bothered her, despite her friends defending her.
Harry felt Hermione slip her arm through his. The silent comfort and support warmed him deeply. He silently wished that Sirius was in the kitchen. He could deflect any arguing that would go on.
"Ah, Harry…. Hermione. Good to see you both," Mr. Weasley said, coming into the kitchen to stand beside Mrs. Weasley. He turned to the other two occupants that he didn't know. The rest of the Weasleys, sans Ron, said hello to everyone.
"I'm sorry, I don't know you two," he said, apologizing.
"Neville Longbottom."
"Cassie York," his sister said, using her fake last name. No need to give away that Sirius Black was her father.
The table rattled as Ron took a seat beside Fred, or was it George, and glared at Harry, then at Neville before turning his glare at the girls. Ginny sat down on the other side of the twin, eyeing how close Harry and Hermione were sitting. It made Harry uncomfortable at how she constantly stared at him.
"Wh—what brings everyone here so late?" Harry inquired, trying for polite.
"Ah, well. Sirius said he wouldn't be home until late. He knows he isn't supposed to go out amongst those Muggles. I'm sure Dumbledore will have something to say about it," Mrs. Weasley grumbled.
"It was just out to eat," Cassie piped up, much to Mrs. Weasley's annoyance. "We were hungry and felt like going out to Muggle London. Most of us have never experienced Muggle London."
"That doesn't matter, young lady! He isn't supposed to leave," Mrs. Weasley scolded.
Cassie reeled back as if someone had slapped her. Neville narrowed his eyes and wrapped an arm around Cassie's waist, pulling her closer to him. Harry frowned at the way Mrs. Weasley spoke to his sister and opened his mouth to say something when Mrs. Weasley interrupted him.
"Right, well, it's time for everyone to be off to bed," Molly said, looking at the kids and was probably wondering where Neville and Cassie were going to sleep. "Ginny and Hermione can share…."
"Actually Mrs. Weasley," Hermione interrupted delicately. "Cassie and I are sharing a room…."
Ginny glowered at Hermione as Mrs. Weasley frowned. "Then where will Ginny sleep?"
The four teens looked at each other before turning their attention back to Mrs. Weasley. Harry reached for his mug of hot chocolate and brought it to his lips. Warmth pooled in his belly, and a healthy dose of unease. If this was the reaction to Ginny not bunking with Hermione, he feared the reaction about him and Ron not sharing a room. There wasn't a way in hell he was going to share a room voluntarily with Ron. They forced him to at school. This was his home.
"Well then," Mrs. Weasley began, trying to move the conversation forward. "Fred and George will bunk up and then…" she paused and looked at her son, Ron. Then she looked at Harry. Both boys were glowering at each other. She wasn't aware of any animosity between them. Apparently, Ron hadn't told his mother about their fight last year.
Harry tuned out Mrs. Weasley by then. He couldn't stand another minute of Ron glaring at him. Ever since their fight last year where Ron accused and believed that Harry put his name in the Goblet, Harry found he didn't want to be friends with someone who willingly turned on him after all those years of friendship.
It made him think about their relationship and how it came about. Dudley and Ron were one of the reasons he hated bullies. He bullied Hermione for the first few months in their first year, but only became friends with her after she lied to them. He remembered all the times that Ron made her cry and picked on her for doing her homework early. When Hermione fought back, Ron turned his attention to others.
Others like Neville and Cassie.
Cassie became the ire of Ron when she refused to help him in Potions. It landed them in detention and loss of points, but he felt Snape punished Ron more than he did Cassie. Cassie only suffered one detention and ten loss of points compared to Ron, who suffered three days of detention and thirty point loss. It didn't help when Ron tried to take it out on Cassie in the Common Room, when Neville came to his girlfriend's aid. Ron turned his ugly words toward Neville. Harry was grateful that a fight didn't break out that night.
##
His friendship with Neville didn't help with Ron's jealousy, either. He and Neville became friends during the hours of research for Buckbeak's trial. The snide comments from Ron began there. What his former friend didn't realize was that Harry wouldn't drop Neville over the summer.
Ron had tried talking to him, getting back into Harry's good graces. It was after the Second task when Ron approached him smugly. Harry had been incensed and almost left Ron to the Merpeople, but he knew there would be backlash if he didn't.
The redhead was confident that Harry wished to become friends again. The second Ron approached him, Harry refused to speak to him. In his anger, Ron lashed out at Hermione, who was being pulled up by Viktor Krum. Harry saw her floating and wondered what Hermione was doing under the water.
Still dripping wet, Harry intervened, pulling Hermione behind him as Ron approached. He could hear her soft protests, but stopped seeing Ron angrily come at them. Harry couldn't tell why Ron was angry with Hermione until his former friend spoke. Ron fancied her, and it was clear that Hermione didn't fancy him.
The mug was empty when he tipped it. If he called Dobby again, he would be around the Weasleys longer. He could feel Ron's anger from down the table, and it was making his stomach coil. He sighed and rose to his feet and swung his legs over.
Hermione, Cassie, and Neville copied his actions, startling the Weasleys. As the three teens moved away from the kitchen table, Harry leading the way, they were stopped by an irate Ron, who finally talked.
"I suppose you and I aren't bunking, are we, Potter?" Ron snapped, twisting his body to stare at Harry.
Harry paused, pushing the decrepit door open so he could make his escape, and turned around. He wasn't shocked at Ron's tone, but more so that he did it in front of his family. A collective gasp rang out in the large kitchen. Apparently, not everyone knew about their falling out.
"We're not," Harry said slowly, eyeing his former friend. "I've got my room here."
"Why is the Squib here?" Ron spat, indicating toward Neville, who bristled beside Harry. Harry glanced quickly at his friend and shook his head minutely. Harry would handle it even at the expense of Neville being angry with him.
Harry turned his head back to a fuming Ron, ignoring the Weasleys and their shock. He contemplated for a second about what he should say.
"This is Sirius's house, Ron. I get my own room and so does Cassie," Harry explained slowly, finally looking at the Weasleys. He left out the real reason Cassie got her own room here. "Neville is staying this week and he will bunk with me."
"But what's he doing here?" Ron pushed.
"Because Harry and I are friends, Ronald," Neville spat, stepping in to defend himself. "I didn't bail on him last year like you did. I believed him and stood by him, unlike you. That's what makes you and I different."
Ron rolled his eyes, scowling.
"He's telling the truth, Ron. You're the one that deserted me when I needed my best mate to stand beside me," Harry explained, his emerald eyes never wavering.
"But Harry, Ginny's voice spoke up quietly. All heads turned to her, where she promptly blushed as red as her hair. "Ron apologized to you."
"Not really, he didn't," Harry explained, turning his head back to Ron before looking back at Ginny. He felt Hermione slip beside him, offering him silent encouragement. "All he said was, 'I reckon you have to be barking mad to put your own name in the Goblet of Fire.' That's it. There wasn't even a genuine apology attached to it!"
All eyes turned to look at a red faced Ron. His blue eyes were narrowed at Harry to a point that Harry could barely see the blue coloring. Harry knew the famous temper was rearing its ugly head and the entire Grimmauld Place would hear Ron's tantrum. The lack of a genuine apology was the main reason Harry refused to accept Ron's half-ass apology.
In a stamping, angry mass of red hair, Harry whirled around as Ron pushed past him roughly before storming out of the kitchen. Standing there, Harry waited for a moment, thinking Ron would come back, but he didn't. He heard a sniffle behind him and assumed it was Ginny or Mrs. Weasley.
He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the two seconds of darkness before opening them to the harsh light of the kitchen. He turned his head to Hermione, who gave him a tight smile, to Neville and Cassie, who nodded at him. It was time for bed, no matter how much the Weasleys protested.
"We're off to bed. It's been a long day. Night all," Harry said as the others copied him. Harry took the lead and pushed the door open and stepped out into the dark staircase that led to the upper floors.
His room was on the fourth floor. It was considered the Heirs' room, but in actuality, it was Sirius's deceased brother's old room. He wasn't sure why Sirius would put him there, but his godfather did. Across the hall was Sirius's room from his teen years before he fled Grimmauld Place and found solace with the Potters.
The quartet crept slowly up the narrow and dark stairs to the fourth floor. Taking the last step, Harry stood in the dark hallway and caught his breath. There had to be a better way to get to his room than this. The boys briefly stopped by the room the girls were sharing so they could grab their things. Neville's bag was shrunken in his pocket.
He pushed the door open to his room and expected to see it gloomy, but it was the opposite. Dobby must have started in Harry's room first when he took over cleaning of Grimmauld Place. The walls were a deep crimson, with gold snitches and brooms moving around the walls. A large bed is in the middle of the room. A white comforter adorned the bed. There was a study area equipped with a desk and bookshelf. Harry saw two doors and figured they were the loo and closet.
Harry stepped aside and let his friends enter. Closing the door behind him, he smiled, seeing them look over his room appreciatively. Scratching an itch on his head, he walked past them to a set of chest of drawers to hunt down pajamas. Inside the drawers were new clothes. They had thrown his old stuff out. Sirius must have found a way to measure him and buy him new clothes. The thought made his eyes sting a bit. Wiping his eyes surreptitiously, he grabbed a pair of shorts and a shirt.
He closed the drawer and turned to his friends. "I'm going to head to the loo to change."
They all nodded and watched him disappear. Closing the door to the loo, he placed his hands on the counter and dropped his head to look at the sink. Letting out a push of air, he closed his eyes. Fatigue washed over his body as the chocolate high disappeared. Tomorrow, after a good sleep, he would think about talking to Sirius about what they learned at the bank. Changing his clothes, Harry tossed the old clothes into a laundry basket he found in a small closet.
Stepping out of the loo, he gestured for someone to go after him. Neville hurried into the loo, closing the door softly behind him. They didn't wait long before he returned with nightclothes on. The girls went together, to the amusement of the boys. Harry crawled into his bed and leaned into the fluffy pillows. The bed dipped down as Neville crawled in on the other side. Harry wished he could fully remember the night they all did this for the first time.
Just then, the girls emerged from the loo. They dressed each in shorts and a tank top. Harry gulped along with Neville at seeing the girls. He knew Hermione was a girl, but to see her like this was…. well, incredible. His eyes darted over her quickly, but he found she was a girl and beautiful at that.
With a smile, he watched the girls separate and walk over to their respective sides of the bed. Harry followed Hermione as she walked over to his side and made the scoot motion. Acqueising, Harry scooted over until he was almost in the middle. Hermione sat down on the bed, twisted her body and plucked his glasses off his nose and set them on the bedside table.
His world blurred and all he saw was Hermione's brown hair as she scooted herself down to get comfortable. Harry followed her motions and settled in behind her. He felt Cassie behind him as the Potter-Black kids were sandwiched in. The last thing Harry remembered as sleep overtook him was that vanilla really smelled nice.
Sirius Black shook his head with mirth as his god... well, his son, now bolted down the hallway and back into the parlor with his friends. He held in his laughter until the parlor door closed firmly shut. Letting off a round of quiet laughter, he pulled himself together when Remus exited the parlor.
"What has gotten you so tickled, Padfoot?" his old friend inquired, eyeing him carefully. Both were pranksters. One never knew why the other would be laughing.
"I shouldn't laugh, but the poor boy's face," Sirius quietly chuckled to himself. "He asked me if Neville and the girls could bunk with him tonight," he paused when Remus gave him an inquiring look. "Hey, I was grown up about it! I said they could, but there was a stipulation."
Remus closed his eyes and held in a groan. "And what was that?"
"That clothes stayed on the entire night. He blushed so hard I thought his head was going to explode."
"It's a good condition. It shows that you trust him and, by extension, Cassie," Remus said thoughtfully. He looked at Sirius with a grave expression. Sirius didn't like it when Remus got serious with him. It meant more worrying. "We need to talk privately."
Sirius groaned inwardly, but nodded his head. The library and study were on the second floor. The third floor is mostly bedrooms. Motioning for Remus to follow him, Sirius climbed the narrow and black steps to the second floor. Reaching the second floor, he passed by a portrait of one of his ancestors.
He stopped in front of it and pulled his wand from its holster on his arm. Sirius could feel Remus's eyes on him as he sliced his palm with a cutting curse. He winced from the sting and moved to place his hand on the portrait. A low click echoed, and the portrait swung open, revealing a secret entrance.
He blinked for a minute and pushed forward through the dark entrance. With his more enhanced hearing, he could hear Remus shoes shuffling as they walked. He could almost sense his old friend's anticipation. Entering the room, it looked the same as it did the last time he was here.
"Is this…?" He heard Remus mutter behind him.
Sirius crossed the room. He could feel the Black family magic pressing down on him. He knew this was the most secure room in the house to speak to anyone. The man leaned against the desk. He wasn't ready to sit in the chair. To sit in the chair meant he was mentally ready to take on the duties and responsibilities of being Head of the family. No matter what his estranged cousins might think.
Sirius crossed his arms across his chest and watched as his old friend sat down in the black upright chair. The room was lit brightly by the many wall sconces that adorned it. A banked fireplace stood to the side of the wall. Behind the large oak desk were shelves of books. Books that were not permitted in the library.
"Was the meeting with the Account Manager successful?" Remus began.
Sirius knew why. They were systematically avoiding the panic attack Harry had. Thinking about it broke him a little on the inside. No one should have to suffer like that.
"It went well. Until Harry learned, he was to become Lord Potter…"
Remus nodded solemnly at him. "Anything significant happened?"
Sirius paused for a moment, wondering how much to reveal to Remus. He knew his friend wanted to be completely involved with Harry's life. Remus was family, but he wasn't, which made it hard to tell him private things.
"James and Lily's will was read," Sirius began. He smiled, seeing Remus perk up. "There were too many things wrong. Harry was never supposed to go to the Durselys. We figure Albus sealed the will, preventing anyone from knowing. The problem is, we don't know why?"
"You think Albus is hiding information?" Remus asked skeptically.
Padfoot nodded, "I do. I'm afraid to even know what it is. I know it's about Harry."
Remus became penesive, which Sirius hated. It meant his friend was thinking. It meant that Remus was about to have a revelation about something. "Sirius, we need to talk about Harry's panic attack."
He slid his hands down his face and sighed. Remus was right. His son was far more important than some stuffy meeting. He shifted from one foot to the next and righted himself on the side of the desk.
"We have an understanding of why he gets them. The question is, what do we do about it?" Remus continued, crossing a leg at the knee.
"Mind Healer is about the best we can do. He's asked for his friends tonight, which I am fine with, but that won't fix the problem. It only takes care of it for a little while. What's saying he won't have another one?" Sirius exclaimed, getting wound up by the end.
"And if he does, then we will deal with it. There's only five of us that know…."
"What if he has one around the Weasleys? Molly will talk about it or Ron. He and Harry are feuding. What's to say that Ron doesn't open his mouth about it?"
"Realizing that Harry needs help seeing Cedric die is a good reason to have a Mind Healer, Sirius and you know it. Forget this archaic crap that you were raised with that no one speaks about mental trauma," Remus chastised gently.
Sirius bunched his fingers in his shoulder length black hair and suppressed a growl of frustration. He knew his son needed help and Harry was going to get it. He hesitated because of the public image the wizarding world concocted for Harry.
Remus was right, he knew. The wizarding world was backwards and archaic. Sirius's own past haunted him just as much as those twelve years in Azkaban. His folks would have seen it as a weakness to ask for help.
He released his hair and crossed the room to a small mini bar that was his grandfather's and father's. He hoped there would be alcohol still in it, still fresh. If not, then maybe that house-elf of Harry's would bring them some.
He stopped in front of the antique hand carved mahogany mini bar. It was shaped like a kidney with miniature snakes carved into the wood. Many of them had their mouths open, tongues elongated with sharp, pointed fangs. He removed his wand from his arm's holster and tapped the top of the cabinet.
Alcohol magically appeared, hidden away to keep the office looking clean and tidy. Several bottles of Blishen's Firewhiskey, Dragon Berry Brandy, Ogden's and a random non-descript bottle stood before him like soldiers. They were shrunk and spelled to be unbreakable. He plucked a bottle of Blishen's and two small glasses.
He sealed the lid and set the two glasses and bottle on the small table and, with a wave of his wand; he resized them. With a flick of his wrist, the wand disappeared into the hostler. He twisted the cap off and poured a generous amount of alcohol into each glass. He set the bottle down and picked up the two glasses, handing one to Remus and took a seat in the other upright chair.
The first sip went down smoothly. It didn't burn like Ogden's. He lowered the glass to rest on his thigh. Remus had given him a chance to think. He hoped he could cajole Harry into going by saying that he would go with him, too. Padfoot didn't know if Cassie needed a Mind Healer. He would ask her.
"If you go with him, saying that you need the help, he's more likely to go," Remus pointed out. Sirius already knew this, but he felt that Remus still needed to say it.
Sirius stared down at his drink. The amber liquid swirl in the glass in a slow motion from his movement. Another fear plagued him. Raising his head, he looked over at his old friend, "What if they find something…," he swallowed heavily. "Something that will make me wanna kill the Durselys?"
Remus gave him a pitying look. His old friend sighed heavily, afraid of knowing too. "Then we will take care of it afterwards. Our priority is the kids."
Sirius nodded, rubbing his thumb against the glass before lifting it to his lips. The amber liquid poured down his throat, the alcohol forcing its way to relax his nerves. It would kill him to know if they had abused Harry. What's worse is that Dumbledore knew and never prevented it.
They sat there in silence for when they heard noises outside the study. Both men turned to stare at the entrance. With their keen hearing, they heard the teens pass the portrait.
Sirius noted the tension in Neville's voice as the sandy-haired boy made a comment about Ron. He turned his head, eyebrow raised, at Remus, who shrugged. The men knew that Harry and Ron had a falling out at the beginning of the school, but weren't aware there was tension between Ron and Neville.
He wanted to open the study and asked what was going on, but refrained. If Ron was here, then the rest of the Weasleys were somewhere in his house. Molly would set herself to run roughshod over his home, making it her domain. She would try to make the rules and maneuver the kids how she wanted.
This irritated him.
No one but a small few knew he was free. That he could finally take over his life and restore honor back to his family. The Blacks had honor before Voldemort showed up with his promises of a Pureblood society. He shook his head ruefully. That idea nearly destroyed his family.
Sirius turned his head, tuning out the conversation between the teens, and looked at the chair across the desk. He wasn't ready to take on the responsibilities of being the Head of the Black family, just as Harry wasn't ready for it either. Maybe he didn't need to see a Healer. If he was ready and of sound mind, then Dumbledore's chances of screwing him over diminished.
Mentally slapping himself, Sirius decided it was time to stop running, stop hiding and take charge of his life. He didn't want the title of Lord Black nor the responsibilities, but he had two kids who needed him. He would go to this Mind Healer and fix things.
A clock chimed somewhere in the house, making him cast a Tempus spell. It was nine at night. The teens were off to bed early compared to their schedule at school. He swallowed the last of his drink and sat the glass on the desk where he knew it would be cleaned and returned to the mini wet bar.
He rose to his feet, followed by Remus, who had been listening to the teen's conversation. It might be best if they left the office and found the Weasleys. There were sure to be arguments about Harry's guests and the animosity between Ron and Harry.
He walked out of the study, Remus shuffled behind him as they exited. The hallway was dark, but he could hear movement on the lower floor. The teens must have found their way to Harry's room on the fourth floor to settle in for the night.
It didn't bother him that the teens were bunking up together. Allowing this showed Harry that Sirius trusted him. He could only imagine what it was like in his son's mind. He remembered a few times he snuck in with Lily and James when things got bad during his time as an Auror.
That act dated back as far as the night after he ran from home and found solace with the Potter's. He woke the next morning with James passed out beside him. They bunked together for comfort for the rest of the summer. It was mostly for Sirius's comfort than James, but his brother never abandoned him.
It surprised him when Lily allowed him in the bed. It was right after James's father, Charlus, had died in their seventh year. That night started the bed started sharing between the three. During those nights, Sirius had fallen for Lily, just as James had. It was more surprising when she offered to carry his child so soon after having Harry. Before Lily and Sirius became pregnant, James suggested Sirius join them as their consort.
In the living room at Potter Manor, Sirius joined James and Lily as their consort. Remus stood by their side that night as Albus married them. Soon after Lily became pregnant and Cassie was born nine months later in August of '81.
Maybe that's why Albus sent Cassie to Agatha Black-York instead of an orphanage. He would speak to the woman soon enough. They had cast Agatha from the family for being a Squib. As far as he knew, Agatha didn't have my children.
He stepped quietly down the narrow steps and wondered if the stairs could be widened or fixed to not be steep nor narrow. His feet led them to the kitchen, where he could hear the voices of the Weasleys. They were loud, unlike the rest of the residents in the house.
He pushed the door open, revealing a pristine kitchen. Everything sparkled and shined. Even the pantry was organized and full of food. Dobby must have been here cleaning because this morning it wasn't filthy, but it needed a cleaning. At the long dining table sat five of the six Weasleys that were still living at the Burrow, sitting around talking. The twins waved gleefully at him.
"Sirius Black!" Molly all but screeched as he stepped into the room. She glowered at him for a second before seeing Remus standing there. Her features softened, realizing that she couldn't berate Sirius alone.
"Greetings everyone. When did you arrive?" Sirius said, coming further into the kitchen. He wasn't in the mood to sit down.
"About half an hour ago," Arthur Weasley answered, tipping his head in greeting.
"Where's Ron?" Sirius asked, already knowing about an argument.
"Oh," Molly said, waving her hand, "he is around. Probably up in the room he and Harry should be sharing."
"Harry has his own quarters. We heard him, Neville, and the girls head up there earlier."
"Y—you let them all in the same room unsupervised?" Molly sputtered, her face turning red.
Sirius eyed her, appearing unaffected. "Why yes, I did Molly. I trust the four of them to behave."
She scoffed quietly, but the door opened as Ron slammed the kitchen door. He stomped into the kitchen angrily. He must have heard a snippet of the conversation.
"Why does Harry get his own room?" Ron spat, throwing himself in the chair beside his sister.
"It's my house, Ronald," Sirius said slowly, hoping the boy could understand that.
"I thought you and Harry weren't speaking?" Remus asked from his spot by the door.
"Doesn't matter. Why are they up there together?" Ron argued, causing Remus to raise an eyebrow at the boy's rudeness.
"Because I said they could," Sirius replied, his gaze narrowing at the insolent redhead.
"What about the other two? Cassie and Neville?" Molly asked, slightly unsure about their names.
Sirius turned his head to gaze upon Molly. "They're here as guests. I believe Neville is staying for a week. Hermione's folks let her stay the night."
"It messes up the sleeping arrangements, Sirius," Molly protested, despite Arthur's placating hand on her shoulder.
He gazed about the room. It would make it difficult, but he realized Hermione would refuse to bunk with Ginny after the confrontations during the school year. Same for Ron. He could make them all bunk u, but the Marauder knew there would be disagreements. It was bad enough that Harry and Neville had to bunk ten months out of the year with him right now.
"Hermione and Cassie have already expressed their wishes to bunk together while Hermione is staying. She wants to spend most of her summer with her parents. Cassie is a permanent fixture and Harry," Sirius explained, being as vague as he could.
Molly nodded, but he could still see the argument in her eyes. "So where will Ron and Ginny sleep?"
Sirius gave a shrug, not really caring at that moment. "Ginny will have to have her own room tonight. Ron, I am sure, can bunk with his brothers."
"Can we put the girls in the same room? I don't want Ginny excluded," Molly pressed.
He was tiring of her pushing. He would have to ask Hermione and Cassie what they wanted to do. "I'll talk to them about it."
Molly scowled, "I don't like it. Albus invited here us," she insisted stubbornly. "Not them. We don't have the room to keep everyone. They'll have to leave."
Sirius narrowed his eyes at her dangerously. This was his home. This house, regardless of its state, had been in his family for centuries. Black were born and died here. This wasn't that hovel of a home they had where Molly could run roughshod over it. He flicked his eyes at Remus, who pushed himself from the wall to stand beside Sirius.
A quick glance between them carried the weight of an entire conversation. It reminded him of their discussion from earlier. This was untenable now. The brightness in the room dimmed as his anger rolled over him. He felt anger roll off his lupine friend.
He swallowed his anger. Letting loose in this house wouldn't be a bright idea. "Molly, this is my house," he snapped, letting a tad bit of his anger pour out. It must have worked for the shocked faces on the Weasleys. "It's been my house and the house of Black for centuries. If Harry wishes to have his friends spend time with him, then I am gonna let him."
Thankfully, Molly backed off, sensing that this wasn't the place to pick a fight. They were guests in his house. The Weasleys would do well to remember that. Righting himself, he barely passed a glance at everyone, noting the twins glowering at their brother. Ginny was pale faced, but he could detect the anger in her eyes. Arthur glanced at his wife and Sirius could tell there would be a talking too later.
It shouldn't satisfy him that Molly was going to get a tongue lashing, but it felt nice that someone would help put her back in her place. If she wanted to run over everyone, she could do it at home. Bidding everyone good night, Sirius and Remus escaped the kitchen and mounted the stairs to the study.
Remus yawned as they stopped in front of the portrait and bid goodnight as well. Sirius waited as his lupine friend disappeared to the room he was staying at before he pressed his newly bleeding hand to the portrait again. The portrait swung open, revealing the entrance to the study. He sighed and walked through the wall sconces, lighting as the Head of the house walked in.
Sirius stared at the desk. He stared at the chair for even longer. When he was ready, he would sit down in it and bring the Black family back to its former glory, but for now... He walked across the room and retrieved a slip of parchment and writing utensils. Sitting down in the upright chair, he bought his wand. With a quick wave, he transfigured a crystal ashtray into a portable writing table.
He rubbed his newly trimmed beard, thinking about what he wanted to tell the Healer. He didn't know many, and he knew that if he requested a Healer from St. Mungos, it would leak to the press and Harry didn't need that. Despite their insistence, he didn't need the whole wizarding world to know his personal business. The only person he knew that was a Healer was his cousin Andromeda Tonks. If she couldn't help him personally, maybe she could point him in the right direction.
He penned the letter carefully, re-reading it several times. He wanted to appeal to her as family before he did as a father. She didn't know about his exoneration, nor Cassie or Harry. She would know that Harry needed someone to speak too, as well as a medical checkup. He included he wished for the same. A private healer would keep things hushed, unlike those gossips at St. Mungos.
Satisfied with his letter, he rose from the chair and walked over to the enchanted window. It was already opened, letting in night air. He called for his owl, who swooped in seconds later. Instructing the beautiful tawny owl to give the letter to Andromeda Tonks and wait for her reply, he cast a series of spells on the parchment before tying it to the owl's leg. Sirius watched in trepidation and satisfaction that he was finally doing what needed to be done. He would ask Cassie later if she needed to speak with a Mind Healer as well.
Sirius left the safety of the study and climbed the stairs to his room. He paused by Harry's room for a moment. Quietly, he opened the door and peered in. Inside the room was a miniature version of Gryffindor Common Room. Bookshelves and a desk adorned one side, while an enormous bed sat in the middle of the room. In the bed, his heart ached seeing the four teens sleeping somewhat peacefully.
He leaned against the doorframe and watched them for a few moments. He couldn't see the faces of the teens, but he could tell that Harry wasn't sleeping well. If he had to guess, Harry would wake up long before the others. Sirius wouldn't be surprised to find his godson in the kitchen long before the others.
He turned away from the room, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible. His room was across the hall. It was his room from his younger days. He didn't want to stay in it, but it was this or the Master bedroom. Sirius placed Buckbeak in there to make a colossal mess before he allowed Kreacher to clean it. He opened the door to his room and looked around. It was like his younger days except it lacked the Slytherin green and silver.
As he climbed into bed, he heard a subtle thud above him. Buckbeak was still in the attic. Sirius paused, taking a seat on the side of the bed, and thought about what to do with Buckbeak. The animal didn't need to be locked in the attic, only he needed to be locked in his home. He would make plans to have Buckbeak set free somehow. A little color change to his feathers would surely go a long way of keeping the hippogriff alive.
Satisfied that he accomplished something today, he scooted under the covers and let the long day catch up to him. Tomorrow would be another day. He only hoped they would fill it with laughter instead of tears or anger. This house had enough anger and tears to flow through it, that it was time for a change.