Author's Note:

Reviews and Comments: To alix33: Very graphic, but deserved. Thank you. To darkhk: You love me for it. Thank you. To scrappy8: Thank you! To ellyan13: Well said. They both chose their battles. Thank you. To Sets: Thank you! It's one of my most proud of lines. Snape doesn't stand up for her and I think it does set a precedent to how their friendship is played out from then on out. Thank you! To Slaidback: He definitely had a panic attack and it's no wonder. Thank you. To EnimaticEmperor: Walburga and Orion were definitely awful parents. I love Sirius trying to protect his brother and I agree, he loved him. Sirius did take her words to heart and he took McGonagall to heart. They share a special bond. Thank you! To ascfan: We all should be furious. Poor Sirius. Thank you! To Shivani: Sirius is very brave. But he's trying to put a brave face on for his little brother. Thank you! To CorbanD17: Thank you! To Bellmel: It does show how much strength Sirius has and how different he and Peter are. I really love him and Lily being friends. Yes, the jailbreak is totally Chamber of Secrets vibes, thanks for noticing! Sirius and McGonagall are the best. Thank you!

My posting schedule: Weekly.

Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:

The One Where Sirius Meets The Potters

December 1973…

Sirius shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. They had holes in the knees over his black army boots with the laces untied. He wore a white tee shirt under his open leather jacket with a Gryffindor scarf around his neck. He'd bought the jacket himself in London only last week and his mother had thrown a fit. She claimed that her son was dressed like a hooligan and looked almost as bad as those 'filthy Muggles.'

It made Sirius love the jacket that much more.

He had a small knapsack over his shoulder as he stood there in the snow, staring up at the house in Somerset as if he was still unsure.

The Knight Bus left and Sirius stood there a moment longer before he double checked the address in his pocket. The large stone home was covered in snow and looked inviting. As he carefully trudged up the long drive, he felt the warding pressing against him. He knocked on the front door. It was only a moment before the small slim woman with dark reddish brown hair, streaked in silver, pulled it open. Her hair was pulled back in a braided bun, but her fringe covered the side of her forehead in tight curls. She smiled warmly at the sight of him.

"Hello, dear, Happy Christmas. Can we help you with something?"

Sirius swallowed. "Er, is this James Potter's house?"

The woman's smile widened. "It most certainly is and you would be?"

"Um, Sirius Black? We're friends at school."

"Oh! Sirius, lovely to finally meet you, do come in!" She tugged him inside the large entranceway. The big medieval style hall was full of old art and tapestries. "We were so disappointed that you couldn't join us again this summer! Jamie talks of you so often, I feel like I already know you. Welcome to Clevedon Court. You can put your boots and jacket there. Rosa!"

A tiny elf appeared and Euphemia smiled warmly.

"Rosa, dear, set him up in Jamie's room, we have a guest."

The elf nodded, taking Sirius' bag as Euphemia smiled warmly at him.

"I'm Euphemia Potter, but everyone calls me Fee. Come on in, love, Jamie's in the living room."

Sirius followed her through the large hall into a large living room with a massive Christmas tree that stood close to twenty feet tall and dancing in fairy lights. James was sprawled out across the sofa tossing a Quaffle up into the air and then catching it.

"Jamie, love, your friend Sirius has come by. You should have told me that he was coming, I would have set a spot for him for dinner," she scolded.

"Didn't know," James said, jumping to his feet. "Hey, mate."

"Hey."

Euphemia beamed at the two of them. "Well, I'll go let Darby know that we have another for dinner."

Sirius shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet. "Um, sorry for just showing up."

"Nah, it's cool," James told him, his eyes on his friend. "Are you staying the rest of the holiday?"

Sirius shook his head. "No… I don't want to impose. I just… I had to get out of that house for a bit."

James nodded. "You won't be imposing. Mum will be thrilled if you stay the whole holiday. She loves guests."

He shrugged. "Wicked house."

"Thanks. Come on and sit. Mum will bring snacks in a moment."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "But we didn't ask for anything."

James chuckled. "Trust me."

They settled on the sofa and James urged Sirius to stretch out with him so that their legs were both side by side across from each other, the same way that they had first sat on the school train. Euphemia came into the living room a moment later with a tea tray full of tea and biscuits.

"I brought you boys a little snack," she said as James smirked at his friend.

"Told you. Hey, Mum, Sirius is going to stay for the whole holiday, okay?"

"Oh, wonderful! I love having guests," she exclaimed brightly. "You boys eat up and then you can head outside. The snow looks just perfect for building a large fort."

James grinned as his mum left the room and he turned to his friend. "See, it's fine." He reached for a biscuit, eyeing his friend carefully for a moment. "So, want to talk about it?"

Sirius shook his head as he shoved a biscuit in his mouth. "Not really."

"What did your folks say when you told them that you were coming here?"

"Didn't," he said simply, lifting the cup of tea to his lips and drinking deeply. "I told Reg and then I snuck out at dawn this morning."

James' eyebrow rose. "That might have made it worse."

He shrugged as he helped himself to a second biscuit. "I couldn't stay there a moment longer."

James only nodded. "Okay. You're welcome here as long as you want, Siri."

Sirius' eyes met his and he nodded slowly as Euphemia came back into the room with Fleamont, who was polishing his glasses on his sleeve as he walked.

"Sirius, this is Monty. Monty, Sirius Black. Sirius will be staying the rest of the holiday with us, isn't that wonderful?"

Fleamont smiled warmly at his wife. "Wonderful. James, why don't you boys head upstairs and get some warm clothes on. I think that it's high time we build a massive snow fort, what do you say?"

James grinned and jumped to his feet. "I'm in."

He gestured for Sirius to follow him, raising an eyebrow when Sirius stole another biscuit before he did so.

"Mum will have lunch ready in about two hours if you're hungry."

Sirius nodded as he followed James up the staircase and down the hall to the door that said James F. Potter on a gold plaque. "What does the F stand for?"

"Er, Franklin."

"Really? Then how did your father get the nickname Monty?"

James blushed. "Okay, fine, it's Fleamont — and if you tell anyone I will kill you in your sleep."

Sirius busted into laughter as he followed James into his room and grinned at the sight of it. His walls were covered in Quidditch posters and statistics, posters of The Beatles, of Elvis Presley, and posters of different guitars, both acoustic and electric, along with posters of broomstick ads. He was surprised to see photos of himself, Remus, and Peter tacked up as well. There was a large queen-sized bed in the middle of the room with a desk, two tall wardrobes, a toy chest, three bookshelves as well as a large closet. A guitar stood against one wall on a stand and another guitar case sat on top of his trunk. His broom was mounted on the wall over by his bed. A large cot had already been set up next to the bed.

"You can sleep in the bed if you prefer," James told him. "It's big enough for the two of us to share or if you want your own room, we have lots of guest rooms, but knowing Mum she put the cot in here assuming that you'd be more comfortable with me." He plopped onto his bed and sighed. "So, I lied, tell me what happened."

Sirius let out a slow sigh. "It was nothing."

James only raised an eyebrow. "Obviously it wasn't or you wouldn't have shown up here out of the blue."

Sirius plopped himself onto the bed with James. "James… my parents were just… Mum is furious that I'm still hanging around with you and Rem. She claims that Pete is tolerable, but still not worthy. She says that Gryffindor has dulled my senses and made me forget right from wrong. They've been praising Reg left and right, which is good, he deserves the praise, but they do it in a way that belittles me and it was just grating my cheese, Jamie! Like oh, Sirius, Regulus received an Outstanding on his Potions homework so I don't know how you've achieved an Outstanding when your work is clearly inferior."

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" James exclaimed, his eyes flashing in anger. "Obviously it's outstanding if that's the grade you achieved!"

Sirius shrugged. "Also, they somehow learned that I've spent the last month snogging Em, who is not a pureblood and therefore completely beneath me, and how I'm slumming it."

"Siri, mate, I'm sorry."

"Whatever, I just… I couldn't listen to it anymore and I blew up on my mum last night. I was so angry that my magic reacted and I blew out all the windows in the upstairs and then I got a letter from the Ministry warning me about using magic outside of school…"

James goggled at him. "Wow!"

He nodded. "And well, all hell broke loose after that."

"Meaning?"

Sirius moved to close James' bedroom door before he lifted up his shirt. His ribs were littered in fist sized purple bruises.

James' eyes darkened. "They bloody hit you?"

"Oh, no," Sirius said. "Simply hitting me is too Muggle. Mum added a weight charm to Father's fists first." He winced as he put his arms down. "I think I broke a rib."

James jumped to his feet. "My Mum will fix you right up."

Sirius blanched. "No! Fuck! You can't tell her!"

James' eyebrow rose. "Siri, you need healing."

"No, can't you just… I mean, isn't there something that you could do?"

James hesitated a moment before he nodded just as a knock sounded on the bedroom door.

"You boys coming down or what?" Fleamont called out.

"Dad, can we build that fort after lunch? Sirius is feeling a bit tired," James called out.

Fleamont pushed the bedroom door open and eyed the two boys for a moment. "Everything okay in here?"

"Fine," James said. "Siri's just tired. After lunch we'll build the fort, Dad."

Fleamont nodded. "Sure, whenever you'd like, Jamie. If you boys need anything, just ask."

James grinned at him as he closed the door and then he called for Rosa. The elf appeared in his bedroom a moment later, eyes wide.

"How can I help you, Master James?"

"Hi, Rosa. Listen, I need you to get some healing stuff and help me heal my friend Sirius, but you can't tell Mum or Dad."

Rosa stared at him. "Master James, I is not comfortable lying to the Marquess and Marchioness, Sir."

"Don't lie, just… don't tell them is all."

Rosa hesitated, but she nodded and disappeared with a loud crack.

Sirius stared at him. "Do you really think that she won't tell them?"

James nodded. "We're fine."

Rosa came back a few moments later with the first aid kit and Sirius carefully tugged his shirt off. The elf stared at him for a long moment before she moved forward to help give him some healing salve for the bruises. James looked in the kit, finding the stuff he needed to mix the potions for Sirius' ribs, and poured the appropriate dose into a cup and passed it over.

Sirius winced as he drank the potion and James stared at the fresh welts on his friend's back.

"Siri… how the bloody hell did this…?"

Sirius shrugged. "It's fine. Just pass me some of that salve."

James' bedroom door flew open and Euphemia stepped in with a tray of sandwiches and her eyes widened. James moved to block Sirius from view, but it had been too late. Euphemia put the tray down on the desk and moved carefully towards Sirius. She placed her fingers on his chin and tilted his head to look up at her.

"Who hurt you, darling?"

"I'm fine," Sirius told her, reaching for his shirt.

James took the shirt from his friend's hand so that Rosa could continue to apply the salve. "His parents, Mum."

Euphemia's eyes darkened in anger for a moment before she masked it. She took the salve from Rosa and immediately set about taking over the task. She ordered James which potions to give him and covered the welts in fresh bandages. Sirius' cheeks were flushed in embarrassment as he pulled his shirt over his head and murmured a thanks under his breath.

Euphemia reached out and gently brushed his hair behind his ear. "Your parents are Orion and Walburga, dear?"

Sirius nodded. "I'm fine, Mrs Potter, honest." His eyes widened in surprise when she leaned in and kissed his cheek tenderly.

"It's Fee, dear. You are always welcome here, Sirius. I don't care for how long you stay or what time you show up. Our home will always be your home." She kissed his forehead and tugged James to her to hug him tightly and kiss his cheeks. "You make Sirius rest and eat those sandwiches I brought up. I'll have Monty whip up another healing potion for him to take after dinner."

Then she was gone and Sirius was staring at James, his eyes wide.

"What just happened?"

James grinned. "I think Mum just adopted you. Here, have a bacon sandwich," he said, tossing one at Sirius.

Sirius caught it, staring at James in wonder. "Your parents are brilliant."

James grinned back at him. "I know."