Welcome to my newest story! It will be five chapters long. I hope to post weekly but there may be some short delays.

Harry Potter wasn't surprised with how quickly he woke up. Though he was still exhausted four days after the Battle of Hogwarts, he was sleeping fitfully. After being unable to sleep the first night in the Gryffindor tower, unused to hearing the noises of so many other students after a year on the run, the elves had turned an unused classroom into a two-room suite for just him, Ron, and Hermione. The multiple showers he had taken ensured he no longer reeked from his exertions and fear but he could still smell the lingering, foul odors of the battle and hear the explosions and cries of the victims in his head. Fred's funeral the day before had kept the cost of victory in the forefront of his mind. No matter how long he stood with the hot water pouring over him, it did little to sooth his aches. Despite his physical pain and mental anguish, he hadn't wanted to take Madam Pomfrey's attention away from those who truly needed it.

"Pssst, Prongslet – wakey-wakey! I know you're tired but …"

Instincts honed by a year on the run had Harry bolting up with his wand in his hand. Confused, he looked around and saw a ghostly shape hovering by the side of the bed. Harry grabbed his glasses, enabling him to confirm his first impression.

"Sirius! Am I glad to see you!" Harry jumped up and instinctively tried to hug his godfather but tumbled through the apparition, feeling as if he had gone for a dip in the lake in the middle of winter. He shook his head as he looked up from the floor. "I know I dropped the Resurrection Stone. How are you here? Wait – are you real? How long can you stay? Are Mum and Dad with you?"

The ghost gave him a familiar grin. "It's good to see you again, Prongslet! I'm not sure I can explain what happened. I remember talking to you with James, Remus, and Lily in the forest. I felt a strong pull away from you and remember thinking it was too soon, that I had loads more to tell you. I felt like I was being pushed and pulled in two directions until there was a pop and here I am!"

Harry looked around eagerly. "And mum and dad?"

Sirius gave an uneasy chuckle. "Sorry, Prongslet. In the moment before everything disappeared from my view they were so caught up with each other that I doubt it even occurred to them that there was anything they could do. You know how it is when you're in love, eh?"

Harry hid his disappointment. "How long can you –"

He was interrupted by a yell of surprise. "Sirius! You came back to us!" Ron started to jump out of his own bed but got tangled in the sheets and fell to the floor. He shook himself loose and stood up. "It's great to see you, mate!" He ran to the entrance of the other room. "Hermione! Come quick!"

Hermione, who had begun to appreciate having such privacy after sharing a tent for so long, came dashing in, barefoot with her wand drawn. "Sirius!" she shrieked. "You're here!" She ran over to the ghost, stopping just short. "How … what…" She shook her head and took a deep breath. "It's good to see you."

Sirius chuckled. "It's great to see all of you. Just think – I'm joining you just as you leave this place forever and join the wizarding world!" He floated upwards and pretended to sit on the mantle, pumping his ghostly hand in the air as if in victory.

The three wizards looked at each other. Hermione lost the silent contest and spoke for the other two. "Er - the thing is, we decided that after a year of camping, we're going to return here as students. None of us have firm plans, and this will give us a year to have a normal life and decide where we want to go from here."

Sirius' jaw went slack. "You want to study for another year? I know you could get Ministry jobs in a heartbeat. Don't you want to become Aurors? Why wait? People can be fickle. In a year you might not have that opportunity."

"But we don't want to take advantage of our names," Harry explained.

Ron reached over to grasp Hermione's hand. "And for now, we don't want to be separated."

Sirius' foot kicked through the fireplace bricks. "Well and good, but I've been looking forward to spending more time with you."

"I've an idea," said Ron, sitting up straight. "You can join us this summer and then come back to Hogwarts with us next year. It'll be brilliant!"

"You can talk to Professor McGonagall – I'm sure she'll be glad to have you!" Harry added, though Hermione kept silent.

Sirius perked up. "Great idea. This is where I spent most of the best years of my life. But for now, I'm sorry I missed so many of your adventures. You need to fill me in. What happened after I, um, died at the Ministry? From then until I saw you in the forest is a blank. I've tried to remember but all I get is a sense that time passed."

Harry and Ron began to recount the recent events, but Hermione just looked thoughtful. At a pause in the conversation, she spoke up. "Uh, Sirius, not that I'm not happy you're here, but are you sure you should be? Shouldn't you have moved on? What if you're trapped here?"

Harry and Ron stared at her. "C'mon, Hermione, don't be a spoilsport!" Ron protested. "Let's just enjoy things as they are for the moment. It's been a rough year."

The spirit grinned. "Yeah, I'll let the future take care of itself. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up back here as a permanent ghost." He turned back to Harry. "Go on – you were saying you Apparated into Hogsmeade."

Ron had just explained how Hermione had stabbed Hufflepuff's cup with a basilisk tooth when his stomach gave a loud growl. Sirius chortled. "I guess I can wait to hear the rest. Mind if I float down with you to the Great Hall?"

"I can't wait to see the other's faces when they see you! Once they hear your story, everyone will love you!" Harry exclaimed. The three quickly dressed.

The group made their way down the hallways littered with fallen stones, empty plinths, and broken glass. Their easy banter stopped as it always did when they came to an area where the floor was still red. One of the stairways was still frozen in mid-turn so the three students had to jump over the crevasse while Sirius drifted overhead. As they approached the Great Hall, they could hear the murmurings of others. Looking at each other for strength, the three walked in, Sirius floating at their side.

The last of the wounded and the dead had been removed and the four house tables were back in place. The Slytherin table was conspicuous by its lack of students. The elves had set out what was, for them, a small breakfast for those who were still in the castle, including those who remained to be with their injured friends who were being treated in the castle and those who had nowhere else to go.

Seamus Finnigan was the first to notice them. "Harry, Ron, Hermione! Over here!" he waved. He squinted, trying to make out who was beside them.

Harry realized very few would recognize Sirius. He looked far younger than his Azkaban wanted posters, not to mention more sane. "Hey, guys, let me introduce you to Sirius Black, my godfather," he said proudly. "He passed through the veil fighting Bellatrix and other Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries but even as a ghost he was able to help me in the forest as I was going to meet Voldemort."

Sirius preened. "I've been fighting Death Eaters since the first war against them. Even when I was a student here, I made sure that the wanna-be's knew what they were going to face."

As the trio joined the rest of the remaining Gryffindors, another spirit drifted over. "Did I hear that another has been added to our illustrious numbers?"

Sirius turned. "Hey, Nearly Headless Nick! It's been ages!"

The second ghost straightened up. "I beg your pardon, sir. It's Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, if you please. And you are?"

"You don't remember me from my student days? I'm crushed. I and my friends were renowned, and I'm serious! Sirius Black, that is."

"Ah, yes, I do remember you. I'd expected you'd have moved on. I remember young Harry here unsuccessfully looking for you two years ago." Sir Nicholas paused. "I also remember you and your gang were renowned troublemakers. I'll have you know that ghosts in the castle must follow stringent guidelines."

Sirius grinned. "I love guidelines – they're so fun to find ways to get around."

The Gryffindor students had forgotten to eat as they listened to the exchange. Harry was reminded of two crups each trying to assert their dominance.

So, apparently, was Dean Thomas. He gave a wicked smirk. "Hey, Black, have you thought about becoming the Gryffindor ghost? It sounds like you could give us lots of tips."

"Why just this morning the possibility of me staying on here at the castle came up. I wonder…"

"Wonder what, Sirius?" Minerva McGonagall had come over. "While I'm delighted to welcome you back, I'm surprised to see you here – I would have thought you would have gone on."

"This uppity newcomer believes he should take my place," sniffed Nearly Headless Nick.

"I see. Perhaps we should continue this conversation in my office. Sir Nicholas, Sirius, if you can follow me while the students finish their breakfast."

Nearly Headless Nick gave a slight bow which resulted in his head wobbling to one side. "Of course, madam. I am at your command."

"No problem, Minerva." Sirius turned back to the table. "I'll catch up with you later. And maybe give you some advice about pranks you never thought of." He winked at them before drifted upwards.

Hermione winced. "I don't think that's what the Headmistress wanted to hear."

Up in McGonagall's office, Nearly Headless Nick and Sirius floated in front of Minerva's desk. Behind her desk, Dumbledore's portrait seemed to be slumbering, but Sirius was certain he saw one eye open a smidgeon.

"Madam, I have given over five hundred years of faithful service to this school and do not think this upstart has a right to come in and demand to take my place!" Nick was shaking so hard in anger that his head was bobbing up and down.

"Yes, Sir Nicholas, and I appreciate your dedication. That's all I needed to find out from you, that you are willing to continue to serve."

"Your obedient servant, Madam." Nick took off his hat to bow but it caught on his ear and his head fell sideways, caught only by the remnant of flesh that attached it to his neck. Sirius did not quite manage to hold back a snicker. Nick pulled his head back into place, glared at the newer ghost, and drifted back through the door.

Sirius floated over to a chair in front of McGonagall's desk and pretended to sit in it. "It's good to be back in my old haunting grounds. Now they're both old and new haunting grounds!" He laughed at his joke.

"I'm glad to see you accepted your situation so well, Sirius." McGonagall said dryly as she leaned forward. "As I'm sure so many others have asked you, what brought you back here?"

Sirius shook his head. "I'm not sure, really. The only thing I can think of is that I'm here to help Harry. I wasn't much of a godfather to him. I can make up for that now."

"So, you'll be following Harry, not becoming a Hogwarts ghost?"

Sirius shrugged. "I hadn't thought about returning here, but the more I think about it the better the idea sounds. I can spy on returning Slytherins, if any dare to show up again, to make sure they aren't thinking about taking up their parents' ways." He grinned. "And I can teach the Gryffindors all sorts of tricks that old fuddy-duddy Nick must have learned in 500 years but never passed to the living."

The Headmistress tapped her fingers and looked intently at Sirius. "Sirius, what do you think the role of the House Ghost entails?"

"Well, I don't think Old Nick did all that much other than trying to give us the occasional lecture on how we should behave. Very forgettable, actually."

McGonagall sighed. "Sir Nicholas complained more than once to Albus that you didn't listen to him. He's the newest of our House Ghost by half a millennium and sometimes seems insecure as a result. The House Ghost must be able to teach those in his house those long held traditions that result in the students being able to exemplify the best of the traits that house is known for."

"The Bloody Baron is great for Slytherin, then. Teaches the monsters to enjoy bloodshed," Sirius cracked.

McGonagall frowned. "Sirius, I'm willing to give you a chance, not as the Gryffindor House Ghost, but as a denizen in the castle. However, I can't have you being a disruptive force."

Sirius turned solemn. "Of course, Minerva. I appreciative your trust and will endeavor to live up to your high expectations." He paused. "Live up to them – get it?" he chortled.

The Headmistress rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sirius. Now why don't you gather up Harry, Ron, and Hermione and get them out of the castle for the summer. I've a professional crew coming to direct the house elves in the rebuilding of the castle and am trying to get as many people as possible out of the way."

Sirius gave a mock salute and floated down through the floor.

Minerva turned her head to look at the portrait behind her. "Well, Albus? Do you think he'll be able to control himself enough to become an asset to the school?"

Albus popped a candy into his mouth. "I fear I will grow tired of the same flavor after a while, but for now I appreciate the portrait wizard." He peered over his half-moon spectacles at the Headmistress. "To be honest, I do not know. He was always impetuous, and the years in Azkaban did little to teach him self-restraint. Plus, as we both know, ghosts are not an exact duplicate of the living. However, I'm glad you're giving him a chance."

Because breakfast was over, Sirius found Harry and his friends in the Gryffindor Common Room. Dean saw him first. "So, are you our new House Ghost?"

Sirius made as if to sit down next to Harry on the couch near the fireplace. The cold air around him causing Ron to move from the chair next to the sofa to the one across from it. "No, not yet anyway. You are looking at newest Hogwarts ghost, though!"

"Sirius, that's great!" Harry exclaimed. Ron made as if to slap the spirit on his back but stopped his hand well away from the apparition.

"Brilliant, isn't it? I'm looking forward to roaming the castle and grounds." Sirius waved his arms to encompass the room, causing Harry to shift over as far as he could. "Oh, the adventures I had here with your Dad! I can't wait to show you the places no one but us discovered."

Hermione raised her goblet of pumpkin juice into the air. She paused, and then looked thoughtfully at the spirit. "Talking about things you got up to, I'm just curious … can you still transform into Snuffles?"

"What's a Snuffles?" asked Seamus.

"Just watch!" Sirius eagerly floated down to the floor. "You know, I haven't tried it since my return." He concentrated, but nothing happened. "I think I lost my ability to transform," he said in despair.

"Snuffles was Sirius' animagus form," Ron explained to Dean and Seamus. "A big, black dog."

Harry snorted. "I thought it was a grim the first time I saw it."

Dean shrugged. "I'm sure it was impressive, mate. Anyway, Seamus and I have to pack up. We're leaving this afternoon. We were just waiting for Justin to get discharged and we got word this morning he'll be released by noon." He and Seamus waved to the group as they left.

Hermione became pensive. "As a ghost, you can't carry a wand. Peeves the Poltergeist might be able to, though. I wonder …" She stopped when Ron reached over and gave her hand a warning squeeze.

It took a moment before Sirius began to grin again. "On the bright side, at least I don't have to worry about ghastly, ghostly fleas! For now, though, I have directions to take you three out of here. We have a whole summer free!"

Ron looked unhappy. "I don't want to go back to the Burrow. I'd be separated from you two," he gently squeezed Hermione's hand, "and I'd be surrounded by memories of Fred. His funeral yesterday was hard enough." The three had leaned on each other at Fred's funeral, which was capped by fireworks forming the shape of a dragon. Unlike the ones the twins had set off at Hogwarts before their epic withdrawal under Umbridge, the dragon at the Burrow seemed to be crying, with diamond tears running down its snout. "I don't think I could face living at home right now," Ron continued. "Besides, we promised to help the reconstruction efforts here. I don't want to leave them in the lurch."

Sirius shook his head. "If Minerva said you could stay, it was only to be nice. The few that plan to remain are doing so because they have no place to go. The Headmistress has a legion of house elves to do the repair work and professional builders have promised to come to supervise. You wouldn't be able to help much with only six years under your belt."

"We learned a lot in our year on the run!" sputtered Harry.

"So, you learned building and repairing skills?"

The three were silent.

"You're not going to tell the house elves to refuse to work?" Ron teased Hermione, changing the topic of conversation.

Hermione took her hand away and placed it primly on her lap. "The Headmistress assured me that each house elf who desires it will get a stipend and days off."

Ron had a coughing fit, but Harry could have sworn he said, "But how many house elves desire that," under his breath.

"Anyway," Harry offered, "We could all go to Grimmauld Place. There's plenty of room."

"Great. Back to that prison," Sirius griped.

Ron shook his head. "But this time it won't be. You can come and go as you please – no one could stop you even if they wanted to."

"Good point." Sirius looked more cheerful. "I'll be able to explore London. I haven't seen much up it – my parents didn't believe in mingling with the muggles and since then most of the time I've been a fugitive. Let's go!"

Reviews appreciated!