A.N. Hello everyone! Sorry it took me so long to post, but it's been a busy week. I've had to take 4 tests before the end of the quarter and I am just… bushed. Anyhoo, on with the story!
Mal
~*~
I'm not afraid to go backwards
and fix what we broke,
It's so silent without you here
~*~
Harry stopped, and stared at Dumbledore in shock. He must've done that for a while, because he felt Sirius shaking his shoulder and saying, "Harry? You okay?"
"I-um-I…" Harry trailed of and stared at Dumbledore, who raised his eyebrows slightly. "I…"
"We know that this is sudden," Sirius interjected. "But we don't know how much longer we have until Voldemort attacks. We also want to set this up so if Voldemort attacks you, you'll be able to protect yourself better."
Harry gulped and nodded his understanding.
"We aren't going to pressure you, it's your decision if you want to take a big part in fighting Voldemort. We can't deny that it will be dangerous. I believe you already know that…"
Harry nodded again.
"You don't have to respond right away," Sirius said. "You have a bit of time."
"We would however like you to respond before you go back to the Weasleys."
Harry frowned, "But I thought I was still going to live with Sirius."
"Oh, you are eventually," Dumbledore replied. "But for the rest of the summer you will be remaining with your friend Ron."
"Okay…" Harry said uncertainly.
"We'll give you some time to think about it on your own," Sirius said. "Why don't you go down to the kitchens and get something to eat, while Professor Dumbledore and I talk about other matters."
"Alright," Harry replied, not bothering to say that he wasn't hungry. He stood up and departed.
"Do you think he's ready?" Sirius asked after Harry had gone.
"As ready as he'll ever be, I'm sure."
~*~
Harry walked the familiar path to the kitchen. He stopped and had a small chat with Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, and had to duck out of Peeve's way as he went flying down the hall at breakneck speeds.
Harry finally found the deserted corridor with the picture of the bowl of fruit. He reached up and tickled the pear. It turned into a giant doorknob and Harry went inside. The kitchens were quiet, and not busy at all. Several House Elves were snoozing by the fire.
"HARRY POTTER!" Came a loud squeak from over by one of the ovens. Suddenly Harry felt two skinny arms around his waist and hugging him tightly.
"Hullo Dobby," Harry said, looking down at the two enormous green eyes that were filled with tears.
"Dobby heard about Harry Potter being sent to Azkaban," Dobby sniffed, a few of the tears leaking out of the corner of his eyes. "And Dobby is very, very sorry for Harry Potter."
Harry sighed, "It's not your fault I got shipped off to that dump. Don't be sorry, Dobby."
"But I am, Harry Potter, I am!" Dobby sobbed. "Dobby would've sent you a letter, but Dobby doesn't know how to write!"
Harry laughed slightly and pulled out of the hug.
"Dobby is so glad that Harry Potter has come to visit Dobby."
"I'm just happy you were here," Harry lied. He hadn't even given Dobby a second thought for the last couple of weeks.
"Let Dobby get Harry Potter something. Would Harry Potter like some sandwiches?"
"Yes, that'd be just fine."
~*~
"How has Harry been doing?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"He's getting better. You can tell just by looking at him. He isn't stuttering anymore, and he actually hugged me when he woke up today. He hadn't done that since we rescued him," Sirius replied.
"How did he take your death?"
"I didn't ask, but when he saw me this morning he was most relieved to see I was actually alive."
"Very good. I'm sure he'll be ready to fight in no time."
"How do you know that he's going to accept."
"I just have a feeling. He has the Gryffindor loyalty and honor in him. Besides, he's probably been blaming himself for Voldemort's re-birth, and now he finds it's his duty to fight him."
Sirius frowned slightly, but didn't reply.
"Harry's recovery is quite remarkable. One would think that the pain he experienced in Azkaban would show more openly. He's very good at hiding it."
"Yeah… too good sometimes. He doesn't talk about any of that stuff really…"
"It's to be expected. You don't like talking about your experience in Azkaban."
Sirius snorted. "It was more of a bore than an experience. There wasn't much to talk about. Dementors, other prisoners, yadda-yadda-yadda…"
Sirius had gotten an angry yet sad look on his face anyway.
"Why don't you go talk to Harry about his decisions," Dumbledore suggested, seeing the look on Sirius' face.
"Yeah, okay," Sirius said, getting up. "I'll see you later, Professor."
"Goodbye Sirius."
~*~
A few minutes later Harry was slowly munching on some sandwiches while Dobby energetically started telling him about the socks he had made.
"Dobby gave them to everyone on the Hogwarts staff! Professor Dumbledore was very happy."
Harry smiled and took a sip of tea.
"Dobby, I'd better be going. Si-er… I'm sure my friends will be waiting for me to return," Harry said. He had almost forgotten that he wasn't supposed to reveal that Sirius was actually alive.
"Say hello to your Weezy for me!"
Harry laughed, "I will."
A large group of House Elves bid Harry goodbye, bowing and waving. Harry gave a short wave and left.
~*~
Don't give up now
It would all be for nothing
Cause I believe in second chances
~*~
Harry and Sirius nearly bumped into each other on their way back to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"We should talk about your decision," Sirius said, quickly.
"Okay," Harry said.
They entered the common room and sat down in two of the chairs in front of the fire.
"Have you-"
"I'm going to do it," Harry said softly, interrupting Sirius.
"You are."
"Yeah…" Harry said, staring into the fire. "I just feel that it's for the best."
Sirius realized that his mouth was hanging open slightly and he shut it. "Y-you're sure?"
Harry nodded slowly, still not looking at Sirius. "I would've met up with him again anyway. At least this way I'll be more prepared."
Sirius smiled. "You'll do just fine." He patted Harry lightly on the shoulder. Harry didn't reply.
"Do you want to go tell Professor Dumbledore now?"
Harry shook his head. "No, no not really."
"Would it be okay if I tell him?"
"Yeah, I suppose."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
Sirius stood up and departed from the Common Room to go speak to Dumbledore. Harry watched him leave, and then sighed, looking back at the fire.
"I either just did a great thing, or a stupid thing. Either way I could be killed," Harry laughed bitterly.
~*~
Can you feel that I feel we're moving in the right direction
I was someone else that I'd take it back if you would let me
Cause I believe in second chances
~*~
"We gather here to mourn the death of Sirius Black," said the minister. They were outside in a Wizard and Witch graveyard. Ron and Hermione were sitting beside Harry. There were other people who Harry didn't recognize, and Harry assumed that they were Sirius' friends from school and his old job.
"Sirius Black was a funny, smart, normally kind man…"
No one at the funeral knew the truth about Sirius, except for Harry, Remus, and Dumbledore. Dumbledore and Remus were seated at the back of the crowd, along with Professor McGonnagal, who was sobbing into a handkerchief. Hermione looked as though she was about to burst into tears as well. Ron was just kind of starting around at people. Mrs. Weasley was crying as well.
Several of Sirius' friends went up on the podium to speak. Harry hadn't been asked to speak since he had "taken the death quite hard".
Harry could see reporters sticking their cameras through the gate of the cemetery. They hadn't been invited.
Harry glanced back in the seats and saw Remus sitting next to a new person in a long, dark blue coat. Remus winked at Harry and the person next to him waved. Harry realized who the new person was. It was Sirius. Harry had to suppress a smile, and turned back around in his chair.
"Oh, look, they're lowering the casket," Ron said softly. "Come on, let's go get closer."
"All right," Harry replied slowly. They stood at the back of the crowd, watching as the casket that held "Sirius" was lowered into the grave.
A little bit after the grave was covered people started mingling around the graveyard. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking past the graves, not saying anything to each other.
"Wow…" Hermione said softly. "Look! It's Alberic Grunnion's grave."
"Who?" Ron and Harry said simultaneously.
"Honestly…"
"Hermione, you read too much," Ron said.
"I do not-"
"Okay, okay, both of you, calm down. Ron, go look at your Wizard Cards, I'm sure that he's in there. Hermione, don't read so much."
"But-"
Harry gave them a stern look and turned to look at the graves. Hermione kept pointing at graves for people he had never heard of, and then telling them what they had done in their lifetime.
Ron moaned as she started to explain about Circe. Harry was getting quite bored as well when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Harry, follow me," said Remus, beckoning him.
"I'll be right back," Harry said to Ron and Hermione. Remus didn't speak as they walked through the many graves. Harry noticed some very odd shaped gravestones. One had a clay head on it, and the head looked as thought it was yawning. Another had a flamingo on top of it.
Remus led Harry to a quiet part of the graveyard. They walked through a small gate and into a new portion of the cemetery.
"Remus, what's this?" Harry asked softly, looking down at the many graves beside the path that they walked on.
"This is a portion of the cemetery that is dedicated to the witches and wizards that have been killed by Voldemort," Remus said softly. Harry stopped walking.
"I want to show you something, come on."
Harry gulped and followed Remus to the very back of the graves. There was a relatively new grave.
CEDRIC DIGGORY
Harry stared at the gravestone but didn't get any closer.
"You would have been invited to the funeral, but you were in Azkaban," Remus said. Harry didn't reply, and just looked away. He wanted to look at anything, besides that grave.
"The Diggorys didn't even think you killed him. They never thought that…"
"I know," Harry said. He started to turn away, to go back to his friends, but he stopped when two other graves caught his eye. He slowly walked over to them. One of them had flowers blooming out of the ground around it, and covering most of the gravestone. The other had a Quaffle and a broomstick on the top of the gravestone. Harry ran his hand over the smooth stone and looked up at Remus, who had followed him over.
"Your parents would've been very proud of you, Harry," Remus said softly.
"I know. Everyone says that," Harry said, pulling his hand away. He turned, and without another word left the small graveyard.
~*~
So let me fill these empty spaces
Better late than never
Stay forever
Let me fill this empty space
Cause there's always room for one more mistake
~*~
