Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Free.
Breakfast at the Weasleys was by no means a peaceful affair. With so many children around it was a good thing Mrs Weasley had a firm hand, else it would have gone out of hand more than once. This morning it was no different, but there was the added excitement about Sirius's innocence. Ron and Hermione were beaming at their friend who was quietly reading the daily prophet with a big smile on his face. The nervousness that had been present the past evening around Sirius had faded and everyone congratulated him. They were just finishing breakfast when Dumbledore and McGonagall apparated in the kitchen. The witch immediately embraced a slightly stunned Sirius, saying how happy she was that he was free and how sorry she was about thinking he was guilty. Sirius finally drew away from the hug and looked at Dumbledore. The old man smiled but Sirius noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Here are all the papers, Sirius. The ministry has put a million galleons in your account, you also have a house in Hogsmeade." He then took out a stack of papers. "Here, these papers give you custody over Harry." Sirius took the papers carefully but didn't look them over, he was still looking intently at the headmaster.
"What's wrong Albus?" The old wizard exchanged a look with McGonagall and then sighed.
"Yesterday Minerva went to check on Harry." Fear immediately clenched Sirius's heart. "She thinks Harry has had a nervous breakdown." In a few words Dumbledore explained what Minerva had seen. By the time he had finished the room was deathly silent and Sirius had collapsed in one of the chairs. Ron was hugging Hermione and Ginny who were crying against his shoulders. Suddenly Sirius stood up and looked Dumbledore in the eye.
"I'm going to get him right now." The headmaster nodded and took something out of his pocket.
"I knew you would want to go. I think you'll be glad to have this back." Sirius gasped and carefully took the wand in his hand.
"It's mine, but why wasn't it snapped?"
"The ministry kept it as proof against you. Fudge gave it to me earlier today when he gave me your release papers." Sirius nodded and pocketed the wand and the papers.
"Anything else, headmaster?"
"No, Sirius, you can go now." Sirius nodded and was about to apparate when Remus interrupted him.
"I'm going with you Sirius."
"As I am" Both men looked a little startled at their former professor but nodded at her.
"Sirius."
"Yes, Hermione?"
"Owl us, ok?"
"Of course." Then the three apparated away.
It was noon when someone knocked on the door. Mrs Dursley went nervously to open the door. Since the announcement that morning they had been waiting for the godfather of the boy to come. Vernon had decided to stay home and protect his family if Black decided to come here. Her shaking hand opened the door and she paled instantly. There he was, just as the last pictures he had seen of him. He looked nothing like the old friend of her sister had done so many years ago. And he wasn't alone. With him were a woman she didn't know and another of the friends of her sister.
"Hello, Petunia." His voice was soft but ice cold, she squeaked and stepped aside to let them in, not wanting to know what they would do to her if she stood in their way. Sirius took not further notice of her. Brushing past her and past Vernon, who had just come out from the living room, he rushed up the stairs to Harry's room. Silently he opened the door and looked inside, his heart clenched at the sight before him. The room was a mess, full of things Sirius was pretty sure didn't belong to Harry. There was just a small space around the bed and table that Harry had obviously cleared up. On the table were some books and parchment, but it looked like no one had touched it for some time. His eyes drifted to the bed and he saw him, just like Minerva had described it. His godson laid on the bed, curled up looking at the wall. This time he didn't even turn to look who it was. Cautiously Sirius approached the bed and sank to his knees in front of it. With a soft comforting voice he said.
"Harry." The boy didn't react. Tentatively Sirius reached out a hand and put it on Harry's head, softly stroking his dirty hair. He sat there looking at his godson for about ten minutes when a voice talked from the door.
"Padfoot." Sirius turned enough to look at Remus, who was standing at the door, a worried look on his face at the sight of the boy.
"Yes?" Remus stepped inside and looked around.
"We need to go, Minerva is about to lose her temper and curse the Dursley's on the spot. I'll pack Harry's things." Remus moved to where the trunk was and began to put the books and parchments inside. Sirius knowing his friend was right turned once again to Harry and tried to get him to move.
"Harry, please get up, we are going." Slowly the boy turned and Sirius flinched when the dull green eyes locked with his. Carefully Harry moved, stood up and, wavering a little, moved to stand next to Sirius, who kept a watchful eye on him. Remus was about to close the trunk when a sudden thought crossed Sirius's mind.
"Wait, have you looked under the bed?" At his friends confused gaze he explained. "Harry once told me he kept some things under a lose floor board there."
"I see." Lupin bent over and easily found the hiding place. A few moments later he came out with a stack of letters and some books.
The two men looked around some more, making sure they were not forgetting anything while Harry just stood starring in front of him, like nothing was happening around him. Finally they decided they had everything and locked the trunk. Lupin put a levitating charm on it and took Hedwig's cage. Silently he went out and Sirius turned to Harry. Carefully putting an arm around the boy's fragile shoulders he slowly started to walk to the door. Harry resisted for a moment but then decided it wasn't worth it and began to walk with his godfather who kept shooting him concerned looks. Slowly they descended the stairs and Sirius was forced to put his arm around Harry's waist to keep him from stumbling. The sight that met them downstairs was hilarious. Minerva was leaning against the door frame, idly twirling her wand in her hands. Lupin was sitting on the trunk laughing his head off. Sirius looked in the direction they were looking and began to laugh too. Running around was a frantic pig and an ostrich, without doubt Minerva had lost her temper and transfigured Harry's relatives. While he laughed he wondered where Harry's cousin was hiding, but decided it wasn't worth going look for him. Harry, unlike his companions, remained silent although for a short moment a flash of laughter passed through his eyes. Unluckily none of the adults had been looking at him and they didn't see it. Sirius turned to McGonagall and smiled at her.
"Well professor, there's no doubt you teach transfiguration. What did they do to deserve this?" Minerva scowled at the two animals.
"I'm not going to tell you right now, Black, else you would end in Azkaban for real this time." Sirius's features darkened and he turned his attention to Harry who hadn't moved from his side. His expression turned to one of concern and his arm tightened around the boy's waist. Softly he began to push Harry in the doors direction.
"Come on Kido, lets get you out of here." They left the house closely followed by Minerva and Remus. When they were out of the anti-apparition wards they apparated to Hogsmeade.
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews.
Free.
Breakfast at the Weasleys was by no means a peaceful affair. With so many children around it was a good thing Mrs Weasley had a firm hand, else it would have gone out of hand more than once. This morning it was no different, but there was the added excitement about Sirius's innocence. Ron and Hermione were beaming at their friend who was quietly reading the daily prophet with a big smile on his face. The nervousness that had been present the past evening around Sirius had faded and everyone congratulated him. They were just finishing breakfast when Dumbledore and McGonagall apparated in the kitchen. The witch immediately embraced a slightly stunned Sirius, saying how happy she was that he was free and how sorry she was about thinking he was guilty. Sirius finally drew away from the hug and looked at Dumbledore. The old man smiled but Sirius noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Here are all the papers, Sirius. The ministry has put a million galleons in your account, you also have a house in Hogsmeade." He then took out a stack of papers. "Here, these papers give you custody over Harry." Sirius took the papers carefully but didn't look them over, he was still looking intently at the headmaster.
"What's wrong Albus?" The old wizard exchanged a look with McGonagall and then sighed.
"Yesterday Minerva went to check on Harry." Fear immediately clenched Sirius's heart. "She thinks Harry has had a nervous breakdown." In a few words Dumbledore explained what Minerva had seen. By the time he had finished the room was deathly silent and Sirius had collapsed in one of the chairs. Ron was hugging Hermione and Ginny who were crying against his shoulders. Suddenly Sirius stood up and looked Dumbledore in the eye.
"I'm going to get him right now." The headmaster nodded and took something out of his pocket.
"I knew you would want to go. I think you'll be glad to have this back." Sirius gasped and carefully took the wand in his hand.
"It's mine, but why wasn't it snapped?"
"The ministry kept it as proof against you. Fudge gave it to me earlier today when he gave me your release papers." Sirius nodded and pocketed the wand and the papers.
"Anything else, headmaster?"
"No, Sirius, you can go now." Sirius nodded and was about to apparate when Remus interrupted him.
"I'm going with you Sirius."
"As I am" Both men looked a little startled at their former professor but nodded at her.
"Sirius."
"Yes, Hermione?"
"Owl us, ok?"
"Of course." Then the three apparated away.
It was noon when someone knocked on the door. Mrs Dursley went nervously to open the door. Since the announcement that morning they had been waiting for the godfather of the boy to come. Vernon had decided to stay home and protect his family if Black decided to come here. Her shaking hand opened the door and she paled instantly. There he was, just as the last pictures he had seen of him. He looked nothing like the old friend of her sister had done so many years ago. And he wasn't alone. With him were a woman she didn't know and another of the friends of her sister.
"Hello, Petunia." His voice was soft but ice cold, she squeaked and stepped aside to let them in, not wanting to know what they would do to her if she stood in their way. Sirius took not further notice of her. Brushing past her and past Vernon, who had just come out from the living room, he rushed up the stairs to Harry's room. Silently he opened the door and looked inside, his heart clenched at the sight before him. The room was a mess, full of things Sirius was pretty sure didn't belong to Harry. There was just a small space around the bed and table that Harry had obviously cleared up. On the table were some books and parchment, but it looked like no one had touched it for some time. His eyes drifted to the bed and he saw him, just like Minerva had described it. His godson laid on the bed, curled up looking at the wall. This time he didn't even turn to look who it was. Cautiously Sirius approached the bed and sank to his knees in front of it. With a soft comforting voice he said.
"Harry." The boy didn't react. Tentatively Sirius reached out a hand and put it on Harry's head, softly stroking his dirty hair. He sat there looking at his godson for about ten minutes when a voice talked from the door.
"Padfoot." Sirius turned enough to look at Remus, who was standing at the door, a worried look on his face at the sight of the boy.
"Yes?" Remus stepped inside and looked around.
"We need to go, Minerva is about to lose her temper and curse the Dursley's on the spot. I'll pack Harry's things." Remus moved to where the trunk was and began to put the books and parchments inside. Sirius knowing his friend was right turned once again to Harry and tried to get him to move.
"Harry, please get up, we are going." Slowly the boy turned and Sirius flinched when the dull green eyes locked with his. Carefully Harry moved, stood up and, wavering a little, moved to stand next to Sirius, who kept a watchful eye on him. Remus was about to close the trunk when a sudden thought crossed Sirius's mind.
"Wait, have you looked under the bed?" At his friends confused gaze he explained. "Harry once told me he kept some things under a lose floor board there."
"I see." Lupin bent over and easily found the hiding place. A few moments later he came out with a stack of letters and some books.
The two men looked around some more, making sure they were not forgetting anything while Harry just stood starring in front of him, like nothing was happening around him. Finally they decided they had everything and locked the trunk. Lupin put a levitating charm on it and took Hedwig's cage. Silently he went out and Sirius turned to Harry. Carefully putting an arm around the boy's fragile shoulders he slowly started to walk to the door. Harry resisted for a moment but then decided it wasn't worth it and began to walk with his godfather who kept shooting him concerned looks. Slowly they descended the stairs and Sirius was forced to put his arm around Harry's waist to keep him from stumbling. The sight that met them downstairs was hilarious. Minerva was leaning against the door frame, idly twirling her wand in her hands. Lupin was sitting on the trunk laughing his head off. Sirius looked in the direction they were looking and began to laugh too. Running around was a frantic pig and an ostrich, without doubt Minerva had lost her temper and transfigured Harry's relatives. While he laughed he wondered where Harry's cousin was hiding, but decided it wasn't worth going look for him. Harry, unlike his companions, remained silent although for a short moment a flash of laughter passed through his eyes. Unluckily none of the adults had been looking at him and they didn't see it. Sirius turned to McGonagall and smiled at her.
"Well professor, there's no doubt you teach transfiguration. What did they do to deserve this?" Minerva scowled at the two animals.
"I'm not going to tell you right now, Black, else you would end in Azkaban for real this time." Sirius's features darkened and he turned his attention to Harry who hadn't moved from his side. His expression turned to one of concern and his arm tightened around the boy's waist. Softly he began to push Harry in the doors direction.
"Come on Kido, lets get you out of here." They left the house closely followed by Minerva and Remus. When they were out of the anti-apparition wards they apparated to Hogsmeade.
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews.