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Harry woke up in a warm bed. He remembered what had happened last night and a feeling of dread replaced the comfortable peace he had been feeling moments ago. He wondered if he should try to go back to sleep. He didn't really want to confront Sirius. Harry remembered the anger he had seen in his godfather's eyes when the man had put him to sleep the night before. He was definitely going to get it. After a small internal debate, he sat up. It would be better to see what his godfather had in store for him, rather than lay there thinking about it. He was startled when he saw Sirius sitting in one of the chairs in his room, looking at him intently, arms crossed over his chest. Harry was a little frightened now. His godfather's face was expressionless, his eyes were boring into the boy. Harry looked down, waiting for Sirius to speak first. The man stayed silent for a while. When he did speak, his voice was toneless and unemotional. "Come here, Harry."
The child obeyed and scrambled out of bed, not wishing to anger his godfather further. He crossed the room to stand in front of Sirius. His godfather made no move towards him. Sirius simply stared at him with those burning eyes. "Sit down." Slowly Harry sat in the chair that had been placed in front of his godfather's. "Now tell me, why did you run away and put yourself in danger yesterday?"
Harry squirmed under the intense gaze, trying to collect his thoughts. Finally he started to speak in a subdued voice. He told his godfather about the nightmare he had had and about the thoughts he had afterwards. Sirius's face didn't change through the explanation, but his eyes softened somewhat, though not enough for Harry to notice. After Harry told him what had happened with Firenze, Sirius unfolded his arms and leaned forward so he and Harry were at level eye. "Listen very carefully to me, Harry. Voldemort is a monster who wishes to kill everyone who stands in his way. Remus and I have been fighting him for many years and even if you weren't with us, we would still be at the top of his list of people to kill. We have accepted it, we knew about it as soon as we started. But what we are doing is necessary. It's something we have to do, because someone has to do it. If your presence here brings us in more danger, then so be it. Yesterday you asked me if you could call me Dad. I said 'yes,' and with that I accepted you as my son. That means I'll be always here for you, no matter what and if I have to die protecting you then I will do so gladly because you are more important to me than my life."
Sirius sat back and looked at the child. Harry's face was sad and he was looking down. They sat in silence for a while, Sirius waiting patiently till the information had sunk in, all the while steeling himself. He knew what he had to do now, but he was not going to enjoy it in the least. In his mind he cursed Remus. The werewolf knew him too well. This morning he had been ready to let Harry get away with a warning, but his friend's words wouldn't let him. The boy needed to be punished and even if Remus was willing to do it, both knew it was really his place. With a small sigh Sirius sat up straighter and spoke with a firm note in his voice. "Harry." The boy looked up at him. "I'm sorry, but I have to punish you. What you did yesterday was very dangerous. I cannot allow this kind of behaviour to go unpunished."
Harry grimaced but nodded in acceptance. He didn't really know what Sirius was about to do; the Dursleys had never bothered with formally punishing him. They just beat him or locked him up. He had heard things that other parents did to their children to reprimand them but had never paid much attention, thinking he would never be in their situation. Sirius's voice cut through his pensive mood. "Come here, Harry."
With a small sigh, Harry slid from his chair and walked slowly to his godfather, a sense of dread filling him. Without a second thought, Sirius had picked him up and he found himself placed across the man's lap on his stomach. Suddenly knowing what was about to happen, Harry started to squirm, but Sirius placed a firm hand on his back to keep him still. The first slap landed unexpectedly, making the small boy cry out. Harry's first thought was that it hurt, and then that he wouldn't cry. Unluckily for him he hadn't remembered that the potion had destroyed his teenaged inhibitions completely and by the time the third slap fell he was already bawling his eyes out. Sirius slapped him seven times more before picking him up from his lap and into his arms. Through his sobs, he felt the man stand up and put him in his bed, on his stomach. Sirius put the blankets straight around him and without another word left the room.
The man walked down the stairs and went into the kitchen, where Remus was making breakfast. The werewolf looked as his friend sank into a chair and put his head on the table silently. Thinking it was better not to ask anything, he handed Sirius a mug of coffee and then readied a tray for Harry. Leaving Sirius alone for a while, Remus picked the tray up and walked up the stairs and into Harry's room. The small child was clutching the golden Gryffindor lion to him, still sniffling a little. He looked up at Remus when the man came in, his eyes puffy from crying. The werewolf noticed he was lying on his side and he assumed Sirius had spanked him. Putting the tray on the table, Remus walked over to the bed. He could see Harry was getting ready for another punishment from him but Remus wasn't about to do anything, Sirius had done enough. "Come on, Harry. Your breakfast is ready. And after that you will spent the day in bed. I want you to think very carefully about what happened yesterday. Is that understood?"
Harry nodded, a little relieved the werewolf wouldn't do anything else. Remus sat him in a chair with a pillow on it. Harry grimaced slightly, his bottom was still very warm and sore. He was grateful to Remus for bringing him his breakfast. He silently ate everything Remus had brought him. He wasn't very hungry, but he didn't want to upset his guardians even more than he already had. Once finished, Remus led him to the bathroom were he helped him get cleaned up. Still in his pyjamas, Harry followed Remus' directions and crawled back into bed. Remus tucked him in and left the room quietly. It wasn't long before Harry had fallen asleep again.
To be continued…
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader, LAHoney.
Free.
Harry woke up in a warm bed. He remembered what had happened last night and a feeling of dread replaced the comfortable peace he had been feeling moments ago. He wondered if he should try to go back to sleep. He didn't really want to confront Sirius. Harry remembered the anger he had seen in his godfather's eyes when the man had put him to sleep the night before. He was definitely going to get it. After a small internal debate, he sat up. It would be better to see what his godfather had in store for him, rather than lay there thinking about it. He was startled when he saw Sirius sitting in one of the chairs in his room, looking at him intently, arms crossed over his chest. Harry was a little frightened now. His godfather's face was expressionless, his eyes were boring into the boy. Harry looked down, waiting for Sirius to speak first. The man stayed silent for a while. When he did speak, his voice was toneless and unemotional. "Come here, Harry."
The child obeyed and scrambled out of bed, not wishing to anger his godfather further. He crossed the room to stand in front of Sirius. His godfather made no move towards him. Sirius simply stared at him with those burning eyes. "Sit down." Slowly Harry sat in the chair that had been placed in front of his godfather's. "Now tell me, why did you run away and put yourself in danger yesterday?"
Harry squirmed under the intense gaze, trying to collect his thoughts. Finally he started to speak in a subdued voice. He told his godfather about the nightmare he had had and about the thoughts he had afterwards. Sirius's face didn't change through the explanation, but his eyes softened somewhat, though not enough for Harry to notice. After Harry told him what had happened with Firenze, Sirius unfolded his arms and leaned forward so he and Harry were at level eye. "Listen very carefully to me, Harry. Voldemort is a monster who wishes to kill everyone who stands in his way. Remus and I have been fighting him for many years and even if you weren't with us, we would still be at the top of his list of people to kill. We have accepted it, we knew about it as soon as we started. But what we are doing is necessary. It's something we have to do, because someone has to do it. If your presence here brings us in more danger, then so be it. Yesterday you asked me if you could call me Dad. I said 'yes,' and with that I accepted you as my son. That means I'll be always here for you, no matter what and if I have to die protecting you then I will do so gladly because you are more important to me than my life."
Sirius sat back and looked at the child. Harry's face was sad and he was looking down. They sat in silence for a while, Sirius waiting patiently till the information had sunk in, all the while steeling himself. He knew what he had to do now, but he was not going to enjoy it in the least. In his mind he cursed Remus. The werewolf knew him too well. This morning he had been ready to let Harry get away with a warning, but his friend's words wouldn't let him. The boy needed to be punished and even if Remus was willing to do it, both knew it was really his place. With a small sigh Sirius sat up straighter and spoke with a firm note in his voice. "Harry." The boy looked up at him. "I'm sorry, but I have to punish you. What you did yesterday was very dangerous. I cannot allow this kind of behaviour to go unpunished."
Harry grimaced but nodded in acceptance. He didn't really know what Sirius was about to do; the Dursleys had never bothered with formally punishing him. They just beat him or locked him up. He had heard things that other parents did to their children to reprimand them but had never paid much attention, thinking he would never be in their situation. Sirius's voice cut through his pensive mood. "Come here, Harry."
With a small sigh, Harry slid from his chair and walked slowly to his godfather, a sense of dread filling him. Without a second thought, Sirius had picked him up and he found himself placed across the man's lap on his stomach. Suddenly knowing what was about to happen, Harry started to squirm, but Sirius placed a firm hand on his back to keep him still. The first slap landed unexpectedly, making the small boy cry out. Harry's first thought was that it hurt, and then that he wouldn't cry. Unluckily for him he hadn't remembered that the potion had destroyed his teenaged inhibitions completely and by the time the third slap fell he was already bawling his eyes out. Sirius slapped him seven times more before picking him up from his lap and into his arms. Through his sobs, he felt the man stand up and put him in his bed, on his stomach. Sirius put the blankets straight around him and without another word left the room.
The man walked down the stairs and went into the kitchen, where Remus was making breakfast. The werewolf looked as his friend sank into a chair and put his head on the table silently. Thinking it was better not to ask anything, he handed Sirius a mug of coffee and then readied a tray for Harry. Leaving Sirius alone for a while, Remus picked the tray up and walked up the stairs and into Harry's room. The small child was clutching the golden Gryffindor lion to him, still sniffling a little. He looked up at Remus when the man came in, his eyes puffy from crying. The werewolf noticed he was lying on his side and he assumed Sirius had spanked him. Putting the tray on the table, Remus walked over to the bed. He could see Harry was getting ready for another punishment from him but Remus wasn't about to do anything, Sirius had done enough. "Come on, Harry. Your breakfast is ready. And after that you will spent the day in bed. I want you to think very carefully about what happened yesterday. Is that understood?"
Harry nodded, a little relieved the werewolf wouldn't do anything else. Remus sat him in a chair with a pillow on it. Harry grimaced slightly, his bottom was still very warm and sore. He was grateful to Remus for bringing him his breakfast. He silently ate everything Remus had brought him. He wasn't very hungry, but he didn't want to upset his guardians even more than he already had. Once finished, Remus led him to the bathroom were he helped him get cleaned up. Still in his pyjamas, Harry followed Remus' directions and crawled back into bed. Remus tucked him in and left the room quietly. It wasn't long before Harry had fallen asleep again.
To be continued…
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader, LAHoney.