Harry closed his eyes and allowed his head to fall back. He could feel the warmth of the summer sun against his skin as it beat down upon the back garden of The Willow and he let himself enjoy it. His hair fell back from his forehead exposing the lighting scar he had gotten as a child, but for once, he did not cover it up straight away.
He felt completely comfortable. He had brought his books outside when he noticed the crystal blue sky but they now lay abandoned in a half circle around him, a nearly finished assignment for Care of Magical Creatures drying in the sun.
The summer hadn't turned out to be so bad after all. Even though he had to stay at the Dursleys' come night time, the day was filled with owls carrying news from Ron, Hermione and Sirius. He couldn't thank Mrs Figg enough for letting him come over, she had even said that if he was unable to visit The Burrow, Ron could come and stay with her.
Ron hadn't been too happy when he had gotten the invitation, remembering that Harry had said the house smelled of cabbage and cats while they had been at the Quidditch World Cup the year before but he said he'd come if he had to. (Once none of those bloody cats is anything like Crookshanks!)
Hermione had been surprised but very pleased when Harry had sent her an owl asking about the 1472 trial of a deserter during the goblin rebellion for their History of Magic essay and had been sending him any information she could research. Harry hadn't the heart to tell her that he had finished the assignment last week. She seemed to get so much joy out of doing the extra work.
Harry was jolted from his smile by a noise coming from in front of him. He opened his eyes expecting to see one of Mrs Figg's cats trying to get his attention but there was no one there.
As he reached for his wand he heard another noise. A rustle of leaves and branches coming form the hedge which surrounded The Willow's garden. He looked in the direction of the hedge and could just make out a pair of dark eyes.
"Dobby?" Harry asked feeling that familiar sense the house elf always brought with him but unsure of what would answer.
Harry gripped his wand tighter as a large figure emerged from the hedge. Its eyes were huge; it was covered in dark hair and from its mouth hung a big dripping tongue.
"Snuffles!" Harry exclaimed.
The dog bounded over to Harry and with its large paws pushed Harry to the ground, licking his face enthusiastically.
"Urgh, stop it!" Harry protested. "You're making me all soggy."
Padfoot pulled back from Harry and transformed into a large grinning Sirius.
"How ya doing, Harry?" he asked.
"Great!" Harry answered. He looked around with caution on his face. "Is it safe for you to be here?"
"Yeah, mostly Muggles around here so I shouldn't have a problem. If one does recognise me I'll just turn into a dog... They'll never believe their eyes. Think they were seeing things." he smiled mischievously.
"So you just came to visit?" Harry asked, unsure of himself.
"Is that allowed?" Sirius countered.
"Yeah," Harry replied "I just... I didn't think I'd see you is' all, after you answered my letter so quickly but it's really good you're here."
Sirius looked down at his godson's books laid out on the grass.
"You're working hard!"
"Yeah well, trying to get it done." Harry mumbled, a little embarrassed.
"Your Mum would be proud; she always did like to get her work done quickly." Sirius said.
Harry's heart leapt. He knew so little about his parents that he clung to all new information.
"Really?" he asked hearing himself sound overly enthusiastic.
"Definitely!" Sirius nodded. "Prongs on the other hand... he'd probably be trying to get you out for a quick game of Quidditch." Sirius smiled at the memory.
Harry tried to put the two images together. His mum bent over a table full of books, trying to get some work done, while his dad jostled her elbow, broom in hand. For some reason they morphed into Ron and Hermione in Harry's head and a smile filled his lips.
"Is Professor Figg inside?" Sirius interrupted Harry's mind and he found himself confused. Who was Professor Figg.
"Oh," Harry said, realising Sirius meant Mrs Figg. Had she taught at Hogwarts he wondered? "Yeah, she said she was going to make some tea."
Sirius got to his feet.
"Back in a minute, just need to have a quick chat." Sirius walked to the back door of The Willow. Harry watched as he disappeared inside and then turned back to his books, he supposed he could try and finish his Care of Magical Creatures essay while Sirius talked to Mrs Figg.
He picked up the parchment and it was not long before he had lain back on the ground and was snoozing silently.
***
Harry's nap was disturbed when he felt a huge shadow move across his face, blocking out the sun's warm beams. He opened his eyes to see Sirius grinning down at him.
"Get much work done?" Sirius teased, falling to the ground beside Harry.
Harry sat up. He noticed Sirius putting a small notebook into the folds of his robe. Probably something to do with Voldemort Harry thought, not really wanting to ask.
"I must have fallen asleep." Harry explained, rubbing his eyes as they readjusted to the sun.
"Hmm," Sirius said an air of playfulness still in his voice. He picked up Harry's abandoned essay and started reading it. He got a couple of paragraphs through before asking "What is this, Harry?" a confused look on his face.
"It's for Care of Magical Creatures," Harry blushed. "We had to research the mating habits of a magical creature."
Sirius recited the work.
"Not much was known about the mating habits of the werewolf until the publication of Wendy Bettendorf's manuscript My Mate. This book, a collection of stories from many different werewolves, was the first insight into how a werewolf actually mates. Previous information had been collected under a fear of the creatures and was usually wrong. Mike Amadans' highly praised Werewolves and their Wild Whimsies stated that a mating could only happen during the night of a full moon and that the mate of the wolf was usually a werewolf or another magical creature. This is now known to be completely untrue. The werewolf actually mates while in human form, in the week after the full moon, when the wolf is at its weakest. The mating involves a physical contest between the werewolf and the prospective mate in which the mate must eventually lose. In this way the mate becomes no threat to the werewolf at full moon and will not be attacked or harmed in any way. Once mated the two are bound to each other for life, a bond which can only be broken by death. The only known case of a werewolf killing a mate happened in 1771 and was carried out by Catherine Shark. After her mate, a normal wizard, had left her for a younger witch. Catherine went into severe depression, unable to break the bond she went into a frenzied attack and killed him a week before the full moon. (It is at this time that the wolf calls for its mate to comfort it). Once discovered that Catherine was a werewolf she was condemned to death and held in chains until the execution date. Bettendorf believes that this death was due to public fear of what Catherine was and did not take into account her mate's betrayal."
Sirius stopped, his face full of concern.
"Is this true, Harry?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Harry surmised. "I mean, I got it all out of the book and Mrs Figg gave it to me so I guess it's as true as it can be."
"Did she now!" Sirius smiled, still looking at the parchment and reading further.
Harry felt himself get a little bit embarrassed. He hadn't expected Sirius to examine his work and he began to feel self conscious. It wasn't written half well.
"It's really interesting actually, so much of what was written in the past was just lies but now we can actually find out the truth... It must be helpful for Professor Lupin... I mean, things are becoming more acceptable for him and all." Harry stopped, knowing he sounded a bit too much like Hermione.
"I hope so, Harry." Sirius put the essay down and Harry could fell himself relax. He didn't have to worry about Sirius teasing him too much.
"You like Professor Lupin, don't you Harry?" Sirius asked from out of nowhere. Harry tried to see where the question had come from but Sirius's face was strangely unreadable.
"Yeah," Harry said easily. "He was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher I ever had." His shoulder twanging slightly as he thought about Mad-Eye Moody.
"You know I'm staying with him at the moment?"
"I thought so, yes." Harry nodded. Sirius seemed to think about something for a moment.
"Once we get everything cleared up and you can come stay with me..." Sirius pulled at the grass by his feet. Harry felt his heart lift at the thought. "Well how would you feel about staying at Lupin Lodge?" Sirius looked up from the grass and met Harry's eyes.
Harry wasn't sure what to say. As far as he was concerned, anywhere away from Privet Drive was fine by him and if he was with Sirius then all the better. Professor Lupin had been friends with his parents as well. But there was something else in Sirius's eyes. Was it something he wanted to tell Harry?
"Did you and Professor Lupin have a fight?" Harry asked concerned.
Sirius smiled lightly and looked away.
"No not yet!"
Harry followed Sirius eyes and they fell onto his Care of Magical Creatures essay. It took Harry a moment to realise what Sirius was saying. Did Sirius mean... Did he want to mate with Professor Lupin!? No it couldn't be true; he had seemed so surprised when he had read the essay. Surely if he... loved... Lupin, he would know all about it. Wouldn't he? But then so much of it had been wrong, many werewolves themselves didn't know how to mate. Maybe Lupin didn't know.
Harry watched Sirius, sunlight dancing again his black hair. He seemed younger now. Unsure of himself.
"Will you be staying with Professor Lupin?" Harry asked evenly. Not knowing how else to word it. "I mean... would we all be staying together?"
Sirius looked up, his eyes full of uncertainty.
"If that's okay with you," he answered. "I wanted to ask you first, before... before I talked to Remus."
Harry looked at Sirius for the longest time. Was he asking his permission? Did he want Harry's blessing before he mated? Was the godfather asking the godson for acceptance?
Harry looked into the eyes of the only family he really had. He thought about how happy he had been when Sirius asked him to live with him. He thought about how much Sirius had risked last year by coming back to England, how much he risked now! Could Harry really deny this man anything he truly wanted? If Lupin would make him happy then that was what he should have. It would take Harry time to get used to it; even now he wasn't one hundred per cent sure about how he would feel but how could he deny Sirius the only thing he had ever asked of him.
"It's okay with me, Sirius." Harry said finally. "If it's what you want."
Sirius finally looked up into his godson's eyes. They were filled with such relief that Harry wondered what would have happened if he had said no. Would Sirius have abandoned him for Lupin? Or worse would he have left the man he loved.
Harry felt himself jump slightly. Did Sirius love Professor Lupin?
"You okay Harry?" Sirius asked, breaking Harry away from his train of thought.
Harry looked away from the kitten he had been watching and looked into his godfather's face.
"Yeah I'm fine." Harry said, and he was surprised to realise that he was telling the truth.
***
It was strange; Harry thought to be sitting having a meal with his godfather. In the two years since he had found out who exactly Sirius Black was, they had hardly been able to be in the same room for any amount of time and now they were sitting down in the large kitchen of The Willow. Mrs Figg was putting the finishing touches on an early dinner which was bubbling away on the fire and Harry and Sirius were playing Exploding Snap.
"Oi, that's cheating," Harry cried as Sirius thumbed through his remaining cards.
"I'm just giving myself an advantage." Sirius said smiling. "You're beating me too easily."
"Now, now Black, give the boy a chance." Mrs Figg counselled, lowering a huge pot onto the table. With a flick of her wand she cleared the table and set three places.
Harry noticed Sirius looking up at the Muggle clock on the wall. His face concerned.
"If you need to go it's okay." Harry offered, trying not to look disappointed. Sirius turned to his godson.
"And miss our first dinner together!" Sirius smiled easily. "So has he been behaving himself, Professor Figg?" Sirius asked the older lady.
"No more then you used to, Black" she answered with playful sternness. She obviously had a soft spot for the man. "Honestly, you'd think after the amount of times I had to give you detention, you would have thought to straighten yourself out!"
Sirius laughed at his old teacher still reprimanding him.
"I don't know how you managed to pass your exams!" she said dishing out a bowl of lamb stew and placing it in front of him. "I'm sure to this day you managed to sneak in your own quill."
"I'm totally offended by that," Sirius mocked insult. "I must have studied for hours for my N.E.W.T.s." Mrs Figg gave him a disbelieving look.
"What did you teach, Mrs Figg?" Harry asked as she placed another bowl in front of him. It smelled delicious he thought, deciding that he had to learn to cook for himself.
"Defence against the Dark Arts," she replied. "I must have been the longest serving in the history of the school, five years altogether, although I think half of that was spent dealing with this little pup." She said, indicating Sirius.
Sirius's smile widened, proud of the rebel label he had acquired as a youth, was still intact.
"Don't you believe a word of that, Harry." Sirius countered. "I almost made Head Boy."
"Only because you and Remus charmed the ballot papers!" she argued.
"Yeah well," he said, quieter now. "James deserved it more then us anyway."
Harry was a bit startled by this exchange. He had supposed Sirius had been boisterous while at Hogwarts but had never really thought about it too much. This, it seemed, was only the tip of the iceberg.
Mrs Figg placed her own bowl on the table and banished the cauldron back to the fireplace. She sat down and seemed to calm herself quiet easily. After taking a spoonful of stew, she laid her hand gently on Sirius's arm.
"Now tell me Sirius, how is Remus? Was the full moon okay for him?"
This caught Harry's attention. Mrs Figg knew Professor Lupin was a werewolf! Then again, maybe all the teachers at the time had known. Sirius caught Harry's eye before answering. Was he checking Harry's reaction to the inquiry?
"He's... fine," Sirius said. "Snape is still making him the Wolfsbane potion but it tires him out and travelling to Hogwarts every day for a week – well – it doesn't help. If it wasn't so dangerous I'd do it myself!"
"Oh dear," Mrs Figg said, a motherly tone in her voice. "It's a very difficult potion. Severus Snape has a rare gift in being able to brew it correctly. Do not torment yourself; just be thankful for its existence."
Sirius smiled but Harry noticed that it died on his lips. His eyes were filled with pain and anguish. Harry remembered seeing Professor Lupin transform without the potion when he was in his third year. He remembered the snapping of his long jaws, the snarling. He remembered Sirius locked jaw to jaw with him, claws ripping at each other. Was this the man that Sirius loved? Was that what he wanted to mate with? Harry shivered despite the steaming stew.
But that was no more Professor Lupin, then Sirius Black was a murderer, Harry reasoned. He thought about the real Professor Lupin who he had met on the Hogwarts Express. The Professor Lupin who had given him chocolate after the Dementors came on board, that had brought Boggart's to class, the Professor Lupin who had taught him the spell which ended up not just saving Harry's life but Sirius's and Hermione's as well. The man who hadn't lied even when being exposed as a werewolf, the man who had been one of his parents' closest friends.
Harry could feel a smile start to grow on his face. If everything worked out he would be living with the two people who had been closest to his parents. The two people they had trusted above all others. Harry felt a little warm spot in the pit of his stomach that couldn't be explained by Mrs Figg's lamb stew.
"Is everything alright, dear?" Mrs Figg asked him gently. "Do you not like the stew?"
Harry looked up into her caring eyes, then at the concern in the eyes of the man opposite him. He realised for the first time how happy he felt to be there.
"It's perfect," he said. "Everything is perfect!" a huge smile spread across his face and he thought that his feelings must have been infectious for soon the three sat at the table were laughing and joking. All pain had been forgotten, all torment gone.
For that one moment in time, everything was perfect.
***
Author's note: I like the way this chapter ended but will it all end perfectly! You'll have to wait and see. Thanks to everyone for your reviews especially Marauder, who keeps me updated chapter by chapter. I feel so loved!
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