For My Loved Ones by Spelljammer

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1; Language Alert

OFFICIAL THEME SONG: "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch

CHAPTER 5: Home and Abroad



The morning sky above Surrey was gray and hazy. It was about to rain for sure and the question was when. Sirius Black was the first person up in the house and was sitting in the little couch in the living room with a coffee table. The house was doing better since Remus put his meager belongings in it but it still seemed cold and bare. Sirius tried to make breakfast in the kitchen but hadn't taken into account all the utilities were shut off. In theory if Harry and Remus weaved the right spells they all could live without electricity, water, gas, heat, and air conditioning. He also forgot all that Remus had was muggle instant coffee and exactly one egg which he was saving for Harry. The coffee would have to wait until either Harry or Remus got up to magically heat it up. Thus, in his same dusty, gray robes Sirius was in for god knows how long he was in the living room at first light. There was no television or radio so Sirius was alone with his thoughts. In wizarding society a household was traditionally expected to be run by the eldest person of the house. Despite his frail appearance Remus Lupin was one year younger than Sirius so following traditions it was up to him to make sure Harry and Remus were safe and protected, to make sure they were well fed, and above all make sure they were happy. Sirius had so many responsibilities already, which included tracking down Peter Pettigrew, and being an agent of Dumbledore that being the Eldest seemed like a overwhelming weight on him. Sirius would gladly bear this new responsibility though. He needed to redeem himself for Remus and Harry especially after his spectacular failure of protecting Harry during the Flesh, Blood and Bone ritual which Harry had to endure alone. Not to mention simply not being there for Harry and Remus for thirteen years and letting James and Lily die. The fact both Remus and Harry loved him deeply still didn't help him feel better at all.

[Dumbledore gave us a false peace. We might not get a 'happily ever after'] Sirius thought grimly as he looked at the little flowered wallpaper.

The set-up was very delicate. Harry and Remus could travel legally in the wizarding world despite Remus' condition which made most people shun him. Sirius could only travel in the wizarding world in his Padfoot guise and had to be real careful at that. In the muggle world the three had to come up with false idenities to explain why they were living in an abandoned house. To top it off, Sirius believed that if the new war had started at the conclusion of the third task, Voldemort won't limit his attacks during Harry's school year anymore. Not to mention they had to deal with Remus' "monthlies". Sirius knew he had to summon a strength far beyond than what he had in prison, the den of the Dementors. It was painful but if it was for Moony and the pup he would do it. He had to. They were all he had left in his pathetic excuse of a life. Harry came downstairs finally and plopped down beside him still bleary-eyed.

"Hey." Harry said.

"Hey yourself kid." Sirius replied.

"Feels unreal. I'm actually happy to wake up for once."

"Makes two of us." Sirius said hoarsely. It was good to wake up for once and not feel like screaming.

"While Remus and I are out we'll get some decent muggle clothes for you." It was decided that while Harry and Remus made a Gringotts run Sirius would stay behind and "lay low" then the three would go out to a muggle supermarket and get some food for the month. "Hey, how are you going to move around in the muggle world anyway?" "Everyone knows you're a supposedly notorious criminal."

"Remus told me that Dumbledore rigged all the television and radio broadcasts to erase the muggles memories of me starting today, except for the Dursleys...without the Ministry's knowledge of course." Sirius said quietly. Dumbledore was moving heaven and earth for Harry. It had to be for Harry of course, no one would do that much for HIM, save for Remus. Harry looked a little uncomfortable.

"The conspiracy begins at home." Harry mumbled.

"No shit...erm sorry." Sirius said catching himself.

" s'okay." Harry said with a slight grin. Sirius had to admit even his best case scenario of living with Harry was quite unlike this. Since Harry jumped on the idea of living with him two years ago Sirius thought he would just get a flat in London for them and support Harry's education with an assortment of part-time jobs...probably bounty-hunting. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe he would be living in an upper middle-class neighborhood in Surrey with him. Only in a space of several tense hours did they get to know each other in both years...and several hundred owl posts in between. Harry seemed absolutely desperate to leave this place, seeing as he made so many disparaging remarks about his relatives which lead Sirius to ask a question...

"So how did your family really treat you anyway?" he asked gently.

"Okay...We've had this feud since I was little because I could use magic, but otherwise it's been so-so." This was a flat out lie and both of them knew it. Harry felt very ashamed that anyone would find out that the legendary "Boy Who Lived" was a disgusting creature to his closest relatives. He even felt bad talking about it to Ron and Hermione so he just did a little...editing to his stories. Sirius felt the need to push further, albeit gently.

"Harry, you don't have to hide anything...not from me at least."

"W...Well...I..." Harry began with a fresh wave of guilt in his stomach.

"BOY, GET YOUR ARSE DOWNSTAIRS AND FIX US SOME BREAKFAST!!" roared the far too familiar voice of Vernon Dursley. Sirius immediately sprang out of the couch and Harry seemed to want to curl into a fetal position. Sirius then scanned the kitchen and dining room and found no one. Remus bolted from the bedroom to the stairs wand in hand, still in his nightclothes.

"What the hell was that?" Remus said sharply

"Sounded like someone else was in the house but I couldn't find anyone." Sirius said with a look of alarm. Harry got out of the couch and peeked out the window. No car in the driveway...no one at the front door. "Must be the people next door." Sirius said easing just a little bit.

"I'll check the wards around the house." Remus said as he left to go to the basement he then added "Honestly who would treat their kids like that?" Harry sat down on the couch quietly and said nothing knowing all to well who the voice was...even if the fat pig wasn't there.

Harry and Remus left the house at ten to go to Diagon Alley by floo powder. They would have breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron and Sirius would have the lone egg, then they'd go to Gringotts, get some money, BUY SIRIUS SOME CLOTHES, and head back. Harry dressed in a bright red shirt and denim pants and put his Hogwarts black cloak over it. A warm sense of pride that made Harry feel good to actually be a wizard in public came over him even if the "public" was a massive secret society that no one else knew existed. Harry and Remus were in the pub having sausage and eggs with Remus reading The Prophet. There were whispers in the tavern and on the street. Harry wasn't sure if it was because of his notoriety or that he was breaking bread with a Dark Creature. Remus' heightened senses as a werewolf told him it was both. The whispers were making Harry uncomfortable so he asked for a piece of the paper. It was the society section. Harry read the gossip section which made him chuckle as it was implying that the Malfoys may be heading for divorce court. He read the horoscopes which made him warm. He was part of that world now too, the world of the future. The obituaries...Sara Avenworth, Geiry Colgware, Cedric Diggory....Harry immediately folded the paper and finished eating without a second thought.

Back on Privet Drive, Sirius Black was home alone. After finishing off his egg, he went upstairs to the new study to read some books because he was bored. As he made his way into the room and was going to open up the curtains to let in some light he saw a very remarkable sight for mid- morning time. He opened the curtains to see a nighttime sky complete with a full moon which naturally made Sirius jump, taking a second look though he only saw a normal daytime sky, overcast. His heart was pounding out of his chest and he decided to lie down in his bedroom instead. The room that he shared with Remus was very simple. It just had the old dusty bed and few books on a barrel used as a nightstand. The closet, which had only Remus' things, had approximately three robes in great condition with one tweed suit used in case he needed to "go muggle". Sirius figured that all three would "go muggle" so they needed more clothes. As he lay on the bed he reminisced on how he and Remus when they were younger would just lie around in bed all day naked in some cheap motel talking about their lives or anything else they would think of. Of course both of them would be naked at the time.

[I hope he gets used to me soon...] he started to think before he heard another voice.

"Kill the spare."

This made Sirius jump up. No, there wasn't anyone there. He decided to check the protection wards downstairs anyway. As he walked barefoot on the hardwood stairs he heard another sound outside, he made his way to the kitchen and looked outside. Crouched outside in the house next door tending to the flowers was a Dementor!! Sirius blinked his eyes. A young lady was next door tending to the marigolds before the afternoon rain came. Sirius was not liking this at all. Not one bit. Either the wards were breached or he was starting to go insane, and since Remus checked the wards this morning...

Harry and Remus were in Harry's vault at Gringotts Bank. Harry had already got a balance inquiry from the goblins up front and was shoveling galleons in his money purse. After he finished he remembered his vision from the Hogwarts library and went and got his mother's Book of Shadows from a chest in the back of the vault. Remus let out a small gasp.

"I know. It'll be like talking with the past though." Harry said quietly as he checked the front cover. *THIS BOOK OF SHADOWS BELONGS TO LILY POTTER* They then went back to the front office from the depths of the vaults. Harry exchanged one half of the galleons for pounds and started to walk out of the bank when they ran into someone who could only be described as a leather clad biker with long red hair. It was Bill Weasley, who worked at Gringotts.

"Hey, Harry!"

"Lo, Bill!"

Harry introduced Remus and Bill to each other and heard a piece of interesting news from Bill. It seems the Weasleys knew all about the "arrangement" at 4 Privet Drive. One of the "friends" at the Ministry was of course Arthur Weasley.

"Even though no one knows about this, Fudge is really pissed at Dumbledore anyway. The transcript of his end of year speech made the Prophet. I think if anything else were to happen he would move for Dumbledore's immediate dismissal." Bill explained. This made Harry uneasy.

"I think Dumbledore wants to challenge Fudge's authority just a smidge though." Remus said to ease Harry. It didn't work. Actually Harry really didn't care for the Minister of Magic right now, he was afraid that if they had a face to face meeting he would get the strong urge to smack him around.

"Mum and Dad want to come over later on in the week to see how Harry's doing and if you're settling in okay. Is that alright with you guys?" Harry glanced at Remus.

"Yes, there are some details that need to be worked out between all of us. Your mother must give you updates on everybody everyday if you found out so soon." Remus said.

"Religiously." He groaned then turned to Harry. "You're a pretty lucky kid having a werewolf and a hardened escaped con guarding you." He said cheerfully as he left. Remus wasn't at all sure if he was lucky. He wanted Harry to have a normal life. However "normal" and "Harry Potter" were fiercely antithetical concepts, even since his birth. Harry then spoke up.

"Hey, Remus, please tell me that Padfoot used to dress like that."

"Definitely." Remus grinned along with Harry. Clothes shopping would be a FUN experience especially in muggle London. "Let me change into some muggle clothing at Leaky Cauldron and I'll show you what our Padfoot liked to dress in."

Harry and Remus returned home late afternoon via the fireplace again dressed in muggle clothes. Harry simply had his Hogwarts cloak off whereas Remus had a long sleeved white shirt with khaki pants. They had a bunch of shopping bags with them including one from Harrod's. The house was very quiet even if it just had one person in it.

"We're home!" Harry said. Harry then saw a very grave looking Sirius just staring at them...with a sword in his hand.

"Padfoot?" Remus said cautiously. Sirius then went over to them and started to sniff on them. Then the tension in the room broke as he recognized them as real beings.

"Something's in the house." Sirius whispered. Harry put the packages down and they looked at each other.

"That's impossible. The protection wards haven't been compromised." Remus said quietly.

"Then I'm going insane." He was barely audible to Harry but Remus heard him.

"Harry, could you set up the table in the living room. I'm going to help Padfoot get washed upstairs." Remus said as Harry got a bucket of fried chicken from one of the packages.

"Sure." He said not liking the quietness of the house as the two older wizards went upstairs.

The two were in their room upstairs and Sirius told about his day since ten o' clock, including a Dementor scare. He was shaken as he whispered to Remus.

"I can't go mental...not now, Harry needs me...you need me...It's my duty to take care of this family. I didn't want to blow this second chance after I fucked up Godric's..."

"You DIDN'T." Remus interjected firmly. "And whatever is happening now we'll get through it. Some boggart might have gotten in undetected. I'm always leaving them around in suitcases and trunks you know." He continued gently. He then wrapped his arms around Sirius' body. "I seriously doubt you would snap now. Azkaban is a cruel teacher...but you left it behind." Remus did take into account there might be lingering scars from that place though. He then led Sirius into the bathroom and got his wand out.

"Pluvia." He chanted as a miniature rain cloud formed on the shower ceiling. The rain water that fell was quite warm as it fell through Sirius' hands. It was awakening long forgotten sensations. He gave Remus a feral, half-cocked grin that said everything.

"Not here." Remus whispered as he faintly blushed. Sirius took the wand and pointed it at the closed door.

"Obseratus." He said as he pointed to the door. It magically locked. "Yes, here." was his husky reply.

Harry fortunately didn't have to use the bathroom as he was downstairs setting the coffee table as the dining room table because they didn't buy one yet. He put the dishes on the table and the bucket of chicken too. After a while both Sirius and Remus came downstairs both cleaned and dried thanks to some more magic. Harry noticed all the stubble from Sirius' face was shaved and looked glowing as he was in a terrycloth robe Remus took upstairs. Sirius' hair now had a silken look also instead of a straw look he'd had. Remus looked quite subdued in his robes he now wore, the muggle clothing discarded in the bathroom.

"So you guys took turns in the shower?" Harry said as all three sat on the couch. Remus just nodded mutely. "What's up, Sirius?' he asked.

"We think there might be a monster in the house. I don't know if it's a ghost or not. We have to get this straightened out before the Weasleys come over Friday night." He replied quite offhandedly. Harry wasn't overly concerned because of the tone of his godfather's voice. The three then started to eat up the chicken and biscuits, crumbs getting on the couch. After finishing up Sirius got up and inspected the clothes bags. Black t- shirts, some with Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and even Pink Floyd on the front. Jeans, black and grey denim, low rise, vintage wash along with army green camouflaged pants with steeled toed combat boots. He even saw a pair of hiking boots which he smiled at.

"Excellent taste, Moony."

"Thanks." Remus had a serene air about him. Sirius then noticed the Harrod's bag. Harry started to blush.

"Think of it as fourteen years worth of missed birthdays." He stammered. Sirius got the package out of the bag and opened it, revealing a black leather jacket. Sirius giggled but upon closer inspection he noticed it wasn't a biker's jacket it was a form fitting, IMPORTED, DESIGNER, FANCY EUROPEAN MALE black leather jacket. Sirius felt that just radiated class. It almost felt sacred. Harry obviously blew a lot of poundage on it.

"Harry love, you didn't..."

"You deserve it." Harry cut in flatly.

"I'm going stir crazy. Since the muggle authorities are no longer aware of me let's get to the market to get ready for our guests Friday. We can discuss our house situation tonight." Harry nodded and noted Sirius was slightly anxious to leave. After the Vernon freak out this morning Harry was ready to leave also. So Sirius went upstairs with his new clothes, and Remus went back to the bathroom to get his clothes. Remus got downstairs first and waited with Harry down at the front door. The sight of Sirius in muggle clothes almost blinded them. With his new silky long hair, and clean shaven face in his low rise, grey denim pants, with the Jim Morrison shirt and sophisticated black leather jacket, Sirius Black looked...hauntingly beautiful. He was still very pale and gaunt but it worked for him. He reached a Lucius Malfoy level of cold-steel beauty, but instead of a light- bearer quality Sirius was firmly in the "shadow personified" camp. It was cutting into Remus like a silver knife...and he was enjoying it. As the three walked out the door, Harry picked up the discarded gray robes that Sirius had lived in for fourteen years.

"Hey Sirius, what should I do with this one?" Harry asked.

"Burn it."