Chapter 6
A huge, wet, pink tongue mopped Harry's face enthusiastically, stopping after a moment to give a happy "woof." Harry laughed and wiped his cheek off with a corner of his t-shirt. The big black dog stepped off of Harry's chest and transformed into a thin figure that Harry knew well… "Sirius!" He leapt up and embraced his godfather.
It had been several months since he had seen Sirius Black in person. He had been busy gathering up what Dumbledore had called "the old crowd" and then with them, informing other wizarding folk whom they could trust about Voldemort's resurrection. There were other things that he had been doing that Harry hadn't been informed of. Then right as Sirius planned to come visit Harry the year before during the Christmas holiday, Voldemort had declared open war… Harry shook off the bad memories and grinned at Sirius. His hair, while much cleaner than it had been while he was in Azkaban, had grown almost as long as it was during that time. It now hung to about the middle of his back although it was tied back loosely with a bit of string.
"Surprised to see me?" his godfather grinned.
"I was hoping to see you," Harry confessed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "But I thought I would have to send Hedwig out after you. How long have you been here?"
"Just arrived actually." A grimness suddenly shadowed Sirius' eyes. "I wanted to stay with Remus during the full moon last night."
"Did he… did he have the Wolfsbane Potion?" asked Harry nervously, worried both for Sirius and Professor Lupin at the same time.
A muscle in Sirius's jaw moved. "No."
"Oh." Harry gulped. He had seen Remus Lupin turn into a werewolf once, during his third year and it had only been Sirius' intervention in the form of Padfoot the big black dog that had saved their lives. It was hard for Harry to reconcile the friendly Professor Lupin with the ferocious beast that he turned into once a month without the aid of the Wolfsbane Potion that rendered the transformation harmless. He knew that Remus and Sirius were close friends, themselves like brothers to his own father James Potter… He shuddered to think how he would feel if Ron were a werewolf. Harry glanced up at his godfather's stony face and knew that he would probably feel the same way that Sirius felt now….
"Snape is one of the only wizards this side of the Channel whom Remus trusts to make the potion accurately. Unfortunately he didn't have time, as we were travelling quite a bit, to give Snape notice that he would need it." Sirius' voice still held the mistrust he had of the Hogwarts Potions Master, but Harry knew that Sirius would respect Dumbledore's wishes to lay aside, at least for awhile, his loathing for the former Death Eater. "Luckily, we found a secure place to spend the night where the wolf could be safely contained. Remus is going to take a day to rest and then will Apparate or travel by Floo as far as Hogsmeade. He should be here at Hogwarts soon after."
"Professor Lupin is coming here?" asked Harry in some surprise, "What for?"
"Well…" Sirius frowned and looked uncomfortable. Seeming to come to a decision after a brief moment of silence he glanced around the empty corridor and lowered his voice. "Dumbledore has asked Remus and I to help test and repair the various wards surrounding Hogwarts. After Vold-- after You-Know-Who declared war last year, the Headmaster feels even more strongly the need to keep Hogwarts as safe as possible."
"All by yourselves?" asked Harry incredulously, "But you don't even have a wand!"
Sirius shook his head. "Not by ourselves; certainly not. The other Hogwarts professors will be doing most of the work but repairing and testing the wards around Hogwarts will take a lot of time and as many trustworthy people as possible. As for not having a wand…" Sirius smiled and flicked his wrist suddenly in an odd motion so that a long wand slid smoothly from the sleeve of his robe into his hand. Harry gaped at it and Sirius laughed.
"No, this isn't my original wand. The Aurors snapped it before I went into Azkaban. Dumbledore had a little chat with Mr. Ollivander who, of course, remembered my old wand and made me a new one."
Harry was confused for a moment, thinking that wizards only had one wand their entire lives but then he quickly realized that wasn't feasible. Aurors probably went through several during times of increased dark magic. He also knew for a fact that Charlie Weasley wasn't using his first wand because Ron had been using it their second year before it broke completely.
"Here we are," announced Sirius with satisfaction as they finally came within view of the gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "Treacle tart."
The gargoyle leapt aside and they rode the revolving staircase up to the door. They were bidden to "come in" by a cheery voice after knocking. Dumbledore's circular office hadn't changed much since the last time Harry had been inside it. The portraits of past headmasters were still snoozing gently in their frames, although one bespectacled gentleman awoke as they came in and frowned sternly at their intrusion under his bushy moustache. The black cabinet where Harry's curiosity had once discovered Dumbledore's Pensieve stood safely shut this time, the Sorting Hat behind the desk sat limp and rather bedraggled, Godric Gryffindor's sword glittered brightly in its stand and Fawkes, if his rather sickly appearance was any indication, was fast approaching his Burning Day.
" 'Lo Fawkes," Harry greeted the swan sized phoenix, having a fondness for the creature whose tail feather resided in his wand. Fawkes warbled feebly in reply from his perch.
"Good morning Mr. Potter. Mr. Black, it has been some time since I've had the pleasure of your company," a cool voice greeted them. Harry gulped and suddenly remembered that Sirius had not transformed into the dog before they came up. Professor McGonagall looked at the unregistered Animagus with the stern, disapproving look that Harry had seen directed at himself quite a few times.
Sirius seemed to realize this as well and shifted awkwardly on his feet. "Erm… Good morning, Professor."
A huge, wet, pink tongue mopped Harry's face enthusiastically, stopping after a moment to give a happy "woof." Harry laughed and wiped his cheek off with a corner of his t-shirt. The big black dog stepped off of Harry's chest and transformed into a thin figure that Harry knew well… "Sirius!" He leapt up and embraced his godfather.
It had been several months since he had seen Sirius Black in person. He had been busy gathering up what Dumbledore had called "the old crowd" and then with them, informing other wizarding folk whom they could trust about Voldemort's resurrection. There were other things that he had been doing that Harry hadn't been informed of. Then right as Sirius planned to come visit Harry the year before during the Christmas holiday, Voldemort had declared open war… Harry shook off the bad memories and grinned at Sirius. His hair, while much cleaner than it had been while he was in Azkaban, had grown almost as long as it was during that time. It now hung to about the middle of his back although it was tied back loosely with a bit of string.
"Surprised to see me?" his godfather grinned.
"I was hoping to see you," Harry confessed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "But I thought I would have to send Hedwig out after you. How long have you been here?"
"Just arrived actually." A grimness suddenly shadowed Sirius' eyes. "I wanted to stay with Remus during the full moon last night."
"Did he… did he have the Wolfsbane Potion?" asked Harry nervously, worried both for Sirius and Professor Lupin at the same time.
A muscle in Sirius's jaw moved. "No."
"Oh." Harry gulped. He had seen Remus Lupin turn into a werewolf once, during his third year and it had only been Sirius' intervention in the form of Padfoot the big black dog that had saved their lives. It was hard for Harry to reconcile the friendly Professor Lupin with the ferocious beast that he turned into once a month without the aid of the Wolfsbane Potion that rendered the transformation harmless. He knew that Remus and Sirius were close friends, themselves like brothers to his own father James Potter… He shuddered to think how he would feel if Ron were a werewolf. Harry glanced up at his godfather's stony face and knew that he would probably feel the same way that Sirius felt now….
"Snape is one of the only wizards this side of the Channel whom Remus trusts to make the potion accurately. Unfortunately he didn't have time, as we were travelling quite a bit, to give Snape notice that he would need it." Sirius' voice still held the mistrust he had of the Hogwarts Potions Master, but Harry knew that Sirius would respect Dumbledore's wishes to lay aside, at least for awhile, his loathing for the former Death Eater. "Luckily, we found a secure place to spend the night where the wolf could be safely contained. Remus is going to take a day to rest and then will Apparate or travel by Floo as far as Hogsmeade. He should be here at Hogwarts soon after."
"Professor Lupin is coming here?" asked Harry in some surprise, "What for?"
"Well…" Sirius frowned and looked uncomfortable. Seeming to come to a decision after a brief moment of silence he glanced around the empty corridor and lowered his voice. "Dumbledore has asked Remus and I to help test and repair the various wards surrounding Hogwarts. After Vold-- after You-Know-Who declared war last year, the Headmaster feels even more strongly the need to keep Hogwarts as safe as possible."
"All by yourselves?" asked Harry incredulously, "But you don't even have a wand!"
Sirius shook his head. "Not by ourselves; certainly not. The other Hogwarts professors will be doing most of the work but repairing and testing the wards around Hogwarts will take a lot of time and as many trustworthy people as possible. As for not having a wand…" Sirius smiled and flicked his wrist suddenly in an odd motion so that a long wand slid smoothly from the sleeve of his robe into his hand. Harry gaped at it and Sirius laughed.
"No, this isn't my original wand. The Aurors snapped it before I went into Azkaban. Dumbledore had a little chat with Mr. Ollivander who, of course, remembered my old wand and made me a new one."
Harry was confused for a moment, thinking that wizards only had one wand their entire lives but then he quickly realized that wasn't feasible. Aurors probably went through several during times of increased dark magic. He also knew for a fact that Charlie Weasley wasn't using his first wand because Ron had been using it their second year before it broke completely.
"Here we are," announced Sirius with satisfaction as they finally came within view of the gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "Treacle tart."
The gargoyle leapt aside and they rode the revolving staircase up to the door. They were bidden to "come in" by a cheery voice after knocking. Dumbledore's circular office hadn't changed much since the last time Harry had been inside it. The portraits of past headmasters were still snoozing gently in their frames, although one bespectacled gentleman awoke as they came in and frowned sternly at their intrusion under his bushy moustache. The black cabinet where Harry's curiosity had once discovered Dumbledore's Pensieve stood safely shut this time, the Sorting Hat behind the desk sat limp and rather bedraggled, Godric Gryffindor's sword glittered brightly in its stand and Fawkes, if his rather sickly appearance was any indication, was fast approaching his Burning Day.
" 'Lo Fawkes," Harry greeted the swan sized phoenix, having a fondness for the creature whose tail feather resided in his wand. Fawkes warbled feebly in reply from his perch.
"Good morning Mr. Potter. Mr. Black, it has been some time since I've had the pleasure of your company," a cool voice greeted them. Harry gulped and suddenly remembered that Sirius had not transformed into the dog before they came up. Professor McGonagall looked at the unregistered Animagus with the stern, disapproving look that Harry had seen directed at himself quite a few times.
Sirius seemed to realize this as well and shifted awkwardly on his feet. "Erm… Good morning, Professor."