~Short Contacts~
It had to have been three a.m. when Sirius greeted Kingsley at the door of Grimmauld Place. The man looked tired and worn, in desperate need of sleep and food. Sirius feared the man might collapse where he stood had it not been for the rabid glimmering in his eyes.
'Has something happened?' he asked as Kingsley stumbled through the threshold.
'No! No, no, no, quite the opposite really!' he mumbled all the way into the sitting room. Sirius followed him. Kingsley refused eat or drink, or sleep even, and started right in on his finds. 'We found some! About fifty of them in a vicinity underground. In Paris!'
'Found what?'
'Death Eaters, Sirius! An entire society of them, right beneath a muggle train station! Fifty! Can you imagine?'
'When is the Ministry going to raid, then?'
'Well, we're contacting other trustworthy sources as I speak, warning the Magical Community in the area to steer clear. They've got Ministry workers already dispatched, of course, but we want to make sure we have enough power behind everything we've got. We don't get chances like this everyday, Sirius!'
'Why are you telling me this? I don't work for the-'
'Sirius! Think! Fifty Death Eaters! Someone must know something about what happened with Harry!' Kingsley then cut himself short, wondering if maybe he'd pressed a button, as if saying his name might send Sirius into a fit of some sort. But he looked Kingsley directly in the eye, his own sparkling with hope.
'I know you'll do what you can.' Sirius stated. 'I know Miss Granger is one of the Aurors they'll be sending out there, am I correct?' Kingsley nodded. Sirius sat in some thought. 'Look after her. Other than that, do what you can.'
Kingsley stood.
'I thought you'd like to know.'
'I'm not getting my hopes up.' Sirius bit his cheeks. 'But thank you Kingsley. Very much.'
'Even though this isn't my department.' he laughed. 'These ears do catch things from time to time what they're not supposed to. I rushed over to tell you.'
Smiling, Sirius stood.
'Again, I thank you. I know the Ministry will do what they can.'
Kingsley nodded his head and left. Making his way to his room, Sirius struggled to keep his head up. He couldn't do it. The weight of everything was pulling him down. He leaned against a wall and tried desperately to rid himself of thoughts and fears, and hope. You stupid fool you know better than to hope. A voice always told him. Hope forsake you long ago. Your faith is in vein. Accept he is dead and go on with your failure.
'I will not.' he whispered. 'Not yet, not this soon.'
* * *
Hermione was gone the next day, leaving Ron and Ginny (who was home for the holidays from her last year at Hogwarts) alone with Fred and George. The four of them stayed upstairs, experimenting on each other with new candies. George had created a rather interesting new tasty called Coma Cakes in which the person taking one would fall comatose for a certain period of time. For how long depended on how much you took of the cake, which was roughly the size of a Snitch.
Downstairs, Arthur and Molly Weasley were cleaning up the remains of breakfast. Sirius was talking quietly with Remus in the next room.
'Kingsley arrived that early just to tell you about some new leads on the Ministry?' Remus asked, sounding disgruntled.
'Yes, and I-'
But they were all interrupted by a strong, echoing knock on the door. They all waited, and then it came again. Sirius erupted from the sitting room with Remus looking proud.
'It worked!' he stated.
'What did?' Molly asked.
'The silencing charm I put on Mother's portrait.' he laughed, rushing to the door. Who was standing there was quite a surprise.
'I came as soon as I 'eard I did!' it was Hagrid, the Hogwarts game keeper.
'Heard what?' Remus asked, standing some distance from the door so as to allow the giant of a man in.
'Bout Harry, o'course!' he looked disgruntled and frustrated. 'Yeh ain't heard nothin' from 'im at all after, have yeh?'
'Nothing.' Sirius stated. He'd hoped to avoid conversational topics like this for at least the rest of the weekend. He sighed, looking forward to Christmas and the opportunity to down some alcoholic beverages.
'Nothin'? What's the Ministry doin'?'
'All they can, so they say.' Remus stated. 'Hagrid you shouldn't be coming out in public, you're risking you're-'
'I don' care bout none o' that crap!' he snarled. 'I just wanted to know if yeh'd heard anythin' is all.' he puffed himself up. 'Where's Ron n' Hermione?'
'Ron's upstairs.' Molly came in. 'Hermione is in France.'
'France?' Hagrid raised a bushy eyebrow. 'What fer?'
'Auror duties.' Remus smiled.
'Wha-?'
'Hermione's an Auror. As are Ron and Harry.'
'What's a guy gotta do to hear 'bout folks round here? I didn' e'en know they were going for tha' sorta job!' Hagrid muttered grimly under his breath, not leaving the entrance hallway. 'I suppose they're in the order too?' They all nodded. 'I see.' he shook his head. 'Well, tell the kids I said 'Lo, and, if anyone hears anythin' 'bout Harry, I-'
'You'll be told Hagrid.' Remus promised.
Hagrid nodded his head. 'Righ' then.' and he stormed out.
* * *
Harry stood at the rubble that was his house. The fires by now had burned out, leaving little in its path. He scrounged through the ash and charred remains of his home, searching only for one thing. It took him forever to determine where his room had begun and where the hall had ended. It took him forever nearly to find where his bed had lain, where the bed stand had stood. And though the reflective surface was cracked, although it was dirty, Harry knew in his heart that the mirror Sirius had given him nearly three years ago worked just fine. He pulled it close to him, knowing it his only way to contact those that he loved.
'Reparo!' he whispered, and the surface healed. Scrubbing it with his already dirty robes, Harry looked deep into the mirror. 'Sirius Black.' he muttered heavily, knowing well the lecture he was sure to receive. It started to glow around the surface. 'Sirius?' He waited.
* * *
It was Christmas Eve. Sirius was home alone, save for Hedwig. The Weasley's had gone back to the Burrow, each of them whishing him a Merry Christmas in turn. Remus could not stay either, for he had work to take care of, though did state with true feeling how he regretted he could not be holiday company.
He roamed around the halls, though why he wasn't sure, when he heard something from his room. A soft whisper calling his name. Sirius drew his wand, weary of what might be waiting for him. Kicking the door wide open, he ran in wand first and combed the area. Nothing. But the voice was stronger, and familiar.
'Sirius?' it kept calling, almost desperately. He looked, trying to find the source.
'I'm going mad.' he hissed as he realized who's voice it was. 'STOP IT!' he bellowed, grabbing his head and falling to his knees. 'MAKE IT STOP!' And it did. But Sirius didn't leave his position. He stayed on his knees, trembling. 'God, make it stop!'
'SIRIUS!?' it came, loud enough to shake him from the daze he was in. The voice was real, it was coming from somewhere. It wasn't in his head. He stood up with alarming speed, combing the room once more for the mirror he and James had always used in separate detentions. One he had given Harry, and Sirius hadn't realized that perhaps his godson had taken it with him, just in case.
'Harry?' he stated firmly.
'Sirius! Where are you?'
'My room, where are you?'
'More like where's you're side of the mirror.' there was a laugh. Sirius smiled. Yes, that was the question wasn't it.
'I can't find it.' There was a distressed sigh. 'Well, as long as I'm looking for it, are you all right? Are you hurt?' he found it at last, pulling it from, of all places, underneath the mattress of his bed. He was soon staring back at a face he had lost all hope of ever seeing again. Without realizing it, tears spilled down his cheeks. 'Harry...' he whispered, holding the mirror closer as if somehow believing he might be able to step through and be beside him.
'I'm...fine.' but as he said it he moved, and doing so caused him to wince. 'Where are the others?'
'Conveniently not here.' Sirius replied instantly. 'But that won't be long. Do you want me to come-'
'NO!' Harry nearly yelled. 'No. I'm still being followed.'
Sirius thought. 'Then come here.'
'No, they know that's where I'd go.'
'I don't care, I want you back here now.'
'I can't do that Sirius, you know that.'
'Then where are you planning on going?' he was starting to fume at Harry's boldness.
'I don't know.' he sighed. 'But I'll contact you again.'
'No wait!' he yelled. 'Where have you been? Why did you wait so long to contact me?'
'I told you, I'm being followed. I couldn't risk coming back here to get the mirror yet. I'm risking more than I'd care to tell you just being here now.' he smiled innocently. 'Don't worry.'
'Don't worry?' Sirius might have laughed. 'Don't worry? You don't have the right to tell me that! Do you-'
'Sirius, I know. I'm terribly sorry, you have no idea. But you must understand the circumstances I'm in. Please.' he was practically begging. He moved to say something else, but he turned his head away from the mirror.
'What is it?'
'I have to-'
But the message was cut short. All he could hear were curses and jinxes being screamed, and soon it all faded till he was looking at nothing more than his own reflection again.
'Harry?' he called. 'HARRY POTTER?!' but the mirror didn't respond. Sirius cursed and tossed it on his bed.
* * *
Running down the stairs at record pace, Sirius started a letter to Remus. The writing was sloppy, but legible enough for him to get the point.
'Hedwig!' he called. She hooted and flew loyally over to him. 'Send this to Remus, all right? And make sure he sends a response promptly!' She hooted again, gleefully and happy to have a job again. She then flew out the window he opened for her, hooting and chirping delightfully. Sirius could only sit and wait for a response.
* * *
It was in fact only moments later that Remus looked up from his desk, working by candlelight, to see the snowy white owl perched outside the small window granted to all in the office. He jumped, but then remembering that she was no longer with Harry, he stepped up to receive the letter. It was, as he had predicted, from Sirius, but contained something he had not expected.
Remus,
You're not going to believe me, but do you remember those mirrors James and I used to have? A while back I gave Harry one of them and he just now contacted me with it! He didn't say much, and absolutely nothing that would have helped us, but he was suddenly cut short and I heard curses. He was fighting someone, and now he won't respond to the mirror when I call. I don't know what to do.
Sirius
Remus eyed around, making sure no one else was reading his letter. Immediately he started writing back, knowing Hedwig would not allow him to just lay this aside.
* * *
It might have been thirty minutes later when Hedwig returned with a letter from Remus, and a mouse in her beak. Ignoring the praise earned to her, Sirius dug into the letter, sitting as he read and reread what little assurance he was given.
Sirius,
Harry contacted you? Was he all right? You're letter was lacking in what might have been important details. I'll write Dumbeldore immediately about this, but I fear there's little to know other than that we can be sure Harry returned to the house he'd been living in. By the sounds of it, someone was waiting there for him. I'm going to tell you once more, don't worry. Please stay calm, keep your head, and don't do anything rash.
Remus
Sirius angrily crumpled the letter up and tossed it.
